TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Go To

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

LordVatek Not really a lord of anything Since: Sep, 2014
Not really a lord of anything
#89201: Sep 19th 2018 at 8:57:39 AM

[up][up][up][up]Yes, I'm sure that's the reason.

Edited by LordVatek on Sep 19th 2018 at 11:57:38 AM

This song needs more love.
ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#89202: Sep 19th 2018 at 9:01:10 AM

@Bocaj: That. Brie is a woman headlining a tentpole movie without sharing the byline, so of course the internet is going to lose its shit. Brie is an veteran actor and Academy Award winner with a list of award nominations and wins almost as long as my arm, so I will trust that over the internet's omnipresent misogyny.

Edited by ViperMagnum357 on Sep 19th 2018 at 12:01:41 PM

Nightwire Since: Feb, 2010
#89203: Sep 19th 2018 at 9:02:22 AM

While it doesn't excuse Loki's behaviour, the amount to which Odin screwed up in raising him cannot be overstated. He adopts him and never tells him of his heritage all the while raising him on stories about how Frost Giants, Loki's own people, are irredeemable monsters. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone with common sense when Thor decides to invade their home and Loki decides to wipe them out. They're only following daddy's example after all.

That's not even getting into the mess with Hela.

Well, at least he can take solace: Thanos is Worst MCU Dad now.

Edited by Nightwire on Sep 19th 2018 at 9:02:45 AM

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#89204: Sep 19th 2018 at 9:02:52 AM

Yeah it’s just typical internet sexism.

Been seeing that bullshit a lot.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Beatman1 Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Gone fishin'
#89205: Sep 19th 2018 at 9:22:01 AM

[up][up]Kinda hard to top where Thanos’ priorities are.

Punisher286 Since: Jan, 2016
#89206: Sep 19th 2018 at 9:24:21 AM

If anyone bothered to look at Brie's other work, they'd see how absurd it is to say that she "cannot act." The woman has an Oscar for goodness sake, and it was well-deserved imo.

I mean we only have her saying like 5 lines out of context, not exactly a big sample size. But there's definitely emotion in her facial expression, body language, mannerisms, etc.

HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#89207: Sep 19th 2018 at 11:30:02 AM

Yeah, I'm just gonna do what I usually do and wait until the movie has been released to say anything.

I mean, while it is undeniable that there is a sexist element to this whole deal, but I also used to think the bad reception of the Ghostbusters reboot was solely thanks to it...then I watched the movie.

Granted, big difference between a full movie and just a trailer, but alas.

Of course, I could just watch her other works and make an opinion from that, but I just really can't be arsed.

Also, let's not kid ourselves here: the Oscars haven't meant shit for ages, now.

Edited by HailMuffins on Sep 19th 2018 at 3:33:49 PM

Punisher286 Since: Jan, 2016
#89208: Sep 19th 2018 at 11:35:48 AM

Some people, probably some of the same people in fact, were saying the same thing about Gal Gadot based off of the Wonder Woman trailers. And then, she ended up being one of the most praised elements of that film (and rightly so imo because she was really good and likeable), and those same people had egg all over the faces. And if anything, Brie is a better all-around actress than Gal, so that makes this "complaint" doubly absurd in this case.

Mizerous Pet Owner from Hell Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: Brewing the love potion
Pet Owner
#89209: Sep 19th 2018 at 11:37:03 AM

No matter what Talos is in charge and will not choke on his aspirations.

Just Makima.
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#89210: Sep 19th 2018 at 11:42:05 AM

Can someone give me a brief overview of who the shit is this Talos? I only read street level comics and know basically nothing about cosmic/space stuff.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#89211: Sep 19th 2018 at 11:54:34 AM

Well, I have actually seen the movie for which she got the award and it was well-deserved.

Gal Gadot cannot act, though. She works in the role she got, but I can't help to think that a better actress would be able to do more with it. Her one talent is to look dramatic when they frame her correctly. But as long as she doesn't ruin the movie and people are pumped for her, who cares.

Brie Larson on the other hand is a top tier actress.

Edited by Swanpride on Sep 19th 2018 at 11:59:19 AM

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#89212: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:07:47 PM

Odin is a mixed bag in that despite his warmongering conqueror ways in his youth he seems to have been a fairly decent King after settling down and he, to his credit, tries to keep both Thor and Loki in check (to mixed success). He starts to unravel a bit in the dark world after Frigga dies, but otherwise he's still a solid leader.

It's easy to do the right thing after you've already gotten everything you wanted from doing the wrong thing.

  • Odin: The ways of conquest and destruction must be avoided. They will bring only tragedy and pain.
  • Thor: Didn't you build this entire kingdom on conquest and destruction?
  • Odin: Yes. But now that I sit upon an ill-gotten throne of gold and skulls in a kingdom paved with the blood of my enemies, I have to be responsible for rulership. And anything that might endanger that throne of gold and skulls must be avoided. That is my responsibility as your leader.
  • Thor: So conquest and destruction are bad.
  • Odin: Yes. Anyone who might seek to conquer and destroy my kingdom is bad, and you should try not to pick any fights that might bring about such a thing.
  • Thor: ...and we shouldn't have taken all of this gold and skulls.
  • Odin: Correct. It was wrong to do so.
  • Thor: Are we going to give back the gold and skulls?
  • Odin: No. It's mine now. What, are you going to suggest I should recant my conquest by stepping down as king next? I didn't butcher all those worlds for nothing, Thor.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Sep 19th 2018 at 1:07:50 PM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#89213: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:12:36 PM

...that’s a very astute summary. Ouch.

Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#89214: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:16:28 PM

Hela: “Proud to have it, ashamed of how he got it.”

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#89215: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:18:42 PM

Y’know, this is why I’m torn on whether Loki’s neglect of the nine realms was bad kingship or more benign neglect.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#89216: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:26:38 PM

[up] Good thing that Cottonmouth didn't hear you saying this.

One thing for sure, Odin really didn't do a good job protecting earth considering how many aliens managed to mess with humans.

Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#89217: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:26:53 PM

At least Loki didn’t seem to have a Bifrost bone to pick with Jotunheim anymore.

Edited by Tuckerscreator on Sep 19th 2018 at 12:29:14 PM

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#89218: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:31:21 PM

Thats because even the frostgiants got tired of Loki

"We're not interested in invading,go away Loki!"

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#89219: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:31:31 PM

Wouldn't the fact that we still exist and were nit conquered or eslaved by the more advanced galatic powers proof that he actually did a damn good job, and these other incidents were isolated cases, the proverbial exception that proves the rule?

Also, the term "benign neglect" can only be applied if the Nine Realms were better off being ignored by Loki and Asgard.

Going by what Thor said, they very much were not.

SonOfSharknado Love is Love is Love Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Love is Love is Love
#89220: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:34:34 PM

Definitely the former. Based on Eitri and some throwaway lines in The Dark World, we can infer that the other eight realms relied on Asgard for Protection and to police threats and prevent wars. Rather than doing any of this, Loki, who always knew he'd be the best king ever, decides that the wealth and power of Asgard would be better spent building jerkoff statues to himself.

Loki: Well, you should have thought of that before you decided to become PEASANTS.

Loki was just as blind to the truth of Odin's rise to power as Thor. He knew the responsibilities of being King and what was involved and decided to just tell it all to fuck off. He wasn't trying to slyly return autonomy to a conquered people, he was putting Loki first and everyone else a distant third.

My various fanfics.
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#89221: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:35:14 PM

Loki's negligence led to the entire Dwarven Kingdom being at Thanos's mercy and subsequently wiped out wholesale. As Etri put it, "Where was Asgard then!?". Almost as if foreshadowing that, Thor comments early on Ragnarok that several of the other 8 realms are falling in disarray in civil war because Loki Odin has been sitting on his ass and Loki's non-plussed reaction implies he's at least somewhat aware of this. Loki's decision to drop everyone like a sack of potatoes wasn't particularly noble either.

As I said, Odin's a mixed bag. His whole conquest and the fact he is unwilling to walk back on it is pretty bad, but otherwise he seems like a very reasonable leader. His main concern with the war against the Jotuns is not even that it will threaten his position, but that the cost of Jotun and Asgardian lives would be too much. In the Dark World, the one example of Asgardian intervention we see is Thor (on Odin's orders) defending another realm from marauders, which is a pretty benign form of aid.

Loki just summarily ignoring Asgard's responsability towards the other Realms didn't really help anyone.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#89222: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:37:30 PM

Considering that Odin was the one who dumped the Tesseract on Earth to begin with, he didn't just do a bad job of protecting Earth, he put it in the line of fire.

Also, I would owe Earth's freedom more to SHIELD, the Avengers, Captain Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy not Alien Hannibal Lecter.

HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#89223: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:42:53 PM

Yeah, but that ignores that: a)those were all recent developments and humanity spent over a million years of its collective existance as a species without any protection, and b) until Loki went to tell Thanos about it, no one knew where the Tesseract was and the fact that the Earth is essentially a third-world country by galatic standarts, no one had the means to abuse its power.

Feels more like a calculated risk than anything.

Edited by HailMuffins on Sep 19th 2018 at 4:43:26 PM

SonOfSharknado Love is Love is Love Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Love is Love is Love
#89224: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:51:01 PM

If I have, let's say a stick of dynamite, and I bury it 300 feet underground in my backyard where no one will ever think to look for it, and then fifty years later some shithead kid picks it up and it gets hot potatoed for a while, is it specifically my fault if it winds up in a bad man's hand?

My various fanfics.
Unsung it's a living from a tenement of clay Since: Jun, 2016
it's a living
#89225: Sep 19th 2018 at 12:51:43 PM

Well, when he put it there it was a backwater with nothing most other alien empires would seem to want and a relatively small, technologically primitive population, and if Asgard's position had been better, if they'd known Thanos was coming, they presumably would have come for the Tesseract and taken it somewhere more defensible. Earth's shield was its obscurity and remoteness. You could argue a similar "Batman makes its own villains" idea that Earth drew alien attention on its own through organizations like Hydra, which Asgard clearly didn't expect to rise up in the thousand or so years since Viking times. So yes, Asgard was negligent and condescending and forgetful, but I don't think it's quite right to say they put Earth in the line of fire intentionally. If we weren't on such roll lately, we probably would have been passed over, if for no other reason than we wouldn't have had any defenders for Thanos to fight.

I don't know how the halving the population thing works, actually — does that take into account relative population sizes? Because there could very well be planets and civilizations with smaller numbers for whom losing half the population at once could be devastating, and not the kind of devastating where you suddenly have a sudden surplus of food and livable space and a mostly intact infrastructure. It seems like the Snap would have to be intelligent enough to figure that out for it to work the way Thanos intended. Or maybe that's an Aesop for another day.

Edited by Unsung on Sep 19th 2018 at 2:24:57 AM


Total posts: 186,763
Top