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Welcome to the main discussion thread for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! This pinned post is here 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 without spoiler tagging 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.

If you're posting tagged spoilers, make sure that the film or series is clearly identified outside the spoiler tagging. People need to know what will be spoiled before they choose to read the post.

    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 Mrph1 on Jul 29th 2024 at 3:09:00 PM

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#46451: Nov 17th 2015 at 10:43:29 AM

[up][up]I assume (or rather, I hope) you mean willingly?

edited 17th Nov '15 10:46:13 AM by nervmeister

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#46452: Nov 17th 2015 at 10:47:27 AM

I'm not actually sure it's possible for the Purple Man to have consensual sex with someone.

Even if he wasn't a rapey bastard, for a man with a hypnotic voice, true consent becomes very difficult to suss out.

edited 17th Nov '15 10:47:44 AM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#46453: Nov 17th 2015 at 10:48:41 AM

[up]So his ability is passive/incontinent? Didn't know that.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#46454: Nov 17th 2015 at 10:49:30 AM

It's a pheromone his body produces.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#46455: Nov 17th 2015 at 10:56:35 AM

[up]So always on, huh. Wow. If he had this since childhood, I can only imagine how it influenced his perspective.

"If it's a part of who I am and it comes as naturally and unconsciously as breathing to me, then there's nothing morally wrong with it. Anyone who thinks I'm a monster for just telling a 5-year old to swallow a gallon of cleaning fluid is crazy. I didn't hold his mouth open and force it down his throat! So no foul!" Or something along those lines.

edited 17th Nov '15 10:57:46 AM by nervmeister

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#46456: Nov 17th 2015 at 11:02:47 AM

He can't control it? I didn't know that. That would actually be pretty tragic if he wasn't an asshole.

yellowturtle from Nowhere Important Since: Feb, 2015 Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
#46457: Nov 17th 2015 at 11:29:43 AM

[up] [lol]

edited 17th Nov '15 11:29:55 AM by yellowturtle

Crow: There's a plot?
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#46458: Nov 17th 2015 at 11:33:32 AM

[up][up] Pretty much exactly that.

Of note: in the comics, he hasn't had the ability since childhood, he got it the old-fashioned way: lab accident. He was an international spy who became doused in chemicals and discovered his powerset after delivering a really shitty lie to his captors when things went south, only to be astonished when everyone immediately bought his crappy lie and set him free. I don't know how it will be in the show, I've avoided most of the news regarding it.

Personally, I equate Purple Man's powerset to the Death Note. It's an inherently desensitizing ability. When you live in a world where everyone is compelled to obey your voice, dehumanization becomes inevitable. It gets harder and harder to see other people as people. Harder to respect free will and the right to choice when you will never meet a person who has free will or the ability to make their own choices again. Too easy to fall into the "Video Game" mindset, so to speak: I am the only player character here, and the rest of you are NPCs contributing to the cause of my satisfaction. The longer a person has it, the more likely they are to stop identifying with other humans, to put themselves above the rest.

It's not difficult for me to understand how Kilgrave became a sadistic creature who treats other human beings as though they existed solely for his own satisfaction. That does not, however, absolve him of his monstrous actions. He is an understandable character but not a relatable or sympathetic one; both his powerset and his natural development as a consequence of it poses a huge danger to others, and if it cannot be destroyed or contained, then he must be.

It sucks that he has to live with such a socially-crippling handicap, but his rights end where the rights of others begin.

edited 17th Nov '15 11:35:46 AM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#46459: Nov 17th 2015 at 11:41:47 AM

Jeez. I would absolutely suck to be a person trying to hang to morals and their humanity with a power like that.

It'd be like trying to live through life with the involuntary ability to set anyone who pisses you off even slightly on fire (I think there was a movie about that once).

Actually, more characters in comics with incredibly bad powers who still try to be good people would be neat. I can only think of very few.

edited 17th Nov '15 11:42:21 AM by KnownUnknown

Heatth (X-Troper) Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
#46460: Nov 17th 2015 at 11:49:19 AM

[up]That was largely Rogue's appeal early on. Not quite as awful as constant mind control or setting people on fire, but being unable to touch anyone without hurting them and violating their privacynote  still takes a huge toll out of someone.

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#46461: Nov 17th 2015 at 11:53:05 AM

[up][up] See, there actually is a person with the same powerset (or sort of the same powerset) who worked more as a hero than villain: Kara Killgrave, the Purple Woman, Killgrave's daughter. However, after a time as a hero, she grew more and more worried about abusing her power and eventually did some morally gray things.

I am the only player character here, and the rest of you are NPCs contributing to the cause of my satisfaction. The longer a person has it, the more likely they are to stop identifying with other humans, to put themselves above the rest.
This is interesting, because in his appearance in Alias, he seems well aware that he is a comic book character and he addresses the reader as if he is the main character (although he also knows the Jessica is the main character).

edited 17th Nov '15 11:53:39 AM by alliterator

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#46462: Nov 17th 2015 at 11:55:48 AM

Matt Murdock would be especially fucked if he got tangled up with Kilgrave,

edited 17th Nov '15 11:56:50 AM by nervmeister

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#46463: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:01:33 PM

Actually, Daredevil is Killgrave's main enemy in the comics, but he's also one of the few who has the willpower to resist him...some of the time.

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#46464: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:02:29 PM

[up][up] Well, in the comics, the Purple Man originated as a Daredevil villain, and I believe they've fought a lot since then. So it's not exactly a conflict that would be inconceivable to go in Matt's favor.

[nja]

edited 17th Nov '15 12:02:43 PM by KarkatTheDalek

Oh God! Natural light!
TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#46465: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:02:37 PM

I know Jessica Jones is coming in a few days, but I still can't help but think it kinda bites that they got David Tennant to play a major dickwad with mind controlling superpowers.

I enjoyed him as the 10th Doctor and enjoying him now as the Fugitoid.

But yeah, if I'm gonna watch this show, I'm doing it blind. So no clips for me.

edited 17th Nov '15 12:04:04 PM by TargetmasterJoe

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#46466: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:03:03 PM

[up] Why does this bite, exactly? I'm interested to see him play a villain.

edited 17th Nov '15 12:03:24 PM by KarkatTheDalek

Oh God! Natural light!
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#46467: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:06:00 PM

IIRC, one way to combat Killgrave is deliberate deafness. His powerset is sort of like the Suggestion spell from DnD: whether the target is affected or not, he can't make you do things if you can't hear the orders he's giving you. A person cannot obey a command they never received.

edited 17th Nov '15 12:06:40 PM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
MousaThe14 Writer, Artist, Ignored from Northern Virginia Since: Jan, 2011 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Writer, Artist, Ignored
#46468: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:07:11 PM

Hey Kk the Dk, remember Donna?

I think that's why it would bite.

The Blog The Art
TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#46469: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:10:19 PM

[up][up][up] Because he's great when he's playing a good guy!

And besides, I got a thing against bullies and Manipulative Bastards like the Purple Man.

Right when I saw him bullying Iron Man in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Emperor Stark", the only thought in my head was "Oh my god, somebody punch this guy already!"

But hey, I can recognize that Tennant will have one hell of a performance.

edited 17th Nov '15 12:11:09 PM by TargetmasterJoe

Heatth (X-Troper) Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
#46470: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:10:32 PM

[up][up][up]It another thread it have been suggested Killgrave could counter this by writing out his orders or mimicking them (since his powers are based on pheromones, and not directly his voice). But I don't think that was ever tried, sadly.

edited 17th Nov '15 12:10:58 PM by Heatth

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#46471: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:11:35 PM

He could, but writing things down is time-consuming. It's really hard to write orders while you're being punched in the face.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
yellowturtle from Nowhere Important Since: Feb, 2015 Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
#46472: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:14:00 PM

To be clear, all the episodes are available on 20th? Are we getting 13, same as Daredevil?

Crow: There's a plot?
nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#46473: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:14:50 PM

@alliterator

That's what I don't get. Wouldn't Matt with his enhanced senses be especially vulnerable to a man who mind controls via pheremones?

Heatth (X-Troper) Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
#46474: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:14:52 PM

[up][up][up]Of course. But it would be neat if it was ever shown he had some emergency flash cards with simple commands ("don't hurt me" or even "go away") for just this occasion. I mean, he was defeated by that a couple of times, so he could think on this contingency.

[up][up]All episodes, yeah. And I think it is the same number as DD.

[up]Well, Purple Man probably can effect him from a longer range, but I am not sure the extra senses would make the effect stronger.

edited 17th Nov '15 12:15:57 PM by Heatth

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#46475: Nov 17th 2015 at 12:16:00 PM

@Mousa: Yes, I remember. It's hard not to think about Ten these days without thinking about the problems I have with him.

(Speaking of which, that reminds me of a story idea I had...can I PM you?)

edited 17th Nov '15 12:16:37 PM by KarkatTheDalek

Oh God! Natural light!

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