earth-6677

[earth-6677]

The Distance

Our heroes drive into the desert chasing after Whitney Frost and the Thorn Crown. In this moment of calm, some truths are told and a truce made.

[earth-6677]

May We All Be in Heaven Before the Devil Knows We're Dead

The raid on Roxxon with lots of surprises for friend and foes alike.

[earth-6677]

A Car in Every Backyard

This chapter we get conspiratorial! Dottie tells the team just what HYDRA's plans are and how they connect other villainous organizations together. Observe the plans within plans within plans.

[earth-6677]

Chekhov's Bees

If you introduce Bees in the first act, someone will be made of bees in the third act. - @sparkyyoungupstart

[earth-6677]

DIRECTOR CARTER

In addition to Captain Carter, it looks like we're going to have another version of Peggy in What If.

[earth-6677]

Nasty Boys Don't Ever Change

It's Peggy, Miss Carter if you're nasty!

Our heroes put their plans into action but so do their enemies. Turns out HYDRA's allied with some nasty marauders.

[earth-6677]

Do You Think Love Can Bloom, Even on the Battlefield?

Here in Earth-6677 we like to ask the important questions: can Peggy and Michael get along? Can Emily convince the communists to spare Dottie? Will Howard and Angie get together? You can read all of this and more in Agent Carter: Phantom Pain

[earth-6677]

Sing, Oh Goddess

In this chapter, Michael tells Peggy about the incident that forced him and the Invaders to go rogue. On the other side of Los Angeles, Emily battles the Zero Matter in Dottie with some unlikely allies. In the past we encounter a figure who will haunt Earth-6677 for generations.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40561089/chapters/125524780

[earth-6677]

Welcome to Earth-6677!

Do you want Agent Carter Season 3, or something close to it? Do you want that story to be a fanfic with various connecting fics taking inspiration from other Golden Age Marvel Heroes? Do you want stories that take place within the MCU, but are also a set-up for a soft reboot of the parts the authors don't like? You want gay shit? Then this project might just be for you.

Earth-6677 is a fanfiction project begun by @crash476, with assistance from @sparkyyoungupstart. Beginning as an idea of what happened to Peggy Carter's brother Michael, we have expanded it into a shared universe that slowly unveils a new history of the world that ties in both Marvel Comics, the MCU, and actual historical events.

Currently our focus is on the events of WWII and the post-war period of Agent Carter. Our main cast members are Michael Carter and an OC, Emily Gower, though we've combined them with elements of the comics characters Brian Falsworth (Union Jack) and Jacqueline Falsworth (Spitfire). So far a majority of our tales have focused on The Invaders, a team that in the comics punched Axis forces and starred Captain America, Namor, and the original Human Torch. They're not in our cast, but we hope the characters we did put in keep the same flavour.

We have hopes and plans to let the repercussions of our characters (and our own disappointments with several modern projects) echo throughout the timeline and into modern day - accompanied of course with more stories as long as we can find the time for them. For now, though, here's a rundown on what fics we have so far.

The Invaders series, focusing on the Golden Age (and in publishing order):

Death in the Golden Hour, a combination prologue and Flash Forward one-shot taking place immediately after the attack on Jack Thompson in the final moments of Agent Carter.

Sixes and Sevens, the story of Michael Carter's death being covered up during World War II. The Special Operations Executive see a golden opportunity, Carter is given a new identity - Brian Falsworth - and he's sent to join Operation Meridian, the British equivalent of Project Rebirth. When Dr. Erskine is assassinated in America, Major "Falsworth" is sent on a mission through the Middle East to track down an old colleague of Dr. Erskine's in the hopes that Britain can get their own super soldier. Joined by Emily Gower, the two must evade Nazis, HYDRA agents, and local governments in order to secure an advantage for the Allied forces.

Upon the Chaos Dark, a one-shot showing Roger Aubrey being captured and experimented on by Daniel Whitehall.

Shadow of the Eagle, where Carter's team embarks on a mission to destroy a U-Boat station in Greece, only to encounter several figures from his past.

Radio Chatter, a collection for various one-shots.

The Haunting of Villa Layla, where the members of the Fidonisi party regroup with their friends and share stories from their pasts.

Agent Carter: Phantom Pain, the point at which the story catches up to the prologue. Peggy and company must deal with Thompson's death, Dottie's return, the looming shutdown of the SSR, and Michael's return.

There is a House in the Mountains, where a contingent of Invaders are sent to rescue a spy on the inside of HYDRA.

Headfirst Slide into Latveria on a Bad Bet, where the other half of the Invaders go to Latveria to help a young Victor von Doom liberate his country.

We also have a TV Tropes page here; we've been updating it ourselves but our hope is that it can become self-sustaining if the series gets popular enough. After all, the more people who engage with our work the better our motivation to write more of it! So please, read and enjoy!

[earth-6677]

Sufficiently Advanced Technology

New chapter of Agent Carter: Phantom Pain is up. In today’s chapter our characters explore wormholes, eldritch gods, unravelling plots, and Clarke’s Third Law! And you can read it all here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40561089/chapters/121901197

[earth-6677]

#Vote to End OTW Racism

A Call To Action

Earlier this week the OTW responded to our previous action and reaffirmed their commitment towards combating and preventing racism within its platforms. 

They also thanked us for working to keep holding them accountable to their goals and we intend to keep doing so. 

To that end, Fandom Against OTW Racism is calling for our Second Action!! This action is centered around the upcoming Board Elections set for August 11-14. We want to encourage everyone who can to participate in the election process and spread the word far and wide about these elections! 

Currently, 4 of the 7 Board positions are up for election, which is a majority. Now is the time to get involved. In light of multiple accounts coming forth about the state of the organization, it is clear that fundamental changes need to happen – and those can only happen with a shift in leadership, from what we currently have to one that is capable of supporting and implementing those much-needed changes.

Please join us in calling upon our fellow fans to vote to make things better for all of us!

How to get involved:

With four Board Seats open, now is the perfect time to act and make this issue a key component of this election to select people who demonstrate a commitment to combating racism in our fannish spaces. So if you can, please plan to vote this election cycle!!

If you already are a member, use your voice and Vote. If you have donated in any of the fundraising drives for AO3 in the last year, you are likely eligible. You can check your eligibility status here by selecting “Is my membership current/Am I eligible to vote?”

If you are not currently a member or eligible, consider donating $10.00 so that you can gain membership in OTW and be able to vote. In order to vote your donation must be received by June 30th. 

When donating you can add ‘End OTW Racism’ to the ‘In Honor Of’ field if you feel comfortable doing so.

If you donate, ensure you select the yes to the ‘Do you want to be an OTW member?’ question

[alt text: image of text that reads “Do you want to be an OTW member? ($10 minimum donation)” with two radio buttons to select from with the choices of “Yes” or “No”]

We understand that many people may not be comfortable doing so or may be unable to and that is perfectly fine! You are under no obligation to spend any money and we do not want to pressure anyone into doing so. There are plenty other ways to get the word out to encourage others to vote as well as continue to show support for this issue.

Other ways to get involved:

When posting a new fanwork between now and August 14, add ‘Vote to End OTW Racism’ to your title and provide a link to the End OTW Racism blog in your top Author’s Note. Reminder: New fanworks participating in the action are always welcome to join our AO3 collection.

For those who may not be creating works or who use AO3 just for commenting/ kudosing, create a Pseud named Vote To End OTW Racism. AO3 will automatically append your default name at the end. So it would look like “Vote To End OTW Racism (Your Name)

Add a link back to this call to action on your profile page, for anyone clicking on your name to see. 

Update your pfps/avatars/user icons across social media

Participate in the upcoming Board Meeting between now and the election (August 11-14). The next Board Meeting is scheduled for July 2 and we will post an explainer about how to participate soon!

Send a letter to the Board encouraging them to be more transparent and to better advertise their Board Meetings. (credit to Punk who allowed us to utilize their work for this template)

Submit questions during the Q&A period with the Board Nominees. (We will post about this closer to election time)

Follow us on Tumblr, Twitter or Dreamwidth as we will be reviewing Board Candidates through the lens of our goals and providing more information on how to be involved over the election period. 

[earth-6677]

💛 The Home for Wayward OCs 💛

I finished the new album art for my podcast, The Home for Wayward OCs (part of @cornerpodcastnetwork ) at last!! It’s a podcast about original characters, and the album art features past guest OCs!

I’ll post the individual pieces soon!

[earth-6677]

The Five Gifts of Hathor

Gorgon Island, February 1952

Gorgon Island is like a perpetual spring garden. The lower parts of the island are dry grass and brush with palms, dragon blood trees, and acacia. Further up the mountain ridges on the windward side are the laurel forests, and above them the pines and sycamores. It’s never too hot or too cold, and the sunsets are so lovely.

Like this evening, with the sky all violets and dusky blues and gold. The sun melting into the Atlantic. This is the time of nightjars, nightingales, and bats. It’s a magical time. Especially when Edith joins Emily on the porch working on some knitting.

“Got Bree down for the night,” Edith says.

“That’s good,” Emily says. The baby’s been sleeping better recently, which bismillah will help them sleep. It helps keep those black dog feelings away from Emily. She’s a far better mother than she gives herself credit for, yet still she runs herself ragged. The healing factor helps a lot, physically, but she needs all the rest she can get. Michael even promised no missions for her until she’s ready and wants to go. They have all the time in the world now.

“How’s the jumper coming along? She asks.

Emily holds up her work. It’s a dark blue guernsey jumper meant for Pat, his thirty-ninth is coming up in March. “Seems to be going decently. Just have to be sure the knitting’s tight. Can’t imagine he’ll wear it as his Sunday best.”

“Dear Pat’s too practical for such things,” Edith says, wrapping an arm around Emily’s shoulders.

They sit quietly for a while, enjoying each other’s company. She presses her face close to Emily’s hair, catching the lingering scent of her perfume - iris as delicate as gossamer serenely ornamenting her skin.

Look at you Edie, being such a maudlin poet.

“I just remembered something,” Emily says, leaning back on Edith’s shoulder.

“Hmmm.”

“Been ten years since we met.” “Really? That long?’ she muses.

“Yes,” Emily laughs. “Funny how all that time went.”

It feels like yesterday as the cliché goes. At the same time it’s ancient history.

“I still can’t believe how nervous I was around you when we first met.”

…

Cairo, Egypt, February, 1942

So this is Cairo? 

Emily comes into the city at the head of a sandstorm and quartered in a FANY barracks close to SOE headquarters - the worst kept secret in the city. Her bunkmates are nice enough, a few are SOE like her, and the work’s not too bad. It’s translating and paraphrasing intercepted messages. It’s easy enough, but it keeps her thinking. 

It’s simple, analytical work that requires her full attention so there’s no room to think about such things as home, France, and especially Lyon. It was simple. For a few hours a day, Emily can ignore the feeling of being set adrift. Listless. Directionless. No one knows what to do with her. 

Emily Gower, the heroine who discovered the vibranium smuggling ring. Mentioned in dispatches. She’s also damaged goods. Her cell’s blown up, there’s a body in Lyon, and she’s the lone survivor. What do you do with a girl like her?

Send her far from home to cool her heels and keep her out of trouble. Rotten city to do that, there’s nothing but trouble from the men. With the Axis so near, life becomes desperate.

“I can’t possibly go along, Vera, I’d be the odd girl out. Two couples and the spinster, I’d be a complete bore.”

They’re all in a common room. Emily’s curled up in an armchair with a book by Sylvia Townsend Warner. She tries focusing on it to keep herself from eavesdropping and failing miserably. At least the cover acts as a good screen.

Edith Harker is a FANY driver and heart achingly beautiful. She’s tall with auburn hair and lovely blue eyes. She sort of looks like Ingrid Bergman. Emily sometimes casts her as a heroine from a novel - Helen Graham is where her mind goes most of the time. Harker’s talking with another FANY driver and she’s always friendly enough with people, but there’s a certain solitude about her. Not aloofness. There’s a sadness about her. A desire for connection, but possibly the fear of it, as well.

“Oh come now, I’m sure Bertie could drum up some young man for you.”

“No, no. Don’t go to all that trouble for me. You and Ruby go and have fun. I’ll be fine.”

“Alright,” Vera concedes. “Just don’t keep yourself cooped up, dear.”

Harker politely waves Vera off and collapses into the armchair next to Emily. She sprawls in the chair, legs extended out, taking up as much room as possible. There’s something of a pout as she lets a bored expression pass over her face and stares into middle distance. She’s alone in her own world. All Emily could do was wonder what it was like. 

Then Harker sighs and looks over at her and her mouth goes dry. 

"Good book?" She asks.

Suddenly, Emily feels her cheeks flush and her hair stand on end. They’ve exchanged polite words before. The requisite “hellos” and “pardon mes’ of life. This was the first time Edith Harker actually asked her something. And all Emily can do is nod.

Harker tilts her head and reads out the title, “Lolly Willowes. Good pick.”

“You’ve read it?” she asks, surprised. 

“Of course,” Harker replies.

It’s a bit of an odd book to read, not that Emily didn’t mind more popular fair like Nancy Mitford or Emily Fox-Seton. And she loves Christie and du Maurier. Reading a Sylvia Townsend Warner is like Virginia Woolf in her opinion. It’s good stuff, but people think you’re putting on airs, especially where she’s from. And Bethan Gower’s daughters were always putting on airs according to some.

“I like the idea of running away to become a witch and fall in love with the devil,” Harker adds with a wicked grin. “Seems like the only way a woman can be alone if she’s a wicked witch.”

“Make herself as unappealing to men as possible?,” Emily adds, much to her surprise. It came out so naturally.

“That and to get away from her family. Especially if she wants any independence.”

“Have you read Rebecca? The du Maurier book?” Emily blurts out the question. 

Harker raises a brow, “Yes,” she answers. “I liked it well enough. Though the second Mrs. de Winter could have grown a spine sooner.”

“Yes…” Emily says. “So anyway I heard that one of the cinema’s playing the film. It’s Hitchcock directing. And it’s got Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier.”

“Oh, yes! Didn’t he also do Jamaica Inn?”

Emily nods, “Though honestly, the book’s far better. Though I’m biased, I really like the book.”

“Same here,” Harker says. “But I do like Joan Fontaine. And Vera’s right, I should get out more.” She looks over at Emily, an eyebrow arched in curiosity. “Care for the cinema?”

Emily’s taken aback. She’s still astonished that someone like Edith Harker would take any interest in her. It’s thrilling nonetheless and she’s been so lonely. So she swallows back her fear and nods, “That’ sounds like fun.”

…

Gorgon Island

Emily and Edith make tea for themselves, enjoying themselves with music and a lot of laughs. They reminisce about the past and talk about all the things Sabrina’s gotten up to. She’s babbling, and crawling, and finds everything fascinating. Hair-raisingly so at times.

“So when was it when you realized…” Emily asks. Maybe a little deliberately coy.

“Realize what?” Edith replies, hiding a smile behind her tea cup.

Emily shrugs with a smile, “You know…” She gestures to indicate their connection. “Was it right away?”

Edith lowers her cup and stares up to a corner of the ceiling. “It did take a bit. Sort of two stages.”

Emily gives a quizzical tilt to her head that gets Edith laughing, “You’ll have to forgive me love, I’m still a recovering Catholic. Had to get over the guilt and all that.”

“I mean, I’m a recovering Calvinist. You’re in good company.”

“Well then,” Edith says, clapping her hands together in mock prayer, turning her blue eyes to the heavens. “Forgive me father for I have sinned.” She turns her gaze to Emily. “I have committed the sin of Lust, for Emily Gower looks ravishing in a red bathing suit.”

…

Cairo, Egypt, March, 1942

The barracks have gathered around the swimming pool, some as sunbathers, others as swimmers. It’s one of the few days that is not dominated by sand storms.

Edith sits on a deck chair, reading Jean Rhys and once in a while glancing up at the pool. For the most part, she minds her own business, content under a shady palm with an engaging book.

By chance she needs a sip of her lemonade. And by chance she sees Emily Gower emerge from the pool. 

It’s a simple, halter neck bathing suit in poppy red. Modest by many standards. But Emily Gower looks like a nymph of Artemis. A Spartan warrior girl. She’s short and boyish, yet her body is sinewy. Edith’s gaze drinks her in, her imagination wanders to shaded groves and moonlit hunts. She sees Emily stalking through the woods with silent ease, bow and arrow in hand. Poised to strike.

Emily gets over to her deck chair, toweling herself off. She takes off her swimming cap, unpinning her hair and letting it loose. It falls heavily on her shoulders in waves of rich reddish gold, catching the light of the afternoon sun as she runs her fingers through it.

She turns her head and Edith ducks behind her book. It’s rude to stare and she knows her face flushed a vivid red. Since she was a school girl, Edith has known that she’s fancied members of her own sex just as much as she loved men. Sometimes more so. She had been raised to view such feelings as unnatural. As sinful. Something to confess to Father Brady and pray on the rosary about. Hope that God will take away such feelings.

But what if she didn’t want these feelings to go away? If she no longer cared what her father’s wrathful God thought was right and wrong, then what’s holding her back?

…

“You make me sound like Betty Grable,” Emily says incredulously. Truth be told, she’s always thought herself rather plain. No matter what people told her, there was always that nagging doubt.

Edith looks at her a bit cockeyed, “Well honestly, you’re not like one of those Hollywood types. But you are striking. Got a way about you that’s rather bewitching.”

Emily leans over the table and kisses Edith.

…

Luxor, Egypt, April, 1942

Edith has to duck to enter the tomb. Emily doubts the Ancient Egyptians ever planned for a five foot ten English woman entering the resting place of Nefertari.

Emily would normally make a crack about it, but she’s too transfixed by the ceiling alone. It’s painted a deep blue with golden stars. Her eyes wander to the wall paintings of the dead queen journeying to the afterlife. She’d only seen hieroglyphics as the plain carvings on exposed temples. She never imagined what they’d look like painted. 

“Marvelous, isn’t it,” Edith says in a hushed voice. 

It seems wrong to speak any louder. It feels more sacred than any church she’s been in.

Quietly, they go around the tomb. Edith studied this stuff at Oxford, and she gives a running commentary on the images and even reads some of the carvings. 

They frequently brush up against each other. Stand close. Whisper to each other.

“And this is Hathor blessing Nefertari,” Edith says when they get to a painting on a pillar, “Hathor’s the one with the cow horns and sun disk.” 

She nods. It looks like the queen and the goddess are holding hands. The blessing, Hathor placing the ankh on Nefertari's lips, is rather intimate. There’s something gentle about the Ancient Egyptian afterlife. More comforting than the Calvinistic dogma of her youth. 

Election never sat well with her.

She feels Edith’s hand brush against hers. Emily is still astonished that someone like Edith would give her the time of day. Let alone invite her down to Luxor with her. 

“Em, dear,” Edith says, gently touching her hand without taking it. “You can tell me off if I’m wrong, but I really like you. A lot.”

The room smells of dust, kerosene lamps, and the jasmine oil Edith daubs behind her ears. The caress of Edith’s fingers on her palm sends Emily’s heart racing and raising the heat in her cheeks.

“I like you, too,” she replies, not knowing what else to say. She was more than happy to have Edith as a friend. 

“I know…” she stops and sucks in a breath. Emily looks up at her and is surprised by the worried look on her (in Emily’s opinion) angelic face. “It’s just I want to know… “

“Look now,” Emily says, taking Edith’s hand and turns so they’re facing each other. She takes the other hand, stares up at her and says, “I think I don’t just like you, Edith. I think I love you. And I know for damn sure I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I met you.”

“Thank God!” Edith says. She bends down and Emily stands on her toes and before the image of Hathor and Nefertari, they share their first real kiss.

…

Gorgon Island

They get ready for bed. Wash faces, brush teeth, the usual routine. Emily goes to check on Sabrina. The baby’s peacefully asleep in her cot. Her hair is dark brown, soft, and downy. Her little hands balled up into fists. Emily wonders what Sabrina dreams of; the sort of adventures she goes on. Hopefully it’s nothing harrowing. She had a rough entry into the world and Emily owes her daughter a happy future.

Edith comes up from behind, wrapping her arms about Emily’s waist. 

“She’s such a sweet little thing,” Edith says. She adores Sabrina and that has been such a comfort to Emily. She’s been so happy these past few months she sometimes worries that she’ll wake one day and find it’s all been a dream.

“Em, don’t worry,” Edith whispers in her ear. “Bree will be here in the morning.”

“I know,” Emily sighs. She runs a finger over a soft cheek. She knows exactly what she would do if something happened. “Doesn’t mean I don’t think about it.”

Edith turns Emily around in her arms, cupping her face. “Emily, you are a wonderful mother. And no harm will ever come to Sabrina while she’s here.” Edith kissed her forehead.

“We’re safer now,” Emily breathes out, leaning on Edith. “You make me feel safe.”

…

Yugoslavia, January, 1945

Emily is awoken by the sun. The room is so bright. Her vision unfocused. Head swimming and body aching. She’s so disoriented. She doesn’t know where she is. She can barely move.

She needs to get up.

She needs to leave.

Where am I? Why can’t I move my arm?

“Em! Emily, wake up. I’m here.”

There’s a hand on her cheek. Her vision focuses. Hovering above her is Edith. Her auburn is disheveled, falling into her face. Her blue eyes are wide with fear and happiness. Her face is both tired and elated.

“You’re alright. You’re safe, love,” Edith says, tears welling at the corners of her eyes. 

Emily tries to speak, but it feels like there’s cotton in her mouth. Edith takes the que and pours her a cup of water. She’s so weak she needs help sitting up. She needs help to drink.

When she’s gathered more of herself, Emily looks down at her arm, bound closely to her body in a sling. She can feel bandages around her shoulder and chest. It dawns on her what happened. 

He finally got her.

He won.

Her mind reels. She feels sick. She feels helpless, violated. Dirty. 

The tears come and she shatters once more. Everything’s gone to pieces. Emily’s fallen to pieces.

“Emily,” Edith says, holding her hand. “Emily, look at me.”

She takes several shuddering breaths before looking up at Edith. She’s crying, too.

“Nothing’s going to be the same. But you are here. You are safe. And you’re alive. That’s all that matters right now. We’ll be alright.”

Together they weep and mourn what’s happened. Desperately, Emily grasps that lifeline. Desperately, she clings to Edith.

…

Gorgon Island

“I should have listened to you,” Emily whispers in the dark. She’s far more restless now - used to fall asleep quickly and then slept like a stone for the rest of the night - and Edith seems a little restless, too.

“‘Bout what?” she murmurs back.

“That we’d be alright. Took me too long to realize that.”

They turn to face each other in bed. It’s dark and quiet. Outside is just the wind rustling grass and leaves. 

Edith wraps her arms around Emily’s shoulders and they lay together, head to toe.

“If there’s one thing I know is that you’d always come back.” Edith says. “You just needed to figure that out on your own.”

“Even if it took me a hundred years?”

“I’d wait for you forever.”

They kiss and hold onto one another. They were together now, and nothing would change that.

…

Holland Park, London, United Kingdom, November 1950

The trip back to London was abysmal. Nothing but dark, overcast skies and heavy rain from Paris to Calais. The Channel was rough and the train to London was surprisingly crowded. Edith did bring some treasure back from this excursion. More books for the Service’s occult library. And it was surprisingly sunny when she got back to London.

But first, Edith checks in with Maddie and Robby.

She opens the door and is greeted first by the bloodhound, Jasper, with a loving amount of baying and slobber. He’s followed by the twins - Robin and Pippa - excited shouts of “Missy!” (they had trouble with “Miss Edith”) as they ran from the parlour.

“Hello my darlings!” Edith calls as she’s met with the cacophony of excited children and dog. She is swept into the parlour by the twins, wanting to show her something as little children are want to do.

And her heart stops.

Sitting on one of Maddie’s expensive settees is a ghost Edith clung to. One who’s haunting she never wanted to leave. For nearly five years, all she had wished and prayed for above all else, was for Emily to come back. 

And here Emily sat, her hazel eyes wide, her hair ablaze in the late afternoon sun. Angel isn’t the right word, but this feels like a miracle.

Edith crosses the room and Emily rises and before either of them can speak they fall into a fierce hug. It’s been so long. There were times when Edith wanted to give up. There were times when she wanted to lose hope. 

“I’m sorry,” Emily whispers into Edith’s shoulder between sobs. “I’m so sorry.”

“You’re here, love. That’s all that matters.”

…

Gorgon Island, 14 February 1952

Watching from the porch, Emily observes Edith holding Sabrina, showing their daughter all the flowers and insects in the garden.

On a notepad, Emily writes a list.

Five things I am thankful for

That Edith and I met

That we found love

Sabrina

We have a home

Edith never gave up

[earth-6677]

I will never not be frustrated with the MCU over what’s happened to Peggy Carter. In theory Captain Carter should be fun, in reality the MCU took the wind out of Sam’s sails and turned Peggy into the girl version of Steve. And that was just the end of years of the movies hollowing Peggy out to be a symbol. to put her on a pedestal. After Agent Carter was canceled, her burgeoning personality and backstory was basically thrown out so she could be this perfect all powerful, strong female girlboss character. She’s this perfect, infallible leader, paragon of courage and virtue, the righteous moral centre of the MCU. 

We never see that.

We’ve never seen her in a leadership position. We’ve never seen her past beyond a few easily forgotten flashbacks in Agent Carter, she got stripped of a life independent of Captain America. Her character was swallowed by the weight of Captain America and everything is in service to that legacy. Captain America swallows up everything interesting about any character who takes up the mantle and who surrounds the character. I fear writers, especially in the MCU, are too afraid to take risks with Captain America long before corporate pressures get applied. It reminds me of the hesitation writers have when approaching Superman.

And then going back to Peggy, the hero-worship and vitriol thrown at her is astonishing because there’s nothing really there. The current Peggy Carter of the MCU is an empty shell of a character. She is a look, a set of powers, and couple catchphrases. She is a few set characteristics laid out in a style guide that no one is allowed to deviate from. She is a caricature, not a character. It becomes easy for people to hold her up for hero-worship, or to smash her to the ground as the embodiment of all that is wrong within the MCU. 

Making her a hollow caricature means Peggy cannot be a complex character within a large, complex world. There is no room for ambiguity, messiness, struggles, triumphs, and failures. There is no room for a life. There is little room for other characters (especially Sharon Carter) to live and breathe as their own characters. As Captain Carter, there is no room for discussion of being a flag-suit hero. There’s no room to talk about what wearing the Union Jack means, it’s history and legacy and what people feel about it today, not just in Britain, but around the world. Peggy is a daughter of the British Empire and that makes her character inherently complicated. She comes from privilege and found herself in positions of power and profound responsibility all during the end of British Empire and the Cold War in the original timeline. But she is not allowed to be complicated and we the audience are not allowed to have a discussion of who and what she is and what she represents. 

She has become an abstract ideal who’s shadow looms large, who’s legacy we are told (but never shown) to be great and good. She is a character who’s ships are to be argued about. We are to admire her aesthetics, her fashion, her beauty, her toughness. Or we’re to see her as the secret villain of the MCU who’s twisted and manipulated the franchise into the bland husk it is today. Because she’s the biggest name and the only one anyone can point fingers to even if they’re pointing at a pale shadow.

The MCU, in their haste to have a strong female character, created a plaster statue of the Virgin Mary or a cheap copy of Athena Parthenos. At first glance an impeccably made character. But on closer inspection, you see how hastily thrown together she is, the hollowness, the lack of depth. Peggy character was turned into a trophy that can be safely put into a cabinet, trotted out for a fun cameo, or Easter egg, or a character safe story

Peggy Carter deserves better, and I feel a profound sadness for her. The first mistake was to give an elderly Peggy dementia. They stole her voice and stripped her of any agency. Agent Carter was in the process of giving her a backstory that didn’t feature Steve in it at all, and a future that would not include him. And yet it lost momentum and was canceled just as she was truly breaking free of Steve’s shadow. From then on, she’s Steve’s dream girl, even as Captain Carter.

At least there’s fanfic.

[earth-6677]

Chapters: 2/12 Fandom: Invaders (Marvel), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel (Comics), Fantastic Four, Dracula & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Roger Aubrey/Michael Carter, Robert Frank/Madeline Joyce (Marvel), Abraham van Helsing/Original Female Character(s) Characters: Michael Carter (Marvel), Roger Aubrey, Victor von Doom, Djordji Zindelo Hungaros, Robert Frank (Marvel), Madeline Joyce (Marvel), Abraham Van Helsing, Original Female Character(s), Cynthia von Doom Additional Tags: Period Typical Bigotry, Romani Victor von Doom, World War II, Nazis, Punching Nazis, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Vampires, Latveria (Marvel) Series: Part 9 of The Invaders Summary:

Victor von Doom is seventeen years old and is about to lose everything. His village has been destroyed, his mother killed, and his friends executed by HYDRA. On the brink of despair, he hears rumours of an Allied strike team tearing through Axis forces in the Balkans. In desperation, he sends out a request for help.

Union Jack and the Invaders answer.

[earth-6677]

Chapters: 1/12 Fandom: Invaders (Marvel), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel (Comics), Fantastic Four, Dracula & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Roger Aubrey/Michael Carter, Robert Frank/Madeline Joyce (Marvel), Abraham van Helsing/Original Female Character(s) Characters: Michael Carter (Marvel), Roger Aubrey, Victor von Doom, Djordji Zindelo Hungaros, Robert Frank (Marvel), Madeline Joyce (Marvel), Abraham Van Helsing, Original Female Character(s), Cynthia von Doom Additional Tags: Period Typical Bigotry, Romani Victor von Doom, World War II, Nazis, Punching Nazis, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Vampires, Latveria (Marvel) Series: Part 9 of The Invaders Summary:

Victor von Doom is seventeen years old and is about to lose everything. His village has been destroyed, his mother killed, and his friends executed by HYDRA. On the brink of despair, he hears rumours of an Allied strike team tearing through Axis forces in the Balkans. In desperation, he sends out a request for help.

Union Jack and the Invaders answer.

[earth-6677]

Chapters: 10/10 Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel (Comics), Agent Carter (TV), Dracula & Related Fandoms, Invaders (Marvel), Fantastic Four, New Mutants (Comics), Thor (Movies), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Moon Knight (TV 2022), Marvel 1602 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Robert Frank/Madeline Joyce, Michael Carter (Marvel)/Roger Aubrey, Michael Carter (Marvel) & Emily Gower (OC), Edith Harker/Emily Gower (OC), Mark Anthony Todd/Harvey Elder Characters: Michael Carter (Marvel), Original Female Character(s), Jacqueline Falsworth-Crichton, Emily Gower (OC), Brian Falsworth, Madeline Joyce, Robert Frank, Mark Anthony Todd, Patrick Mason, Roger Aubrey, Edith Harker, Michal Carter (Marvel), Venus (Marvel), Abraham Van Helsing, Bram Velsing, Craig Sinclair, Thomas Lovejoy, Fritz von Meyer, Terpsichore (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Achelous (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Astarte (Canaanite Religion), Hela (Marvel), Odin (Marvel), Jean Desmarais, Odette Sauvage, Harvey Elder, Ego the Living Planet, Khonshu (Moon Knight), Ammit (Marvel) Additional Tags: Thriller, Horror, WWII, Flashbacks, Period Typical Attitudes, Cast full of gay, Queer Character, Polyamourous character, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Folklore, Vampires, Child Abduction, Alien Abduction, Nazi Germany, Bugs & Insects, Werewolves, Fae & Fairies, Child Death, Animal Death, Gore, Mind Control, Gunshot Wounds, Religious Fanaticism, Smoking, Body Horror, Minoan, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Possession, French Revolution, Faustian Bargain Series: Part 6 of The Invaders Summary:

"In company like this, experiencing the things we have, I find myself reconsidering the lines between fact and fiction."

The house was supposed to be a temporary respite, but when a massive sandstorm descends upon Cairo the Class of '38 and their new friends must find new ways to pass the time. Between the pain of war and the unseen world only just starting to dance into their lives, some find that the old legends they once knew seem much more real - and others find a place to finally speak of the things nobody else could believe.