Not So Different Remark / Marvel Universe

Marvel Universe

Comic Books

Comic Books

• Chaos War: When Satan (yes, Satan, not Mephisto) tries to argue that he and Amatsu-Mikaboshi are similar because they were both given the role of villains in their respective mythologies, Mikaboshi retorts that Satan chose villainy over good, while he chooses nothing.
• Fury (MAX): Col. Rudi Gagarin points this out to Nick Fury.
• The Incredible Hercules:
  • Ares cannot figure out why people love Hercules considering the latter causes nearly as much death and destruction as Ares. Hercules claims people can see themselves in him since Hercules sees himself and acts more like a normal, flawed man instead of a god or person aspiring for greatness. That and while both love to fight Hercules generally knows when to reign it in while Ares does not care who he fights or how far he goes.
  • Ares tries to pull the same with War Machine claiming that both of them are Blood Knights who use war as a medium to satisfy their bloodlust since it is the only means they can fight and been seen as heroes instead of monsters. Rhodey disagrees arguing he does what he does to try and prevent wars compared to Ares who willingly starts them for fun.
• The Incredible Hulk:
  • The majority of Hulk Gray consisted of Bruce coming to realise that he had a surprising amount in common with his long-time enemy General Ross. Naturally, this being a Hulk comic, he didn't take it well.
  • In Immortal Hulk, the Devil Hulk gets the upper hand in a duel with She-Hulk by pointing out how she's recently gone from being a bubbly, much-beloved Amazonian Beauty into a disfigured, muscle-bound, rage-fueled brute that everybody distrusts, just like her "savage" cousin. She-Hulk is so horrified and busy protesting it gives the Devil Hulk the opportunity to Megaton Punch her away from the battlefield.
• Iron Man: Tony Stark once allowed an anti-war activist/documentarist named John Pillinger to interview him knowing the man was heavily biased against him. When Pillinger later asked him why Tony agreed to the interview, Tony responded with an Armor-Piercing Question that essentially asked if Pillinger's work has actually changed anything at all. When Pillinger admitted that he didn't know, Tony said that he didn't know if anything he has done has changed anything either. The two shake hands before parting, realizing that for all their differences they are both just trying to make the world a better place.
• The Punisher:
  • Frank Castle gets a lot of these, although he usually just shoots the guy before they get beyond "we're no--".
  • A quadriplegic mob boss goes on a rant about how the Punisher is a evil monster who is no better than her. Frank's response:
    Tell me something I don't know. (throws grenade)
• Ultimate Marvel:
  • Invoked in Ultimate Avengers, where Ghost Rider convinces The Punisher to spare his life after pointing out that they both were driven to become Anti-Heroes in order to avenge murdered loved ones.
  • In Ultimate Fantastic Four, Diablo says this about himself and Reed Richards after observing how far they both went to discover the secrets of the universe and amoral drive for science. Considering Reeds eventual lapse into villainy, this point becomes even more poignant.
  • The Ultimates:
    • A man in Marrakesh told Captain America that Herr Kleiser is still alive. He pointed that Rogers is not the only one out there with nine lives.
    • Colonel Al-Rahman's reasons for leading the invasion of America really struck a chord with Steve, mainly due to the fact that it's the exact same reason he himself went through the super-soldier procedure.
  Nick Fury: Skinny kid becomes a super soldier to go off and fight the invading army. I guess that pushes all the right buttons for you, huh?
• X-Men:
  • An interesting variant occurs during the "Acts of Vengeance" crossover, where Magneto decides to ignore the stated purpose and kill the Red Skull. Red Skull launches into a speech◊, essentially taunting Magneto about the fact that his quest for mutant supremacy is quite similar to the Red Skull's own ideology. Bear in mind that this is essentially a Nazi lecturing a Holocaust survivor, so you can probably guess where this goes. In the end Magneto doesn't kill him outright but leaves him to die sealed inside an underground room with 10 gallons of water and no food.
    • At one point, Storm claims that Black Panther is very similar to Magneto, as both men suffered profound losses at a young age (Panther's father, Magneto's family and later daughter), and seek to protect their people at all cost. She warns T'Challa that if he doesn't make sure to keep sight of his humanity, he could end up becoming just as great a monster as Magneto.
    • Ironically, in more recent years Cyclops have been compared to Magneto more so than anyone else. Despite being Professor X's top student, his philosophies and actions actually fell more aligned with Magneto's. Magneto himself even directly says so before the climax of the aforementioned event. Cyclops angrily responds to this by telling Magneto "I'm nothing like you. I'm winning."
  • Then there's Emma Frost to X-23, who explains to the latter the reason she wants her to leave Xavier's Institute is because Emma sees in her the same capability to hurt (and kill) those close to her that she has as a young girl. However, Emma also points out one big difference, whereas she would do this willingly, X would likely have no choice in the matter due to her conditioning to a "trigger scent." Ironically, Emma later gives one to Cyclops at the beginning of Laura's solo series, pointing out that involving her with X-Force was no different than what the Facility was using her for.
  • Captain America of all people gets called out on this, too: In Target: X he intends to turn Laura over to S.H.I.E.L.D. to be tried for her crimes, despite Daredevil's attempts (as her lawyer) to warn him that S.H.I.E.L.D. won't care about justice, and will only see her as a weapon to use themselves. Fortunately, Steve realizes Matt is right before he can actually go through with it.
  • A big part of Sabretooth's schtick is proving that for all his heroics and insistence otherwise, Wolverine is at heart no better or different than he is, and that they're both savage animals. The twist is that Creed thinks the fact that he embraces his animal nature makes him the better and more honest man of the two, while Logan hides behind his morals. His regularly seeking out Logan or Logan's friends and loved ones to torment him is part for the LOLs, and part to prove his point.

Films

Films

• Marvel Cinematic Universe
  • The Avengers shows similarities between Tony Stark and Loki. Both are clever but have little idea how to fight beyond Attack! Attack! Attack!. Both are narcissistic, Deadpan Snarkers, prone to self-destructive behavior and bitterly jealous of the blond nobler teammate who their father liked better. The only real difference is that Tony learned the hard way to care for and rely upon others, while Loki did not. Tony himself says it best. (A dual realization: That he was this trope to Loki and that Loki will use his Stark tower to summon the Chitauri.)
    Stark: And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva, he wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the sky with his name plastered—
    (Beat)
    Stark: Son of a bitch.
  • Thor: The Dark World: After Frigga's death, Odin becomes determined to destroy the Dark Elves, no matter how many Asgardians have to be sacrificed, making him no better than Malekith and his We Have Reserves mentality, something Thor is quick to call him out on. Odin, however, is so caught up in his desire for vengeance over his wife's murder that he refuses to be swayed...which furthers the similarity because Malekith's motive is also revenge. And as a bonus, the rush to throw one's self headlong into battle, plus absolute confidence (however misplaced) that they will win no matter what, shows exactly how not so different father and son are.
    Thor: Then how are you different from Malekith?
    Odin: [bitter laughter] The difference, my son, is that I will win.
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron:
    • One of those rare occasions when a villain has it pointed out to them. Ultron is... rather adamant on how he's nothing like Tony, and yet he's a snarky, drama queen narcissist with a shaky moral compass and a penchant for classic mad scientist cliches who has notable faculty with machines. Oh, and Daddy Issues. Lots and lots of daddy issues.
      Wanda: Ultron can't tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it. Where do you think he gets that?
    • When Maria Hill says that the Maximoffs are crazy for willingly taking part in von Strucker's experiments to gain superpowers and protect their country. Cap retorts that he did the same thing back in the forties.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Yondu Udonta confronts Rocket about his abrasive, antisocial tendencies and reveals that he too pushes away people he cares about due to his Dark and Troubled Past. This has a payoff when Rocket calls Yondu's old teammates, who'd banished him from their midst, to his funeral and they all honor him for his Heroic Sacrifice. Rocket remarks that they forgave him even after he everything he'd done and comes to the realization that his own team similarly care about him despite his violent and abrasive attitude.
  • Spider-Man: Homecoming: When Peter Parker confronts Toomes (Vulture) and accuses him of being an illegal arms dealer selling high tech weaponry to the highest bidder, Toomes points out that Tony Stark started off as an arms dealer who sold high tech weaponry to the highest bidder as well.
  • Thor: Ragnarok: Thor acknowledges that like him, his sister Hela had been used by Odin, and then discarded when she became a liability. He sympathized with what she'd been through, but he was still looking to kill her because she was an insane mass murderer.
    Hela: It seems our father's solution to every problem was to cover it up.
    Thor: Or to cast it out. He told you you were worthy. He said the same to me.
  • Eternals: After Kro gains sentience and speech, Druig remarks that Kro and the Deviants who follow him aren't all that different from the Eternals, who are supposed to hunt them to extinction. Kro returns the sentiment later, saying that Eternals and Deviants are actually very similar: both are children of Arishem and tools of a god.
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: 616-Strange encounters or learns of several multiversal alternates of himself who made questionable or downright bad decision, like Defender Strange attempting to kill America Chavez or 838-Strange becoming addicted to dreamwalking. He insists multiple times throughout the movie that those alternates are not him, but towards the end he admits he has the same flaws which led them down the wrong path.
  • Thor: Love and Thunder:
    • Gorr plays this card while he has the hero trio captured. Like Thor, he couldn't save those he cared for; like Jane, he is being slowly killed by the very weapon empowering him; and like Valkyrie, he was abandoned by his god in his time of greatest need and lost everything he loved as a result.
    • Thor turns this around on Gorr, pointing out that both of them have been driven by a need for revenge due to losing what they loved. Killing the gods won't help Gorr deal with his loss, just as killing Thanos didn't help Thor. Reuniting with Jane finally helped Thor heal, just as Gorr can finally heal if he uses his wish to revive his daughter rather than kill the gods.
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever:
    • Both Wakanda and Talokan are ancient, powerful civilizations which have used Vibranium to become mighty while also hiding from the outside world. Both are filled with happy, kind people people protected by those who will stop at nothing to keep them safe. A Forever War would snuff the spark out both of them, which is why Shuri spared Namor in the end.
    • Killmonger gives Shuri this during their encounter in the Ancestral Plane, stating how they both lost loved ones and are driven with a burning desire for revenge and retribution.
• Spider-Man Trilogy: In Spider-Man, the Green Goblin's exchange to the title hero on a rooftop.
  Green Goblin: You're an amazing creature, Spider-Man. You and I are not so different.
  Spider-Man: I'm not like you. You're a murderer.
  Green Goblin: Well, to each his own. I chose my path, you chose the way of the hero.
• X-Men Film Series: In X-Men: First Class,
  • When Magneto confronts the villain Sebastian Shaw at the end:
    Erik Lehnsherr: If you're in there, I'd like you to know that I agree with every word you said. We are the future. But unfortunately, you killed my mother.
  • Later when Xavier is shot and Erik/Magneto is speaking to him, the following conversation takes place:
    Erik Lehnsherr: Us turning on each other, it's what they want. I tried to warn you, Charles. I want you by my side. We're brothers, you and I. All of us together, protecting each other. We want the same thing.
    Charles Xavier: Oh, my friend, I'm sorry, but we do not.

Live-Action TV

Live-Action TV

• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.:
  • When Robbie captures Daisy, he says that they're not very different. They're both vigilantes going after the same groups; the difference is that she tries to avoid killing if she can, and Robbie doesn't need proof to kill people. She turns this around on him when she suggests they work together.
    Daisy: We want the same thing.
    Robbie: No, we don't.
    Daisy: You just said we're not that different.
    Robbie: [glares]
    Daisy: I'm sorry, but you did. Like, ten seconds ago.
  • In season 4 the cast is put into a Matrix style scenario called The Framework where they live alternate lives that had them not suffer their greatest regret, Fitz gets to grow up with his father being supportive and nurturing instead of neglectful. However, as his father is a cruel sociopathic bastard, this makes Fitz grow up to be a cold, calculating, remorseless, sadistic Mad Scientist Torture Technician instead of the good person he normally was. When he's freed, it hits him like a semi-truck that he's really not that different than Grant Ward as all it took to push both of them down a horrible path was one very bad influence. He does not take it well.
• Luke Cage (2016): Bushmaster claims this of he and Luke and tells Luke he's reluctant to kill him because of it.

Western Animation

Western Animation

• In Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Tony learns that he and the Black Panther have much in common after Rhodey points out that they're both young men who became vigilantes to avenge their murdered fathers.

---