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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.
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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

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#138001: Dec 13th 2021 at 10:30:50 PM

Prolly a lowkey summation of all his issues, when he was wariting Ultimates 3 he couldn't be bothered to remember that Wasp there is an Asian woman, turning her Caucasian during his disastrous tenure over the Ultimate Universe.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Tabs Since: Jan, 2001
#138002: Dec 14th 2021 at 12:21:24 AM

Reminder to stay on topic. The Marvel Comics thread is here.

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#138003: Dec 14th 2021 at 10:59:06 AM

Here's a fascinating thought: Bruce gets his soul knocked out of his body in Endgame by the Ancient One.

The funny thing is, despite the fact that he's combined the Hulk and Banner into a single being, his soul still looks like his normal human self.

Maybe a reflection of how he truly sees himself as Banner first, despite recognizing that the Hulk is a part of him, or maybe a sign that no matter how big the monster is, the man is the true form?

One Strip! One Strip!
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#138004: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:02:17 AM

That's pretty on brand for MCU Banner.

Comics Banner is... different. Remove Banner's soul from Hulk in the comics, and you get an unstoppable monster without restraint since they're distinct beings that only influence one another (in film, this happened in the Hulk vs Thor animated movie). MCU Hulk, however, has always been an extension of Banner himself (minus that bit of them arguing in Infinity War) - like Banner on drugs - leading to Professor Hulk being the pinnacle of what Hulk can be.

All things considered, I do prefer the MCU's take on the character.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Dec 14th 2021 at 11:02:39 AM

MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Tapestry Weaver
#138005: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:04:41 AM

[up][up] In fairness, Bruce Banner was born before the Hulk. So from a technical standpoint, that idea of yours makes sense.

I still hope we get to see more of the Hulk personality in the future though. The only time we really saw it was in Ragnarok, but it was done so well I think he really deserves a comeback of sorts. Not even the zombies episode in What If took advantage of that...

Edited by MatthewWayne on Dec 14th 2021 at 11:04:57 AM

"I'm Mr. Blue, woah-woah-ooh..."
Whowho Since: May, 2012
#138006: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:16:23 AM

I'm hoping at somepoint we see the MCU go deeper into the multiple personalities that make up the Hulk.

Something I'm loving about the comics lately is that they're really applying modern understanding of Dissociative Identity Disorder to Bruce, Joe Fixit and the various hulks, and it's seemingly making the character(s) much deeper for it.

We haven't had the space to do that in the films. I do like how Avengers confirms that the Hulk existed in Bruce prior to the gamma accident, and likewise how the 2003 film established that Hulk as a personality dated back to Bruce's early abusive childhood.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#138007: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:19:51 AM

Bruce Banner is basically possessed by literal trauma demons

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Tapestry Weaver
#138008: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:19:53 AM

[up][up] We actually almost got Joe Fixit in Age of Ultron, but it was nixed because apparently "everyone wanted the green guy".

In fairness, I'm not sure if Gray Hulk appearing to fight the Hulkbuster makes a whole lot of sense.

Edited by MatthewWayne on Dec 14th 2021 at 11:20:13 AM

"I'm Mr. Blue, woah-woah-ooh..."
Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#138009: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:21:36 AM

Joe Fixit has always been my favorite version of the Hulk and I hope he does show up somewhere in the MCU, whether it's a new development for the Bruce we know or just a What If appearance.

The legend has returned.
MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Tapestry Weaver
#138010: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:23:16 AM

[up] It would definitely be interesting, and I for one wouldn't mind seeing it.

I guess the one thing that would be a little difficult with portraying Bruce with multiple personalities is that it would kinda damper Moon Knight's whole schtick.

"I'm Mr. Blue, woah-woah-ooh..."
Whowho Since: May, 2012
#138011: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:29:08 AM

We've already had on screen in recent memory Venom (who has fantastic goo based DID), Typhoid Mary, who has normal DID? and Norman Osborne (gas induced DID?)

Marvel and DC comics are just very fond of the whole DID thing. It stands to reason their adaptions will end up doing the same in time.

I think there is a chance that Moonknight and Hulk can step on each others toes, but that depends on if they strike over lapping tones or not.

Edit: if they do ever end up adapting World War Hulk, it does seem like necessitating an additional Hulk personality, given that I can't picture MCU Hulk or Banner instigating such a plot

I don't know what else you'd do with Banner and Hulk outside of exploring their truama and phycology or adapting World War Hulk.

Edited by Whowho on Dec 14th 2021 at 7:32:41 PM

Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#138012: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:32:07 AM

My guess is Bruce helps She-Hulk out by doing private eye work as Joe Fixit with no legit alternate personality shenanigans going on.

The legend has returned.
lbssb The sleepiest good boi Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
The sleepiest good boi
#138013: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:35:18 AM

[up][up]I mean, technically Venom doesn't have DID, the two personalities belong to two separate entities.

I hope Hulk can eventually just get his own Disney+ show to work around the Universal embargo on actual Hulk movies.

Edited by lbssb on Dec 14th 2021 at 11:36:17 AM

Disney100 Marathon | DreamWorks Marathon
SAwatching from south africa Since: Oct, 2017 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#138014: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:49:05 AM

I prefer having professor Hulk because it takes a new take on the Hulk and Banner didn't really have DID in the MCU, also it away to keep him involved but not the head hulk of the Legacy, giving that to Jen. Also would seem such a backstep for the green guy.

World war hulk could land up being an In-name-only adaption. There are some rumors going around that it will involve an explosion of Gamma mutants.

Sincerely S Awatching.
lbssb The sleepiest good boi Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
The sleepiest good boi
#138015: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:54:09 AM

So an adaption of the Avengers EMH arc "Gamma World". Alright, that could be doable.

Disney100 Marathon | DreamWorks Marathon
SAwatching from south africa Since: Oct, 2017 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#138016: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:57:57 AM

The Gamma World was a nice arc, I would love to see that. Changed quite a few villains connections, which does work in the MCU.

Sincerely S Awatching.
Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#138017: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:58:07 AM

I can’t really say I’m fond of the typical comic book take on DID (being close friends with someone with the condition) so I’m not particularly insistent that MCU Hulk have it. The actual reality is much more mundane than a wild split personality creating havoc.

Whowho Since: May, 2012
#138018: Dec 14th 2021 at 11:58:42 AM

Gamma monster explosion is a plot point I'd happy to see in a hulk film.

Not that Hulk films seem likely at this point.

[up] I'm not particularly fond of the usual comic book depiction of DID either, they tend to be rather unsympathetic takes on the non-host alters.

But I hear Immortal Hulk was a surprising good depiction. I'm waiting on getting my copies.

Edited by Whowho on Dec 14th 2021 at 8:04:31 PM

chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#138019: Dec 14th 2021 at 12:02:59 PM

We actually almost got Joe Fixit in Age of Ultron, but it was nixed because apparently "everyone wanted the green guy".

From what I remember, I believe that basically amounted to "they wanted the Hulk to turn grey when Wanda hexes him and he fights Iron Man". Basically, a visual cue that he was possessed and not acting as himself. I don't recall anything about them planning to adapt Joe Fixit's personality, or anything like that.

Looking it up, there's only a handful of adaptations that go beyond the typical Bruce/Hulk personalities. Besides the MCU (if you count Professor Hulk), we have the '90s cartoon, Iron Man: Armored Adventures, The Super Hero Squad Show, (which all feature Grey Hulk), and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (which featured Devil Hulk).

Whowho Since: May, 2012
#138020: Dec 14th 2021 at 12:08:33 PM

[up][up] Actually I'll go further on that, I'm dreading the Moonknight series.

DID just doesn't get good progressive depictions in media that doesn't sensationalise it.

Edited by Whowho on Dec 14th 2021 at 8:09:09 PM

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#138021: Dec 14th 2021 at 12:09:04 PM

Immortal did a pretty interesting thing where all the Hulk personalities are essentially altars born of Bruce’s abused childhood.

The Savage Hulk is that scared little kid who desperately wants his daddies love, Joe Fixit was born out of kid Bruce watching a rugged gangster on TV and wanting to be like him and so he is literally a child’s idea of a what a man is like.

And the Devil Hulk himself is born out of Bruce’s desire to have a caring father figure which is why Devil makes a point of going all papa Wolf if Bruce or Savage is hurt. It’s also sad as Bruce sees Devil as a monster and is scared of him because of his prior experiences with father figures despite Devil genuinely caring for him.

Edited by slimcoder on Dec 14th 2021 at 12:14:02 PM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Whowho Since: May, 2012
#138022: Dec 14th 2021 at 12:12:54 PM

Dang that's surprisingly true to reality? I've got a close friend who's got DID and that dynamic between Bruce and Devil hulk is extremely familiar to my friend's situation.

MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Tapestry Weaver
#138023: Dec 14th 2021 at 12:18:25 PM

From what I understand, Dissociative Identity Disorder is very different from how fiction likes to portray it, and I've seen plenty of examples of Split Personality being depicted in a non-accurate way to the IRL condition.

Then again, Split Personality and its subtropes are popular for a reason, and I do enjoy the use of the trope when it occasionally comes up. And I'm sure other people do as well.

I'm curious about Moon Knight, if only because I really like Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke. For me, my enjoyment is gonna be based on how seriously they take Marc Spector's split personality thing. If it's blatantly obvious that it's not going to be like DID, I think it'll be cool. If they're trying to frame it as though the MCU is trying to "represent" DID people through a superhero like they are with Makkari and Echo for the deaf community...yeah, I'm gonna have some problems with that.

Edited by MatthewWayne on Dec 14th 2021 at 12:18:48 PM

"I'm Mr. Blue, woah-woah-ooh..."
Whowho Since: May, 2012
#138024: Dec 14th 2021 at 12:24:47 PM

In the comics did Marc Spector have multiple personalities prior to his god pateron messing with his head?

Honestly the DID community needs a win in terms of depiction so I'm biased towards Moonknight trying to depict DID and doing it well, but it's probably going to be a fantastic magic induced split personality isn't it?

Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#138025: Dec 14th 2021 at 12:33:33 PM

From my experience, DID is pretty understated. You can live with people for years without knowing they have DID. And some who have it don’t realize they do because every depiction is so exaggerated they assume what they’re going through can’t be that extreme. From the outside it might just look like mood swings or seasonal depression rather than a whole new personality.

It is true that oftentimes DID comes about as a defensive response to trauma. But sometimes the resulting alter doesn’t seek to lash out at their life but to blend in better with it. A “parent” alter might form as a substitute for neglectful real ones and serve to advise the main mind and even “take over” to carry out tasks.

From what I’ve discussed with folks, most everyone goes through points in their life where it feels like they’ve grown into a different person from who they used to be. DID feels like an interruption of the process where the “old self” doesn’t get absorbed by the “new self” and instead lingers.

Edited by Tuckerscreator on Dec 14th 2021 at 11:49:07 AM


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