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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.
  • 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

czhang from Canada Since: Sep, 2011 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#23876: Dec 15th 2014 at 5:43:56 PM

Honestly that makes more sense than what actually happened.

Is Mephisto still dating that girl from Dani Moonstar's X-men team?

Canid117 Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#23877: Dec 15th 2014 at 5:47:04 PM

That would also explain how Harry got brought back to life...

"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des Ursins
DarthTaco from where the wild things are. Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: Is that a kind of food?
#23878: Dec 15th 2014 at 5:49:28 PM

Wait, wasn't the deal with Mephisto for undoing his unmasking on live television?

khfan429 Since: Aug, 2009
#23879: Dec 15th 2014 at 5:51:00 PM

[up]Nope, that was a side effect. I think Mary Jane negotiated for that one, but it also could have just been part of whatever mumbo-jumbo saved Aunt May.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#23880: Dec 15th 2014 at 6:16:37 PM

Mary Jane negotiated for herself to remember the deal. Like Harry Osborn springing back to life, Peter getting his secret identity back was a wholly separate thing entirely that they just threw into the timeskip to explain at a later date.

When they did get around to explaining it, their explanation was that Doctor Strange cast a magic spell that removed knowledge of Peter's secret identity from the minds of everyone in the world, including people who knew it before Civil War such as Norman Osborn or the Venom symbiote. The spell also reinforced his secret identity with magic so it could never be discovered by anyone ever again; the only way for anyone to learn he is Spider-Man is if he deliberately reveals it himself.

It's exactly as stupid as it sounds. Thankfully, the Spider-Island event removed the latter clause through technicalities.

edited 15th Dec '14 6:17:55 PM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
MousaThe14 Writer, Artist, Ignored from Northern Virginia Since: Jan, 2011 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Writer, Artist, Ignored
#23881: Dec 15th 2014 at 6:51:42 PM

And this is why Doctor Strange needs a well defined go-to move set. Dude is just too OP.

The Blog The Art
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#23882: Dec 15th 2014 at 6:52:37 PM

I don't know.

Should Tony or Reed have a defined set of things they can invent?

Its basically the same principle but piles of books. I definitely think some of his bullshitty abilities should require 'lab' time so to speak.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#23883: Dec 15th 2014 at 6:59:46 PM

Doctor Strange can beat anybody with enough prep time.

...Or without prep time. Because he's that good.

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#23884: Dec 15th 2014 at 7:02:45 PM

[up][up][up]strange have the same problems of the martian in DC: a moveset so vague you and just add or take whatever you want in any moment

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#23885: Dec 15th 2014 at 7:07:47 PM

He can cast Summon Cthulhu

but probably only once because the material component for that spell is somewhere between some and all of his soul.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
ultimatepheer Since: Mar, 2011
#23886: Dec 15th 2014 at 7:09:23 PM

Theoretically, any spell that requires any or all of one's soul is reusable if one is capable of getting it back.

OR, you know, hijacking someone else and using THEIR soul.

MousaThe14 Writer, Artist, Ignored from Northern Virginia Since: Jan, 2011 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Writer, Artist, Ignored
#23887: Dec 15th 2014 at 7:10:32 PM

@Bocaj, you can imagine limitations for ethnology easily. Magic is basically the biggest copout known to fiction, especially when it's as ill-defined as it is in the Marvel Universe.

The Blog The Art
spashthebandragon thebandragoness from USA Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
thebandragoness
#23888: Dec 15th 2014 at 7:13:15 PM

Didn't the Thor movies go out of their way to blur the line between science and magic? Do you think the Dr. Strange movie will bother being consistent with that?

I've got fanfics for Frozen, Spectacular Spider-Man, Crash Bandicoot, and Spyro the Dragon.
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#23889: Dec 15th 2014 at 7:16:28 PM

Gonna call bullshit

Marvel technology is basically magic. It only has limitations when the writers want it to.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
SilasW A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#23890: Dec 15th 2014 at 8:17:29 PM

With Spider Man joining (or cameoing in) in tthe MCU during Civil War the simplest way is probably to do to via the background. Spin into the reasoning for super heroes being legislated on the fact that more are showing up every day and it's gotten well beyond just the Avengers. Have this delivered by someone proposing the legislation with 4-5 screens in the background showing both current and 'new' heroes at work. Make one of them Spider Man, then maybe later in the movie have a bunch of super heroes in a group shot either unmasking or registering, again make one of the Spider Man.

If he's introduced alone it's weird, but I think it could work as part of a broader "we've got superheroes coming out our ears now and they're not accountable to anyone" narrative.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#23891: Dec 15th 2014 at 8:39:02 PM

Magic is science. Nearly all forms of magic that exist in storytelling are scientifically provable within the universe in which they exist. Any character that can cast a spell - that is, any character that can reliably produce a predictable set of results by repetition of a procedure - is performing science.

Their physics just might not be the same as our physics.

As Bocaj pointed out, technology isn't any less prone to abuse as magic in fantasy settings, especially the Marvel U.

edited 15th Dec '14 8:43:23 PM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
GethKnight Since: Apr, 2010
#23892: Dec 15th 2014 at 9:48:43 PM

Why does Mephisto even want their marriage?

He explains as much in the comic. He's tired of the Noble Sacrifice, where the soul is tormented, but has the high ground in that it is doing so to help another. With this, Mephisto guarantees a teeny-tiny sliver of the soul is forever tormented as they and the one they love drift apart and never find the happiness they do again. Or something. Been awhile since I watched Atop the Fourth Wall's One More Day review.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#23893: Dec 15th 2014 at 9:50:07 PM

There's also some crap about their marriage being blessed by God Almighty and Mephisto wants to take that away from Him.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
spashthebandragon thebandragoness from USA Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
thebandragoness
#23895: Dec 15th 2014 at 10:29:04 PM

God exists in the Marvel universe, THIS TOTALLY PROVES IT'S CANON!

As for the science vs magic thing, I seem to recall a scene in Thor 2 where Jane Foster sees a magic healing thing and recognizes it as a sciencey thing. This would imply that as technology progresses, Earth/Midgard will gain tech/magic similar to the Asgardian stuff. That could be pretty awesome.

In fact, that ties in with what the movies are building towards: Earth putting itself on the map, power level-wise. Definitely gives the movies more structure than the 616 comics...

I've got fanfics for Frozen, Spectacular Spider-Man, Crash Bandicoot, and Spyro the Dragon.
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#23896: Dec 16th 2014 at 12:17:45 AM

I remember hearing, possibly on this site, that Mary Jane was pregnant at the time, so Mephisto got the fetus that would become Mayday Parker?

SonOfSharknado Love is Love is Love Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#23898: Dec 16th 2014 at 12:25:30 AM

So that's why Mephisto wanted their marriage. He is effectively The Devil, after all. And The Devil is the Master of Abortions.

swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#23899: Dec 16th 2014 at 12:32:09 AM

I am just glad that the MCU is working with a clean slate. They can just skip the stupid storylines and built a world which actually makes sense.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#23900: Dec 16th 2014 at 12:53:06 AM

wild mass guessThe Spider-Man they use in the MCU will actually instead be May "May Day" Parker, aka Spider-Girl. However, the audience will never remember it actually happening, because Feige will have traded away having ever had the idea to use her for a box of Cuban cigarswild mass guess


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