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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.
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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

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#125501: Feb 26th 2021 at 7:38:46 PM

Wellllll apparently Gwen sleeping with Norman is the cause of Gwen's death soooooooo

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#125502: Feb 26th 2021 at 7:53:51 PM

...please, please tell me that isn't a thing.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#125503: Feb 26th 2021 at 7:55:31 PM

Sin’s Past bro.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#125504: Feb 26th 2021 at 7:55:58 PM

I'm sorry to inform you of the Sins Past storyline which introduced the children Gwen Stacy had with Norman Osborn and further regret informing you that despite opportunities to pretend it never happened, it keeps getting referenced in current comics, including Norman being a big ol' creeper at Spider-Gwen.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Joshbones Since: May, 2015
#125505: Feb 26th 2021 at 7:56:50 PM

They've been back and forth on whether or not he intentionally grabbed Gwen or not. Slott retconned it out, but I think they might have reversed that in the latest run.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#125506: Feb 26th 2021 at 7:58:37 PM

To think the kids were originally planned to be Peter’s kids but that was changed because it would make him too old.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#125507: Feb 26th 2021 at 7:58:46 PM

I knew about Sin's Past, but I thought they had just let that one go.

Goddamn it...

[up]OH GODDAMN IT!

Edited by HailMuffins on Feb 26th 2021 at 12:59:13 PM

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#125508: Feb 26th 2021 at 8:15:12 PM

I can picture a "what if everything went wrong" what if for Phase 1 leading to a warped The Avengers (2012).

Basically taking the plot of each individual movie and having a The Bad Guy Wins sort of scenario:

In chronological movie order:

  • Iron Man 1: Tony Stark dies, Obadiah Stane becomes The Iron Monger but failing to replicate the Arc Reactor he's effectively just a lone supervillain.
  • The Incredible Hulk: Banner's process is successful and The Abomination wreaks havoc through the US uninpeded.
  • Thor: Thor dies for real and Loki rules Asgard supreme, succeeding in his coup d'etat and his genocidal attempt to wipe out Jotunheim.
  • Captain America: The First Avenger: Captain is never thawed from the ice.

Thus leading to:

  • The Avengers (2012): The Chitauri invasion still comes, presumably headed by Thanos's lieutenant The Other this time. Our only hope? The Iron Monger, The Abomination, The Winter Soldier (let loose by HYDRA in this time because they can't rule the earth if Thanos burns it to a cinder), Agent Rumlow/Crossbones and Black Widow. They're all supervised by Secretary Alexander Pierce.

God help us all.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#125509: Feb 26th 2021 at 8:18:32 PM

And Hawkeye is an carnival performer thief again. That timeline Butterfly Effect. evil grin

Edited by Tuckerscreator on Feb 26th 2021 at 8:19:10 AM

AdeptGaderius Otaku from the Anime World Since: Nov, 2018 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Otaku
#125510: Feb 26th 2021 at 8:44:05 PM

[up][up] The concept sounds like the Thunderbolts, a team consisting of supervillains, antiheroes and ex-cons trying to be the good guys. To think, I really would wish the filmmakers produce a movie based on the Thunderbolts.

Anyone want to hear my pitch for the Thunderbolts?

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#125511: Feb 26th 2021 at 8:45:17 PM

A neat What If could be what if the original Avengers had all been characters instead introduced in later movies.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#125512: Feb 26th 2021 at 11:56:19 PM

If Loki wins in Thor, does Avengers even happen?

Ayasugi Since: Oct, 2010
#125513: Feb 27th 2021 at 12:17:13 AM

Why wouldn't it? Loki only had any capacity to threaten Earth because Thanos was empowering him, and even without a convenient likely-coerced ally to lead the assault, Thanos would still want the Tesseract. He just would've sent someone else.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#125514: Feb 27th 2021 at 12:17:55 AM

Wasn't it Loki that directed Thanos at Earth in the first place?

Ayasugi Since: Oct, 2010
#125515: Feb 27th 2021 at 12:22:56 AM

I don't think so? Why do you think he did?

Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#125516: Feb 27th 2021 at 12:27:47 AM

Thanos was aiming to capture the Tesseract, and he was in his “sitting safe in my chair while Asgard’s still patrolling the cosmos” phase, so he might’ve sent a herald like the Black Order or his army to Earth. So possibly not The Avengers as we know it but could’ve been something similar.

Maybe with Loki in charge of Asgard Thanos would feel more confident about going on a rampage for the Stones since Loki as king basically spent it slacking off and building vanity projects instead of paying attention to the Nine Realms.

Edited by Tuckerscreator on Feb 27th 2021 at 12:30:28 PM

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#125517: Feb 27th 2021 at 12:46:04 AM

You know, it's kinda odd that Thanos's 2012 plot was a complex affair involving sending Loki there alone to steal the Tesseract and open a portal for the Chitauri to arrive. But then in Infinity War he has no problem just directly sending a spaceship to attack New York, and later Wakanda.

Is it solely because Asgard has fallen? It seems odd that he'd be afraid of Asgard when he clearly has no problem plowing through them.

Edited by Anomalocaris20 on Feb 27th 2021 at 3:46:47 PM

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#125518: Feb 27th 2021 at 12:56:37 AM

From what I recall, Word of God is that Thanos’s newfound open aggression in Infinity War is partly because of Asgard falling, and partly because with getting a recent lead on the Soul Stone he’s learned where all the Gems are and is aiming to grab them all in one quick blitz before too many figure out what he’s doing.

Shadao Dorzma Forever! Artwork by Kris Dobbins. (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
Dorzma Forever! Artwork by Kris Dobbins.
#125519: Feb 27th 2021 at 2:21:29 AM

Yeah, Thanos tends to operate by proxy as seen with Guardians of the Galaxy through Ronan. And he keeps these proxies in the dark of what they're really after or holding (Infinity Stones). Note that when Ronan realizes that the Orb contained an Infinity Stone, he immediately turns against Thanos and goes rogue.

And we've seen what happens if word gets out that Thanos is seeking the Infinity Stones. The Avengers' first thought was to get rid of the Mind Stone, destroy it if they must. The only reason why Thanos even had a chance is because he had the Time Stone and that the Avengers wanted to save Vision from potentially dying if he loses the Mind Stone.

Now imagine if the whole galaxy knows what Thanos is up to? There would be an arms race to get the Infinity Stones before he does. Everyone would either be seeking the stones for their own nefarious deeds or try to deny Thanos the prize. Thus it was a safe bet for Thanos to operate by proxy until he knew exactly where and how to get all the Infinity Stones in one fell swoop.

Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#125520: Feb 27th 2021 at 5:15:55 AM

I have a pretty good what if in mind: What if at the end of Guardians 2, Quill died before Yondu could give him his helmet? I think at the bare minimum, the Guardians would have a better time against Thanos on Knowhere, if not Titan.

The legend has returned.
Ohmknight _(o)_ from the End Since: Jul, 2020 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
_(o)_
#125521: Feb 27th 2021 at 5:53:41 AM

[up]Not if you subscribe to the theory that Star Lord screwing up was part of the timeline where they succeeded and that if he had not screwed up, they would have somehow lost.

The Final Name
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#125522: Feb 27th 2021 at 6:56:30 AM

For all the flack he gets Peter also came up with the plan he ruined

But we saw Thanos without the gauntlet in Endgame and he’s a beast

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Khfan429 Since: Aug, 2009
#125523: Feb 27th 2021 at 7:43:34 AM

Obvious as it is, I really hope we get a "what if the other half of the universe had been snapped away?".

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#125524: Feb 27th 2021 at 7:45:58 AM

“Mr Stark, I don’t feel good...”

-Tony poofs into dust-

sad

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
ClancyGardener life is a state of mind from 53 miles west of Venus Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
#125525: Feb 27th 2021 at 8:23:26 AM

Would that mean that Ant-Man would have been Snapped, or would he still be left alive due to being in a different plane of existence (the Quantum Realm)?

Trope Editor (he/him)

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