It’s Father’s Day, and although the Marvel Universe is not always a model of great parental relationships, here are a few dads (and father figures) that deserve some mention. Let’s hear it for the dads!
Magneto
In both the comicbooks and the movies, Magneto isn’t exactly what you’d call an involved parent, but that doesn’t mean his kids didn’t go on to do great things. Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Polaris all became powerful and benevolent mutants within the X-Men lore even though they were not aware of their parentage for part of their lives.
Tony Stark
The MCU father we didn’t get much time with but still the MCU father we will miss the most. Although Tony Stark only got to enjoy being a father to his daughter Morgan Stark in Endgame, his dedication to his family is ultimately what saved the universe. Happy Father’s Day, Tony Stark. We’ll forever love you 3000.
Howard Stark
While Tony Stark focused on making a new pathway for himself as a father in the MCU, there’s no doubt that his greatest gifts came from his dad, Howard Stark. Differences aside, Tony’s superior scientific mind and status as a playboy philanthropist are straight from Howard as seen in the comics and the films, and it’s those two defining character traits that make the Stark family a force that changed the MCU and Marvel Comics forever.
Hawkeye
In the MCU, it is the devotion to his children that takes Hawkeye down the path of heroism, then revenge, then heroism again. His entire career as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent and Avenger is defined by his love for his wife Laura and kids Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel. It is seen in Endgame that Hawkeye has begun to train his daughter in archery, so perhaps it will be that skill learned from her dad that will eventually give the world a new Hawkeye. The comicbooks have him training another young girl (though not his daughter) as a new archer supreme, so maybe the two storylines will converge someday as he passes his gifts onto his own kids.
Uncle Ben
As heartbreaking as it may be for us to constantly watch Uncle Ben die, it’s his relationship with Peter Parker that serves as the catalyst for his transformation into the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man we all know and love. Even with the loss of uncle Ben, his positive, fatherly impact on Peter shaped him for the rest of his life and hero career.
Odin
Although the tough love of Odin towards his sons Thor and Loki can sometimes be a point of contention, it is the leadership and guidance of the Asgardian Allfather that made Thor a great Avenger and leader in the MCU and comicbooks alike. Loki, as we all know, is another story. Loki may have been a bit of a problem child for his dad, with the power grabs, manipulation, and attempted world domination, but there still always remained a loyalty to the last name “Odinson” even among his mischief.