#Wandavision and may or may not actually be the characters they portray

[m--rtyr]

Wandavision AU where Wandavision is actually just a sitcom about a witch and her robot husband trying to live casual lives in the suburbs with their two children and the occasional guest star of a random relative of Wanda’s

[csolarstorm]

Thoughts on Agatha All Along - Finale!

Well, I've managed to piece together a post from the notes I took after that awesome two part finale. I enjoyed it a lot, so this is gonna be a long one! So follow me, my friend, as I give my thoughts on Episode 8 and 9 of Agatha All Along.

Now this is one of the most interesting character redemptions I've seen in young adult/family media, because it isn't really a redemption! 

Agatha's redemption goes just as far as her motherly bond with Billy, but other than that, the show is less about redemption and more about retribution.  We thought when Episode 5 said "Punish Agatha", that would be an outlier, a temporary obstacle to the coven coming together.  Nope.  There's too much red - I mean, purple - in Agatha's ledger.  Agatha is who she is, and the show never rewards her for her treachery.  In fact, her cynical, callous worldview costs her everything…even her death.  Agatha is literally reduced to a ghost because she rejects the literal embodiment of the life cycle.  (And she can't face Nicky.)

She's literally "mommy Voldemort"!  That is one of the weirdest things I've ever written!

The only thing Agatha doesn't lose at the end of the series is her bond with Billy - and that's even a close one.  He almost banishes her! That's a fun inversion of the beginning where he deliberately seeks her out. But in mentoring Billy, Agatha has a sort of second chance at parenthood after losing her son. So she is given that grace.

Okay, technically the show does kind of give Agatha the anti-hero treatment, or else she wouldn't end up Billy's mentor.  Clearly Agatha has something to teach Tommy about the nature of power and ruthlessness of the world.  Billy's chaos magic is unfathomably powerful - like his mom, he was bound to accidentally hurt people at some point.  And Agatha was absolutely right about this: "get used to this feeling if you're going to be a witch".  That's unfortunately what being powerful is like.  Think of all the collateral damage the Avengers have caused.  Heck, Wanda at Lagos.  Billy really does take after his mother.

It's the same way in the real world. Any decision a politician makes, money a billionaire invests, has ripple effects the victimize somebody, a shadowy cost to match the reward.

It's one thing to trample others on accident when you swing around your power, but hurting others on purpose actually does actually hurt you, and I think this show expertly portrays that.  It doesn't fall into this trap of making Agatha some amoral badass that people idolize for giving them permission to be assholes.  The power of virtue is not a metaphor, not just a moral gimmick meant to promote societal adhesion.  The callousness of treachery actually affects your ability to form meaningful relationships, which is part of living a satisfying life. Under that facade of bravado and villainy, Agatha is suffering deep inside.  Of course, your mileage may vary, only the good die young, yadda yadda.  There's plenty of happy monsters and sociopaths in the world.

This show has some really interesting parallels with Loki.  You can even argue that Agatha ended up with a parallel but also opposite fate to Loki: a ghost to the world, cut off from life and death.  Only unlike Loki, she can still interact with others.

Agatha All Along DEFINITELY follows Wandavision's footsteps when it comes to flipping audience expectations.  Only this time it's not as simple as Ralph Bohner or those "devils in the details".  Agatha All Along is deliciously character driven, so all the devils in these details are character-related.

The Coven and Sisterhood

Let's start with the biggest "twist": around the middle of the show, the story was about sisterhood: four wayward witches and one familiar setting aside their differences and learning to work together as coven. 

That all goes to hell with Agatha kills Alice and Billy yeets everyone into the mud.  (In retrospect, that's definitely part of why I was disappointed with Episode 5. I could feel the change in direction in the awkward writing.) Sure, Lillia embraces the coven before her death, but Jen definitely does not find kinship with Agatha in the end.  In fact, Agatha screwed her over a hundred years before the show began, and Jen's final challenge is getting away from Agatha's toxic influence. 

And then the whole coven plot definitely goes to hell when it turns out that not only was the road not even real, but the legend of the road itself was just Agatha's lie to lure witches into her coven to murder them over and over again!  Granted we knew that Agatha wanted to kill the coven from the beginning, but this is a whole other layer of deception.

I know this pisses some people off, because obviously it feels like Alice and Lillia died for nothing now - or at least died for a cause they never signed up for.  This was all about resurrecting Tommy, not working together for sisterhood!

Even though the coven didn't last, I think it still matters that it was part of the show, and it was explored. The theme of sisterhood is there. And like Vision said, something is not beautiful because it lasts. 

But I know a lot of people wanted to see this conventional story where everyone survives, and Sharon learns analog witchcraft and her skills come in handy in the last trial when she saves everyone from a sticky situation, and the newfound coven of sisterhood teams up to defy Death and save Agatha and Billy.

That's why we have fanfiction.  *sigh*

Defied Expectations

Speaking of fan disappointment, there's no moment where all is revealed about Agatha's relationship with Rio, at least not all that the fans wanted to see.  Instead, we get an admittedly cute and emotionally compelling flashback to Agatha raising Nicky that shows us exactly how she started the legend of the Witch's Road, and how the ballad started as their song as mother and son.  I'm not disappointed that they went this route instead of a more Rio-centered flashback - I think it brings the story full circle.   

I could tell people were going to be disappointed when Agatha didn't end up in a fulfilling relationship with Rio/Death.  Their relationship had such rich chemistry and it was so intriguing - but to me, the writing was on the wall that it would not be a particularly positive relationship.  I don't imagine Marvel would show a relationship between a serial killer and the embodiment of death and make that a happy, healthy relationship.  My condolences to shippers who wanted this to be a positive representation of lesbian relationships.

And on that note: I'm not sure why Agatha tells Rio that the truth about Nicky's death is too terrible.  Was she absorbing life to keep Nicky alive, and once he refused he finally died? Is that why she says to baby Nicky "You like that? I think we're going to work together just fine."  If this is what they were going for, then yeah that truth is terrible enough for me. Obviously Agatha isn't going to tell the coven she needed to kill other witches to keep Nicky alive.  There's no use trying to rationalize serial murder, even if it's to support your son.

I like how Agatha's name for Nicky follows the "Namor" rule. Since they changed Namor's origin, instead of his name being "Roman" backwards, they made him "N'Amor - the one without love!" So sure, sure, Nicholas Scratch isn't named after Nick Scratch, an old name for the devil, perish the thought! Agatha names him Nicholas Scratch because she made him from scratch. Aww, that honestly was adorable, name retcons aside.

We don't flash back to Agatha's first coven.  The Salem Seven and Evanora originally seem like they're going to be a bigger part in the story, but they're a footnote by the finale.  And although I'm glad they chose the story of Nicky and the origin of the Witch's Road, it would have been nice to commit to actually explaining some of Agatha's actual origin. 

Did Jen's trauma bind her magic?  Nope, Agatha did it.  I mean it doesn't exactly rob us of Jen's trauma narrative - it was still there, implicitly, it's just funny that everything in the series really is Agatha All Along, except for that one big time it was Billy All Along.

Oh, and I guess that one time it was Lillia All Along.  But that's different, that's Patti LuPone.  You have to get Patti Lupone in on the fun.

There are always some editing mistakes in TV shows, but it seems like Marvel needed to go back and tweak some (alleged) discrepancies in the story that don't match the final version of the series, or at stop and clarify things more often.  (For instance, how was Rio "torturing Agatha" throughout the years?  Was she responsible for all the disasters around Agatha, hoping to break her into finally accepting her death?) 

This lack of clarity is a problem with the series overall, to the point that Jac Schaeffer had to keep explaining things that the narrative didn't make clear.  But I have to say, the fact that we were so on the edge of our seats wanting to know means that the story was doing its job.

All Roads Lead To...

So in the end, I think that just like Wandavision, the show went in a direction that a lot of fans weren't expecting - but unlike Wandavision, in some ways I think that's to its benefit.  The coven may not have lasted, but damn that is a richly emotional character study of Agatha Harkness, and I am excited to see "The Ghost and Billy Kaplan" return in Vision Quest, or maybe Young Avengers. 

There were some (alleged) plot holes from Marvel's trademark editing process, and they should have been clearer about some things - but holy triple goddess was this an amazing series nonetheless.  Pound for pound, I think it's the best series Marvel has to offer right now.

Follow me my friend, to glory at the end.

[clueless-fan-critic]

I'm a Sucker for Witches: Agatha All Along Episode 1 Reaction

Okay, it has been a while since watching a MCU tv show with the last one losing me. I mean, a spy show with the Skrulls? It was way too much work to sit through. But Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur hasn't finished Season 2, so I might as well get back into the MCU by watching the show that continues arguably one of the best MCU miniseries WandaVision.

First Episode Time!!!

We get a serial drama with Agnes Conners as the morally complex police detective who encounters a body in the woods. As the show progresses, we get to see how the lines of fact and fiction are blurring, revealing that Agnes, aka Agatha Harkness, was trapped in Wanda Maximoff's spell as the nosy neighbor. Upon Wanda's death, it seems the spell was losing hold over Agatha's mind and finally freed. But only to realize that she's completely powerless with witches wanting revenge against her. The ending/title sequence clearly make it clear that it's all about the witches of the MCU and their collective history.

It Was Agatha All Along!!!

The first episode really gripped me with whether or not Agatha was actually going crazy or that the spell was becoming undone upon Wanda's death. They established that Wanda's death in the Doctor Strange movie took place around three years after the Hex and Agatha's imprisonment. Meaning, Wanda's spell was weakening or fading. It's also establishes key points such as the destruction of the Darkhold copies, as well as some allusions to the fictional reality that Wanda created based on Agatha's demeanor. It puts out a lot of necessary info but doesn't feel like info-dumping for the sake of the MCU algorithm. Okay, moving on.

The new characters portrayed by Joe Locke and Audrey Plaza make a big impression with each sharing some connection with Agatha. The returning Westview residents make it clear they were aware of Agatha and played along to avoid trouble, still clearly shaken by the trauma as Wanda's puppets in the Hex.

One standout scene was Agatha slowly going into her previous personas in the Hex: Modern, early 2000s, 80s, 70s, and finally 60s. It felt like she was clawing her way into remembering who she was while clearly confused and distressed as she might be going crazy.

Quick Theories/Thoughts

The show is building up to what happens at the end of the Witches' Road and what might be in store for Agatha and her coven. I think Agatha will gain her powers to some capacity and might discover a much bigger threat than the Scarlet Witch.

I also hope there's some confirmation on Joe Locke as Billy Kaplan in the show because people have been mislead in the past with the whole Mephisto debacle and Fake Quiksilver. This could establish an adaptation of the Children's Crusade featuring the Young Avengers. And may finally give us one step closer to Wiccan and Hulkling. I just hope they can do justice by them while also putting a good spin on what kind of characters they are in the MCU.

[immortalarizona]

“Can it be that it was all so simple then, or has time rewritten every line?

If we had the chance to do it all again, tell me—would we? Could we?”

— Barbara Streisand, “The Way We Were”

the Magic Trio, the loves of my lives <3

art I did for my MCU fic Carpe Diem, a time travel fix-it set in my own alternate timeline starring none other than my favorite disasters, Wanda, Stephen, and Loki!! once my ao3 is up, I’ll link to the fic on here. more rambling about the costume designs under the cut if you’re interested :]

for Wanda, I went with a design that combines elements I liked from her WandaVision costume with the absolutely stunning Russell Dauterman 2021 comics redesign, plus a bit of my own flair (my friends know I will go feral for Wanda in a ponytail). I plan to do a whole post showcasing this design more in the near future, so stay tuned!! for her facial features, I envision my Wanda being portrayed by the Spanish Roma actress Alba Flores, because oh my word sheeeee <3

for Stephen, I went with a lot of the structure from his Multiverse of Madness design, just simplified for my sanity and with the saturation upped by quite a bit. also, I brought back the gloves, both for thematic and character reasons (I have a whole 1.5k-word character study about Stephen and his gloves that I may post here at some point, lol).

for Loki, I incorporated a lot of vaguely Norse elements because ✨ vibes ✨. (example: all the braids in hir hair, what you can see of hir belt, etc.) fun fact about the design of hir vambraces, I wanted it to echo the look of Thor’s helmet, hence the vaguely wing-looking design you can sort of see. the horn design is somewhere between Ragnarok Loki and President Loki, but I think I’ve arrived at something that works!!

edit: I was looking through one of my old sketchbooks and it turns out I was fiddling with a completely different design related to plot elements I hadn’t yet determined at the time I drew this?? sooo we’ll see if I end up keeping the vaguely Norse costume around lol.

also this isn’t related to the costume design but fun fact about that design in the background, it’s actually taken from that one art of Scarlet Witch from the Darkhold. this was not a random choice, though it would be spoilers for me to reveal why just yet :]

[the-haunted-star]

My humble thoughts on

WandaVision Episode 9 Finale & Series Review (SPOILERS!!!)

Here we are after 9 weeks the hotly anticipated finale to the first Marvel Cinematic Universe TV show has arrived. Season or series finales are often the most harshly judged episodes of a series. They have the difficult task of wrapping up all the loose ends, questions and mysteries raised throughout the series as well as providing a satisfying conclusion to the story. I feel the episode delivered the goods for the most part. There were a few things I had minor issues with but overall I was happy with the story they told with Wanda and Vision.

The main focus of this series was an exploration of Wanda's grief from the accumulated losses she's suffered since her introduction in "Age of Ultron" and how she ultimately dealt with that pain. In that respect I think the series succeeded beautifully.

Grief is a very relatable emotion as we've all had to deal with loss and grief at some point in our lives. It's all too difficult to face grief and entirely too easy to let it consume or overwhelm us. In Wanda's case the pain and sadness becomes too much and she chooses to deal with it by…not dealing with it. She uses here extraordinary powers to create her own fantasy reality, one born of her childhood love of tv sitcoms, a reality where her lover is still alive, she has a family, a home and she is happy. She becomes so engrossed in this fantasy that even she forgets that it is one. When anything threatened her happy reality she lashed out demonstrating just how much she did not want to deal with her grief.

The problem of course is that the pain is still there, festering beneath the surface. She's only put a bandaid on it and by forcing the residents of Westview to unwillingly play along in her fantasy world they too are suffering and feeling Wanda's pain as a consequence. In the end she chooses to face her grief and free the Westview citizens of their suffering by ending her fabricated reality even though it would also erase Vision and her children. Her final goodbye to Vision before the hex closes is heartbreaking.

Reading some of the reactions to this episode I think the series fell victim a bit to a lot of wild fan theories and online scuttlebutt which probably placed some people's expectations out of reach. While I avoided these I feel the series itself inspired these kinds of outlandish theorizing and conjecture because of its freshness and originality.

I speculated in my previous reviews about Agatha's true nature. This episode confirmed that she is indeed a villain who’s after Wanda's power which is one of the things I was disappointed with. I admit I may have fallen prey to the rumors of another bigger baddie appearing but the problem I had is that Marvel took a character that was an ally of Wanda's in the comics and turned her into a rather one dimensional villain. Considering the things Wanda has gone through I think it would have been more beneficial if Agatha turned out to be someone trying to help her and mentor her with her powers. There are any number of other actual bad guys from the comics they could have used for the antagonist role (including the heavily rumored Mephisto). I can see Doctor Strange probably filling the mentor role to Wanda in "The Multiverse of Madness" but I guess I kinda liked the idea of another witch character teaming up with Wanda. It’s irksome when a character from the comics is used in the live action but is really just INO (in name only).

The other criticism which I also touched upon before was the empty teasing of the Multiverse. One of the big surprises this series offered was the actor (Evan Peters) who portrayed Quicksilver in the X-Men movies reprising his role and appearing at the end of episode 5. Many including myself thought this was actually going to be the introduction of a character from another film universe crossing over into the MCU. Unfortunately this turned out to be more of an elaborate easter egg for diehard fans rather than an actual occurance of seperate universes colliding. I suppose they could still put a spin on it such as the Westview resident Agatha used as fake Quicksilver could really be the X-Men's Quicksilver counterpart in the MCU just with no speed powers. We'll see.

In episode 8, Wanda was finally referred to as The Scarlet Witch which is something fans have been waiting for. However the one thing fans have been waiting for perhaps more eagerly than the name is the comic book accurate tiara to be added to the costume. And it finally made its debut and it was a thing of beauty!

This episode also delivered the series first big action scenes with Wanda taking on Agatha and Vision battling his former physical body. While the fights themselves weren’t anything revolutionary they were still fun to watch and felt like they packed a punch.

The finale does answer many of the series’ questions while raising many more. What happened to Ivory Vision after Illusion Vision restored his memories? He flies off afterwards and that’s the last we see of him. Wonder when and where he’ll show up next?

Wanda is seen studying the Darkhold book at the very end when she suddenly hears the voices of her children crying for help. An intriguing tease which could potentially hint at that devilish rumored character being involved after all down the road when you consider the Darkhold is of hellish origin. 😈

I give this episode ⭐⭐⭐out of 5. It was a bit clunky in execution but was still able to deliver an emotional payoff and resolution to Wanda’s story.

The series as a whole: ⭐⭐⭐⭐out of 5.

Well one series down but we’re just getting started! Next up in two weeks, Falcon and the Winter Soldier! Can’t wait!

[photos-or-inkblots]

season 6 rewatch bits

6x01 mmm i can tell where the narrative center shifted, we went from the flashbacks from Rewind and literally one mention of Daisy quaking the earth. not one mention of the mutinies, the infighting, the Odium vs Centipede serum? also no 5x14 which is... pivotal, to say the least. we went straight to Coukson and Fitz dying and the reassurance of Fitz being out there, just feeling like we're seeing a different perspective of season 5 here (Jemma's) also it's like we're not going to resolve the conflict, just the deaths which is... something

welp Jemma's decision-making is still stuck in season 5... or it's just really plot-driven (probably both)

6x02 this show has a problem with introducing side characters only to kill them not long after. it started with Hand, then Idaho and Hartley, Trip, Andrew, all the notable inhumans under Jiaying, Mace and Burrows, Fox, Keller, who's next? ah, damn it, Davis is next

6x03 to even think about the fact that someone thought and wrote 6x03 to fruition is... damn lol im sure Elizabeth and Chloe had fun filming this

6x04 first episode without Daisy in it. sigh

OH MY GOD TREVOR KHAN I MISSED YOU

LOOOOOOOVE THAT REVEAL PLS though ain't that every "Skye is secretly a shield agent" fanfic

ew not this Remorath Rumble. i mean, okay, make a fortune with what you went through i get it, that's your business. but shit i draw the line at sexualizing a real person, who the hell even thought of this?

lols Sequioa does not give a Shit i respect that so much

May's face card is so 😩

6x05 again i will say YO-YO FACE CARD IS SO PRISTINE pls i love this trend of "i will look sooo pretty to compensate for how the plot treated me" tbh they need it

oh those smashcuts of May and Coulson in Tahiti to May facing Sarge is just... damn uncalled for

6x06 not much to say about this 'cause i saw a rewatch of this not long ago. all in all, it's a very creative way to portray trauma, like when Jemma was thinking about a memory, Mack physically manifests. or when they thought about Coulson recruiting them for 616, they actually lived it. very very creative and it's interesting did before it was cool and wandavision copied did it 😗✌️

one concern though (you think someone like me would stay silent about a FS centric episode? in your dreams lmao), "we don't fully understand it." Jemma Simmons, who was there in the aftermath of the time loop, with at least 2 PhDs, wasn't able to piece it all together? please. idk about y'all but i'm pretty sure i understood it clearly: time monolith shard plugged into a resonator in future!Z1 liquifies the monolith in their present (instead of shooting the vibrations directly at the monolith like with the space one in S3, the time one could be affected, as it could, through time). it was then that Robin Hinton foresaw that future and searched for Enoch who has the resources to have the team be at the time monolith for when the resonator works in 2091 and the time monolith liquifies. Fitz creates time travel by designing the resonator that 2091-ers would be able to use, but here's the thing: the Chronicoms want to go back, not forward. SHIELD can only do the latter by this point. if there was someone who could point a resonator towards the time monolith in like, 5CE, they just might have a chance in saving Chronyca-2, but now, SHIELD doesn't have that kind of intel. to quote Skye fron Pilot, you've got nothing. i see that this is an attempt to make Fitz and Simmons non-expendable and y'know, "central" to the plot and maybe it doesn't work for me because i think it falls flat (because i've pieced some stuff together). look, this science fiction is grasping at straws and if my hypothesis is right, it's also... unnecessary. so yeah. yikes 😬

6x07 lol did Deke not get the Daisy is a hacker memo lmao i get it now, mack's making him useful

i am obsessed with how done Daisy is with Deke

"he was turning into a dragon" methinks they got Netflix in space

ohhhh Coulson's memories, I see you. That was definitely May the first time, the second's Daisy? idk what to make of all those blobs lol omg i turned out to be right !!!

you can feel the central narrative vibes as the camera closed in on Fitz, y'all ain't subtle at all

6x08 i am not fluent in vague DAMNNNNNN who wouldn't want a director like this

lol Daisy introducing herself as a hacker after Deke showed off, idc if these two events are related or not that's lowkey petty and i am here for it

this apparently geared to be my least favorite episode of the season. FS are on board a ship that'll feed them to their imminent doom. and the whole 'nother Fitz thing, sorry this is just, weird. just like LMD!Coulson, though that introduction was less jarring (doesn't make it less weird) it's during times like this I wish Fitz survived the fall or he didn't make it back to the present, idk something to save this "replace Fitz with another Fitz" scenario. Coulson, at least, ended things on his own terms, despite the pushback, and even as an LMD, he has the option to shut down and be dismantled for good; SWORD was certainly able to do so with a lot of Vision's. Fitz, for all his faults, doesn't deserve to live while having missed 17-ish episodes all the while his family and colleagues ran around with another version of himself, though he did it to himself, he created time travel after all. but it also wouldn't have mattered much if he lived after 5x22?

6x09 "take him away, boys" ????? is he ok

LMFAO Deke is so convinced Daisy is into him, is he okay???? like, last season, he stepped back because he found out she was still in love with Lincoln but why is he not doing that now

6x10 interesting how Daisy was the one who pointed out that Izel had no memory of her hosts. no doubt she's recalled the last time someone was possessed... and boy did that end badly. she was also the one who went "you don't only have his face, you have his memories." in season 3

"i can still break through this glass." no cell nor prison could hold her and i love it

with that said, i'm glad Izel never got to Daisy. it felt like everyone rallied around her to keep her safe and i think that's so sweet

everyone's acting chops are so sick /pos as Izel jumped from one person to another, felt very consistent with Karolina Wydra's work as Izel, kind of had to shake myself and remember that no possession was actually occuring lol

Davis... sigh. tbh i've thought of Daisy catching him like how she caught Rosalind in season 3, and if her being possessed by Izel is an issue, she could quake her to oblivion, or have her and mack do that pincer move they will pull on Pachakutiq in the finale. ngl i feel like she's immune...? Simmons said Izel's powers were vibration-based and she oscillates from one person to another by setting herself in the spaces between atoms. what if Daisy emits the frequency she did on the space monolith, or even with the Shrike just an episode earlier? this was how the wristbands of immunity worked, and while it was helpful for the rest of the team, Daisy, quite frankly, doesn't need them. but going back to catching Davis and stuff, narratively it won't work imo. it'd be too sudden and it's not really personal for her, then again it's only personal to Fitzsimmons and i'm not sure what they could do here exactly, but tbh Daisy could end this whole damn thing two episodes too early but alas, for that very reason, they didn't have her do so. i am Pissed because we had FS running around thinking of how to repel vibrations when you literally have someone who could do it on the fly. y'all had her do it before (see 4x13 BOOM!) why not do it again?

couple of things to summarize my thoughts of 6x11-6x13 because i was itching to start season 7

Izel uses sonic frequencies. and they literally said her powers were "vibration based" YOU LITERALLY HAVE A VIBRATION MANIPULATOR. lots of people wouldn't have died. idk how that just sped through their heads and the first time around i was constantly complaining at the screen because my stem brain was so close to giving up the show. again. because of this.

sort of not liking how Simmons just took a back seat, trying to placate both Fitz and Deke. girl, idk how to tell you this but there's better company...? deke is a nuisance also this is such a sexist position to put Simmons in

Daisy is once again in-charge (de-facto, pretty sure she's deputy director at this point) and no one's batting an eye hence that tense atmosphere whenever Daisy's with fs. no emotional resolution for you, the writers said (that makes this even more lackluster tbh)

ooh and here's something bugging me about May and Daisy since i noticed it in season 4: they're not passing the Bechdel test. almost every conversation they've had was about Coulson here. sure, we're working through grief here but you really could've done a lot better

why do the writers like pitting Daisy and Elena against each other so damn much literally what gives

why couldn't Daisy just quake the shrike zombies into dust and oblivion...?

i'm going to admit seeing Fitz be so damn frustrated at Deke (like me) is pretty funny lol "What's West?" and he bellows "towards the bloody sun!" in full scottish rage. i respect his frustrations at Deke. tbh i go through Daisy being done to Fitz nearing a full blown rampage when it comes to this character. Jeff Ward may be a good actor but the character is Not It

TREVOR'S DEAD I HATE IT HERE

pls tell me Diaz is still alive, again, they have issues with introducing side characters by name only to kill them. Piper is an exception, and Davis was almost excempted.

The way my heart dropped at seeing May being impaled. Why does this need to happen, again?

Mulan reference! knew that pose looked familiar

i was so close to liking FS again 'cause they were about to sacrifice themselves (which honestly sounds like the peak of their arc) but boom the plot is knocking

ah so this is where we screw up the damn timeline.

this season doesn't necessarily fall flat, but it does feel... odd to me. it doesn't have the same vibe as the rest of the show, and it's probably because its central narrative as of late is Fitz and Simmons as opposed to, say, Coulson and Daisy. it's also probably why the bigger plot of season 7 felt idk, weird or rushed or something, because Coulson & Daisy are back as central to the narrative but it reverts back to FitzSimmons and their 5-year journey in deep space. Not that I mind it at all (okay, maybe a little), they're just not as compelling as Coulson and Daisy, the latter who I feel like we're just scratching the surface (idk about y'all but I would've loved to see a flashback episode on Daisy's life hopefully secret invasion or phase 5 supplies us with some of that). Simmons, personally, I think could've had her moments if it weren't for her character and arc being so intrinsically tied to Fitz; he's already had his run with the Doctor and recovery from his brain injury, and all of 5x05, kind of wished Jemma had her own, navigating her newfound authority in season 4, or having had to expand her capabilities in season 5 covering Fitz's ground for six episodes, or even rediscovering herself after Fitz died other than Maveth in season 3.

[iamnmbr3]

Ultimately, my reason for disliking show boils down to this: It was fundamentally designed, both in and out of universe, to punch down on Loki. The writing. directing, the costuming, the acting, the narrative framing, etc comes from a place of treating Loki as somehow deserving of his pain, and we as the audience are supposed to side with literally every other character except for him. WandaVision and FATWS may have their flaws but I never felt like they hated their main characters this way.

Yup. I mean, I don't really mind bad things happening to him IN-universe. It's the framing that upsets me.

Like in Shawshank redemption in-universe Andy has a lot of bad things happen to him and is very disempowered for most of the movie - he fails to convince people at his trial that he's innocent, he gets sent to prison for a long time, he gets repeatedly sexually assaulted and mostly fails to fend off his attackers, he fails to exonerate himself legally, he is forced to help the corrupt warden in criminal activities etc.. BUT none of this is framed as a joke. Quit the contrary! The audience views Andy with great sympathy and we see how strong he is for enduring under these conditions and eventually finding a way to escape. The movie doesn't frame his as weak for having all this happen to him. It frames him as strong. While he is dehumanized and robbed of his dignity in-universe, the narrative itself greatly humanizes him and treats him with dignity from an out of universe perspective.

Or look at any Loki fic with whump or hurt comfort where bad things happen but the author clearly likes and understands the character. Things are presented in a sympathetic light and we the audience are expected to feel bad for Loki and root for him and understand him even in fics with darker takes on his character where his actions are portrayed as complex. 

But that's not happening in the show. The show's humor is the kind of humor a bully uses. It's not kind or humanizing. The point of the humor is to mock and belittle Loki and turn his pain and dehumanization into a punchline and frame it as justified and deserved and even amusing.

Take the disintegration scene in episode 1. That's a ripoff of the melt stick scene in Thor Ragnarok. But the framing is different. Yes the melt stick scene is meant to be comedic but it still clearly frames Thor as the hero and the Grandmaster as the villain. The joke is that the Grandmaster at first seems silly and weird and nonthreatening and then it turns out that he's actually extremely dangerous and while we are laughing we're also encouraged to sympathize with Thor and root for him. The joke in the Loki show is that Loki is scared. We're supposed to laugh at his exaggerated, clownish expression of fear (which btw is totally ooc) when he sees someone be disintegrated. We're not supposed to feel bad for him or be horrified at the TVA. We're supposed to think Loki is getting what he deserves and be amused by his fear and then by his debasement when he is forcibly stripped against his will. Same for the other jokes. Like when he’s struck in the face when he’s captured etc. It's pretty horrifying.

Pretty much all the humor in the show relies on mocking and denigrating Loki and encouraging audiences to view his grievances as illegitimate and his discomfort as amusing. It feels very mean spirited. And it's not even funny. It's pathetic and nasty. I don't like the morality of the show at all. The messaging lacks compassion. It is cruel. And it is immoral.

It feels like the show’s purpose is to make a mockery of Loki and his fans. WTF Disney.

[bewitching-elizabeth-olsen]

Press: Elizabeth Olsen and Jurnee Smollett Compare Notes on Genre-Blending Acting and Advocating for Performers on Set

VARIETY: Neither Elizabeth Olsen nor Jurnee Smollett are strangers to having to really stretch their imaginations to dive into complex characters and even more complicated worlds.

Both have superhero films on their résumés: Smollett portrayed Black Canary in DC’s “Birds of Prey,” while Olsen stepped into Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet Witch’s shoes for Marvel’s “Avengers” franchise and then some — including Disney Plus’ first Marvel series, “WandaVision.” They are both now Emmy-nominated for projects that tasked them with jumping through time, blending genres and telling epic love stories (Olsen with “WandaVision,” Smollett with HBO’s “Lovecraft Country”). And, even though they are up in different categories (Olsen in lead limited series/TV movie actress; Smollett in lead drama actress), both of these shows are one-season wonders, leaving the performers and their audiences wanting more.

Olsen and Smollett dissected all that of when Variety brought them together post-nominations to talk about their celebrated roles and surreal playgrounds.

You both had a lot of magical or otherwise surreal elements to interact with on your shows. What did you actually have in front of you to react to on set?

Jurnee Smollett: We were very fortunate on “Lovecraft Country” because the whole VFX team worked so hard to create an atmosphere that was also practical in our space. I remember on Episode 3, the exorcism scene, we shot it over a course of three days and, while there was not a man in real life with a baby head on him, you’ve got the wind machines and the pictures are blowing and all the special effects makeup is being touched up. Atticus [Jonathan Majors] has pretty much turned into a rabid dog and I’m doing this spell with my ancestors and whether they were shooting behind us or shooting the elements, we were at our max capacity regardless because that’s just how we approach the craft. It was such a big sequence to shoot that that’s when the actor in you has to advocate for your instrument. I did go to the director and say, “Can you jump in and cross shoot Jonathan and I?” As an actor it is our job to shoot however many takes, however many angles you need, but then it is also our job to advocate for yourselves. And I love playing in this space because you get to use your imagination you get to go to crazy places. Because even while the practical elements are there; you get to go to crazy places. But I was grateful for the practical elements because it’s just so much easier.

Elizabeth Olsen: Did they have pre-viz so you knew what some of the supernatural elements looked like?

Smollett: With the Shoggoths they not only had a pre-viz for us, but for some of the scenes they had massive sculptures, like a dude standing there in a green suit with a Shoggoth head. The pilot we didn’t have this puppet, but by Episode 8, maybe we got more of a budget or something, but eventually we did get a puppet — which was really cool because you could see, “This is the moment his mouth is opening.” But also, Misha [Green], our showrunner, she just wants more blood, more dirt. She’d try to get them to blow spittle at us.

Olsen: That’s so gross!

Smollett: This concoction of Shoggoth spit, throwing it in front of this wind machine. I find the more practical stuff we have to work with, it just helps so much. And then there were the moments where it’s like, “No it’s just a green tennis ball and an X, and go.” How about you?

Olsen: For all those little things in the air and stuff in the ’50s, it was really important to our director [Matt Shakman] that we did everything ala “Bewitched.” It was all camera tricks, it was all wires. Our head of special effects had a lineage of a father who [did] special effects before him, and so puppetry and wire work and stuff like that were things that were already in his vocabulary, but we would have our special effect guys who are used to blowing things up and putting things on fire just balancing and making sure things aren’t swinging but they have to move. Even in the ’70s when she’s pregnant and everything’s in chaos, we really had a picture on the wall going in circles; they just figured out things with magnets.

When we were filming the finale, it was during COVID, during the fires last summer, and we shot Kathryn [Hahn’s] side at the beginning of the episode when she has my boys with her magic — we had to shoot them out because you always have to shoot the side with the kid out and also Kathryn was doing wires for the first time and of course it was with a corset and it was really hot and really bad air quality and so she had to be sent home by the medic at the end of the day. And so, on my side we were running out of days, and I think we had 35 minutes to shoot my side and my reactions to all of that, and there’s quite a bit of back and forth and throwing myself to the ground and hitting a different mark that will then stitch with the stunt double being pulled. I did a weird one-woman show sans kids, sans Kathryn. Our stand-ins were such a huge part of our show and I was so grateful to have them they’re reading lines with me, and our director, Matt Shakman, was like, “If you feel like you can’t do this, we’ll just do this tomorrow.” That gave an adrenaline rush to me and it just became, “I’m just going to do it.” There’s a lot of fear when you’re like, “Oh I don’t have the elements and I am on my own, literally.” But I’ve had to do this before and I’m just scared to do it because I feel stupid. But I already look kind of stupid — I’m shooting things out of my hands — so why don’t I just lean into it as full as possible and just do it and find it in some core, guttural space of desperation? That day was bizarre, but I was actually very happy that I didn’t put it off. I feel like sometimes as actors when there are things that make us nervous it’s like, “Oh we don’t have enough time to explore so let’s do it the next day if we can,” and then you’re in your head all night about it. And so, it’s nice to just do it, even if it feels silly.

Smollett: I’d imagine surrendering and using the fear and all that that you were feeling probably served you so well in it.

Olsen: And don’t you feel that, though? When you feel unsupported you just want to break down in tears and you’re not supposed to break down in tears or you’re not supposed to have those it’s those feelings in the moment, but there are other times where it is really useful and there’s something freeing about channeling it in some way.

Smollett: Yeah and it’s that word you just used: freeing. Being able to surrender — leap and the net will appear. And you’re right, if you would have gone home, you probably would have come back the next day and you would have overthought it. There’s something about using the adrenaline in that moment that I don’t think you can really teach an actor to do; it’s just experience. Because we go and we prep and we do all these things, and then you get to the set and there’s one distraction, two distractions, and those are the elements that just through experience you’ve learned to use.

But I have to say, when I was little, I used to go to sleep every night watching Nick at Nite and “Bewitched” was one of my favorite shows. I did not expect you guys, at all, to go to land of “Bewitched.”

Olsen: I didn’t either. I’m so grateful to it. I felt like I like forgot my body as an actor. You’re a very physical actor, so I feel like you probably don’t have that experience because you just seem so connected and free whether it’s on stage or doing action. And I really felt disconnected from my body until “WandaVision.” I was like, “Right, I have posture; I can walk; I have legs — all of these things are going to be telling the story and it’s period and so I get to move differently.” It’s been a while since I needed to create quite a different character, and it felt so good to wake up my body to the full character work.

Just watching you in the first episode on stage, I was like, “God damn, I want to feel that free on stage with a song and with an audience.” I’m a self-conscious actor when it comes to extras and things like that. There’s something about it where the crew’s the family, and with extras, I feel so vulnerable. And you seemed so at ease and in control and confident. It made you understand her fierceness and how fearless she was.

Smollett: Thank you so much! It’s so interesting that you point that out because, for me, singing in front of people terrifies me. It truly is one of the things that terrifies me the most. The thing about Misha’s writing is, she finds a way to teach you so much about a character in such a small amount of time. And in that first sequence we learn so much about Leti, from that fearlessness you talk about, the ease that she has in herself and in her person, but then you learn so much about her hypocrisy and the contrasting ideas that are at play inside. She’s a very complex one. In the scene with her sister where she’s talking about having dreams of pioneering into an all-white neighborhood in 1955, but she can’t afford to may for socks. [Laughs.] She didn’t come to her mother’s funeral, and yet she’s here yearning for some sort of family connection. And so, I just remember reading that and feeling so drawn to her and feeling like it’s a side of myself that I needed to unearth — there’s a Leti in me that I desired to actually be, but sometimes am not. And it’s interesting because through Leti, she really forced me to do so many things that I hadn’t done before and really become more fearless, become more unbound. It was just such a very cathartic experience for me.

Olsen: I felt that way with getting to do this sitcom comedy part. I felt like I was touching my childhood version of myself who was a ham doing children’s musical theater, who just who just like played for the laughs or whatever — that part that I don’t access at all, really, when filming. And Kathryn Hahn was such a force and Paul Bettany raised to the challenge, as well, of these comedic performances that were really physically funny. I started to get more comfortable — in the ’60s, ’70s, really got comfortable — and it was so much fun to touch that child that maybe was told too many times, “Oh, you’re such a ham” or you just felt like your big personality as a kid was not OK or wasn’t as appropriate. And so, getting to play with that was really freeing and very fun. As you were saying, there’s a release I needed to have, and through the comedy I was able to have it.

How did this sense of empowerment affect how you carried your own characters’ power? Was there something your character that inspired you to advocate for yourself or did advocating behind-the-scenes inform in-world behavior?

Olsen: I felt very lucky coming into this, because this is a world I know. And so, where my voice of advocacy came in was for actors who are coming into the world — like Teyonah [Parris], wanting to make sure that she had everything that she needed to understand where her character was going because this was a character that’s going to continue [and] if she had everything she needed for stunts. And then similarly with Kathryn, she didn’t realize there was someone who she could use to teach her hand gestures for her magic. And so, she was feeling nervous and lost, like, “How do I do this thing?” And I was like, “Oh, how do you not have that information!?” And then having a conversation with whom you need to on the crew up top and figure out how to keep everyone else feeling like they had everything they needed. And luckily, because this was a show with characters that Paul and I had before, the pieces came together and it was a situation where your voice is welcomed and heard.

From “Sorry For Your Loss,” the TV show I did with Facebook, I now have a producer voice that I can’t shut up. I now just need to talk to ADs a lot, and I need to talk to line producers a lot. I realize that I like having — especially if I’m No. 1 on the call sheet; if I’m a primary part — all of the information so I can understand why decisions that seem weird are happening, or else I’m going to get in my head about, “Why are we doing this this way? I just let people know that off the bat now because it makes me less of a control freak, having information. And it is a team effort and I think the actor’s value has changed in that in that respect. There’s a lot more opportunity for women to be vocal now, and so I’m just really seizing that opportunity.

Smollett: It was a very personal growing experience for me. It was time of transition [and] I’m still going through that transition in my life. In order to truly surrender and do the text justice, there was so much I had to bring to the altar every day to sacrifice. I remember talking to Jonathan about that, and he would refer to it as allowing your heart to break and hoping that the Holy Spirit would put it back together. She was essentially a woman trying to navigate her womanhood but she was never actually allowed to have a childhood. She was habitually abandoned by her mother and didn’t know her father and there’s something in that parental-daughter split that I found myself really relating to. Oddly enough like Leti, I was estranged from my father for years. He eventually passed away, really before there was that healing and so, oh man, it brought up so much shit with Leti. How does she see the world? She sees the world through the eyes of an abandoned child. With Leti, that made her overcompensate; with Jurnee, it made me shrink a lot. When you talk about that artist child, those of us who have been in this business for so long, you take on all the sensors. And I found myself just trying to love her a little more. One of the things I admired so much about Leti is this desire to love herself — this real desire to own herself unapologetically in a world that told her she was too Black and female, to exist in her entirety. It’s still a transition that I’m in, but I definitely feel so grateful to have been able to walk through some of that and navigate through some of that with Leti. But that’s, I think, the blessing and the curse of being an artist. You’ve got to be willing to bring your whole mind, body and spirit to it; nothing’s off limits.

Jurnee, the last time you spoke with Variety we were all assuming you’d get to return to this character, but now that HBO has said it’s not being renewed, do you have unfinished business with her?

Smollett: It’s no secret I’m heartbroken. I loved Leti and of course would have loved to continue playing her. But I am so incredibly proud of the work that we all created together — it feels so special and unique — and I am finding peace in that. We’re artists and there’s an endless well that dwells inside us— and there’s so much that’s out of our control. And I think I’ve done this long enough and I’ve experienced enough heartbreaks to know you don’t get attached to the results too much; you just try to stay in a moment. And I feel just so proud and blessed to have been chosen to go on this ride with these collaborators, so I am more so in the place of gratitude than loss.

On the other end of the spectrum, “WandaVision” was a limited series but Wanda Maximoff is a character you have been coming back to for years, Elizabeth. How do you approach that longevity — the changes in her, the changes in you and the interest in revisiting her at all?

Olsen: I’m 32 and I was 25 — so seven years ago — when I did the first one. There’s so much change that I’ve had, even as an actor and how I approach work and, I think, honor work so much more in the last five years, four years of my life. [Jurnee’s film] “Birds of Prey” feels like such a female-empowered thing, so I feel there’s a really incredible energy to beginning it, but then with me you hear people make comments about Marvel movies and it affects your own process. “WandaVision” really shook that up for me and made me reinvest.

Smollett: I so want to know your process with that because the comic book space was new for me. I’d been a fan; I’d seen all your movies and the other movies. How did you navigate all of those voices? Because they can be very loud.

Olsen: Luckily and also frustratingly my character was always this emotional anchor to a piece of the story. It was like the heart, if there’s a heart. Paul and I were the only romance that was really fleshed out in those movies. And so I just treated it like I would anything. And then, we have a really fun time filming “Avengers” And so it’s really goofy and the Russos are great. And so we, it feels light-hearted, and it feels like we have the last laugh at the end of the day. But when it comes to the reinvesting, that’s the whole mind game, right? Because you just hope that it continues to have this quality control, but the more the more things get made, you’re worried about that. Especially because I did a show on Facebook that was scripted, and I didn’t love the way they handled it. And it was hard. And so second season, we went back and we literally, as a team of producers, had meetings with people who ran Facebook Watch about where we thought they could improve. We had a whole presentation for them. And then eventually, they were like, “We’re not doing scripted anymore.” And so I didn’t have the greatest experience being a part of the launch of another streaming service. And so, the Disney Plus part made me nervous and then bringing these characters that are so big to television made me nervous. But Kevin Fiege explained to us that that they were not going to cut corners, and they’re going to try and create the same attention to detail, and they did. And I think it was really important for them to have that care for these first three shows that they were putting out because it was defining a new thing for them. And so, we were taken care of.

I think more for me with this with the reinvestment moving forward, I never had a six-movie or nine-movie thing; it was always two or three at a time — those were my contracts. And so, it’s always a really conscious decision. I wrapped “WandaVision” on a Wednesday and flew to London on a Friday to continue playing this part [in “Doctor Strange 2”]. I could have used getting out of the mindset, though, because they were totally different utilizations of the character and people would have had more time to understand “WandaVision” had we not just wrapped. And so there’s just a lot of, “We covered this in ‘WandaVision…’” It’s bigger than me, there’s lots of threads that are continuing on after me that I’m not aware of, and so it’s always about, “What can I get from this journey with this character that maybe I haven’t tapped into yet with her?” That’s where I keep approaching things from, so that I feel like I have some sort of strap-hang — that I can know that there’s going to be growth of some kind, even though it all maybe looks the same to other people. There is that conscious decision to learn a new element of this woman, or even of myself as an actor — something that I want to explore that I can bring to it.

Your passion for acting is apparent and you both produce as well. What about directing?

Smollett: I would love to one day. I find myself currently being incredibly excited about producing and ushering new voices and excited voices. I don’t know that I would want to direct myself — that’s a whole other skill. I remember watching Denzel Washington, who directed me in “Great Debaters” but he was also in it, and at that point he had such a command of his instrument that he was able to do that. But it’s a lot. And I remember him telling me, before directing himself, he went and made himself watch all his films just so that he could stomach this idea of watching himself in the editing room. And so, I love the idea of storytelling; I’m obsessed with just telling stories, but I don’t know that I would self-direct.

Olsen: I find myself still loving producing so much because I love asking questions and poking holes and thinking about reorganizing of storylines, things that I feel maybe need more structure. I loved writing essays in school so much; it was like something that I found creative because it was about putting so many different sources into a braid that could maybe create this larger conversation or thought at the end. And so, that’s how I look at scripts. That’s really satisfying enough for me, to play that role. I think one day I’ll think about it more honestly, what it what it would mean to be a director. I fear that if I were to do it anytime soon, I wouldn’t have the tools that I would want. I do ask lots of lens-y questions because I’ve really only been working for 11 years and only recently have I tried to really understand the art of what lenses to choose and why and what it makes an audience feel based on what you’re choosing. I want to have a better, more holistic understanding of [that] before attempting [directing] because I do think it’s such an art and just because I understand the structuring of a story or how a set works, I want to be able to provide the the image in my head. I don’t know if I have that skill yet, but I am curious about feeding it and nurturing that.

Press: Elizabeth Olsen and Jurnee Smollett Compare Notes on Genre-Blending Acting and Advocating for Performers on Set was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

[rewritingthemcuwithnight]

Character profile number one:

Wanda Maximoff.

Problems with original MCU Wanda;

A white Christian. Comic Wanda is Romani Jewish. There is nothing wrong with white Christian characters but taking an *CANONICALLY* Romani Jewish character and making them a white Christian is not a good look for the MCU. Lots of people don’t like this choice marvel made and I for one agree,she should be played by a Romani Jewish actress,it’s a part of her character and shouldn’t be removed or glossed over. I’m not going to talk about how her MCU potential is Racist or anything since I am not Romani or Jewish,but I still think she should be Portrayed as Romani Jewish.

Gets away with everything. Yes the hex wasn’t on purpose *at first* but she still chose to keep the hex up even when she figured out that it wasn’t real. I’m sure you can just go on the anti Wanda tags to see what she’s done in the MCU that she’s somehow gotten away with.

None of the writers know how to use her properly. She’s just kind of there for drama and ooooh pretty magic powers(in my opinion)

Girl that origin what is that.

I could go on but geez they did Wanda dirty in the MCU.

Okay,before go on a rant about how much I hate MCU Wanda,let’s-

Let’s fix her up shall we?

So first things first,faceclaim.

I-

Actually don’t have a good one sadly,finding Actresses that are COMFIRMED to be both Romani and Jewish is harder for me then expected,though maybe I’m just technologically illiterate and don’t know what I’m looking for. Regardless I’m positive there are plenty of good actresses out there who could do a wonderful job as Wanda and fit with her comic accurate background. Feel free to DM me suggestions as to who could play her!

Sticking with the Mutant version of Wanda’s story from some of the older comics,this includes Magneto being Wanda and Pietro’s adoptive father figure,the twins even originally believing Magneto to be their biological father,and the presence of Polaris/Lorna Dane being Magneto’s biological daughter and The twin’s adoptive sister.

Agatha is going to be a presence much earlier in the MCU and,well I still think Kathryn Hahn was an amazing casting choice,I’m going to tweak her backstory to fall more in line with Comic Agatha,but I’ll cover that more later.

Wanda will certainly still do bad thing but they will definitely kick her in the ass later. She will also do good obviously,but I’m not 100% which way to take her character just yet. I don’t want her to be 100% villain though,she will definitely lean to the heroic side but even heroes have their moments of bad decision making and borderline villainy. We’ll have to see how it plays out as I iron out the story.

Wandavision as a whole is going to be thrown in the trash. In this rewrite that will never happen. I will include a storyline surrounding Wanda based possibly off the House Of M,and other Wanda-centric comic stories,but nothing too inline with Wandavision.

Might change up how her powers look a little bit. Maybe a bit more distinct and less wispy? Idk something to make it look cleaner and most powerful,but nothing too drastic.

Powers shall be based off of mutant Wanda’s powers in the comics. Before she was changed to…not being a mutant.

She will be Serbian,and keep her accent through the entire storyline,even if it changes to be less noticeable over time it will still be there.

She’s going to be tough as hell but not necessarily the strongest character flat out. Definitely a close contender,but I don’t think there is going to be a definite ‘strongest’ in this storyline. Wanda will still definitely whoop ass though don’t you worry.

Hand to hand combat will be entering her skill set,Cap will personally train her at some point so she doesn’t completely rely on her powers.

Won’t have full access to all her powers in the beginning and will have to train to get access to them. No sudden magically upgrades because of emotional distress although emotional outbursts may cause her powers to go temporarily haywire. Lots and lots of training for her. Definitely still an Omega-Level Mutant in the end though,promise.

Pietro won’t die. He’s a speedster,he can dodge bullets.

Vegetarian Wanda. I vaguely remember a comic mentioning her being Vegetarian and I think it would be something interesting to include.

Running gag of there being at least two other Wanda Maximoffs near Wanda’s place of residence in Manhattan,and the three of them getting calls meant for each other frequently,something also mentioned in the comics.

Wanda will 100% be treated like an adult. She’s like 30 something not 19,come on MCU writers,she’s a grown ass woman.

I think that about covers it for now-

I’ll definitely expand on this as I iron out the story beats but for now,this is roughly how I would have written a version of Wanda for the MCU.

Remember to be civil please,this is just how I personally would write Wanda for the MCU,if I had the chance to control the MCU from the start. Not meant to set off any Wanda Stans I swear this is just my opinion

[doctorofmagic]

Hello! I love your blog very much! I’m sure this is a relevant topic to modern media seeing as WandaVision is so GOOD but, how would you describe Wanda’s relationship to Stephen in the comics? Has it been problematic or more like an actual friendship historically? When are some good examples of times he’s helped her out of sticky situations?? (Sorry it’s a lot! I’ve been trying to research but can’t find any good comic reading lists for the pair 😭)

Greetings, anon, and thank you for such kind words!

Concerning Wanda’s relationship to Stephen... I don’t believe it has ever been problematic, let alone more than actual friendship. Some people may disagree - and I’ve seen some discourse towards Stephen, especially coming from Wanda fans - but I understand where they came from: House of M.

I’m so done with House of M after so many years, and it’s understanble that it still haunts Wanda fans. They usually claim that Stephen is patronizing - and I won’t deny it. He can be patronizing sometimes, even though it’s a little bit off in House of M. He doesn’t use magic to subdue people. But it’s Bendis, who also presented us with fascistavengers and the Illuminati.

Now, back to more classic comics, Stephen is quite sweet towards Wanda. If you check Englehart’s The Vision and Scarlet Witch run, you’ll see a very regardful doctor taking care of his friend and patient, when Wanda was about to give birth to the twins by the first time. Also Stephen himself delivered the children (he shouldn’t be doing this, he’s a neurosurgeon but who cares at this point, am I right?)

When it comes to magic, Wanda really admires Stephen’s power, while Stephen never doubted her mystic skills, to the point of offering mentorship to her. The only reason Wanda declined was because she was busy with her family and the Avengers, later becoming Agatha’s apprentice.

They also fought Dracula together and shared a few adventures. In fact, Stephen 100% supported her magic abilities when Clea, Stephen and Wanda went to Hel in order to heal Thor from Thanos’ assault.

Whenever there’s a mystic conflict, Stephen, Wanda, Illyana, Jericho and Michael always come together to perform a powerful spell, as seen in Civil War II and Extraordinary X-Men #8, for instance. Besides, they also hang out at the Bar with no Doors.

Again, I can understand why people may dislike Stephen, but if they’re limited to House of  M or 10′s comics in which Stephen is portrayed as the ultimate jerk, I suppose they don’t get the character at all, let alone their relationship.

Lastly, to the list of good comics:

1 - Marvel Team-Up v1 Annual #5 2 - Marvel Team-Up v1 #125 3 - Doctor Strange - Master of the Mystic Arts #60 4 - Avengers v1 #240-241 5 - Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4; #6; #11-12 6 - Doctor Strange - Sorcerer Supreme #35 7 - West Coast Avengers #79 8 - Doctor Strange - Sorcerer Supreme #46-47 9 - Darkhold #5-7 10 - Secret Defenders #6-8 11 - Doctor Strange v4 #1-10 (after Empirikul’s assault on Earth’s sorcerers) 12 - Doctor Strange v5 - Annual #1

Warning: If you value their relationship, do not go anywhere near the following issues ->

Empyre: X-Men #1; #4, Avengers v1 #503 and House of M #1-8.

Personally, I really dislike Empyre: X-Men for several reasons, and that includes the way Stephen treats Wanda. Avengers #503 is a House of M tie-in, which explains it all.

PS: I’m gathering team-ups with many characters for quite some time now and I intend to put it together soon. And Wanda is one of them, so stay tuned!

And that’s it! Oh, and there’s no need to apologize, it’s always an honor! I hope you find the list helpful!

[flamebirdswp]

The Problem With MCU Wanda

I’m gonna be keeping this as short as possible, so let’s get started.

Wanda Maximoff was the Roma-Jewish daughter of two Holocaust survivors for the majority of her comic book history. Recently, her being Magneto and Magda's daughter was retconned away, but she's still Roma. She's still Jewish.

And at the time that Age of Ultron was being developed, at the time that the MCU was planning on introducing Wanda and Pietro ━━ they were the Roma Jewish children of two Holocaust survivors. You may notice that I'm repeating those three facts a lot. It's because they're important.

While Aaron Taylor Johnson may be Jewish, he isn't Roma. Elizabeth Olsen isn't Roma or Jewish. They're both white, too, which comic book Wanda and Pietro tend to not be.

No matter what way you look at it, there's one basic fact here: the MCU white-washed these characters. But, hey, that's not something new for them; the Ancient One in Doctor Strange is portrayed by a white woman; Peter Parker is a glorified white-washed Miles Morales.

Wanda and Pietro only get worse from here. That's the biggest problem I have, and I'm already pissed off at the white-washing; it gets worse than that.

In Age of Ultron, Pietro and Wanda, who are based off the Roma-Jewish children of Holocaust survivors, willing sign up to work with HYDRA, a neo-Nazi organization.

I want you to read that sentence again. I want you to take it in.

There's no version of this where that's okay. I know that Age of Ultron makes it clear that they didn't know what they were getting into... but the writers did. The director did. MARVEL did. Everyone on that movie knew that these characters, these Jewish, Roma, characters, were joining a Nazi organization.

I should not have to explain how overwhelmingly anti-Semitic that is. I should not have to tell a single one of you why that should make you sick to your stomach.

And, god, it doesn't stop there. You might have noticed that I specified Wanda up above and that's not because the portrayal of Pietro is in the clear; it's just because one of these characters is still alive. One of them is still being an absolutely disgusting example of blatant anti-Semitism.

The MCU has used set design to imply that Wanda is a Christian. There hasn't been a single mention to her Jewish heritage, not one hint of that, but we still can manage to put a few crosses in her room? What the actual fuck, MARVEL?

I do want to get ahead of one thing before I see somebody start in the comments: Elizabeth Olsen is not innocent in this. Repeat after me: Elizabeth Olsen is not innocent in this.

It doesn't matter if she didn't know she was taking on a white-washed role in Age of Ultron, but she sure as hell knows it now. She's profiting off of this. There was no contractual obligation for her to do Wandavision; that was her choice to continue this character.

This woman has used slurs, as well, to describe Wanda. She, Renner and Ruffolo chanted a slur. Stop defending Olsen and start accepting that your favourite white girl is a terrible person.

There's still more to this. Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor Johnson have, in an official interview, said that they played Wanda and Pietro's relationship has incestuous 'just for them'. If literally, everything else that's been said here hasn't hit you that this woman is the worst, maybe that'll finally do it for you.

If you support MCU Wanda, you're anti-Semitic. If you support Elizabeth Olsen, you're anti-Semitic. If you support Wandavision, you're anti-Semitic. You don't get a way out of this.

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Thought About The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Salutations to you, random people on the internet who most likely won't read this. I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons!

Gonna be honest, I didn't think The Falcon and the Winter Soldier needed to be a full-length TV series. I mean, if Spider-Man can discover that he didn't have to replace Iron Man in a two-hour and nine-minute long movie, then the Falcon can learn he can't replace Steve Rogers in the same amount of time, right? I was excited, don't get me wrong, but I didn't know how they can fit a plot for a movie into a six-hour-long series. Unlike WandaVision, which needed to be a TV show to get those TV homages right for each episode, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier didn’t sound like something that would honestly work better as a film. But, once it started airing, and my excitement increased each week, I can positively say that it would not have worked as successfully if it wasn't a TV series.

Unfortunately, I'll have to get into spoilers to explain why, but trust me when I say that if you haven't checked it out yet, you definitely should. Because I'm about to dive in (or fly in) as I explain why The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is easily in the top tier MCU projects.

WHAT I LIKE

Sam Wilson: If WandaVision was about developing Wanda, then The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is about developing Sam. He might share the spotlight with Bucky, but this is so clearly Sam's story. It's his journey of becoming the new Captain America that gets more of a focus, and it is one of the best aspects of the series. And as I said, it's similar to Spider-Man's journey in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Sure, this time, it's more about stepping up to the mantle, but both Sam and Peter have to learn how to be their own hero rather than replace the one left behind. In Sam's case, it's more than just being the new Captain America, but also being the black Captain America. I'll talk more about the implications of that later, but for now, all I'll say is that it was so engaging seeing Sam accept his role. Plus, even though Sam tries to carry Steve's title, that doesn't mean he's Steve Rogers 2.0. He has his own ardor and personality as Captain America, on top of still representing the aspects of what that title entails. Partial credit for that goes to Anthony Mackie, who does a phenomenal job of portraying a man who's inspirational and charming in all forms of hell. I'd salute him as much as I'd want to have a beer with him...except not really because I refuse to touch a single drop of alcohol. But Sam Wilson would make me consider it! Because he's that good of a character.

Bucky Barnes: Much like Vision in WandaVision, Bucky takes the sidelines as Sam acts as the main face of the series. Unlike Vision, however, Bucky's story seems more like its own thing rather than something that's connected with his co-star. In a way, it's better, but it also seems worse. Because without having it be locked with Sam's story, Bucky's is still compelling as it develops him further in his own way. His journey may not be as engaging as Sam's, but it's still entertaining enough to watch his own narrative get continued in small spurts. Although, the fact that Bucky's story has little to do with Sam's does have the unfortunate side-effect that he doesn't need to be there. His inclusion is very much welcomed, but I feel like Bucky dealing with his own guilt and trauma as the Winter Soldier could be something that can fill up its own series rather than half of one. That being said, Bucky absolutely needs to be in this show. The emotional turmoil that Sabastian Stan portrays so well hits hard, and his dry humor works for some comedic highlights. Bucky's half of the story might be unnecessary for plot reasons, but it is unquestionably necessary for enjoyment.

There’s a lot of talking: This seems like a misstep, especially since most superhero shows are bogged down by characters talking to pad out the run time. Although, the dialogue in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is more like the dialogue in the series Daredevil. There are more words than action, but nearly every line is so incredibly engaging that I do not care. Sam and his sister talking to a banker about getting a loan might not sound as entertaining as Sam being in an air chase against terrorists, but I surprisingly held onto every word being said due to how well-acted it was. Plus, these discussions help make these characters more human on top of making the world feel believable. I understand the argument of show don't tell, but to me, as long as the dialogue is written well enough and said convincingly, I can learn to live with it.

The Flag Smashers: The concept of the Flag Smashers intrigues me. The idea that a group of people believes things were actually better when half the world got turned to dust is a perfect concept for the MCU to explore. In fact, this is the third story in a row that dives deep into the consequences of what happened post-Infinity War and Endgame, and I'm all for it! The universe is forever changed by this one big event, and it's not going to be irrelevant anytime soon. For the Flag Smashers, they offer the most striking glimpse of how the world is forever changed. Now, I'll admit, after seeing doom and gloom in Avengers: Endgame, it would be better to see the benefits of the Blip that characters claim to have existed rather than told about them. But seeing how there were dozens of fans who made the audacious claim that Thanos was right, I don't consider it too far of a stretch to believe that the Flag Smashers could exist. Especially since the arguments that characters present do seem persuasive enough. It's only the actions that the group makes that derail any sense of the discussion. But in a good way...for the most part. But I’ll get into that later too.

The Reveal of the new “Captain America”: This was the dirtiest, sickening punch in the gut that the first episode could have ended on...and I love it!

John Walker: I often find the best antagonists are the ones I'm willing to psychologically analyze. That's John Walker in a nutshell. He is an arrogant ass who deserved to get slapped around when taking things too far. Yet, I always find myself coming back to those scenes where he seems conflicted about becoming the new Captain America. I get a sense that he genuinely wants to do the right thing and those moments when he asks if he is all but confirms it. John's problem is the constant support he's given by his friends. I'd argue that building his ego is the very reason why he gets frustrated so quickly by people denying him, as he often reacts like a toddler who throws a tantrum when a parent makes the "mistake" of saying “no.” This is why it's satisfying seeing people more powerful than John kick the s**t out of him because it results in his ego going through a well-needed deflation. Still, the constant frustrations he has for not being respected as the new Captain America makes his further descent into insanity all the more appealing to watch. Because him taking the super-soldier serum proves Dr. Erskine's theory is true: "Good becomes great. Bad becomes worse."

...And this is why the writers dropped the ball when trying to make John Walker redeemable. It's exceptional if that was the intention. After all, I did say there were glimpses of a man who wanted to become great, not worse. However, given what John does in later episodes, we're going to need more than glimpses to believe his switch from bad to good. Especially since his decision to set his anger aside to suddenly help people is a little too unbelievable for my tastes given how fast it happens. It's not an awful decision. It's just one that needed a bit more polish. I still find John Walker an incredible character regardless, but I don't blame people for being a tad more hesitant given how poorly paced his redemption arc came across as.

Readapting “Star-Spangled Man”: I adore this for two reasons.

Reason #1: It's a solid callback to Captain America: The First Avenger, which I will always stand by as my favorite Captain America movie.

Reason #2: It proves how much John Walker doesn't understand what it means to be Captain America. When Steve did this song and dance routine in his movie, he hated it. Better yet, Steve despised it. Because he wasn't helping anybody. He was just being a dancing monkey to appeal to civilians, and you see how much he regrets doing it with each show. For John, he relishes the whole thing, because of course, he would! John loves having his ego appealed to, and this routine is doing nothing but inflates it. It's a solid case of visual storytelling to prove to the audience just how disconnected John is from being Captain America. Steve or Sam wouldn't have done this, because being a hero is more than respect and adoration. It's about actually doing the right thing. A lesson that John desperately needs to learn.

Sam’s and Bucky’s bromance: You remember how I said that Bucky's dry sense of humor can be a comedic highlight? Well, that's only second rate to the times he and Sam bicker like an old married couple. Whether it's because of the writing, directing, or Makie’s and Stan's natural chemistry, seeing Sam and Bucky interact with each other is always a blast to see. And on top of being funny, there are these well-handled moments of drama shared between both characters that make their relationship convincing. It's why you can't have this series without Bucky, despite it so clearly being Sam's story that gets the more focus. Because without either character, we would miss out on some entertaining interactions that I wouldn't trade for anything else for this series.

Isaiah Bradely: Well, this character was a pleasant surprise. Although, "pleasant" might not be the right word because every scene with Isaiah is absolutely gut-wrenching in all the right ways. Carl Lumbly gives a phenomenal performance for a character that has been beaten down, with very little hope he has for any change that matters for his race. Plus, his backstory may not be as unbelievable as you might think. Between 1932-1972, America performed what is known as the Tuskegee Experiment. Scientists tested the effects of syphilis by injecting it into African Americans, telling them that they were receiving free health care when they didn't. So the idea that scientists tested super-soldier serums on African Americans, not knowing the dangerous effects, is not that far of a stretch. Neither is the knowledge that a black man was disrespected despite fighting hard for his country. If you researched African American history, you'll find that this type of horse s**t happens way more times than it should. It is heartbreaking, and Isaiah Bradley represents all of it. Thus making the little Isaiah exhibit in the Captain America museum all the more tear jerking just because of how sweet it is to see him get some semblance of a win. This level of discussion of what it means to be an African American is something I never expected with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but I greatly appreciate it nonetheless. What's even better is that these discussions don't end with Isaiah.

The discussions of racism: Again, this was something I didn't expect, but grateful for it nonetheless. I mean, I should have expected it given that one of the co-stars is black, but given how the story was about Sam being the new Captain America, I didn't think discussion of racism and racial injustice would come into play. Turns out that I was naive to think those things are separate. The burden of being a black Captain America is something that not many white people, including myself, consider a big deal. But looking at America's past and how others react to any African American in power, you realize that, yes, it is a big deal. Isaiah, and several real-life POCs in history, prove that America doesn't respond well to a person of color being better than the average white man. So it is easily reasonable to believe that there would be issues with a black man becoming a symbol of what America should be. Hell, I'm willing to bet that there were issues when this happened in the comics way back when. Not because of some bulls**t about how it doesn't fit with the character or story, but solely because they can't handle a black Captain America. And if you don't believe something like this wouldn't happen to someone like Sam Wilson, look back to that scene with the police who didn't know he was the Falcon. This crap happens every day, and it's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier that shines a light on it. Despite being something I didn't expect, the talks of racism are very much appreciated. And I'm as pale white as an introverted vampire. I can't even begin to comprehend how the African American community must feel about all of this.

Zemo: Who the f**k expected this guy to be one of the best things in the series?!

Seriously, from Captain America: Civil War, I wasn't too into Zemo as a character. I loved the idea that this powerless guy tore apart the world's greatest superheroes through intelligence and coercion. But his needlessly complicated plan and stale personality weren't enough to win me over. So when he returned, I expected to dread every minute of it. Little did I know that Zemo's comeback would skyrocket him into top-tier MCU villain territory!

Zemo is a character that, despite "helping" our heroes, still works on his own agenda. He might put them on the right path and occasionally assist in a fight, but only because he still won't stop at anything to make sure fewer super powered individuals are in the world. Because that's the thing about Zemo: His motivation was fine and understandable to a point, but his personality was flawed in Civil War. Here, I finally see how Zemo can work. Despite having no power, he uses his mind to look for any angle to control the situation, gaining an advantage even if it is for a short time. For instance, while he can't harm Sam or Bucky without risking his own life or jeopardizing his temporary freedom, he can still annoy the hell out of them. Like when he forced Sam into a situation where he had to drink literal snake juice. It's actually a ton of fun to watch, and I'm honestly glad that Zemo gets to live to see tomorrow. It means that he might make another return, and I can't wait to see what's in store for him in the future. Which is something I didn't think I'd say five years ago.

The Dora Milaje: It was actually pretty cool seeing these characters make an appearance, notably when they slapped around John Walker like it was nothing. Although, a part of me wonders that if Chadwick Boseman hadn't died last year, we would get to see T'Challa himself make an appearance. This lines up with the character, as I can see him dropping everything to hunt down the man who killed his father. Which would be just as awesome, if not slightly more so, to see. Still, we work with what life gives us. And what it gave are awesome cameos that make the MCU feel more inclusive about its characters rather than limiting them to their specific sections in the universe.

Walker killing the Flag Smasher: There is something so wrong with seeing that shield stained with blood. 'Cause here's the thing: Captain American can kill. He's a soldier. It's expected for a soldier to take lives for the sake of justice. What John Walker did isn't justice. It was vengeance. Vengeance that is fueled by anger rather than the need to do the right thing. Because when Captain America leads an army to kill the man who whipped out half the universe, that's fighting for a just cause. But when “Captain America” kills a man, the wrong man, for killing his best friend, that is an act of selfishness that no one would see your side on. And it was the final nail in the coffin that proves how John Walker does not deserve that shield.

Sam and Bucky vs. John: This might just be the best fight in the entire series. Not only is it so satisfying to see John Walker get everything that he deserves, but the whole thing was pretty intense to watch. After seeing what John can do with that shield, it makes moments when Sam and Bucky barely dodge his attacks with it all the more blood-rushing to see. Plus, Civil War's motif playing the background is another solid callback that fits well narratively since this is technically two superheroes fighting another superhero. It's an incredible scene that was worth the wait of four hour-long episodes to see.

Setting up Joaquín Torres as the new Falcon: I don't know if Marvel will follow through with this or even if they should. That being said, if they do, I'm all for it. Joaquín already seems like a pretty fun character, and his interactions with Sam show there's enough chemistry there to give Captain America a new wingman. I probably won't lose sleep if he doesn't become the new Falcon, but I'll still be excited regardless.

Madame Hydra: I know that she has an actual name, but I refuse to remember it due to how long and convoluted it is.

Anywho, we get a small glimpse of who Madame Hydra is as a character, but already I'm intrigued. She seems to have a fun personality, added by Julia Louis-Dreyfus' dry energy. Whether this is set up for the next big bad or just introducing a fun character, I'm interested. Madame Hydra was already a blast in the short amount of time she was in the show, and I can't wait to see what future installments have in store for her.

“Louisiana Hero”: Or as I like to call it, "Sam's Hero Theme." Because while this is the track that plays for the intro, it still shows up when Sam is training as the new Captain America. Not only is it insanely catchy, but I love that you hear a hint of the theme of Captain America: The First Avenger, yet "Louisiana Hero" is still very much its own thing. And that's another reason why I consider it Sam's motif because it fits precisely with the character. Sam is a person who has a hint of the good man that Steve was but still does his own thing when wearing the stars and stripes. Not a copy, but still heavily influenced by the original. So kudos to Henry Jackman for creating a musical piece that fits so well with a character far better than any other themes or motifs prevalent in the MCU. Because, let's be honest, there aren't that many.

Sam’s new suit: ...I mean, it looks cool. Kinda corny at times, sure, but points for comic accuracy.

Sam Carrying Karli: I mean, look at it.

This looks like something that should be painted and hung up on a wall due to how beautiful it looks.

Sam’s Speech: Two meaningful things are going on with this speech.

First, it proves once and for all that Sam Wilson is Captain America. He doesn't just fight for his country. He also believes the government that runs it should take accountability for any missteps before dealing with something worse than a person who took the term "rebellious teenager" into an extreme.

Second, it is so satisfying seeing Captain America tell government officials off about unjust treatment. Even if it does diddly-squat about anything in the real world, it's still a big moment that's effective because of the bulls**t that happens every day. It's far from an actual win, but it still feels good (I hope). And that still counts for something, right?

“We’ll need a U.S. Agent”: Credit to Louis-Dreyfus for saying a stupid cornball of a name and making it sound...not that.

WHAT I DISLIKE

Still running that Marvel Studios logo in every episode: It's still a nitpick, but its still annoying. It's alright if you want to use the full fanfare for the first episode, but at least shorten it for the rest of the season. Please? For the love of all that is holy?

The CGI: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has some pretty...not great CGI. It's not as awful as the CG in the DC shows on the CW, but it is way too easy to tell what looks real and what doesn't. Failing to make CGI convincing has been a problem in the MCU for a while, as most of the time, characters barely look like they really exist in the scene. To me, I compare it to when Red vs. Blue switches between actual animation and Machinima. The CG models stick out like a sore thumb to the in-game models, but at least it looks cool. Because while I don't believe that I'm seeing an actual man with bird wings flying through a canyon while chasing helicopters...it still looks cool. Still, not many people would be as forgiving as I am to this type of thing, so it's onto the dislikes it goes.

The direction of the action: Now I want to clarify that I have no problems with the action itself. Some fight scenes are pretty cool while also added with some exciting set-pieces that kept me engaged the whole way through. It's just the direction of the action that I have issues with. The camera is always shaky with so many cuts that it's hard to follow half the time. It's an understandable technique to hide the stunt double's faces or to make it look like it really is the actual actor who's doing the fighting. The issue is that once you know a show like Daredevil exists, with its plethora of well-directed action, the cracks in the armor become much more noticeable for a series like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Karli Morgenthau: Karli...frustrates me. Because on the one hand, Erin Kellyman does an impeccable job at portraying the heartbreak, frustrations, and determination that Karli has when fighting for her cause. On the other hand, Karli's cause is so layered with hypocrisy that it's hard to understand her position. She wants to prove how the world was better during the Blip, saying that everyone was happier then. So why do things like blow people up and kill “Captain America?” I get the latter. The guy's a d**k. But to prove to people how better things were, is death and destruction really the best choice to get that point across? I get the mentality of how people respond better to a harmful fist rather than a tranquil hand, but really, has that mentality ever worked out either? 

However, you could argue that her hypocrisy is fueled by the super-soldier serum, with the "good becomes great and bad becomes worse" theory that John all but confirms. Although, unlike John, we never got to see Karli pre-serum, so we don't know how much it really had affected her. With John, it's easy as many scenes indicate how close he was to snapping and murdering someone who disrespects him. We don't get that for Karli and are left to assume she was already crazy about thinking how intense violence can show the world how great things were during the Blip.

Then again, that could be the plan. Show how a person with the best intentions is ultimately wrong, given the lengths they go through to accomplish them. It worked for Thanos, so it should work here. And it would have...if not for Sam saying that Karli has a point. Because for the main hero to say that the villain is correct, you have to show them doing more good than bad. I understand the mentality Karli, and the Flag Smashers, have. But by doing nothing but committing crimes and violence, any point they have is discredited. Take note of the fact that nobody but nutcases on the internet says that Thanos has a point. Because he doesn't. He's a maniacal supervillain who does something so intense that nobody should be on his side. It's similar with Karli, but because we're apparently supposed to agree with her, she doesn't work as well.

...DO YOU SEE WHY SHE'S FRUSTRATING?! Because while I can see how she can be an incredible character, there are so many holes in how she works that I fail to appreciate any of it. And seeing how she's the main antagonist, a character who takes up a good chunk of the screen time, it's not a good thing that she tends to flounder more times than she should. I want to like Karli, but given everything that's wrong with her, I just can't.

Rewriting Sharon as the Power Broker: This is an intriguing idea met with a mixed execution. You see, I like the idea of a character who was once an ally becoming a villain, yet the heroes have no clue about it whatsoever. It creates solid dramatic irony, but only if done well. With Sharon, it's not really done well. It genuinely feels like her character was changed radically to give her this personality. A fun personality, I'll add, but one that comes across as really jarring when looking back at her previous appearance. Don't get me wrong, a character's current personality feeling so radically different from their previous one can work a treat, but only when we see them go through point A to point B. We're told about the s**t that went down with Sharon, but unlike understanding the mentality of the Flag Smashers, her personality change would have been more effective if we saw it. So while I like the idea of Sharon becoming another big bad in the future, I would have liked it more if we saw her decline into possible villainy.

------------

By using my usual scoring system for MCU shows and movies, I'd give this season of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier a solid 8/10. There are problems. Quite a lot of problems. Hell, even the stuff I like comes with a fair share of issues. It's just a matter of asking yourself, "Do I like some parts more than I dislike them?" For me, I find myself enjoying much more than I didn't. It's not perfect by any means, but while it definitely falters at times, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a series that soars to great heights. You might not be in love with it, but you’ll have a helluva good time regardless.

Now if you don't excuse me, it's time I swap from one superhero series to another as I share my more in-depth thoughts on--

[clueless-fan-critic]

WandaVision: The Evolution of the Scarlet Witch

The series WandaVision is essentially focused on her grief and her using her reality-warping powers to go through the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. I actually found the series as an excellent focus on the character Wanda Maximoff, exploring her experiences throughout the MCU and how the Hex reality is used to live out her desires and fantasies while coping with grief.

Who is Wanda Maximoff?

Wanda Maximoff is a great character that deserved the spotlight in the MCU to portray her overall trauma about all the previous events like Ultron, Lagos, and Vision’s death. While you do sympathize with her knowing about her past, she isn’t a truly innocent person who should be absolved of all her actions on the spot much like Bucky Barnes, the Punisher, or even Nebula.

In the series finale of WandaVision, “Series Finale,” Wanda embraces all of the pain, guilt, and suffering of her life, as well as her title as the Scarlet Witch. She later reverses the effects of the Hex, causing her family cease to be and try to learn about her newfound powers. The last scene shows her studying the Darkhold as an astral body and hinting at a much bigger plot ahead.

All the theories were interesting like Dottie as Mephisto and the X-Men crossover with Evan Peters as Quicksilver, but may have overshadowed the show itself. I just want to add a couple of my own small theories into the overflowing pot of the fandom about the possibilities still to come.

Multiple Darkholds: The Rise of Chthon

The Darkhold has an entire chapter about the Scarlet Witch, hinting at some sort of dark prophecy to her Chaos Magic. In my opinion, there could be the possibility of multiple versions existing at the same time or being a collection made throughout the centuries, thus the different books from multiple series in the MCU. It may also introduce more powerful supernatural entities like Chthon or even Mephisto.

In the comics, Chthon is the Elder God of Chaos who initially granted Wanda her magic and later possessed her. This idea could be adjusted into Chthon initially becoming an ominous influence over Wanda the more she masters Chaos Magic rather than a physical force. There could even be an appearance of Quicksilver being possessed by Chthon as a temporary vessel until he can fully control Wanda.

Billy and Tommy Reincarnated

Since both Billy and Tommy Maximoff are characters in the comics that later become the superheroes Wiccan and Speed, we can assume they somehow return as either alternate versions from the multiverse or become reincarnated into different children through weird magic laws. The twins could return as Billy Kaplan, a magic user, and Tommy Shepard, a mutate superhero. Also, I’m pretty sure they’re not going to chuck out the banking power of the Kaplan-Altman power couple of the Marvel Comics.

Overall...

Wanda’s potential as the Scarlet Witch has only scratched the surface of what she’s truly capable of against more experienced and powerful sorcerers like Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme. This is why Wanda Maximoff is one of my favorite comic book characters not only for her power, but also her fascinatingly complex and tragic history in the comics and the MCU.

[vancampemily]

EMILY VANCAMP IS TV'S ULTIMATE SUPERHERO

With ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,’ the actress adds another sure-to-be smash to her resume.

Emily VanCamp never expected to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “I came into the process very late in the game — I don’t think anyone thought of me,” she recalls of her first audition for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, back in early 2013. “To me, it was a long shot and I didn’t think it was going to happen. Then I got the call that they wanted to move forward with me, and I was just delighted.”

It’s been eight years, and 14 Marvel movies, since. On Friday, the actress will reprise her role as Sharon Carter for the third time in the new Disney+ series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Marvel’s second foray into streaming series, following this year’s smash hit Wandavision. The show will be Carter’s first appearance in the MCU since 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, and picks up where we last found the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent: on the run.

Speaking over the phone a few days before the show’s premiere, VanCamp says that she first got the pitch for the show back in 2019. “The answer is always yes,” she says. “[With MCU], you’re not sitting around holding your breath, because there are so many moving parts, especially with streaming now. You never know where they want to slot you in to these big stories and ideas. It’s always fun when you do get the call.”

“It’s bananas,” she continues. “It’s like the gift that keeps on giving. These characters are so much fun, and everyone involved is incredible. You feel like you’re a part of this big ol’ family.” As a veteran of the franchise, VanCamp is well-versed in the act of talking about her latest project without talking too much about her latest project. Here’s what she can share for now: “This time around we get to see another side of her, and that made it even more interesting,” she says. “Sam and Bucky are characters that are really loved in the universe but never got that much screen time, so exploring their relationship and dynamic is really nice to watch.”

While her co-stars Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie may have had the advantage of playing their characters more recently than 2016, by transitioning to TV, VanCamp had something of a home court advantage; starring in hit TV shows is something of her speciality, having played the lead in everything from the cult classic teen drama Everwood to ABC prime time hits Brothers & Sisters and Revenge.

VanCamp’s reign as TV’s MVP is still going strong; while shooting The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, she was simultaneously filming her medical drama The Resident, both of which shot in Atlanta. “There were nights that I would shoot nights on Winter Soldier and go straight into The Resident,” she recalls. “It was a challenge, to say the least, but it was worth it and one of those times where you hang on tight and hope that you can deliver.” What’s more, COVID-19 delayed both productions, only intensifying shooting schedules, as well as the pressure to do right by the medical professionals she was portraying on The Resident. “I’ve always had an insane amount of respect for medical workers,” she says. “Playing a character in that field, you see how much goes into it and how many sacrifices are made. You add in a pandemic and you realize these are our real-life heroes. It made it that much more of an honor to portray one of them.”

In the days leading up to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s premiere, her schedule was no less hectic: throughout the week, she was filming The Resident, and come the weekend, had the ten year reunion of Revenge to shoot. That much she was still wrapping her head around. “When they said ten years, I was like, ‘That’s not possible.’ I actually cannot believe it,” she says. “It goes to show that people really like what we did with those characters and those stories. That was a really special time. It’s delightful when people still remember work you did years ago.”

source

[the-haunted-star]

My humble thoughts on

Series Review (Spoilers!)

With the completion of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is now 22 films and 2 TV shows deep. It’s not often that Marvel Studios drops the ball. I think it’d be fair to say that while not all the movies may have been home runs, they've hit more often than they've missed. However with two small screen ventures now under their belt with many more to come, it’s disappointing for me to say that I feel they’re only batting one for two so far.

WandaVision may not have been everyone’s cup of tea due to its unique premise and deeper focus on character study over action but it was successful in what it was trying to accomplish. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier by contrast appeared to be a more traditional Marvel action/adventure while exploring equally heavy themes as WandaVision. However unlike WandaVision which was able to remain honed in on its themes and story, TFATWS story was often meandering in direction and mired in bad pacing and heavy handed dialogue scenes. Coupled with sub plots that were either rushed or just unnecessary contributed to the series overall feeling of being uneven and messy.

One of the biggest criticisms of the Netflix Marvel shows was that they perhaps had too many episodes and not enough story to fill them which often resulted in some episodes feeling like a lot of filler. TFATWS had six episodes each roughly just under an hour and in this case six may not have been enough to fully explore the characters in a more compelling fashion. Especially when too much precious screentime was devoted to less relevant material such as Sam trying to get a bank loan to fix his family’s fishing boat, or the many scenes of the Flag Smashers standing around discussing their crusade.

John Walker was the one character that I felt was very short changed in this series. His arc was extremely rushed as by episode three he was already becoming unhinged despite nothing all that traumatic having happened to him yet. One of the things I loved about the comic book storyline was that it showed Walker and Lemar Hoskins going through training and Walker having to learn how to use the shield similar to Falcon’s training montage in episode five. Walker and Hoskins also had several missions on their own which helped illustrate Walker’s more extreme methods and gradual descent into mania which culminated when his parents were killed by villains using them as hostages to get to Walker. This series didn’t have or provide time enough to include any of those sorts of explorations. Lemar’s death was substituted for Walker’s parent’s death to trigger him over the edge. While it provided the same result for Walker’s character it didn’t feel quite as earned as it too came quickly before we got to know Lemar or see him in action enough with John.

Another area this series struggled was with its villains. The Flag Smashers were incredibly bland and ultimately ineffectual in their purpose. They never felt like a legitimate threat and they spent more time sitting around talking about what they wanted to do rather than actually carrying out action to accomplish it. The comic book Flag Smasher was always a D-list villain and the actress chosen to portray the group’s leader was not imposing or interesting enough to elevate the character above that lackluster reputation.

Fans were extremely excited for the return of Zemo, the villain responsible for engineering the break up of the Avengers in Civil War. Unfortunately instead of returning to this series to be one of its antagonists he was instead used to form and uneasy alliance with Sam and Bucky to help track down the Flag Smashers and the stolen Super Soldier Serum. While Zemo, played brilliantly by Daniel Brühl helped elevate and invigorate every scene he was in with his sinister charm and dry wit you couldn’t help but feel like he would have benefited the series much better as its principal villain. Especially considering how blasé and forgettable Karli Morgenthau turned out to be.

Genuine surprises were also something this series lacked. The biggest mystery presented in the series was who the mysterious black market arms dealer, The Power Broker was. Unfortunately many fans including myself saw the reveal coming a mile away and the character revealed to be the Power Broker, Sharon Carter was a head scratcher. There are any number of other characters I would have liked better as the Power Broker which would have been far more interesting and made much more sense than Sharon.

The action and fight scenes left a lot to be desired. Almost all of them were very underwhelming and felt very much like typical tv show fights you'd see on any other random small screen series. The one fight that did manage to rise to the occasion was the three-way fight between Sam, Bucky and John Walker in episode five. It was fast, hard hitting and edited pretty well so you could see the action clearly. That fight felt more like the type action you’d see in one of the movies.

As I mentioned earlier the themes this series was attempting to explore were pretty complex as well as topically relevant. For the most part I feel they were successful in developing these themes even though often it was accomplished in very dry and exposition heavy manner resulting in many overly talky scenes. For example the backstory of Isaiah Bradley which is a tragic one, is related to Sam in a lengthy one on one dialogue scene. That’s not to say it wasn’t a well acted scene but it would have been nice if some of these types moments could have been shown in flashback rather than simply told. Better to show rather than tell.

All of these types of issues continued in the finale resulting is a very messy, poorly paced and ultimately unsatisfying conclusion. The lone bright spot was the debut of Sam Wilson decked out in his new awesome, comic book accurate Captain America uniform. Also as expected John Walker received his black and white uniform to officially become the U.S. Agent which was also a welcome throwback to a cool comicbook moment.

Overall while there were many elements in this series that worked it just wasn’t enough to gel into a cohesive whole. Unfortunately I don’t foresee myself revisiting this series too often if at all. The Loki series is up next and while I thought the trailers looked good, TFATWS has forced me to curb my expectations a bit. ⭐⭐½

[oimoi-op]

It’s kind of weird to me that some (though obvs not all and honestly not the majority of) MCU Tony stans will literally say any stupid shit to make any criticisms against his character somehow seem ingenuine or meritless. I saw a post comparing Tony’s and Wanda’s traumas as well as their different responses to said traumas that has gained a little traction, and honestly I was kind of pissed off about the assumptions made about people who criticize Tony??? At one point the OP literally said that most people who “won’t forgive” Tony only dislike him because he’s a man and a billionaire but will forgive Wanda because she’s poor and a woman.

Um, okay then.

Folks, we are talking about fictional characters. They are not real people. Perhaps they may mean a lot to you, but these people are not and have never been real. That being said, Tony, in the context of the MCU in particular, is one of the most privileged characters in the films. He is a white American man who also happens to be a billionaire. He established his personal success by selling weapons to the US military which he knew were being used on villages overseas. Yes, it was Stane who made deals with the Ten Rings specifically, but Tony actively and enthusiastically did business with the military up until he became a victim of his own weapons. I’m not trying to diminish Tony’s arc or attempt to demonize him as he is a well-developed and complex character, but I’m rehashing his origins for the people who have apparently forgotten what he was like pre-Avengers. The point is, the man has a shit ton of privilege that he both actively and passively benefits from in literally every movie he’s in. 

Wanda was born in Sokovia which I honestly dislike for various reasons, mainly because the MCU has (as of now) erased Wanda’s longstanding identity as both a Romani and Jewish woman in the comics while also portraying her and Pietro’s MCU identities as Eastern Europeans in a negative and offensive light, but that’s something for a different time and lost her parents to weapons sold by Stark Industries at the age of ten. Ten. She and her brother were apparently in such a bad situation that they grew susceptible to Hydra’s rhetoric and volunteered for a program that no one else survived. Does that excuse what she does in AoU? No. Does shit like Pietro and Vision dying excuse what she does in WandaVision? Also no. That being said, her circumstances are vastly different from Tony’s, and I’m not going to say that Wanda, who has not mastered her abilities in Civil War, being unable to stop an explosion that she didn’t cause from hurting people is just as bad as Tony, who has access to a shit ton of money and advanced tech as well as his 500 doctorates, in AoU deciding to experiment with alien tech that was used to mindfuck people (including Clint, whom Tony seems to be on friendly terms with as of AoU) to create ‘a suit of armor around the world’ that the rest of the world had literally no say in (examples of “collateral damage” on both parties’ parts that the Tony stan post gave 🙄) because it’s not. It’s not the same at all.

They both have severe trauma and survivor’s guilt, and they both react poorly and out of grief and fear (Tony creating Ultron/siding with the Accords without considering individuals who can’t just “stop” their powers like he can take off his armor and I’m not saying Cap was right either but Tony was definitely in the wrong as well/Tony attacking and trying to kill Bucky, Wanda joining Hydra/using her powers on the Avengers/creating the Hex). Hell, they could even be foils in some way. However, their situations are so different that it’s not fair to minimize criticisms of Tony’s actions because they acknowledge the privilege the character has in-universe. We’re kind of supposed to be critical of people with privilege, y’know, not ignore it. Tony isn’t supposed to be a perfect character without flaws; in fact, his MCU version was created to intentionally show development over a period of time instead of instantaneously so as to not jar the viewer.  His development mitigates but does not erase his flaws. I actually like that about his character a lot. Because he is one of the smartest and richest and most privileged people in the MCU, however, I’m going to be much more critical of him than I am of other characters, just like I’m more critical of Doctor Strange, or Hank Pym, or even Danny fucking Rand. I’m not going to ignore the fact that the character is a fucking billionaire who made money off of weapons used by the US military for the war in Afghanistan just because he said a funny thing that I can relate to lmao

I do think a lot of viewers are writing off Wanda’s actions because of her trauma, and I don’t agree with that. Wanda being hurt does not give her the right to hurt innocent people. She, like Tony, is a very flawed yet very complex and interesting character, and I’m glad she’s starting to get a larger role within the MCU. I also think it’s dumb how some viewers are trying to blame everything that has happened in WandaVision on Tony (especially in regards to Vision’s body because there’s no way Tony had any say over what happened there, Tony is not Vision’s creator, Vision is not Tony’s creation). However, I don’t see why this is a reason to compare everything about her, including her criticisms, to Tony Stark because not everything about their respective situations is equivalent mainly due to their different circumstances and privilege in-universe.

And you know what, if people don’t like Tony just because he’s a billionaire white American man who once made a fortune off the US military bombing villages overseas, then they’re completely fucking valid. I personally wish they could look past that and instead focus on his evolution as a character, but, like, profiting from war is pretty fucking awful, so I don’t see how getting hung up on that is a problem on the part of the audience 🤷