#[I jumped right past the awkward to this. Maybe sort of IW era?

[loki-god-of-menace]

@assetforced || liked this post for a starter

“What are the Norns, or the universe, or whatever higher power chose us for this life, attempting to communicate by making strong, golden-haired, blue eyed hot-heads for us to watch over?” Loki remarked from some more sequestered corner, his shoulder jammed against the wall. He did not look sullen as much as he appeared enigmatically irritated.

“I object.”

But he objected to many things the Norns had decreed for his life up to this point, and they had not seen fit to listen to him yet.

[anogete]

Bullet List of My Very Random Thoughts on Endgame

Don't click the keep reading link if you haven't seen the movie yet.  I don’t want to be responsible for ruining your first watch of the movie.  Serious, guys.  Only click if you’ve seen it.

I really enjoyed it and I'm happy to suspend my disbelief with almost all of the time travel plot element.  All things considered, it was masterfully executed and a beautiful love letter to the characters, movies, and fans.

My original six lovelies:

- Tony's arc was beautiful and heartbreaking but in a very satisfying way. I think most of us saw that one coming with the way IW set him up against Thanos.  It was that much more poignant when you saw he was happy with Pepper and their little girl but still couldn’t step away from helping make things right if he had the ability.  Pepper knew he couldn’t avoid involving himself despite not wanting to jeopardize his life with her, so her encouragement at the beginning and her comment to him right before he died (“We’re going to be okay. You can rest.”) just break my fucking heart.  So does Peter crying over a wounded and dying Tony, telling him they won.  Oh man.  The waterworks were something fierce.

- Nat was a surprise but packed a shockingly hard punch for me.  Maybe that was in part because it WAS a surprise and also because when we opened the movie she felt so fragile even though she was the one keeping the hope alive.  That moment with her sad little sandwich and the news about Clint being so far off the rails that Steve interrupts?  That alone made my heart hurt for her.  My stomach dropped when I saw her and Clint climbing the mountain on Vormir as I realized what had to happen to get the Soul Stone.  I was hopeful they could game the system and jump off the cliff together and both live, but I understand why this would cheapen it.  She always felt like the glue that kept all these big personalities and big egos together, so it hurts that she’s gone and the group has been fractured with Tony’s death and Steve being out of the game.

- As for Clint--I’m assuming he returns to the family man life unless something big comes up in the future.  I don’t know anything about Renner’s contract, but I’d like to see Hawkeye again.  The hair and the sword and the arms and tats and revenge attitude really did it for me.  How very dare they make him look this edible.

- Thor coping with grief by drinking beer (that beer belly, though!) and playing video games with Korg and Miek was actually refreshing and endearing.  I know some people didn’t like seeing him that way, but it gives his character so much depth.  Besides, he was back to his kickass self by the end of the movie.  I do love that he handed over New Asgard to Valkyrie to rule, and I hope we see him pop into movies in the future, especially with that adorable rivalry between him and Quill.

- Bruce and his newfound truce with Hulk was a delight to see and completely unexpected.  Also, Bruce/Hulk with the muscles and the voice and the five o’clock shadow and the glasses?  Ummmm...  ::is tempted to write Hulky Bruce smut::  I hope he’ll be in future movies.

- Steve.  Ahh, Steve.  I loved the fight with himself and the funny little winks to the viewers with the lines (America’s Ass, “I can do this all day”, “Hail Hydra”).  I loved that he was encouraging others to move on when he couldn’t seem to do so himself.  I LOVED him wielding Mjolnir, especially when the lightning started flying out of it.  Thor’s reaction to that (”I knew it!”) was adorable.  But, I’m torn with Steve’s storyline.  I wanted him to get his happily ever after.  I was dreading seeing him die in this movie, which I thought was definitely going to happen.  But what was so shocking to me was that he got exactly what I wanted him to get but it felt so cheap to me.  I left the movie satisfied with everything but the way they ended things with Steve, and yet I couldn’t seem to put my finger on why I started hating it the more I thought about it.  I know a ton of people are Stucky ‘shippers and, while I love his relationship with Bucky, I’ve never ‘shipped them together.  I’m not thrilled about the way they glossed over that relationship, but I understand the necessity because of time constraints.  I don’t mind that Steve handed the Shield off to Sam because I assumed either he or Bucky (or even both) would pick it up in Steve’s absence.  Bucky would have been a nice full circle between the two of them on their separate paths, but I also understand why it was given to Sam.  Bucky obviously knew exactly what was going on, though I thought the distance between him and Steve was a bit strange.  Maybe they were trying to make a point of showing that Steve and Bucky have both changed.  Whatever.  I can live with it, I  guess.  No one wanted Steve to get his happy ending more than me.  So, what gives?  I couldn’t figure out why it felt so wrong and cheap and like the worst kind of fan service.  @bulmavegotaku sent me THIS ARTICLE which actually articulates what has been bothering me.  Just because I wanted a happy ending for Steve doesn’t mean that it was what was best or even what was in-character for him.  I know other people thought that him hiding in the past to live his life with Peggy WAS in-character, but I don’t think it was at all.  And that’s not even to mention the fuckery with Peggy’s timeline.  Yeah, yeah, they left the question of who Steve married up in the air by not having him divulge that info when Sam asked, but I’m not stupid.  He says she’s the love of his life.  If he’s going back, he’s not going to share a dance with her and then go marry some other chick in the past.  Please.  And that makes Steve Sharon’s uncle.  Which is... weird and WTF.  But maybe they thought we’d forget all that since it is now an alternate reality or whatever.  So, Steve’s “ending” was the one major thing I really didn’t like.  I’m sure one day I’ll write some fic that branches off into an AU in which it didn’t happen that way.  It’s a little too fresh right now for me to tackle, though.  I need to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

Other things I liked:

- Nebula’s dynamic and (at times) heartbreaking storyline as we watched her internal struggle actually play out in front of us with two Nebulas.  My heart dropped when Rhodey was able to return to the present time on Earth, but she got trapped in the past with Thanos.  I’m so happy she survived.  Plus, her game of finger football with Tony was so goddamn endearing for both of them.

- Gamora being alive and the thought of watching her future interactions with Quill all over again.  I love the sexual tension and the chase for sure.  However, if past Gamora ends up in present time, then did all that stuff with Quill and the other Guardians even happen?  Her past self is in the present and so is Nebula’s past self.  Plus, Thanos plays a part (even if he’s off-screen) in much of the two Guardians movies, so if his past self died in the present, did this create some sort of alternate reality in which the things we witnessed didn’t actually happen in that way?  This kinda ties in with my dislike of Steve’s storyline.  Too much fucking with time travel begins to unravel the plot and create holes that I start picking at.

- Thanos turning to dust.  So so so satisfying.  What an absolutely arrogant turd.

- “On your left.”  What a wonderful moment when you heard Sam’s voice and saw T’Challa appear from that portal followed by all of the others.

- While I didn’t enjoy it, I did think the fight between Steve and an emaciated and exhausted Tony at the beginning of the movie was so well done and well-acted.  What a low point to climb out from.

- The scene in the beginning when they kill Thanos was also pretty low, but I thought a great way to start the movie.  You can kill the bad guy, but that won’t change all the bad he did.

- I feel like Scott Lang is all of us.  The scene with him outside when his taco blows away was so wonderful. And the scene in the diner when the kids want pics with Hulky Bruce, but not poor Antman.  So awkward and so funny.

- The closure that Tony got with his dad.  Oh man, that was the best and made even better because he was a father himself at that moment.  Thor being able to speak with his mother and move forward from that was also unexpected but so needed for his character, especially at that moment.

- While I love Carol Danvers and the Captain Marvel movie, I didn’t want her to come in and steal the show from the core group of Avengers as we ended this era of the movies.  I’m pleased with the way they used her to rescue Tony and Nebula and then go off to bring some order to the rest of the universe before returning to help in that final battle.

- Speaking of Carol--the scene during the battle when she takes the new gauntlet from Peter in an effort to get it away from Thanos and all the badass women fall in line behind her to assist brings a tear to my eye.  What made it even better is it caused the two bros seated beside me to mutter and wiggle uncomfortably in their chairs because it was obvious they didn’t really like that part.  As Beyonce would say, “Suck on my balls,” boys.

- Wanda’s white (red?) hot rage toward Thanos when she finally came toe-to-toe with him during the battle.  YES.  I was cheering her on.

- Steve’s ass.  Oh, I’m sorry America’s ass.

- Did I mention Steve wielding Mjolnir?

- Loki being the sneaky little snake he is and grabbing the Tesseract during the confusion when Tony gets hit by the flying door.  And Hulk screaming in frustration about how many stairs there are since he wasn’t allowed to ride on the elevator with everyone else.

- Bucky’s luxurious hair.  Although, I do want my beefy Civil War Bucky back.  On a side note, can someone please please please fix Sam’s facial hair before the next movie or show?  Please?  I do not like it at all.  Anthony Mackie, please go back to WS or CW facial hair.  I’m begging you.

I’m ready for more Guardians of the Galaxy featuring Thor.  I’m ready to finally watch the first Spiderman movie before the new one comes out.  (Don’t shoot me for not seeing it yet!) I’m pumped for more Carol as Captain Marvel.  I love the original characters the best, but I understand we have to move forward and I’m trying to embrace these new babies even though they aren’t Tony or Nat or Steve.  I’m consoling myself with Bucky and Sam right now.

And most of all, I’m excited to start writing again.  I started something last night, but I don’t want to give many details until I know if what I threw on the wall is going to stick.  If it does, then it’ll be Wintershock, take place after Endgame, and will probably be fluffy and free of life and death situations.  My heart can’t take any more of that between Endgame and Game of Thrones.  I’ll pop in periodically to keep anyone who cares updated on new material from me.  Can’t wait to see you again over on AO3 this summer!