Top 10 Epic Final Battles In Superhero Movies

When it comes to grudge matches, Superhero smack-downs are as epic as it gets. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Epic Final Battles in Superhero Movies.

For this list, we’ll be taking a look at the most notable concluding clashes that take place in superhero films. Since this list will be focusing on final battles, outstanding fights that took place before the film’s final conflict will not be included. Also, a spoiler alert is in order.

#10: Batman vs. Bane
“The Dark Knight Rises” (2012)

After being defeated squarely by Bane in their first encounter, Batman returns to Gotham City to free it from his new adversary’s reign of terror and even the score. Taking place amidst a war between Gotham’s finest and an army of freed criminals, Batman and Bane’s second fight ups the ante in terms of scale and symbolism. While Bane controls the action early in a brutal fashion, which echoes his previous victory, Batman displays tremendous resiliency and determination, which swings the fight in his favor. After damaging Bane’s mask sends him into a wild frenzy, Batman capitalizes on his opponent’s carelessness and beats him into submission.

#9: The Incredibles vs. Omnidroid
“The Incredibles” (2004)

While Syndrome’s mechanical monster was seemingly destroyed after its first battle against Mr. Incredible, the Omnidroid returns as a part of the villain’s maniacal scheme to portray himself as a hero. But when Syndrome’s plans go awry, it’s up the Incredibles to bring down the Omnidroid. With some help from Frozone, each member of the family uses their powers in a semi-coordinated effort to bring the robot down. Juxtaposed with some more light-hearted family dysfunction over how to use Syndrome’s remote, the heroes ultimately synchronize a winning strategy using the Omnidroid’s severed claw to annihilate it.

#8: The Hulk vs. The Abomination
“The Incredible Hulk” (2008)

A bonafide monster mash-up, the highlight of the Hulk’s second feature-film sees him go toe-to-toe with his archrival, the Abomination, for the first time on the big screen. Beginning with a monstrous collision befitting two raging bulls, the Hulk takes to using a crushed police car as a pair of boxing gloves to pummel the Abomination into the ground. The tide turns when the malevolent monster uses his superior hand-to-hand skills to corner the Jade Giant, but once the Hulk sees his beloved Betty Ross is in danger, his rage swells and the Hulk utters his famous catchphrase for the first time before choking out Abomination with a massive chain.

#7: Ant-Man vs. Yellowjacket
“Ant-Man” (2015)

Although this final battle may give up plenty of scale and destruction to its contemporaries, the climactic clash between Ant-Man and Yellowjacket perfectly encapsulates the film’s balancing act of light-hearted humor and adrenaline-fuelled action. When Yellowjacket tries to use his daughter as bait, Ant-Man engages his nemesis in perhaps the most unique battleground in a superhero film to date: a children’s train set. The fight makes the most of the combatants’ diminutive surroundings as well as injecting a dose of tongue-in-cheek comedy through contrasting the combat from both Ant-Man and his daughter’s perspective. Mixing classic superhero action with a cartoonish sense of fun, this clash of tiny titans demonstrates that size doesn’t matter when it comes to classic Marvel action.

#6: Thor vs. Malekith
“Thor: The Dark World” (2013)

A battle of truly cosmic proportions, Thor and Malekith’s final clash in “Thor: The Dark World” makes the most of the film’s wildcard: interdimensional portals. What begins as a duel between Malekith’s dark magic and Thor’s lightning quickly evolves into an interdimensional conflict as the god of thunder and the dark elf wage war on one another through numerous portals between the realms. Despite the dreary apocalyptic tone that the film possesses, Thor and Malekith’s battle also manages to include a healthy amount of trademark Marvel humor in between portal trips. As the end of the world looms on the horizon, Thor manages to stop Malekith by transporting him back to Svartalfheim with the help of Jane Foster.

#5: Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin
“Spider-Man” (2002)

Spider-Man’s first big screen grudge match is bloody, violent, and pulls no punches. Up against his archrival, the Green Goblin, right off the bat we are given an idea of how dangerous Gobby is thanks to a slow-motion shot of one of his exploding pumpkin bombs. Spidey then proceeds to take quite the ass-kicking from his emerald adversary until Green Goblin makes the fatal mistake of threatening Mary Jane. This gives Spider-Man a second wind as he uses his enhanced reflexes, superhuman strength and webbing to gain the upper hand, corner the Goblin and unleashing his anger in a ferocious onslaught that forces the unmasked Norman Osborn to yield… until he impales himself with his own glider.

#4: Guardians of the Galaxy vs. Ronan the Accuser
“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014)

Beginning with a stunning starship battle that would make George Lucas proud, the final battle in “Guardians of the Galaxy” has a little something for everyone. Whether it’s an awe-inspiring dog fight between warring spaceships, Gamora and Nebula’s duel to the death, or Drax, Star-Lord, and Groot opening up a can of whoop-ass on Korath’s forces, the film’s final battle serves up the epic in multiple helpings. However, once it comes down to just the Guardians and Ronan the Accuser, the conflict takes a more musical tone. Luckily for the Guardians, this throws Ronan off of his game long enough for Star-Lord to grab the Infinity Stone and share its power with his teammates in order to destroy the baddie.

#3: The Avengers vs. Loki and the Chitauri
"The Avengers” (2012)

A cinematic milestone by virtue of the number of collective on-screen superheroes alone, the final conflict of “The Avengers” is undoubtedly a dream come true for comic book fans worldwide and a dazzling experience for moviegoers. Showcasing the individual strengths of each Avenger as they dismantle the Chitauri invasion, Loki’s alien army is repelled by the combined forces of Hawkeye’s deadly arrows, Black Widow’s combat mastery, Iron Man’ firepower, the Hulk’s savagery, Cap’s trusty shield, and mighty Mjolnir in the hands of Thor. To top it all off, we are treated to a brief, but unforgettable, scrap between Loki and the Hulk, which does not end well at all for the god of mischief.

#2: Superman vs. General Zod
“Man of Steel” (2013)

A battle between demi-gods in the heart of Metropolis, the final battle in “Man of Steel” showcases the incredible powers wielded by Kryptonians under Earth’s sun. With General Zod thirsty for vengeance after his dreams of recreating Krypton on Earth are dashed, Superman faces his greatest challenge in the form of an opponent who not only possesses the same powers, but is also a trained warrior. Despite being outmatched in terms of skill and experience, Superman holds his own against Zod in a fight that spans Earth and sky. When Zod tries to kill some innocent bystanders with his heat vision, Superman is faced with a life-or-death decision and snaps Zod’s neck to bring the battle to a climactic conclusion.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions

Deadpool vs. Ajax
“Deadpool” (2016)

X-Men vs. Magneto
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014)

V vs. Cops
“V for Vendetta” (2006)

#1: Captain America and Winter Soldier vs. Iron Man
“Captain America: Civil War” (2016)

By far the most emotionally-charged battle on this list, Captain America and Winter Soldier’s battle against an enraged Iron Man in the climax of “Civil War” is a point of no return that oozes tension until the inevitable eruption. With Captain America fighting to defend his best friend and Iron Man fighting to contain major spoilers, the conflict is made all the more gut-wrenching because both sides have grounds for sympathy. As Winter Soldier and Cap fight like a tag team and Iron Man struggles to hold off the two super soldiers, it becomes clear that this is a fight where no one truly wins and everyone loses something.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite final superhero movie battle? For more entertaining Top 10’s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.