Studios like Marvel’s MCU can celebrate with their fans alongside the rest of the world on Father’s Day 2022. Regarding fatherhood, Marvel has plenty of characters who step up, though not all of them do so admirably

The good news is that the 14 years of MCU history feature many father figures who have proven their worth as role models for raising children. Marvel Studios frequently highlights the importance of fathers, whether it’s T’Chaka in Black Panther, who is raising the future King of Wakanda, or Scott Lang in Ant-Man, who is just trying to protect his daughter Cassie from the world.

There are plenty of father figures in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to honor on Father’s Day, whether they were born into the role or adopted into it. To demonstrate the wide variety of characters who share the common ground of being fathers, Marvel showcased ten of them on social media.

The 2022 Marvel Father’s Day Special

For Father’s Day, the British and Irish Marvel Instagram page featured ten of the franchise’s most recognizable paternal figures.

“Family…back together again…”

Alexei Vostokoff

In 2021’s Black Widow, portrayed by David Harbour, Alexei Vostokoff was a father figure to both Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova, despite not being their biological father. Of course, he was doing that partly to relive his heyday as the Red Guardian, but he certainly gives a new meaning to the term “working dad” in the process.

“You would be an awesome [partner]. And if I let you, I would be a terrible dad.”

Scott Lang

Even while serving as Ant-Man, Scott Lang makes every effort to be there for his daughter Cassie. In the upcoming film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania, the two may finally get their chance to work together as a superhero team, with Cassie playing the role of Stature.

“You trained your son to be a killer. Is this what you wanted!?”

Wenwu

From Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Tony Leung’s portrayal of Wenwu demonstrates how dangerous a father can become after losing a loved one. Before his untimely death, he passed the powerful Ten Rings on to his son, Shang-Chi, even though he had served as the Mandarin and led a dangerous criminal organization.

“Tell my family I love them.”

Clint Barton

If Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton could have spent his entire solo Hawkeye series doing anything he wanted, it would have been spending Christmas in New York City with his three kids. Despite his status as an original member of the Avengers, Barton prioritizes his family’s safety above all else.

“Thor Odinson…my heir…my firstborn…”

Odin

Odin, played by Anthony Hopkins, had a mixed parenting experience with his three kids. While his relationship with Hela was less than fruitful, he did manage to father Thor, a future Avenger, and Loki, one of the most astute anti-heroes in the MCU, before his untimely demise in Thor: Ragnarok.

“Let me tell you, that kid’s not even here yet, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.”

Howard Stark

Howard Stark, a father who struggles with his identity as a parent, has a tumultuous relationship with his son Tony. When Tony unexpectedly ran into Howard during the Time Heist in Avengers: Endgame, he finally felt like he could put the relationship behind him.

“I’m sorry, little one.”

Thanos

Thanos, unlike any of his MCU counterparts, “adopted” his five children by destroying entire planets. To accomplish his mission for universal balance with the Infinity Gauntlet, he willingly threw his daughter Gamora off a cliff. So, let’s just say he didn’t completely take on the mantle in the safest aspects.

“A man who has not prepared his children for his own death has failed as a father.”

T’Chaka

Unfortunately, T’Chaka, played by John Kani, was killed in the bombing by the United Nations in Captain America: Civil War. However, he left an impression as a parent. Through the Ancestral Plane, he guided and advised his son T’Challa as he led Wakanda into a more prominent role on the global stage.

“Well don’t you want to meet your son as yourself?”

Paul Bettany

Since Paul Bettany didn’t become a father until after his death, his role as Vision is one of a kind. Fans could see his caring and loving side in his role of Tommy, thanks to WandaVision. This allowed him to interact with Jett Klyne and Jullian Hilliard’s Tommy and Billy.

“It’s not about saving our world. It’s about saving theirs.”

Hank Pym

Hank Pym, played by Michael Douglas, had a tumultuous relationship with his daughter Hope before Ant-Man’s events. However, the two have since reconciled. Together with another father-daughter team, Scott and Cassie Lang, they plan to fight crime in Ant-Man 3.

MCU Films Present a Wide Range of Father Figures

From supervillains like Thanos and the Mandarin to heroes like Ant-Man and Hawkeye, these ten characters show just a small sampling of the various father figures in the MCU. The most intriguing aspect of this list is that it fails to include some beloved characters who have also become fathers.

In Endgame, RDJ’s Tony Stark played the role, going so far as to give his life to save the world and make it a better place for his daughter Morgan. While Peter Quill was researching his family history for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, he came across Kurt Russell’s Ego and learned about his father’s quest for galactic dominance and eventual demise.

The post-Marvel published in honor of Father’s Day does nothing more than highlight that not all fathers are created equal and that it takes a lot to make a difference in a child’s life. It is not so much the route that a man takes to become a father as the journey that he takes afterward.