#the russos destroyed any chance of getting more interaction of these two

[dreadnought-dear-captain]

‘Til the End of the Line (or Not) OR: See? We TOLD You “No Homo.” Love, Markus and McFeely

*****WARNING: 99.9% SALT!! Contains spoilers for Avengers Endgame!!****

I guess this is part two of my personal processing of Endgame. @pitchforkcentral86 was not satisfied by my timey-wimey Endgame post, which centered on Steve’s choice to go back in time to be with Peggy and the implications of that choice. She remarked that yeah, it’s great that Steve might not be a total piece of crap, Pym particles, yada yada, whatever, but it still didn’t make her feel any less despair over this ending.

The source of her agony: Steve and Bucky’s relationship and its utter lack of satisfying resolution. So I shall address that now, because I think I feel worse about that than anything, and I can’t explain it away with Pym particles.

Anyone who has any investment at all in the relationship between Bucky and Steve — whether you are a Stucky person or whether you view them as platonic but deeply connected best friends — has probably had to spend the last two movies scraping around the floor, searching for crumbs, signs, any hints that these two people care about each other. We have been begging the Russos, the screenwriters Markus and McFeely, anyone who would listen, for anything to suggest that they are even on the barest of speaking terms, let alone that they have the intensity of relationship that the MCU spent 3+ movies explicitly convincing us that they have. I’ll even come out and say that although I ship Stucky in fandom and fic hardcore, I am not an MCU canon Stucky person per se. I’m 100% fine if the MCU wants to treat this as a deep, fraternal friendship. In fact, I see some benefits to this interpretation. How wonderful if men could love each other so deeply and have it NOT be sexual or romantic. But I’m also 100% fine with people interpreting this as romantic love, and there were times throughout this franchise where the actors, various parties in production, and Marvel itself has been agnostic on the subject, if not encouraging of gay interpretations of their relationship. Let it be what you want, fans have been told. Or just flat out post a pic of Steve and Bucky on #National Boyfriend Day like Civil War comic writer Mark Millar. Sure. At times, it almost felt safe to ship them. As soon as Civil War drew to a close, however, it started becoming... inconvenient for Bucky and Steve to be together. Steve needs to go to the Raft. Bucky needs to go into cryo. Steve needs to become Nomad and go secret avenging. Bucky needs to do his Vibranium Brain Magic (TM)/goat herding complex PTSD recovery program. Side note: Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) is my provisional diagnosis based on virtually nothing, because Bucky’s character has gotten so little substantive screen time that we can only guess at his psychological state, save what can be conveyed through glistening eyes and woobieface and “... but I did it.” Wow. Bowl me over, you really got me right in the McFeelys. Though +1000 to SebStan for working what he got to work with to the max. That motherfucker can act. We know for certain approximately jack shit about Bucky’s internal experience post-Winter Soldier. And so, like pretty much everything with Bucky and this friendship/ship arc, I will just guess at what is actually wrong with him. But after 70 years as a POW being tortured and possibly gaslit and definitely brainwashed, that is almost the textbook recipe for complex PTSD, so imma go with that. Returning to this distance. Now, it first appears to be largely logistical in nature. Steve is over here, Bucky is over there. Golly, just too busy to hang these days. All this secret avenging without you. And when we pine — pine — for the meaningful reunion of these two in IW, instead we got a “Hey brah, how's it hanging?” “You know, old and traumatized lol” exchange and a “let’s make sure our dicks don’t touch” back-slappy hug that lasted two seconds. This is without any hint as to whether these two have seen each other yet after Bucky’s de-thawing, leaving us to wonder whether this is really the big reunion we have been waiting for. 

(If we had audio, the sound would be 70% slapping.)

I’m going to pause here, because for many of us, this was devastating. After all, we were left with this shot of Steve as Bucky made the choice to go into cryo, a choice that seemed only somewhat justifiable on the vague grounds of “I can’t trust my own mind.” (Me either, pal.)

Ugh.

Perhaps this was also an avoidance strategy — easier to go back on ice than deal with the emotional fallout of what just happened. And who could blame him? He is probably still relearning how to cope effectively with things after his entire coping system was destroyed by his time with Hydra. But Steve was clearly disappointed or, at the very least, saddened by this. He gets something back just to lose it again. Enter distance. He leaves and goes avenging. Emotionally, perhaps this move to cryo created distance as well. Their relationship was on such fragile ground at this point, mostly an artifact from the ‘40s, and their chance to deepen it was taken away by the writers because Bucky wanted to go on ice for reasons and Steve needed to do Steve things. And so when IW rolled around, oh, did we want them to have a substantive reunion. But alas, we did not get that. We saw equally substantive exchanges between Bucky and Sam or Rocket and far more substantive exchanges between Steve and pretty much anyone else. And then we got the ultimate separation — (fake) death. Again. A traumatic, unplanned loss that costs another five years from their timeline, all before they even got the chance to properly re-establish a friendship. Again, I’m going off of what we actually see portrayed, not off of what we assume or would like to see. We have absolutely no idea how much Steve and Bucky interacted in Wakanda. But Steve busted Sam out of the Raft quite early, early enough that he still had a messed up face from the time Tony went in (unless he was getting beatings on the reg, which is possible). So if he was hanging with Sam since before Bucky went on ice, and Sam just visited Wakanda for the first time in IW, either Steve was borrowing the Quinjet to secretly visit Wakanda on his own to hang with Bucky, or he hadn’t been back to Wakanda since he left the first time. 

Regarding Steve visiting Wakanda between CW and IW — I found this bullshit from Markus and McFeely on the subject of whether Steve and Bucky met or talked prior to IW. The writers could not even agree about their own characters, with one saying that Steve and his crew probably visited Wakanda and hung out with Bucky and the other saying, eh, the two of them “maybe Skyped.” As to the former, this is not at all supported by the narrative or by logic. Infinity War is clearly Sam’s first time in Wakanda, with all that drama about “zomg you’re gonna hit those trees, bro!” as they are flying into the city. And why would Steve  leave his team alone and vulnerable, probably taking the Quinjet, their only form of reliable and safe transportation, so he could go visit Bucky alone? He’s not there for a booty call, y’all, because these guys have barely even rekindled their friendship. Moreover, the other secret avengers know how important Bucky is to Steve. This isn’t a secret. There would be no reason to go alone and no reason for T’Challa to forbid Nat, Sam, and Wanda from coming to Wakanda. So it makes no sense that Steve has visited Wakanda prior to IW, and thus, that would make IW their first meeting, which is… utter and heartbreaking garbage. But at least they had motherfucking SKYPE. MAYBE. Fuck. You. Very. Much. 

So, in the face of this shit reunion and Bucky’s subsequent dusting, some of us kindled hope for the upcoming Endgame. Perhaps we would get flashbacks. We knew there would be flashbacks or time travel because we saw stuff in the trailers and sneak peeks from the set. So maybe there would be something there to account for the utter lack of attention to their relationship in Infinity War. Again, this was the mere request that Markus and McFeely and the directors acknowledge wholeheartedly what they have been building for these characters since the beginning of their time in the MCU. This was not even strictly about Stucky. This was about doing justice for these characters as humans. But there were no flashbacks. Who knows what happened in Wakanda. We will have to fill in the blanks on our own. Not a single comment could be spared to even signal whether the IW Wakanda scene was their first time seeing each other since cryo.  “How’s that new arm treating you?” or “God, it’s been so long”/deep emotion would be all it would have taken to not keep us wondering one way or the other. This suggests a lack of consideration to the fans of these characters and this relationship — which, again, Markus and McFeely slaved to get us to pour our hearts into. So… Endgame. What was that? Bucky and Steve didn’t stand next to each other at Tony’s funeral. Okay. Bucky is not an A-list Avenger. He did kill Tony’s parents. Awkward. Bucky was comforted by Sam, his… guy he sat behind in the Volkswagen in Civil War and fought next to in IW, and he needed comfort apparently (?) because he… killed Martha and Howard Stark (??), which was sweet, and much more spontaneous affection than we’ve seen from Steve in an age, but what the actual fuck??? Was that Mickey Mouse standing behind the Iron Man 3 kid wearing a “Falcon and Winter Soldier” miniseries t-shirt?

And that ending. This was maybe the one implied nugget of friendship between them visible with an electron microscope. They obviously had at least one deep conversation about Steve deviating from the plan to go have a life, and they obviously had a discussion about who would succeed him as Cap. My dreams of Bucky Cap were dashed into dust, but as @pitchforkcentral86 said, it would have been cruel to give it to Bucky. Bucky would possibly have taken it if Steve kicked the bucket in EG, but it makes the most sense to be passed along in a planned way to Sam. So maybe they had at least one good conversation. Way, way off camera. Bucky said he would miss him. Recycled TFA line. Thank God it was not involving the words “jerk” and “punk.” Glistening woobie eyes. Steve leaving to go be with the one person who can make him feel like a whole human being, apparently, because there is nothing and nobody tethering him to this time in history anymore.

Whoa— wait— WHAT??? These are the moments where I literally double check the credits for the Cap movies to make sure that it says “Markus and McFeely.” Then I check the latest Avengers movies to make sure they also say “Markus and McFeely.” And they ALL DO!! The same two men painstakingly crafted the story of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, two men who — let’s be literal in the narrative here, for the sake of making a conservative argument — are best friends from childhood. They hammered on this story HARD, making sure that their relationship was so strong that by the time 2016 rolled around, the depth and intensity of their friendship and Steve’s commitment to it would tear the Avengers apart. And along the way, something else happened.

When you put two people in relationship like this, you have to know that there will be consequences. People will grow very emotionally invested in their relationship, because that is exactly what the writers were asking the audience to do. These dudes did their job, all right! And then something else happened, quite easily, even though these things will also happen under much harsher conditions: Stucky. Winter Soldier alone probably launched a hundred thousand ships for these two — gay, gay ships, so very gay, the glitteriest, gayest of cruise liners — from a hundred thousand ports around the globe. This ship has permeated pop culture even outside the fandom (some dumb gross man jokes from Screen Junkies within, but the Stucky shenanigans start at around 3:15).

And perhaps that’s when Markus and McFeely realized what a monster they created, one that would clash in ugly ways with their forthcoming (heterosexual) narrative, — their endgame for Steve. And so what did they do? Overcorrect. Wildly. Pull the plug. Bucky and Steve can’t fall out as friends completely, but what’s the next best thing? Give them almost zero screen time together, lest anyone be tempted to think they have a serious relationship — and again, I’m just talking friendship at this point, let alone anything else. Make their lines devoid of substance. Keep us wondering about the nature of their dynamic. Did the distance grow too great? Is Bucky not able to reconnect with anyone? Is Steve too busy? Too salty?? Who knows! These are possibilities, but none are explained. Then just poof Bucky off the face of the earth for 5 years to create existential distance. And in the meantime, ensure that Bucky is shown as not even a passing thought for Steve Rogers. Ensure that his name is never once uttered by Steve until he is about to leave him to go be with Peggy — oh except when, in a real dick move, when he emotionally whumps his past self with the news that Bucky is alive for the sole purpose of getting out of a stranglehold. At the same time, ensure that Steve is seen becoming single-mindedly fixated on Peggy Carter, and make sure the audience — including all those pesky Stucky shippers — knows that he considers her the “love of his life.” Ensure we see the compass with increasing frequency and with maximum longing. Insert Steve finding the absurd photograph of himself on the Director of SHIELD’s desk, facing the door for any junior colleague to see her pining over him like a schoolgirl long after he died, which is just about the least Peggy Carter thing I can ever imagine (and these people created and wrote for the Agent Carter TV series!!!).

Then give us our first openly gay person in the MCU. And drop him in the same scene that you confirm once and for all that Peggy Carter is the love of Steve Rogers’ life. Have Steve be so fucking cool with it that he makes us proud and relieved that he’s not a homophobe. Whew! Only… it makes us feel kind of gross, and maybe we can’t quite figure out why at first. But maybe it’s because it feels  personal, like a concession, like the writers and director knew exactly what they were doing to a lot of people who feel a very specific way about Steve’s sexuality and about his relationship with Bucky Barnes. It feels like a tone deaf nod to the fandom. Sorry, guys. No homo. We really did try to warn you with the whole Sharon Carter thing. (Sharon Carter, in an act of gross and misogynistic misuse, remains one of the most criminally mistreated characters in the entire MCU, arguably serving almost entirely as a “no homo” device before being completely discarded, never to be heard from again.)

Which got me thinking — was this move to distance Steve and Bucky so abruptly a reactive move? The divide between Steve and Bucky that happens in IW and EG feels so cold and inorganic. It does not feel at all driven by the natural arc of the characters as established by the creators themselves. It feels rushed and confusing, like it just needed to happen for plot convenience (though not even clearly that), and once again, we are left trying to figure out what the fuck is actually going on.

Part of that is probably needing to lay the groundwork for Steve’s feelings of alienation, which lead him to his ultimate choice to go back in time. He can’t feel too connected to Bucky or he won’t want to go back to be with Peggy. But could part of this also possibly be a reaction to how strongly Stucky was adopted by the public? Did Markus and McFeely realize how much more strongly we love the idea of Steve and Bucky — as friends or lovers, who cares? — rather than Steve and Peggy, which was probably their ending for Steve all along? Did they realize their terrible mistake of bringing them so close, endearing them to us so much, and then realize “OH SHIT,” and then slam on the brakes? Is that why IW and EG felt like absolute shit for their relationship, even for those who are not total endgame Stucky people?

Okay, but what if their friendship just ran its course? Friendships do that, even really deep ones. These two have had a huge chronological and experiential rift that never was really healed (thanks to our dear writers). Steve saved Bucky’s life thrice but they never really reconnected. Presumably. As far as we know in the narrative we are given by the writers. Okay. Let’s say you need to get Steve back with Peggy and for Bucky to become pals with Sam instead because contracts and actors. Whatever. Fine. But if you are going to play the “our friendship has come and gone” card, you need to fully PLAY IT. You can’t make it some vague option that might be true because we can’t figure out what the hell is going on. They need to have an actual conversation. For fuck’s sake, if we have time to fuck around with Korg and Miek on the couch and time to have Banner take selfies with kids and do stupid time gags and a bunch of other little shit, there is enough time to have a brief conversation somewhere to imply that “things have changed” or “people change” or something to imply that the writers were even thinking about the course of Bucky and Steve’s relationship as more than just a platform to launch Steve back to Peggy and launch Bucky toward Sam for their spinoff series.

There was just no depth. How can they give us three movies composed almost entirely of Mariana Trench levels of depth between these two men and then give us virtually nothing in IW and then next to nothing in EG to “round out” their entire storyline? The shape of the emotional momentum in this relationship is so wonky and dissatisfying, and the lack of comment on the dissolution of their friendship in the narrative, the fact that it isn’t even being acknowledged, is one of the worst parts. This relationship died without being honored or even attended to at the most basic level, after being told that it is perhaps the most important relationship in Steve and Bucky’s lifetimes and being shown evidence of that fact.

Moreover, let’s get real — calling Peggy the love of Steve’s life should do nothing to diminish his friendship with Bucky Barnes. That’s not how love works. You don’t just get one person. You can have a best friend — hell, you can have two best friends — and a woman you love. (And even moreover, you don’t have to leap back through time to find closeness just because you can. But that’s another matter with Steve’s character that I will address in a future speculative character analysis on Steve in an effort to explain how he got to this point, because I have a super depressing head canon about it involving traumatic grief and loss.) 

But just like comic book science, perhaps there are comic book rules about love and affinity. You only get one person, and Steve gets Peggy. And apparently Bucky gets Sam. Because contracts. But as I said before, I would have been okay if they had a dissolution of their friendship because that was the course of their friendship. Just tell us what is happening. Have the decency to respect your characters by giving their relationship a true arc, whatever it is. You can’t just recycle a TFA line and call it an arc. That is not an arc. Markus and McFeely goddamn know better and we know they know better, because we just saw a beautiful relationship arc closing with Tony and Pepper and, on a smaller scale, with Tony and Peter fucking Parker.

By the way, the small in-person and symbolic interactions between Tony and Peter in EG? Those are what high quality, emotionally salient, brief interactions between people who care about each other look like.

1. Tony’s picture of Peter in his kitchen: He can see from where he does his dishes. He looks at it meaningfully and thoughtfully before making a major plot-essential decision that risks his way of life.

2. Tony and Peter’s reunion hug: It starts off with some humor and classic Peter rambling. Becomes a full-ass, real hug. Nobody slaps the other’s back. Peter remarks, very sincerely, “oh, this is nice.”  <3

3. Tony’s death scene: Peter is visibly and truly wrecked. Tony looks at him in a heartfelt way. Words are unnecessary. It is perfect.

Bonus IW moment, because it is one of the most moving images I have seen in the MCU: Tony has Peter’s ashes in his goddamn mouth, eyes closed. Defeated.

Jesus Christ. Don’t tell me Markus and McFeely don’t know how to write characters and brief, powerful interactions, even when the characters are not together. They most certainly are very, very capable of this.

So why did we get the lifeless, quippy drivel and lame physical contact they gave Bucky and Steve in IW and EG? Which, regarding their last convo, was Bucky spilling his guts and Steve being like “Yeah brah, you’ll be fine, don’t be a fucking idiot while I’m off being happy with the only person in the universe who can make me complete #surprisesoulmates.” Bucky offers his quippy mandatory TFA callback retort so that the audience remembers that these two once gave an actual fuck about each other at one point in the narrative.  Cue slappy-back-no-dick-touch hug. And please don’t tell me that this is just how men from the ‘40s hug. I would buy that for TFA, but after everything they’ve been through in Winter Soldier and Civil War? I am not buying it.

**Slap-slap**

So we get a Steve Rogers who exits the MCU permanently by making a contentious, questionable final choice with questionable implications that take a graduate degree and/or a hive mind to questionably figure out (or else I’m just a fucking idiot and I’m the only one who needed those things). And we also get the profoundly dissatisfying demise of a relationship that we invested a tremendous amount of emotional energy in because that is what the screenwriters and directors asked us to do. 

I am not writing this as a diehard Stucky shipper. I love Stucky, don’t get me wrong. It’s all I read and write in fandom. And I can certainly buy a world (at least, in Caps 1-3) where canon Steve’s love for Bucky is the gay kind and vice versa. Sure. But I am writing this as a person who loves good characters and good story, and this is such a hard fail that even if I had no emotional investment in these two characters, I would wonder what Markus and McFeely had against Steve and Bucky that they let their garden succumb to drought while they tended so considerately to Tony and Peter and Tony and Pepper and Steve and Natasha and Steve and a dead woman and Thor and Bruce and Thor and fucking Rocket, pretty much all of whom (with the exception of Tony and Pepper) have had so much less at stake, so much less time invested, and so much less of a reason for the audience to give a fuck.

But more importantly, I am writing this as a lover of Steve and Bucky, two people who have a well-established, rock-solid, indisputable human relationship that deserves so much more than what it got, especially given all of the unspeakable suffering these men have experienced separately and as a byproduct of their separation. Canonically. This is not made up fandom shippery superimposed upon Markus and McFeely’s precious creation. This is the truth of these two men as determined by the hands of the creators who also neglected them into nothingness, which is arguably a fate far worse than one or both of them dying an actual, final death.

I am left feeling disappointed and betrayed as a fan, wishing, as others have confided in me, that I was more of a Tony person and had been all along. Because then I would be walking away from this still grief-stricken, but at least it would be for the right reasons.

--

--

I will leave you with this, arguably one of the last in-character moments for Bucky and Steve in the MCU. 

[dannydevitosheight]

Steve Rogers Character Arc

I just saw Endgame 4/25 but I’ll queue this post for a later date so I’m not putting out huge spoilers so soon. And this post is not to say I hated Endgame. I really really enjoyed it. Experiencing all those incredible bad ass moments with a theater full of people who were cheering and clapping and as excited as I was...that's something special that's going to stick with me forever. And I'm grateful for it.

This post is about Steve Rogers in Endgame. And to a lesser extent, Bucky Barnes since, let's be honest, he had almost no role in that movie at all.

I just. Really really need to talk about this.

In part, so I can come to terms with this but also because it really hurts so much seeing so many people thinking Steve's ending was perfect and in character.

And before anything let me make this very clear:

I'm a HUGE Steve Rogers Stan and I want his happiness

I also wanted his character arc end to make some sense

I am also a HUGE Bucky Stan and yes,

I am A   H U G E Stucky Stan and I’m really genuinely trying to be unbiased.

Because, I knew Stucky was never going to be canon, but I’m still deeply deeply disappointed in how Steve’s character arc came to and end.

And it’s NOT just because he didn’t end up with Bucky. Although leaving Bucky like he did is a big part of it. It's not because of what I always wanted them to be. It’s so much more than that.

Watching Endgame was, hard, for so many reasons. There were so many wonderful moments like HOLY SHIT STEVE PICKING UP THE HAMMER. FUCKING INCREDIBLE. And some really fucking awful moments like Clint and Nat fighting over who is going to commit suicide and the softness in Nat’s voice before she let go. And of course...Tony. 💔

But Steve’s arc destroyed me. I’ve been a Steve Rogers stan since forever. Everything his character represents, comics or film, has made a huge impact on me. Always been on Team Cap in every version of Civil War. I’ve been in love with MCU Steve Rogers and his character arc. Until Endgame.

I’m not saying I don’t think he deserved to live a happy life with Peggy,

but...why did he need that?

The First Avenger: Steve rescued the 107th, to get Bucky back. 

Steve wanted to destroy Hydra, for what they stood for, but also because of what they did to Bucky. 

Steve, liked Peggy. Obviously. But what really was their relationship? A powerful attractive woman who kissed him one time? I mean, Steve buddy I get the initial boner but how much substance did their relationship really have in comparison to Steve's relationship to Bucky?

I don't even mean romantically. I mean if I had to choose between my best friend since childhood and a hot guy I've known for a few months...I would pick my best friend? Every time? Wouldn't you? And wouldn't that be a perfectly understandable choice?

But, moving on, in the end of TFA we obviously know Steve sacrifices himself for the greater good.

Avengers: Steve just, did what needed to be done.

He didn’t really have specific motivation at this time aside from his own strong morality and wanting to do the right thing.

The Winter Soldier: Steve has a hard time knowing what he’s fighting for...until he found out Bucky was alive.

After that, everything  was about getting Bucky to remember, and making Hydra pay for what they’d done. To Steve. To Bucky. Once his mission was complete, Steve dropped his shield for Bucky. He literally was going to let Bucky kill him, because he was that goddamn dedicated to sticking with Bucky until the end of the line. The ship doesn’t matter. This is just canon. Steve was willing to die. Just for Bucky this time.

This wasn't for the greater good. It wasn't to end Hydra this time. He already did that. He was literally willing to die...for Bucky, and Bucky only.

Also, for emphasis:

"Even when I had nothing I had Bucky."

"It's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience."

(Not 20 minutes later who does Steve meet? Bucky, with pretty damn similar shared life experience)

"Then finish it. 'Cause I'm with ya to the end of the line."

Also, Steve has the hots for Sharon. Peggy's great niece. But he doesn't even know that. So like he just likes a woman that isn't Peggy. So. That's a thing.

Age of Ultron: Steve specifically states he doesn’t want a domestic life. After he has that weird stress vision about dancing with Peggy.

I don’t. UNDERSTAND. WHY. That was pART OF HIS CHARACTER ARC WHEN HE WAS JUST. GOING TO HAVE THAT ANYWAYS BUT OKAY.

Civil War: Steve literally did everything in this movie For Bucky.

"He remembered you, you know. Your pal. Your buddy. Your Bucky."

"He said 'Bucky' and it was like I was 16-year-old again in Brooklyn."

"Why did you pull me from the river?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

"I'm sorry, Tony. He's my friend."

And for the second time!!!!, Steve abandoned his shield for Bucky. I don’t know what else to say. He did it all for Bucky. I’m. Do you still think it makes sense for Steve to go back to Peggy? Shall I press further?

Oh right, remember how he buried Peggy in that movie, found out Sharon was her great niece and made out with her? Like. Okay. We all hated that but they were trying to say SOMETHING about Steve's love life. And it sure as hell wasn't that he was gonna leave everything for Peggy but alright.

Infinity War: Bucky was shown to be dusted first to show the tragedy and significance of this loss through Steve’s eyes. The Russos stated this. Steve sits in Bucky’s ashes. “Oh god.” 

Endgame: Steve literally doesn’t even talk about Bucky. Ever. He says his name once to shock his past self.

When everyone comes back, Steve and Bucky don’t even get to have a reunion. Tony reunites with Peter, and Doctor Strange. Rocket reunites with Groot. Okoye shows up with T’Challa and Shuri. Later on, Wanda and Clint have a moment, a call back to Age of Ultron. Why didn’t Steve reunite with Bucky? Or at least with Sam?! The whole movie was about those lost five years ago and Steve like doesn't even give a shit about both of his best friends coming back from the dead. In fact, the entire movie focused on Steve’s loss over Peggy, who died in Civil War. And yet he talks about being unable to move on from the loss of the snap? Are you serious? They don’t even allow or show ANY grieving over Sam or Bucky. We’ve already grieved over Peggy. He already moved on and dated Sharon. So why the fuck is SHE Steve’s focus and motivation again? Why doesn't he talk about Bucky or Sam AT ALL? Tony mentions "I lost the kid" Steve doesn't even mention watching Bucky die a second time. Like okay would have loved to see how he moved on from that and straight back into Peggy, somehow. But alright.

This literally came out of NO WHERE and SERVES NO PURPOSE other than to reduce Peggy's character to be a boner motivator for Steve and to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that this entire time, Steve Rogers always has been and always will be a Straight Man.

In a story telling sense, it makes ZERO sense!! Steve’s character arc went from him being a morally strong self sacrificing fool to a deeply depressed man who didn’t want to be with anyone that didn’t have “shared life experience.” He found that. He found Bucky. The nature of the relationship doesn’t matter, it’s incredibly strong. That's been painfully obvious since TWS.

EVEN IF they were meant to be something like brothers, Steve should have stayed with Bucky. It seemed like the entire arc of both their characters was leading to them both getting rest together. Steve sacrificed everything in Civil War to save Bucky, so Bucky could start recovering and so that they could just, be a family together. So they could stop fighting and live quietly together. Chris Evans has talked so much about his character in conjunction with Bucky. How Bucky is Steve’s family. And Sebastian Stan has even stated the one thing that keeps Bucky from committing suicide is Steve. And Steve just. Leaves him. Leaves all of his family, who should arguably mean more to him than one girl he kissed one time in his past.

Is it a nicely wrapped up ending? Yes, I guess. But honestly, seriously, why was it NECESSARY? THERE were a millions ways Steve could still have a happy peaceful ending that didn't have to involve him leaving all of these people for one woman.

I feel cheated. This cut deep. I’m not going to lie. No interaction with Steve and Bucky expect a hug, repeated lines from TFA, and a pained, “I’m really going to miss you man,” from Bucky. We don't even get to see Bucky talk to Steve as an old man. That fucking hurts. We at LEAST deserved that.

Because he knew Steve was going to go back and marry Peggy. And that Steve was going to give up the mantle of Captain America. And I believe because Bucky told Sam to talk to Steve, Steve had already shared his intentions with Bucky before he went back in time. Which is nice but means nothing having it all happen off screen. I’m sure Steve wanted Bucky to be Captain America but he insisted Sam should take up the mantle. Probably because Bucky doesn't want to fucking fight anymore and was still recovering when he was asked to fight in Infinity War. Of course Steve wouldn't put this burden on him but why would he leave him? Steve was Bucky's closest friend, essentially his main support. Someone who could help him remember his old life and someone who could somewhat understand his trauma. No one else can be that person for Bucky. No one. Not even Sam. Sam wasn't there for Bucky's entire life. Steve was. And he just fucking left.

It's like. They gave Steve this arc across several films. One that broke down his faith in society and systems and pushed him closer to Bucky. And it's like. The Russo's (mainly) created this, really beautiful relationship between two men, two friends...but when it got too close to being possibly homosexual they had to drive a wedge between the two, one so wide there's no chance for any subtext to be there anymore, and no chance for us to assume Steve could be anything other than ramrod straight for Peggy and Peggy Only except Sharon That One or Two Times I Guess.

Steve Stans, wouldn't you say this ending is at least a little tiny bit unfair?! Have we all been watching the same movies? Going on the same journey with Steve Rogers? Regardless of your ships, you can't possibly deny the strength of Steve's bond with Bucky. How does it make sense for him to leave Bucky like this? How does it make sense for Steve to never mention him even once in Endgame?? WHY DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR STEVE TO SUDDENLY REKINDLE HIS FEELINGS FOR PEGGY WHEN HE WAS SHOWN TO HAVE MOVED ON?!??

I literally. Don't. Understand. At all. How any of y'all. Can think. This makes sense?!

The Russo's Did Steve and Bucky Fucking Dirty in the End and Y'all Know it's True.

They queerbaited us. Okay. They did. They think having a gay extra makes up for it. Well it fucking doesn't. Because you know what else? I have one last thing. One last beef. The thing that really ripped my heart to shreds:

Remember, back in Winter Soldier, when Steve flirted with Sharon and she says "Oh and I think you left your stereo on?" And Steve is like oh thank you. And it's Fury playing a record on a loop. Remember the song? It was the only actual song on TWS sound track besides Trouble Man. It's called It's Been a Long, Long Time, and it's about lovers reuniting after WWII. That song plays just as Steve unknowingly meets Bucky for the first time since WWII. There is nothing to indicate Peggy in this scene. Fury plays the record. Fury gets shot. Steve pursues the shooter (Bucky).

And just before he does that, if you listen closely, with headphones, the song fades in and out at specific moments. These are the specific lyrics the sound designers chose to have audible enough to hear: "Kiss me once...long, long time...haven't felt like this my dear since...you'll never know how many dreams I dreamed about you...just how empty...without you."

The sound designers, editors, directors, make choices such as these to add depth to the film. These are the lyrics they chose from a song about lovers meeting after WWII during a scene were Steve (unknowingly) meets Bucky again for the first time since WWII.

And then they. Had the audacity. To end Endgame. With Steve dancing to that song. With Peggy. When they know what they fucking did in TWS. The sound design was very intentional. The scene they did that for was intentional. I can't possibly think of any other reason or way that scene and song would tie back to Peggy other than what that song is written about. But they KNOW that applies to both Steve and Peggy and Steve and Bucky.

The Russo's have been queerbaiting the fandom. And the more popular Stucky became, the more they tried to take it away from us. And when we pointed out how insanely strong and well developed Steve and Bucky's relationship was, they made sure Steve would never ever be considered bi again. They made sure to prove to us Steve's love for Bucky wasn't stronger than a sexual/romantic love for a woman. And in doing so they ruined Steve's character arc. They just did.

And before I get people upset with me, accusing me of hating Steve or wanting Steve to be unhappy...

If it was switched.

If Peggy and Steve were friends since childhood, if Peggy was kidnapped, experimented on, if Peggy was the Winter Soldier, if Peggy killed Tony's parents, if Peggy broke out of 70 years of brainwashing by Steve saying all of one phrase to her, if Steve gave anything and everything to save Peggy's life, to give her peace and just be with her again, if Steve resigned himself to letting Peggy murder him, if Steve abandoned his shield twice for Peggy, if you had experience the pain of Steve watching Peggy die not once, but twice right in front of him,

What would you call their love?

And what would you think if, after all that, Steve just decided to leave Peggy behind to spend time with Bucky? Wouldn't it hurt?

[ganglylimbs]

Endgame Review

!Spoilers for Endgame! Also, I'm going to try to put this under a read more. If it doesn't work, I apologize for the long post.

I'll be honest, I did not expect to come out of Endgame liking it as much as I did.

Don't get me wrong. I expected to like the movie. I'm a slut for action movies, in fact my favorite type of movie is action-comedy, and Marvel has always pulled that off very well.

[[More]]

But with some of the spoilers I saw (Nat and Tony's death, Steve returning to the past, some things the directors have said that I'll get to), I expected for this review to be a lot more salty.

I mean, as a fair warning, I still don't like any of the things I mentioned above. I hate that Natasha died (hate it for the fact that until this movie, they never treated her like a character. And only do so now because they need to make her death sad). I hate that Tony finally got his family and was killed for it. I said before the movie even came out that I hate the thought of Steve returning to the past permanently.

But. They weren't as horrible as I thought they were going to be. (I did cry like a baby for both Natasha and Tony though.) And the way they did Steve, well I still hate it (for me, it feels too much like him giving up, abandoning his friends) but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and does give an end to Captain America.

So. The movie was a lot of fun, I liked the action scene. I really, really loved the big action scene at the end with everyone coming together to stand against Thanos' army. But you know why I actually came away liking the movie overall?

It's because, besides the first 30 minutes where Tony yells at Steve, this movie was about them being a team. This movie was about them being friends.

You have Tony and Nebula playing table football, where I suspect Tony let's Nebula win. Nebula pushing the last of the food towards Tony. Nebula setting Tony up as he's dying. Nebula and Rocket traveling the planet as they help Nat keep Earth safe.

Rhodey checking on Nat. Nat and Steve's friendship has always been great ("I'd offer to make you dinner but you look miserable already.") Nat bringing Clint back.

Scott is a delight with everyone and treats them all as friends. That scene when they all come together and Rhodey scares him. Then Rhodey and Scott arguing against Bruce and Nebula about the rules of time travel (and Scott's "You mean Back To The Future lied to me?" is amazing).

Rocket and Bruce bringing Thor back. Bruce telling Thor that he's here because Thor was the one to bring him back. Bruce, Tony, and Nat's brainstorming session about where the stones might be. Tony and Steve reconciling and even joking around with each other. Tony and Scott complimenting Steve's ass. That trust scene between Steve and Tony.

Basically, this was all I wanted from the past three Avenger movies. Them being more than a team. Them being friends. And it was so nice, to watch them work together on screen like that.

It's just sad that MCU decided they could only do that at the end. Because imagine if we got this in another movie? Where everyone survives and they beat the bad guy? How good of a movie that would have been.

Of course, that would involve them to actually follow through with friendships and romances which MCU is fucking terrible at. Look at Bruce/Natasha, who have no conclusion. They don't speak about the ending to AoU. Ever. Just a couple glances and Bruce being upset at her death. But they don't follow through with it. At least have a discussion about the events of AoU, even if the audience doesn't like it, dammit! Follow through on your ideas so they have a satisfying ending!

Or Steve/Sharon, who is never spoken of again. Like, she just never existed. Or Wanda/Vision, a couple that doesn't really have any buildup but I would actually be ok with. Except for the fact that Wanda barely mentions Vision in Endgame.

Look at the friendships. Steve and Tony have this great friendship in any other Marvel thing ever. And yet they are never friends in MCU, no matter how many times they try to imply that they are.

Bucky and Steve barely talk in Infinity War and Endgame, which is weird considering Steve destroyed Shield, the Avengers, and betrayed Tony for the guy. And then at the end, Bucky doesn't even talk to old Steve!

With Sam and Steve, my problem stems more from what the Russo brothers supposedly said. (I'm going to spend the next few minutes bitching about the supposed things they said. I am saying "supposed" because this is all second hand stuff I have seen). So, "supposedly" the Russo brothers said that the reason Steve returned to the past was because he didn't trust anyone in the future. Which makes no fucking sense considering his last moments in the future has him talking with Sam. Sam, who is practically begging Steve to stay with him. Sam, who cries at seeing Old Steve and getting the shield.

And so this begins my problems with the Russo brothers. All the memes about them becoming JK Rowling is true. Because again, I didn't like the thought of Steve staying back in the past but I still thought it was done well. Why do you have to explain it? Why not let the fans talk and discuss and theorize? Because any explanation (especially a stupid ass explanation like that) will just let people down.

Like the thing about since Natasha is a shadow, she wouldn't want a funeral. The thing is, Tony's funeral wasn't a big public thing. It was friends gathered around to send off another friend. While not make it a Natasha and Tony funeral, then? They both sacrificed themselves for the world. They both deserve that respect.

What makes it worse is that they could have so, so easily put it in there. If they just wanted the ending to be about Tony, ok, there's another scene right after she dies that could have been perfect. The group was already gathered around. Tony asked about if she had any family.  Steve says they were her family. There, right there, is a good time to have a mini funeral. Just...say a few words, remember your friend.

Have a funeral for her.

It's just...the Russos keep trying to explain things and talk about why they make certain decisions and it ends up all being bad.

Anyways. So here's a list of Good and Bad things I liked/hate about Endgame

Good

Nebula. Just Nebula in general. She has quickly become my favorite character. But I thought it was especially great that it was Nebula who pulls Gamora from the dark side this time. And it's a cinematic masterpiece that future Nebula kills past Nebula for Gamora, symbolizing Nebula letting go of the past.

The fact that Nebula and Thor are now official Guardians is amazing and I can't wait to see them in Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Also, more Peter and Thor interactions!

Gamora not being revived but being brought back from the past. I just think there is a lot of angst potential there, the Guardians having to deal with a just turned from evil Gamora. Also, we hopefully get to see the actual progression of Gamora's and Quill's relationship this time.

The best joke was hands down the America's ass bit. Every single thing about it, from Tony starting it till Steve commenting on his own ass, was amazing.

Steve vs Steve fight and Steve being exasperated by his own catch phrase. I loved it.

The Time Heist. Man, as someone who usually doesn't like time travel stories, the whole Time Heist plot was great. It kind of made me want to see what would have happened if the entire past! team saw Future! team and tried to stop them from taking the space stone, though.

Again, everyone bantering with each other! Being friends! Fuck yeah, for friendship!

Thor's talk with his mother. I know there are some problems with fat! Thor, but I thought that the fact that he got so excited about being still worthy was great.

Bad

Huce. Or whatever the Bruce/Hulk combination is called. Not that I hate that they combined, but that they didn't explain it. When the Russos' talked about the problems Hulk and Bruce had in Infinity War and why Hulk wouldn't come out, that Hulk was upset with Bruce because he felt like he was being used, I was excited to see how that would play out in Endgame. I wanted Bruce to talk about it! Or go on a journey to figure himself out. Except they didn't do that. They just breezed over it. They didn't explore that at all. How disappointing.

I have a few minor problems with the characterization of Tony in the beginning. Mainly that throughout the MCU, one of the few constant things they had was that Tony couldn't stop fighting. He couldn't stop being Iron Man, he couldn't stop thinking of the future and how to save it. So you're telling me, suddenly he doesn't want to fight anymore? I mean, it's not even that he turned the team down at first when they asked for his help figuring out time travel, because I can buy him being scared. It's that he doesn't change his mind till he sees the picture of Peter (I get that the whole thing they were going for is that everyone has a personal stake in this, but again, this is Tony, who has been trying to protect Earth long before Peter came around). And it's especially the fact that even figuring out time travel, he offers to hide it. To forget it and live in a post-snap world. What makes it more startlingly is you have those two bits of crap characterization contrasted with him still creating suits, for both Pepper and him. Again, this is a man they have made clear can't stop being Iron Man, can't stop trying to protect people, and suddenly he wouldn't immediately try to change back time to get everyone back? It just bugs me a bit.

Which leads me to an overall universe problem I have. I'm sorry, but I don't like Pepper/Tony in MCU and Endgame kind of brought that to the forefront. Because I suspect that they had Tony offer to throw away the chance to get everyone back specifically so they could have Pepper tell him to be a superhero. I get that it's supposed to be Pepper finally giving him permission to be who he is, but that's my problem. I just don't think it's a good relationship when one partner wants the other to change so drastically or change such a fundamental part of themselves. Tony Stark is Iron Man. That, again, is something they hammered into everyone. No matter how much it cost him, no matter how much it put his life in danger, no matter how much Pepper begged him not to, Tony could not stop being Iron Man. So yeah, I just didn't like their relationship that much.

Tony dying. Specifically, the fact that the one character that is constantly plagued with PTSD is only allowed to rest when he dies. And that he gets the family he so wanted, he gets the friends he so wanted, and he never gets to enjoy this. This wouldn't be such a problem if it also wasn't for the fact that the Russo brothers have also supposedly said that Bucky couldn't be a superhero because of his past and because of his mental problems. So yeah. If that part is true, then I don't really trust their stance on mental health and I can totally see them thinking that dying is a fitting ending for someone with PTSD.

Overall, I would absolutely watch Endgame again, if just to get those friendship feelings again.  It's sad that this is an end to an era, that we will probably never see the original 6 again, but I do hope that when Marvel needs to milk that cash cow again and re-do the Avengers, they actually have them be a family this time.

[secretlymagneto]

The importance of Bucky Barnes

(BIG ENDGAME SPOILERS)

(SPOILERS)

(YOUVE BEEN WARNED)

Bucky Barnes was introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger. At first, I was a bit skeptical of his character. He seemed like a friend of Steve’s, but that was about it. Around the time he and Steve were talking about the war was when I realized that things were much more interesting between the two. 

The sheer amount of worry Bucky expresses for Steve, coupled with the friendly but snarky banter and their overall compassion towards each other. shows a kind of bond that has lasted for years. Steve is clearly not letting Bucky stand in his way when it comes to being in the army, but the argument they have is tired. Something they’ve probably talked about many times. Bucky is afraid, thinking Steve will die or he will and that they’ll never make it through the war. Steve is an optimist who thinks they’ll always make it. The two play off of each other perfectly, both taking turns in worrying or acting stubborn. Knowing each other well.

They have anecdotes. They trust each other. They would even risk their own lives to save the other.

Suffice to say, Bucky seems genuinely close to Steve and not like a random side character by the time he dies. Steve does EVERYTHING for him, and it shows just how much he cares. 

Bucky is probably the most important character in Steve’s character development, and he’s an important character to explore in general. The stunting of his development over the course of the Marvel cinematic franchise has taken a great toll on countless storytelling possibilities.

Within The Winter Solder it is revealed that Steve’s close friend, the one he lived with and bantered with and worried about and saved, was still alive. Steve then proceeds to try to get him back by any means necessary while also completing his mission of destroying Hydra’s helicarriers 

Despite his initial determination, once Steve wins the battle against the helicarriers, he gives up in his fight. He stops attacking him so that Bucky will recognize him. The amount of power this has over Steve is more than Steve’s willingness to live in this world. He wants to go back to the past. He’d rather die than face a future with no one now that Bucky is back.

In Civil War Steve goes against the will of the United Nations in order to save a friend he still believed was innocent despite damning evidence. He fought Tony Stark because he thought he would take Bucky away.

That kind of stubborn determination and willingness to fight is something Steve shows often, but never on this level for an individual. Not until Bucky. 

With all this said, the Russo brothers destroyed this pattern in Endgame (and even in Infinity War) by taking all of Steve’s hard work in trying to save Bucky and turning it into nothing. 

At the end of Endgame (AGAIN SPOILERS) Steve goes back in time to give the stones back and then goes to live his life out with Peggy (I made another essay-ish rant about it). He leaves Bucky behind for Peggy, and quite frankly compared to how he feels about Bucky the decision is extremely unfair.

Bucky was the one who truly developed Steve’s character, so the lack of care when it came to his character is astounding. Steve and Bucky rarely spend time together even when they have the chance to. The Russos talk about skype calls to Wakanda as Steve is a fugitive but if they tell us about it does it mean it’s actually happened? 

If you want the audience to believe that the characters care on the battlefield AND off it, they have to interact. Steve and Bucky rarely do, and that’s a problem in forging their relationship.

Perhaps it’s because of trauma, or simply the nature of their relationship. They hold such a deep understanding that they don’t even need to speak to each other. Even if this was the case, they’d want to spend time together. Even if Bucky couldn’t for a while, again due to trauma, there should be signs of Steve actually wanting to spend time with him. Not just wanting to save him, but liking him as a person and wanting to be around him. 

Bucky has almost no screen time in the Marvel Cinematic universe despite his importance. Despite the face that Steve would do almost anything for him, he is only used as a plot device or a name holding power, instead of a nuanced character with an interesting relationship towards the protagonist. Bucky should develop Steve through their relationship, not only as a plot device. 

I’m not saying they had no moments or banter together, but their relationship was emphasized so much that the lack of importance stressed in Bucky’s lines and actual screen time makes it clear that it isn’t his character that matters but the idea of his character in the grand scheme of the marvel universe. He is Steve’s best friend and Steve would do anything for him. He was the Winter Soldier. Does anyone bother to further this explanation? Not at all. Why?

Because Bucky was not deemed important as a character. He was deemed important as a device. 

[maria-naranjoochoa]

The Five Most Relatable Friendships in the MCU

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies, we see our beloved heroes saving the day, usually with a friend or two to help along the way. Just like in most movies, MCU movies show us friendships that have relatable characteristics. We all have friends who we can trust without question, who we can geek out with, and who have always been there for us. In this list, we will talk about the 5 most relatable friendships of the MCU.

1. Peter Parker (Spider-Man) and Ned Leeds

Peter and Ned are two best friends trying to survive high school. Peter is a teenager who is trying to impress his idol, Tony Stark, while being your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. He appears in Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War. Ned is your average high school geek happens to have Spider-Man as his best friend. He appears in Spider-Man Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War.

With Peter and Ned’s first interaction, we can tell right away they are inseparable friends. Just like any great friendship, this duo has a secret handshake that is used for even the smallest victories. Peter not only trust Ned with his secret identity of Spider-Man, he lets him be involved in his crime-fighting adventures.

2. Tony Stark (Iron Man) And James “Rhodey” Rhodes (War Machine)

Tony and Rhodey are two grown men trying to live their best lives. Tony has had struggles with being a hero, but that never stopped him. Tony appears in the Iron Man trilogy, Avengers trilogy, Spider-Man Homecoming, and Captain America: Civil War. Rhodey has always been there for Tony, no matter the situation. He appears in the Iron Man trilogy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers trilogy.

Since Iron Man, Rhodey has been seen as nothing but a loyal friend to Tony, and in return Tony trusts him immensely. When Tony is missing, it’s Rhodey who finds him. When Tony wants to stop Obadiah Stane, Rhodey helps Tony. Rhodey is one of the few who is trusted with Tony’s suits. Not even a big fight between them can destroy their friendship.

3. Steve Rogers (Captain America) and Sam Wilson (Falcon)

Steve and Sam are two guys who want to protect what they believe in. Steve is a guy facing the modern world while trying to save it. Steve appears in the Captain America trilogy, Avengers trilogy, Ant-Man, and Spider Man: Homecoming. Sam is someone who understands trust, and gives that to whoever he believes in. Sam appears in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man, and Avengers: Infinity War.

Steve and Sam meet each other by chance, but instantly get along with each other. Since Steve and Sam both come from similar backgrounds, they both can relate to each other and instantly understand each other. Though their experiences are different, they both get the big idea of it all. Even though they hardly know each other, Steve knew he could trust him when there was no one else.

4. Stephen Strange (Doctor Strange) and Wong

Stephen and Wong didn’t like each other at first, but with time became friends. Stephen’s career ended after a near-fatal accident, but didn’t let that stop him from showing his talents. Stephen appears in Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnarok, and Avengers: Infinity War. Wong is another sorcerer who guides Stephen when he’s starting out. He appears in Doctor Strange, and Avengers: Infinity War.

Stephen and Wong meet when Stephen first begins studying the mystic arts. Though Wong doesn’t open up to Stephen at first, he learns to trust Stephen after seeing his actions. At one point Wong did die in Doctor Strange, but he was resurrected by Stephen. After that, a greater trust was shared between them. In Avengers: Infinity War, we see that they are protecting the New York Sanctum together, and are more than just co-workers.

5. Scott Lang (Ant Man) and Luis

Scott and Luis met in an uncommon way, but that didn’t stop a friendship from forming. Scott just does what he thinks is the right, while putting his daughter first. Scott appears in Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Captain America: Civil War. Luis is a guy who always knows the right person and is optimistic in any situation. He appears in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Scott and Luis meet each other while serving their prison sentences. They seem to have bonded while in there because as soon as Scott gets out, Luis is the first one to help him get back on his feet. Even after Luis gets Scott it trouble, Scott still trust Luis because he knows Luis means well. Despite the troubles they have, they try to start a company even with Scott under house arrest.

It’s true that most of us don’t have superpowers or access to revolutionary technology, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have friendships any less amazing than these heroes. Embrace those friendships you have because they’re the ones that last a lifetime.

References:

Russo, Anthony and Russo, Joe, directors. Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel Studios, 27 April 2018

Johnston, Joe, director. Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel Studios, 19 July 2011

Russo, Joe and Russo, Anthony, directors. Captain America: Civil War, Marvel Studios, 6 May 2016

Russo, Joe and Russo, Anthony, directors. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Marvel Studios, 4 April 2014

Favreau, Jon, director. Iron Man, Marvel Studios, 2 May 2008

Favreau, Jon, director. Iron Man 2, Marvel Studios, 7 May 2010

Watts, Jon, director. Spider-Man: Homecoming, Marvel Studios, 7 July 2017

Whedon, Joss, director. Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel Studios, 2 May 2015

Reed, Peyton, director. Ant-Man, Marvel Studios, 8 Dec. 2015

Reed, Peyton director. Ant-Man and the Wasp, Marvel Studios, 6 July 2018

Derrickson, Scott director. Doctor Strange, Marvel Studios, 20 Oct. 2016

Black, Shane, director. Iron Man 3, Marvel Studios, 3 May 2013

Waititi, Taika, director. Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel Studios, 3 Nov. 2017

[ljones41]

"THOR: THE DARK WORLD" (2013) Review

"THOR: THE DARK WORLD" (2013) Review A few years ago, I had assumed that the release of the 2012 blockbuster, "THE AVENGERS" would signal the end of Marvel's multi-film saga about the group of comic book heroes and their government allies, S.H.I.E.L.D. But "IRON MAN 3" and the television series, "AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D." proved me wrong.  So did the second movie about the God of Thunder, "THOR: THE DARK WORLD".

Like the 2011 movie, “THOR”, this latest film begins thousands of years ago. Back in day (or year); Bor, the father of Odin, clash with the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim and their leader Malekith, who seeks to destroy the universe using a weapon known as the Aether. After conquering Malekith's forces, Bor hides the Aether within a stone column. He was also unaware that Malekith, his lieutenant Algrim, and a handful of Dark Elves have managed to escape by going into suspended animation. Many years later, Thor and his fellow Asgardians (which include his friends Lady Sif, Fandral and Volstagg) help their comrade Hogun repel marauders on the latter's homeworld, Vanaheim. It proves to be the last battle in a war to pacify the Nine Realms, which had fallen into chaos following the destruction of the Bifröst. And in London, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster is led by her intern Darcy Lewis and the latter's intern, Ian, to an abandoned factory where objects have begun to disobey the laws of physics by disappearing into thin air. Jane is teleported to another world, where she is infected by the Aether. Both the Asgardians and Jane's former mentor, Dr. Erik Selvig learn on separate occasions that the Convergence, a rare alignment of the Nine Realms, is imminent. While the event approaches, portals (one of which Jane had fallen into) linking the worlds appear at random. Heimdall alerts Thor of Jane's recent disappearance, leading the latter to search for her on Earth. When she inadvertently releases an unearthly force upon a group of London policemen, Thor takes her to Asgard. Unfortunately, the Asgardian healers do not know how to treat her. Odin, recognizing the Aether, warns Jane's infection will kill her given enough time, and that the Aether's return heralds a catastrophic prophecy. Unbeknownst to Odin, the re-emergence of the Aether also ends the Dark Elves' suspended animation and revives their determination to use the substance to darken the universe. "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" proved to be a major box office, following its release nearly four years ago. This is not surprising, considering the enormous success of Marvel's Avenger saga. "IRON MAN 3", set six months after the events of the 2012 film, also proved to be a big hit. Some people have claimed that the first film about Thor was superior. As much as I had enjoyed "THOR", I cannot say that I would agree. It reeked a bit too much of a superhero origin tale. Personally, I found the plot for "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" more satisfying. Mind you, this second God of Thunder movie did not strike me as perfect. It had a few flaws. Although I applaud director Alan Taylor and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau's expansion of the Asgard setting beyond the royal palace and the Bifröst, the latter's photography for that particular setting seemed to lack Haris Zambarloukos' dazzling and colorful photography from the 2011 film. Instead, there seemed to be a slightly dull cast to Morgenthau's photography of Asgard. Thor's friends did not particularly project that same screen chemistry that I found so enjoyable in the first film. Aside from one major scene in which Thor plotted Jane's escape from Asgard, they rarely had any scenes together. And Tadanobu Asano's Hogun had even less scenes. I wonder if this was due to the actor's major role in the upcoming movie, "47 RONIN". Aside from these nitpicks, I enjoyed "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" very much. As I had earlier stated, I found it more enjoyable than the first film. Thanks to the screenplay written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the movie provided a stronger narrative, beyond a simple origin tale. The three screenwriters explored the consequences of past events from both "THOR" and "THE AVENGERS" - Loki's actions in both movies; Thor's original destruction of the Bifröst, which led to chaos in the Nine Realms and his long separation from Jane Foster, the latter's inability to move on, and the impact upon Erik Selvig from being possessed by Loki. However, the movie also explored how a past event in the Asgardians' history - their conflict with the Dark Elves - managed to once again, have a negative impact upon Earth. For a movie that was juggling a good number of subplots, along with a major plot, I thought the writers and director Alan Taylor did a first-rate job in balancing it all in the end. Taylor had limited experience as a movie director when he made this film, but he also has a long history as a television direction. Despite his longer experience with television, I must admit that I found myself more than pleased with his direction of"THOR: THE DARK WORLD". And I was also very impressed. I was especially impressed by his handling of certain action scenes, like the Dark Elves' invasion of Asgard, the fight scene between Queen Frigga and Malekith, the escape from Asgard, and Thor and Loki's confrontation against Malekith and the Dark Elves. But the one action sequence that really impressed me turned out to be the “Battle of Greenwich’, in which Thor, Jane and their friends attempted to prevent Malekith's use of the Aether against Earth and the rest of the universe. It proved to be one of the most off-the-wall and entertaining action sequences I have seen on film.  This sequence not only benefited from Taylor's direction, but also Dan Lebental and Wyatt Smith's editing. In fact, the movie's action sequences were nicely balanced by some of its dramatic and comedic scenes. I especially enjoyed Thor and Loki's quarrel over the latter's past actions, Thor's reunion with Jane, and Darcy and Ian's attempt to free Erik from a mental institution. One particular scene featured a quarrel between Thor and Odin over how to deal with the threat of the Dark Elves. It strongly reminded me of the two men's quarrel over the Frost Giants in the first film . . . but with an ironic twist. Instead of Odin being the mature and reasonable one, this time it is Thor. My only complaint about the movie's performances has to do with Tadanobu Asano. Due to his limited appearance in the film, he never really had a chance to give a memorable performance. I hope to see more of him in the next film. Both Jamie Alexander and Ray Stevenson gave competent performances as Thor's two other friends - Lady Sif and Volstagg. Instead of Josh Dallas, this movie featured Zachary Levi in the role of Thor's fourth friend, Fandral. Levi had been originally cast in the role for the 2011 film. But due to his commitments to NBC's "CHUCK", Dallas got the role. But the latter's commitment to ABC's "ONCE UPON A TIME" forced Marvel and Disney to give the role back to Levi. Aside from the initial shock of seeing him in a blond wig, I must admit that Levi made a very dashing Fandral. I was very happy to see Kat Dennings reprise her role of Jane's intern, Darcy Lewis. She was as funny as ever. She also had an extra straight man in the form of Jonathan Howard, who portrayed "her" intern, Ian Boothby. The movie also featured a very funny cameo by Chris Evans, who portrayed Loki disguised as Steve Rogers/Captain America. Christopher Eccleston may not have made the most witty or charismatic  villain from the Marvel canon, but I found his portrayal of Malekith very scary . . . in an unrelenting way.  Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje struck me as equally impressive as Malekith's lieutenant, Algrim. It was a pity that I could barely make him out in his new appearance as the Kurse. Renee Russo's role as Queen Frigga was expanded in this second film and I am so thankful that it was. Not only did she have a marvelous dramatic scene with Tom Hiddleston's Loki, but watching her sword fight against Eccleston's Malekith reminded me of her role in the "LETHAL WEAPON" films. Idris Elba repeated his masterful portrayal of Asgard's gatekeeper, Heimdall. I especially enjoyed him in two scenes - Heimdall's efforts to prevent the Dark Elves' attack and his discussion with Thor about helping Jane leave Asgard against Odin's will. More importantly, audiences get to see him in even more scenes. Stellan Skarsgård was very hilarious in his portrayal of Dr. Erik Selvig in this film. I realize that one should not laugh at the idea of someone suffering from a mental trauma, but I could not help it. I do not think I have ever seen Skarsgård so entertaining in a Marvel film. Anthony Hopkins did a marvelous job in conveying Odin's increasing fragile rule over Asgard and control of his emotions. This was especially apparent in the scene featuring Odin and Thor's disagreement over the Dark Elves. For the first time in a Marvel film, Tom Hiddleston's Loki was not portrayed as an out-and-out villain, but a more morally complex character, thanks to his relationships with Asgard's royal family - especially Thor and Frigga. Hiddleston was as playful and witty as ever. And I especially enjoyed his interactions with Chris Hemsworth. In fact, I can say the same about Natalie Portman's portrayal of Thor's love, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster. Personally, I found her funnier and her chemistry with Hemsworth a lot stronger in this second film. And I was especially happy to see her take a more active role in helping Thor defeat the main villain. As for Chris Hemsworth, he continued to roll with a great talent for both drama and comedy as the God of Thunder, Thor. He did a marvelous job in developing his character into more complex waters, especially in regard to his relationships with Jane, Loki and Odin. And one of my favorite scenes in the movie featured Thor's silent reaction to his discovery that Jane had a date with another man. I hope that one day, people will truly appreciate what a first-rate actor he is. "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" had a few flaws. What movie does not? But thanks to Alan Taylor's direction, an excellent cast led by a talented Chris Hemsworth and a very complex script written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, it not only turned to be very entertaining, but also better than the previous film. At least for me.

[jeageristsasuke]

Flaws of Avengers: Endgame

!!!!!!!S P O I L E R S!!!!!!!! (obviously)

Ok guys i am preety late to the party and all these are propably already said but i really need to get this off my chest, so beware my long bitching. Of course it was an overall really good movie, BUT as the 'end of an era' that it's supposed to be, i can't accept such blatant mistakes. I'll clarify.

Let's start with small... Plot holes, i guess:

1. Ok marvel i know you have not the slightest idea of your very own universe but please explain to me how every planet the characters visit has the exact correct composition of chemicals in its air to perfectly sustain human life and also the exact perfect gravity's acceleration for them to move on with no problem? And before y'all cringe and come for my life with 'nothing makes sense anyway, why tf do you even care about that?' i will have to argue that as long as they care enough to use physics theorems to somehow base the whole quantum nonsense, i think they should care about something so simple that even people with no physics education will find stupid.

2. Why did they need pim particles to go back in time when they could just use the time stone they had already retrieved? I honestly haven't thought of it during the movie but my brother pointed this out and honestly he was right. Ok...

3. If for Scott the time he spent in the quantum realm was 5 hours, which is in let's call it normal time 5 years, then exactly how was Steve missing for normal time a minute or so and he returned having lived at least 40 years? I mean nothing about the quantum realm makes any sense, and if it's not supposed to fine, but if you try to retionalise the irrational at least stick to the rules you yourself set, i don't know...

And now, moving on to what trully matters:

4. WHERE THE FUCK IS LOKI??? like really? They are telling me that one of the most beloved, if not the most beloved character can't be brought back to life or at least have some dialogue in his past form, but past Gamora who was later killed too (before the snap)can exist in a different timeline perfectly well with no repercussions? Really now?? so you're telling me that the russos were like 'oh loki the most loved character who had all the potential to contribute greatly to the plot? Yeah let's give him no significant role whatsoever, sure the fans will appreciate that'. I mean for fucks sake we see thor literally run outside his brother's cell, the brother he mourned, the last member of his family and he doesn't spare a single glance? And yes i know he was supposed to not interact with anyone but in the end we have that whole scene with his mother, which was of course impactfull and emotional, but let's be realistic; wouldn't it be thousand times better if the interaction was with Loki? Some funny/emotional dialogue to have thor move past his grief? Like his mother was great but she wasn't as important a character as loki and yet she gets so much more screentime than -i will repeat over and over- such a beloved and significant character as loki?

5. NATASHA'S DEATH. I will not even stick to the fact that dear nat who was constantly shat upon for 10 years, who didn't even get the chance to be her true badass self in infinity war, who is an original avengers' member and yet still hasn't got her own movie, was one of the two people to die. Let's somehow move past all this to the fact that SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. the whole battle with clint was beautiful and emotional and i love their bond but she died before the battle even began. Tony died too (let's not dwell on this pain), but saved the universe first. Everything before, during and after his death was epic. What did Natasha get in comparison? Not even a proper funeral as far as we know. Thanks a bunch Marvel.

6. Bruce banner. Ok cool that he was able to balance hulk and bunner but do we really have to him being hulk all the time? Isn't the very concept of hulk the 'i get angry i smash things'? I wanted to see banner the human being able to control banner the hulk, without them being constantly merged.

7. Why is thor so... I don't know... Disrespected? His pain induced condition is mostly treated as comedy relief and he doesn't get a single epic moment like in infinity war in the last movie we get to see him. Ok...

8. STEVE FUCKING ROGERS. Ok this was the finishing blow for me. He is one of my favourite characters. In all honesty, if he was done justice i propably wouldn't be here wasting whoever's is reading this time with my bitching. So beware level over 9000 bitching here.

- Him fighting with Thor's hammer was great and all till the point where it was practically implied that the captain we came to love can have no impact with just his power. If it's the last time we see him fight, i think his most crucial moment should have been him being 123% steve Rogers. Now most will remember him as 'the one who couldn't do anything against a thanos with no stones mind you if he didn't have the hammer'. And don't get me wrong, i know that the very fact that he even lifted it is proof of him being worthy but dude we been knew, you don't have to have him fight with it for most of the final battle. (One could even argue that he's in a way stealing Thor's spotlight)

- Why isn't he shown grieving? Of course the captain America wouldn't let his weakness show in public but on his own or to his friends i think we could have the slightest mention of bucky or sam. Everyone (apart from bruce but he didn't really lose anyone) is shown to grieve. Even carol who gets the minimum screentime is shown to grieve over fury. And before you argue about the therapy group we all know he mostly spat things he didn't believe himself for the sake of others. Ok... I don't know if I'm the one who is far-fetching this, or they did fail.

- The whole living the life he didn't get to. Ok... This is a controversial issue, I'd say. For me, i didn't really like it, but since it had to be done, i think they should have been more meticulous. I know they wanted captain out of the picture so they had to nullify him somehow. I also know that he only ever loved peggy (Who wouldn't love peggy carter?) But the way it was handled, gave me the impression that no other bond Steve has built after he was awaken and even bucky mattered enough for him not to come back old enough to barely be able to be a part of their lives. It made me feel that they were over-pushing the whole loving her thing, when it was according to previous captain America movies a thing of the past. It felt to me like everything that cap has gone through was instantly negated as if it never mattered, as if it was a mere mistake, as if he could never be happy unless he was with peggy. And they have crafted his bonds with others really good for this to seem true. I don't know how to explain it, but the pain cap has gone through has shapped who he is and negating all that as if they don't matter isn't it kinda destroying his character build up? I don't know anymore...

-But ok even if we stick to it being hella romantic, what are the consequences of that great a disturbance in time flow? Imagine the impact an alive captain whould have to everything. Or was he just a war hero and then settled down and nothing? What of Peggy's family that is implied in catws and in series agent carter? What of Bucky? Did he even care to save him from hydra's torturing that was happening then? And so on. (Shit ok even i think I'm expecting too much from them at this point.)

- JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES!!!!!! I don't know where to begin with this. Ok maybe they have forgotten what two out of three captain America movies were about? They must have. Because there is absolutely no other rational explanation as to why they fucked up this beautiful bond. The only dialogue we get is a repetition of a previous one? In what reality, whould bucky allow steve to go return the stones alone? Isn't he a man out of time too? Literally name a logical reason as to why bucky didn't even suggest to go with him. Isn't he the only one he cares about at this point? Why isn't he running to him when be comes back old but urges sam to? Like wtf? Why is steve not shown to react to him at any point when he literally broke the avengers apart for him? Why is their only interaction so emotionless compared to all other reunions? Why is marvel trying to sell their bond but gives it no attention? I DON'T UNDERSTAND! (Ok I'll just ignore canon again. I'm used to it.)

Anyway that's all i can think of right now. Propably omitting much more important issues too. All in all it was a really good movie. Tony/ steve interactions 11/10, epic final battle etc But to me those are much more crucial mistakes than the very ending should be allowed to have.

[moriganstrongheart]

Avengers: Infinity War – Review

Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo 2018, Marvel Studios 149 minutes

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Good: Entertaining moments, Thanos narrative, visuals Bad: ​Lack of focus, shallow character interactions

[ ! ] Spoiler Warning

Avengers: Infinity War stands as a monument to how far the MCU has come, an event unlike anything else we’ve seen before. I have watched every major MCU release since 2008, excluding Black Panther (I missed it in theaters), and some of my favorites include: Thor: Ragnarok, Doctor Strange, Captain America: Winter Soldier and the Guardians of the Galaxy films. I like these entries in the franchise as they either embrace the goofiness inherit to the genre, or they weave an interesting enough narrative within their runtime. To me, these entries in the franchise demonstrate the best of comic book storytelling in film. Infinity War aims to cap ten years of movies by teaming up the primary cast from all their major releases, while simultaneously retelling the Infinity Gauntlet story from the comics. Ultimately, I have difficulty pinning down how I should feel about the film, as it itself has difficulty establishing what it wants to be.

As evidenced by the plethora of television specials and comic book events already in existence, one of the staples of the superhero genre is the “Team Up”. Fans and creators alike love the idea of team ups, as they allow their characters to interact while facing a threat none could defeat individually. I would argue that the interactions between characters are what really make these team ups interesting, and this is where I believe Infinity War suffers. Despite being over two hours in length, the movie does not spend enough time developing the relationships it introduces. Scene after scene of quippy dialogue is certainly entertaining, but does not offer depth. Characters that have been developed over multiple films are flat and uninteresting in Infinity War, mere parodies of their true selves. If this was a television episode or a comic issue, I could accept this hand-waviness for plot reasons, with the assumption we will get to explore the relationships in future chapters. However, I don’t expect we’ll see more of these relationships beyond Infinity War 2. As they are now in the movie, interactions between characters are awkward, rushed or inconsequential. I wish we had more time spent on developing relationships between characters, though this would most likely require the main narrative to take a backseat. While it’s not ideal, it would stop Infinity War from trying to have its cake and eat it too; it wants to tell a story, but also have an awesome superhero team up. Unfortunately, it can’t have both. In fact, I would have much preferred that the film had focused on the Thanos’ narrative, which I was surprised to have enjoyed much more than the team up.

When I first began seeing previews for Infinity War, I did my best to avoid spoilers. I also did not have any prior knowledge to the Infinity Gauntlet comic storylines. I dreaded that the film would be bloated with heroes, without enough time for their interactions to be meaningful. I was correct on this, though I still found their interactions entertaining for what they were. However, I can say I was pleasantly surprised by Thanos and his narrative. Per my experience with other cosmic comic villains in the past, I always imagined Thanos as a purple Darkseid: doing evil bad things because bad people do evil things. His previous appearances in previous MCU entries did little to convince me otherwise; he always appeared in a golden suit of armor atop a throne, giving orders to his underlings, flashing evil grins all the whole. Obviously, a change in direction took place for Infinity War, as Thanos is now a well developed villain-as-protagonist, taking center stage for the underlying narrative in the film. I found this incredibly interesting as it represents a complete reversal to how Marvel Studios has treated its villains in the past. And yet, I am still conflicted because Infinity War is not actually a movie; it’s a superhero team up event. Despite his narrative driving the film, Thanos often takes a backseat to the team up action. Again, I feel the movie suffers because of this lack of focus. What could have been a moving story about a man who believed he did the wrong thing for all the right reasons becomes a parody of itself. The emotional beats are there, but they have no impact. How Garona’s death compares to Peter Parker’s is the best example of how the movie prioritizes the team up aspect of the film, while also lacking focus. Garona’s death is poorly edited, with an unsatisfying build up. On the other hand, Peter’s death is almost comical in its length, and does not have the impact I think the directors were looking for. This difference in emotional impact bleeds into the rest of the narrative, leading to an ambitious but ultimately incomplete narrative. Assuming we take Thanos’ story as the primary focus, I would have preferred more time spent on Garona’s death, while the “death” of the heroes at the end of the film could have been portrayed as them simply missing following Thanos’ victory. I believe if they had shifted the focus on the film, the Thanos narrative could have been the crowning jewel for the MCU’s first ten years; instead, it takes backseat to Tony Stark and Stephen Strange’s married couple bickering. I can only hope we see more of Thanos in the second iteration, and—more importantly—I hope his story has more ground to stand on now that half the hero cast is dead.

The only other narrative I truly enjoyed was the Thor Stormbreaker storyline. And so I was happy when Thor finally made his appearance towards the climax of the event, shortly before Thanos arrives. Up until that point, I wondered when the heroes would stop the purple titan. When Thor arrived? When the mind stone was destroyed? Would the time stone be a fake? These questions went through my head right up to the point where Thanos wins. At the time, I was shocked; to see this kind of thing at the end of a mainstream film is unusual. The deaths of the heroes following the climax confirmed the effectiveness of his victory, though by the death of Peter Parker, it was clear none of this was permanent. And as I’ve learned more about the Infinity Gauntlet comic book storyline since my initial viewing of Infinity War, Thanos’ victory seems inevitable to me now. I think the way I felt at the time only reinforces how good this movie could have been if the focus had been placed on either the Thanos narrative or the Team Up. I was invested in the outcome, which is not something I can say about most stories. But the lack of focus left me conflicted as to how to feel about the film following my first viewing.

I enjoyed the ride while I was on it, but was left wanting more. And I doubt we’ll get another chance at a superhero live action team up again in the near future. I have not seen Justice League as of writing this—and based on the criticism it has received—I doubt I will. I do have hope that a story like Thanos’ may be done again in the future, with better execution. Whether within the MCU or not, a villain-as-protagonist story is interesting enough to warrant another shot. I don’t know if such a narrative would work without established heroes as the antagonists, but I can only hope for better.

Official Movie Website