5 best shields in the MCU ranked from good to best

There have been some excellent shields introduced in the MCU. Which one is the best? Here's our ranking.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. © 2024 MARVEL.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. © 2024 MARVEL.

There have certainly been some great shields throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some of them are better than others.

Shields are essential in any sort of superhero movie. Without them, there would be no protection for a lot of our heroes, and we’ve seen how various heroes and vigilantes have put some of them to the test.

This list isn’t in terms of the strongest shields. We’re also looking at how effective they are to handle, what they look like, and the effectiveness of stopping the enemies. The post is going to look at all movies and franchises across the MCU and the Marvel universe as a whole. Yes, this includes the likes of X-Men and Deadpool.

5. Taskmaster’s shield in Black Widow

Taskmaster was an intriguing character in Black Widow, but there was no doubt that the shield reminded us of another one. Yes, it was very similar to that of Captain America’s shield, which is why it ranks last on our list. It’s good but not as good.

The shield itself was made of a durable material that was never clarified. All we know is that it wasn’t made out of vibranium, because it didn’t ricochet in the most predictable ways. It could be thrown just like Captain America’s shield though. Taskmaster having to go and pick up the shield each time makes it ineffective compared to many of the other shields.

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Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) © 2011 - Paramount Pictures

Captain America’s shield in Captain America: The First Avenger

When you think of shields in the MCU, Captain America’s shield is the first one that comes to mind. That means it gets a mention on this post, but it’s not the best shield out of them all. It is a good one, though.

The vibranium material is extremely difficult to destroy. We see this as Peggy Carter fires her pistol at Cap, for it to take the whole force without an issue. However, it’s not indestructible. In fact, it has faced numerous scratches, and it was heartbreaking to watch it get completely destroyed by Thanos.

The fact that it was completely destroyed is where we have to say that it’s the weakest of the best shields out there. However, it could be used as an offensive weapon, being thrown and boomeranging back to Captain America. It would also bounce, which made it an even more effective weapon.

Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame
Marvel Studios' AVENGERS: ENDGAME..L to R: Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.)..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2019

Tony Stark’s energy shield in Avengers: Endgame

Tony Stark’s shield in Avengers: Infinity War was completely destroyed. It didn’t even look as cool as Captain America’s and wasn’t as iconic, which means that it doesn’t make it to the list. However, another one of Stark’s does.

Tony learned from his mistakes when it came to Avengers: Endgame. When he needed to craft a new shield, he looked at what did and didn’t work with the old one. This helped him create something that could protect him and others, and that others could even see through. After all, one of the downsides of shields is that you usually can’t see what’s going on, but Hawkeye could watch clearly from behind it, making it that much more effective.

DOCTOR STANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios' DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Wanda’s energy shield in Avengers: Age of Ultron and beyond

Wanda Maximoff has one of the strongest shields going. There’s no doubt that the energy shields that are created through magic are the strongest. We watched how after Cap’s shield was decimated by Thanos, Wanda was able to break apart Thanos’ weapon with her own shield.

No, the shield doesn’t look as cool as Captain America’s. Nothing will do, and this is arguably why he has the most memorable one. However, it still does look pretty fancy, and Wanda can manipulate her shield a little better. She can control how it forms in both of her hands, which is often needed in a battle.

The more power Wanda gained, the stronger the shield became. It’s not like Wanda really needed an offensive shield like Cap did, either.

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE
(L-R): Dogpool and Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

Dogpool in Deadpool and Wolverine

The best of all the shields has to be Dogpool from Deadpool and Wolverine. There has been absolutely no other shield that has stopped everyone in their tracks. None of the various Deadpools were willing to shoot at Wolverine while he carried Dogpool over to the other side of the path. Sadly, Wolverine, it definitely wasn’t the biceps, regardless of how tensed they were to show them off.

This was a great moment for fans everywhere. After all, one of our first questions is always “does the dog die” when we see a movie with a dog. We need to know that the dog won’t be harmed, and it’s clear that the MCU feels the same way as a whole. These multiple versions of Deadpool did not want to be responsible for taking the life of the most adorable pup in the world.

Nothing can beat the effectiveness and the cuteness of Dogpool. Prove me wrong.