#anti thaddeus ross

[breckstonevailskier]

Rewriting Captain America: Civil War to actually make it a Captain America movie

Let's face it, the biggest problem with Civil War is that despite Captain America's name being in the title, it's not really a Captain America movie. It's more like an Iron Man 4 or Avengers 2.5 masquerading as a Captain America movie. I mean, the plot relies more heavily on threads from Avengers: Age of Ultron than it does Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Not to mention the creators deliberately trimmed/cut Team Cap scenes because they wanted audiences to be split 50-50 on what side to take, as if they needed to do that to make Team Iron Man Support a Piece of Legislation That Reads Like Something Written By HYDRA look good. And Tony Stark has more dialogue than Steve Rogers gets. And this is around the time when basically, the writing for the MCU decided to stop letting other characters call Tony out on his wrongdoings.

So how does one fix that?

General changes:

For starters, have HYDRA still be as important as they were in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Rather than have them be conspicuously absent, they are still very much lurking in the shadows. Bonus points by having the movie strongly imply (and members of Steve's side speculate) that the Sokovia Accords might be a brainchild of HYDRA's. After all, the Accords (and the ways they basically take away the rights and freedoms of enhanced individuals) read like something out of Nazi Germany, the place that Red Skull's HYDRA originated in.

Scene by scene changes:

Lagos aftermath:

The opening act in Lagos remains unchanged. It's a great action setpiece. However, some extra stuff is added to acknowledge that Rumlow's cell is obtaining the bioweapon with the purpose of carrying out an attack directed at people who pose a threat to HYDRA's existence.

In the aftermath, what I would change is the press coverage that goes out of its way to vilify Wanda. T'Chaka's biased take blaming the heroes for the destruction caused by Wanda relocating the explosion can stay, and maybe the second one where if not for the mentions of Wanda, you'd think they were talking about Rumlow. But I'd also add at least one newscast that is speaking favorably of the heroes, and praising Wanda for her efforts.

I'd slightly tweak Steve's scene with Wanda, and instead of saying, "The deaths are on both of us," he'd say, "It's not your fault, Wanda. It's Rumlow's fault. It's not your fault that he was a spiteful coward who decided he wouldn't let us take him in alive." I'd also have a scene or two of Vision doing his best to comfort Wanda and provide her someone to express her thoughts to, not unlike this scene from WandaVision:

Also a thing I'd fix is that I'd have the Avengers make some sort of press statement to defend Wanda from those who are unfairly vilifying her. Something to the effect of Natasha, Steve, and/or Vision going in front of a gaggle of reporters to read a statement as follows:

For the past month, the Avengers have been in pursuit of Brock Rumlow, international terrorist and confirmed member of HYDRA. Last week, the Avengers tracked him down to Lagos, Nigeria, where his cell was plotting to steal a biological weapon that it is believed they were going to use to carry out an attack that would kill hundreds of people. Acting per their training, the Avengers engaged Rumlow and his men, successfully killing or incapacitating most of them, and reclaiming the bioweapon. Eventually, Rumlow was successfully cornered. However, as Captain America was preparing to arrest Rumlow, he decided to blow himself up. As there were hundreds of people in the immediate area, Wanda Maximoff instinctively stepped in and used her powers to try to relocate the explosion into the sky where it wouldn't kill anyone. Despite Miss Maximoff's efforts, she ended up losing control of the bomb, and it ended up destroying part of one office building. It is a tragedy that despite the Avengers' successful efforts to stop Rumlow, there were still innocent civilian casualties, including the dozen or so people in the office building that were killed by Rumlow when he blew himself up. However, the blame for those deaths does not fall on Wanda Maximoff. Those deaths are the fault of a madman who, two years ago, was part of a plot by an organization dating back to Nazi Germany to use gunships to mass murder 20 million people, and whose motto is "Cut off one head, two more shall take its place." In addition, it needs to be pointed out Miss Maximoff also saved the lives of everyone in that marketplace. If it was not for her split second thinking, hundreds more people would be dead. And if the Avengers were not there in Lagos, a group of terrorists would have successfully released a bioweapon into the world, one capable of killing thousands. The Avengers are not responsible for the destruction brought upon by the bad guys that they are attempting to stop. That blame should start and end with the bad guys.

Because yeah, that would do wonders for Wanda.

Ross blaming the heroes for the destruction caused by the villains:

Yeah, this is something where Ross is a fucking hypocrite. “How about ‘dangerous’? What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?” Then his biased presentation showing footage from the Chitauri invasion in New York (The Avengers), the destruction of the Triskelion (Winter Soldier), Sokovia (Age of Ultron), and Lagos. This presentation is clearly done to paint Steve and his allies in a bad light, and Tony in a good light.

Thing is, though, this is just Thaddeus Ross blaming the heroes for the destruction caused by the villains. Not only in every aforementioned situation would things be worse if the Avengers weren't there (New York City would've been nuked by the WSC, HYDRA would've gotten the Project Insight carriers launched and 20 million people dead, Ultron would've wiped out human life, and terrorists would've gotten away with a bioweapon), but Ross is a hypocrite to try to pin this destruction on the heroes given his failures to capture the Hulk and the destruction he caused in his efforts. @thehollowprince posited here that they really should've had Steve call Ross on his hypocrisy right there and then.

Like, in response to Ross's remarks, Steve would speak up to say, "The Avengers as a whole are not responsible for Ultron destroying Sokovia's capital city. If you want to blame someone for that, direct all your blame at that man who decided to go behind his teammates' back to create Ultron," and point an accusatory finger at Tony. And as I said, have Steve throw Ross's failure back in his face to show that he really has no skin in the game.

Passage from thehollowprince's take on what should've been said:

“But, in the spirit of fairness, let’s talk consequences.” Steve went on. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” “Yes, Steve?” The A.I. said from the speakers. “Could you roll footage of Culver University, spring semester, 2008?” The screen that had been off immediately clicked back on and began playing back footage from cellphones and cameras of Ross’ failed attempt to contain and capture the Hulk in the middle of a crowded campus, using an unauthorized enhanced human, as well as weapons that put the civilian population in extreme danger. The last image was of the Hulk launching an armored truck at another, the screen immediately going static as the footage was lost. “Harlem, three days later.” The Hulk’s fight with a severely mutated Blonsky showed on the screen next, as well as the atrocities that Emil committed on his own before Banner stepped in to stop him. Ross’s face was reddening at having one of his biggest failures played in front of the very people he was trying to intimidate. Harlem was on of his biggest failures and he did a lot to try and distance himself from it. “Thank you, F.R.I.D.A.Y.” Steve said and the screen froze on an image of the infamous Abomination lifting a car above his head, about to crush it into some police officers. “Tell me, Mr. Secretary, where were your consequences? Because from what I understand, you tried to pin the whole thing on Blonsky and Banner, getting a medal and a promotion for your trouble.”

And, as happens in the hollowprince fix-it, Steve, as a last-minute parting shot, drops a bombshell on Ross that he was on HYDRA's hit list and would've been eliminated by Project Insight in the initial attacks upon the helicarriers' launches.

The Accords debate itself:

The big problem with the debate itself is that it's very one-sided. It's more "Tony and his allies make a lot of flawed points, and no one on Team Cap is allowed to call them out on it." So basically, the way to fix it would be to rewrite the debate using a combination of this one by @thehollowprince, as well as these ficlets on Archive of Our Own.

So, obviously, I would rewrite the debate to be more in Team Cap's favor, while we get multiple opportunities for Tony's side's points to be quickly picked apart and called out. To give examples of how this could go:

Have someone on Team Cap point out the whole fact that HYDRA would benefit greatly from this legislation, since it would curtail the freedom of superheroes' ability to respond quickly. And even for those in the UN who might not be compromised by HYDRA, it's a power grab. And it's also a power grab for Ross.

When Rhodey brings up Ross's medal of honor, have Sam point out (as he does in thehollowprince's fix-it) that a Congressional Medal of Honor doesn't mean shit, and comes off with Ross like a white man being rewarded for doing a subpar job. (Also, have someone remind Rhodey that the Accords would've prevented him and Tony from rescuing the President of the United States from Aldrich Killian had they been in place at the time of Iron Man 3, especially seeing as the Vice President was also in Killian's circle.)

I'd cut Vision's whole BS equation entirely. Instead, I'd have him on the side of Team Cap for this movie, and logic, "The number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate. Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand, but the form that is being given to us by Ross is one that makes me calculate that the next world ending event has a likelier chance of succeeding.” (Vision's reason for being on Team Cap here is partly because he cares for Wanda, but mostly because he views himself as human, and the way Ross just dehumanized Thor and the Hulk by likening them to nukes makes Vision think Ross would view him the same way; this would actually be consistent with the will he has in WandaVision where he wished not to be turned into a living weapon, the very will that Tyler Hayward disregarded. On top of which, he realizes that he, Wanda, and Steve would be the most severely impacted by the Accords because they seem to be harsher on those who have innate superpowers than those who have removable suits.)

Have an instance or two of Tony being called out on his America centrism. Particularly when he brings up Charlie Spencer's death. In response to that, I'd have Wanda snap at him with a bit of pure rage. Why would I have Wanda do this? Because he's basically ignoring all the Sokovian citizens who died, up to and including Wanda's brother. "And what about my brother, hmm? What about Pietro? Remember him? Does his death matter to you, Mr. Stark? Or do you not give a shit about him because he's not American?"

Use Ross's antics from The Incredible Hulk to posit that Ross or HYDRA or any party with nefarious intentions could use the clause about demanding enhanced give up blood samples so they could use said DNA to create their own army of super soldiers.

Peggy's funeral, UN bombing, pursuit of Bucky

There's few changes here. But one change I would make is that Steve wouldn't just go with Sam to bring in Bucky. I'd have Wanda and Vision brought along too, because after a serious discussion, they think that the best way to salvage Wanda's reputation with the public is to have her going out to do heroism in public. When they get to where Bucky is hiding out, they bring him in, and Wanda gets to use her telepathic powers to render unconscious some of the SWAT forces sent to bring Bucky in. Then T'Challa joins the pursuit, and they are all captured in the tunnel.

Wanda meets Zemo and T'Challa

We then have the whole setpiece at the detention center where Bucky is detained. Natasha is firmly on Team Cap's side, but is taking a neutral stance to gain dirt on the other side. In addition to all the canon interactions, we also have Wanda interacting with T'Challa and recognizing his revenge quest because she still remembers very well what it was like for her last year wanting revenge against the Avengers, and how badly that ended for her. She empathizes with T'Challa and tries to persuade him to look at the bigger picture, not with much success. When Zemo infiltrates the facility to activate Bucky's Winter Soldier programming, Wanda goes down with Steve to subdue him and ends up encountering Zemo. She recognizes him because she knew his wife and son before they died, she once met him at the dedication of one of the memorials to the victims of Ultron's attack, and he's got a reputation in Sokovia as a killer.

Airport battle

The airport battle obviously is very different. Tony has Rhodey, Spider-Man, T'Challa, and a few other superheroes (or maybe Ross's special forces are there as backup). While Steve has Bucky, Scott, Clint, Wanda, Natasha, Sam, and Vision. This airport battle plays out more in Steve's favor, and despite Tony's efforts, everyone on Steve's side makes it to the quinjet and flees to Siberia with him.

Siberia final act

Steve and his team enter the HYDRA base, and make it to the containment area where the other Winter Soldiers were kept on ice, and have been all put down by Zemo. The fact that the Winter Soldiers are already dead, all shot in the head with a pistol, makes Steve surmise that they're walking into a trap.

They've barely had time to acknowledge this when Team Iron Man arrives and corners them. At this point, Steve is fed up with Tony for having such flawed judgement, and T'Challa still very much is on the warpath against Bucky. But as the two sides prepare to clash once again, Zemo chooses this moment to reveal himself. He wasn't exactly expecting to have an entire Avengers team there, but he's willing to improvise. Zemo even tries to liken his crusade to Wanda's misguided revenge campaign, only for her to shut him down by pointing out that she never wanted innocent people to get hurt, whereas Zemo did murder innocent people for his crusade (T'Challa's father and everyone else at the UN; the doctor that he killed and stole the identity of to get into the detention center to activate Bucky). After that, Zemo plays the surveillance footage of Bucky killing Tony's parents.

The moment Steve and Natasha realize what the footage is showing, Steve gestures for the others on his team to get Bucky away from Tony. Rhodey also realizes that Tony's preparing to attack Bucky, and tries to reason with him, but to no avail. Steve doesn't want Zemo to win, so he clarifies that he didn't know it was the Winter Soldier that HYDRA used to kill Tony's parents. This only enrages Tony further, and a nervous Natasha admits that she was also there when Zola told Steve this information.

In that split second, all hell breaks loose. Tony's rage boils over and he shoots Natasha with one repulsor, throwing her backwards and knocking her out. He tries to shoot Bucky with the other, but Rhodey is able to grab his hand and deflect the blast away from Bucky.

A fight ensues. Like in canon, T'Challa is the one who captures Zemo, though he also has some help from Scott, Spider-Man, and maybe Clint. Meanwhile, the other Avengers are left either fighting Tony, protecting Bucky, or both. With a fight that basically plays out as a mix of "the Guardians plus Iron Man, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange vs. Thanos on Titan" and a bit of "Payback vs. Soldier Boy from The Boys".

Ultimately, the Avengers still in the bunker succeed in taking down Tony, but Natasha, Rhodey and Bucky take severe injuries in the process. The fight ends when Wanda leaps on Tony from behind and uses her powers to attempt to disorient him, giving Steve an opening to smash his arc reactor with his shield. Vision then tears it out of the armor for good measure.

The Avengers effectively turn their backs on Tony Stark, and the movie ends with them as a whole condemning his misguided actions as well as condemning the Sokovia Accords, and taking the unified position, "After the events that happened in the course of pursuing the person responsible for bombing the UN in Vienna, the Avengers have elected to reject the Sokovia Accords, although we are open to alternative forms of oversight if the UN is willing to negotiate with us and also purge their ranks of anyone who might have ties to HYDRA." They also make publicly condemn Tony for trying to murder Bucky out of misplaced anger. Vision and Wanda settle down in Westview, Clint and Scott return to their families, though they'll still meet up with Steve, Sam, Natasha and Bucky for missions, and Natasha still meets up with Yelena and her old spy "family" to destroy the Red Room.

This then segues into another movie that's about Steve and his team of Avengers (Sam, Natasha, and occasionally Wanda, Vision, and Clint) going around the United States doing everything to get the Accords struck down and Ross removed from office for his abuses of power (especially since while the UN's been forced to let them go, the Raft is a walking human rights violation that no one should be locked up in for any reason).

[hersheysmcboom]

Mcu writers: you ingrates, YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW TALENT!

Fans: NO TALENT!! NO TALENT!!

[unhingedmarvelandclassicwhobuff]

Yeah it would make more sense for Sam, Clint, Wanda and Scott to continue fighting until they could get away. They then kill Ross's men who show up to arrest them, then steal another plane to follow Steve and Bucky to Siberia. Then after capturing Zemo, they use him as a bargaining chip to leverage their freedom.

Killing Ross's men would have been a terrible idea, because he could just use that against them. "Look at what those monsters did to my innocent men. We need the Accords to make it legal to give these terrorists what they deserve!"

That said, I agree, and I fully buy into the idea that Tony had all of them forcibly subdued.

[hitchell-mope]

Some unpopular MCU opinions.

As always. If you don’t like what I have to say. Block me. It’ll save us both a lot of time.

I’m okay with Yelena. But I do think she suffers from the villain of Black Widow being Drakov and not Madame B. And she still needs to apologise to Clint.

Be honest. If Mobius had been a Loki variant or if Tom Hiddleston has snogged Tom Hiddleston in a dress or Richard E Grant or American accented Tom Hiddleston. Would you have cried foul about Loki falling for himself?

As villains I think Ikaris and Wanda are better than Karli, Agatha and John Walker combined. Obviously Ikaris shouldn’t have won. But Wanda should have. She should’ve gotten her children back and turned Stephen Strange to atoms.

I find it….trite and hypocritical….that people who say the MCU has no substance and is only quips and explosions think Waititi is the cure and not the ailment.

Thaddeus fuckdamn Ross is the villain of civil war. Not Steve. Not Tony. Thaddeus.

Peter B Parker and Miles Morales should’ve been in no way home instead of McGuire and Garfield. Because at least I can stomach their presence.

They should be casting other actors for MCU xmen not just falling back on nostalgia. They’re not bringing back Gruffud and Alba so why Jackman, Stewart and Grammer? I just hope they don’t bring magneto back. I can’t stand that bastard.

I love steggy. I love Steve’s ending. But if he had stayed. He should’ve gotten with either Wanda or Sam. Or both. It might have changed things for the better.

Sarahbucky should happen in the new Sam Wilson movie. It’s what they both deserve.

Kirby and Quinn should retain their natural British accents as Susan and Johnny Storm if they can do that for Attwell, De Caestecker and Henstridge I don’t see why they can’t do that did them. More natural British accents in American movies I say.

[16woodsequ]

I thought of something. Ross is exactly what Steve says he hates, and why Erskine said only certain people should have the super soldier serum. Ross is a strong man and bully who knows power and control and fame all his life and now used that power to gain control over others

[breckstonevailskier]

Reblogging for the tags.

what misconception? 👀

I assume this is about the Civil War post I made and oh boy, so many. So, so many. Let me preface this by saying I actually like Civil War enough as a movie. Not as a Captain America movie, but it's engaging and I enjoyed it for the most part. I mostly dislike the dogshit opinions about it. To prevent this from turning into a dissertation, I'll just list the ones that come to mind first/irritate me the most:

"Steve was completely against regulation and oversight" WRONG. He was against the vagueness of it all. He explicitly says that he wants to know whose going to be holding his leash if he has to have one. In fact, he was about to sign the Accords before Tony told him about them preemptively enforcing it and detaining Wanda. Steve was willing to consider the Accords, Steve was trying to discuss the Accords, Steve was on the path to being open to the Accords before the moral failings of it were already shining through. Steve, rightfully so, is distrustful at this point of anonymous authority. Following the news that Hydra had their nasty paws in SHIELD and other high positions in government, Steve decides that he wants to know more about the people who have authority over him. Seems reasonable enough.

"Steve was only against the Accords for Bucky" WRONG. 1) Before he was certain that Bucky was being framed, he says that he has the best chance of bringing him in to minimize damage. Then, when he was certain Bucky was innocent, it became a matter of not letting his bestie be falsely imprisoned and/or killed on the spot. 2) Lemme just add on that Steve would have still been against the Accords if Bucky wasn't a factor. I need people to understand this. It wasn't just a "oh no I need to save my best friend". 3) If you read what was in the Accords, you'd understand why Steve would generally be against them. They're abhorrent.

"Steve didn't read the Accords/Steve didn't even attempt to communicate or compromise." I haaaaattttteeee this one with a burning passion. Did we watch the same movie? He's quite literally the only one on screen we see even look at that long ass document. Probably also the only one would could even manage to read the thing since it was sprung up on them 3 days before the meeting (which is a whole 'nother issue for later. For now, I'll just say I support the Ross conspiracy theory). He also tried to tell Tony & Co. before the airport fight that Zemo was the one behind all this conflict, that Bucky is innocent and about the 5 other ultra-dangerous super-soldiers who, as far as he knew, were about to be unleashed onto the world which would be disastrous. Unfortunately, Team IM was wracked with tension and didn't listen and attacked.

"Steve and Bucky jumped Tony (+ variants of this statement)." This is one that confused me so much. Such a bullshit take. I am begging people to rewatch CW and watch the fight. Tony, whose emotions is dialed to a thousand (and not only because of the Bucky thing mind you, but I can talk about that a lot more later because I like talking about Tony's emotional/mental state during Civil War) attacked first, then tries to kill Bucky, Steve tries to get Tony to stop killing Bucky, Tony is trying not to kill Steve, Bucky is trying to get Tony not to kill Steve or him. It's a mess. Mind you, Steve isn't even trying to excessively harm Tony in this scene. It's confirmed that during the entire fight, he was trying to disable the suit. Not trying to beat Tony to a pulp - DISABLE. THE. SUIT. Which he manage to do in the midst of that shitshow.

"*insert any anti-CW Wanda take*" Please, someone please tell me why people think Wanda has any blame for what happened Lagos? Wanda quite literally didn't CAUSE that. I need to understand this point of view before I get an aneurysm. She didn't make the bomb, bring the bomb, set the bomb off. It was Rumlow who had that bomb that would have ended up killing way more people on the ground than where Wanda managed to put it. She absolutely was as much of a hero as she could be in that instance, trying to redirect the bomb away from civilians. Unfortunately, it still ended it casualties, but a lot less than it would have been if Wanda hadn't intervened.

I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. Fanon CACW quite literally has some of the worst fan comprehension I've seen in the MCU. I imagine that a lot of it is not understanding characters, the movie not elaborating on important plot points in an effort to make it 50/50 (which they failed at lol), and the fandom being a lot more conservative than I thought. I can expand further on anything if you want!

[margoshansons]

Actually you know what? I think a Black Captain America fighting against an evil Red President is exactly what the US needs right now

[spooky-donut-ghost-house]

I think it's a stupid decision to completely forget Kang and replace him with Doctor Doom

Doom is a major threat yes but imo he is a significantly lesser threat compared to Thanos and Kang

Why couldn't they just recast Kang? They did it with Bruce, they did it with Rhodey, they did it with Red Skull hell they recasted Cassie in Quantumania

So why not recast Kang? There's plenty of black male actors who can play him far better than JM did like Denzel Washington

Do you know how awesome it would've been to see Denzel as Kang?

They could've recasted Kang it's not a situation like Chadwick Bozeman and Black Panther but it's obvious that even that doesn't really matter because William Hurt has been dead for two years and they replaced him with Harrison Ford

Now you're probably thinking "Well, wouldn't it be weird if Kang suddenly looked different from the last time we saw him?" Not really nobody questioned how Bruce changed between The Incredible Hulk to The Avengers or how Rhodey changed between Iron Man 1 to Iron Man 2 or how Cassie changed between Endgame to Quantumania and nobody is gonna question how Ross changed from Civil War to Brave New World

Not to mention by retconning Kang they basically made Loki and Quantumania redundant

Literally if Quantumania and Loki were there to set up Kang as the next big bad and now they're not even using Kang anymore then Quantumania and Loki were just a waste of everyone's time

[imposterogers]

when u think about it of course marvel had to ruin 2012!bruce banner. because they introduced this brilliant humble and empathetic man who was anti military with a wicked sense of biting sarcasm. who was so against the hulk being used in warfare that he’d rather live off the grid in calcutta wearing a dirty suit & with very little money to his name. who was hunted and lied to by thaddeus ross & the us government, and threatened to be put into a cage and experimented on, whose body was going to be used for destruction, to the point that he tried to kill himself. so he learned to control the hulk. to control his anger. who was distrustful, and rightly so. who realized his trust had been taken advantage of yet again when he saw the cage on the helicarrier, and still stayed to help. who rode thru nyc on a vespa to the battle, and revealed that his secret wasn’t that he was dangerous bc he had no control over the hulk, but bc he did. of course they had to ruin him. how could they let a character like that exist? how could they get a character like that to agree to be apart of a govt task force of soldiers & fighters, when his hands were made to help not harm?

[breckstonevailskier]

Since Vision appears to be unable to disobey Tony, it seems unlikely that he would be able to switch sides mid-battle. Maybe, however, Wanda could work with him during the battle to break Tony's hold over him. Wanda's role in the fight appeared to be to watch the action and rebuff Team Iron Man whenever necessary, but there was a significant amount of time between when she saved Bucky from T'Challa and when Scott turned big where neither she nor Vision appeared to be doing anything, so maybe they could have done that during that time. Then, Vision would no longer have to fight for Team Iron Man, and he would not have to engage in such shenanigans as destroying the control tower.

There's some concept art of Vision phasing his hand through Tony's armor that suggests that he might've originally been on Team Cap or at least would've disabled Tony's armor to rescue Wanda (he did something like this in the comics).

And yeah, the time window between Wanda throwing T'Challa off of Bucky and Scott going big is large enough that we could've had something that goes like this: Wanda apologizes to Vision for putting him through the floor, Vision apologizes to her because he realizes that she was right and it was wrong for him to act as her jailer (and wrong for Tony to even make this unilateral decision in the first place without consulting the rest of the team). And so we see him do that aforementioned moment from the concept art that I just mentioned, and he aids the members of Team Cap to help them escape.

Peter changing sides mid-battle is definitely something that could have happened. When Peter finished telling Steve all the things Tony had told him, instead of just being like, "Guess he had a point!!!!!" Steve should have asked him, "Did he tell you that he's fighting for the government's right to oppress enhanced individuals?" That would certainly have given Peter pause, and he would probably stop fighting Team Cap at that point and demand answers from Tony, and then Tony's purposeful manipulation of Peter would come back to bite him. I don't think such a thing would have changed the outcome of the battle too much, since the most decisive thing Peter did was knock Scott over, but such a thing would certainly have been glorious to witness.

There's two ficlets that kinda show how this could've happened.

Rebuttals - Chapter 10 has Steve telling Peter the truth.

You Could Make a Case for That - Chapter 23 has Sam and Bucky do the talking when fighting Peter inside the airport terminal.

I don't think that allowing Ross's forces to catch up to them would be a good idea. Ross would doubtlessly bring a lot of men with him (as well as a lot of weaponry), and the four of them would have to be extremely careful not to kill anyone, because if they did it would doubtlessly be used as further propaganda against enhanced individuals. In addition, Team Iron Man would still be there. Wanda would probably end up doing most of the work here, and she would probably have to extensively use her mind powers, so if she was going to use her mind powers anyway, it would make more sense to do it when it was just Team Iron Man.

Maybe something like this one-shot would've worked? The premise of it is that Ross's men are apprehending Sam, Clint, Wanda, and Scott, Scott begins to feel sick. Clint notices that Scott is sick and insists to Tony that Scott needs aid. Noticing Tony deliberately ignoring an injured person (compare that to Sam deciding to double back to try and provide medical aid to Rhodey), Vision agrees (through non-verbal conversation with Team Cap) to stall and give them a head start. Sam, Clint, and Wanda promptly use their cuffs as weapons to take out Ross's guys, then cut Scott loose and they steal another jet.

Vision reasoning with Tony would certainly be extremely interesting. Now, I'm not sure how effective it would be. Tony completely refused to listen when Steve tried to explain the situation to him the first time, after all, so there's no indication he would be willing to listen a second time, especially when he had such a clear opportunity before him to punish Team Cap for their insolence.

My idea was based on this fic here:

Not to mention, saving the world doesn't seem to be that important to him, considering that in Infinity War he literally (not figuratively) couldn't swallow his ego to save the entire universe.

Imagine if Tony could swallow his pride long enough to make an urgent call. It's possible that Vision wouldn't have been gravely wounded because Steve would've in turn contacted him and Wanda to warn them and Corvus Glaive wouldn't have been able to ambush them by surprise. Though in truth, they also lost because Tony effectively delivered the Time Stone to Thanos on Titan, and Doctor Strange should've made a different call like he does here:

Honest thoughts: What do you think would have to happen differently in the airport battle for everyone on Team Cap to escape with Steve and Bucky instead of being captured? For me, I think the potential options are:

A) Vision doesn't needlessly destroy a control tower (that's all that would need to be changed for Wanda to get away at minimum, since her having to stop meant that Rhodey was able to use his sonic cannon on her).

B) Vision and/or Spider-Man change sides mid-battle.

C) Wanda remembers to use her mind powers and uses them to incapacitate Tony and those on his side.

D) Clint, Scott, Sam and Wanda knock out and/or kill Ross's men when they show up to take them into custody, then steal another plane.

E) Steve and Bucky refuse to leave any of their teammates behind, so swing the quinjet around to pick them all up.

F) Before Ross's forces can arrive to take Clint, Scott, Sam and Wanda into custody, Vision reasons with Tony that letting the four be held in a human-rights violating prison is a bad idea and that saving the world is more important, so Tony reluctantly agrees to stall for time.

Here are my (honest) thoughts on your ideas.

I think the best way for all of Team Cap to escape would be for Wanda to use her mind powers. It makes sense for her to not use them at the beginning of the fight because she would want to give Team Iron Man a chance to change their minds and stop fighting, but once it became clear that that wasn't going to happen, instead of deciding that most of them wouldn't escape, Wanda should have used her mind powers then. That would be a good way to make sure all of Team Cap escapes and nobody on Team Iron Man gets hurt. I wonder if she would not incapacitate Natasha, however, considering that Natasha was the least active member of Team Iron Man throughout the battle, and Wanda could clearly see that she was sparring with Clint rather than actually fighting him. She might thus be able to see that Natasha wasn't really on Team Iron Man, and bring her along too.

Since Vision appears to be unable to disobey Tony, it seems unlikely that he would be able to switch sides mid-battle. Maybe, however, Wanda could work with him during the battle to break Tony's hold over him. Wanda's role in the fight appeared to be to watch the action and rebuff Team Iron Man whenever necessary, but there was a significant amount of time between when she saved Bucky from T'Challa and when Scott turned big where neither she nor Vision appeared to be doing anything, so maybe they could have done that during that time. Then, Vision would no longer have to fight for Team Iron Man, and he would not have to engage in such shenanigans as destroying the control tower.

Peter changing sides mid-battle is definitely something that could have happened. When Peter finished telling Steve all the things Tony had told him, instead of just being like, "Guess he had a point!!!!!" Steve should have asked him, "Did he tell you that he's fighting for the government's right to oppress enhanced individuals?" That would certainly have given Peter pause, and he would probably stop fighting Team Cap at that point and demand answers from Tony, and then Tony's purposeful manipulation of Peter would come back to bite him. I don't think such a thing would have changed the outcome of the battle too much, since the most decisive thing Peter did was knock Scott over, but such a thing would certainly have been glorious to witness.

I don't think that allowing Ross's forces to catch up to them would be a good idea. Ross would doubtlessly bring a lot of men with him (as well as a lot of weaponry), and the four of them would have to be extremely careful not to kill anyone, because if they did it would doubtlessly be used as further propaganda against enhanced individuals. In addition, Team Iron Man would still be there. Wanda would probably end up doing most of the work here, and she would probably have to extensively use her mind powers, so if she was going to use her mind powers anyway, it would make more sense to do it when it was just Team Iron Man.

The problem with Steve and Bucky turning back is that this would open up the possibility for the Quinjet to be disabled or otherwise stopped somehow, which would be quite problematic. Steps would probably be taken not to destroy it because it's Avengers property, but Tony might try to do something that he could easily fix later, or Peter might try to do something with his webs. Such a strategy would only be possible if Wanda was available to guard the Quinjet from damage.

Vision reasoning with Tony would certainly be extremely interesting. Now, I'm not sure how effective it would be. Tony completely refused to listen when Steve tried to explain the situation to him the first time, after all, so there's no indication he would be willing to listen a second time, especially when he had such a clear opportunity before him to punish Team Cap for their insolence. And based on his conversation in the Raft with Clint, Tony was completely fine with the idea of them going to prison, he just didn't know that the conditions would be as bad as they were. (Though even when he saw those conditions, he made no effort to help them; he didn't so much as protest their treatment to Ross.) Not to mention, saving the world doesn't seem to be that important to him, considering that in Infinity War he literally (not figuratively) couldn't swallow his ego to save the entire universe. So whether Vision would be able to convince him to stall for time is unclear. You never know, however, for sometimes Tony's conscience sneaks up on him, as we saw at the beginning of the movie. It would thus be quite intriguing to watch Vision try.

[unhingedmarvelandclassicwhobuff]

In other ways to rewrite the airport battle, one I've sometimes felt would work would be:

A) Steve refuses to leave any of his team behind in Leipzig. So he and Bucky swing the quinjet around to scoop up their teammates (and Natasha), then leave.

B) The battle is unchanged. But when Ross's men arrive to capture Sam, Clint, Wanda and Scott, those four proceed to kill all of Ross's forces and then commandeer another plane. Then they go to Siberia.

Swinging back around would have been foolhardy, as it would have given Tony the opening he needed to bring down the Quinjet and detain all of them. I hate it, but it's the truth.

Your other alternative would just give Ross more ammo to use against Team Cap; "I ordered my men not to use lethal force against those terrorists, and all of them were killed! The Rogue Avengers are monsters and we need the Accords!"

I wish things could have been different, but Tony's stubbornness was the Avengers' undoing.

[hitchell-mope]

The Sokovia Accords were put into place by a megalomaniac who hated and wanted to imprison Bruce Banner on trumped up charges.

[sjsmith56]

Reprieve - A Private Man, Chapter 13

Summary: Ross and his associates make another attempt to take Bucky but Rebecca’s phone call pays off as he is stopped. The resurrection of the Avengers is brought up but Bucky’s reaction confuses everyone.

Length: 4.2 K

Characters: Bucky, Tracey, Rebecca, Thaddeus Ross, Rhodey, Sam, Joaquin, Janice.

Warnings: Thaddeus Ross, Bucky’s self doubt.

Author’s notes: I know that you’re thinking ���Again? Ross is trying again?” The man is persistent and single minded. This isn’t the end but he does back off for a while. I originally wrote this story before the Thunderbolts announcement came out with the news that Thaddeus Ross would be President in the next Captain America movie. I had a choice to change my story to fit that announcement or to continue with my plot and story line. I chose the latter. Thaddeus Ross will never be President in this story.

<<Chapter 12

Bucky wasn't sure if he should go to work the next day, being unwilling to leave the women without protection but Rebecca, who was sitting in the kitchen when he got up told him that the police were just a phone call away, as were Matt and Foggy. With several of the neighbours around as well she convinced Bucky that it would be alright. Reluctantly he went to work as soon as Samira arrived. It never even occurred to him until he was en route to work that Rebecca got up unassisted by herself. When he arrived at the dock he clocked in and went to the office he shared with the other supervisors. His boss, Rick, was in there.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked. "Saw that shit go down on TV yesterday. What's that Ross's complaint with you?"

Bucky scowled and let out a breath. "He wants me to be an assassin again. He's starting up a black ops version of the Avengers and wants me in it. I won't do it and he's threatened me, my sister and my girlfriend over it."

"Jesus, Bucky," he said, looking past him at all the others. "You need a lawyer or something?"

"No, I have a good one but thanks," said Bucky. "I just want to do my job, and get through the day." He looked at everyone. "I appreciate the concern but really, I just want to do my job."

"Okay," said Rick, with understanding. "You're a good man and I don't want you to think we don't appreciate you. We'll back you up if you need it. But today, it's work as usual."

He used the opportunity to go over the ships still in dock, waiting for loading to be completed, and ships that were expected to dock that day. After he left, Bucky and the other supervisors went over the assignments then broke to meet up with their crews. When lunch time came he stayed at his desk after one of the other supervisors agreed to bring back some lunch for him. For a time he looked at his phone then finally dialled Tracey. She answered on the third ring.

"Hi," he said. "How's it going? Has Ross or Fontaine showed up at the house?"

"No, but Mom and I had to go to court for the protection order," she replied. "It's been granted and a police car will escort Mom and me at any moment to go to the house. I arranged for a truck rental. Amina's husband and brother-in- law will meet us there with it and help Mom take out what she wants. We'll put everything into a storage locker until she gets herself settled. How are you?"

"I didn't want to leave but Rebecca got up early and told me to go to work," he said. "She got up by herself. I didn't even think of that until I was on my way here. She can be very persuasive. I just have a feeling that Ross is going to try again and it's going to be hard not to react to it."

"I know, I feel the same," replied Tracey. "Hey, I have to go. The police are here. I'll see you later. It'll be alright, Bucky. I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied.

He ate his lunch while doing paperwork then headed back out to the dock to make sure that everything was going the way it should. All throughout the afternoon he couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehensive anticipation that something was going to happen and he just hoped it wouldn't be where people would be put into danger. When quitting time came around he clocked out and began the walk to the house. He wasn't aware of being followed or monitored but he still couldn't shake the sense that something was going to happen.

When he arrived back home there was a window repair truck parked in front of the house. Bucky went into the side yard and saw a man fixing the window.

"Hi, are you Tom's son's friend?" he asked.

The man looked at him, puzzled. "No, I don't know who Tom is," he said, then he pulled a work order out of his back pocket. "I received a pre-paid work order to fix a basement window for a James Barnes. Your wife showed me the window. Someone tried to break in? They did a real number on the frame but I'll have it finished in about 10 minutes. When it's done I'll knock on the door and you can sign off on it."

Confused, Bucky went into the house where Tracey, Rebecca, and Janice were all sitting in the living room.

"Who sent the window repair guy?" he asked. Tracey shrugged but Rebecca and Janice smiled at each other. "What are you two grinning about?"

"It's a surprise," said Rebecca. "I phoned someone in the government yesterday, and made an official complaint about Thaddeus Ross and Val de Fontaine. They said they would look into it. The repairman showed up about an hour ago."

"Rebecca, who did you phone?" asked Bucky, feeling uneasy.

"I'll tell you soon," she said. "Don't worry, we're not in trouble."

The repairman knocked on the door and both Bucky and Tracey went out to look at the replaced window. He offered the work order for Bucky to sign off and packed up his toolkit, leaving the yard. As the couple prepared to go back inside there was the sound of a commotion from the front yard. Frowning at Tracey, Bucky walked along the side of the house to the front. Ross was back with several of his men. A number of the neighbours were standing in a line blocking him from entering the yard. Tracey phoned the police while Bucky approached the group.

"Already breaking the injunction?" asked Bucky. "For a man with your standing you sure do like to play loose with the law. Your guys wrecked lights I had strung up in the back yard so I guess vandalism isn't beyond you either."

"The injunction is already quashed," said Ross. "I'm here on official government business."

"Official government business for a black ops operation?" replied Bucky. "I doubt that very much."

"Doesn't matter, Barnes," retorted Ross. "This time you're coming with me."

There was the sound of several flying suits approaching and Bucky looked up to see Sam, Joaquin Torres and Colonel Rhodes descending from above. They landed just behind Bucky where Rhodes opened his face plate and strode forward, putting himself between Bucky and Ross.

"Sorry Thaddeus," he said. "I have my orders from the President himself. Your little act yesterday has put him in a very bad light. The media are all over how you're forcing a man into being a killer against his will. An official complaint over your behaviour and a threat made by Val de Fontaine has the President ordering you to stand down immediately and await the FBI to escort you to Washington."

Ross smirked. "I'm supposed to believe that?" he said. "That's rich coming from a retired paraplegic Air Force Colonel."

"No longer retired, and you've been relieved of any sort of legitimacy that you talked the President into granting you," replied Rhodes. "Fontaine is on very thin ice and so is the current Secretary of State for coming up with this plan. The FBI are on their way to take you into custody."

Right on cue several large black SUVs drove onto the street, followed by another news crew. The agent who took Bucky into custody previously stepped out of a vehicle and directed the other agents to take Ross's men then he approached the older man and showed him his badge.

"Agent Michael Quade. Mr. Ross, you are to come with me," he said solemnly. "The President has ordered that you be taken into custody, pending charges."

"What charges?" demanded Ross. "I haven't done anything."

The agent sighed. "I'm only following orders, sir," he said. "I think what charges are filed depends on your actions now and in the near future. I will personally escort you to Washington for a meeting with the President to explain your actions." He turned to Bucky. "Has Mr. Ross and his associates injured you, your family, or your property?"

"They broke a window and the frame plus they cut the wires of lights I had strung up in the trees in the back yard," replied Bucky. "He also threatened to get my sister's health benefits cut off permanently, as well as deny me back pay for the years I was a POW. The window repairman just left but I don't know who sent him."

"They destroyed the lights?" asked Sam, disgusted. "What the hell for?"

The agent put his hand up. "So trespassing, property damage, and a violation of your sister's and your civil rights. Do I have that right, Mr. Barnes?"

"That's correct," said Bucky, looking Ross in the eye. "His associate Val de Fontaine also threatened my girlfriend's mother yesterday. Ross also threatened to take my house. He was just arrested yesterday for some of those actions and he's already back. Isn't that harassment?"

"Yes sir, it is," said the FBI agent, who shook his head. "I think the federal prosecutor might also consider your original arrest as harassment or perhaps the swearing out of false charges but that will be up to him. I will make a note of Ms. Fontaine's threats as she is a known associate. From where I stand Mr. Ross, you are just digging a deeper hole for yourself by refusing to come with me."

Ross sneered. "This isn't over Barnes," he said. "I will have you on my team and you will do as I order."

"No, I won't," replied Bucky. "Now go with the nice FBI agent."

The older man turned around angrily and went with the Agent Quade to the cheers and jeers of Bucky's neighbours. The reporter came up to Bucky again.

"Busy couple of days," he said. "What would you like to say?"

Looking with affection at Sam, Joaquin and Rhodes, then at his neighbours he cleared his throat. "I say thanks to my friends here and my neighbours for having my back. We should have a barbecue to celebrate."

With another cheer several of the neighbours went to get food and beer while Bucky went into the house followed by Rhodes, Sam and Joaquin, who all shed their suits inside. Bucky introduced everyone to the others who hadn't yet met. Joaquin gave Rebecca a hug and a kiss as it had been a while since they last saw each other.

"So how did you know what was happening?" asked Bucky. "I mean, Colonel you're in Washington, Sam was supposed to be in New Orleans and I don't know where you were Joaquin. How did you get here so soon after Ross was released?"

"That business yesterday ended up live on Washington TV and the President watched it," said Rhodes. "He was then phoned by a certain senior citizen who impressed upon him the potential miscarriage of justice that was certain to happen under his watch. He was horrified at Ross for trying to force you onto his team, and trying to force you to kill again. He called Fontaine to ask what gave her the right to threaten the mother of your girlfriend. She gave up the Secretary of State when she admitted they both gave Ross the green light to get you any way he could. I told him about the Wakanda plan that your lawyer phoned me about, and he hit the roof that they would even consider violating the sovereignty of a country considered an ally. Told me to come here and intervene. We phoned the police station, found out they made bail earlier and it didn't take much to figure out he would try again. Ross never did know when to stand down. I called Cap and Falcon, Wong gave us each a portal and we met up over Manhattan." He looked at Rebecca with a smile. "You're trouble, in a good way. How did you ever get them to connect you with the President?"

"I just told the truth," said Rebecca. "Told them who I was and that I wasn't going to sit back and watch Ross force my brother into being a killer against his will. I said the President was the one who pardoned him and that made him responsible for cleaning up this mess."

Rhodes looked with admiration at the older woman. "You did good. He wasn't aware of a lot of what they were up to. I brought up about Buck's pardon being conditional and how Ross was manipulating it to present Buck as still violent. It's being updated to a full pardon. No one and nothing can change that ever."

Bucky looked at his younger sister with disbelief. "You phoned the President?"

She and Janice laughed. "You were so upset yesterday when you saw they had vandalized the lights that I had to try something. I looked up the phone number of the White House and I wouldn't take no for an answer. They finally put me through to the President and I told him everything that happened. He wasn't very happy about what Ross and Fontaine had done and promised he would take care of things."

The doorbell rang with the first of the neighbours to bring food and Bucky went with him to the back yard to start up the barbecue. Within an hour the back yard was full of people from the neighbourhood, eating, drinking, and getting to know everyone else. When a delivery man showed up with new fairy lights courtesy of the President several neighbours got up to help replace the damaged ones. The lights came on as it got darker which drew admiring looks from the neighbours who talked about doing it in their own yards. Gradually as the night went on people began to leave promising to be better neighbours to Bucky, Tracey, and Rebecca. They shook hands with everyone before they left. Finally, it was just them, Janice, Rhodes, Sam, and Joaquin.

"Is there a hotel nearby?" asked Rhodes. "I don't fancy flying in the dark after what I've had to drink."

"I have a couch in the living room and a couch in the basement," said Bucky. "Janice is using the bed. They're yours if you're all okay with one of you sleeping on the floor. I'll make everyone breakfast in the morning."

"Janice can sleep with me if she doesn't mind sharing a bed with an old woman," piped up Rebecca. "I don't snore."

"Yeah, I'm good with that," replied Janice. "We can just switch out the sheets on the bed."

"I call shotgun on the bed, then," said Rhodes, with a grin.

Bucky carried Rebecca into her bedroom then left her in the care of Tracey while he got bedding and pillows for the two couches while Janice made up the bed downstairs. He could hear her and Rhodes talking and laughing as they made the bed together. There was definitely some flirting going on. She came upstairs with her night clothes and a change of clothes for the following day.

"What a nice man Rhodey is," she said, looking vibrant. "He must be a good friend to you, Bucky. He thinks very highly of you."

"He is a good man," replied Bucky. "He's been very supportive the last few months."

After kissing Rebecca good night he and Tracey left Janice in her bedroom and went out to the living room where Sam was wearing a pair of Bucky's sweat pants and a T-shirt.

"Quite the day," said his partner. "You have good neighbours. I saw several of them talking with the news crew and they all said your presence in the neighbourhood makes them feel safer, especially since that robbery."

Bucky smirked. "Only took a year to get to know them," he replied. "I don't know what I would have done if it hadn't been for Tracey and Rebecca. They make me a better man."

"You're one of the good ones," stated Tracey, grasping his hand. "I knew that as soon as I met you. Sam, thanks for coming with the others to back him up. It means a lot."

"Anytime," smiled Sam. "Now, if you don't mind I'm going to stretch out on my luxurious 4 star couch and catch some shuteye."

After saying goodnight to him they went to their room and cuddled together. Both were tired after the stress and then long evening entertaining. Just before he fell asleep Bucky thought of something that Rhodes said, that he wasn't retired anymore. Whatever did he mean by that?

The following morning Bucky was up at his usual time. After heading out to the mailbox and noticing no discarded cigarette butts he returned into the house and started the coffee. Sam woke up shortly after and Bucky offered him a cup. They both sipped from their coffee then Bucky looked at Sam.

"What did Rhodes mean that he isn't retired any more?" he asked.

"Did he? I didn't notice. Maybe he's been named to be an advisor to the President or something. Come to think of it he seemed to really enjoy what happened to Ross yesterday."

As the others started getting up Bucky phoned the docks to say he would be in later. The dock manager, Rick, was already in and told Bucky he watched the previous day's events on the news. Whatever time Bucky needed to do what he needed to do was fine with him, his exact words. With thanks Bucky hung up and began making breakfast for everyone. When everything was ready he put the food out on the kitchen counter and everyone helped themselves before sitting at the dining room table. For several minutes there was no talking then Bucky finished chewing and looked at Rhodes.

"What did you mean that you're not retired anymore?" he asked.

"Yeah, what's with that?" asked Sam. "They giving you a position on the Joint Chiefs or something?"

"No, the President put me in command of something else." Rhodey paused, smiling. "He wants me to head up resurrecting the Avengers, pending amendments to the Sokovia Accords. I told him I wouldn't consider it unless the Accords are fixed. Ross deliberately made them too restrictive to allow the Avengers to do the job properly. It looks like he wanted them to fold years ago so he could get control of us as his assets. We'll talk more but there's a place for all three of you, if you want it."

"I can't," said Bucky, quickly and quietly. "My place is here, with Rebecca and Tracey."

"Nonsense," said Rebecca. "I'm much better and I have the personal care aides. With Tracey living here we can make it work."

"But you need to have someone here at night with you," replied Bucky. "I can't ask Tracey to assume that responsibility if I'm not here. It wouldn't be fair to her."

Tracey started to speak and Bucky abruptly left the table, heading out to the back yard. Rhodes looked distressed.

"Listen, it's all in a preliminary stage of planning," he said. "It would be months before we even made anything official and that's only if the Accords are modified. I thought he would be happy about this."

"It's what he once wanted," said Tracey, quietly, watching the back door. "But he accepted that it wasn't going to happen and when Rebecca had her stroke it made the decision to stay and work a regular job easier for him. I think he likes living a private life now. He feels normal, likes his job, he has good benefits with it, and he's part of the community with his volunteer work at the newcomer centre. Now, it's like you're asking him to give that up for a job that would be irregular at best. It would take him away from Rebecca."

"And you," said Joaquin, deliberately. "He's very much in love with you. Even I can see it."

"I wouldn't hold him back," protested Tracey, then she looked again at the back door and stood up.

Putting her jacket on and taking Bucky's with her she went out to the back yard. Bucky was sitting on one of the chairs under the pergola. She approached him in the crisp morning air, putting his jacket over his shoulders. He took one of her hands and kissed it then sat back. Tracey sat on his lap.

"You wouldn't have to ask," she said softly. "I've already committed to you and Rebecca is part of that commitment by my choice. Rhodes said it would be months before they got anything off the ground."

"I know," replied Bucky. "I just don't know if I want to do it anymore. I like working at the docks. I like living in this house with you and Rebecca. I like my life here. It's normal."

"That's important to you," she replied. "I get that. Do you remember when we first met? I asked you about the Avengers, why they weren't together. You said the decision about them was someone else's responsibility. You admitted you were good at doing what the Avengers do but that was as far as you would go, as if you had reservations about doing that. Rebecca thought being an Avenger would give you a higher purpose."

Bucky smirked lightly. "Fighting the Flag Smashers came easily enough. I tried to tell Karli, the young woman who was their leader, that she was going down a dark path but she wouldn't listen to me, even though I had been on that same path. What kind of Avenger would I be if people didn't take me seriously enough to learn from my experiences? I was the Winter Soldier, a killer who always got his target. Maybe that's how they'll always see me. That's how Ross and Fontaine still see me."

She drew his head into her chest, feeling his gloom. "I think if you became an Avenger you would have more control over how you're seen," she said. "What was it the Wakandans called you? White Wolf? You could make that your code name. On your downtime you could still live here, maybe even continue to work at the docks, definitely volunteer at the newcomer centre. Imagine the kids there, seeing you walk in, knowing that you had helped rescue hostages, or helped take down a terrorist group. You could be their local hero, even more than you already are."

"What about us?" he asked. "You wouldn't want a part-time boyfriend, or husband. Not after how your ex treated you when he went on the road."

"You're not Geoff," stated Tracey emphatically. "You're so much more. Yes, I would miss you but I trust you and think our reunions would be incredible. I have my job and it fulfills me. Don't make me the reason you decide not to do this. Be involved in the planning and see what the government is willing to do. If it's better than what the docks give you then seriously consider it. If it's not, then continue to live a normal life, just like all the rest of us."

Her hands had been stroking his back and shoulders while she was talking and she could feel his demeanour change from very tense to more relaxed. When she finished her piece Bucky sighed then wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You're very persuasive Nurse Harris," he murmured. "I'll consider it, put my two cents worth in and see where it goes from there. Regardless of how it goes with the Avengers there's something that I want to ask you."

"What's that?"

"Would you marry me?

He looked up at her, his blue eyes fixed on hers. She looked upon his upturned face, at his strong jaw and cheekbones, his ever present five o'clock shadow, and his soft lips which were slightly parted as he waited on her answer.

"Yes, in a New York minute I would marry you," she answered.

Forever more she would remember his soft loving look at hearing her answer. It would always be recalled by her as the moment she completely committed to the first man she ever truly loved. Bucky would always remember the sun lighting up her hair and the beautiful smile she had on her face when she said those words. It was the day he finally and completely felt like a good man.

Chapter 14>>

Series Masterlist

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[breckstonevailskier]

Like, seriously, all you have to do is have Steve and Nat break their friends out, but then the first thing they do is immediately set to work going after the politicians who created the Accords, with particular focus on exposing Ross for his crimes. So we get a movie of them going on a road trip around America stopping supervillains and protecting superheroes that Ross is trying to enforce the Accords against.

And just to stick it to Ross, I've said I'd have it where Steve, Nat, Wanda, Sam, and Vision are walking around in public and almost never have to worry about arrest. This is because of a few factors: 1) almost no one recognizes them (because people really aren't that good at remembering faces, especially faces that were only shown several months), 2) most of those that do recognize them actually support what they're doing and really don't like Ross, 3) and those who try to report them to Ross only find themselves dealing with Wanda using her powers to discourage them from doing so, 4) municipal law enforcement are largely on the side of the Avengers and refuse to cooperate with Ross's forces under any circumstances; in fact many times local cops are willing to protect the Avengers (case in point, much as the NYPD were shown in Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage to have some issues with those superheroes, they were willing to acknowledge that said superheroes were also very useful at bringing down several major criminals and even a few supervillains), and 5) some other things.

The Sokovia Accords debacle would've actually benefited from the perspective of civilians. Because they're the people who this debate should be between, not UN bureaucrats.

I agree but that would have required them to go political because there's no way you can handle a discussion about the Accords without talking civil rights. And if you include the civilian perspective you need to draw parallels between that story and immigration, illegal imprisonment, forced conscription (= foreign affairs and war profiteering), etc.

With CW it kinda feels like the message they want to send is that the Accords are meant specifically for the Avengers, and that standing against them is a matter of defending each other and protecting the team as if the Accords are not affecting the world at large, as if the reason they're presented to the team isn't to guilt-trip them into signing so they can advertise that to the public as "Hey, if they signed, you should too!".

If they hadn't turned that movie into Iron Man 4 they could have had the time to show a group of civilians being directly affected by it and the heroes caring enough about that to help and stop them -- not only because they don't want to be personally affected by them but because they see how much damage they're doing to the civilians.

The best example of this is the Raft. Steve and Nat show up, break their friends out and leave. No care is given to other inmates or why they might be there, the Raft is intact and can still be used with other people... and according to the tie-in comics they go to Syria to stop Isis. So, nothing is done regarding the Accords? The people who are still affected by them have no one defending them? Frankly, I don't see Steve or Sam being comfortable with that at all, but we all know how bad CW was, so... 🤷‍♀️

[playstationvii]

Game Description for Red Hulk: SMASH

Enter the world of raw power, destruction, and moral ambiguity in Red Hulk: SMASH, an epic action-adventure game exclusively for the PlayStation 7. As Red Hulk, you are a walking force of nature, driven by a fierce, unrelenting rage that only destruction can appease. Once a high-ranking military general, now transformed into an unstoppable powerhouse, Red Hulk grapples with his newfound monstrous abilities while facing enemies from all sides, including heroes, villains, and shadowy organizations that threaten global stability.

Red Hulk: SMASH isn’t just about mindless destruction; it’s a journey of strategic mayhem. Each mission presents unique environmental challenges and tactical puzzles that only Red Hulk's brutal strength can solve. Players will have to think as much as they smash, combining devastating combos, unique power-ups, and adaptive strategies to tear down enemies and obstacles alike.

Venture across war-torn landscapes, secret military bases, urban environments, and experimental labs, encountering iconic Marvel characters along the way. As the plot unfolds, Red Hulk must choose whether to be a weapon for the government, a rogue force of nature, or something more. Allies will prove to be just as dangerous as enemies, as Hulk must navigate alliances with other heroes and anti-heroes in the Marvel universe.

Can you control the rage? Or will you let it consume you? Embrace the power, face the darkness within, and prepare to SMASH your way to a new era of superhero games!

Features:

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Morality-Based Decisions: Shape Red Hulk’s path as an anti-hero or rogue agent, impacting missions, allies, and endings.

Iconic Marvel Cameos: Battle alongside or against familiar faces from the Marvel universe, including Hulk, Wolverine, and more.

Intense Boss Battles: Face massive enemies with unique abilities, each requiring Red Hulk’s strength and wit to overcome.

Upgrade and Evolution System: Customize Red Hulk's abilities with a deep upgrade system, unlocking new powers, resistance levels, and combat styles.

Next-Gen Graphics: Powered by the PlayStation 7, immerse yourself in hyper-realistic visuals with stunning lighting, particle effects, and seamless open-world environments.

Are you ready to unleash Red Hulk’s rage on the world?

To expand upon Red Hulk as an antihero within the world of #enXantingNoir and #TheeDarkKnight, let's craft a character profile that adds complexity and fits the darker, morally ambiguous tone of a noir-inspired Gotham. In this universe, Red Hulk could represent a wild card whose allegiance shifts based on personal motives and the greater balance of power, rather than traditional notions of good or evil. Here’s a deeper look into how we could integrate Red Hulk into this world, with elements inspired by both DC and Marvel's noir aesthetics.

Character Profile: Red Hulk (General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross)

Alias: Red Hulk, Code-Named Crimson Beast

Affiliations: Unpredictably aligned—sometimes assists The Dark Knight (Batman), other times coerced or hired by Gotham’s rogues gallery

Base of Operations: Gotham’s Industrial Quarters, known for factories and rusting warehouses—a stark contrast to Bruce Wayne’s world of high society

Backstory

In this #enXantingNoir universe, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, known as Red Hulk, finds himself in Gotham after a government "containment" experiment gone wrong. While initially tasked with capturing meta-human threats for the military, Ross’s transformation into Red Hulk was seen as a failure due to his uncontrollable nature. His exile to Gotham serves as both punishment and containment, as his presence alone acts as a deterrent to Gotham’s more uncontrollable criminals.

Ross was once a decorated general who viewed Gotham's criminal infestation with disdain, seeing it as a breeding ground for chaos that the federal government neglected. Now, as Red Hulk, he sees himself as a force capable of purging the city’s criminal underbelly. However, Gotham’s atmosphere has a way of corrupting those who enter its fold, and Ross soon finds himself torn between his own sense of justice and the lure of Gotham’s criminal underworld.

Character Dynamics

Relationship with The Dark Knight

An Uneasy Alliance: Batman, always wary of vigilantes who use brute force, sees Red Hulk as a necessary evil. They share a mutual understanding that Gotham is a city of shades of gray, where traditional moral boundaries are constantly tested.

Occasional Allies, Reluctant Rivals: Red Hulk’s penchant for destructive solutions puts him at odds with Batman’s more precise methods. While Batman relies on skill, fear, and strategy, Red Hulk represents raw power and the devastation he can unleash. However, Red Hulk respects Batman’s mental prowess and tactical skills, seeing in him a rare intelligence that is nearly on par with his own military acumen.

Confrontations with No-Win Scenarios: When they do clash, it’s because Red Hulk is willing to cross lines Batman won’t. This creates tense standoffs, where Batman might find himself strategizing just to control the beast within Red Hulk.

Relationship with Gotham's Rogues Gallery

The Criminals' “Nuclear Option”: Gotham’s villains, from Penguin to Bane, know the power Red Hulk possesses. Villains might attempt to manipulate or pay him off to remove certain obstacles or to serve as muscle, even though they know he’s as likely to turn on them as he is to help.

Targeted by Manipulative Minds: Characters like The Riddler and Scarecrow see Red Hulk as a potential pawn, constantly trying to manipulate or trap him to exploit his strength. Yet, because Red Hulk's mind is still intact despite his transformation, he resists most attempts at control—adding to his mystique and making him a target for psychological games.

Respect Amongst Physical Threats: Bane, Killer Croc, and Solomon Grundy see Red Hulk as the ultimate “warrior,” someone who may share their violent instincts but does so with purpose. They test their strength against him in brutal encounters, leading to scenes of pure spectacle and fury across Gotham’s back alleys and abandoned factories.

Powers and Abilities

Red Hulk's Powers and Abilities for Red Hulk: SMASHIn Red Hulk: SMASH, players will tap into the intense, destructive powers of Red Hulk, a character defined by his raw strength, adaptability, and relentless rage. Unlike the original Hulk, Red Hulk possesses unique abilities tailored to his specific physiology, background, and tactical approach to combat. Here’s an in-depth look at the powers and abilities players will wield in the game:---Core Abilities:1. Superhuman StrengthPower Description: Red Hulk’s strength rivals and often exceeds that of the Hulk, allowing him to lift, throw, or smash anything in his path. His strength scales with his anger, which means he grows even more powerful the longer the fight lasts.In-Game Mechanics: Players can level up Red Hulk’s strength as they progress, unlocking moves that allow him to throw larger objects (like cars, tanks, and even helicopters) or deliver powerful punches that can create shockwaves.2. Thermal Radiation EmissionPower Description: When enraged, Red Hulk begins to emit massive amounts of heat, capable of melting steel or causing combustibles around him to ignite. This heat is a double-edged sword; while it makes him deadly in close combat, it drains his energy and leaves him vulnerable if overused.In-Game Mechanics: Players can activate Heat Mode in bursts to deal intense damage to enemies within a radius. However, prolonged use causes an overheat effect, where Red Hulk’s health depletes slowly, forcing players to use this ability tactically.3. Rage AmplificationPower Description: Unlike Hulk, who becomes stronger with anger but less in control, Red Hulk’s rage amplifies his abilities while maintaining tactical precision. As he fights, his rage meter fills, allowing access to more advanced and devastating abilities.In-Game Mechanics: The Rage Meter fills as Red Hulk deals or takes damage. Once full, players can activate Rage Mode, giving Red Hulk access to special moves, faster attacks, and temporary invincibility. Rage Mode also makes him immune to stuns, allowing relentless offense.---Unique Abilities:1. Seismic Ground PoundPower Description: Red Hulk slams the ground with incredible force, creating a seismic shockwave that knocks down and damages all enemies within range. This move is especially effective in crowded enemy zones and can demolish obstacles.In-Game Mechanics: When activated, Red Hulk’s ground pound deals area-of-effect damage, stuns enemies, and causes parts of the environment to crumble. Upgrading this move increases the shockwave’s radius and damage.2. Berserker BlitzPower Description: Drawing from his military training, Red Hulk enters a state of focused aggression, charging through enemies with unstoppable momentum. This ability allows him to bulldoze through enemies and obstacles, leaving destruction in his wake.In-Game Mechanics: This move is great for breaking enemy lines or escaping overwhelming situations. Players can unlock upgrades to enhance speed, duration, and impact damage, transforming Red Hulk into a raging juggernaut.3. Thermal PunchesPower Description: Red Hulk’s fists begin to glow with intense heat, adding an incendiary effect to his punches. This ability can ignite enemies and even melt through certain obstacles.In-Game Mechanics: When activated, Red Hulk’s basic attacks become heated punches that deal extra damage over time and cause flammable objects to catch fire. Upgrades allow him to maintain this effect longer or increase the

Red Hulk's Powers and Abilities for Red Hulk: SMASH

In Red Hulk: SMASH, players will tap into the intense, destructive powers of Red Hulk, a character defined by his raw strength, adaptability, and relentless rage. Unlike the original Hulk, Red Hulk possesses unique abilities tailored to his specific physiology, background, and tactical approach to combat. Here’s an in-depth look at the powers and abilities players will wield in the game:

Core Abilities:

Superhuman Strength

Power Description: Red Hulk’s strength rivals and often exceeds that of the Hulk, allowing him to lift, throw, or smash anything in his path. His strength scales with his anger, which means he grows even more powerful the longer the fight lasts.

In-Game Mechanics: Players can level up Red Hulk’s strength as they progress, unlocking moves that allow him to throw larger objects (like cars, tanks, and even helicopters) or deliver powerful punches that can create shockwaves.

Thermal Radiation Emission

Power Description: When enraged, Red Hulk begins to emit massive amounts of heat, capable of melting steel or causing combustibles around him to ignite. This heat is a double-edged sword; while it makes him deadly in close combat, it drains his energy and leaves him vulnerable if overused.

In-Game Mechanics: Players can activate Heat Mode in bursts to deal intense damage to enemies within a radius. However, prolonged use causes an overheat effect, where Red Hulk’s health depletes slowly, forcing players to use this ability tactically.

Rage Amplification

Power Description: Unlike Hulk, who becomes stronger with anger but less in control, Red Hulk’s rage amplifies his abilities while maintaining tactical precision. As he fights, his rage meter fills, allowing access to more advanced and devastating abilities.

In-Game Mechanics: The Rage Meter fills as Red Hulk deals or takes damage. Once full, players can activate Rage Mode, giving Red Hulk access to special moves, faster attacks, and temporary invincibility. Rage Mode also makes him immune to stuns, allowing relentless offense.

Unique Abilities:

Seismic Ground Pound

Power Description: Red Hulk slams the ground with incredible force, creating a seismic shockwave that knocks down and damages all enemies within range. This move is especially effective in crowded enemy zones and can demolish obstacles.

In-Game Mechanics: When activated, Red Hulk’s ground pound deals area-of-effect damage, stuns enemies, and causes parts of the environment to crumble. Upgrading this move increases the shockwave’s radius and damage.

Berserker Blitz

Power Description: Drawing from his military training, Red Hulk enters a state of focused aggression, charging through enemies with unstoppable momentum. This ability allows him to bulldoze through enemies and obstacles, leaving destruction in his wake.

In-Game Mechanics: This move is great for breaking enemy lines or escaping overwhelming situations. Players can unlock upgrades to enhance speed, duration, and impact damage, transforming Red Hulk into a raging juggernaut.

Thermal Punches

Power Description: Red Hulk’s fists begin to glow with intense heat, adding an incendiary effect to his punches. This ability can ignite enemies and even melt through certain obstacles.

In-Game Mechanics: When activated, Red Hulk’s basic attacks become heated punches that deal extra damage over time and cause flammable objects to catch fire. Upgrades allow him to maintain this effect longer or increase the

Unstoppable Strength: Unlike many of Gotham’s villains, Red Hulk’s power doesn’t come from cunning or stealth. He’s a one-man army, whose strength amplifies under stress. In Gotham, this makes him both an asset and a liability, as collateral damage follows him wherever he goes.

Regenerative Healing Factor: Gotham’s corruption has brought him into contact with all manner of toxins, chemicals, and weaponized pathogens. Yet, his healing factor allows him to recover from nearly anything, making him an indestructible force that cannot easily be defeated.

Military Mindset: Red Hulk may be a brute, but he’s also a strategist. His time as a general makes him one of the few who can match Batman’s tactical thinking, though he approaches situations with less restraint. He knows how to think ahead, sometimes outmaneuvering Gotham’s villains in ways they do not expect.

Key Storylines & Appearances

"Shadows in Crimson"

Plot: Gotham is hit by a wave of sophisticated military-grade weaponry, and Batman suspects it’s tied to a shadowy government program. Red Hulk is at the center, his loyalty swaying between the feds who created him and the city that has become his prison. Batman and Red Hulk must work together to dismantle a paramilitary faction that aims to take over Gotham.

Key Conflict: Batman’s surgical approach to fighting crime collides with Red Hulk’s philosophy of scorched-earth tactics. They must find a balance or risk tearing Gotham apart in the process.

"Green & Red Dawn"

Plot: Poison Ivy is wreaking havoc across Gotham with a plot that would release a powerful, environmentally-altering spore across the city. Red Hulk, seeing her plan as a direct attack on humanity’s control over nature, goes on the offensive. Batman, meanwhile, believes in finding a way to stop Ivy without unnecessary destruction.

Key Conflict: Red Hulk's brute-force approach to Ivy's plants only serves to escalate her power, leading to a battle in Gotham’s overgrown botanical garden. The storyline emphasizes the contrast between Red Hulk’s disregard for delicate solutions and Batman’s strategic mind.

"Knightfall: Broken Masks"

Plot: The Joker lures Red Hulk into his twisted games, seeing him as the perfect weapon to unleash on Batman. By manipulating Hulk’s anger and moral ambiguity, Joker stages a series of brutal “tests” across the city, each designed to break down Red Hulk’s control and unleash the full extent of his rage.

Key Conflict: Batman races against time to outsmart Joker, who is using Red Hulk as a pawn in his chaotic game. Ultimately, Batman and Red Hulk team up, but only after Red Hulk learns a hard lesson about the cost of unchecked anger.

"War of Shadows"

Plot: Gotham’s underground factions wage war for control, with Red Hulk becoming the ultimate enforcer. When Ra's al Ghul appears, seeking to recruit Red Hulk as a key player in his plot for a "purified" Gotham, the battle lines are drawn between Gotham’s would-be conquerors and those who want to protect it.

Key Conflict: Batman and Red Hulk must confront their opposing ideologies—Batman’s commitment to justice against Red Hulk’s allegiance to the brutal laws of war. Their alliance in this arc would be deeply strained, yet they find themselves needing each other as Ra’s army of assassins overwhelms Gotham.

Visual & Character Design

Appearance: In this noir setting, Red Hulk’s skin takes on a darker, crimson shade, with veins of black and charcoal-like cracks running through. His costume includes rugged, armored military attire reminiscent of Gotham’s aesthetic, blending urban tactical gear with primal elements.

Symbolism: His presence serves as a stark reminder of humanity’s failed attempts to control power and strength, much like Gotham’s own warped sense of justice. He’s a manifestation of raw aggression and resilience—qualities Gotham respects and fears.

Iconography: Red Hulk’s insignia might include military symbols, such as a broken star or a faded insignia of his former rank, rebranded to suit his antihero status.

This iteration of Red Hulk as an antihero with fluctuating allegiances creates an intriguing and gritty dynamic in #enXantingNoir's Gotham. He’s a character both feared and respected, an indomitable force who both allies with and opposes Batman depending on where his moral compass lies. This complex portrayal would allow Jorge Jimenez to illustrate Hulk in dramatic, high-impact scenes, showcasing raw emotion and powerful physicality that fits the dark, intense atmosphere of Gotham.

Certainly, let’s dive into a #enXantingNoir storyline that brings together these complex characters, blending the dark allure of Gotham with powerful new villains and heroes created by Jorge Jimenez. We’ll create a narrative that pushes each character’s limits, as they navigate moral ambiguity, shifting alliances, and the inevitable clash between chaos and order.

Storyline: "Echoes of the Heartstone"

Plot Synopsis: Gotham’s underworld is buzzing with rumors of a powerful artifact known as the Heartstone, a rare gem rumored to possess the ability to manipulate memories, influence emotions, and, in the wrong hands, induce mass hysteria. Legends say it’s connected to Gotham’s ancient foundation—an enchanted relic forged by mysterious forces that existed long before the city was built. Now, a syndicate of villains and antiheroes are racing to claim the Heartstone, each driven by their own desires for power, revenge, or freedom from past traumas.

In the midst of this chaos, Bambi (Bambi Prescott), a mysterious forest-born warrior, arrives in Gotham, following a vision that reveals the Heartstone’s influence spreading like a poison through the city. Bambi has foreseen the havoc it could wreak if left unchecked and is determined to find allies to destroy it or secure it safely.

Main Characters and Their Motivations

Miracle Molly (Seraphine) Alias: Seraphine Role: Tech-savvy visionary with a mission to liberate people from their traumas and societal constraints

Motivation: Miracle Molly views the Heartstone as a potential device for empowerment, a means to erase painful memories and give people a chance to be "reborn." However, she’s torn between her idealistic goals and the dangerous allure of wielding such power. She believes she could harness the Heartstone to build a utopian future—but Gotham has a way of corrupting even the noblest intentions.

Bambi (Bambi Prescott) Alias: The Prince of Thee Forest Kingdom Role: Warrior and environmental guardian with an almost mythical connection to nature

Motivation: Bambi senses the Heartstone’s energy as something unnatural and corrupt, a force that disrupts the natural balance. As an envoy from Thee Forest Kingdom, Bambi sees it as their duty to protect the world from such corrupting influences. Their primary goal is to find allies who will help destroy or neutralize it before it falls into the wrong hands.

Thee Dark Knight (Rebecca Black) Alias: Thee Dark Knight Role: Vigilante determined to protect Gotham's people while facing her own personal darkness

Motivation: Unlike Batman, Thee Dark Knight doesn’t see Gotham as a city of salvation but as a place that needs strict control and protection from itself. When Rebecca learns of the Heartstone, she’s immediately wary, seeing it as a weapon of mass manipulation. She’s conflicted, knowing the Heartstone could purge the worst of Gotham’s villains’ memories—but at a price that could compromise everyone’s free will.

Domino Role: Mercenary and friend of Harley Quinn with uncanny luck on her side

Motivation: Domino sees the Heartstone as an opportunity for personal gain. She’s not driven by moral ambitions like the others; she’s a thrill-seeker, looking for a payday or a valuable artifact to bargain with. Her luck often puts her in the right place at the right time, and she plans to take advantage of her uncanny ability to secure the Heartstone—if only for herself.

Punchline (Kathe Canlas) Alias: KatheCanlas A narrative arc and how each character's goals, personalities, and powers intersect with Gotham’s chaotic environment and the central mystery of the Heartstone. Here’s a breakdown of how we might structure the story, with key themes of betrayal, unlikely alliances, and the ultimate struggle for Gotham's future.

Title: Heartstone of Gotham

Synopsis: In the heart of Gotham City, a mythical artifact known as the Heartstone emerges, rumored to be a relic of unimaginable power. The Heartstone, once a symbol of Gotham’s dark legacy, has resurfaced, and it attracts the attention of powerful individuals, each with their own motivations. This story follows heroes, villains, and ambiguous figures as they converge on Gotham, with their fates intertwining in a battle that could reshape the city’s very foundation.

Prologue

A myth surrounding the Heartstone of Gotham tells of an ancient stone that once served as the city’s lifeblood, granting prosperity to the land. Over time, however, its energy was corrupted by crime, greed, and violence, and it was eventually hidden away. Now, with Gotham in crisis, the Heartstone’s energy surges once more, and its allure attracts forces from all walks of life.

Chapter 1: The Arrival of Aetherium

Aetherium, drawn by whispers of the Heartstone's power, materializes in Gotham’s underbelly. His ethereal form shimmers as he steps out of a dimensional rift, slipping between shadowy streets and rooftops. As a neutral figure, he has no loyalties; his only interest is in harnessing the Heartstone to unlock new realms. Sensing the artifact’s energy pulsing beneath Gotham, he begins his search, attracting the attention of both heroes and villains.

Chapter 2: An Unlikely Hero – Red Raven

Red Raven, a vigilante able to command birds of prey, watches Gotham from above, his birds circling the city’s skyscrapers. His mission is clear: to find the Heartstone and secure it for Gotham’s protection. For him, the artifact is a symbol of the city’s sins, a representation of all the corruption and pain that Gotham has endured. Though a solitary figure, he’s willing to work with others if it ensures Gotham’s safety.

Chapter 3: Nightshade’s Mission

Nightshade, an eco-terrorist with the power to control toxic plants, senses the Heartstone’s influence as a blight upon Gotham’s natural life. To her, the artifact represents the city’s worst pollutants. She believes that by harnessing the Heartstone, she can purify Gotham by eliminating humanity’s “infestation” entirely. She begins her crusade, unleashing toxic flora across parts of the city, drawing the attention of both law enforcement and other heroes.

Chapter 4: Gathering Storms – MiracleMolly and TheeDarkKnight

MiracleMolly (Seraphine) and TheeDarkKnight (Rebecca Black) are close allies and partners in Gotham’s vigilante scene. MiracleMolly, with her unparalleled technological skills, believes that the Heartstone could provide new advancements that might help Gotham’s lower class. She convinces TheeDarkKnight to join her in locating it before it falls into villainous hands. Both know the dangers of its dark allure, but they’re determined to use it for the city’s benefit.

Chapter 5: Domino and Punchline – A Dangerous Duo

Domino, an acrobat and close friend of Harley Quinn, finds herself teamed up with Punchline (Kathe Canlas), who seeks chaos more than control. The pair’s interests align when they hear of the Heartstone’s power. For Domino, it's about thrill and profit, while Punchline is driven by a twisted vision of Gotham’s future, one where only the clever and cruel survive. They agree to collaborate, making a dangerous duo willing to defy any authority, including TheeDarkKnight.

Chapter 6: Crossroads in the Underworld

Aetherium, while moving through Gotham’s underground network, encounters Nightshade, who confronts him for intruding on “her” territory. They clash briefly, Aetherium’s shadowy form slipping between her poisonous vines, but he realizes that an alliance might benefit them both. He proposes that she allow him access to her network in exchange for his help in securing the Heartstone’s location, promising her a means of channeling the artifact’s energy into her eco-purification plan.

Chapter 7: Allies and Tensions

Red Raven observes this strange alliance from a distance, noting that Aetherium’s knowledge could jeopardize the Heartstone’s safety. He chooses to confront MiracleMolly and TheeDarkKnight, hoping that they’ll put their own pursuit aside to aid him in keeping it from those who might use it for destruction. Though wary of Red Raven, the two vigilantes agree, recognizing that Gotham’s stability hangs in the balance. They tentatively ally with him, despite TheeDarkKnight’s suspicion of his elusive motives.

Chapter 8: Domino and Punchline’s Heist

Domino and Punchline, following Aetherium’s leads, attempt to raid a museum holding an ancient map rumored to reveal the Heartstone’s resting place. Their chaotic energy causes havoc, drawing in TheeDarkKnight and MiracleMolly. A rooftop battle ensues, with Punchline taunting TheeDarkKnight about her “heroic delusions” while Domino outmaneuvers MiracleMolly, stealing the map. Red Raven arrives just as the heist ends, but Domino and Punchline narrowly escape.

Chapter 9: Aetherium’s Betrayal

Using his dimensional abilities, Aetherium tracks the Heartstone’s precise location but keeps it hidden from Nightshade. As they grow closer to their goal, he begins to question his alliance with her, realizing that Nightshade’s ambitions could destroy all life in Gotham. Sensing his hesitation, Nightshade confronts him, accusing him of betrayal. In a heated exchange, Aetherium barely escapes her wrath, fleeing into the shadows as she vows to find the Heartstone alone.

Chapter 10: The Final Battle – Heartstone’s Awakening

With all parties converging on the Heartstone’s location, a final battle erupts in an abandoned cathedral deep beneath Gotham. Red Raven, MiracleMolly, TheeDarkKnight, Domino, Punchline, and Nightshade clash in a chaotic melee, each driven by their own motives. Aetherium appears, seeking to seize the artifact for himself, and in a tense standoff, he begins to open a dimensional rift to harness its energy.

Chapter 11: TheeDarkKnight’s Choice

As the rift threatens to destabilize Gotham’s foundations, TheeDarkKnight faces a critical decision: destroy the Heartstone, or let Aetherium use it to unleash untold dimensions into Gotham. She wrestles with her loyalty to her city versus her desire to protect it from within. Ultimately, with MiracleMolly’s help, she decides to shatter the Heartstone, believing that Gotham’s future shouldn’t be bound by its past.

Chapter 12: Aftermath – New Beginnings

As the Heartstone’s energy dissipates, Aetherium disappears into a dimensional void, defeated but not entirely gone. Nightshade, furious at her failure, retreats to the shadows, vowing revenge on Gotham itself. MiracleMolly and Red Raven survey the cathedral’s ruins, understanding the sacrifices made to save the city. Domino and Punchline, undeterred, escape into the night, seeking their next chaotic endeavor.

Epilogue

Gotham remains, as always, on the brink, but for now, the Heartstone’s influence has been nullified. TheeDarkKnight and MiracleMolly pledge to protect Gotham from threats within and beyond, while Red Raven, having tasted the thrill of cooperation, fades back into his solo vigilante life, leaving only shadows and the distant cries of ravens behind.

This outline provides the framework for a complex narrative involving alliances, betrayals, and personal struggles. Each character has a distinct role that leads to high-stakes conflict centered on the Heartstone, with enough twists and turns to build a story that reaches the target word count naturally. From here, we could further expand dialogue, settings, and action scenes to flesh out each chapter into 7,000 words, creating an epic tale that captures Gotham's dark allure.

[RedRaven]

To deepen the storyline featuring MiracleMolly, Bambi, TheeDarkKnight, Domino, Punchline, and new villains/heroes like Nightshade, Red Raven, and Aetherium, I'll incorporate your new visual references and connect character motivations and alliances in a darker Gotham tale centered around the Heartstone artifact.

Act I: The Awakening of the Heartstone

Gotham City has always held secrets beneath its cobblestone streets and towering skyscrapers, but none as potent as the Heartstone. Hidden beneath the city, this ancient artifact pulses with energy that both heroes and villains sense as it begins to awaken. The Heartstone is said to be a relic of unparalleled power, capable of influencing minds, amplifying emotions, and warping reality itself.

Nightshade, the eco-terrorist with control over toxic plants, senses the Heartstone as a dark blight poisoning Gotham’s natural world. She begins her assault on the city, creating deadly plant-infested zones and spreading a message of purging humanity from Gotham to reclaim the land. To her, the Heartstone represents humanity’s sins—its very existence a source of rot within the earth. She vows to possess it, intending to use its powers to return Gotham to nature, no matter the human cost.

In the shadows of the city, Red Raven watches from above, his red-feathered armor blending with the night sky. With his ability to control birds of prey and move seamlessly across Gotham's rooftops, he has earned a reputation as an enigmatic vigilante. Unlike Nightshade, Red Raven sees the Heartstone not as a curse but as a symbol of Gotham’s sins—a way to atone for its past. He wants the Heartstone to protect the future of Gotham and, if necessary, he is willing to make deals with the lesser of evils to secure it. Yet his motives are a mystery, and his alliances seem to shift depending on his own interpretation of justice.

Meanwhile, Aetherium, a shadowy dimensional walker, arrives in Gotham. Drawn to the Heartstone like a moth to a flame, he views it as a key to new realms and sees in it a way to traverse dimensions unfathomable to mere mortals. Aetherium's allegiance is as fluid as his ability to step between dimensions. For him, the Heartstone is not a tool for justice or destruction, but a means to unlock limitless knowledge and power. He is willing to work with heroes or villains if it leads him closer to his prize.

Act II: Convergence of Forces

MiracleMolly, a reformed thief and tech expert, senses the unrest spreading through Gotham. Knowing the Heartstone’s potential for chaos, she contacts Bambi, who has recently returned to the city and taken on a role as a guardian for Gotham’s marginalized. Bambi, understanding the cultural weight and history behind artifacts like the Heartstone, agrees to help MiracleMolly. Together, they seek allies who will defend the artifact without exploiting it.

TheeDarkKnight (Rebecca Black), a dark and relentless vigilante who mirrors Batman’s ideals but with her own ruthless methodology, joins their cause. With her knack for blending into the shadows and striking fear, she brings an edge to their alliance that’s equal parts terrifying and reassuring. Despite her cold exterior, she shares a respect for Gotham’s past and understands the necessity of protecting the Heartstone from those who would abuse its power.

Domino, Harley Quinn’s unpredictable ally, and Punchline, the twisted new partner of Joker, arrive in Gotham under the guise of “helping” to secure the Heartstone. Domino’s luck-based powers and Punchline’s sinister charisma make them formidable opponents, especially when they realize the power contained within the Heartstone. Their loyalty, however, remains in question, as they see opportunities for personal gain.

Aetherium approaches Nightshade, offering his knowledge of the Heartstone in exchange for her cooperation. He manipulates her passion for cleansing the city’s impurities, suggesting that his dimensional abilities could help her spread her plant-based toxins beyond Gotham, to cleanse other cities and create a “paradise.” Nightshade agrees, forming a loose alliance with Aetherium, with the goal of eliminating all life in Gotham that she deems unworthy.

Act III: The Heartstone Hunt Begins

With alliances forged and motivations set, the hunt for the Heartstone begins. Each character’s path weaves through Gotham’s streets, converging in the city’s darkest alleys and abandoned buildings.

A Battle of Shadows: Red Raven and TheeDarkKnight confront Nightshade in the Botanical Gardens, which has been transformed into a twisted sanctuary of poisonous vines and sentient plant life. Red Raven’s control over birds clashes with Nightshade’s lethal plants, while TheeDarkKnight provides support from the shadows, using her gadgets to shield against toxic spores. They are almost overwhelmed, but Red Raven's precise strikes weaken Nightshade, forcing her to retreat.

Technology Meets Sorcery: MiracleMolly and Bambi, armed with technology and ancient lore, manage to decipher part of the Heartstone’s mysteries. They create a temporary shield to protect against the Heartstone's seductive energy, making it safer to transport. However, their efforts are interrupted by Domino and Punchline, who attempt to sabotage them, seeing their cooperation as a threat. The clash is both physical and psychological, as Punchline taunts MiracleMolly about her past crimes, weakening her resolve. But Bambi’s words about redemption empower MiracleMolly, allowing them to escape with the artifact.

Dimension Walkers: Aetherium’s true nature becomes evident as he confronts Red Raven, who has gained access to the Heartstone. Realizing that Red Raven wants to secure the Heartstone for Gotham’s future, Aetherium manipulates him by promising access to a realm where Gotham’s troubles never existed. Red Raven is momentarily swayed, his loyalty tested as he contemplates what Gotham could be without its history of pain.

Act IV: The Final Confrontation

The major factions gather for a climactic battle at Gotham’s central plaza, where the Heartstone’s energy begins to reach a breaking point. Nightshade arrives with her toxin-filled plants, intending to unleash a final attack on the city. Aetherium watches from the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment to seize the Heartstone and slip into another dimension.

Red Raven and Bambi confront Nightshade, determined to stop her before she wipes out Gotham’s population. MiracleMolly and TheeDarkKnight work to defuse the Heartstone, attempting to use a device to channel its power safely out of Gotham. Domino and Punchline, caught in the chaos, switch sides, realizing that the destruction of Gotham will prevent them from ever achieving the chaos and mischief they crave.

In a final act of desperation, Aetherium reveals his true plan: he intends to use the Heartstone to collapse all dimensions into one, creating a new reality under his control. Red Raven, seeing through Aetherium's deception, turns on him, his loyalty to Gotham finally solidified. The heroes and antiheroes rally together in an uneasy truce, each putting aside personal vendettas to prevent Aetherium's apocalyptic vision.

Act V: Redemption and Sacrifice

As the Heartstone reaches critical mass, Bambi realizes that only a pure heart can contain its energy without corruption. With a heavy heart, they volunteer, channeling the artifact’s power into themselves, effectively neutralizing it but at a great personal cost. The energy transforms Bambi, connecting them with Gotham itself, becoming a guardian spirit bound to the city’s history and future.

The Heartstone, now dormant, is buried deep beneath Gotham, watched over by MiracleMolly and TheeDarkKnight, who vow to protect it from future threats. Nightshade, defeated and realizing her vision for Gotham is unattainable, retreats into the wilderness, vowing to return when humanity least expects it. Aetherium, left without the Heartstone’s power, fades into the shadows, swearing vengeance on those who thwarted his plan.

The Heartstone saga ends with Gotham safe, but its defenders are forever changed. Each character’s journey through betrayal, redemption, and sacrifice highlights the fragile alliances that protect the city, even as new threats loom on the horizon.

To start constructing the concept for #RedHulk: SMASH on PlayStation 7, here’s a preliminary breakdown for the gameplay, story, mechanics, and visual elements that could bring the Red Hulk experience to life:

Story Concept:

In #RedHulk: SMASH, players assume the role of Thunderbolt Ross as Red Hulk, navigating a world teetering on the edge of chaos. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic landscape where traditional heroes have been either eliminated or are in hiding. A dangerous faction of anti-superhero extremists, armed with advanced tech, have taken control of major cities. Red Hulk, with his raw power and relentless nature, stands as one of the last lines of defense against a complete power shift that could spell the end for mutants, heroes, and enhanced beings.

The narrative follows Red Hulk as he grapples with inner demons and rage, facing moral dilemmas about being both hero and monster. Alongside missions of intense combat and environmental destruction, Red Hulk encounters characters who question his motives, including other Hulk variants, survivors from previous Avengers rosters, and unexpected allies who see his raw power as their only chance.

Gameplay Mechanics:

Smash and Destruction-Based Combat:

Rage Meter: As Red Hulk takes or deals damage, his Rage Meter fills up, unlocking increasingly devastating moves. The higher the Rage Meter, the less control Red Hulk has, introducing a risk of uncontrollable outbursts.

Environmental Destruction: Players can destroy nearly every part of the environment. Buildings, vehicles, and urban landscapes are fully interactive, allowing Red Hulk to use debris and environmental objects as weapons.

Combat Combos and Finisher Moves: A range of brutal combos that evolve as players unlock new abilities or upgrades.

Traversal and Exploration:

Hulk Jumps and Wall Climbing: Red Hulk can leap great distances, climb up skyscrapers, and scale walls.

Smash Down Move: Allows Red Hulk to leap into the sky and come crashing down with a seismic wave, creating large shockwaves.

Super Speed: Incorporates Red Hulk’s swift movement to evade or charge into combat.

Character Customization and Upgrades:

Skill Tree: Players can upgrade Red Hulk’s strength, durability, Rage resistance, and combat techniques.

Appearance Mods: Unlock various cosmetic upgrades, like different Red Hulk outfits inspired by the comics, or experimental armors built to contain his power.

Weapons and Gadgets: Red Hulk occasionally utilizes military gear, allowing for ranged attacks or more tactical gameplay.

Allies and Enemies:

Cameos from Marvel Characters: Heroes like She-Hulk or villains like Abomination could show up as either allies, bosses, or opponents.

Unique Enemy Classes: From advanced tech soldiers with specialized gear to mutant-hunters designed to contain super-powered beings, enemies will challenge Red Hulk’s resilience and require different strategies.

Game Modes:

Story Mode: A full campaign that explores Red Hulk’s role in this dystopian world.

Arena Mode: Players can enter gladiator-style arenas and face off against waves of enemies to test Red Hulk’s limits.

Destruction Challenges: Time-limited challenges focused on causing maximum destruction within urban settings.

Interactive Environment and Dynamic Weather System:

Weather and Terrain Impact: From thunderstorms to earthquakes, the weather and terrain affect Red Hulk’s abilities and combat approach.

Day/Night Cycle: The game shifts from day to night, creating different atmospheres and enemy types that appear based on the time of day.

Visual and Audio Design:

Visual Aesthetic: Dark, gritty, with high-detail textures that make Red Hulk’s skin and muscle fibers look incredibly lifelike. Emphasis on destruction physics to make every smash satisfying.

Soundtrack: A mix of heavy, powerful orchestral tones with metal and electronic elements to match the intensity of Red Hulk’s nature.

Voice Acting: Red Hulk's voice should be gruff and filled with anger, contrasting with moments of somber introspection.

Potential Boss Battles:

Iron Patriot Faction Leader: A military-driven character with an anti-hero philosophy, using advanced Iron Man-like armor.

Mutant Sentinel: A massive robot created to hunt down super-powered individuals, using Red Hulk’s own abilities against him.

Doctor Doom (or equivalent): A strategic and power-hungry villain who manipulates Red Hulk into doing his bidding, ultimately becoming a formidable opponent.

This structure would give #RedHulk: SMASH an intense and gritty feel, placing players in the role of a raw, unrestrained powerhouse navigating moral gray areas while protecting a world that fears and rejects him. Let me know if you'd like to expand on any of these aspects, develop specific story arcs, or brainstorm further gameplay scenarios!

[bedlamsbard]

I for one would LOVE to hear about That Man's opinion on the Sokovia Accords, and any other blends of the real world into marvelverse as you have time and space for

Donald Trump is the horrifying combination of anti-Accords, anti-Captain America, and anti-Iron Man. I have THOUGHTS on this.

Okay, so CACW takes place in 2016, yes? which was a horrifying enough election year IRL, but in the Marvel Cinematic Universe we're looking at a scenario where I have postulated that Matthew Ellis is the Democratic candidate. Ellis was elected in 2012 after Barack Obama dropped out of the 2012 race post-Battle of New York as a result of pressure from the World Security Council; my best estimate is that Ellis takes Joe Biden's place as Obama's vice president in the 2008 election (apologies to our Irish Catholic granddad, we can probably safely assume he's still a senator in this AU) and coasts to electoral victory on a wave of post-BONY patriotism. (see my hard-hitting investigative journalism on who was president during the Battle of New York. George W. Bush was president during the events of IM1, we can assume that all real world presidents prior to Ellis served as usual, a.k.a. FDR was president during CATFA, Bill Clinton was president during Captain Marvel and the BW prologue -- actually, we know Clinton was president, because we see him in the BW credits, same with a few others.)

For better or worse -- worse, as it turns out -- Ellis's administration becomes closely linked to Tony Stark and James Rhodes, since Tony and Rhodey very publicly save his life during the events of IM3 and are responsible for his VP (Rodriguez, no first name that I'm aware of) being arrested for treason and probably other nasty stuff. Four months after that, the events of CATWS go down, and while Ellis is quoted in Steve's Smithsonian exhibit with the "Welcome Back" wall bannerand thus they presumably met, Steve is not closely associated with Matthew Ellis in the same way that Tony Stark is. Steve is also closely associated with a major blow to the American intelligence apparatus, the deaths of most of the World Security Council, the destruction of SHIELD, the "death" of Nick Fury, the disgrace and death of Alexander Pierce, and the arrests of a number of major American politicians, including Senator Stern of Pennsylvania. We know from CATWS that Ellis himself was a target of Project Insight; I have also postulated that the Hydra reveal had a major effects on his administration, including either the arrest or the resignation of his original Secretary of State. Thaddeus Ross got the SecState position not because he was Ellis's original pick, but because post-CATWS (or possibly post-AoU), he was able to leverage his previous experience with the Hulk and other recipients of the super soldier serum to be politically useful.

Ellis has to be in favor of the Sokovia Accords because his SecState is running the show -- in theory the Accords will be administered by a UN panel, in actual practice, as we see in CACW and BW, the intent is for either the American SecState in general or Thaddeus Ross specifically to have sole control over the Avengers. Less than ideal by anyone's standards. Pre-Accords, no one knows how this is going to shake out.

Let's go back to how Donald Trump hates Steve Rogers, like, so much. The feeling is mutual. I'm pretty sure Trump personally knew, or at least met, Tony Stark pre-Iron Man, because they would have been in some of the same social circles: those personalities are going to clash. That's not going to go over well. Trump probably made overtures to Steve because CAPTAIN AMERICA! we love America! what's more great for America than the Greatest Generation! only uh. it's Steve. and Trump pre- (and post-) 2016 is everything Steve Rogers hates. sure, he's a great piece of American propaganda, but he grew up as a poor second generation immigrant son of a single mother with significant health issues during the Great Depression. that didn't go away when he got the serum and it certainly didn't go away when he got out of the ice! so Steve probably rebuffed the initial overtures politely, but he did rebuff them, and Trump, hmm, doesn't handle that sort of thing real well. so then a big part of That Man's campaign turned into the "fuck Captain America" tour with a side of "fuck the Avengers," playing heavily into the damage done during the events of Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Which Ellis's campaign was probably also doing, but more circumspectly because Matthew Ellis is an actual politician and he's politically linked to two of the ten Avengers (Tony and Rhodey); Tony's also the one with the most obvious "pull." Steve's got some but Steve doesn't actually want to use it.

So on the one hand, if Ellis is pro-Avengers and pro-Accords, but in a "they should be controlled but we need them" sort of way, then his main opponent is going to not be in favor of either. In 2016 Trump does want the Avengers controlled (so he can have personal pull over the two Avengers he hates the most, Tony and Steve; he's probably also not fond of many of the others! like, Natasha and Wanda are both women and immigrants...). But he doesn't want them controlled by a UN panel, he wants them controlled by the United States of America. You don't let THE UNITED NATIONS give orders to CAPTAIN AMERICA. The Avengers are mostly made up of American citizens, they include some fine pieces of American engineering; this is America's business. So that's his focus on the Accords leading up to CACW.

CACW itself is a political disaster for Matthew Ellis and almost certainly flipped the election for him -- it goes so horrifically badly for him even if he got the "victory" of the Accords passing that there's basically no way to recover from it, though presumably he tried in the months between May and November 2016. The events of BW and the Raft breakout during those months put the nail in the coffin of Ellis's reelection campaign. Trump spends that time beating Ellis's failure to control the Avengers into the ground, along with personal insults about Tony's incompetence as a superhero and Steve's disloyalty as an American, etc. etc., along with all the other stuff from his 2016 campaign. Absolute disaster for everyone on every level.

(Ross manages to skate through into Trump's administration -- since we know he's there in IW in 2018; I think he's addressed as "Mr. Secretary" there but can't check rn -- because he's a slippery son of a bitch and probably manages to parlay his Hulk experience, his hardheadedness in going after Natasha Romanoff, and tbh probably the fact that his nickname is Thunderbolt Ross into a cabinet position. (We've all heard the speculation that Jim Mattis got the real world SecDef position because his nickname is Mad Dog Mattis, right?) It's possible that in IW he's no longer SecState and is in fact running that UN panel, but I think that table of people we see has U.S. military uniforms at it and Rhodey specifically refers to potentially being court-martialed.)

presumably there are no Avengers-level disasters between 2016 and 2018 (we know the events of Spider-Man Homecoming and Ant-Man and the Wasp take place then, but they're not "call the team out" big), which is probably the only thing that keeps the whole disaster from going up in flames before then. the fact that no one can catch Steve or the other rogue Avengers must be driving That Man crazy and he probably went on some vicious Twitter rants about that.

and then, in my heart of hearts, he gets snapped in 2018.

I am sorry for making you think about Donald Trump's political views but at least they aren't his actual real world ones (horrifying).