Let’s do this one last time. Phase 4 for the MCU Disney+ shows came to an end a while ago. Now that the new Secret Invasion series is releasing on the platform, it is time to look back and see what the best MCU pilot episodes of this phase have been. While the movie universe has taken all over the multiverse and even made some terrible choices along with it. There hasn’t been enough spectacle for that. However, the shows on the streaming platform have been a giant success, churning out even better spin-offs from the last.

The reason this will be incredibly difficult, however, is because all of these shows are incredibly good, and their pilots are just the gateway into the amazing world that will be coming soon. In case anyone missed it, there is still more coming, and this is just the beginning. Without any further ado, check out all the pilots of this phase ranked.

Best MCU Pilot Episodes Ranked

No 8 Hawkeye

While the first episode was incredibly brilliant in terms of the fighting sequences and the general archery bit, the first episode didn’t set up the intrigue that well. Fortunately, the streaming platform released two episodes simultaneously, so it felt like we all got enough context for the rest of the season to progress with satisfaction. However, what immediately catches the audience’s eye is the cliffhanger at the end of the first episode and the instantaneous mentor-mentee dynamic between Kate and Clint.

The pilot was short and sweet and showed us how the Character dynamics in the family worked and what kind of people would be making their appearances on screen. The mother was immediately shady with her black market auction, Jacques was unhinged, Kate was bored (which is why she crashed the place), and Clint will forever be the dad. However, considering the other pilots, this one definitely did not become my favourite. This series stars Hailee Steinfeld, Jeremy Renner, Alaqua Cox and others.

No 7 She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

From the first frame itself, we know what the show is going to be like. Classic sitcom with some law jargon and court cases we have no way of understanding. But the full and incredibly detailed version of the way she becomes She-Hulk? That was incredibly entertaining, not to mention the big arguments she had with Bruce about her powers, her ability to control her emotions and, most of all, the Captain America joke that would never get old.

Somewhere in the universe (the Marvel Universe), there is an Oscar Isaac that eats his Cheetos with chopsticks, and that is how the character also learned to do that. While the CGI was incredibly choppy, that went way down the ladder when I realised that the story carried much more weight than any other lacking visual aspect could throw. Even all the main characters were so good that it was hard not to lean into the brilliant world where lawyers and their paralegals are all women, done with men’s empty shenanigans.

This series stars Tatiana Maslany, Ginger Gonzaga, Jameela Jamil, Renée Elise Goldsberry and others.

No 6 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

I don’t think I have to go any further than the opening sequence with Sam Wilson. The entire action sequence was a brilliant introduction to what the character does outside of his Avenger days. He works for the US government in the way we all enjoy, putting bad guys away and looking good doing it. However, the thing that really makes this episode and the show in general work is the fact that he is hesitant about taking the mantle of Captain America and the idea of what being Captain America means.

It is a brilliant entry into understanding racial identity in a fictional world but also constructing a real enough lens to know that the most qualified people will almost immediately be pushed aside when something new and shiny is in front of them. This series and the heart behind it show through the episodes that come ahead in the series. This series stars Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell and others.

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No 5 What If…?

Not only is this pilot a brilliant entry into the premise of the entire show but a great beginning to something more that was teased at the end of the season. Any character or a storyline entered in this episode was not let go by the end of the season. Showing us Peggy Carter in the perfect setting, in her rightful position as Captain Carter was the beginning anyone would have liked. While it was weird seeing the character in Doctor Strange immediately die, it was still amazing to see how her skills translated from the army grounds to the battlefront.

She was pumped with the super soldier serum, but it made her better and more tactical than she already was. Additionally, the visual experience of watching this series is what gets me every time. The animation is subtle but works perfectly for this series. The sets are built immaculately so are the characters’ suits. We spend less time marvelling at the story and more at the visuals. Being the watcher for this (wink wink) is the best experience in the MCU. This series stars Hayley Atwell, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany and others.

No 4 Ms Marvel

If all the desi people collected together, they would tell you why the first episode of the season just confirmed everything we felt about the series. It was awesome. We start off pretty simple by seeing the main character in her own element, sitting in her room, being the teenager that she is, gauging what kind of person she wants to be in the future. While there are many people who can be superheroes now (the MCU provides people with that opportunity), is that really what Kamala wants?

This single question of what she is and what she wants to be, teased from the first episode, becomes the founding question for the whole series. There are not enough ways to explain why the character feels that. It is not just because of identity. It is also because of being a teenager and being at home where freedom is limited. Additionally, whoever did their music direction deserves a raise because all of the songs were hitting just the right emotional notes at all times. This series stars Iman Vellani, Yasmeen Fletcher, Rish Shah and others.

No 3 Moon Knight

When Ethan Hawke said this was a character study, he really was not lying because Oscar Isaac crushed absolutely every frame he was in. Seeing the first episode just confirmed all those facts. Watching the man Steven Grant morph into Marc Spector in seconds was amazing; seeing the reflection in the mirror, and watching the two sides of him war inside were absolutely brilliant. We get a hint into what kind of person Steven is and the fears he has just by looking at his room.

Additionally, watching the Moon Knight suit come to life in that way is too brilliant to pass up. Having the main character be warring with themselves and also the world around them is a conflict that works perfectly well in this setting. The mythology is just the brilliant entry into the world, taking us on a ride so bumpy, it is unimaginable. This show stars Isaac, Hawke, May Calamawy and others.

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No 2 Loki

The trickster god falling into the trap of his own making is too much irony for the character to handle but not for me. It is a brilliant opening to show this character in a place where he has no control, where he absolutely cannot be the smartest person in the room is fascinating. Add the existential questions and the brilliant visuals of the Time Variance Authority (TVA). It becomes a power-packed episode. Gutting people like a fish didn’t work, but the reason why this show does absolutely brilliantly is that it made the entire MCU from Phase 1-3 obsolete.

Showing us Infinity Stones like paperweights was too much of a jarring image to reconcile with. Knowing that an entire universe was wiped away because of something like this is truly enough to give anyone the shock of their lives. Once again, having main characters navigate their own biases after a shocking event is too much fun not to see. This series stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and others.

No 1 WandaVision

This has got to be the best pilot because nothing was as confusing as this. Nothing was as visually jarring, ominous, and threatening as this innocent 50s sitcom episode between two of the most powerful individuals in this world. Watching the Scarlet Witch whip up eggs and breakfast was such a brilliant highlight that it was honestly scary to know how deep this delusion for the character goes. From the first week itself, we were hooked, waiting for the new episode to come out so we didn’t miss anything.

The little details from the outside world, the pop of colour that comes outside of this hex, is brilliant. The writing is fantastic, the angst to know what happens next too real and honestly, the costumes and settings are just too well-built not to comment on. Making sure everything complemented with the black and white in the background made all the visual difference for the audience. This series stars Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn and others.

All of the aforementioned titles are currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. Secret Invasion Episode 1 will be coming to the platform on June 21, 2023. What do you think of the episodes ranked? Let us know in the comments below.

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