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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.

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    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

KJMackley Since: Jan, 2001
#116276: Mar 9th 2020 at 4:24:50 AM

There is often a disconnect between the artistic vision and how it is received by fans. I think they made an effort to make the character as best as they could, but having that character forced on them soured their opinion of what they accomplished. The response here seems partially driven by how it elevated an underused character into something a little more distinct, but I mostly remember Hobgoblin from the later X-Men crossover "I'm such a BAD hacker! Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad" and getting overshadowed by the Green Goblin, who in turn was sort of Too Cool to Live (amnesia at first and then tossed in a pocket dimension) because he was going after Spider-Man personally. Frankly, I don't even remember much of a toyline associated with the show, just a few basic figures same as the DCAU. Remember, this was also the era of maximum Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles exposure where they had five variations for each turtles, multiple vehicles and giant playsets.

Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#116277: Mar 9th 2020 at 6:18:16 AM

Wake me up at your own risk.
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
#116278: Mar 9th 2020 at 6:40:54 AM

So they are going to showcase the fighting styles of every Avenger they can think of?

Whatever your favourite work is, there is a Vocal Minority that considers it the Worst. Whatever. Ever!.
Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#116279: Mar 9th 2020 at 6:47:08 AM

Well, that seemed like an obvious conclusion from the moment Taskmaster was announced as the villain. I think Sam, Peter and Bucky would complete the set (beyond Natasha and her old friends, of course), but I am not sure how far they want to go. I doubt they can copy the Iron Man suits or Thor and the Hulk.

Edited by Blueace on Mar 9th 2020 at 10:52:49 AM

Wake me up at your own risk.
jakobitis Doctor of Doctorates from Somewhere, somewhen Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Doctor of Doctorates
#116280: Mar 9th 2020 at 8:25:38 AM

Comics Taskmaster is super inconsistent about his level, but generally speaking he's a human being without any real physical powers so he shouldn't really be mimicking anything higher than Falcon or Daredevil level of strength and durability.

Theoretically he might match Cap or T'Challa but that's a stretch given the enhancements those two have.

Edited by jakobitis on Mar 9th 2020 at 8:28:01 AM

"These 'no-nonsense' solutions of yours just don't hold water in a complex world of jet-powered apes and time travel."
JoLuRo075 Since: Jan, 2019
#116281: Mar 9th 2020 at 8:30:51 AM

Taskmaster is more of a neutral character, so I guess it will be a case of Adaptational Villainy.

Speaking of the other "Black Widows", I imagine that in the first two acts they will be hard enemies to beat, but in the climax they will be defeated by dozens as if they were simple mooks.


"Theoretically he might match Cap or T'Challa but that's a stretch given the enhancements those two have."

Logically he should not, he copy movements, but not stats.

Logic of comics: I can copy spiderman movements, that means I am as strong and fast as he is.

Edited by JoLuRo075 on Mar 9th 2020 at 8:41:12 AM

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#116282: Mar 9th 2020 at 8:55:10 AM

Taskmaster being neutral is very much Depending on the Writer. In some storys, like Secret Avengers, he went for outright world domination.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
jakobitis Doctor of Doctorates from Somewhere, somewhen Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Doctor of Doctorates
#116283: Mar 9th 2020 at 9:02:09 AM

He's very inconsistent. Generally speaking he's on the side that will pay him but there's so many different versions and interpretations it's hard to pin him down. It's good in that he can pop up in lots of different stories and still make sense but at the expense of him developing over time instead of being villain/mentor of the week.

"These 'no-nonsense' solutions of yours just don't hold water in a complex world of jet-powered apes and time travel."
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#116284: Mar 9th 2020 at 9:28:20 AM

Taskmaster usually can do some superhuman stuff, but it's for very brief period of time that he can't sustain without fucking himself up (as his body is still human). The most memorable instance of this was him watching kung fu movies at twice the speed and memorizing them that way, so that he'd be able to essentially move in hyper speed, but he clarified he could only maintain that pace for a few seconds, otherwise his ligaments would tear like violin strings.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#116285: Mar 9th 2020 at 9:33:41 AM

Okay in that trailer he had Cap’s shield, Black Panther’s claws, & Hawkeye’s bow & arrow.

About the only thing not taken from any Avengers is the usage of a sword.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#116286: Mar 9th 2020 at 9:42:59 AM

Yeah. I think the Sword if pure Tasky. There might be some comic Marvel characters who use it, but since they ain't around in this, it's all him.

One Strip! One Strip!
JoLuRo075 Since: Jan, 2019
#116287: Mar 9th 2020 at 10:27:08 AM

I wonder how much it will apply What Measure Is a Mook? with the Black widows

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#116288: Mar 9th 2020 at 11:23:13 AM

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 gave Taskmaster a sword too, but back then they claimed it was the Black Knight's. Since he doesn't exist in the MCU - and there's no sword users in the universe yet - the sword would have to be Tasky's own thing here, yeah.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Mar 9th 2020 at 11:25:19 AM

TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#116289: Mar 9th 2020 at 11:57:28 AM

Vin Diesel says Thor: Love and Thunder will have the Guardians of the Galaxy!

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Mar 9th 2020 at 2:59:01 PM

chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#116290: Mar 9th 2020 at 12:17:18 PM

I'm thinking the beginning of the movie is going to feature Thor being kicked off the team for some reason.

Or maybe Thor leaves on his own volition, but I wouldn't put it past Waititi to just have the Guardians abandon Thor as a quick joke after the opening scene.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#116291: Mar 9th 2020 at 12:18:31 PM

I feel like Quill would be the only one to actually abandon Thor.

All the Guardians pretty much love the guy.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#116292: Mar 9th 2020 at 12:18:57 PM

The most memorable instance of this was him watching kung fu movies at twice the speed and memorizing them that way, so that he'd be able to essentially move in hyper speed, but he clarified he could only maintain that pace for a few seconds, otherwise his ligaments would tear like violin strings.

That's how I'm hoping the final battle will play out. Taskmaster watches footage from his prior defeat, realizes he can still mimic motions even when it's in fast-forward, and re-challenges Black Widow now moving at double speed. Black Widow can't keep up, but manages to outsmart him and win anyway by going on the defensive and rope-a-doping him until he's basically reduced his own muscles to confetti.

I just wanna see double-speed Tasky be a thing.

Edited by Anomalocaris20 on Mar 9th 2020 at 3:22:35 PM

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
FGHIK Since: Aug, 2013
#116293: Mar 9th 2020 at 1:00:52 PM

I don't think Quill would abandon him either. He acts like a petty asshole, but he's not actually that horrible.

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#116294: Mar 9th 2020 at 1:15:03 PM

Yeah. Quill is a good person.

An immature idiot, but a good person. Plus, I don't think the rest of the Guardians (Rocket in particular) would go for ditching Thor.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Guardians in Love and Thunder and what they do.

One Strip! One Strip!
Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#116295: Mar 9th 2020 at 1:26:19 PM

I wonder how old Groot will be now. Twenty-something quarter-life crisis Groot?

Discar Since: Jun, 2009
#116296: Mar 9th 2020 at 1:54:59 PM

That's how I'm hoping the final battle will play out. Taskmaster watches footage from his prior defeat, realizes he can still mimic motions even when it's in fast-forward, and re-challenges Black Widow now moving at double speed. Black Widow can't keep up, but manages to outsmart him and win anyway by going on the defensive and rope-a-doping him until he's basically reduced his own muscles to confetti.

There was a brief moment in this trailer when I thought "that's much faster than human normal." I think it was when he was fighting Nat as Black Panther, but due to the way things were cut it's hard to be sure.

Writing a post-post apocalypse LitRPG on RR. Also fanfic stuff.
JoLuRo075 Since: Jan, 2019
#116297: Mar 9th 2020 at 6:16:29 PM

I think Natasha will beat Taskmaster because turns out he is a Master of None/ Jack of All Stats.

In other words, he can copy anyone, but he doesn't do it with mastery.

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

Even Black Widow could say: "The fact that you can copy my friends does not mean that you are as skilled as they are."

Edited by JoLuRo075 on Mar 9th 2020 at 6:32:30 AM

Zeromaeus Since: May, 2010
AyyItsMidnight Look, just be decent to one another ok? Since: Oct, 2018
Look, just be decent to one another ok?
#116299: Mar 9th 2020 at 7:09:53 PM

Gave the trailer a watch. Some good stuff in there, like more of Taskmaster and some cool stuff between Natasha and co. Alexei is still an absolute unit.

Self-serious autistic trans gal who loves rock/metal and animation with all her heart. (she/her)
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#116300: Mar 9th 2020 at 7:33:14 PM

Comics Taskmaster has some depth — he's a mercenary Wild Card because he's actually too good to fully commit to supervillain bullshit but he's also too full of self-loathing and convinced he's a monster because of his lingering guilt over forgetting and abandoning is wife due to the memory loss that comes with his powers to actually try being a hero.

Comics Taskmaster's powers have one helluva drawback — every time he copies a skillset he loses memories.

Edited by M84 on Mar 9th 2020 at 10:37:35 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised

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