10 Marvel Romances That Were Tragically Cut Short

Marvel Comics gave readers a lot of great romances over the years. Many of the foundational relationships of superhero comics come from the Marvel Universe, and fans have connected with many of these couples. However, drama was the name of the game in entertainment, and comics were no different. As such, many fan-favorite relationships between Marvel heroes were cut tragically short, all to give readers more drama.

There are multiple reasons behind these relationships’ short lifespans. Regardless of why they ended or even how long they lasted, many amazing relationships have been thrown out by Marvel creators. These relationships made the characters better or made them genuinely happy. Their abrupt ends were an unfair tragedy for everyone involved.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

10 Havok & the Wasp Were Great, but Thrown Away

Havok is a rather tragic hero. Between being constantly in the shadow of his older brother, Cyclops, his mind getting controlled all the time, and basically having nothing to call his own, Havok got the short end of the stick in many ways. Havok found a kindred spirit in the Wasp when they were both on the Avengers Unity Squad. Both worked to get out of someone else’s shadow, reach great heights, and neither got credit for how great they could be.

Havok and Wasp made a great couple. They showed actual human/Mutant unity on a team that basically broke apart immediately. They had a long relationship in an alternate future that had to be destroyed. Later, Havok had his morality inverted by Red Onslaught to become a villain and leave the Wasp. This was a huge mistake, and it really hasn’t led anywhere better for either character.

9 Colossus & Kayla Were Cut Short for Plot Reasons

Colossus’ most popular relationship was his longtime romance with Kitty Pryde, but his best one was his shortest. During the Krakoa Era, Colossus retired from being a superhero and moved to the Savage Land to grow medicine. There, he met the water-manipulating Mutant, Kayla. They started a relationship, with Colossus painting and farming with a woman he loved. It was an idyllic, perfect life. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.

Colossus kept getting dragged into X-Force business. Later, his brother Mikhail and his servant, the Chronicler, decided that Colossus was the perfect weapon to destroy Krakoa. Chronicler took control of Colossus and had him kill Kayla. This was Colossus’s most terrible act under his brother’s control, but only the first blow against Krakoa that a mind-controlled Colossus would commit.

8 Peter Parker & Gwen Stacy Ended In Tragedy

Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy weren’t the perfect couple that modern Marvel editorial pretends it was. Gwen was basically every mean girl stereotype ever. She constantly gaslit Peter and found new ways to neg him. It was actually a terrible relationship if readers went back and really saw what happened. However, the end of their relationship was undeniably tragic.

Green Goblin captured Gwen and threatened to kill her, forcing Spider-Man into a climactic battle on top of the George Washington Bridge. Green Goblin threw her off the bridge and Spider-Man caught her with a webline. However, the whiplash broke her neck. Spider-Man killed Gwen, cutting short their relationship. This was the biggest instance of “fridging” (i.e. killing women for a male hero’s development) in superhero fiction at the time, and it wasn’t the last.

7 Captain Marvel Watched War Machine Die Because of Her Mistakes

Captain Marvel faced many threats during her career, but one had the most terrible effect on her life. She was clued in to an upcoming Thanos attack by Ulysses, a powerful precognitive Inhuman. She led a that included her boyfriend, War Machine, and friend She-Hulk to stop the Mad Titan. Thanos was defeated, but She-Hulk was left comatosed while War Machine was brutally killed.

Captain Marvel and War Machine’s relationship had been one of the few normal things their turbulent lives as superheroes. There was always the chance that one of them would die, but Captain Marvel had to live with the fact that she led the man she loved to die. It was a tragic moment for them.

6 Sam Wilson & Jane Foster’s Love Was Ended by Her Death

Sam Wilson was a brilliant hero and, for a time, the only Captain America. During this period, Jane Foster became The Mighty Thor and they hit it off. Sam’s and Jane’s relationship worked well for both. However, there was always a time limit on their love. Jane’s cancer was slowly killing her. Both knew this, which made their romance’s inevitable end all the sadder.

Jane lost her battle against cancer, ending a relationship with all the potential in the world. There was something great about the new Captain America and Thor entering into a relationship, but it was never going to end well. Jane’s days were always numbered. Despite Jane returning as a Valkyrie, her new role still kept her apart from Sam.

5 The Hulk Was the Cause of Betty Ross’ Death

Hulk’s long history is full of pain, and his relationship with Betty Ross was an example of that. Bruce Banner and Betty were in love when he transformed into the Hulk, and his years of rampages threw a wrench into their relationship. There were many ups and downs, but eventually, Bruce controlled the Hulk. This let him and Betty get married.

They had years of happiness together during the Professor Hulk era, but then tragedy struck. Betty found out that her years of being around the Hulk had led to her getting gamma radiation poisoning. This was exacerbated when Abomination gave Betty a transfusion of his own gamma-irradiated blood. Bruce and Betty then endured years of heartache, and her death put an end to one of the few happy times in their lives.

4 Wolverine Lost Silver Fox Twice

Wolverine’s history is pretty twisted. It’s full of memory implants, brainwashing, and feral blackouts. However, there were happy times as well. His relationship with Silver Fox was one of them. Silver Fox was a member of the Blackfoot Confederacy, and they shared a small cabin together. Their life together was happy, but one day, Sabretooth decided killed it. He broke into the cabin while Wolverine was away. He then assaulted Silver Fox.

Wolverine brought her body to the town saloon, and confronted Sabretooth. This led to a battle that almost killed Wolverine. Years later, it was revealed that this was all a memory implanted by Weapon X, but the love between Wolverine and Silver Fox, two real people involved in Weapon X’s machinations, was real. They reunited for a short time, but Sabretooth really killer her this time, cutting their love short again.

3 Vision & Scarlet Witch’s Marriage Was Ended by the Vision’s Rebuilding

The Vision and Scarlet Witch’s relationship was always an interesting one. Scarlet Witch found herself falling for the synthezoid, and eventually he returned her affection. The two married, although this was thanks to the manipulations of Immortus than anything else. Immortus feared a Nexus being like Scarlet Witch shouldn’t have children, and that her marrying Vision would preclude this.

Of course, they did have children, thanks to Scarlet Witch’s powers. This turned out to be a fiasco. Vision was dismantled by the American government, and Hank Pym tried to rebuild him. But this time, Wonder Man wouldn’t allow his brain to be used as the basis for Vision. When Vision came back, he no longer had emotions. This ended his marriage and love with Scarlet Witch.

2 Peter Parker & Mary Jane Watson Were Broken up by Marvel Editorial

One More Day is, without a doubt, the worst Spider-Man story ever. It was born because of an editorial mandate from then Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada. He believed that Spider-Man being married made him older, and so the marriage had to end. Some argue that Peter and MJ’s relationship was cut short because it dragged on for decades. However, the fact remains that their relationship ended because of editorial interference.

Peter and MJ went well together. There were many places for their relationship to go. Readers never saw these because Quesada decided that Spider-Man should never grow up. He also erroneously believed that adulthood was why Spider-Man comics weren’t selling. Readers never forgave Marvel for this, and their grudge was emboldened by Peter and Mary Jane being split up again thanks to Paul’s introduction.

1 Cyclops & Emma Frost Ended In Death

Cyclops was an amazing hero, and most imagine that his perfect relationship was with Jean Grey. This wasn’t the case. Cyclops reached his greatest heights with Emma Frost at his side. Emma never allowed herself to be anything else than Cyclops’s equal. She helped him overcome the years of repression that defined him. Cyclops and Emma were perfect for each other. Together, they kept Mutants safe through many of the worst times imaginable.

However, the Terrigen Mists crisis was the end for them. Cyclops and Emma investigated Muir Island and found dead clones of Multiple Man, killed by the Mists. Cyclops succumbed to what would be called the M-Pox. Emma used her powers to make everyone think he was alive. She then tried to blame the Inhumans directly for his death. This was the end of their relationship because after Cyclops’s resurrection, he got back with Jean Grey.