5 Best Needle Drop Moments In The MCU

Marvel

Dec 14

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is known worldwide for bringing fan-favorite superheroes to the silver screen. I doubt there is a soul on Earth who doesn’t know Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Chris Evans as Captain America. Throughout the years, Kevin Feige and the Marvel Studios team developed scripts with numerous writers, chose directors with various tastes, and selected particular actors with the enormous task of portraying adored characters. Feige’s goal was to make a universe of characters different in their specific way yet coexist to tell one story.

As with any film or set of films, music is placed throughout the narrative to introduce certain characters or shifts, bringing the film’s audience closer to understanding the character and the narrative. And here, you and I are going through five instances where the musical choice made the movie just “that” much better.

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5. “Come And Get Your Love” By Redbone - ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 1’

In 2014, I’m not sure many throughout the general movie-going population knew who the Guardians of the Galaxy were, let alone how exactly the team would factor into the greater Infinity Saga. All we knew was that the guy from Parks and Recreation was starring in it and beefed up. After a somber opening of a young Peter Quill denying his dying mother his hand and being kidnapped by a roving gang of aliens, who we came to know as Star-Lord lands on a dark, storming planet and exploring a digital map to a long deserted temple.

As Star-Lord looks around, he puts on a pair of headphones, clearly from the late eighties” to a Walkman cassette player and plays Come and Get Your Love by Redbone. This song defines Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 as entirely charming and fun. Star-Lord dances around this alien world, on beat with the music as he kicks his way through attacking little creatures and jumps over ravines to find a bright white orb.

This song choice brings the audience together with the character in a moment of joyful defiance of the obstacles around him. The light-hearted dance against the dark, foreboding background is endearing, and the music throughout the film is almost a character unto itself, setting the stage for one of the most unique and daring MCU films.

4. “I’ve Got No Strings” From Pinocchio - ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’

After Joss Whedon’s worldwide win with The Avengers, many fans weren’t sure how the sequel would follow up. Commercially, the film didn’t gross as much love as the first one; however, Whedon’s second effort is darker in tone as the team faces a new threat, Ultron, Stark’s A.I. effort to provide a suit of armor around the world, as they also learn how to navigate becoming a more cohesive team.

As Ultron becomes self-aware, the android battles the Avengers and escapes with the scepter. He begins singing “I’ve Got No Strings” from the Disney classic Pinocchio.

So, you’re right in thinking this isn’t an actual song played during the film; however, the use of this lyric and melody provides one of the first drop-dead terrifying moments in the MCU canon. The lyrics symbolize Ultron’s freedom from Stark’s control over his autonomy. The melody becomes a haunting soundtrack throughout the film for Ultron’s independence. This juxtaposition of android menace singing a children’s song brings depth to the character itself, showcasing his simplistic logic for needing to destroy humanity. This use of music brings more weight to the antagonist and enriches the character development in the film.

3. “The Chain” By Fleetwood Mac - ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2’

If you started reading this article thinking only one film from James Gunn would make the list, you’d be wrong because he is the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) at placing music throughout his movies. And Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 would align with his tradition.

The audience experiences the turbulent relationship between Peter Quill and Rocket. Quill learns he has a father, and Rocket battles his urge to lead the group because they are his only family in many ways. The two are at odds because Quill decides to learn more about his father, leaving Rocket to fix the starship.

As the scene develops with the song at a low volume, the two characters verbally spar, hurting the other's feelings with each remark, and as Star-Lord turns to leave, the lyrics, “And if you don’t love me now / You’ll never love me again,” brings a cargo of emotional weight to the moment. The pair’s unconventional relationship experiences challenges, yet they are family to one another. With the nostalgic soundtrack being, as I mentioned, a character on its own, when I first heard those lyrics in the theatre for this scene, I didn’t think there was any way these two could repair their relationship, but at the same time, I saw just how much they both loved each other.

2. “Immigrant Song” By Led Zeppelin - ‘Thor: Ragnarok’

Thor fight scene — Image Source: YouTube

Setting aside Thor: Ragnarok’s complete shift in tone from the past two films, the use of Immigrant Song in Thor’s moment of understanding how he is a God of Thunder with or without his hammer is brilliant.

I can tell you this song was chosen because of the Norse mythology within the lyrics, but hearing Jimmy Page’s guitar driving home Robert Plant’s wailing vocal performance as Thor lands on the Bifrost to protect would make any MCU fan say, “Ahhhhh, explicative (you choose).” This song is triumphant and is the personification of warrior prowess. The song brings a timeless sonic quality to the moment Thor realizes he didn’t get his power from a hammer, but rather, the hammer helped him control the power he didn’t know he had.

The song is so glorious in composition it fills the screen as much as Thor: Ragnarok’s visuals.

1. “Portals” By Alan Silvestri - ‘Avengers: Endgame’

I don't know a Marvel Cinematic Universe fan who doesn't know the most climactic sequence in MCU history. In case you do, I’m referring to the moment before the final battle in Avengers: Endgame. Captain America gets up slowly after being hit by Thanos, tightens his shield around his arm, and stands in the breach between Thanos and the rest of humanity. As he approaches the battle, he hears Sam Wilson say, “Captain, read me.”

The composition during this sequence was precisely the music every fan needed to hear as the world watched all of their favorite Marvel superheroes on one battlefield. The audience’s emotional investment into ten years of Marvel Studios storytelling required a piece of music to meet everyone on the edge of their theater seat. Beginning with a single and building from more bass tones to shiner, brighter octaves, the piece evokes every piece of nostalgia fans experienced, from reading comic books to watching the first live-action films. This journey started with Iron Man and was a few short minutes away from ending.

Every emotion was evoked because that was what the film needed. It was what we all needed.

Marvel Studios, mainly Kevin Feige, knows how to make movies to get their audience to feel something. Despite what critics claim to know about Marvel Studio’s formulaic movie-making capabilities, the films are moving because every part of the film works to tell the same story within the same universe. Music is a tool that is utilized creatively and effectively.

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