People often say opposites attract, and there’s no greater example of this than what goes on in the Marvel Universe. From shapeshifters falling in love with demons to human assassins hooking up with gods, there’s no shortage of unlikely pairings. Love knows no boundaries.
And when you take into account all of the danger and complications superpowers can cause in a relationship, comics pretty much have more drama than a daytime soap opera. Fortunately for readers, neither heroes nor villains are immune to Cupid’s arrow, because there’s nothing better than a good love story (and the more eyebrow-raising, the better). Here we compiled a list of some of the most unexpected romances the Marvel Universe has seen throughout the years.
So without further ado, here are 8 shocking comic book couples in the Marvel Universe:
1. Rogue and Magneto
Although Rogue’s on again/off again relationship with Gambit is her most well-known pairing, she has also had her fair share of romantic entanglements with Magneto. Whereas Rogue’s relationship with Gambit includes little physical contact due to her powers, Magneto discovers ways to allow him and Rogue to touch, which even leads to them having a child together in one story arc. Considering all of the dangers and complications involved in being with Rogue, it’s actually pretty shocking that any man is willing to take that risk.
2. Thanos and Mistress Death
Things have got to be tough for Thanos in the love department. No matter how hard he tries or how many grand and twisted gestures he makes — collecting souls, killing off his wife and child — his love, Mistress Death, just continues to play games with him. Knowing full well that Thanos loves her to the point of obsession, she continually asks the world (sometimes literally) of him, offering little to no love in return.
3. Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor
In the midst of his grief after losing Jean Grey, you can’t really blame Scott Summers for falling in love with a woman who perfectly resembled his longtime love. You can, however, blame him for his despicable acts that followed. Scott and Madelyne fall deeply in love and even give birth to a child. Although, once Jean Grey appears back in the picture and we learn that Madelyne was actually just a clone, Scott simply abandons his wife and child like it’s no big deal.
4. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch
In case you didn’t already know, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are brother and sister — like real brother and sister, by birth and blood. With that being said, there’s little need to explain why their love affair is so shocking. If you find the news about their relationship a hard pill to swallow, realize that it only took place in the Ultimate Universe, although through the years there has been plenty of fan speculation as to whether or not these siblings seem a little too close.
5. Storm and Wolverine
Seeing as they worked aside one another for so many years, it may have seemed inevitable that Wolverine and Storm would eventually get together. It still comes as a shock, however, considering how strong-willed each one is, and how drastically their personalities and views often differ. While we find the two married and deeply in love in the Age of Apocalypse timeline, in other story arcs they are simply in a casual and physical relationship–which frankly, seems more believable for the two.
6. Black Widow and Iron Man
It may have come as no surprise that everyone’s favorite playboy, Tony Stark, would hook up with one of his lovely teammates, Black Widow, but it’s the drama that followed which proved to be quite shocking. In the midst of their love affair, the high profile couple created a sex tape. Once the tape was leaked to the public, their fling became rather unforgettable. A sex tape in comic books. Let that sink in for a moment. (Side note: We think Iron Man and Black Widow would be a great set of nerdy Halloween costumes for couples this year).
7. She-Hulk and Juggernaut
She-Hulk has had her fair share of lovers, but Juggernaut was certainly one of the more noteworthy, so much so that it turned into a running joke in future comics. These two briefly got together while She-Hulk was serving as Juggernaut’s lawyer during a criminal case. Later comics stated, however, that it was an alternate reality version of She-Hulk that slept with Juggernaut, most likely to appease shocked readers. But hey, you can’t entirely undo what they already saw.
8. Mystique and Destiny
Mystique has had a number of interesting pairings through the years — Azazel, Sabretooth, and even Charles Xavier to name a few — but perhaps none were quite as intriguing as her relationship with Destiny. Their relationship spanned many years, brought out Mystique’s softer side, but ultimately ended in tragedy. Their relationship showed up in comics at a time when same-sex relationships were still quite a taboo subject, which is why their love affair was only ever hinted at subtly.
