The Avengers movies are an iconic part of the 2010s. Acting as the centerpieces of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, these four films brought together many of the most iconic superheroes in cinematic history, offering thrilling stories with universal stakes that kept audiences invested and exhilarated. Each movie is great in its own way, although a few stand out because of their originality, humor, visual effects, and overall impact on cinema.

Similarly, while each film goes to great lengths to give every major player something to do, a few characters stand out above their fellow heroes. These characters effortlessly pull focus even among the films' usually overcrowded ensembles, becoming the MVPs of these cinematic efforts. Whether because of their memorable dialogues, incredible power showcase, impact on the larger MCU, or a combination of all these factors, these characters outrank the others and become the best in each Avengers movie.

4 'The Avengers' (2012) - Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)

Best Moment: Tricking Loki into Revealing His Plan

Two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson is a pivotal member of the Avengers who never quite received the acknowledgment she deserved. A founding member of the team, Natasha Romanoff, AKA Black Widow, is arguably the most intriguing and complicated character in the original line-up. Romanoff is a former Russian spy who deflected to the US and began a career as a resourceful spy for SHIELD.

The Widow has many iconic moments in the MCU; however, her finest hour happens in the first Avengers movie, aptly titled The Avengers. At that point, audiences still didn't know much about her character, allowing the film to utilize her as the team's secret weapon, an adaptable and mercurial player who could get under someone else's skin as easily as she could kick their butts. Natasha successfully manipulates the God of Mischief himself, Loki, taking advantage of his ego to trick him into revealing his plan. The Avengers showcases Natasha at her best; from her now-iconic introductory scene to the finale, where she single-handedly closes the portal to stop the alien invasion, Natasha is the first movie's MVP. Clever, cunning, and willing to do whatever is necessary to fulfill the mission, Natasha is among the MCU's best characters, and it's a shame she never received the attention she deserved and commanded.

3 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015) - Captain America (Chris Evans)

Best Moment: Keeping Ultron Busy

The leader of the Avengers, Steve Rogers is the MCU's moral compass. Played for a decade by Chris Evans, Steve is the only one equipped to run such an important and powerful team. He stars in his own trilogy of films—including what arguably remains the MCU's peak, Captain America: The Winter Soldier—and plays a major role in three of the four Avengers movies, finally earning a much-needed rest at the end of his long and convoluted journey.

It must be said that Avengers: Age of Ultron is not a great movie. It struggles to balance its large ensemble and many themes, resulting in an uneven and needlessly complicated plot that bites more than it can chew. No one really shines in the film, and those who do only spark momentarily. Out of all the standout performances, Cap is the one who comes out the best, with the film allowing him to finally assume his role as the team's leader. Evans is a great leading man, and Age of Ultron gives him more to do than his fellow Avengers. While Tony and Bruce are at their worst, and Thor is out chasing god knows what, Cap has his feet firmly on the ground, never losing sight of what's important and keeping the team as stable as possible. It's complicated to be the straight man in a sea of flashier performances, but Evans successfully makes Cap not only the film's moral center but its most relatable character, too.

2 'Avengers: Infinity War' - Thanos (Josh Brolin)

Best Moment: The Snap

Avengers: Infinity War belongs entirely to Josh Brolin's Thanos. The Oscar nominee is brilliant as the Mad Titan, creating the MCU's most engaging and effective villain and effortlessly stealing the movie despite the many, many actors around him. A galactic despot with plans to gather the Infinity Stones and cut all life in the universe by half, Thanos is a universal threat whose mere existence represents a danger that not even the Avengers combined can stop at first.

Brolin delivers an Oscar-worthy motion capture performance, injecting nuance and an uneasy and calculated tranquility into the Mad Titan. In his hands, Thanos is not a rabid madman but a precise, menacing warlord whose determination is as unbreakable as his double-edged sword. It's a tremendous villainous portrayal that single-handedly elevates Infinity War into the upper echelons of MCU movies. Brolin's achievement is especially noteworthy, considering Infinity War has many other standout performances from the likes of Zoe Saldaña, Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Hemsworth, and Robert Downey Jr. However, Brolin remains firmly at the center of the action, commanding the screen and producing one of modern cinema's best villains. It takes a true talent to dominate a film without overwhelming it, which is exactly what Brolin does in Infinity War.

1 'Avengers: Endgame' - Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.)

Best Moment: Sacrificing His Life to Defeat Thanos

For his final outing as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. pulled all the stops. The film sees him as a father to a young girl whose instinct to protect his family clashes with his desire to bring back his fallen friends, especially the young Peter Parker. His hero tendencies pull him back to the action, culminating in a final confrontation against Thanos, where Tony sacrifices his life for the good of the universe.

Tony Stark is the role of Downey Jr.'s career, and Avengers: Endgame is the perfect swan song. The film is the culmination of a decade of continuous storytelling, echoing back to Tony's desire to make a difference and use his influence to improve the world. His journey takes him from an egotistical arms dealer to a selfless hero who willingly lies on the wire and lets the other guy crawl over him. Tony's character arc is arguably the MCU's best, and the entire film serves as a long victory lap for the character who effectively laid the groundwork for the cinematic universe to happen. Endgame does good by other characters, including Natasha, Steve, and, surprisingly, Hawkeye; however, it's Tony who remains the most memorable, and his sacrifice is perhaps the single best moment in the MCU thus far.

NEXT: Every 'Avengers' Movie, Ranked