Nick Fury’s ‘Emotional’ Monologue Still Breaks MCU Fans’ Hearts Every Time

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has moved on from its original lineup of Avengers. In Avengers: Endgame, all the heroes of the MCU came together to defeat Thanos. Now that the Infinity saga has concluded and the franchise moves forward, it makes sense to look back on the monumental filmmaking achievement that the MCU has been so far.

In a series filled with emotional moments, fans think they may have identified what could be the most important: it involved a speech by Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) in the first Avengers film that breaks MCU fans’ hearts every time they hear it. 

The plot of ‘The Avengers’

2012’s The Avengers was an epic crossover collaboration. It was only a sample of what was to come in the MCU, of course, with the Infinity saga later uniting most of the MCU’s heroes. But The Avengers was one of the most ambitious crossover events ever at the time of its release. To say it was a success would be an understatement. 

For the first time, comic book fans got to see Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Hawkeye, and Black Widow on screen together in live action. The film saw them team up against Loki, who brokered a deal with Thanos to conquer Earth using the Chitauri army.

The team is successful, but not without making a major sacrifice. 

While all the MCU films before this one were hits at the box office and with fans, this is the one that solidified the world-building of the MCU. This is when fans knew the experiment was going to work. But what was the sacrifice in the film that helped galvanize the Avengers? 

Phil Coulson’s role in the MCU

Prior to his appearance in The Avengers, Phil Coulson was a SHIELD agent who served under Nick Fury. He popped up in multiple films, including Iron Man and Thor.

He was something of a fixer or a handler, working with the various superheroes on behalf of Fury and helping to keep them in check. In Avengers, he helps bring the group together and is aboard the SHIELD helicarrier along with the team and Loki. 

Coulson sacrifices himself, allowing Loki to kill him to give the Avengers time to respond to his threat. He dies soon after, talking to Fury as he passes away. It’s quite a sad scene, as Coulson was one of the few heroes in the film without special abilities. 

This wouldn’t be the end of Coulson in the MCU. With the help of Fury, Coulson is later resurrected. His adventures are the subject of the ABC TV series Agents of SHIELD. Despite his comeback in one part of the MCU, his presence is never again referenced in the films. For all intents and purposes as far as the Avengers are concerned, Coulson’s death is final. 

Why Nick Fury’s ’emotional’ monologue still breaks MCU fans’ hearts

One MCU fan created a Reddit post dedicated to Fury’s emotional speech following Coulson’s death in The Avengers. It calls the scene “one of the most emotional and epic in the MCU. The fan isn’t wrong. After Coulson’s tragic death, Fury’s speech serves as a lightning rod meant to motivate the Avengers to take Loki on. 

Coulson’s Agents of SHIELD run notwithstanding, his death may be one of the most important moments in the MCU. Prior to his death, the Avengers reluctantly worked together.

They didn’t trust each other or Fury. But after Coulson died, they realized the weight of what was going on. 

On its own, Coulson’s sacrifice was poignant. But it was Fury’s speech that helped point the team in the right direction. Without the speech, the team coming together would have felt much more forced.