12 Most Fan-Pleasing MCU Movie Moments

4. The First Avengers "Hero Shot" - The Avengers

Looking back on the MCU now, the idea of the "hero shot" is well played out now: it's pretty much one of the trope pillars that the franchise is built on. Along with an origin story and the death of the villain (in 95% of cases, at least), a hero shot that frames the good guy for an Instagram-ready, mythology boosting moment of cool is always to be expected now.

The first real one of its kind came in The Avengers, when the fragmented possible team of heroes were thrown into battle together in New York, despite seemingly rejecting the premise of the Avengers Initiative. Surrounded on all sides, they rallied despite their cuts and bruises (and the emotional wounds of Phil Coulson's "death") and braced for a second wave of Chitauri attacks.

In that moment, Joss Whedon lovingly sent his camera on a rail around them in a halo and the iconic first Avengers hero moment was born. It's still the defining image of the oriignal iteration of the team.