The 10 Best Non-Action Scenes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe That Pack a Punch Without Throwing One

We all know that the #MCU has many of superhero cinema's greatest action scenes. From Iron Man battling the Iron Monger to the Avengers taking on the Chitauri — and the airport battle of Captain America: Civil War, arguably the GREATEST superhero action sequence of all time — #Marvel has proven time and time again that it knows how to make a truly awesome superhero action sequence.

But what about the more subtle moments in the MCU? These scenes were just as effective as any battle, even without the CGI.

1. 'I Am Iron Man' (Iron Man)

The final scene of Iron Man shows you exactly what Tony Stark is all about. Despite all of his friends and advisors telling him to say that the incident was a bodyguard in a suit — the cover story in the comics — Stark instead decides to tell the world that he is #IronMan.

Immediately, we see that the MCU will be different than the comics in terms of its approach. It's also done in a way that makes total sense to the character; Tony Stark is a guy who plays by his own rules, and after mentioning the word "superhero" we instantly see how much Tony enjoys it. The wry smile at the end says it all.

2. Steve Rogers Jumps On The Grenade (Captain America: The First Avenger)

Initially, Steve Rogers is less than impressive, so when Doctor Erskine tells Colonel Phillips that he has selected Rogers to take part in the super soldier program, Phillips is befuddled. He can't understand why Erskine would choose a 90-pound weakling over a soldier at the peak of physical fitness. That is, until he throws a grenade into the recruits. All of them scatter, apart from Steve Rogers, who dives on top of the grenade. In this one moment we are shown the inherent goodness of Steve Rogers — and why he is the perfect man to become #CaptainAmerica.

After #Thor is banished from Asgard, he ends up in a small town in New Mexico and struggles to blend in. It seems that the customs of Asgard are not quite the same as Earth in 2011. It's the classic fish-out-of-water situation; when the fallen prince of Asgard smashes his mug on the floor, demanding another, he is met with horrified gazes from the rest of the cafe. It's left to Jane to explain how things work. There's also the hilarious misunderstanding in the pet shop when he goes in demanding a horse.

After Loki has been captured by the #Avengers, Nick Fury wants to find out just what the Asgardian has planned — so Fury sends his best interrogator along to do the job. Natasha confronts Loki (opening up and showing her vulnerability) and goads him into revealing that he wishes to unleash the Hulk, arrogantly revealing all in true super villain style.

Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of Guardians of the Galaxy is the reluctant friendship that the Guardians develop. They're a bunch of misfits who come together by chance and are forced into saving the galaxy. Here we see the interplay between them when Star Lord finally steps up and comes up with a plan to stop Ronan...or at least, part of one.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier was, in my opinion, the best film of Phase Two (it just edges out Guardians of the Galaxy) and it's fair to say that it turned the MCU on its head. The developments in this film affected every facet of the MCU and even improved Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as it finally gave the series a direction.

But this scene in particular demonstrates Steve Rogers' leadership qualities; he reveals everything just as Alexander Pierce is hosting the world security council, which immediately throws the meeting into some doubt. Throughout the Triskelion, agents hear of this news and nobody is clear about who is S.H.I.E.L.D. or who is HYDRA, but Cap rallies them all. There is also the brilliant line from the Falcon at the end of the scene.

7. Lifting Thor's Hammer (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)

After saving the world, it's customary for superheroes to throw a party. After getting Stan Lee drunk on some Asgardian whiskey, the Avengers are left to talk amongst themselves. Being mainly a group of men, they all begin to question the truth about Mjolnir, Thor's hammer. Thor assures them that the hammer can only be lifted by those who are worthy — but of course, they don't believe him, so they all have a go.

Stark and Rhodey both fail to lift it, despite their best efforts, but the highlight of the scene is the look on Thor's face when Cap is able to move it ever so slightly. It's as if he realizes that maybe there are others who are worthy after all.

8. Luis's Stories (Ant-Man)

Ant-Man was a pleasant surprise thrown in right at the end of Phase Two, and one thing that certainly was excellent was Michael Peña's Luis. Scott Lang's best friend is an excellent addition to the MCU because of his bubbly personality and amazing storytelling prowess. Even though Scott finds his stories exasperating, they are excellent for the audience due to their absurd complexity — and because of the characters within them speaking with Luis's mannerisms.

9. Tony Stark Hangs Out With Peter Parker (Captain America: Civil War)

Captain America: Civil War featured the much-anticipated MCU debut of #SpiderMan, and this scene was our introduction to him. Tom Holland had some big shoes to fill as the latest incarnation of the wall-crawler, but the introduction did not disappoint.

Tony Stark has obviously been watching Peter closely as he knows all about his exploits as Spider-Man and questions Peter on why he does what he does. The exchange in Peter's bedroom gives us the defining Peter Parker scene, showcasing exactly what he is about — and I can't have been the only one who was sure he would tell Tony that "with great power, there must also come great responsibility."

10. 'One Batch, Two Batch, Penny and Dime' (Daredevil)

If you haven't seen Season Two of #Daredevil, go and watch it, NOW! This scene comes from episode four and features Daredevil's confrontation with the Punisher. After three episodes of Frank Castle killing most of Hell's Kitchen's criminal element, we are finally given an insight into his mindset. This is arguably the best non-action scene in the entire MCU, featuring a truly magnificent performance from Jon Bernthal.

These are just a selection of my favourite scenes from the MCU that aren't big action sequences. Sometimes it's the smaller, more subtle scenes that really hit home.