A bit of a wrap up on an extensive fandom that we have barely scratched the surface. Reminder; I only know Marvel from these movies, and then from reading fanfiction afterward. Considering my Pinterest board has over 1300 images (below are examples), suffice to say it strikes a chord with me. And I have thoughts:
Chris Evans sent out a text to Avengers co-stars: “Assemble”…totally cool. (And then for Steve to say it in Endgame, that makes it even better)
It’s also hilarious sometimes to compare the height of the Avengers’ actors…for instance, just based on that, who looks like a Frost Giant?
Totally agree that after the first Avengers movie we wanted the Avengers sitcom; not everyone fighting and hating each other. We just want a big happy family…and shenanigans. We still want this.
Peggy Carter as Tony’s godmother.
Papa Clint Barton; looking after the younger Avengers (as showcased by Wanda at times)
MCU is filled with characters who were not the lead, but stole the show: Loki, Bucky, Shuri.
We build up to Loki and Thor still love each other; they’re typical siblings (well, maybe minus the stabbing). As someone points out, they continuously call each brother. Also, we muse how Thor found out about Civil War and gets mad at everyone. Someone pointed out the erosion of Loki’s threat level from “time to conquer the earth” to “persistent nuisance” is a source of eternal delight. With every film he grows closer to his true manifestation of: ineffectual annoying little brother. And the gem that “we all thought Loki was the odd one, but it turns out Thor is actually the friendly jock middle child in a family of drama club goths.” And the best bit of parenting Thor got was from Loki. Note that Thor’s vambraces have Loki’s helmet embossed in Avengers, and later, he has a strand of dark hair braided into his in Age of Ultron.
It becomes more apparent through later movies that Loki was tortured by Thanos and his cronies between the ending of the first Thor and the beginning of the first Avengers. Note that he had blue eyes at certain points. We love our tragic Loki.
Loki to Tony: “So I hear you like adopting people with tragic backstory, minimal friends, horrible parents, and self-esteem issue.” “Get off the dirty floor or you’re grounded.”
Tom Hiddleston points out: “What Marvel is so clever at is that they make their heroes flawed and their villains heroic.”
It’s pointed out that in Guardians of the Galaxy, a bunch of professional thieves and murders save a planet from a genocidal maniac; the government of that planet sees them as heroes and rewards them with freedom. However, in Avengers, a bunch of known heroes, who have repeatedly saved many lives and maintained peace while saving the world from more than one genocidal maniac; that government sees them as a threat and wants to take away their freedom.
Steve and Bucky’s friendship. And Steve totally being a daredevil. Bucky and Steve pointing out to the Avengers that they were in the Army; Steve is not wholly sweet and innocent. This is fandom; we will create whole sagas out of the smallest sliver of intel.
The Avengers accepting Bucky; all is takes to get Steve to do something is for Bucky to tell him not to do the thing. Bucky and Natasha bonding over speaking Russian.
The idea that Steve sacrifices his Captain America persona in Endgame so no one dies.
The deleted scene of everyone kneeling for Tony in Endgame.
The concept of all the heroes joining hands to spread the effect of the gauntlet (this would be a call back to the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie)
Adopting Peter Parker as their universal child…Irondad is a hashtag. (Bucky comments to Sam that Peter is another tiny Steve: small, wants to fight things 8 times his size, just less angry.) And the notion that Loki will totally protect this spider-kid…the scene from Lilo and Stitch comes into play about badness level. Peter can totally hold Mjölnir.
Peter and Shuri meeting (and Tony). There’s an idea out there that Shuri made functioning lightsabers and now T’Challa and Tony chase after them in the compound, making sure there is no disaster, but also slightly impressed with Shuri. After Endgame, Peter gains a whole team of aunts and mothers.
There’s a sweet idea that JARVIS was the first to find out Coulson was alive and then told Tony and Tony quietly telling everyone else.
We were totally robbed of someone saying “No s***, Sherlock,” in one of the movies and both Tony and Stephen turn.
Little nugget of a Doctor Who crossover with Jack Harkness and Steve and Bucky, both in 1940s and 21st century.
“Shout out to the MCU for constantly rejecting toxic masculinity and showing that even our biggest male superheroes can show emotions.” On the flip side, “no one wants to see characters who were struggling their whole lives die when happiness was finally within their reach. That’s not entertainment.” (i.e. Loki, Tony, Natasha)
Tom Hiddleston would point out to Loki that his brother is not so bad, his father actually kept him alive, and his mother cares about him very much. There are lots of people who would like him to be part of things. Loki isn’t alone or hated or unwelcome, he just thinks he is. He is the one who misunderstands the others. (Tom also stole Cap’s shield and Thor’s hammer props)
Body positivity.
Just fandoms supporting fans.
Fanfics:
The Intersecting Lines series by Nefhiriel trace Sam and Steve’s journey to bring Bucky back. A good mix of hurt and comfort.
Princessfbi has some excellent Spider-Man stories
Zelos has a series, Administrivia, that tells follows up to Spider-Man: Homecoming from the perspective of Principal Morita.
Clint and Tony bond in This Tiny Bird by battybatzgirl
Grilledcheesing has several 5+1 stories involving Peter Parker and Tony Stark
AgentNerd also has several stories about the father/son relationship between Peter and Tony and some Happy thrown in there.
Friday’s Child by Dimity Blue (Arnie) is one of the stories that makes Tony Peter’s biological father.
Srae13 has a series from different perspectives on fights that Spider-Man gets into.
And totally check out Aevianya’s works that take off after the end of the first season of Loki.
Ranking
1. Avengers
2. Thor
3. Iron Man
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming
5. Captain America: First Avenger
6. Black Panther
7. Captain Marvel
8. Thor: Ragnarök
9. Thor: Dark World
10. Spider-Man: Far From Home
11. Captain America: The Winter Solider
12. Iron Man 2
13. Endgame
14. Infinity War
15. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
16. Civil War
17. Guardians of the Galaxy
18. Iron Man 3
19. Age of Ultron
20. Ant-Man and Wasp
21. Ant-Man
22. Doctor Strange
23. The Incredible Hulk
And let me know what you guys think! What are some of your fan theories? Story recommendations?
Dreamer in the Mirror 