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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

GNinja The Element of Hyperbole. from The deepest, darkest corner of his mind. Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
The Element of Hyperbole.
#104851: Jul 10th 2019 at 5:52:46 AM

I'm sad. Absorbing Man has already been used in Agents of Shield hasn't he?

Nuts, I thought the idea of him was cool enough to work for a main movie villain.

Kaze ni Nare!
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#104852: Jul 10th 2019 at 6:44:58 AM

I had an idea for Spider-Man 3 (before watching Far From Home, so no spoilers here). It was going to have Scorpion and Prowler as the villains, but with diametrically opposed character arcs. Scorpion starts out genuinely wanting to be a superhero, but he slowly turns evil over time, crossing too many lines until he ends up as the main villain and final boss of the movie. Prowler starts out as a villain, trying to use his inventions to make a quick buck, but after Spider-Man beats him, he slowly reforms into a proper hero and friend to Spider-Man, and Spider-Man needs his help in a team-up to defeat Scorpion.

Have Prowler be a returning Aaron Davis played by Donald Glover, and use his scenes to set up the MCU version of Miles Morales.

Of course, there is one element to this story that would be obviously changed with a spoiler from Far From Home, but it shouldn't be obvious what that is unless you've seen the film.

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#104853: Jul 10th 2019 at 7:15:45 AM

I'm sad. Absorbing Man has already been used in Agents of Shield hasn't he?
He was cool enough in the show that they can definitely bring him back in the movies. Also, the last thing that happened to him in the show would definitely piss him off and turn him into a villain: getting absorbed by Talbot as Graviton.

HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#104854: Jul 10th 2019 at 7:25:03 AM

[up][up]Hasn't the Scorpion showed up in the post-credit scene of Homecoming, and showed himself to be a pretty chilling Ax-Crazy psychopath?

Funny thing, at first I thought it was Cletus Cassidy, the host of Carnage.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#104855: Jul 10th 2019 at 7:26:19 AM

Wait, that was Scorpion?

AyyItsMidnight Look, just be decent to one another ok? Since: Oct, 2018
Look, just be decent to one another ok?
#104856: Jul 10th 2019 at 7:28:09 AM

Fun fact: Mac Gargan there is played by Michael Mando, who voices Vaas, if anyone cares.

Self-serious autistic trans gal who loves rock/metal and animation with all her heart. (she/her)
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#104857: Jul 10th 2019 at 7:28:58 AM

Yes, that was Scorpion. Mac Gargan was the guy buying weapons from Toomes on the Staten Island Ferry. He was arrested and was last seen in prison asking Toomes about the rumor that Toomes knows who Spider-Man is.

Scorpion technically exists in the MCU, but it remains to be seen whether his presence will be a cute Shout-Out or an Early-Bird Cameo. And I don't want to speculate any further down that road because Far From Home is still in its no-spoiler window.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Jul 10th 2019 at 8:31:35 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
AyyItsMidnight Look, just be decent to one another ok? Since: Oct, 2018
Look, just be decent to one another ok?
#104858: Jul 10th 2019 at 7:44:11 AM

So I had a compulsion to re-watch the Guardians movies...again, one after the other. I don't need to tell you that I think they're both still great and hold up on the whole, though I have some observations. First off, I think the two lines that got the most laughs out of me from the first one were "it's barely a concept" and "we're just like Kevin Bacon!", thanks in large part to their specific context. Secondly, Groot the 1st's sacrifice and Rocket crying over his remains while Drax pets him, plus Peter opening up his mom's gift and the reveal of where the name Star-Lord even came from...yep, those still got me good. And of course they both helped some of the saddest moments in the second movie hit even harder. Like, that 2nd mixtape was the last thing Peter had to remember his mom by! And that...that shitstain Ego crushed it before his eyes! Ffffffuuuuuck, man.

On a lighter note, looking back on the title sequence to the first one you just can't help think of Nebula and Rhodey mocking Peter from afar and promptly knocking him out cold like a chump.

Self-serious autistic trans gal who loves rock/metal and animation with all her heart. (she/her)
GNinja The Element of Hyperbole. from The deepest, darkest corner of his mind. Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
The Element of Hyperbole.
#104859: Jul 10th 2019 at 7:51:35 AM

I kinda wanted Ego to be slightly less of a dick. Like 15% less of an asshole. I hope people don't mock me for that.

It's actually the only problem I have with the film (I adored GOTG 2) other than me thinking some of the jokes went on too long. Ego kinda flips a switch and becomes blandly evil after the reveal. And it made the climax a bit less compelling for me. Like, it didn't make me feel any more betrayed or sympathetic towards Quill.

Edited by GNinja on Jul 10th 2019 at 2:53:29 PM

Kaze ni Nare!
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#104860: Jul 10th 2019 at 8:44:47 AM

I thought that too, but maybe that was the point they were going for? That he was always a complete asshole with only superficial charisma that completely breaks down as soon as he is denied anything.

Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#104861: Jul 10th 2019 at 10:14:32 AM

I didn’t find Ego bland at all. He’s one of the more interesting villains to me because of how much he is fueled by his own insecurities. He projects himself as an awe-inspiring perfect god, when really he’s just a scared lonely creature who wants to belong but is too frightened of what it would mean to humble himself.

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#104862: Jul 10th 2019 at 10:31:59 AM

IS more than that, ego dosent really graps people, look is revelation is not to bother quill but rather a matter of fact: quill mother was making feel to happy so he just brain dead her, easy peacy.

by the way I found that moment on of the best in MCU, I make me root for quill in that moment and I never though that would happen.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#104863: Jul 10th 2019 at 10:32:18 AM

One of my favorite traits of Ego is actually how he seems to feel somewhat bad over what happened to Meredith, it's just that he dramatically underestimates how bad he should feel.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
GNinja The Element of Hyperbole. from The deepest, darkest corner of his mind. Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
The Element of Hyperbole.
#104864: Jul 10th 2019 at 10:40:53 AM

[up][up][up][up] Some of his lines sounded genuine is the thing. Like when Peter is under his mental influence and he screams "For the first time I AM NOT ALONE!" He sounded like he was genuinely happy and relieved to finally have someone beside him. It didn't sound like a delivery intended for manipulation, you could hear something unhinged in it.

Maybe it would've been too much of a completely different film, but I wish that Ego hadn't needed Quill for his universe destruction plan, he just genuinely wanted soemone else by his side for eternity. He still would've been selfish beyond all reckoning. He'd be a crazy person who doesn't care what Quill has to say on the matter, and he'd still be genocidal, but the film kinda muddies things by making his interest in Quill so mechanical in the end. He wants him because he needs him for his plan.

[up] That's actually my favourite part of the film. XD

Edited by GNinja on Jul 10th 2019 at 5:43:34 PM

Kaze ni Nare!
ShadowWingLG Since: Dec, 2013
#104865: Jul 10th 2019 at 10:50:33 AM

Ego also massively underestimated how others would feel about it, he truly thought that once Peter knew 'The Truth' that he would be A-Okay with his mom's death and Ego's part of it now that now Peter 'knows' that he is a higher being above all others. He completely misjudged Peter there.

He was in such a rush to achieve his Expansion he had no patience to just WAIT, (one of his other kids could have had the power its possible they weren't old enough) and with Peter he just needed to keep his yap shut about Meredith and just keep Peter visiting every year or so to keep him immortal and allow the rest of the Guardians' to die naturally (what's a few more decades to a god?) then coax a despondent Peter into being his battery for the Expansion.

But nope Ego...had to have well and EGO and rush it.

AyyItsMidnight Look, just be decent to one another ok? Since: Oct, 2018
Look, just be decent to one another ok?
#104866: Jul 10th 2019 at 10:50:36 AM

The reveal of him being responsible for Meredith's death and Peter's subsequent reaction to it is one of the best parts of the film. Like he INSTANTLY snaps out of the hypnosis and blasts the hell of him for, ya know, openly admitting he killed his mom.

Self-serious autistic trans gal who loves rock/metal and animation with all her heart. (she/her)
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#104867: Jul 10th 2019 at 11:04:54 AM

I would have preferred if Ego hadn't put the tumor in Meredith's brain. I'm fine with everything else, but that was a bridge too far into mindless villainy.

It also dumbs down the conflict. Ego's a bad enough dude as it is. The Guardians should be against him because he's a maniacal eldritch horror who keeps slaves and wants to blow up the universe; not because he shot Quill's ma.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
GNinja The Element of Hyperbole. from The deepest, darkest corner of his mind. Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
The Element of Hyperbole.
#104868: Jul 10th 2019 at 11:05:37 AM

[up][up][up] Maybe he thought it was something Peter deserved to know. Like, in his mind he was manning up and admitting something he wasn't proud of.

[up] The fact that in a weird psuedo-Blue and Orange morality way he felt bad about doing it made it work for me. It highlights just how differently his mind works to ours.

Edited by GNinja on Jul 10th 2019 at 6:10:05 PM

Kaze ni Nare!
Nightwire Since: Feb, 2010
#104869: Jul 10th 2019 at 11:09:56 AM

Peter's immediate reaction after hearing it was to shoot Ego. Of course Ego would be fucking pissed and not playing around any more.

jakobitis Doctor of Doctorates from Somewhere, somewhen Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Doctor of Doctorates
#104870: Jul 10th 2019 at 11:31:31 AM

Yeah, Ego can create himself a perfect replica of a human body, but he just can't make himself actually human.

"These 'no-nonsense' solutions of yours just don't hold water in a complex world of jet-powered apes and time travel."
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#104871: Jul 10th 2019 at 11:34:32 AM

I think mindless villainy descibes his motives pretty well,he never thinks of anyone else but himself,of course he thought putting a tumour in her head was a great idea,he was'nt thinking of her feelings or Peter,he did not care

He's a eldritch abomination things like death and suffering don't bother him because he's immortal

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#104872: Jul 10th 2019 at 11:42:02 AM

As much as I usually hate moms dying in media, I actually thought it sorta worked here. It’s absolutely chilling that The Expansion overruled true love; because Ego is so single minded and egotistical. It highlights the themes of toxic egocentrism we see throughout the film with Yondu, Peter, and Rocket.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#104873: Jul 10th 2019 at 11:44:05 AM

Yeah, Ego can create himself a perfect replica of a human body, but he just can't make himself actually human.

He wouldn't even if he could. Ego is entirely content with what he is. He just wants there to be more of him. He wears his disdain for lesser beings throughout the third act.

Which, again, is why I don't think he really needed that "I killed your mum" bit. The "Brandy" dynamic he brags about was fine enough as it was. Ego fell in love with Meredith, but abandoned her and Peter when he couldn't bring himself to put aside "the sea". The sea being his horrific plan to seed every planet with himself. That's fine. It works. It makes him a bad person, without warping his badness to be specifically about Meredith.

I actually don't like the scene where Peter shoots Ego for revealing that bit, because I feel like it really highlights the problem with how Ego is handled.

  • Yondu: Your dad sent me to kidnap you from your life.
  • Peter: Sounds like a pretty great guy.
  • Mantis: My name is Mantis. I live in slavery to my master, Ego.
  • Peter: Oh, cool! Slaves! I love slaves!
  • Gamora: Holy shit! He's killing all of his children!
  • Peter: I can't hear you over how awesome my dad is!
  • Ego: Here's my plan to exterminate the entire universe. I need your help to do it.
  • Peter: I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it! Wiping out all life is neato!
  • Ego: Also I killed your mom.
  • Peter: MY DAD IS A BAD GUY AND WE NEED TO STOP HIM.

Like. Out of every horrible thing Ego does throughout the film, killing Meredith is easily the tamest. But it's what gets the focus. Peter Quill is 100% cool with every other terrible thing, and that makes Peter Quill a pretty terrible f*cking person.

I know they didn't mean to imply that Quill would have exterminated the universe with a smile on his face had he not gotten butthurt about his mom. But that scene implies that Quill would have exterminated the universe with a smile on his face had he not gotten butthurt about this mom. And that's not a great look for your main hero.

Also, the way the information is delivered is pretty lame. Ego just says it. For no reason. In the middle of successfully carrying out his evil plan. It's super forced.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Jul 10th 2019 at 12:46:20 PM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#104874: Jul 10th 2019 at 12:15:03 PM

I'm fine with the Blue-and-Orange Morality implications for Peter with the idea that he's supposed to be kind of a shitheel of an anti-hero. The issue is that we're supposed to still root for him as he is, because he's a Jerk with a Heart of Gold and some relatable aspects, as opposed to recognizing him as a terrible asshole who suffers from a lot of stereotypical toxic masculinity, but who has the potential to be good albeit a long way to go to get there. His portrayal in Infinity War does rob him of some of his more positive dimensions but it isn't as far off from his character as some detractors claim.

Edited by AlleyOop on Jul 10th 2019 at 3:17:39 PM

GNinja The Element of Hyperbole. from The deepest, darkest corner of his mind. Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
The Element of Hyperbole.
#104875: Jul 10th 2019 at 12:42:34 PM

[up][up] HE didn't seem to be disdainful towards Peter's mom.

Kaze ni Nare!

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