10 Darkest Moments In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

The marketing for Guardians Of The Galaxy promised an action-packed, funny, colourful space opera with a toe-tapping soundtrack, so imagine the surprise of moviegoers everywhere when the opening scene was as hard-hitting as this?

The movie fades in from black to a young Peter Quill, lost in his music, sitting in the reception area of a quiet, dimly lit 1980s hospital. From there, the camera follows him into a side room, where a young woman - stricken with cancer - can be seen on a hospital bed.

It quickly becomes apparent that these are her final moments, and sure enough, her life soon fades away in front of her son, who refuses to take her hand out of a combination of confusion, anger and sadness.

The film that follows could not be more tonally distinct from this opening if it tried, and in a way, that makes this the most important scene in the movie.

When the lows are as dark, intense and tormenting as this, the highs are even more funny, enjoyable and entertaining than they would be without it.

Moreover, you're constantly aware that, underneath his carefree exterior, Star-Lord is still that young kid who just misses his mother - so you're instantly connected with the lead character from the word go.

But even as an isolated scene, this is harrowing stuff. Peter's yells after his mother passes will make your hairs stand on end, and it feels uncomfortably real, especially for those who've lost a loved one in a similar manner.