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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

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#129876: Jul 11th 2021 at 5:28:00 PM

She does also have a thing of being torn with being a pacifist and developing weapons to a greater degree than Tony.

Like in the comics she has a bit of breakdown after being pointed out that her Iron Patriot suit is becoming more and more weaponized.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Nightwire Since: Feb, 2010
#129877: Jul 11th 2021 at 9:58:35 PM

Oh yeah, I love Toni Ho. She should definitely show up in the MCU.

Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#129878: Jul 11th 2021 at 11:35:27 PM

I'm pro Sam Wilson suddenly being able to talk to birds.

Being able to talk to animals is a great and fun power and I hate that modern adaptions always skimp out on that.

I remember how badass it was portrayed in Al Ewing's Mighty Avengers.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#129879: Jul 12th 2021 at 12:52:33 AM

Oh shit I just now realized since Taskmaster I had been brought in and Deadpool’s coming onboard, we have an opportunity to have them fight.

That be fun, like typically Deadpool is one of the few people Tasky has a hard time fighting against because he’s so unpredictable his mimic powers doesn’t work against him.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#129880: Jul 12th 2021 at 12:56:16 AM

Except i don't see Antonia staying as Taskmaster now that she's free of her Father's control.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#129881: Jul 12th 2021 at 1:26:56 AM

Ya know I prolly should have waited until I’ve actually seen the movie before making that comment.

I’ll get back to you on that tomorrow.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Beatman1 Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Gone fishin'
#129882: Jul 12th 2021 at 3:45:31 AM

Considering how Widows were mass produced I could see multiple Taskmasters as well.

Now to see how Shang Chi does at the box office.

NTG Since: Aug, 2014
#129883: Jul 12th 2021 at 4:56:13 AM

[up] Especially since unlike Comic Taskmaster, Movie Taskmaster was only able to learn the Avenger’s skills thanks to the Red Room technology. Another person with access to similar technology could do it as well. They could always introduce Tony Masters as Taskmaster II.

Edited by NTG on Jul 12th 2021 at 4:58:19 AM

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#129884: Jul 12th 2021 at 8:55:07 AM

Funnily enough, movie Taskmaster has powers more in line with DC's play on the Taskmaster concept - Prometheus. While she does copy the moves of others by observing and such, it's all entirely in preparation and the information seems to be at least partially implanted/downloaded into her brain.

I could freely imagine Antonia continuing to be Taskmaster outside of her father's influence. If the movie wanted to write her out of the universe as a whole, they would have done so explicitly instead of instead giving her a "you're free to make your own decisions" ending.

Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#129885: Jul 12th 2021 at 10:37:38 AM

But would she continue doing what her father forced her to do?

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#129886: Jul 12th 2021 at 10:38:37 AM

No. She'd just do something else. Whatever the movies want her to do. Maybe she'll be a Boba Fett true neutral mercenary. Maybe she'll be an ally. It depends on what the writers want out of her.

Hell, Abomination is coming back fighting in a cage match for some reason next month. Why? We'll find out.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Jul 12th 2021 at 10:39:50 AM

Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#129887: Jul 12th 2021 at 10:40:50 AM

Because it's something Abomination would do, that's not comparable.

Maybe she'll be a Boba Fett true neutral mercenary.

That would mean still being a killer.

Edited by Cortez on Jul 12th 2021 at 1:42:02 PM

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#129888: Jul 12th 2021 at 10:44:42 AM

It exactly the same situation, so yes. It is comparable. You have a character who was definitively dealt with in a former film, and was brought back in a very different context because the writers found a new situation that would be perfect for that character to reappear and wrote them into it.

This is a possibility that applies to literally every character who exists within a fictional universe, because they're characters and not real people. Everyone, no matter who the character is, can recur if the writers find a new situation for which they would adequately fit. Last we saw Abomination - for instance - he was a soldier who wanted to continue soldiering forever. Him being in a cage match implies that he gave up on that part of himself - let alone him reappearing in a martial arts movie rather than a superpowered rampage film. Does it still fit, even though it's not an exact fit? Sure. So they went with it.

Them specifically choosing to keep Taskmaster not only alive, but with all her powers and gear, in a situation where they've been reusing characters more and more often, already makes it unlikely that they're going to just give up on an element they specifically chose to keep present.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Jul 12th 2021 at 10:48:53 AM

Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#129889: Jul 12th 2021 at 10:53:35 AM

You have a character who was definitively dealt with in a former film,

He wasn't, he wasn't cured and he didn't change his ways. He just lost a fight to the Hulk.

Antonia on the other hand no longer has a reason to be Taskmaster, they're free.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#129890: Jul 12th 2021 at 10:54:36 AM

Yes, he was. He was defeated and "put on ice." Last we saw, he was a monster in prison with no way of escape. But I'm not about to start saying that Marvel is denying their own continuity if he shows up again without any explanation.

Antonia on the other hand no longer has a reason to be Taskmaster, they're free.

You're at this point ignoring the possibility that that the charcter might want to continue to be Taskmaster. Just like Natasha wanted to continue to be Black Widow, but didn't want to be Black Widow for the Red Room.

Generally speaking, when it comes to writing a conclusion of "you can't ever do anything with this concept because it will never work" isn't typically going to be accurate, because the point of creative writing is to make options that work with those concepts. Taskmaster is far from closed - if anything, they left her future completely open - which comes off as intentional. Her being "free" means they could do pretty much anyting with the character at this point.

It also helps that Taskmaster is a complete cypher at this point. We don't know what she wants, or really anything about her true personality at all. Which means there's a lot of empty space that they can fill in with anything they want.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Jul 12th 2021 at 11:00:34 AM

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#129891: Jul 12th 2021 at 11:10:00 AM

She’s missed out on any education for years. She’s not going to easily get a normal job. All her primary skills are in fighting and killing.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Hodor2 Since: Jan, 2015
#129892: Jul 12th 2021 at 11:42:03 AM

I know this is being discussed in two threads, but for what it's worth, my thoughts on Taskmaster:

So, first, the movie's plotline kind of sounds in line with something mentioned in the Wikipedia article about the character, namely Taskmaster running a training academy in which he gave some students drugs that lowered their intelligence and caused the deaths of lots of his students for his own amusement.

While I don't think that was the best plotline to adapt, the way they did it might serve future appearances of the character, because the movie's version of Taskmaster was a brainwashed pawn and if another Taskmaster shows up later on, he will be innocent of the Red Room stuff.

I'm conflicted about suggesting this, because it would appeal to a certain, bad kind of fan, but I think I would probably prefer a different, male Taskmaster to show up as an opponent of Yelena and to basically be a Stranger Beneath The Mask - We'd never see his face, but he'd be played by an actor good at playing amusing assholes, and would obviously be a different person.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#129893: Jul 12th 2021 at 12:06:17 PM

Yeah don’t need spoilers to get the gist of the convo here.

Just saying Ghost technically doesn’t need to be Ghost anymore but it be shame if she was only a thing for a single movie.

Also just saying that while a character may be free to do whatever they want, that doesn’t mean they won’t just fall back into bad habits or whatever’s familiar to them especially if they are already a dysfunctional individual.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#129894: Jul 12th 2021 at 1:32:49 PM

I think it would've been easier to set up Taskmaster for future appearances if she still wanted to kill Natasha after she was freed from her mind control. So that the bitterness is still in there and her feeling denied her vengeance after the events of Endgame.

I get why they didn't and the ending to the film is open-ended enough for the character to return. I'm honestly not that familiar with the character aside from like the brief appearances they had in Avengers Assemble.

Edited by chasemaddigan on Jul 12th 2021 at 4:33:25 AM

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#129895: Jul 12th 2021 at 1:52:24 PM

For the curious, Taskmaster is an affable mercenary guy who toes the line between anti-hero and villain, having been a member of the Secret Avengers and Shield but also willing to work with Hydra as long as the pay is good.

One of the more interesting aspects of the character is that he decided to monetize his powers to set up a dojo where he uses his vast martial arts knowledge to train mooks and upcoming would be supervillains.

Its similar to how Hobgoblin set up his own company where he sells supervillain identites and powers to anyone willing to pay for them.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#129896: Jul 12th 2021 at 1:58:48 PM

but also willing to work with Hydra as long as the pay is good.

But not anymore as of his most recent run. tongue

Taskmaster: I’ve instituted a strict “No Nazis” business policy. A cushy job from Baron Zemo inevitably turns into The Punisher running you over with a truck. Nobody needs that kind of grief.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#129897: Jul 12th 2021 at 2:01:37 PM

The irony of that statement is that Punisher also worked with Hydra not even that long ago. tongue

Edited by slimcoder on Jul 12th 2021 at 2:03:43 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
XMenMutant22 The Feline Follies of Felix the Cat Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Hoping Senpai notices me
#129898: Jul 12th 2021 at 2:03:08 PM

[up]x3: Also noting that his photographic memory has the crippling side-effect of messing with his working memory. Forgetting subjects like places and names not related to combat, including his own marriage, has happened on occasions.


[up]x4: Being voiced by Clancy Brown in the Earth-12041 universe was a neat choice. I'll admit, I did like how he was specifically brought back in Ultimate Spider-Man's Deadpool episode just to exploit that one tidbit of Deadpool's unpredictable nature being the ultimate counter.

In fact, barring Will Friedle's heavy lean on using his Ron Stoppable voice, this wasn't a bad episode. Tasky operating his own school is actually presented here too.

Edited by XMenMutant22 on Jul 12th 2021 at 5:03:46 AM

chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#129899: Jul 12th 2021 at 2:03:41 PM

[up][up] We try to ignore Secret Empire. It's in everyone's best interests.

Edited by chasemaddigan on Jul 12th 2021 at 5:04:14 AM

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001

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