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Welcome to the main discussion thread for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! I'm editing this OP and pinning it to establish some basic guidelines. All of the Media Forum rules still apply.

  • This thread is for talking about the live-action films, TV shows, animated works, and related content that use the Marvel brand, currently owned by Disney.
  • While mild digressions are okay, discussion of the comic books should go in this thread. Extended digressions may be thumped as off-topic.
  • Spoilers for new releases should not be discussed for at least two weeks. Rather, each title should have a dedicated thread where that sort of conversation is held. We can mention new releases in a general sense, but please be courteous to people who don't want to be spoiled.

[Edited by Fighteer]

    Original post 
Since Thor and now Captain America came out this year, I wanted to get what Tropers thought of the concept and execution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. Personally I love the idea and wonder why this idea hasn't been seriously tried before. It sorta seems to me like the DCAU in movie form (And well, ummm, with Marvel), and really 'gets' the comic book feel of a shared universe while not being completely alienating.

Edited by Fighteer on Dec 15th 2022 at 9:55:58 AM

fredhot16 Don't want to leave but cannot pretend from Baton Rogue, Louisiana. Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: Too sexy for my shirt
Don't want to leave but cannot pretend
#114626: Jan 14th 2020 at 1:09:48 PM

Edited by fredhot16 on Jan 14th 2020 at 1:10:38 AM

Trans rights are human rights. TV Tropes is not a place for bigotry, cruelty, or dickishness, no matter who or their position.
AyyItsMidnight Ordinary Corrupt Android Love Since: Oct, 2018
Ordinary Corrupt Android Love
#114627: Jan 14th 2020 at 1:40:48 PM

Something something memes about the police doing something the Avengers couldn't do.

Self-serious autistic metalhead who goes by any pronouns. (avvie template source)
chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#114628: Jan 14th 2020 at 1:46:42 PM

[up][up] Context for those not familiar with obscure action movies from the Philippines. Which includes me.

Edited by chasemaddigan on Jan 14th 2020 at 4:47:17 AM

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#114629: Jan 14th 2020 at 3:06:31 PM

All this is reminding me that power debates are stupid.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#114630: Jan 14th 2020 at 3:08:25 PM

they're a great way to spitball stories for writors

"Hey,you know what would be a cool story,Thanos has to fight Apocalypse!Let's make that happen!"

this music plays whenever I post also a box
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#114631: Jan 14th 2020 at 7:03:04 PM

One Youtube comment I'd seen summed up the Black Order in RPG classes, which explains a bit about Corvus. He's not a fighter, he's a scout/assassin. That's why the only times he does anything useful are sneak attacks, otherwise he gets beat straight up. Breaking down everything of note he did:

  • Sneak attack stab on Vision that disrupts his powers.
  • Gets beat hand to hand by a weakened Vision until he makes Vision laser himself (his weapon apparently counters projectiles, and Vision's careless with his lasers)
  • Gets punted by Wanda
  • Gets put on defensive by Falcon's missiles
  • Gets beat by Black Widow when she uses Proxima's weapon
  • Sneak attacked Shuri, Ayo (Okoye's second in command), and another guard, with 3 tackles
  • Beats a previously weakened (by him, admittedly) Vision who was basically in "brain surgery" minutes ago
  • Chokes a version of Cap who just got done offscreen running/teleporting across the entire Wakandan border tribe faster than Thor, Falcon or War Machine could get there
  • Gets sneak attacked by his own weapon
  • Is implicitly in charge of Thanos' artillery
  • Gets beat straight up by a version of Okoye (top general of possibly the most advanced army on the planet) who possibly has both foreknowledge (given by the smartest human on the planet) and a grudge (he'd previously tackled Okoye's possible love interest

Given all of that, the fact that Cap didn't beat him straight up is actually the biggest surprise.
Hell, Thanos got the most important kill with Corvus' weapon, killing Heimdall with it.


Spidey has actually been fairly consistent. Slowly getting better, but has new stuff to get used to. None of Team Cap were actually trying to hurt Spider-Man (especially given their knowledge they were fighting a child Tony dragged into things, even Rhodey was annoyed). They were just trying to get Cap and Bucky out of the airport. By Homecoming, he has a new, upgraded suit and fares better by the time he's used to it. But in Infinity War and Endgame, he's not doing as well solely because his opponents are far more dangerous (Ebony Maw, Star Lord, Thanos, and Thanos' army, in that order). I didn't actually watch Far From Home, but given what the "Everything Great About" Youtube video said, it's clear he's still getting better (now with his Spider Sense), but was also facing psychological challenges.

Vision: Honestly, Age of Ultron seems to be the misstep. He's super powerful, but notes he's naive. But after then? Either he's been sick, or he's actually shown to be careless, and even then he didn't actually have another straight fight for the rest of his experiences. Sneak attacked by Hawkeye and still won. Sent into a hole by Scarlet Witch (that took a disproportionate like 12 hours to recover from?). Needlessly lasers an airport in half. Lasers War Machine (after both of them just forgot that Falcon's much better at flying than either of them). Sneak attacked by Corvus Glaive twice, then killed by Thanos.

Edited by wanderlustwarrior on Jan 14th 2020 at 9:06:05 AM

The sad, REAL American dichotomy
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#114632: Jan 14th 2020 at 7:17:38 PM

[up]

After being killed by Wanda. Don't forget that.

Man, dying twice has to suck.

One Strip! One Strip!
JoLuRo075 Since: Jan, 2019
#114633: Jan 14th 2020 at 7:33:40 PM

Then, Is Corvus a weakling?

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: Aug, 2015
The Head of the Hydra
#114634: Jan 14th 2020 at 7:35:28 PM

Well sounds like he’s a rogue so he’s more suited to sneak attacks & the unexpected.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
JoLuRo075 Since: Jan, 2019
#114635: Jan 14th 2020 at 7:39:59 PM

Rogue or not, he remains the weakling that was killed by a normal human in seconds.

It is noteworthy that his girlfriend was able to fight against Okoye and Natasha at the same time.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#114636: Jan 14th 2020 at 8:11:18 PM

Given how they were all children of Thanos, I think "sister" would be a better term for Proxima Midnight.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: Aug, 2015
The Head of the Hydra
#114637: Jan 14th 2020 at 8:13:08 PM

They are actually married though.

Edited by slimcoder on Jan 14th 2020 at 8:13:20 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#114638: Jan 14th 2020 at 8:19:49 PM

Are they? Huh. Just in the comics, or in the MCU, too? I always thought there would be weird incest-y implications with shipping the Children of Thanos with each other.

chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#114639: Jan 14th 2020 at 8:20:59 PM

So they're siblings and they're married.

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#114640: Jan 14th 2020 at 8:23:49 PM

They learned the definition of "step-sibling" from studying Earthling porn in an effort to understand their enemy before battle.

Relatedly, it kinda bugs me how in Endgame Squidward refers to future Nebula's footage as being timestamped "five years in the future". The English-speaking I attributed to Translator Microbes but why does Thanos's empire use Earth years as its time measurement?

Edited by Anomalocaris20 on Jan 14th 2020 at 11:26:35 AM

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#114641: Jan 14th 2020 at 8:29:01 PM

Maybe the habitable zone of planets is common enough that it averages out to most planets taking 360-ish days to orbit their star?

Per the mods' repellant efforts to avoid all responsibility, I regret to announce this is the end of my time on TVT. I'm going now. Goodbye.
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: Aug, 2015
The Head of the Hydra
#114642: Jan 14th 2020 at 8:34:07 PM

So because why not, does anyone else think Corvus brings the glaive when he & Proxima have sex?

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#114643: Jan 14th 2020 at 8:53:04 PM

Yes, but they don't actually use it as a toy. It's just there in bed with them, watching silently.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: Aug, 2015
The Head of the Hydra
#114644: Jan 14th 2020 at 9:01:08 PM

I figured he just holds it.

Like he’s on top of her & he just carries it in his hands, not really doing anything with It.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#114645: Jan 15th 2020 at 4:47:16 AM

"None of Team Cap were actually trying to hurt Spider-Man (especially given their knowledge they were fighting a child Tony dragged into things, even Rhodey was annoyed). "

Okey I will contest this because....bucky never play nice, hell in civil war he nearly kick a police and use a ram against them, even cap give him "dude please?" look for a second.

Spidy just right stop is bunch like it was nobody buissnes.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
ShadowWingLG Since: Dec, 2013
#114646: Jan 15th 2020 at 8:18:46 AM

Lets not forget that Spidey both confused the heck and completely freaked out Bucky he could have been like, "Little guy I don't have to hit him that hard..." *PUNCH CATCH* "WTF? Can I go back to my nice safe cryo chamber now? Please? This place is totally messed up..."

TobiasDrake Queen of Good Things, Honest (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
Queen of Good Things, Honest
#114647: Jan 15th 2020 at 8:33:43 AM

Seriously, that moment when Spidey stomps the Winter F*cking Soldier so hard that he doesn't even realize that this was supposed to be hard is one of my favorite MCU Spider-Man moments.

Cap and Widow spent a whole movie trying to outfight this guy and repeatedly losing, and Spidey's just stepping on his face like it's no big deal. Really sells how formidable the kid's supposed to be even as a rookie.

Meanwhile, Cap outfighting Spidey later in the scene shows that experience does still count for something. Power levels aren't the end-all be-all.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Jan 15th 2020 at 9:38:09 AM

My Tumblr. Currently liveblogging Haruhi Suzumiya and revisiting Danganronpa V3.
C105 Too old for this from France Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Too old for this
#114648: Jan 15th 2020 at 8:42:40 AM

A small regret I have with MCU Spiderman is how elusive the writers have remained about his past. I perfectly understand that we didn't need to witness yet another spiderbite and Uncle Ben's death, but the fact that he currently is the only MCU hero about whose origin story we know next to nothing (apart possibly Groot) feels a bit strange. I wonder if this is deliberate on the part of the writers because they consider everybody has seen the other Spiderman movies (making it a strange case of Alternate Continuity Lockout) or if they are planning to dwelve into his origin story at some point in the future.

Whatever your favourite work is, there is a Vocal Minority that considers it the Worst. Whatever. Ever!.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#114649: Jan 15th 2020 at 8:49:04 AM

Contrast that with DC, which tells us Batman's origin in excruciating detail every single time they reboot the series. Marvel gets it. "Spider bite, Uncle Ben, great power, yadda yadda." Boom, done, tell us a new story.

Edited by Fighteer on Jan 15th 2020 at 11:49:25 AM

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
TobiasDrake Queen of Good Things, Honest (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
Queen of Good Things, Honest
#114650: Jan 15th 2020 at 8:55:49 AM

One might get the impression from watching the movies that Batman literally has never done anything but angst about his parents and try to get revenge against crime (or specific individual criminals) for killing them.

My Tumblr. Currently liveblogging Haruhi Suzumiya and revisiting Danganronpa V3.

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