The MCU Characters Who Left The Franchise With Their Lives

It’s no secret that Marvel is one of the biggest franchises the world has ever seen. After all, it’s given new life to some of the most famous superheroes and villains throughout the years, with plenty of side characters helping our favorite faces in that time.

The problem? The MCU has a bad habit of people losing their lives when it’s their time to leave. Since 2008 saw the release of ‘Iron Man’ - the movie that started it all - plenty have gone, but they will never be forgotten. Thankfully, the MCU characters who left the franchise with their lives prove things don’t always have to be that way.

Drax the Destroyer finally got his happy ending

The Guardians trilogy came to an end with the recent release of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ with several characters getting the ending fans wanted to see. Drax the Destroyer is one of the many on the list. By the time the movie comes to an end, the audience knows that Drax has stepped back from the Guardians and is now permanently living in Knowhere, assisting Nebula as they build a new society and help look after the citizens. Many were keen to see a happy ending to it all, with Drax getting the final perfect on-screen moments.

Justin Hammer could be set to return to the big screen

Believe it or not, but Justin Hammer making it out alive from ‘Iron Man 2’ was the first time an Iron Man villain made it through his introductory movie. A character who started out as a business rival of Tony Stark quickly saw Hammer become the leading villain of the story, with his story ending when he was sent behind bars. However, Hammer did make a brief appearance in the short ‘All Hail the King,’ showing he was still in prison. Fans could be in for some good news, though, as there are rumors Hammer might return in the MCU’s rumored upcoming ‘Armor Wars.’

Dr. Helen Cho landed her dream job and hasn’t been seen since

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ saw plenty of our favorite heroes come back together again, with Dr. Helen Cho playing an important part in the entire story. She was the one to save Clint Barton and even helped Ultron build the vibranium body. While she almost lost her life at the hands of Ultron, that wasn’t the end for Helen, as the Avengers quickly snapped her up to work at their new facility in New York. Sadly, Helen hasn’t been seen since. However, fans of the comics likely know she is the one to welcome Amadeus Cho to the world, one of the most intelligent people on the planet who eventually becomes Brawn, the Hulk’s replacement.

Michelle Jones-Watson has no idea how close she was to passing

Each new Spider-Man comes with a new love interest, with Michelle Jones-Watson, aka MJ, appearing alongside Peter Parker from the get-go. Still, no one is sure how things will play out moving forward. That’s because MJ’s memory has been wiped, and she has no idea that she came so close to losing her life in each movie. Now, the character is on track to make it to MIT as she hoped, with fans wondering if Parker will merely move on and find a new love or if he will try to win MJ back.

Ned Leeds has forgotten all about his friendship with Peter Parker

Much like MJ, things have taken a sad turn for Ned Leeds. The character was a part of the MCU before Peter Parker’s love interest hit the big screen and was Spider-Man’s best friend, making the wiping of his memory incredibly impactful. While Ned is free to live his life away from the dangers he often faced as Spider-Man’s bestie, fans also can’t help but be sad that he has no idea about his former friend and the times they spent together. Only time will tell if this character makes his grand return.

Captain America is one of the only heroes to leave with their lives

When superheroes leave the MCU, it’s most often not good. Plenty have lost their lives, but that all changed when it came to Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. He thrived throughout his time in the universe, with Captain America first appearing alongside the others in 2011. Sadly, that came to an end after 2019’s ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Instead of a tragic end, Captain America merely returned the Infinity Stones to the right timelines and decided he would rather stay with Peggy Carter in the past than continue his legacy in the present.

The MCU characters who left the franchise with their lives go to show that things aren’t always doom and gloom when it comes to Marvel. While some of them might have no idea how they ended up tangled in the universe in the first place, others finally have the endings they deserve.