Marvel Watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe from the beginning...

[Crimson]

Episode 4:



Hints of Mephisto?




See the cover of AVENGERS #113 posted above.



Already noted, but still interesting.

 

[Crimson]

Some musings, as I do my best to do a one-man recreation of the hoopla of theorizing and conjecture that was occurring while the episodes were airing, hitting their zenith in eps 5 & 6.

At this stage, I believe there are four characters whose real identities have not been confirmed: Dottie, Agnes, Ralph and the witness relocation person Jimmy Woo was searching for in his initial appearance. Agnes has made a few references to Ralph. The "unseen character" is a staple of sitcoms; usually the spouse of a secondary character who is the brunt of jokes.

In comic books, there was a long history of Wanda being manipulated and even possessed by insidious forces. Let's consider some of them:

Magneto: classically portrayed as the father of Wanda and Pietro, although I think this was later retconned. (And then re-retconned. And maybe re- re-rectconned.) This may seem impossible, since the MCU and the X-MEN films were owned by different companies. But! Some months before WANDAVISION, Disney purchased Fox. That mutants will be incorporated into the MCU is an inevitability. ENDGAME introduced alternate timelines and the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel is called MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. And now, Evan Peters -- Quicksilver from the X-Men films! -- may or may not be Pietro of this universe ... or another. Did Wanda breach the Multiverse?

Chthon: the Lovecraftian elder god once possessed Wanda as his human host. It was later revealed that her hexes tapped into chaos magic, and that Wanda was linked to Chthon at her birth in Wundagore.

Immortus: the time traveling villain once kidnapped and brainwashed Wanda to use her probability altering powers to change the timeline. This set off a series of events where Wanda changed the fabric of reality (House of M).

Mephisto: In a nutshell, deeply connected to the magical birth of Wanda's twins. Heavily favored among the online theories for being behind the events of WANDAVISION.

And some random theories that were kicked around:

Loki: killed in INFINTY WAR, but an alternate version was introduced in ENDGAME. No direct connection to Wanda, but his eponymous series is following shortly after WV. Could the God of Mischief be linked from this series into his own?

Emma Frost: Some speculation was made that Dottie might be Emma, using her mind controlling powers to manipulate Wanda.

Additionally, it's been known for some time that Wanda would have some level of involvement with the next DOCTOR STRANGE. Could Strange himself show up in WV, leading into his film? If not, perhaps Wong? Maybe Mordo?

That "aerospace engineer" mentioned by Monic started some conjecture about Reed Richards. The Fantastic Four, like the X-Men, had been acquired by Disney recently.

 

[Crimson]

Forgot this one. Fun fact, both Quicksilver actors appeared in the movie KICK-ASS.

For

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The 90s episode -- from its frantic opening credits to its straight-to-camera delivery -- was inspired by MALCOM IN THE MIDDLE.

Thanks for that clarification. I've heard of the series, and I can picture the actor playing Malcolm, but I've never actually seen it.

This has happened a few times in the MCU -- as well as in some of the ancillary series: creating a costume that is comic book accurate but deliberately goofy looking, and then kind of mocking it. Sometimes this has been fairly good natured and others nearly sour, but in either case it seems poor form to be borderline contemptuous of the source material. Especially since, as Wanda costume shows, with just a bit more effort and expense, these versions could have looked darned good.

Yes. Spider-Man and Iron Man's colourful costumes shows it can be done. Some years earlier the idea of having a costume that resembles the comics costumes so closely would have been scoffed at, but these work fine. Had they gone a different route with them it would have been easy to have made either of those costumes look bad for a satirical scene to reinforce why they couldn't possibly have used them. The different approaches to characters who appear together on film seems bizarrely inconsistent.

The on again, off again Sokovian accent.

Again, I didn't actually notice this returning. But I did notice the reference when Wanda asked what had happened to Pietro's accent and he responded by asking what had happened to hers.

Magneto: classically portrayed as the father of Wanda and Pietro, although I think this was later retconned. (And then re-retconned. And maybe re- re-rectconned.) This may seem impossible, since the MCU and the X-MEN films were owned by different companies. But! Some months before WANDAVISION, Disney purchased Fox. That mutants will be incorporated into the MCU is an inevitability.

The energy field and the manipulation of materials is indeed a very Magneto thing to do.

I'd really love for Magneto to be introduced in this universe as the father of Wanda and Pietro. I loved that reveal in the comics, which made perfect sense looking back over their histories. I hadn't dared think of that because of the rights issues and the non-mutant policy.

I'm greatly looking forward to mutants becoming part of the MCU, which will open up a whole world of new possibilities and crossovers.

That "aerospace engineer" mentioned by Monic started some conjecture about Reed Richards. The Fantastic Four, like the X-Men, had been acquired by Disney recently.

Ah - I caught that line but couldn't think who she meant. I'm aware that there's an F.F. film scheduled down the line, so would love this to be some pipe-laying in readiness for that. It also makes me wonder if Reed might somehow appear in The Marvels.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

some other interesting Scarlet Witch covers that may -- or may not! -- have bearing on WANDAVISION.

See the cover of AVENGERS #113 posted above.

Incidentally, while it's felt very tempting I haven't dared do any searches into the issues within the covers you posted. The WandaVision connection with some is evident from the cover alone (#113 being the best example), but I dare say if I was more familiar with these issues I might have a much better idea where the story is going.

I'm enjoying these teasers and I'm planning to explore some of these in more depth after reaching the end of the series.

 

[Crimson]

@Mel O'Drama In case you've given up waiting through the closing credits, episode 7 has the first post-credit scene of WANDAVISION.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

WandaVision


Breaking The Fourth Wall / Previously On​

Once again, the specifics of the show(s) being homaged is a little lost on me. The tone, of course, is pure Noughties dramedy, and I got a Desperate Housewives vibe from the overall feel. I’m not sure about the straight to camera stuff and the opening titles. Interesting that Elizabeth Olsen used vocal creak for the Noughties sitcom parts. I’m guessing she’s imitating someone from a specific show, just as she’s previously channeled Lucy and Elizabeth Montgomery.

The Vision/Darcy team-up was enjoyable, though I have two Darcy-related gripes: Firstly, her “Escape Artist” character was identical to her usual persona. Other than the amnesia, she was simply Darcy. Most other characters seem to have been changed a little more substantially than this. Secondly, she seemed very unfazed by Vision bringing her back to reality. Other characters have not only been disorientated but they’ve also appeared to be in physical pain and emotional terror to the point that Vision has had to return them to their entrancement. I suppose Darcy hadn’t been under for as long as others, and perhaps being further out of Westview than most was also helpful, but it seemed a little inconsistent. I imagine most of this is down to the range Kat Dennings. Perhaps she’s one of those actresses who plays essentially the same character (herself?) in everything (that wasn’t intended as a slight. I’m just trying to make sense of it, and Darcy has been one of the funnest things about this series for me).

Monica’s return to Westview through the Anomaly barrier was absolutely epic. This is a contender for my favourite superhero origin in the entire MCU. It’s certainly the most satisfying. Because of the format we’ve spent so much time with her as a civilian - from childhood to Blip to S.W.O.R.D. - and she feels like a fully developed character. Since her first appearance in Captain Marvel I’ve made no secret of the fact that I was a fan of Monica’s Captain Marvel throughout the Eighties, and it was truly thrilling when she pared down her protective outfit to something that resembled her character’s original ensemble. She deserves no less than the respectful treatment she’s been given here and I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next with her.

In a way I feel I missed out on a great reveal because I’d got that Agnes was Agatha Harkness. Her introduction as her true self in the basement at episode’s end felt like a proper comic book ending. Even as I watched I could imagine that scene as a splash page (Wanda would register shock in the final panel of page 21, and Agatha would be revealed in her true glory in the splash on page 22).

The little montage with Agatha being shown to be behind everything was a nice, fun touch.

I don’t know, though. This may sound like an odd complaint for a series that’s been so entrenched in the world of sitcoms, but now that Agnes is revealed to be Agatha she suddenly seems a bit broad. There are times when it feels like the performance is really going for OTT camp, and it’s not quite working for me. For me with Agatha there’s also the added hurdle that I have a very specific image of the character from the comics. I mostly know her as the Richards’ governess from reading 1970s reprints of Fantastic Four, where she was a regal-but-gothic silver haired old lady who seemed surrounded by stillness. Even with Agnes to ease me in, this fun, wisecracking, younger, Broadway version is taking some adjustment.

The fleshing out of Wanda’s story in Previously On was great. I enjoyed the structure which felt like a real-time two-hander (even though it was neither on closer inspection), which had the overall effect of making it feel slower-paced. It was a truly character-driven episode and filled in not just continuity gaps but also emotional gaps to allow us to catch up to Wanda emotionally after almost an entire season of her being something of an enigma. Again, the connection to the wider MCU was greatly appreciated as we touched on Wanda’s history. Watching this series I’ve realised I can’t remember when she lost the Sokovian accent. In the scenes which took place at Avengers HQ after Pietro’s death I noticed there was no hint of it, and that would have been only her second film.

I’m happy to say that one of my MCU bugbears - the CGI action sequences - hasn’t been any kind of hindrance to my enjoyment of this series. What with the origins of Wanda Monica and Agatha plus all the stuff with Vision the last couple of episodes have been particularly effects-heavy, but it’s all been fine for me, I think because there’s so much emphasis on character my disbelief is well and truly suspended. The laser show with Agatha's "condemnation" was mildly offputting, redeemed by the suitably gruesome-looking corpses of the witches. I thoroughly enjoyed Monica's journey through the barricade, and I loved that scene where Wanda was in colour while the rest of the room was in black and white. They've also done great work with Wanda's "gentrification" of Westview.

In case you've given up waiting through the closing credits, episode 7 has the first post-credit scene of WANDAVISION.

Thanks for the heads-up. I've been mostly fast forwarding through the credits, watching closely to make sure there isn't any kind of post-credits scene. It was a nice surprise to discover there was one in the seventh episode. I'm a little surprised there haven't been more, but that's because the films spoilt us with so many.

With my next episode being the grand finale, I'm keeping fingers crossed that I may get a hint of a future project towards the end.

 

[Crimson]

Once again, the specifics of the show(s) being homaged is a little lost on me.

A lot sitcoms of the 2000s used the confessional, direct-to-camera style, but the main inspiration here is MODERN FAMILY.

Since her first appearance in Captain Marvel I’ve made no secret of the fact that I was a fan of Monica’s Captain Marvel throughout the Eighties

I was fond of her too, although I liked the eventual Photon name. For me, there's only one Captain Marvel -- the Big Red Cheese himself. I know all of the legal complications behind that name, and why it makes perfect sense for the name to be primarily associated with Marvel Comics, but I've never been wild about another character having that name -- not Monica and not Carol. (I didn't mind Mar-vell because of the variation in spelling and the character was dead before my entry into reading comics.) And few comics related things irk me more than DC eventually giving up and calling him Shazam! Poor guy can't even say his own name without turning back into a kid.

In a way I feel I missed out on a great reveal because I’d got that Agnes was Agatha Harkness. Her introduction as her true self in the basement at episode’s end felt like a proper comic book ending.

If its any consolation -- or, possibly, bursting your sense of accomplishment -- it was widely assumed from the first episode that Agnes was Agatha. The main mystery there was if she was friend or foe and -- still unresolved -- if she's the Big Bad or a Little Bad.

Normally such drastic changes to a character would annoy me but, for the most part, the MCU has been reasonably faithful in its interpretations that I'll give this one a pass. Wanda really doesn't have that many significant foes, so I can understand using Agatha.

The little montage with Agatha being shown to be behind everything was a nice, fun touch.

Quite reminiscent of the music from THE MUNSTERS theme song.

but now that Agnes is revealed to be Agatha she suddenly seems a bit broad. There are times when it feels like the performance is really going for OTT camp

Hard to peel back all the layers on the onion on this one. In non Wanda related scenes, Kathryn Hahn's performance isn't quite so OTT; so there's the feeling that Agatha was still playing or even mocking Wanda's comic reality. Even if her performance as a whole is broad, that's in keeping with villains in comic book films usually being performed in a florid manner. While I suspect unintentional, most of the immortal (or very long lived) characters we've been introduced to have been ... weird. Someone living for centuries probably would get awfully eccentric.

Again, the connection to the wider MCU was greatly appreciated as we touched on Wanda’s history. Watching this series I’ve realised I can’t remember when she lost the Sokovian accent.

In continuity, it was officially dropped in INFINITY WAR when Wanda was incognito. I hadn't noticed the lack of the accent in this scene, but I just went back to it. At best, I would say the accent started wobbly and disappeared. I also went back to the corresponding scene from CIVIL WAR. Strange thing is, her accent there is mostly missing too, even though it's consistent and pronounced in the rest of the film. I can't think of any in continuity reason for this, so it just seems like a blunder; and so the scene in WV was also a blunder, or they chose to match the first error.

Incidentally, I'm impressed that you didn't just blast through the final episode.

 

[Crimson]

Some details from ep7.





In comics, the Nexus of All Realities is a gateway to all possibilities, which are watched over by the Time Variance Authority.



From the LOKI trailer. (And hopefully you share my belief that anything that's been officially revealed -- in trailers and such -- isn't a spoiler!)





I assume you can guess what this book is, but perhaps worth noting that the magical energy here is orange and not the purple associated with Agatha.

I don't think there any any clues or notable Easter Eggs in ep8 that weren't pretty obvious; that episode was about revealing info, not teasing.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

the main inspiration here is MODERN FAMILY.

Ah thanks. I'm one of the few who's never watched it. I hadn't even realised Al Bundy was in it.

I was fond of her too, although I liked the eventual Photon name.

It certainly suits her powers and I like the way it looks and sounds.

For me, there's only one Captain Marvel -- the Big Red Cheese himself.

Ah, of course.

I know all of the legal complications behind that name,

Yes, and that's a fascinating topic in its own right, along with the Power Man/Power Girl and Wonder Woman/Wonder Man dramas.

I didn't mind Mar-vell because of the variation in spelling and the character was dead before my entry into reading comics.)

Same here. The Death Of Captain Marvel happened around the time I was beginning to regularly collect comics, so he was best known to me for occasional references to that.

The main mystery there was if she was friend or foe and -- still unresolved -- if she's the Big Bad or a Little Bad.

Yes, and I'm looking forward to (possibly) finding out which.

Quite reminiscent of the music from THE MUNSTERS theme song.

So it is. But I hadn't consciously realised that until you pointed it out.

Even if her performance as a whole is broad, that's in keeping with villains in comic book films usually being performed in a florid manner. While I suspect unintentional, most of the immortal (or very long lived) characters we've been introduced to have been ... weird. Someone living for centuries probably would get awfully eccentric.

Now you say that, I suppose she's not that far removed from Cate Blanchett's portrayal of Hela which I really enjoyed.

Incidentally, I'm impressed that you didn't just blast through the final episode.

I was pretty firm in my resolve to not watch more than two episodes, and I wanted to have something to look forward to. I even contemplated stopping after watching the seventh episode because there were a number of nice cliffhangers. But I'm only human.

The final episode is 50 minutes which is practically double-length compared with the earlier episodes in the series, so at least it won't be over before it begins.

From the LOKI trailer. (And hopefully you share my belief that anything that's been officially revealed -- in trailers and such -- isn't a spoiler!)

Oh, I don't mind, especially since I'm still lukewarm on Loki (but I will of course dutifully watch his series with an open mind when I come to it).

I've now noticed he's wearing that logo in the thumbnail for the series on Disney+.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

My partner has a business meeting this evening so it looks as though the WandaVision finale will have to wait until tomorrow night.

This is one of those times I deeply regret flunking Chaos Magic finals.

 

[Crimson]

Well, one more day to ponder the mysteries!

At the rate you're going, you'll be caught up on Disney + in a few weeks (TF&WS; LOKI; BLACK WIDOW; WHAT IF ...?; SHANG-CHI; ETERNALS; HAWKEWYE). That will leave only SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, which will still be in theaters. Think you'll go see it, or wait for it to be released on D+?

Incidentally, I made an ominous comment at the beginning about another "rough patch" and I've never mentioned it since; so .... but our preferences have diverged as often as aligned, so this could very well be a golden age for you!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

At the rate you're going, you'll be caught up on Disney + in a few weeks (TF&WS; LOKI; BLACK WIDOW; WHAT IF ...?; SHANG-CHI; ETERNALS; HAWKEWYE).

Yes indeed. It still feels strange that I've caught up enough to be watching projects released within the last year.

If I'm not all MCU'd out by the time I finish I may well follow these up by dipping into some of the ABC and Hulu series.

That will leave only SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, which will still be in theaters. Think you'll go see it, or wait for it to be released on D+?

I have a feeling I'll wait, though goodness knows what's happening with Disney+ and the Spider-Man films so I'm prepared that it may not be fore a while.

Incidentally, I made an ominous comment at the beginning about another "rough patch" and I've never mentioned it since; so ....

Uh oh. I'll consider myself warned.

but our preferences have diverged as often as aligned, so this could very well be a golden age for you!

This is true. It could go either way.

 

[Crimson]

If I'm not all MCU'd out by the time I finish I may well follow these up by dipping into some of the ABC and Hulu series

I'll be moving into bystander mode, if so. I didn't watch more than a few eps of the ABC series and none of the Hulu. IMO, the Netflix shows are more worthwhile even if their current canon status is debatable (and an interesting debate it is!)

For D+, 2022 still promises MOON KNIGHT (trailer looks excellent!); MS. MARVEL; SHE-HULK; WHAT IF ...? S2; GoTG Holiday Special; and SECRET INVASION. Plus SM: NWH and DOCTOR STRANGE 2 should be on D+ before the end of the year after their theatrical window; maybe even THOR 4.

I think I mentioned it before, but IMO neither of the next two D+ series matter how you watch them; neither felt as episodic as WANDAVISION. I'm also not likely to have much commentary about them until the end, as I only watched each ep once and in my mind they play back like long movies.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I'll be moving into bystander mode, if so. I didn't watch more than a few eps of the ABC series and none of the Hulu.

Based on what you've said about them before, I'm already viewing them as less-connected to the wider MCU so I'm envisaging there may be less for me to say about them as well.

For D+, 2022 still promises MOON KNIGHT (trailer looks excellent!); MS. MARVEL; SHE-HULK; WHAT IF ...? S2; GoTG Holiday Special; and SECRET INVASION. Plus SM: NWH and DOCTOR STRANGE 2 should be on D+ before the end of the year after their theatrical window; maybe even THOR 4.

I'm really excited at some of these - especially She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel.

My original plan was to use my 6 month Disney+ trial to watch as many MCU films as possible within that time and then cancel the subscription. I'm less sure about that now, so I'll have to see how I feel come summer. If I'm still using it as heavily as I am now then continuing will be a no-brainer.

I think I mentioned it before, but IMO neither of the next two D+ series matter how you watch them; neither felt as episodic as WANDAVISION.

Thanks. That's a bit of a shame as WandaVision has been such a great viewing experience, but at least I know I can safely watch a few at a time if I get the urge.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

WandaVision​

The Series Finale

​

After the previous episode, I very nearly made a comparison between Agatha and the Wicked Witch Of The West (my reference to “Broadway” was because she kind of reminded me of Idina Menzel in Wicked. And of course there was the the “little dog” Agatha killed, just as the Wicked Witch had implicitly threatened). It’s pleasing to see these similarities are intentional, as seen in the shot of Agatha’s boots after Wanda did the Marvel equivalent of dropping a house on her, and in the cinema showing Oz, The Great And Powerful

There’s an awful lot of action happening here: Wanda vs Agatha; Vision vs. White Vision; Monica vs. “Pietro”. Plus the the twins using their powers to combat S.W.O.R.D.’s invasion; Jimmy being imprisoned and the townspeople transitioning between fantasy and reality. This episode is essentially equivalent to the MCU films’ final act extended battle sequence.

As with the previous couple of episodes, the liberal CGI hasn’t affected my enjoyment or investment. I was really into the story, of course, but it’s also true to say I’ve seen worse effects in the films (that Panther vs. Panther battle, for instance).

This episode also has a bit of something I found contentious in the Avengers films: lots of people involved in battle at once. But it was saved by the fact that no matter what happened, there were little character touches everywhere. And it never lost sight of the heart of the series: Wanda’s need to hold onto the family she’s lost or never had. It’s far more intimate and relatable than a battle to save an entire universe.

Most poignant of all has been the undercurrent of inevitability. It seemed to me that it was never going to last forever, which made the whole thing feel more meaningful. In the grand scheme of things it could never be more than a moment of happiness.

In creating this world, Wanda may not have done what was right or healthy, but she still gained my sympathy. I felt for her “victims”, but she was a victim herself. I really liked the greyness of that situation, and that I felt torn in my loyalties from scene to scene.

I loved that each character had their little moment to shine in this episode, from Jimmy escaping his handcuffs with (slightly ridiculous) ease and summoning help to Darcy preventing Hayward’s escape by plowing the refreshment van into the side of his vehicle with perfect timing.

As I would hope, the final moments with Wanda and Vision were beautiful. I found myself very touched at what each of them gave up.

A relationship that took me by surprise with its power in this final episode is that between Monica and Wanda. That final scene between them - where Wanda apologised and Monica reflected that she might have done the same thing to spend time with her mother, given the chance - built on the slightly existential moral questions the series raised. Even by this point, Monica feels an essential part of the MCU, so her mid-credits scene with the Skrull’s invitation from someone (Nick Fury?) seems perfectly natural as well as very welcome. Roll on The Marvels, say I.

And a post-credits scene in addition to the mid-credits one. I feel spoilt.

As if telling a compelling story in its own right, I really appreciate that this series has also taken the opportunity to correct some minor(ish) injustices done to Wanda in earlier appearances. WandaVision has given her not only her Scarlet Witch name but also a new costume that has echoes of her iconic look from the comics and even powers that are more related to the 616 Wanda. This is everything I could have hoped for from a screen Wanda.

 

[Crimson]

I've had a tumultuous relationship with the WANDAVISION finale. I was deeply dissatisfied with it on first viewing, and it tanked my opinion of the series as a whole. There were a few reasons for this disappointment; some perhaps unfair, others very much so.

The ending was typical-ish for MCU films: a big CGI slugfest. These are inevitabilities in superhero films, and sometimes better than others. For a show that had been so clever and careful, I had not really expected it to devolve into mere fisticuffs. Yes, I give it bonus points for the battle of philosophy between the two Visions; incidentally, that's the "cerebral" conflict I mentioned some time back. I will admit too that the fights are surprisingly well done, and far better than any other TV superhero shows done elsewhere. But regardless of the details, this was a serviceable ending to an engrossing mystery. I'm reminded of those movies of the 80s that, regardless of their genre or type (GHOST; THREE MEN & A BABY), always ended with a chase scene or shoot out because apparently audiences are too stupid to accept any other resolution. If any MCU project should have gone a different route, it's WANDAVISION.

The weeks of hype also kind of backfired. Maybe this was a self-inflicted shot by the fandom by expecting too much, but this series had been littered with clues and hints. Obviously not all of them were going to pan out, but none of them?!? There's a big difference between misdirection and overt manipulation. Compared to what had been tantalized, what was delivered was, again, serviceable. There was an awful lot of resentment on Twitter that whatever the outcome of "Quicksilver" was going to be, safe to say no one expected it to be nothing more than a penis joke.

I thought the morality of the episode was a total muddle. Now I don't particularly mind that Wanda herself was the villain; presumably a redemption arc is pending or, perhaps, she's going full Dark Wanda. I do, however, resent the manipulation of trying to make me think Wanda was simultaneously the hero. She was a terrorist who kidnapped and tortured an entire town; that makes her one of the worst villains the MCU has introduced to date. Maybe it was unintentional at first, but she had a pretty good idea of what was happening midway and continued on. That she eventually let go of her fantasy to stop torturing people for real just doesn't land with me. Call me old fashioned, but if there's one genre I expect relatively clear morality from its superhero fiction; this is why I loathe Zach Snyder's films. The MCU has always been sure footed with its morality. Nuanced? Sure. But characters always try to do the right thing. I can live with Wanda being a monster, but the episode trying to spin it into a sob story on her behalf was sour. (To translate this into the real world: if a terrorist kidnapped and tortured people, no I would not care that he had a sad childhood or even eventually released his victims.)

And maybe this is a nitpick but ... is her name now the Maroon Witch? She finally gets her name and a pretty good costume, and the designer doesn't know the difference between scarlet and reddish brown? Sheesh.

So, I wasn't thrilled with the finale and for a while that wrecked my opinion of the series. For a while, I had WV at the bottom of my ranking (yes, I include the TV series). Over time, I have reconciled the ending and have focused more on everything the series did that was so right in the first eight episodes. Despite what was, for me, something of a dud ending, WANDAVISION is the most adventurous, creative and detailed projects the MCU has taken on to do and I will ultimately give it credit for taking those chances. Eight brilliant episodes and one that is kind of meh still averages out pretty darn good!

Roll on The Marvels, say I.

What little enthusiasm I have for this upcoming film is entirely due to Monica. Carol Danvers is easily among my least favorite characters in the MCU and this version of Ms. Marvel means nothing to me; she was introduced long after I stopped reading comics.

Anyway, it's been fun revisiting this series with you!

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2. Guardians of the Galaxy vol 1
3. Captain America: Civil War
4. Thor: Ragnarok
5. Avengers: Infinity War
6. The Avengers
7. Avengers: Endgame
8. Iron Man
9. Captain America: The First Avenger
10. Spider-Man: Homecoming
11. WandaVision
12. Black Panther
13. Spider-Man: Far From Home
14. Doctor Strange
15. Avengers: Age of Ultron
16. Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2
17. Thor
18. The Incredible Hulk
19. Ant-Man
20. Ant-Man and the Wasp
21. Captain Marvel
22. Iron Man 3
23. Iron Man 2
24. Thor: The Dark World

Updated: MCU Ratings on Google Sheets

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I've had a tumultuous relationship with the WANDAVISION finale. I was deeply dissatisfied with it on first viewing, and it tanked my opinion of the series as a whole.

Oh, that's a shame, but I can fully understand your reasoning.

I'm reminded of those movies of the 80s that, regardless of their genre or type (GHOST; THREE MEN & A BABY), always ended with a chase scene or shoot out because apparently audiences are too stupid to accept any other resolution. If any MCU project should have gone a different route, it's WANDAVISION.

Agreed.

There was an awful lot of resentment on Twitter that whatever the outcome of "Quicksilver" was going to be, safe to say no one expected it to be nothing more than a penis joke.

That was bizarre. I'd assumed Ralph Bohner was a character from the comics I hadn't heard of, but it seems he's an MCU original which means the name seems to be all for the sake of a cheap gag.

Despite what was, for me, something of a dud ending, WANDAVISION is the most adventurous, creative and detailed projects the MCU has taken on to do and I will ultimately give it credit for taking those chances. Eight brilliant episodes and one that is kind of meh still averages out pretty darn good!

That's a very good way to look at it. My issue was with the first couple of episodes, but now I can see the whole picture I've completely lost any concern about them.

this version of Ms. Marvel means nothing to me; she was introduced long after I stopped reading comics.

Same here, but I get an early Kitty Pryde kind of vibe from her, which is a good thing in my book.

Anyway, it's been fun revisiting this series with you!

Thanks, and I've enjoyed you sharing your views, experiences and facts with me as it went along.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

For a while, I had WV at the bottom of my ranking (yes, I include the TV series).

I wasn't planning to rank the TV series in with the films, but let's have a go:

1. Captain America: Civil War
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
3. Captain America: The First Avenger
4. Iron Man
5. Avengers: Endgame
6. Black Panther
7. The Incredible Hulk
8. Thor
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming
10. WandaVision
11. Captain Marvel
12. Spider-Man: Far From Home
13. Ant-Man
14. Avengers: Infinity War
15. The Avengers
16. Ant-Man And The Wasp
17. Doctor Strange
18. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
19. Guardians Of The Galaxy
20. Avengers: Age Of Ultron
21. Thor: The Dark World
22. Iron Man 2
23. Thor: Ragnarok
24. Iron Man 3

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

New World Order



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After WandaVision, the main aspect of FWS to jump out at me is that it feels very conventional. Whereas WandaVision - certainly for the first half of its run - felt very much as though it occupied its own unique world, the new series feels very much like an MCU film.

The opening action sequence, with Sam’s aerial rescue of Vassant, was a strong start. The effects looked impressive enough and it was genuinely exciting. It felt Bondian in the best possible way. Sam using his wings as a shield of steel to stop bullets made me titter as I couldn’t help thinking of Batfink.

Perhaps this has one of those “keep the young alphas happy” deals like TNT Dallas where billing alternates between the leads each episode, but if not I must say I’m rather surprised at Sebastian Stan getting top billing: and not just because the series isn’t called The Winter Soldier and the Falcon. After all these appearances, Bucky still hasn’t made much of an impression on me. Bucky is a character with potential but in films to date he’s consistently felt like a plot device rather than a fully-fledged character, and I can’t help feeling it’s down to the actor’s lack of screen presence. Even in this first episode of his own series he almost feels like a secondary character. Perhaps this is deliberate, the better to show his growth as the episodes continue. hough he has been a little more engaging here than in his film appearances (on a shallow note, the better haircut helps).

Bucky’s storyline - with his “amends” process and his interactions with Yori Nakajima - is the most compelling aspect of this first episode, but Bucky himself doesn't feel particularly interesting. In a way it’s been the opposite with Sam, who remains engaging despite a couple of less than thrilling scenes. Anthony Mackie made a great first impression on me back in The Winter Soldier film and continues to impress.

It was great to see Rhodey. I do hope he’ll be a recurring, if not regular, character in this series.

As far as other supporting players go, I’m on the fence with Sarah. She hasn’t wowed me, but has potential. Dr Raynor is suspicious as hell and I’m wondering if Joaquín Torres isn’t all he seems as well.

While the series hasn’t yet established a particularly strong identity of its own, it’s not all bad news. The MCU films it brings to mind are probably the Captain America sequels. Some of this is possibly by virtue of the characters involved and their association with Cap, but it also strikes those films’ balance between well-executed action scenes and some deeper character exploration.

I’ve found it fascinating to explore the more practical fallout the Blip has had on businesses and credit ratings and - in turn - quality of life. There have been some lengthy, dialogue-heavy, character driven scenes have felt quite soap operatic and almost prosaic, and I’ve noticed the direction has emphasised this with some extreme close-ups which feel almost voyeuristically intrusive.

Also in common with the Cap sequels has been a genuine sense of darkness. This feels like a world that at times is genuinely threatening and violent. When there was discussion of gutting Vassant among his captors it felt like anything could happen.

I also like the continuation from Endgame, with Sam feeling the weight of responsibility from bearing the shield and the association with the Captain America name too much, only to regret giving them up when both name and shield have been handed to a stranger.

Needless to say, I’m curious to know what will happen next.