18 Most Heartbreaking Moments In The MCU (So Far)

One of the most heart-rending revelations in Civil War, often overshadowed by the losses experienced by Tony Stark himself, is that of the calls Zemo seems to be receiving from his wife. Her affectionate and tender message, telling Zemo of his son before telling him she loves him and that he should try getting home, contrasts greatly with the character's previous acts of violence.

At first, it allows the audience to see some humanity in such a cold-blooded killer, having a family to come back to. But when the message starts repeating, the audience later realises that it's not a call at all, but a recording of the last voice message Zemo's wife made to him before she and the rest of his family were buried under the ruins of Sokovia.

It's a subtle reveal, but a painful one, built up perfectly from the first call to when he finally deletes the message after his "victory". It delivers to the audience the full extent of Zemo's suffering, making him one of the most sympathetic and human villains in the MCU. His grief, just like his actions, his speech, his entire character, is quiet, but it cuts deep and deadly regardless.