The Marvel Cinematic Universe abounds with action and adventure, but romance is never far behind. Fighting for love is what heroes do best, and Iron Man and Captain America are no exception. Tony Stark ends up with Pepper Potts after all the ups and downs, and Steve Rogers travels through time to return to his one true love Peggy Carter.
Both couples have their strengths and weaknesses, but which one is relationship goals? Here are five reasons why Tony and Pepper are the best MCU couple and five why it’s Steve and Peggy.
TONY AND PEPPER: Pepper Knows Tony Better Than Anyone
After years as his executive assistant, Pepper knew Tony’s mind and business inside and out. She kept his life organized but knew he needed a partner. Tony and Pepper were so in tune with one another, they often anticipated what the other was going to do.
Mainly, Pepper always knew when Tony would do something stupid. She didn’t fight it anymore after some time and started to go with it, making sure to catch him when he fell. Tony may have been in the spotlight, but Pepper was never a sidekick.
STEVE AND PEGGY: Held the Same Beliefs
Throughout Captain America: The First Avenger it’s clear Steve and Peggy’s attraction to one another stems from their strong sense of justice. They believe so fully in the decent treatment of all people they can’t help but fall for one another as they both fight for the same thing.
They were both so dedicated to fighting for justice and freedom that it made them a bit reckless at times. They found the perfect partner in on another that would allow them to be their true selves.
TONY AND PEPPER: They Complement Each Other
Tony was the billionaire genius but Pepper was the grease that kept the wheels turning at Stark Industries. He knew that which is why when he thought he would die, he left her his company. Pepper learned so much about the business side of the company that she ran it as well as any man.
She knew how to hold her own in an industry and world where her authority as the head of the business would be questioned because of her gender. Tony and Pepper had brains in complementary ways.
STEVE AND PEGGY: Respected One Another’s Abilities
Peggy believed wholeheartedly in what Steve could be beyond a dancing monkey for the government’s patriotic propaganda during World War II. Likewise, Steve never tried to treat Peggy like a damsel in distress. He knew she was a good fighter and allowed her the space to do what she did best.
Steve always listened to Peggy, as evidenced by a scene in season one of Agent Carter. When Dum Dum Doogan asks, “What would Cap say if I left his best girl behind?” she yells back, “He would say do as Peggy says.”
TONY AND PEPPER: Tony Gave Her His Heart
After years of building a reputation as a womanizer who never got close to anyone, Pepper became the first exception. He put on a facade of narcissism and pretended not to care about anyone, but he could never play Pepper for a fool with that act. His love for her grew so much he started taking better care of himself.
He removed the arc reactor that kept him alive, gifting it to her as a symbol of having his heart. As far as romantic acts go, that’s a pretty big one.
STEVE AND PEGGY: Make a Good Combat Team
Both Steve and Peggy had a gung ho attitude that made them unafraid to get into scrapes. They each had their fighting abilities, Steve with his superhuman strength and Peggy with her military training in combat. Together, they were unstoppable.
While Cap favored the direct approach with a punch to the face, Peggy preferred a strategic ploy in which she worked smarter not harder. Their two kinds of fighting worked well together to get any job done. But at the end of the day, they both threw a mean right hook.
TONY AND PEPPER: Support Each Other During Bad Times
As Tony struggled with PTSD after the events of the first Avengers, Pepper showed patience and support. She acknowledged his issues and encouraged him to seek an outlet for those feelings. He didn’t take her advice the way she had hoped, but she remained the voice of wisdom even as Tony went off the rails with his Iron Man suits.
Tony was never the perfect romantic partner, but he always respected and supported Pepper. He believed she was capable of being so much more and never stood in her way of becoming that person.
STEVE AND PEGGY: Both Willing to Make the Ultimate Sacrifice
There’s a reason Captain America’s signature weapon isn’t a weapon at all, but a shield. It’s because he believes so fiercely in protecting those who can’t protect themselves that he was willing to put his life on the line. Peggy believed this same thing so much she created a protective government organization called S.H.I.E.L.D.
There’s a moment where Colonel Phillips unleashes a dud grenade. While everyone else scatters, both Steve and Peggy move toward the bomb to cover it with their bodies to lessen the force of the blow.
TONY AND PEPPER: Make a Good Parenting Team
Avengers: Endgame revealed that in the five years of The Snap, Tony and Pepper had a daughter named Morgan. Morgan’s relationship with her father was the focus of those scenes, but it was clear Tony and Pepper created a stable and loving environment for her together.
When the team comes looking for Tony’s help with their time travel conundrum, he respectfully declines. But when he extends an invitation to dinner, he uses the pronoun we to indicate that it is a decision he and Pepper made together.
STEVEN AND PEGGY: Grew Together Through Times of War
Peggy and Steve both grew as individuals during the height of World War II. They understood what it was like to live a life as a soldier and never knew when it could be their last day. Sharing experiences of the trenches made them the perfect partners to truly understand one another.
Their dynamic was forged in fire, making it a love that stood the test of time. Steve couldn’t let that go, so much so that he traveled back for a second chance with the one woman who knew him best.
