There’s no shortage of notable fathers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, from Scott Lang to Odin to the Vulture, not to mention Tony Stark himself. However, the mothers of the MCU deserve just as much.
In a male-dominated industry like Hollywood, stories about father figures are much more prevalent than stories about mother figures. But even so, there are still plenty of mighty, marvelous moms who have appeared in the MCU over the years. They may not all have superpowers, but they’re all heroes in their own way.
May Parker
Arguably the most famous mother figure in Marvel history, May Parker (Marisa Tomei) is the obvious choice for the first entry on this list. She may be Peter Parker’s aunt, but she’s still a mom in every way that matters. May appears as a supporting character in Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Far From Home, establishing her close, supportive relationship with Peter. However, it isn’t until No Way Home that she truly gets her moment in the spotlight.
While past Spider-Man adaptations have portrayed Uncle Ben as the main mentor figure who influenced Peter’s morality, No Way Home shows that Aunt May did just as much to inspire Spider-Man’s heroism. Not only is she shown helping out at the FEAST community center, she also encourages Peter to help save the multiversal villains instead of sending them back to die in their home universes. And while this kindness leads her to her death at the hand of the Green Goblin, she spends her dying breath urging Peter not to let go of his compassion, reminding him that “With great power, there must also come great responsibility.” Spider bite or no, May proves that empathy, courage, and integrity run in the Parker family.
Frigga
Like most of Thor’s supporting cast, Frigga (Rene Russo) is sorely underutilized for most of her appearances, only appearing in a minor role in Thor before being suddenly killed off in The Dark World. However, thanks to the wonders of time travel, Frigga receives one last moment with her son in Avengers: Endgame, and it’s one of the most moving scenes in the entire film.
She comforts her son in his darkest hour, helping him forgive himself for his mistakes and recognize that even at his lowest, he’s still worthy. Even if she didn’t get the spotlight she deserved, Frigga is still the best mom a thunder god could ask for.
Janet van Dyne
One of the few superhero moms in the MCU, Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) is the original Wasp, wife of Hank Pym, and mother of Hope van Dyne. Despite being a founding Avenger in the comics, the MCU’s Janet was said to be lost in the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man.
Thankfully, Ant-Man and the Wasp reveals that she survived, and she manages to return to Earth with the help of her family. While she hasn’t received much screen time yet, Janet is set to return in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, where she’ll hopefully play a prominent role in the story.
Wanda Maximoff
Of course, even the most well-intentioned moms aren’t perfect — in fact, some of them can be downright nightmarish at times. In WandaVision, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) unexpectedly becomes the mother of two twin boys, Billy and Tommy. However, it’s eventually revealed that her sons are merely magical constructs created by Wanda, not real living beings.
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda’s broken desperation to be reunited with her lost sons drives her into villainy, turning her into the very sort of monster her children fear most. Ultimately, Wanda sacrifices herself to stop the destruction she caused, proving that no matter what universe they’re from, the happiness of her children is more important to her than her own desires.
Meredith Quill
While Star-Lord’s mother Meredith Quill (Laura Haddock) has only briefly appeared in flashbacks, she still plays a major role in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, albeit posthumously. While we don’t get to see much of her, we do learn that Meredith’s love nearly caused Ego to stray from his plan to consume the entire universe. Plus, she inspired her son Peter’s rockin’ taste in retro music. Not bad at all for an ordinary Terran.
Maria Rambeau
Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) first appears in Captain Marvel as the best friend and confidant of Carol Danvers, as well as the mother of Monica Rambeau. While she doesn’t have cosmic powers like Carol, Maria is still a skilled flier in her own right thanks to years of Air Force experience under the call sign “Photon” — a title that her daughter will likely adopt as her hero name in The Marvels. And while the Maria of Earth-616 has now passed away, her Earth-838 variant appeared in Multiverse of Madness as her world’s Captain Marvel, facing off with Wanda alongside her fellow Illuminati members.
Ying Li
While she’s another deceased mom who only appears in flashbacks, Ying Li (Fala Chen) nevertheless plays a crucial role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. She was once the guardian of Ta Lo, and a powerful enough warrior to be the equal of Wenwu — the man who she would later marry.
For a time, Ying Li lived a happy life with her husband and their children, Shang-Chi and Xialing. However, she was eventually killed in an attack by Wenwu’s underworld rivals, leading him back down the path to villainy. Still, Ying Li’s incredible skill in battle and her profound effect on her family earn her a spot on this list.
Ramonda
Finally, it would be impossible not to mention Ramonda, Queen of Wakanda (Angela Bassett) on this list. While she made her debut in the first Black Panther, her role in Wakanda Forever turned her into one of the breakout stars of the film.
Bassett delivers an immensely powerful performance, bringing Ramonda to life as a grieving mother bearing the weight of the world on her shoulders. As a queen, she’s fiercely determined to protect Wakanda from those who would exploit it. But as a mother, she mourns the death of T’Challa, and longs to help her daughter Shuri deal with her own grief. Wise, loving, and strong-willed, Ramonda is everything anyone could ask for in both a leader and a mother.