8) Scott Pilgrim Vs. The League Of Evil Exes (Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, 2010)
Most of the heroes on this list are fighting to save a city, or the whole world, but Scott Pilgrim is fighting for love. And self-respect. Both are that much more difficult to obtain than simply stopping some super-villain from causing billions of dollars in property damage and lives lost, but personally, I think the endeavour is more emotionally satisfying. It’s been said that the course of true love never did run smooth, but even Shakespeare didn’t envision being forced to do battle with his dream girl’s seven evil exes in order to win her heart.
Over the course of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, the titular hero must do mortal combat with the League of Evil Exes – a group of Ramona Flowers’ former flames who are brought together to douse any interest that the Canadian slacker has in the Amazon delivery girl from New York. They’re angry and jealous, and most importantly, they’re super-powered: Lucas Lee is super-strong, the Katayanagi twins can create musical dragons, and Todd Ingram has psychic powers granted to him by the Vegan Academy. Powers are bad enough, but there are other challenges – like Ramona’s subject of bi-curiosity Roxy. Scott can’t hit a girl because they’re soft. And the League’s leader, Gideon Graves – he’s the means for Scott’s band the Sex Bob-ombs to getting a record deal.
Despite the overwhelming circumstances, Scott manages to prevail over ex, after ex, after ex with nothing more than his wits, like convincing Todd to drink coffee with half-and-half instead of soy to cancel out Todd’s vegan powers. Or, tricking Lucas into performing a dangerous skating stunt. Or, poking Roxy behind the knee. Of course, wicked martial arts skills cultivated from years of playing video games helps too, and Scott is certainly proficient in hand-to-hand combat and the use of samurai swords. How, we don’t know – but Scott definitely shows that with the right motivation he can be driven to ditch his slacker lifestyle and stand up for Ramona, and himself, proving that you don’t need a costume and grave existential threats to take care of the bad guys and be a hero.
9) Thor Vs. Iron Man (The Avengers, 2012)
If you put a bunch of alpha-males in a room and crank up the tension, things are going to get heated. As has often been the case within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it all begins with Loki and his dastardly plan to steal a powerful item known as The Tesseract for some aliens known as The Chitauri. Though Loki’s plan is to ultimately rule the Earth, his idealistic brother Thor intervenes and rescues him from S.H.I.E.L.D – which has captured Loki using the combined expertise of Black Widow, Captain America and Iron Man. Iron Man in particular takes exception to this intervention, and confronts Thor – grabbing him and throwing him down in the clearing of a forested area.
“You have no idea what you’re dealing with,” growls Thor, in full Asgardian garb, amidst the trees.
“Er, Shakespeare In The Park?” quips Iron Man. “Doth Mother know you weareth her drapes?”
As is to be expected in Marvel movies, it is the witty trash talk between these two heroes that elevates the scene.
“This is beyond you, metal man. Loki will face Asgardian justice.”
“He gives up the cube – he’s all yours. Until then, stay out of the way,” Iron Man states, before turning and muttering, “Tourist.”
And so it begins – two of our favourite superheroes venting their frustrations at each other in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, while Loki watches in amusement from a perch above. Thor throws his hammer and knocks Iron Man off his feet. Iron Man responds with a plasma blast and a kick to the chest. Thor stands and summons the lightning, sending a sustained bolt straight into Iron Man’s suit.
“Power at 400% capacity,” announces Jarvis, Iron Man’s intelligent computer program.
“How about that?” he smirks.
Game on.
The God and the metal man blast each other around – through trees and against a nearby mountain face until they find themselves facing each other again in the clearing. They each throw punches and grasp each other’s arms. Thor begins to crush Iron Man’s suit, so Iron Man resorts to a headbutt. When Thor responds in kind, he sends Iron Man to the floor, clearly demonstrating his incredible strength. The two continue to scuffle until Captain America’s shield flies between them and back to the man himself – just arrived, like a disappointed childminder. He tells Thor to put his hammer down.
“You want me to put the hammer down?!” Thor yells, before running at Captain America, who raises his shield in defence. Thor brings the hammer down, sending a sonic blast through the forest.
“Are we done here?” asks Captain America.
Yes, we’re done here.