10 Inspirational MCU Quotes for English Learners
For nearly 20 years, the MCU has entertained movie fans around the world with stories of heroes in strange and exciting adventures.
This time, we'll share 10 quotes from films throughout the series. Each of them can be a source of motivation as well as a way to help you practice your English. We hope you find something here that will inspire you!
What Is the MCU?
"MCU" is the short name for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a series of films and TV shows based on comic books made by Marvel Comics.
Beginning with Iron Man in 2008, the MCU has expanded with more characters and events that form one connected story. Today, it consists of more than 30 movies featuring world-famous heroes like the Avengers, Spider-Man and Black Panther.
Related article: English Expressions That Come From Comics
10 Quotes From the MCU
Although they're known for big action and funny dialogue, some of the MCU's best scenes are quiet moments far from a battlefield. Many of the quotes below are about things like identity, sacrifice and finding the strength to overcome challenges — ideas we can all understand.
(Note: This article contains spoilers, so be careful!)
1. "... Stay who you are, not a perfect soldier, but a good man."
Film: Captain America: The First Avenger / Spoken by: Dr. Erskine
Steve Rogers was originally too small and weak to join the army. However, his desire to help his country was strong enough to impress the brilliant scientist Dr. Erskine.
Dr. Erskine performs a unique procedure on Steve that changes him into a soldier with amazing strength and speed. But with this quote, he reminds Steve that what makes him special is not his new abilities, but his courage and passion for helping others. This compassion is a true superpower that everyone is capable of using.
2. “I choose to run towards my problems and not away from them.”
Film: Thor: Ragnarok / Spoken by: Thor
In this film, a character named Valkyrie tells Thor firmly that she isn't interested in dealing with painful memories from her past. Thor then challenges her with this quote.
These words express the idea that being a hero isn't about having physical strength or special abilities. Instead, what's important is being brave enough to face challenges and deal with problems directly and without fear.
3. “Just because something works doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.”
Film: Black Panther / Spoken by: Shuri
Shuri is the younger sister of T'Challa, the Black Panther. She is also a talented scientist and one of the most intelligent characters in the MCU.
When showing her brother new equipment she's developed, T'Challa responds by saying the older versions work fine. As a scientist, Shuri rejects this idea and instead believes that improvements can always be made.
Even if things are already "good enough," if we don't work to do better, we can never make progress. This quote should be very inspirational for English learners!
4. "He may have been your father ... but he wasn't your daddy."
Film: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 / Spoken by: Yondu
Many English learners may think that "father" and "dad" (or "daddy") are the same. But this quote shows that one word includes much more meaning than the other.
The hero of this film, Peter Quill, struggles with his feelings about two important men in his life. One is his biological father, meaning the two share the same blood. However, this man was gone for most of Peter's life, so the two don't have a close relationship.
On the other hand, Yondu is the man who raised Peter and helped him to grow. Although he isn't related to Peter by blood, he's had a much bigger impact on Peter's life.
This quote, therefore, shows that "dad" includes a feeling of closeness that "father" often does not. It also demonstrates that it's the experiences we share with others that determine who our true "family" is.
(By the way, the differences between "father" and "dad" also apply to "mother" and "mom.")
5. "Vengeance has consumed you ... I'm done letting it consume me."
Film: Captain America: Civil War / Spoken by: T'Challa
One of the themes of this film is the power of revenge to motivate people, but also to destroy them.
In this movie, T'Challa searches for the person responsible for the death of someone close to him. But when he finds them, he has seen the negative effects revenge, or vengeance, has had on himself and on others around him. As he says, it has "consumed" them, or covered them completely.
Negative emotions like anger and the desire for revenge will eventually hurt us and result in even more trouble. To live the best lives we can, we need to free ourselves from these unhealthy feelings and replace them with positive ones.
Related article: Flipping Out: 13 Ways to Express Anger in English
6. “I can’t control their fear, only my own.”
Film: Captain America: Civil War / Spoken by: Wanda Maximoff
The third Captain America film begins with a tragedy that many in the public blame on the character of Wanda Maximoff. Their anger is mixed with fear of her strange abilities.
After entering a depression, Wanda eventually decides that she can no longer let others' feelings about her control her life.
There will always be people who have negative opinions about us. But instead of worrying about things we can't change, it would be better to focus on accepting ourselves and trying to be the best people we can be.
7. “Don’t waste it. Don’t waste your life.”
Film: Iron Man / Spoken by: Ho Yinsen
Early in this film, Yinsen sacrifices himself to help a businessman named Tony Stark escape a dangerous situation. When he says this line, he inspires Stark to become Iron Man, the most famous hero in the MCU.
This simple, powerful quote tells us that life is a gift that should be treated with care. No one lives forever, so we all have limited time to live the most positive life we can for ourselves and for others.
8. “If you’re nothing without the suit, then you don’t deserve it.”
Film: Spider-Man: Homecoming / Spoken by: Tony Stark
Teenager Peter Parker becomes the hero called Spider-Man with the help of a special suit given to him by Tony Stark. But when Peter begins to rely on this suit too much, Tony decides to take it back, challenging Peter to succeed with his own strength.
This quote expresses the idea that our choices and actions are what defines us. Fancy items, money and status cannot be a replacement for who we truly are inside.
9. “What is grief if not love persevering?”
TV series: WandaVision / Spoken by: Vision
(This quote comes from WandaVision, a television series that is also part of the MCU.)
When someone "perseveres," they continue doing something even though it's difficult and there is little chance of success.
Wanda, whom we mentioned earlier, experiences many difficulties throughout the MCU. One of the biggest relates to a character named Vision, who she has a very close relationship with. As Wanda deals with her grief, Vision encourages her with these words.
It can be easy to give up when we face tough situations, but grief doesn't have to stop us from continuing to live well. It also expresses that our love for the people close to us can live on even if those people are gone.
10. "With great power comes great responsibility." - Uncle Ben
This is perhaps the most famous quote in Marvel's history. Although it isn't spoken in the MCU, it's closely connected to Spider-Man, who does appear in the films.
When Peter Parker first receives his amazing abilities, he uses them selfishly. But this selfishness results in the death of Uncle Ben, the most important person in Peter's life.
From this moment, Peter accepts that having his special power comes with a price: He must use it to protect and help the people he can.
The choices we make can have very big effects — and the more power we have, the bigger the effects can be. So we must always be careful to act with care and compassion for the people our actions influence.
Assemble!
Beyond the fights and big explosions, many films in the MCU have strong characters and themes that can entertain us while also giving us interesting things to think about.
If you've never seen an MCU film, why not give one a try? And if you have seen one, try rewatching it in English to help improve your listening and vocabulary skills. It's a fun way to learn!
For more great English quotes, check out the following articles:
