The Avengers are the premiere superhero league of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, each with their own unique personalities represented through dialogue. The films of the MCU are known for their quippy, fast-paced lines, expertly delivered by the fantastic performances of each starring hero. From Captain America to Hawkeye, each of the most famous Avengers members can be distilled into their single greatest quotes.

Interestingly enough, many of the greatest quotes from the Avengers can be traced back to their first team-up appearances in Joss Whedon’s 2012 film of the same name, with Whedon demonstrating an uncanny ability to quickly convey the unique personalities of each member. Since then, the series has also seen a suite of expansive Disney+ series and additional crossover films that have managed to add more even depth to the Earth’s mightiest heroes.

10. “What Is Grief, If Not Love Persevering?”

Episode 8, WandaVision

One of the most profound quotes in all of the MCU, let alone uttered by a single particular hero, Vision’s ruminations on the nature of grief is easily his best quote. In a flashback, WandaVision treats viewers to an earlier look at Vision and Wanda’s blossoming relationship, showing how the two fell for each other as Vision simultaneously became more human. Only a machine could surmise the human experience as distinctly as Vision does when Wanda vents to him about her overwhelming grief regarding the loss of her brother.

Vision’s quote comforting her is made all the sadder by the circumstances of WandaVision. Being killed himself in Avengers: Infinity War, Vision’s words now posthumously apply to himself, making them all the more poignant. The writers of WandaVision truly deserve credit for crafting a single line that so accurately defines Vision’s compassion while re-contextualizing human emotion itself.

9. “I Cannot Control Their Fear. Only My Own.”

Captain America: Civil War

Continuing a goldmine of MCU character quotes, Captain America: Civil War saw Vision and Scarlet Witch in the midst of an ideological split. On either side of the border between the Avengers’ ideological schism following the Sokovia Accords, Wanda defies Vision and Tony Stark in order to join Hawkeye on Captian America’s side. Overpowering her lover in order to escape, Vision warns Wanda that she’ll continue to be feared if she goes down the path of independence.

Wanda’s response demonstrates her acceptance of herself, no longer concerned about public perceptions. This quote is great in a vacuum as a defiance of societal norms while standing up for one’s own beliefs, as Scarlet Witch does when she accepts herself and Hawkeye’s proposal. Interestingly, this line also has some hints at Wanda’s eventual return to villainy, unconcerned with the opinions of others to a dangerous degree.

8. “Don’t Do Anything Stupid Until I Come Back.”

Captain America: The First Avenger

Few characters have gone on as harrowing a journey as Bucky Barnes, as demonstrated by his best line of dialogue in the film. After succesfully joining the war effort in the 40s, Bucky painfully leaves Steve Rogers behind, telling him not to do anything stupid until he returns, to which Steve replies, “How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” This line sums up the brotherly bond Bucky and Steve share while also serving as an ominous warning of Bucky’s future, considering just how long it would be until Bucky “comes back.”

In Avengers: Endgame, Bucky has this line thrown back at him by Captain America, as he leaves to return the Infinity Stones. As Bucky jokingly rebuts with Steve’s same response from all those years ago, the moment becomes a bittersweet goodbye, as Steve gets back irreversibly changed, much like Bucky was the first time they shared these words. The Winter Soldier may be an Avenger of few words, but this simple farewell is by far Bucky’s best quote in the MCU.

7. “But We Work With What We Got, Right?”

Avengers: Endgame

Don Cheadle’s War Machine is the single most criminally underrated Marvel hero in the entire series. Never getting a solo film or even a streaming series, War Machine has been a steadfast Avenger for longer than anyone outside the original six, and deserves much more recognition as one of the franchise’s most reliable faces. His personality can best be summed up with the quiet moment he shares with Nebula after stealing the Power Stone in the time heist.

After she catches him staring at her cybernetic arm, Nebula tells War Machine that she “wasn’t always like this.” Clearly relating thanks to his own cybernetics that allow him to walk, Rhodes clearly relates, responding “Me neither. But we work with what we got, right?” This casual acceptance of bad situations is what colors War Machine’s outlook in all of his movie appearances; never an idealist, but always willing to do what practically needs to be done to make the best of his circumstances.

6. “I’m In The Middle Of An Interrogation. This Moron Is Giving Me Everything.”

The Avengers

Black Widow may have appeared for the first time in Iron Man 2, but her re-introduction in The Avengers might be the perfect summation of her superhero career. Seemingly trapped by a gang of dangerous Russian terrorists, Natasha Romanoff is being interrogated, seconds away from being brutally tortured into giving up some kind of classified information. However, she’s saved by the bell when one of the Russians’ phones rings, demanding to speak to her lest a fighter jet strike the entire building.

Sounding mildly annoyed at the interruption, Black Widow refers to her current situation as simply “working”, much to the disbelief of her captors. After stating that she was the one really doing the interrogating, Black Widow reveals herself to have been in control of the situation the whole time, maintaining her fear as a farce. It’s hard to think of a better line that exemplifies her skills as a super spy.

5. “Don’t Do That. Don’t Give Me Hope.”

Avengers: Endgame

By far the biggest family man out of all the Avengers, the heroic archer Hawkeye is strangely the most well-adjusted hero in the original team’s lineup. Despite this, he falls on hard times after the death of his family in the wake of Thanos’ attack, becoming the killer vigilante Ronin. Finally tracked down by the other Avengers with a possible solution to bring his family back along with everyone else, Hawkeye’s response is a weary one of trepidation.

Despite how much he’s changed, Clint Barton still holds his family above all else, and misses them so much that the idea of ever hoping to see them again can only be described as painful. Luckily, Hawkeye gets his reunion, making this haunting line one that pays off despite how pessimistic it is. It doesn’t hurt that Jeremy Renner’s delivery made the quote a popular meme for a time after the release of Avengers: Endgame, with many fans relating to Hawkeye’s sense of despair over decidedly more trivial matters.

4. “Well, If I’m Wrong, Then… What More Could I Lose?”

Avengers: Endgame

Few characters have withstood as much loss in the MCU as Thor Odinson. One at a time, Thor lost his mother, his father, his legendary weapon, his eye, his entire homeland, his brother, and finally, his girlfriend. Managing to stay a hero despite some dangerous bouts of depression, Thor’s ability to withstand so much repeated tragedy is best summed up in this single line from Avengers: Endgame.

This line demonstrates the precarious spot Thor is in by the events of the film while also giving some insight into his ancient age of over 1500 years old, something the movies don’t focus on often enough. Calling Thanos the latest in a long line of despots, Thor vows to kill him, clearly willing to throw his life away in order to do so after having already lost so much. Luckily, by the end of Thor: Love and Thunder, the God of Thunder once again has someone to live for.

3. “That’s My Secret, Captain… I’m Always Angry.”

The Avengers

More so than many other characters, The Hulk’s MCU quotes present some delectable options, making it hard to pick out a single standout line. At the end of the day, his iconic statement in The Avengers simply can’t be beat. As a Chitauri Leviathan sails through the air towards the Avengers, Captain America tells Dr. Bruce Banner that it might be a good time for him to get angry.

Bruce simply responds with “That’s my secret, Captain… I’m always angry” before casually transforming into the Hulk, stopping the massive beast with a single punch. Beyond the reveal that Bruce Banner can transform whenever he wishes, this line hints at the darkness lurking underneath the surface of Dr. Banner’s nerdy exterior, alluding to his traumatizing past. It’s hard to imagine that any other line from The Hulk could ever hold up to such a dramatic character beat.

2. “I Can Do This All Day.”

Captain America: The First Avenger

Unlike most other MCU heroes, Captain America actually does have something of a catchphrase. Luckily, this repeated line is also easily one of Steve Rogers’ best, first being said in Captain America: The First Avenger when the pre-super serum Steve stands up to some bullies despite being drastically outmatched in brawn. This moment and line instantly get across Steve Rogers’ characterization as an unflinching paragon for justice, even when the odds are stacked against him.

Hilariously enough, Steve later tells himself this line when confronting the past version of himself in Avengers: Endgame, finding his own words annoying at the time. But by far the most powerful repeat of these words is in Captain America: Civil War, in which Steve proves that he’s even willing to stand up to his close friends if he truly believes them to be on the wrong side of history. Attributing Captain America’s unyielding resolve and commitment to his beliefs, “I can do this all day” is the summation of the American hero.

1. “I Am Iron Man”

Iron Man

It seems strange that such a simple line could be Iron Man’s most impactful in the entire series. But by simply stating “I am Iron Man,” Tony Stark set so much precedent for the MCU, instantly doing away with the tired secret identity tropes of most superhero stories while asserting his brash, egotistical personality as someone eager to take credit for heroic acts. It’s made all the better that the line was ad-libbed by Robert Downey Jr., seeming to speak directly into the camera with the declaration that he alone embodies the role.

Of course, the line pays off to even greater fanfare when it’s repeated in Iron Man’s last movie appearance, truly bringing his MCU journey full circle. Making another Snap with the Infinity Stones that defeats Thanos and his army once and for all, Tony proves that he was a unapologetic hero to the bitter end, willing to choose martydom over even his family. “I am Iron Man” isn’t just the hero’s best quote, but possibly the defining line of the entirety of The Avengers.