10 Times The MCU FRUSTRATINGLY Held Back

10. Killing Off Coulson (Kinda)

The unsung hero of Marvel's Phase 1 was Agent Phil Coulson. Nick Fury's stand-in as the public face of S.H.I.E.L.D., before different heroes started showing up in other franchises whenever they pleased, Coulson acted as the underlying connective tissue between those original movies, being an integral force not only in bringing the Avengers together, but also in reminding audiences that, yes, the team up would eventually happen.

However, it was only in death that he fulfilled his role in bringing each superhero together to form a cohesive unit. After being killed by Loki, Phil's death is essentially the "Uncle Ben moment" for Tony Stark and co., who rally behind their fallen comrade, put their differences behind them and fully embrace being The Avengers.

Coulson's death was one of the most gut-wrenching in the MCU, but because he was such a beloved character, Marvel felt the need to bring him back - to headline his own TV show, no less. Sure, the characters in the movies don't know he's alive, but with his face being splashed on adverts for years, every fan knows that Coulson didn't stay dead.

It's a classic case of Marvel's desire to have their cake and eat it too; they still get the dramatic punch of his demise in The Avengers by not having the heroes know he's still alive, while still using him as a draw by isolating him to the world of TV. Even then though, it robs the death of its weight.