Celebrate Galentine’s Day with the Ladies of the MCU
Galentine’s Day was first introduced in 2010 on the show Parks and Recreation as a day to celebrate the power of friendships between women. Since then the notion has taken off, and women across the world have taken to celebrating the day every February 13.
There are few franchises in pop culture that celebrate the love between female friends quite as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In no particular order, here are our 10 favorite female friends in the MCU.
Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova
Raised as sisters for an undercover operation, Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova’s relationship has its complexities. While Natasha was a product of the controversial Black Widow program, she was able to redeem herself by becoming an Avenger. Yelena, meanwhile, felt abandoned to her fate as the program grew even more controlling and sinister.
When the two women cross paths again in Black Widow, they manage to reconcile and remember what it is they love about one another. Between good-natured sibling rivalry and teasing, heart-to-heart talks, plus putting their lives on the line to save the other, viewers can see that these two women are truly sisters at heart.
Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau
Monica Rambeau is only a child when Carol Danvers returns to Earth. Monica’s mother, Maria, and Carol are such dear friends that Monica grows up calling her Aunt Carol. As Captain Marvel, Carol spends a great deal of time away from Earth. She is therefore unable to be there to support Monica following Maria’s cancer diagnosis, leading to complicated feelings between Monica and Carol.
However, as Monica gains her own superpowers and gets to know Carol better, she understands the nuances and challenges of being a super hero. They become friends and allies, re-forming something close to the familial closeness they shared years ago.
Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis
Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis are first introduced in Thor. Jane is an astrophysicist studying the cosmos and Darcy works as her assistant. Although Jane is leading the study and Darcy is an intern, the working relationship is also built on friendship. After all, spending long, tedious hours together is infinitely easier when one enjoys the company they are with.
Where Jane tends to be serious and focused, Darcy offers humor and levity. Although they experience setbacks and even disbelief from others, the two women continue to have faith in and support one another.
Mighty Thor and Valkyrie
As one of the women who has been in the MCU the longest, it is no surprise that Jane made many friends, including Valkyrie. When Jane is chosen as being worthy of wielding Mjolnir, she becomes the Mighty Thor and is granted all the strength and power that comes with the title.
During their time together, the two women blessed with Asgardian powers prove to be staunch allies as they fight side by side. They work well as a team, support one another’s ideas, and enjoy plenty of laughs (sometimes at Thor’s expense) along the way.
Shuri and Okoye
As the Princess of Wakanda and the General of the Dora Milaje, Shuri and Okoye spend a great deal of time together. Their affection goes beyond mere familiarity, with both women respecting the strength they see in the other. They clearly share a deep love and are united in their dedication to their country, as well as the sanctity of the Black Panther. Plus, their trip to recruit Riri Williams from MIT is among the most entertaining road trips in the MCU.
In addition, the two women have faced many losses together in a short span of time with the deaths of King T’Chaka, Queen Ramonda, and King T’Challa, deepening their bond with and reliance on one another.
Gamora and Nebula
As adopted daughters of Thanos, Gamora and Nebula’s relationship is complicated to say the least. From the time they are young, the two girls are forced to fight one another. Gamora is always victorious, leading to parts of Nebula’s body being replaced with cybernetic components.
Despite their trauma, the two women eventually betray Thanos and battle alongside the Avengers. Through hard work, they come to see that their adversarial relationship is through no fault of their own. They embark on their healing journey with the recognition that their true enemy was Thanos all along.
Jennifer Walters and Nikki Ramos
Following a car accident with her cousin Bruce Banner, Jennifer Walters is exposed to the gamma radiation in his blood and becomes She-Hulk. Many things about Jennifer’s life change as she tries to reconcile the life she worked so hard for and the one she stumbled into.
In the very first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Nikki is there cheering Jennifer on in her professional career and encouraging her to embrace her identity as She-Hulk. Jennifer trusts Nikki enough to share her secret, and Nikki trusts Jennifer enough to know that She-Hulk is just now an extension her best friend.
Jennifer Kale and Lilia Calderu
Who doesn’t love a good coven? When a powerless Agatha Harkness summons witches far and wide in search of the fabled Witches’ Road, we meet magical women from every corner of the mystic arts. And the trials these women endure over the course of Agatha All Along eventually endear them to one another. Take Jennifer Kale and Lilia Calderu, for example.
After being trapped underground, the two women become quite protective of one another. Kale is quick to keep Calderu focused and grounded in their trials, while Calderu ultimately is willing to sacrifice herself for Kale and the rest of their makeshift coven. They also don’t shy away from their emotions, coming to regard one another like sisters. Even in the face of Agatha’s selfishness and deceit, their friendship forged by the Road is truly magic.
Yelena Belova and Kate Bishop
While calling these two “friends” after their time together in the Disney+ series Hawkeye may seem like a stretch, Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova absolutely secure a place on this list. Despite having opposing opinions on whether Clint Barton should continue to live, the two young women have excellent chemistry.
Between the begrudging compliments, well-intended unsolicited advice, and offers to share macaroni and cheese, it’s no wonder that Kate had to beg Yelena to stop making her like her. It’s cuh-raaaa-zy.
Peggy Carter and Natasha Romanoff
Perhaps one of the most wonderful and unexpected things to come out of the series What If…? is the friendship between Natasha Romanoff and Peggy Carter. The two characters never encounter one another in Marvel’s Sacred Timeline. But in the Sacred Timeline, Peggy and Natasha are two of Steve’s closest confidantes, so it comes as no surprise that they befriend one another elsewhere in the Multiverse.
“What If… The Watcher Broke His Oath?” introduces a friendship that needed to happen. Their banter, resourcefulness, commitment to doing the right thing at all costs, and loyalty to those they care about make them the fiercest of friends to one another.
Whether it’s friends from the start, happenstance allies, or even enemies to friends, the women in the Marvel Cinematic Universe embody what it means to be a good friend. They inspire one another, challenge one another to grow, and literally and figuratively always have each others’ backs.
Join the conversation with other Marvel fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!
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