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

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#110551: Sep 29th 2019 at 4:14:52 PM

I'll be surprised if the Mandarin has the Makluan rings in the movie. They are far too powerful for a hero whose only skill is martial arts and a number of characters in the MCU have been hit with Adaptational Superpower Change or Adaptational Wimp already.

Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#110552: Sep 29th 2019 at 4:19:41 PM

I personally think DKR is better than the first one. It’s just a bad follow-up to the Dark Knight.

The legend has returned.
Shadao Dorzma Forever! Artwork by Kris Dobbins. (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
Dorzma Forever! Artwork by Kris Dobbins.
#110553: Sep 29th 2019 at 4:19:51 PM

I think the Mandarin would be inspired by the Infinity Stones to forge some powerful ten rings for himself. Heck, it might be a subtle way to reference the fact that the Mandarin is originally Iron Man's Arch-Enemy.

HamburgerTime Since: Apr, 2010
#110554: Sep 29th 2019 at 4:31:12 PM

So Shang Chi will have the resolution to the Mandarin arc, yes? I wonder if it was originally going to be an Iron Man movie before RDJ decided to leave.

RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#110555: Sep 29th 2019 at 4:41:07 PM

In the comics, the Mandarin is a master martial artist who can use Ki Attacks, and a super-scientist, and the owner of ten alien rings that each grant a different superpower. It's the sort of Combo Platter Powers a kid would make up when explaining why their character would never lose to anyone else's character.

An idea might be to go with just the martial artist (and maybe super-scientist) stuff for the Shang-Chi movie, but if he comes back as the villain in a teamup movie, have him acquire the rings to make him more of a threat.

chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#110556: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:15:09 PM

I'm calling it know, The Stinger for Shang-Chi will feature Fin Fang Foom. His race was responsible for creating the Mandarin's rings in the comics.

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#110557: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:20:15 PM

I'm pretty sure he'll have the rings since they're in the title. Or the film will be about trying to find the rings and he'll use them in the finale.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#110558: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:26:25 PM

I'll be surprised if the Mandarin has the Makluan rings in the movie. They are far too powerful for a hero whose only skill is martial arts

Martial arts movies - especially those of Shang Chi’s theming - have had normal warriors fighting wizards and gods and what have you for decades. Regular action movies have as well. It’s never been a restriction.

Hell, Disney’s about to do it in Mulan (the villain of the live action version is going to be a sorceress). Shang-Chi will be just fine.

They’re unlikely to skimp out on fully adapting Mandarin after the uproar that came from not doing it before: there wouldn’t be any point in using Mandarin in this case if they weren’t doing so, since it’s a Rogues' Gallery Transplant in the first place.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Sep 29th 2019 at 5:31:58 AM

RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#110559: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:32:34 PM

[up][up] Except in the MCU the Ten Rings is the name of the terrorist organization that kidnapped Tony Stark and made him invent the Iron Man armor.

Though, looking up the rings' exact powers, most of them amount to "shoot destructive beams of energy at people", only differing in the exact kind of destructive energy. That'd actually be pretty easy to adapt.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#110560: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:38:18 PM

If organizations like HYDRA or The Hand can control terrorism and espionage down to the smallest level and still have the big picture of these huge sci-if/mystical super organizations, there’s no reason Mandarin can’t do the same thing.

In fact, given how Shang Chi’s origin story goes, I’m expecting it.

An offshoot of the Ten Rings being mundane Iron Man doesn’t preclude them from doing anything else with Mandarin. It’s not like Raza was Mandarin’s right hand man or anything.

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.
#110561: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:43:17 PM

I've said before that the Ten Rings don't really work well as a power-set for Mandarin if he's supposed to be the evil magic counterpart of Iron Man, he should just have Goku's power-set. However, if he's not fighting Iron Man, the Ten Rings could be fine. If it's Shang-Chi a relatively normal martial artist vs the Mandarin, wizard with ten rings of power, thst could make for an awesome final battle.

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#110562: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:46:49 PM

Martial arts movies - especially those of Shang Chi’s theming - have had normal warriors fighting wizards and gods and what have you for decades. Regular action movies have as well. It’s never been a restriction.

This is the MCU. They have never had a movie were a person defeats a superpowered foe without having some kind of supernatural backup, powers of their own or advanced technology.

Hell, Disney’s about to do it in Mulan (the villain of the live action version is going to be a sorceress). Shang-Chi will be just fine.

Looking at the trailers, it looks like Mulan will have Supernatural Martial Arts on her side. Don't know if Shang Chi will have that but if he does, he wouldn't exactly qualify as a Badass Normal as slimcoder said.

They’re unlikely to skimp out on fully adapting Mandarin after the uproar that came from not doing it before: there wouldn’t be any point in using Mandarin in this case if they weren’t doing so, since it’s a Rogues-Gallery Transplant in the first place.

Then again, the Mandarin doesn't have the rings in the comics anymore and the MCU tends to go for more recent status quos. Besides, as long as the Mandarin is Chinese this time, I think most people will be okay with him.

Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#110563: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:54:41 PM

I could very easily see Raza's branch to just be a front organization that's core purpose is mostly just to cause havoc and attract attention away from the Mandarin's real plans and capabilities.

Raza might not of even been aware of how literal the Ten Rings were. He was probably aware that there was another level or two of the Ten Rings above him, which I'm sure he was trying to break into. But to the Mandarin he was just another pawn on the board who happened to serve a more public-facing role.

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#110564: Sep 29th 2019 at 5:59:05 PM

Shang Chi fights on equal foot with supermans fairly regularly, and his kung fu is explicitly so good as to allow him to perform some mildly superhuman feats via chi (like punching through solid steel and dodging bullets). He's effectively Kung Fu Captain America, with chi taking the place of the soldier serum.

Mandarin's powerset is only slightly out of his league, and that is something that can be worked around (like making Mandarin a Squishy Wizard once you get past his Rings).

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#110565: Sep 29th 2019 at 6:02:46 PM

There's also the chance that Mandarin is Shang's dad so there might be an epic battle between father & son.

It be like some fucking Hanma shit here.

Edited by slimcoder on Sep 29th 2019 at 6:03:12 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#110566: Sep 29th 2019 at 7:29:40 PM

This is the MCU. They have never had a movie were a person defeats a superpowered foe without having some kind of supernatural backup, powers of their own or advanced technology.

Well, they’re about to.

Seriously, though, all that says is that they haven’t done it yet. That doesn’t follow to them being incapable of doing so.

Keep in mind also that the only reason that’s true in the first place is because they haven’t had non-superpowered stars at all until recently. Shang and Widow will be the first ones.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Sep 29th 2019 at 7:40:52 AM

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#110567: Sep 29th 2019 at 7:37:25 PM

Hawkeye defeated Scarlet Witch with just a taser, and Quicksilver with a bullet (to the glass floor).

Boom, normie defeating superpowered freaks.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#110568: Sep 29th 2019 at 7:39:31 PM

Don't Widow and Hawkeye taking down Ultron-bots count?

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#110569: Sep 29th 2019 at 7:41:09 PM

Also, suitless Iron Man killing Ellen Brandt. Unless microwaves count as advanced technology under this standard.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
eligram Since: Sep, 2009 Relationship Status: In denial
#110570: Sep 29th 2019 at 7:41:43 PM

I can totally see the final battle with Shang-Chi stealing some rings in the middle of the battle and using them to fight the Mandarin.

Hell, I can see Shang keeping some of the rings for the team up movies, so that he can keep up with the other heroes and add some diversity to the abilities of the team, instead of having him to compete with other non powered avengers, like Sam amd T'Challa, and possibly Kate Bishop, that at least bring something to the table with their tech.

And spraking of Sam, I cannot wait to see the Disney+ series, as I'm intriged to see how they going to implement the shield to his repertoire and, because I'm worried that they simply gonna show him trowing the shield with the same strenght that Steve without him having the super serum and without any explanation (like any tech, or a super suit), and that's going to ask a lot of Suspension of Disbelief to me, so I'm hoping they do something really creative with him to diferentiate him from Steve and Bucky.

Edited by eligram on Sep 29th 2019 at 10:43:59 AM

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#110571: Sep 29th 2019 at 7:44:36 PM

He'll replace his wingsuit's wings with a pair of shields.

But they look more like elytra than bird wings, so he renames himself the Beetle.

Then Abner Jenkins sues him.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#110572: Sep 29th 2019 at 7:54:35 PM

And the attorney he hires will be Janice Lincoln.

Disgusted, but not surprised
eligram Since: Sep, 2009 Relationship Status: In denial
#110573: Sep 29th 2019 at 7:57:56 PM

And he is obliged to add America to the name, so he would be American Beetle, and the whole series is him trying to change the national animal from the bald eagle to the beetle and dealing with the suit by Abner Jenkins.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#110574: Sep 29th 2019 at 8:12:06 PM

Later he gives up his efforts and decides he might as well make his costume eagle-themed instead, calling himself American Eagle.

Then he gets sued by Jason Strongbow.

Disgusted, but not surprised
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#110575: Sep 29th 2019 at 9:10:05 PM

You know it's a shame we may never get the scene from Warren Ellis' Thunderbolts where American Eagle curb stomps Bullseye.

Also, has American Eagle ever interacted with Captain America or any of his supporting cast?


Total posts: 186,763
Top