Top Ten Marvel Easter Eggs From The MCU

Everyone loves Easter eggs that pop up in films and television series. For viewers, it can be fun to hunt for them as they watch the films. Some are hidden in plain sight and easy to find. Others are more difficult and may take years for someone to actually notice the nod to the story’s lore, character lore, or background, etc. Marvel is definitely no exception to the idea of Easter eggs. Many of Marvel’s Easter eggs have to do with the comic books or their creators, as well as brief glimpses of characters and places and phrases from other films and/or comic books. Here are some of the best that you will want to look for the next time you watch any of the Marvel films.

10. Collector’s Museum Pieces

In the Guardians of the Galaxy directed by James Gunn, there is a scene where our heroes go to see the Collector. The Collector is…well…a collector, and throughout his museum of living oddities and random stuff you can spot many creatures and items from other Marvel movies and comic books. These include Howard the Duck, and Cosmo the Spacedog from the actual comic books. Cosmo the Spacedog was originally a member of the Guardians in the comics. James Gunn also snuck in the gross slug creature from his film Slither. There are many more to spot in the room, and chances are, you will spot at least one that you recognize!

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9. Excelsior Tribute

This one is definitely one of the most obscure ones, but very obvious once you see it. It is definitely one of the most endearing Easter eggs that Marvel has. In Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn put Stan Lee’s cameo on Xandar. As Rocket zooms in on Stan talking to a girl, there is a bunch of Skrull text there. It took several years for someone to finally get around to translating what it says. The alien writings translate to “Excelsior,” Stan Lee’s famous catchphrase. James Gunn confirmed on Twitter that this is indeed what the Skrull lettering says. So, be on the lookout for it next time you watch the scene, and perhaps, the little homage to the beloved Stan Lee will make you smile.

8. Gamma Radiation Pioneer

In Thor, Dr. Selvig tells the others that he knew a colleague who knew S.H.I.E.LD. He says that this person was “a pioneer in gamma radiation.” Well, it is pretty clear to Marvel fans that this is a very clear references to Bruce Banner, aka. The Hulk. As we know at the beginning of The Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D. definitely knows who Banner is, so Dr. Selvig’s comment makes perfect sense. Make sure that you are listening carefully to the dialogue next time you watch Thor!

7. “I Can Do This All Day.”

In Captain America: Civil War, a line may jump out at you from your multiple rewatches of Captain America: The First Avenger. When Steve Rogers and Tony Stark are beating up on each other during their final confrontation in the movie, Steve says, “I can do this all day.” This is the exact line that he says back in Brooklyn when he is a scrawny kid fighting a group of bullies behind the movie theater. The line will immediately stand out to fans of Captain America.

6. Captain America’s Shield

In both Iron Man and Iron Man 2, there are times when you catch a glimpse of Captain America’s shield, or at least, a half constructed shield. Both films take place before The Avengers when the frozen Captain America has not been found yet. In Iron Man, you can see the shield behind Tony Stark when he is taking off the Iron Man armor and Pepper walks in on him. In Iron Man 2, Agent Coulson hands him the half constructed shield to balance out the equipment that he is using to create a new element. Make sure to look for it in both movies next time you watch them!

5. Captain America Punching Hitler

In Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America travels through the United States and overseas to spread pro-war messages, and bring a little cheer to people in a USO show. During the show, a man dressed as Adolf Hitler comes on stage and Captain America punches him. This is a direct shout-out to the cover of the very first comic book where Captain America punches Hitler. It has now become a synonymous image with Captain America, so of course they had to include it in the movie.

4. WandaVision Outfits

Marvel has recently gotten very interested in creating storylines or times that the heroes in their movies and shows can wear outfits or costumes that are exact or almost exactly like the original superhero outfits from the comic books. This is very prominent in WandaVision when Wanda, Vision, and the faux Pietro all end up wearing costumes that are almost identical to their original superhero outfits. In the show, Wanda says that she is a Sokovian fortune teller and Vision is a Mexican Luchador, but the minute fans of the Marvel comics saw the costumes, they knew better. Marvel has done this somewhat in the past (Captain America’s original outfit), but also continued this trend in their Loki series on Disney+ as well. Fans should be on the lookout for more costume related Easter eggs to come in future Marvel projects.

3. The Infinity Gauntlet

Sharp eyes might have spotted a familiar item in Odin’s treasure vault in Thor. The Infinity Gauntlet can be seen briefly among all the other items that Odin has collected or confiscated throughout the years. Of course in Thor: Ragnarok we learn that that is not actually the real Infinity Gauntlet in there, but the fact that the creative minds of Marvel decided to place it there so early on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s storyline really meant that they had been planning the overarching plot for a long time. This exciting Easter egg goes to show how deep the stories really go.

2. Original Human Torch

The Human Torch was the very first superhero created by Timely Comics, which went on to become Marvel Comics. In Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes go into the exhibition of the future. In that exhibition, you see a figure in a bright red jumpsuit under glass. This is the Human Torch, a direct reference to the original superhero. Comic book fans might understand this one more, but it is still a really awesome Easter egg and nod to the origins of such a great comic empire. Definitely something to look for the next time you watch the movie.

1. Lou Ferrigno

In The Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno appears as a security guard. He portrayed the Hulk in the original Hulk television show in 1978. A former body builder, he was the only person to play the Hulk unaided by CGI. He also provided the voices of the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk, The Avengers, and The Avengers: Age of Ultron (uncredited). His appearance in these movies is such a nice nod to his famous role, and his inclusion in the extended Marvel comic, television, and film universe.

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Written By Elizabeth Dresdow

Source(s): GamesRadar+, IMDb, Sarah Scoop

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