#than the MCU ever did with Thanos across Infinity War and Endgame

[mistrdctr]

Headcanon: Not Sorcerer Supreme.

I think I have written it into my 'about' regarding Stephen, but in my Version he is not the Sorcerer Supreme during and after 'Multiverse of Madness'. He also wasn't Sorcerer Supreme even before that, during Spiderman's 'No Way Home'.

In fact, my version has never been the Sorcerer Supreme. He could have, but never got the title. Keep in mind that my portrayal is 99,9% based on the MCU portrayal, not the Marvel comics.

Why? read down further below.

I did some googling / researching and this bit here actually describes it quite well:

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wong is the Sorcerer Supreme, and remains so throughout MCU Phase 4. The role of the Sorcerer Supreme was held by the Ancient One in Doctor Strange, but after her death at the hands of Kaecilius, the post was left open — as Wong states, "Earth has no Sorcerer Supreme to defend it. We must be ready." Given the MCU’s focus on Doctor Strange as the franchise’s central master of the mystic arts, Wong's Sorcerer Supreme status seemed unlikely, as it was assumed that Stephen would assume the role in the years following the Ancient One’s death. This theory gained ground with Strange’s use of the Eye of Agamotto throughout Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, with the hero taking one of the key items used previously by the Ancient One. However, Strange was never confirmed to have been given the role of the MCU Sorcerer Supreme. Spider-Man: No Way Home also confirmed that the title had gone to Wong — the former librarian of the mystical city Kamar-Taj who was integral in Strange’s magic training. Doctor Strange 2 and She-Hulk showed that even after the events of No Way Home, Wong is still the MCU’s Sorcerer Supreme. Be it because of a technicality or because Wong deserves the title more than Strange, Wong’s position as the Sorcerer Supreme suggests that he is the franchise’s most powerful magic wielder.

It was revealed in No Way Home that Wong came to occupy this role after Strange was turned to dust by Thanos’ snap in Avengers: Infinity War. The ensuing 5 years without Strange, it is implied, meant that Wong was the world’s most powerful sorcerer and received the high accolade because of it. Strange’s envy over this fact is played for comedic purposes in Spider-Man: No Way Home, though there is much to suggest that Wong is deserving of the position — from the extensive period of his life that he has dedicated to training and study to the clear respect that he receives from other sorcerers. Given the short period of time between Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange 2, there is no reason for Wong's demotion in MCU Phase 4. Doctor Strange 2 shows how Wong pushed to use his position as the Sorcerer Supreme more than ever before as he is forced to defend Kamar-Taj from the Scarlet Witch’s attack. Wong commands each of his students in maintaining the city’s defenses and manages to amass an impressive number of sorcerers from across the world – all of whom greet him with a ceremonial bow that Strange refuses to re-enact. While at the end of the film it appears that Steven has come to terms with Wong’s superior position, finally bowing in deference, Doctor Strange 2's final shot suggests that the title may soon be transferred to him. The Doctor Strange 2’s ending shows Strange awakening his third eye, mirroring that of Sinister Strange from the Incursion Universe. In the comics, the ability to open one’s third eye grants extra powers to the user such as the ability to see through disguises and probe others’ souls. Finishing on this cliffhanger suggests that the title of Sorcerer Supreme may still be challenged.

Which basically says that we don't know if Strange has ever been Sorcerer Supreme! Which I find very fascinating and that's also the approach I myself am taking with this blog. In a lot of interactions, it is oftentimes implied that the muses think he is Sorcerer Supreme - which is totally fine, as they might expect him to due to his powers, and Stephen will, most likely, correct them (while gritting his teeth lol).

-> It is also totally okay for muses to assume he has been Sorcerer Supreme at some point, but for this blog, it is not canon.

So, while it is likely that he may has gotten the title when the Ancient One died, but we don't have proof regarding that; It could have gone to Wong, simply because Wong has been around for such a long time and Stephen has basically just 'wonderkid his way through Kamar-Taj' and turned out to be incredibly powerful. Even if he is more powerful than Wong (which makes sense as who he is as a character in the MCU Universe), I could see the title having been given to Wong for all the other reasons (him having been around for a long time, suitable to lead Kamar-Taj etc).

-> But also: Perhaps the whole thing of 'who becomes the next Sorcerer Supreme' was still decided upon and then, well, Thanos happened. Before the title could go to Stephen in an 'official way', he was blipped, erased from existence, and Wong got it. That's why it also makes sense for Stephen to mention it to Peter during No Way Home: Because he blipped for five years, Wong ultimately got the title. (I CHOSE THIS TO BE THE 'CANON' I AM GOING WITH FOR MY BLOG)

So all I'm thinking is: If Stephen used to hold the title right after Doctor Strange 1, and then it was taken away from him because he was gone for 5 years - when he returned, why didn't he get the title back? Sure, one could say that there a rules and regulations attached to how the title is gained - but still: Wouldn't they, at least, have given Stephen back his title then, because he essentially made it happen that Thanos could finally be defeated (even if it came with great loss)? Sure, perhaps the former Sorcerer Supreme needs to die for that, but... wow. That's some harsh rule there. Couldn't they have made an exception for a man like Strange, who has saved the world from eternal Doom in so many ways before? (In case he has been the Sorcerer Supreme before...) -> I do think that it's quite likely for the title to either have gone to Wrong first OR for the whole 'who becomes the next Sorcerer Supreme'-thing to not have been finished before the events in infinity War happened.

To summarize my thoughts: My version of Stephen Strange has NEVER been Sorcerer Supreme. He is insanely powerful, yes, perhaps more powerful than Wong is (sorry Wong, ilu), but Wong has been a sorcerer for so much longer and honestly? He's much better at caring for Kamar-Taj and making sure everything is going well over there.

I could see that Wong still very much respects Strange for being so insanely powerful and trusts him in that regard, and the Title is merely a formality (which Wong likes to enforce the rules of, like bowing in front of him for example, lol).

The Ancient One herself says that Strange is 'meant to be the best of us'. So, at some point, he will probably become the Sorcerer Supreme. It will happen, I guess, but it hasn't so far in my portrayal. I just hope Wong doesn't need to die for that...

Here's some more additional 'Why Wong is the Sorcerer Supreme' stuff to read (under a read more bc man, this post is long af):

As Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness revealed, almost every other version of Stephen Strange across the multiverse threatens the very fabric of reality in one way or another. Earth-616 Strange may be a hero who's destined to become the Sorcerer Supreme, but he is just as likely to destroy the multiverse, as evidenced by his own willingness to bend cosmic rules for fixing minor problems. These risks do not exist in Wong's Sorcerer Supreme tenure. In fact, Wong's defining trait is his dedication to duty, which is why Wong was in Shang-Chi and Strange wasn't, even though Doctor Strange most likely also felt the powerful presence of the Ten Rings. While Doctor Strange has his own metrics for what threats or issues require his attention, Wong adheres strictly to the rules binding the Sanctum Sanctorum and Kamar-Taj, which is a necessary qualification for a figurehead overseeing the safety of reality. Even the hot-headed Strange knows this to be true, which explains why he finally bowed to the Sorcerer Supreme in Doctor Strange 2. Following Doctor Strange 2, Wong's Sorcerer Supreme status was further proven to be well-deserved throughout MCU Phase 4. In She-Hulk, Wong even showed that his own adherence to rules and duty don't get in the way of his higher duties at Kamar-Taj, as Wong is not above working with the reformed villain Abomination in order to fulfill his responsibilities to the sanctuary. Indeed, Wong deserves to be Sorcerer Supreme because he's willing to face governments, heroes, and other entities as a representative of Kamar-Taj — a tedious role that Strange never really rose up to. Moreover, while Doctor Strange used his free time to fumble No Way Home's memory spell, Wong's break from his duties simply involved watching The Sopranos with Madisynn or singing karaoke with Katy and Shang-Chi, rather than endangering reality. Wong may not be the Sorcerer Supreme that Earth-616 deserves, but he's definitely the one that the Multiverse Saga needs.

used source: [x] also interesting to read: [x]

[mochminnie]

Distraction | Echo MCU | Henry ‘Black Crow’ Lopez

Chapter : Avenging

Pairing: Henry ‘Black Crow’ Lopez x Erika ‘Vixen’ Montes

Infinity War - Thanos: Snap  Year 2018

After Thor killing Thanos with Nat, Bruce, Steve, Carol, Rhodey, Steve, Nebula and Rocket. How much she couldn't handle it all. Steve check up on her. "We did everything we could Erika." Knowing that Thanos Destroyed the Stones.

Tears running down her face. "We lost people in our lives. It was such a big lost. Steve, I don't even know how I can move past this. You know after Killing Thanos, will we ever get them back? " Even the most powerful came together couldn't stop Thanos. It didn't made her feel better at all.Erika was in Battle along with other heroes, Her mother died in battle. Her Sister Stacey, Cousin Ned Leeds even his best friend Peter Parker in space, Kuya Denny were snapped. Her Father left the montes sisters at a young age. She stayed at her Lola's house during the five years at New York. Ned's Lola is her mother's aunt. She felt so alone. Lola knew her granddaughters were gifted and heroes. "Na miss na kita. Neng you can stay here as long as you want." (I miss you so much, Baby or young girl.)  She couldn't have been more proud of her. Welcoming Erika into her home . Lola was confused and couldn't believe it that Ned and Stacey were snapped and Erika had to remind her Lola and answer her questions. "Lola they are all gone, we did everything we could to stop yung malaking purple na lalaki." As Erika tears going down her face. Lola comforts her. "Alam kung babalik sila sa atin." (I just know that they will come back to us.) As Lola caress her face and gently wipes her face. Within those five years the two have grown closer than ever.

"Thanks Lola. But I have to go back to San Francisco soon."

Avengers: Endgame

During the five years there was many emotions Erika felt. Grieve, Anger, Depression, Sadness, Regret. That was the first time she felt she couldn't handle everyones emotions. She usually can block them. But she got to move forward and live her life. She have met many heroes in her life.

Tears running down her face. "We lost people in our lives. It was such a big lost. Steve, I don't even know how I can move past this. Killing Thanos wasn't the solution now is it, will we ever get them back? " Even the most powerful came together couldn't stop Thanos. It didn't made her feel better.

Over the years Nat have checked on everybody.

Erika was originally from San Francisco, California. She went back to her hometown. That's when she came across Scott. "You're that superhero kid that can stop bullets with her eyes! Wow! How long has it been? How long I was gone?" He recognized her.

Squinting her eyes from a far. "Oh... My... God... Scott? I thought you were snapped away." She smiled.  Recognizing him. Then Scott wanted her to meet his daughter Cassie.

Erika Immediately taking him to Avengers head quarters. "Steve! Nat! Look who I brought. " Erika smiling and  yelling she now patting Scotts back seeing the camera is now on. Motioning that the camera is on... "Oh, Hi, Hi! Uh is anyone home?"

"Yes, someones there I know Natasha and Steve should be in the headquarters. I just told you the camera is on." Erika says sassily.

Scott continues to talk to the camera. "This is, uh Scott Lang. We met at the Airport... In Germany. I was the guy who got really big. I had a mask on. You wouldn't recognize me. Ant-Man. I know you know that."  Then Scott, points at her, still not knowing that Nat and Steve can see him. "She knows! She's Vixen! Who woulda known she was also from San Francisco. I really need to talk to you guys."  Steve thinking it was an old message. Then Scott explains to  Nat, Steve and Erika Quantum Physics.

With Time Travel we finally got Tony he made up with Steve, Bruce and Rocket got Thor back and Natasha and Erika got Clint together.

Everyones taking notes on the stones.

It was hard to watch Thor explain the Aether Stone/ The Reality Stone. Erika was going to explain the Stone through his Memories. "I'm awake. No I got it. I'll do the story telling. No need to look into my Memories."

Erika couldn't help but love animals and Rocket even though he got a mouth. Tony did call him a Build a Bear. Her Lola use to send her Build a Bears when she was little. Rocket said that  while talking about The Power Stone. Peter Quill stole The Power Stone from Morag the planet. Scott ask, "Like a planet, in outer space."

Rocket patting his head. "Oh, It's like a little puppy. Do you wanna go to space. Do you wanna go to space puppy? I take ya to space." Teasing him. While everyone having Chinese take out. Then Rocket looks over to Erika. "Can't believe this little girl is strong and full of happiness."

Nebula explaining the Soul Stone. "Vormir is Domination of Death at the very center of celestial existence. It's where Thanos murdered my sister." Then, Scott awkwardly says, "Not it."

Bruce and Erika explain the Time Stone. She has encountered Dr. Strange through her Mother, was an Ally of Strange and Wong. Thanos thought the Time stone was with Diane as she was one of the Time Stone protectors. While everyone’s tired and lying down.

Nat,  "That Time Stone guy."

Bruce, "Doctor Strange."

Nat, "Yeah, what kind of Doctor was he?"

Erika, "A Neurosurgeon."

Tony, " Ear Nose Throat meets Rabbit from hat."

Nat, "Wait, He lives in New York."

Erika, Just releasing along with Natasha she quickly sat up facing Nat. "Yeah, he does. We have some stones here in New York." Gasps out of excitement.

Bruce and Tony talks over Nat and Erika, "Blecker and Sullivan Street."

Tony, "Have you been listening to anything."

Nat adds "Guys, If you pick the right year. there are three stones in New York."  That causes Hulk to get  up saying, "Shut the front door."

There are Six Stones, Three Teams and One shot. Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Time, and Soul.

Steve, Bruce, Tony, and Scott got the Space, Time, Power Stone

Thor and Rocket got the Reality Stone.

Nebula, Rhodey, Nat, Clint, and Erika got the Soul Stone and Power Stone. While they Spilt into two Rhodey and Nebula team up together while Nat, Clint, and Erika team up together at Vormir.

2014 Thanos knows about the future. Nebula tried to warn Nat, Clint, and Erika.

Nat, "Bet the Raccoon didn't have to climb a mountain. It's so easy for her she could levitate and fly." Motions at Erika.

Clint, "Technically he's not a Raccoon you know."

Erika, "He actually is, he was experimented on though. That's how he can talk." Nat gave both Clint and Erika a look.

Nat, "Oh, whatever. He eats garbage." Erika rolls her eyes playfully and giggles.

The Red Skull welcomes the three. "Welcome." The three goes on their fighting stances. Nat points her gun, Clint got his Ronin Sword and Erika got her magic and her bladed red fans ready in a fighting stance.

"Natasha daughter of Ivan, Erika Daughter of Diane, Clint of Edith."

Nat still pointing a Gun to the gun, "Who are you?"

2014 Red Skull, "Consider me a guide. To you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone."

Nat, "Oh, good. You tell us where it is. Then we'll be on our way.

"Ah, liebchen– If only it were that easy." Red Skull leads the three to the cliff. "-What you seek lies in front of you... as does what you fear."

Nat, "The stone is down there."

Red Skull, "For one of you. For the other... In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul, for a soul." Natasha sitting on a log while Clint watches the Stonekeeper. As Erika saw a vision of Gamora being pushed by Thanos to get the Soul Stone five years ago also a vision of Natasha taking the fall off the cliff.

Natasha and Erika talk to each other telepathically.

Nat, 'Let him figure it out on his own. I know you can communicate with me and hear my thoughts.'

Erika, 'Nat, please don't do this. You have Yelena.'

Nat,'You have Stacey, a big family who's looking forward to see you. When they get back. You don't want to let your  grandma down do you?'

Clint checks on Erika, She spaced out a bit while Nat sits this one for a bit..., "How's it going? Erika, You saw something didn't you." He chuckles a bit. "-Jesus...Maybe he's making this shit up... Erika please tell me he is lying." As Clint walking around back and forth a bit.

Erika calmly says, "Someone have to make a sacrifice. I saw that Thanos pushed Gamora off the cliff to get that stone."

Nat adds, "No. I don't think so."

Clint "Why, cause he knows your Daddy's name?"

Nat, "Erika's right... I didn't... Thanos left here with the stone without his daughter. It's not a coincidence."

Clint, "Yeah."

Nat, "Whatever it takes."

Clint, "Whatever it takes." Natasha stands up.

Nat, "If we don't get that stone, billions of people stay dead."

Clint,  "Then I guess we both know who it's gotta be."

Nat, "I guess we do." Erika knew it would be Nat going to make the Sacrifice. It wasn't her part to tell Clint. Nat hugs Erika then after. Clint holds Natasha's hand and she reciprocates and they look at each other.

Clint, "I'm starting to think– we mean different people here, Natasha."

Nat, "For the last five years I've been trying to do one thing, Get to right here. That's all it's been about. Bringing everybody back."

Clint, "Oh, don't you get all decent on me now."

Nat, "What, you think I wanna do it? I'm trying to save your life, you idiot." Erika staying out the two conversation.

Clint,  "Erika's got a sister and once her sister is back she's have nothing. Yeah, well, I don't want you to, because I– Natasha, you know what I've done. You know what I've become. Erika also deserves to live as much as you do."

Erika just have to ask, "What about Yelena?" Nat, Looking down not facing her.

Nat, "I don't judge people on their worst mistakes. Neither does Erika. She's got so much life ahead of hers. She's got a family. "

Clint,  "Maybe you should."

Nat, "You didn't."

Clint, "You're a pain in my ass, you know that?"

Both Clint and Natasha lean their heads against each other. Then Nat places a hand on Erika. and they both smile at each other. Nat communicates Erika, "Tell Yelena, I love her."

Clint, "Okay. You win." Clint smiles and knocks Natasha to the ground.

Clint, "Tell my family I love them." Natasha returns the favor by tackling Clint to the ground.

Nat, "You tell them yourself." Natasha electrocutes Clint and she runs towards the cliff. Clint gets up and shoots an explosive arrow knocking her down. Clint then runs towards the cliff and jumps. Erika catches up to Clint, Natasha jumps after him and hooks him up to a grappling hook. Erika Levitating into the air.

Clint, "Damn you!"

Nat, "Let me go."

Erika, "Nat. " Whispers sadly as Erika and Clint.

Clint, "No. Please, no."

Nat, "It's okay." then she faces Erika, "Tell Yelena I love her."

Clint, "Please-" Natasha kicks the wall, falls off the rope, and plummets to the ground. "NO!!!" Erika tries to lift her up. with her powers. But it was rare that it wasn't working. and on time. Natasha's body on the ground, dead. A boom in the sky sends Clint and Erika in a pool of water. Then the Soul Stone in Clint's hand. He hits the ground out of sadness. Erika crying. Erika don't know whether to hug Clint or not. But he really needed that hug. He wanted to be angry at Erika. Clint let her hug him. That Erika knew Nat would sacrifice herself to save billions of people. Erika's and Clint's Quantum Suits activates and they both shrink back to the present day, soon joined by the others returning from their journeys. At the Avengers Head Quarters and the Quantum platform everyone looks around to see all the recovered stones.

Bruce asking, Erika and Clint, "Where's Nat?" The silence from Clint and Erika tells them all they need to know. The mission was completed but at a dire cost. Sadness overtakes everyone. Bruce falls to his knees and pounds the floor in grief.

Outside the Head Quarters at the Lakeside Erika, Tony, Steve, Thor, Clint, and Bruce are mourning their fallen teammate and friend.

Tony, "Do we know if she had family?"

Steve, "Yeah. Us."

Thor, Confused, "What?"

Tony, "Huh? I just asked him a question–"

Erika, tries to calm Thor down, before this gets heated. "I know, we're processing all of this."

Thor, "Yeah, you're acting like she's dead. Why are we acting like she's dead? We have the stones, right? As long as we have the stones, Cap, we can bring her back, isn't that right?" He growls angrily at Tony. "-So stop this shit. We're the Avengers, get it together."

Erika, "Thor, my powers wouldn't work to prevent what happened at Vormir. Even if I use my magic to heal her and bring her back. We couldn't. It's a true sacrifice." Thor couldn't yell at Erika.

Clint adds "We can't get her back."

Thor, " Wha– what?" Looking at Clint and Erika at disbelief.

Clint, "It can't be undone. It can't." Thor dryly laughs.

Thor, "I'm sorry. No offense, but you're a very earthly being. Okay? We're talking about space magic. And "can't" seems very definitive don't you think?"

Erika, "Any magic we can't use. She can't come back."

Clint, to Thor "Yeah, look, I know that I'm way outside my pay grade here. But she still isn't here, is she?"

Thor, "No, that's my point–"

Clint, "It can't– be undone. Erika did everything she could! Or that's at least what the red floating guy had to say. Maybe you wanna go talk to him, okay? GO GRAB YOUR HAMMER, AND YOU GO FLY AND TALK TO HIM!" Clint's anger is quickly replaced with grief.

Erika having tears falling down due to guilt. Didn't want to go into this conversation. Because, she can sense that Clint blames her. Clint, "It was supposed to be me. She sacrificed her life for that goddamn stone. She bet her life on it. Erika had a vision and she knew this whole time." In a burst of anger, Bruce grabs a bench and hurls it clear across the lake. His anger spent, he turns to the others with a resigned look on his face.

Bruce, she's not coming back. We have to make it worth it. We have to.

Steve, "We will."

Bruce used the Infinity Stones to bring everyone back.

Clint got a call from his wife Laura. Then Erika got a phone call from Stacey.

"Ate! Kuya Denny! (Older Sister, Erika calls Denny older brother this for respect and that he's older) You're back." Erika Smiling hugged Stacey and Denny when they came back. During another Battle with Thanos. Wong, and Doctor Strange created many portals to bring more heroes that have fallen to fight Thanos for the second time.

Peter Parker was so glad to see Erika. "Peter, that means Neds back. I am so glad you're back." They hugged. Peter was shocked though she aged a bit within the five years knowing that they're both around the same age.

Clint gives the Gauntlet to T'Challa, and he runs towards the van while fighting Thanos' army. Eventually he is stopped by the double edged sword, boomeranged by Thanos. When it gets back to him, he charges T'Challa, but is stopped by Wanda, who is filled with anger for the loss of Vision.

Wanda, "You took everything from me."

Erika joins Wanda and the two teams up, Erika yells. "You took my Mother away from me!!!" This was the time she expresses her anger. Then Stacey Joins.

Thanos says he doesn't know the three telekinesis women.

Wanda, "You will." With her powers, Wanda picks up some debris on the ground and tries to crush Thanos with it. then Stacey Blasting her fire powers all over him.

Peter Parker grabs the Gauntlet with his webshooters and is surrounded by Chitauri.

The spaceship cannons appear and start to fire at the heroes. It flings the three telekinetic women away. Wong makes a shield and holds it up. The others do the same. Suddenly one of the cannons hit a dam. Water starts to flood into the battlefield. Pepper is the first to notice.

Peter is still battling the Chitauri. Peter Parker, "I got this. I got this! Okay, I don't got this. Help! Somebody, help!" Still have the gauntlet.

Steve, "Hey, Queens, heads up."

Steve throws Mjolnir, and Peter shoots a web and glides along, then Pepper Potts catches him. Pepper Potts "Hang on. I got you, kid." She drops him on Valkyrie's Pegasus

Peter Parker, "Hey! Nice to meet you– OH, MY GOD!"

The cannons knock Peter Parker off the Pegasus, then they turn to face something in the sky as all the cannons start shooting at something.

Carol Danvers landing near Peter, who is on the ground, weirdly hugging the gauntlet with his body.

Peter, "Hi. I'm– Peter Parker."

Carol "Hey, Peter Parker. You got something for me?"

Erika helps Peter up, Peter Parker gets up and passes Carol the gauntlet, "I don't know how you're gonna get it through all that."

Wanda arrives, Valkyrie flying on her Pegasus as she arrives. Wanda says, "Don't worry."

Okoye, "She's got help." Erika, Stacey, then Pepper lands next to Okoye, followed by Mantis, Shuri, the Wasp, 2014 Gamora and Nebula.

After The Second Thanos Battle

At the cottage. Pepper carries a wreath out of the house to an audience waiting outside for the intimate funeral. She lays the wreath on the lake. On top of the wreath is Tony's first arc reactor which Pepper had framed with the words "Proof That Tony Stark Has a Heart" back in 2008. Pepper, Morgan, Happy Hogan, & Rhodey, all being joined by Steve Rogers, Peter Parker, May Parker, Erika Montes, Stacey Montes, Denny, Thor, Bruce Banner, Doctor Strange, Wong, Scott Lang, Hope Van Dyne, Janet Van Dyne, Hank Pym, Peter Quill, Nebula, Rocket, Teenage Groot, Drax, Mantis, T'Challa, Okoye, Shuri, Clint Barton & his family, Wanda Maximoff, Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, Harley Keener, Secretary Ross, Maria Hill, Carol Danvers, and Nick Fury, silently watching the wreath float away.

Erika, Clint and Wanda, standing by the riverside shortly afterwards. Clint, Looking over to Erika and Wanda. "You know, I wish there was a way– that I could let her know. That we won... We did it."

Wanda, "She knows– They all do." Talking about Vision, Nat, and Diane Erika's mother.

Clint in the middle of Erika and gives the two a side hug, Wanda and Erika. reciprocates.

Denny had to say good bye to Steve. It's the best time he lost a close friend, He's glad he got Sam and Bucky along his side.

We have lost some and brought back some. From Tony and Bruce using the Stones. It was the hard for both to transition for those who have gotten resurrected back from the snap. The last thing that Stacey saw was her Mother dying and her sister almost dying during the Thanos battle.

Erika and Stacey got reunited with Ned and their Lola.

Author’s Note: The first few chapters will be about Erika as a Hero, Friend, Family. We’re getting to know her during the time of Infinity War and Endgame. But these events would process and talked about more in future chapters.

[screechthemighty]

The real reason Moon Knight wasn’t in Infinity War/Endgame is that Steven would’ve absolutely verbally decimated Thanos within five minutes of hearing his stupid motivation monologue, I said what I said and also I’m right.

[spideycentral]

Spider-Man: No Way Home Is ‘Spider-Man: Endgame’, Says Director Jon Watts – Exclusive Images

You might have thought things couldn’t get bigger or badder for Spider-Man after Infinity War and Endgame. For anyone who’s not up to speed on their Spidey lore, that double-whammy of mega-MCU blockbusters saw Peter Parker blast off to space, get reduced to cosmic dust at the hands of Thanos, and eventually rematerialise to help battle the Mad Titan. But things are about to get even more complicated for Tom Holland’s web-slinging superhero, thrown into all kinds of multiversal madness in Spider-Man: No Way Home this December – with all kinds of adversaries heading his way, his secret identity no longer a secret, and reality-altering magic courtesy of Doctor Strange ready to shatter his world.

Make no mistake – No Way Home is going to be a BIG movie. “We’re definitely trying to be ambitious,” director Jon Watts tells Empire in the upcoming new issue. How ambitious? “It’s ‘Spider-Man: Endgame’,” he says, laughing, but seemingly not joking. Part of that ambition? Bringing across some familiar villains from previous Spider-Man films that, until now, haven’t been a part of Marvel Studio’s interconnected Marvel Cinematic Universe – including Alfred Molina’s Otto Octavius (aka Doctor Octopus, aka Doc Ock), who formerly menaced Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker way back in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2.

“When I was first pitched the idea, I was like, ‘Wow, that would be awesome if we could pull it off’,” says Spidey himself, Tom Holland, of the prospect of bringing in famous former foes. “‘But there’s just no way it’s going to work. You’re just not going to be able to get everyone to do what they need to do. It’s just not going to happen.’ But it did happen. And it’s crazy.”

For Marvel boss Kevin Feige, there was no-one better to bring Doc Ock back to the screen than the man who’d portrayed him perfectly back in 2004. “I remember having discussions with Amy Pascal years ago,” says Feige, looking back on the conversations that first brought the Sony-owned Spider-Man into Disney’s MCU. “‘Do we want to revisit villains we’ve seen before?’ No, let’s do Vulture, and Mysterio, and characters we haven’t brought to the screen before. But I remember thinking, ‘How would you even do Doc Ock again?’, because Alfred Molina is perfect casting. If you ever brought him back, it would have to be him somehow.”

Read Empire’s full Spider-Man: No Way Home cover feature – talking to Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jon Watts, Kevin Feige, and Amy Pascal, and packed with world-exclusive images – in the new issue, on sale Thursday 28 October and available to pre-order now here. No Way Home comes to UK cinemas from 17 December.

[iron-niffler]

I was reading some interviews about Endgame just bc and

In Infinity War, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) says there’s only one way to beat Thanos and Endgame reveals that way meant Tony’s death. Did you ever consider letting him live and having Captain America/Steve Rogers wield the gauntlet and die instead?

Markus: We considered ways to let Tony live and whether there was a story there. But (dying) was the last thing he needed to do to become a fully-realized hero. There was never a better story than that. As for Captain America, he was willing to kill himself twice in his first movie. So it didn’t seem like a particularly interesting thing to have him do.

I'm sorry WHAT did you say Markus?!?!

"dying was the last thing he needed to do to become a fully-realized hero"

So apparently

Tony Stark

has never been willing

to die to save people or even been established as a full hero

or at least he hasn't been willing enough to appease the screenwriters

who knew? certainly not anyone who watched the movies. why don't you two scriptwriters watch the entire MCU (including the movie that you wrote) then get back to me on this :)

Logically I understand why the writers wanted to kill him off (doesn't mean i like it) but they shouldn't erase all the things that he's done over the past 15 years (10 or so years actively superheroing) to try and play his death as the act that established him as a hero. he's been working to protect people at any cost for a decade now this isn't the first time he's done something that includes risking his life for others. His death may be his most heroic act but it was by no means his first.

Yes his death helped to show the end of an era, but do you know what could have shown the start of a new era? Tony deciding to hang up the armor for good now that the threat that had haunted him for years has been vanquished and helping out on the sidelines, never really appearing on screen or anything but definitely there as a support link offering advice and counsels to the new generation of heroes, even if they only show it through text messages or name drops.

Maybe they mean "fully realized" as having reached the height of his heroics (which doesn't really make sense but hey), but "fully realized" normally is used to describe something "complete or total" so apparently Tony wasn't a complete hero until he freaking died even though he demonstrated the willingness to die for others multiple times across the MCU, or this was just badly phrased. Tony is an imperfect person who he pushes past his flaws and tries to make up for his mistakes that's part of his character's appeal. He's not a hero because he's perfect, he's a hero because he's an imperfect human being who recognizes his flaws and pushes past them in order to grow as a person and help others.

Apparently Tony wasn't a "complete" hero so I guess that's why they saw it fit to give him an incomplete happy ending; five years of domestic living overshadowed by heavy losses before he finally got his whole family back together and then had to sacrifice himself to save everyone.

Also for some reason the Steve portion of the response just makes me angrier. Or rather they really went "no we can't kill Steve! he was ready to die TWICE in his first movie! People are probably bored of him sacrificing himself!" and then turn around and kill one of the characters who has been struggling for over a decade and is just trying his best who has nearly died like every other movie he's in in an effort to protect people. (Also I'm pretty sure Tony was willing to die multiple times in Iron Man or at least accepting of his potential fate such as refusing to make weapons for terrorists even under torture and presumably the threat of death, making his primary focus to get Stane away from civilians, even if it meant completely depleting his power supply which is keeping him alive running the numbers and accepting the risk of death due to either falling from an extremely high altitude or a painful death from the shrapnel and finally telling Pepper to hit the button to blow the reactor while he's still on the roof.)

"There never was a better story than that": sure maybe this was the best story in a "make you cry sad and emotional way" but there are SO MANY other avenues and messages that you could send by letting him live. Show the message of being able to work through and overcome trauma and personal issues and live a happy life. Give us the escapist reality most members of the fandom crave; seeing you fave struggle for years than be able to overcome the issues and be happy acting as a beacon of hope for the fans who relate to them. Give Tony the happy ending that he and the audience that stuck by his side for any amount of time be it several months or that grew up with Tony deserved. Just let him be happy please. He's gone through so much, just let him rest (and not in a way that includes him dying)

*I'm sure there's a different way to interpret this but that's how I'm reading it as so if you disagree please don't come yell at me*

also at one point in time they considered letting tony live

(sorry this just annoyed me and I had to vent so tumblr rant 😅)

[daleisgreat]

The Avengers: Endgame

Over the last couple months I finally upgraded to somewhat modern TV and gaming rigs in the form of a 55” Samsung 4KTV and Xbox Series X. I own three 4K UHD discs, but one I already covered a couple years back with my entry of the BluRay version that came bundled with the 4K disc of Die Hard. The other is a two pack of the first two John Wick films, and rest assured those will get their day in the sun here eventually. From my research, the Xbox Series X is not a top shelf 4K BluRay player, at least not at the system’s launch before presumable system software updates, but also sounds like a fairly better quality version of the drive that came in the Xbox One X|S, and also supports upscaling of regular BluRays to 4K. Coincidentally, on top of my movie backlog pile was a movie I absolutely wanted to take advantage of that 4K upscaling and thus here we are with today’s write-up for 2019’s The Avengers: Endgame (trailer). WARNING: Unlike nearly most of my other movie recaps I will be diving into serious spoiler territory ahead. The amount of hype leading up to Endgame was insurmountable. Anthony and Joseph Russo did an astounding job directing the first part in 2018’s Infinity War (read my entry for it here). Both that and Endgame top the three hour mark to squeeze in as many characters, references, periphery side plots and so much more from the previous 21 Marvel Cinematic Universe films that lead up to this finale. By accomplishing just that, both movies are the breeziest three hour viewings I have experienced because the Russo brothers do a commendable job at keeping the scenes flowing and doing their best to give everyone their proper time to shine. The ending of Infinity War saw Thanos (Josh Brolin) deliver the snap heard around the world that vanished half of all life in the entire universe. It was a soul-crushing downer of a cliffhanger to end on, but the post-credits tag hinting at the cry of help for Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) left crowds with a glimmer of hope. This being based around comic books there is the unwritten rule where no one truly stays dead either, so part of the experience going into Endgame was to see how the remaining Avengers plan to bring everybody back. Endgame kicks off with the fresh effects of ‘the snap’ when it starts with Hawkeye’s family all getting dusted from him in the middle of a picnic.

The film transitions to the remaining un-dusted Avengers squad of Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Iron Man (Robert Downer Jr.) floating aimlessly in space until the convenient deus ex machina that is Captain Marvel miraculously tracks them down and hauls them back to Earth. A few weeks Avengers HQ tracks down Thanos on an isolated planet and with Captain Marvel’s power, they anticlimactically kill him off in a brief scene. This was one of the parts of the film that did not sit well with me after building up Thanos as this unrivaled threat in all the previous films, and to have the Avengers cold-bloodedly put him down in quick order seems so……unlike them, but he did off half the universe so I understand how the Russo’s felt justified for filming it that way, but I cannot help that it did not come across right, and could have been handled better. Of course, a more proper Thanos battle would be coming later in the final act thanks to my pet peeve plot device that is…. …TIME TRAVEL!!!! This and alternate dimension traveling I despise and have turned me off to many shows over the years like Lost and CW’s DC shows. The worst of it is indeed present here because meaningful character deaths that happened in Infinity War to Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Gamura (Karen Gillan) become undone and their sacrifices proved for naught. All that griping aside however, I will give the Russo brothers credit because even with those qualms I feel they pull off time travel and have it appear as more than a convenient storytelling method. Again, major props because that is a hell of a hurdle to overcome. The filmmakers go out of their way in a couple scenes to directly call out Back to the Future’s style of time travel bullshit, and have a couple characters ever-so-carefully explain in detail and for the laymen how “real” time travel works.

This is all thanks to a rambunctious rat who inadvertently zaps Ant Man (Paul Rudd) out of the Quantum Realm…after being trapped there five years due to his team being on the end of a dusting before bringing him back. Ant Man deduces upon his return that he is able to undo the dusting through his van-quantum-realm-contraption, and convinces the Avengers to conjure up a plan they cleverly dub the “Time Heist” to travel back to capture all the Infinity Gems Stones before Thanos does. I loved how these scenes played out, and there is a plethora of fan service throughout it as the three squads of Avengers jump to different periods like the final battle of the original Avengers film, and a 1970 military base where Howard Stark (John Slattery) unknowingly meets his son. Plans do not proceed swimmingly to say the least, and past timeline Thanos becomes clued in to their plan and thwarts the Avengers attempt at trying to undo the past in a CG showpiece for the ages with his assault on Avengers HQ. The CG fireworks continue to dazzle for the bulk of the final hour of the film with a climatic showdown between Thanos and his forces against The Avengers and the returning of the dusted Marvel characters. I have seen too many comic book films fail at translating over-the-top comic book action on the silver screen, but the Russo brothers always manage to pull it off. I fondly remember the theater crowd going gaga when Captain America (Chris Evans) summons Mjolnir and wallops Thanos with it. The women of Marvel have another moment to shine together where they collectively team up to kick ass. Moments of levity are brilliantly peppered in throughout the chaos for a much-needed chuckle from the nonstop adrenaline-boosting action. That final battle masterfully builds up to the dramatic sacrifice of Iron Man in the standout emotional scene of the film.

The resulting aftermath was heartwarmingly done here with a pre-recorded farewell from Iron Man, and a collage of nearly all the major and minor MCU characters at Iron Man’s funeral. I believe this is the first MCU film without a post-credits tag, and that is 100% fine by me, because the beginning of the credits is a lovingly crafted tribute to the original Avengers cast done in the fashion of the Original Series cast of Star Trek VI that resonated with me feeling the end of a pivotal era of the MCU that I have been largely enjoying since the original 2008 Iron Man. I usually do not dive into this much detail and spoilers when recapping the movies here, but due to this being the final chapter of this era of the MCU films I could not help myself, and believe me there is so much more I wanted to dive in here on because like I said, the Russo brothers crammed in an incredible amount of narrative into three hours. There is so much ground in here it is impossible for me to recap it all, and that it will in all likelihood be the fastest three hour movie you will ever endure. I did not get a chance to even touch on over-the-hill Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and the hybrid Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo (spoiler: they both killed it!)). Endgame unsurprisingly did major bank at the box office, so I feel safe knowing most of you reading this already watched it by now which is another reason I went all out on the spoilers.

I re-watched the film for this entry a second time with commentary from the Russo brothers, and writers Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and that greatly helped explain some little tidbits that were easy to miss and/or not fully comprehend in the midst of the three hours. I know this is a little detail, but I want to give props to Marvel for being one of the few companies out there for shelling out resources to caption the commentary track! I exponentially appreciate it more than you know! The commentary helped with understanding why they did not do a lot for Black Widow’s (Scarlett Johansson) aftermath of her death because she has her prequel film set to release. Other notable takeaways from the commentary was how Stark’s “I am Iron Man” line was a last minute addition to the film, giving credit to Star Trek VI as inspiration for their credits sequence, being hopeful for Marvel capitalizing on Falcon donning Cap’s shield and lots of understandable love for the visual effects team for their hard work. Aside from the commentary track, the BluRay has a second disc with just under an hour of bonus material. There is the requisite short, but top-of-the-line gag reel that is standard in most Marvel Studios home videos. There are five minutes of deleted scenes worth a look, with some of them lightheartedly covering up plot holes. Remembering Stan Lee is a touching tribute to Stan, filled with archived interviews from him on his experiences in the cameos, and showing plenty of delightful off-camera interactions with the cast and crew. There are well done character profile pieces for Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Iron Man, with each one having countless cast and crew state proper kudos to what the actors have done for those characters over the years. If you only have time for one then I recommend Man Out of Time: Creating Captain America, because it goes into a little more detail than the others and Chris Evans has some intriguing introspection from his years with the character. Finally, there are short, but worthwhile pieces on the Russo brothers and the women of the MCU that should not be skipped out on either.

As I mentioned above, the hype building up to Endgame was insurmountable, but Joseph and Anthony Russo overcame the odds and delivered a gratifying conclusion to this era of the MCU. Watching the BluRay upscaled in 4K on a TV about a third bigger than my previous set made it a grander experience too for those showpiece moments. Sure I had quibbles and nitpicks I mentioned above, but by and large those are easily overcome by how much the Russo brothers got it right with this film. I am kicking myself for waiting a year and a half to re-watch it, but picked up on a lot of little things that went right over mine and Drax’s heads the first time out. If you have yet to give The Avengers: Endgame another viewing, then do not hesitate because you will not regret once again taking in this landmark epic that delivered against all odds! Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street The Accountant Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers: Infinity War Batman: The Dark Knight Rises Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: Civil War Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve The Clapper Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Countdown Creed I & II Deck the Halls Detroit Rock City Die Hard Dredd The Eliminators The Equalizer Dirty Work Faster Fast and Furious I-VIII Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Grunt: The Wrestling Movie Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Hell Comes to Frogtown Hercules: Reborn Hitman I Like to Hurt People Indiana Jones 1-4 Ink The Interrogation Interstellar Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Jobs Joy Ride 1-3 Last Action Hero Major League Man of Steel Man on the Moon Man vs Snake Marine 3-6 Merry Friggin Christmas Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpions Revenge National Treasure National Treasure: Book of Secrets Nintendo Quest Not for Resale Payback (Director’s Cut) Pulp Fiction The Punisher (1989) The Ref The Replacements Reservoir Dogs Rocky I-VIII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery Scott Pilgrim vs the World The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Shoot em Up Slacker Skyscraper Small Town Santa Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Sully Take Me Home Tonight TMNT The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Vision Quest The War Wild The Wizard Wonder Woman The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Apocalypse X-Men: Days of Future Past

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Loki

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

In the early years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, great villains were… well, they were less hard to come by than some would lead you to believe, but most of them were only good based on their actors and the performances they gave. Red Skull and Obadiah Stane are awesome villains, but they’re also rather simple ones, ones which have really simple goals and personalities that leave enough wiggle room for the actors to give a fun interpretation. We didn’t have complex, rich, and thematic villains like Ego or Killmonger or Thanos.

At least, that is, until Thor. Then we got Loki.

Loki was the big breakout star of the early MCU, and it’s not hard to see why. Pretty much every later villain that became beloved by fans has at least some sort of genesis in how Loki is portrayed here. The familial drama of Ego and Hela, the noble qualities of Vulture, the inherent tragedy of the backstory of Thanos… everything later villains were praised for got their start in everyone’s favorite trickster Asgardian. Praised by critics, loved by audiences, and so good he almost manages to make Thor: The Dark World watchable for about half an hour, Loki is one of the most fantastic characters in the entire MCU.

Too bad I’m not here to talk about how good he is as a character. I’m here to talk about him as a villain, and in that regard… Loki kinda sucks.

Motivation/Goals: Loki is, in short, an attention whore. But I say that with affection; Loki probably should have gotten some more appreciation from his dad Odin, but Odin blew him off a lot in favor of Thor. His drive to get some respect is what leads to his schemes in the first film, and his scheming carries through into the second and third Thor movies.

The real issue is with The Avengers where Loki, after falling through a wormhole, becomes essentially a generic doomsday villain. Or, he would be if he didn’t have so much pre-existing character development. He honestly suffers the same fate as Endgame!Thanos in this regard, where a complex and interesting villain gets watered down to be more blockbuster-friendly despite having tons of interesting characterization.

Performance: One thing that’s true for all of the films: Tom Hiddleston kills it. His Loki is exactly as he should be – cunning, slippery, underhanded, snarky, and just an absolute blast. He really sells Loki as an engaging and complex character. Even in the weaker films he features in, he tends to steal the show and make even dreadful slogs like The Dark World slightly watchable for short times.

Final Fate: In Infinity War, Loki sacrifices himself to save Thor from Thanos, which only somewhat works. He’s getting his own Disney+ spinoff so either he survived or the show’s about the continuing adventures of the Loki who escaped captivity in Endgame. Whatever the case may be, we thankfully haven’t seen the last of Loki.

Best Scene: Despite The Avengers aging rather poorly, I think most can agree that the “Puny god” scene is still one of the funniest and most awesome villain takedowns in the MCU. It also gets some hilarious callbacks in Ragnarok, which also features a legendary little moment that implies Loki bottomed for The Grandmaster. Oh, and there’s the three seconds in The Dark World where he turns into Cap, which is maybe the only good part of the film.

Best Quote: As always, the best bits of Loki come from Ragnarok, including his best line:

Worst Quote: As always, the worst bits of Loki come from The Avengers. Remember when he called Black Widow a whiny cunt?

Final Thoughts & Score: Time to be controversial! As a villain, I find Loki to be exceptionally underwhelming.

Now, don’t get me wrong: Tom Hiddleston’s performance is amazing across the board, even in the god-awful Thor: The Dark World, where he actually made the film slightly fun and watchable. And Loki is a fantastic character with an incredibly consistent arc across several movies which culminates in a heroic sacrifice that also utilizes his trademark craftiness and backstabbing. Loki is amazing in those regards, and there’s no denying the impact he had on the franchise as a whole, so if I was rating him as a character he’d easily be a 10/10.

But here on Psycho Analysis beeing a good character is an entirely different thing from being a good villain. Similar to the case with Kronk, Loki isn’t really all that evil outside of The Avengers. He’s a dick, sure, but this series isn’t called Dick Analysis. I’m trying to determine how effective, cool, and influential a character is as a villain, and Loki just… isn’t. Sure, he has good quips and a funny defeat, but that doesn’t make his showing in The Avengers any less of a waste of his skills, which are put to much better use in anti-heroic roles like in the latter two Thor films, where he is constantly swapping sides and backstabbing his brother and everyone else. In fact, in terms of everything Loki is about, Ragnarok is easily his best outing, showcasing his anti-heroic side to the extreme.

If it was only his outing in Thor that we were talking about, I’d easily give him an 8, but his showing in The Avengers is so bad and basic that I’m subtracting a whole number grade and giving Loki as a villain a 7/10. This is a different situation than the one with Thanos, were his Endgame counterpart is so radically different but is also from another timeline and doesn’t detract from the original Thanos, this is the same Loki across all these movies, and funny moments aside his portrayal in the original Marvel crossover event was really lackluster. I can’t stress enough that Loki is a fantastic character, but his best strengths are when he’s stabbing everyone in the back or when he’s actually getting along with Thor to some degree.

 As a villain, everything Loki did was done way better by many other villains. Is he going to be a villain in the Loki show on Disney+? Who can say. But whatever the case may be, it’s pretty doubtful Loki could ever hope to catch up to the rich villains we’ve gotten as of late. Loki plays much better as a tricky, sneaky anti-hero/villain than as an outright villain, and those are the strengths they need to play to, because Loki as a straight bad guy just does not work at all.

[momentofmemory]

FICTOBER 2020 - day eleven

Prompt #11: “I told you so.”

Fandom: MCU (Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame)

Characters: Gamora, Natasha Romanoff

Words: 1233

Author’s Note: Because if you’re stuck in something called the soul stone, you might as well do a little soul baring, too. Gamora POV. Part II of II.

>> live just a little

"I blew up a hospital, once,” Natasha says.

Gamora glances over the rim of her mug—they’ve long since figured out that if the soul stone only contains the things they bring in with them, then that can include alcohol, too—and waits for her to continue.

“I only had one mark,” she says. “Not a great guy. I probably wouldn’t mind killing him again. But the medical center… I didn’t even check for survivors. Just waited long enough to make sure he was dead.”

It’s become a bit of a game.

There’s little else to do in the empty realm other than sit and talk, two things neither of them has ever been any good at. There only so many times they can bare their souls before somewhere along the line, their backstories turn from painful confession to a darkly ironic version of one upmanship.

Gamora plays with the glass handle on her mug, wondering if the water droplets beading on the rim were all that different from the red-orange ones just a few feet away.

“I poisoned the waters of an entire city,” she says.

“Hm.” Natasha tips back her shot glass; reaches for another. “I helped destabilize governments.”

“I assassinated governments.”

“Killed kids.”

“A whole town.”

“My own best friend.”

Gamora scoffs. “Half the universe.”

Natasha’s fingers still.

It’s been—a long time, Gamora thinks. Since she’s tried to fix the memory locked in the pavilion. Even longer since she first entered the soul stone—or maybe it’s been hardly any time at all. It’s hard to keep track of time when there’s no sun, or moon, or any other body (heavenly or otherwise) to speak of.

Natasha clears her throat, and there’s a vulnerability to her eyes Gamora’s never seen before.

“When do you think it became our fault?”

Fault.

It’s a tricky concept.

She knows she isn’t to blame for what she did when they first took her—she was child; six years old. No one would fault a six-year-old for doing what it takes to survive. But at some point, a six-year-old becomes a seven-year-old, and a seven-year-old a ten-year-old, and a ten-year-old an eighteen-year-old.

A lot more people would blame an eighteen-year-old for murder than they would a six-year-old.

Gamora toys with the edge of her sleeve, wondering at how the question that’s rattled around in her chest for so many years could finally escape through someone else’s lungs.

“I don’t know if it ever did,” Gamora says. “And if it did, then maybe it always was.”

Beside her, Natasha grunts in agreement. “What’s done is done. Can’t rewrite the past”

There’s something niggling at the back of Gamora’s mind, and she frowns. In the distance, red and orange light reflects across the surface of the water and bounces back to meet the same-colored sky.

“No,” Gamora says, “But you can leave it.”

Natasha looks at her curiously.

“Look at the horizon,” she says. “At some point, the water ends and the sky begins. The separation between the two is real, but no matter how far you travel, or how close you look, you’ll never been able to define the exact second one fades into the next.”

An arched eyebrow in response. “But we still call one of them the sky and the other water.”

“We do,” she accepts. “But only because we don’t live in the horizon itself. We exist either in the sky, or the water.”

Gamora lets the liquid fall out of her glass to splash into the water, instantly merging and dissipating into the larger body. She leans over and lets her fingers trail along the waves, swirling about for a few seconds. Then she removes her hand, and the water droplets slide away.

Gamora places her hand—dry, untouched—onto Natasha’s shoulder.

“Neither of us has lived in the water for a very, very long time.”

______________________

She goes to the pavilion.

She’s ready when he shows up up this time, no longer worried about what she’ll say to try to change him. It doesn’t matter if nothing about him changes.

It isn’t for him anymore.

“Daughter,” he says.

She turns, slowly, head held high as she looks down at him.

“Did you do it?”

She doesn’t ask because she doesn’t know. She asks because she wants to make him say it.

“Yes.”

It’s one word—so terse, economical. Nothing like the grandiose speeches he used to give about how magnificent the galaxy would be once he’d finally freed it of its overabundant populace.

It’s almost pitiable, but for the trillions of lives that suffered because of it.

She flexes her jaw. “What did it cost?”

Again, not a question. An accusation, and judging by the expression on his face, a difference that he understands.

“…Everything.”

The word tumbles out of his mouth like he’s had to drag it bodily out of his chest. It sits between them, heavy, but Gamora knows how little it weighs next to the scales of the universe.

She tilts up her chin, fists clenched to her sides, and speaks just as he begins to fade away.

“Then you have won nothing.”

She doesn’t look back when she leaves this time. It’s just as well she doesn’t.

The pavilion isn’t there anymore.

______________________

“I think I’d forgotten what color looked like,” Natasha says.

“Serves you right for having sky-colored hair,” Gamora replies, fully aware of her own highlights.

Natasha laughs. They’ve done a lot more that, recently.

“It was just red,” she says, by way of explanation. “Just reds and blacks and whites. The orange showed up when you did.”

“Huh,” Gamora says, staring out at the analogous colors. She’s glad she wasn’t the first to arrive.

She feels a pang of regret.

“Peter was always trying to get me to dance,” she confesses, suddenly. “Neither of us really knew how.”

“I could teach you.”

Gamora’s startled. Natasha’s never been anything but reticent about her expertise, so she phrases her response with plenty of room to bow out. “You think we have time?”

Natasha looks up at the sky, and shrugs. “We’ve already died once. Let’s live a little.”

They walk to Natasha’s old dance floor, a fixture Gamora is surprised to find how has a stone pavilion over it.  When they step under its roof, both of them stay firmly locked in the present.

Natasha guides Gamora through the basic steps, softly humming a Russian folk song to keep the rhythm. Gamora’s quick to get the hang of it—the fluidity feels a lot a like fighting, the moves just a little bit more telegraphed. Communicating one’s position instead of hiding it.

She thinks she likes it.

(A voice in her head that sounds suspiciously like Peter whispers I told you so.)

“You said Thanos destroys the stones?”

If Natasha’s surprised by the conversation topic, she doesn’t show it. “Yes. Sometime after the first snap.”

“And time runs linearly?”

Natasha hums. “Just not correlatively.”

Gamora considers this, carefully following Natasha’s steps. “So we could die at any moment.”

“Yes.”

Natasha slips the word in so smoothly the rhythm of her song continues unbothered, and Gamora allows the last bit of tension to drain from her body.

“Not that much different from our old lives, then.”

“No. No, it isn’t.”

On the horizon, the first few rays of yellow begin to seep into the red-orange sky.

[smolbeandrabbles]

Still - Director Keller x OC (Captain Marvel)

Out Of Nowhere Girl (For Reference):  Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

Author’s Note: I wrote this as soon as I got out of the theatre when I saw Endgame... As the eventual ending to ‘Out Of Nowhere Girl’... Anyway, basically I spent so long talking about these two to @mendelskrull​ and this fic was basically finished anyway, that I decided to put it out! 😁

UGH. I love them. They must be my second OTP after Lorennic... Now they need a name...

I also realise that he’s referred to as Keller for the majority of this story... 🤔 We’ll just roll with that. 

Keller’s astronomy ring is like this.

Disclaimer: We’re going to pretend that timelines don’t exist. / MCU characters/plots/events not mine / lyrics not mine

Premise: When Thanos snaps away half the universe, Maliyah loses everything. It’s a long and difficult 5 years, but now the battle is won...

Words: 1830

Warnings: N/A. I mean we talk about stuff that happened in Infinity War and Endgame, so, a little bit of angst.

_____

Remember when I told you you were mine, all mine I couldn't get you, baby, off my mind Me and you we were the real thing You didn't know but I had butterflies 'Cause I knew then, leaning in Baby I was never looking back again Every day changes but it doesn't change The way you make me smile when you say my name And when you laugh, it makes me laugh And when you cry, it makes me cry Yeah like it did back then When we were just beginning And girl it always will I want you, I need you, still And I don't care how many times that story is told Cover to cover, it never gets old Like a fairy tale, gets better and better Boy meets girl and spends forever together Yeah and, oh my God You are my whole world And we're spinnin' When you look my way  Everything stops And time stands still

---

The Snap

Maliyah had barely been able to face Keller’s family.

His parents had lost their only son, and their grand-daughter. His sister had lost her best friend, and her niece. Maliyah had tried to make sure they hadn’t lost her too. Turning up on their doorstep two days after their worlds had been utterly devastated, it was nothing more than constant hugging and crying. She should have been there for them before then, but for those first few days she was in too much pain – it was beyond unbearable. The bond between their DNA was very suddenly ripped apart, the brightly lit patterns that used to cross her body were now solid black lines. She’d told him once that was never something she wanted to happen; and now Maliyah had failed to protect him, so these marks of shame were his. Maliyah wanted to stay with what family she had left on Earth, but there was so much to help Carol take care of around the Universe – that was before adding on trying to settle whatever was left of the Xandarian’s. Her home destroyed by Thanos even before he’d done the unthinkable. Maliyah was their Supernova – it was her duty to help them rebuild what they could. It kept her preoccupied, a fact for which she was glad. There was so much pain that those two names bought her she wasn’t able to return to Keller’s family easily. Maliyah knew she shouldn’t, but she wanted to face this alone. There were many memorials around the world to the victims of what Earth was calling ‘the Blip’, but this one was her favourite. If that was even the right way to talk about it. Maliyah touched his name gently, but her lip quivered and pretty soon she found herself with her forehead pressed against the letters and her tears wetting the stone. Why? Why had they taken him from her? Why had they taken their daughter? This wasn’t right. Maliyah’s name should be on this, not theirs. She knew she didn’t deserve to live on, not instead of them. Talia was nothing but innocent, and Keller, he’d pretty much single handily raised her. He was a good man - a better husband and father than Maliyah would ever be mother. And yet she lived... She had never deserved anything less in all her life.

She remembered her final conversation with him. Thanos had taken her home from her, Xandar was no more. And he was coming for Earth for the infinity stones, and then god knows what would happen if he succeeded. “You’ll get him. Maliyah. You’ll stop him.” “What if I can’t? Even with help, what if it just doesn’t happen? What if he wins? With those stones-” “If. IF he gets them, Mali... then you can reverse it. I know you can. I know you will. But it’s a big if.” And that smile he’d give her, of assurance. Keller was always so sure. “And I know it won’t come to that.” But it had, and it had taken her family away from her. Maliyah had watched too many turn to dust with shock on that initial battlefield before pain shot through her. At first she thought that she was dying too, but Maliyah hadn’t been that lucky; curled up in pain and screaming as her body warned her that he was in trouble. Just like that Keller was gone, wiped away so unnaturally that her body still didn’t know how to react. Panic for her daughter had eventually spurred her to the house – still too young to be able to fend for herself alone. Maliyah had found nothing but an empty home. And all she’d felt was empty ever since. It had been hard to walk around with the silence hanging the way it was. Uncomfortably loud. The only real indications that anyone had just disappeared was the computer system was still on, pages of notes with a word half written… drawings and crayons on the floor – too peculiar to look like two people had just left in a hurry. Keller’s astronomy ring sat on his desk in open position – that wasn’t insignificant. He knew what was happening, he’d have left it for her. Maliyah picked it up delicately, closing it back to a single gold band: an unusual choice of wedding ring. She’d worn it on a chain around her neck ever since. It had been 5 years, and some had simply accepted and moved on. Maliyah was one of the few that couldn’t – he’d told her not to give up, and she never would no matter how long it took. She refused to believe that Keller was gone forever. And with the help of the assembled team, constantly in contact over video link, she would get him back; everything would be as it should. Maliyah could afford to wait for eternity…. But his family couldn’t. They needed closure and answers: she vowed to help them.

 *** The Aftermath.

Maliyah and Carol arrived on the battlefield together, Earth bound shooting stars. They were used to teaming up by now – and with the Universe corrected, there was only one thing left to do. Win the battle and the war. She knew before the battle was even won: the energy and serenity that suddenly flowed through her could only have one source. How, despite him being a few thousand miles away, Keller’s colours ignited over her skin as she fought. Time to show them what a real Supernova could do… The funeral of Tony Stark was a quiet affair, even if it was well attended. She stood respectfully back, nearer to Carol and Nick than the rest of the group. They were probably her closest friends here, standing slightly forward for Peter Quill – he’d been missing for the past five years too. Maliyah had too much to catch up on. There was a lot of quiet contemplation between the groups. A lot of where to next. For Maliyah there was only ever one answer to that question. Before she jetted off to the stars, or helped anyone with anything. “Maliyah... won’t you stay??” She shook her head at Nick with a small smile, “What’s left of the S.H.I.E.L.D organisation could really use you...!” Carol scoffed, arms folded, “No! She needs to come with me!” She gave Maliyah a soft wink, “What do you say? Marvel and Supernova saving the universe?” Maliyah couldn’t help but laugh, “If you wait for me Carol, I’ll take you up on that... but right now I’ve got somewhere else to be...” “... Right. Of course, Maliyah Keller has somewhere else to be!” She turned from Carol’s big smile and grinned across to Nick Fury with a nod, knowing how perfectly he understood, “You’re damn right!”

***

Flying halfway across America was not what was sending Maliyah crazy. Her palms were sweaty and her heart was beating so fast as she landed herself softly in front of the country home. Surrounded by acres and acres of land, it was in the middle of nowhere for so many reasons... It reminded her so much of his parents.

The breeze tousled her hair as it played through the trees. It had been 5 long years - or short - but it felt to her like a lifetime. Every time she read those two names on the mural she broke down in tears. It only served to shatter her heart into more pieces. But all that was reversed now... The door opened, and Maliyah didn’t think her heart had the ability to beat as quick as it did. She couldn’t breathe. He was standing in a three-piece suit. Sans jacket. Sleeves rolled up, he placed both hands in his pockets. The sun hit his face, his hair, his eyes; that gorgeous blue she hadn’t seen in 5 lifetimes... and he smiled taking the two steps down to the driveway, she illuminated in blue and white - brighter than she ever had before. His emotion hit her full force and she could feel herself start to cry. She wanted so badly to sprint to him, but he engulfed her. Her senses were overwhelmed by Keller. Something they had yearned for for 5 years.

It didn’t matter, because Jonathan sprinted to her, and suddenly she was in his arms. She couldn’t grab enough of him close to her; and he couldn’t either. “You did it, you did it... I knew you would.” Keller’s voice was soft as he held her to him, breathing her in as much as she was him. He’d woken up in the same place he’d watched their daughter disappear into thin air. The same place he’d done exactly the same thing - but years after... he’d known life without Maliyah for maybe a month. She had been without him far longer. She laughed through her tears, “I think my input was minimal!” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. Her colours burning a new level of bright. “We’re back. Because of you.” There was nothing she could say back, it was hardly true but Keller wasn’t about to let her argue with him – she knew that, pushing up on her toes to press her forehead against his, Maliyah slipped the chain from her neck, taking his hand to reunite him with the ring. “I knew you’d have taken it with you.” “I needed you.” “You didn’t give up. Not that I expected you to, Supernova.” Keller pulled her back to him, capturing her lips. “MOMMY!!” Maliyah left Keller’s arms, kiss cut short, to see her daughter now sprinting down the same steps. “Tali!” She ran, skidding to her knees. She was still 6; still her baby. Maliyah had missed to much already, she was glad she wouldn’t miss anything else. She placed her head gently against her daughters, Keller watched with a smile as they both lit up in the same amalgamation of purples, pinks and soft blues. There was a communication there he would never understand, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know what it meant.

Maliyah stood, gathering Talia in her arms, and Keller wandered to them, taking them both in his own arms. His girls were both okay. And they were both here. Talia wrapped her arms tightly around Maliyah’s neck and entwined her tiny fingers with his. Keller kissed her again. A real kiss, one she savoured with her eyes closed; gentle, nice and slow. “Stay...” He breathed it. “This time, please stay.” She knew Jonathan wanted nothing more than for her to be here. For them to finally be a family. For Maliyah it had been 11 years: for 6 she’d been unprepared to be a mother, for the last 5 she hadn’t had a choice.  Those five years put the three of them into real perspective. She smiled; as if she really had a choice? “I’ll stay.” Maliyah took his hand, “I’m going to stay.”

---

Thank you for reading! 😅

[aion-rsa]

The Incredible Hulk’s Diminished Legacy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Love it or hate it, one of the things that makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe work is the long term synergy. With Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, over a decade of movies came together to pull off one of the most entertaining spectacles of our time. It’s a universe that, for the most part, feels consistent and it builds on itself as each movie feels like an essential cog in a larger machine.

Some cogs are bigger than the others, though, and when it comes to “the others,” one can’t help but notice that 2008’s Incredible Hulk is something of a black sheep in the Marvel movie roster. These days, they’re just starting to dust it off as a property with the return of Tim Roth’s Abomination in She-Hulk and William Hurt’s General Ross’ gradually increasing role in the universe itself (he’ll appear in Black Widow and possibly other projects soon enough).

Now, there are plenty of reasons why Incredible Hulk is the green-skinned stepchild of the MCU. It made the least amount of money (about $42 million less than Captain America: The First Avenger, which was the second worst showing), the lead actor was recast afterwards, and its status as a Universal co-production meant that it would be the only movie in the first three Marvel phases that would not get its own sequel, no matter how popular Hulk was in the Avengers movies and Thor: Ragnarok.

It’s not like the MCU acted like Incredible Hulk never happened, but the creators definitely had a tendency to shove it into the corner and be somewhat vague about its existence. It became easier as the MCU became rich with more and more properties, but early on, it was very much the rage-filled elephant in the room.

The Hulk Design

There were a couple of ads for Avengers: Endgame that included shots from all the previous MCU movies in chronological order. For one, when it came to Incredible Hulk, all it had to show for it was Hulk’s fist bursting through the wall. In another, they just used shots from later movies and hoped nobody would notice. That’s because CGI or not, Ed Norton’s Hulk and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk were two very different beasts. Not only did they roughly resemble their actors, but Norton’s Hulk was more of a giant, angry bodybuilder with green skin while Ruffalo’s came off as more Cro-Magnon, like a shaved gorilla.

It means that while they could talk about Hulk’s exploits, they could never really show any flashbacks, as it would just look awkward. Similarly, Incredible Hulk filmed a cut opening where Banner tried to shoot himself, but the Hulk wouldn’t allow it. While it was a bit too extreme to show, Banner at least got to talk about it happening in Avengers.

The Effect on the World of the MCU

When you look at the events of Incredible Hulk, it keeps things focused on the characters and not the world at large. Sure, it would have been bigger news if the Abomination defeated the Hulk and went on an even bigger rampage, but that problem was nipped in the bud. If you’re a citizen of Marvel Earth, all there is to know is that some soda has been recalled and there was a monster fight in Harlem.

In the movies themselves, the only time the Harlem fight is brought up is in the background of Iron Man 2, where Nick Fury’s map signals it as a place of interest.

With the exception of the Hulk straight-up existing, the most lip service his movie got early on was the scene in Captain America: The First Avenger where Steve gave blood for further study. They needed something to give Emil Blonsky down the line and turn him into an angry Ninja Turtle.

Speaking of…

Whatever Happened to the Abomination?

Of Marvel’s Phase 1 villains, one died, a couple vanished confusingly into space only to come back later, and three were taken into custody. Ending up in custody means you’ll be back soon enough because prisons usually can’t hold the type of enemies who can throw down with the Avengers. Usually.

In other words, it’s pretty damn impressive that the Abomination has been kept off the grid since the Hulk choked him out in Harlem. She-Hulk will be his first real appearance since then, but his name has been on the tongue of Phil Coulson on Agents of SHIELD a few times.

The scene of Tony Stark appearing at the end of Incredible Hulk to confront General Ross is something that came off as a big deal at the time, but afterwards didn’t make too much sense. Piggybacking off the Iron Man post-credits scene, Stark was seemingly trying to recruit the Hulk into the Avengers. That didn’t exactly jibe with what they were going for afterwards, so they released a short film to make sense out of everything.

The Consultant featured Agent Coulson and Agent Sitwell discussing the unfortunate decision by the World Security Council to demand the Abomination join the team. After all, Blonsky is a decorated veteran and the Harlem incident could easily be blamed on Banner. Fury wasn’t in a position to refuse the Council, so the only hope was that General Ross – the guy in charge of Blonsky’s captivity – turned them down. And so, they sent Tony Stark. That final scene in Incredible Hulk was reframed as Tony Stark obnoxiously asking for the keys to Abomination for the Avengers and Ross being so annoyed by his antics that he straight-up refused.

Afterwards, Abomination was namedropped a couple of times in Agents of SHIELD, which is par for the course considering early Agents of SHIELD was about reminding us about stuff that happened in the movies and saying, “We’re part of all that!” According to the show, Abomination was kept in a special prison in Alaska that only a select few know about. There was an episode where SHIELD’s main prison lost power and one of the writers realized that they probably needed to note that Abomination wasn’t going to be an issue in this situation.

But hey, at least he finished his story. The Leader on the other hand…

Samuel Sterns and the Fate of the Leader

At the time, it was the right play. Tim Blake Nelson played the kind of surprise villain you’d find in your average CGI animated Disney movie. As Mr. Blue, he existed as Bruce Banner’s potential salvation, only to be revealed to be kind of over-the-line and sinister in terms of his gamma experiments. After turning Blonsky into the Abomination, Sterns was knocked to the floor and a sample of Banner’s irradiated blood dripped into the open wound on his head. Sterns seemed especially jazzed with a crazed expression as his head started throbbing and increasing in size.

And then…nothing! Not even a mention in a different movie or Agents of SHIELD. That’s what happens when you set up a villain for a sequel and then have legal reasons keeping you from making that sequel. That said, there is a follow-up to what the hell happened with Sterns.

Back in 2012, a prequel comic was released to coincide with the first Avengers movie. The Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week showed that the events of Iron Man 2, Thor, and Incredible Hulk all happened over the course of a few days. We got to see those storylines from the perspective of SHIELD, especially a very overwhelmed and fatigued Nick Fury. That makes sense for the stuff with Tony Stark in Iron Man 2 as well as Mjolnir and the Destroyer in Thor, but what of Incredible Hulk?

As shown in this story, Black Widow was in the background of its events, keeping an eye on everything and realizing that she was way in over her head. She played clean-up on the Sterns situation by coming across his giant, mutated head in the aftermath. Sterns was quick to figure out her homeland from traces of her accent and thought to bribe her in some way, but she stonewalled him with a couple of bullets to the legs.

A year later, Sterns was shown floating in a tank, unconscious, as various SHIELD scientists studied him.

Will we ever see the Leader pop up in the MCU? I can’t imagine Tim Blake Nelson is too busy to appear on She-Hulk at some point.

Betty Ross

Bruce Banner’s old flame is now nothing but a footnote. Considering Banner moved on to another relationship and then another planet, there was never a reason to reintroduce Betty. The only nods to her were Tony Stark naming his Hulkbuster armor “Veronica” (get it?) and the Russo Brothers saying in an interview that Betty was one of those turned to dust by Thanos.

Maybe one day we’ll see Red She-Hulk. Don’t hold your breath, though.

Thunderbolt Ross

General Thaddeus Ross does the heavy lifting for keeping Incredible Hulk relevant. The guy came back for Captain America: Civil War, a movie that didn’t even have the Hulk in it! But it did give him the Henry Gyrich role in a time when Gyrich was probably off-limits since he was considered part of the X-Men corner of Marvel (he already had a very minor role in the first X-Men movie). A familiar face, Ross got to be the government liaison type who spoke with logic, but came off as an antagonistic killjoy.

Right or wrong, Ross’ insistence that the Avengers sign with the Sokovia Accords ruined the team in the face of Thanos’ rampage against the cosmos. He still got to show his respects as Tony Stark’s funeral at the end of Endgame.

Yet, that’s not the last we’ll see of him. In Black Widow, Ross is shown in the trailers. We don’t know his role quite yet, but there’s a lot of fan speculation that Ross might tie into the next roster of the Avengers. Maybe a team that’s government sanctioned and controlled. Maybe a team that’s an awful lot like the Thunderbolts.

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It does seem that as the MCU reaches further and further outward, it looks back more and more on the events of Incredible Hulk. Then again, I doubt we’ll be seeing Ty Burrell’s Leonard Samson turn into a gamma-irradiated psychiatrist with long, luxurious hair any time soon.

The post The Incredible Hulk’s Diminished Legacy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[thorne93]

Unforeseen Chasm (Part 56)

Prompt: Two sisters fall for men that are absolute enemies. The love they have could tear all of them apart, or it could bring them together.

Word Count:1991

Warnings: Language, infinity war plot continues, Note: This is by far the longest thing I’ve ever written (including my novels). It’s a collaboration with the amazing @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo​. It started as a funny “What if…?” and it evolved and got huge. This took two years to write. We are both proud and happy and we hope you enjoy it. It follows from Thor 1 to Endgame in the MCU. Some of the timelines may be off in order to fit certain people, and some characters may show up earlier or in different ways than they have in the movie. But for the most part, it follows the MCU. It also has a bit of crossover with some other Marvel characters throughout the story.

Masterlist for Unforeseen Chasm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Do you have a plan?” Loki asked, as if he felt you already had one. The two of you stood in your apartment. It was eerily quiet and calm. Part of you wanted to stay in there where it was seemingly safe. You just wanted to grab Loki, wrap your arms around him, and pretend like none of this awfulness was happening. But you knew that was wrong. The universe needed you, both of you. Vision needed you. 

“No. I don’t,” you answered shakily. 

“Then what are we do--”

“I don’t know, okay? They can help Strange with the time stone. We need to get to Vision and warn him.” It was hard to keep the absolute panic out of your voice. Thanos… you’d escaped him once, but that was just barely. You knew it wouldn’t happen again, not now that he had two stones. He was about to complete his mission. 

“And then what?”

“Then we fight. We protect Vision, and the rest of the stones at all costs. Loki, he can not get those stones, you know as well as I do life will cease to exist,” you pleaded. 

“I know. Call Steve,” he said and you frowned ever so slightly. Loki had never, ever called him by any of his names. It was either Captain, or The Patriot. 

But he knew this was serious. It was no time to beat around the bush or be clever. 

Finally, the spell broke on you of the horror that snaked through both of you and you called him. 

“Hello?” His voice sounded wary.

“Steve? Steve, it’s Y/N. Do you know where Vision is?” 

“I may have an idea, why? What’s going on?” 

“Thanos, the guy that took Loki and me? Brainwashed us. He’s coming to Earth. He may already be here. He’s sending his minions to find the infinity stones. One of them is already in New York, with Strange. Tony, Shannon, and Wong are helping protect it. Vision has the other one. Thanos already has two. He can’t get these other ones, Steve. He just can’t. He will end life as we know it.” 

“Alright. What do you need me to do?” 

“Get to Vision. Tell me where he is. I can help protect him.” 

“He’s in Scotland. Glasgow. They’re staying at a hotel in downtown. Hang on… Grand Central Hotel.” 

“Okay. Meet you there. Hurry. Call him if you can.” 

“Will do.” 

With that, you hung up and turned to Loki. 

“We need to get to Scotland. Fast.”

----------------------

You were able to take one of Tony’s jets and use its near supersonic speed to get you to Scotland in a matter of a few hours. You found the hotel but Vision, and you were assuming Wanda, weren’t there. You began walking the streets, hoping to find them, or Steve, when you suddenly you heard a scream. 

Shit.

You and Loki took off running toward the sound. Only to find Wanda get catapulted into a store window and Corvus Glaive slam a scepter down onto Vision’s head, trying to draw out the stone. 

“Hey, fuck bag!” you yelled, your dark energy flowing out of you, hitting him and knocking him off of Vision. Proxima raised her spear and chucked it at you but Loki caught it just before it hit you and he hurled it back at her, knocking her to the ground. 

“Go!” you screamed to Wanda and Vision. She nodded, grabbing Vision with her power and going over the tops of buildings. “You gotta go through me, Corvus,” you said with a smirk. 

“Too easy,” he said as he charged at you but you raised your hands and electrified him but he raised his spear and shot a spark of power at you knocking you off your feet. Loki tried to keep Proxima busy but at one point, they got away from both of you, fighting Wanda and Vision all over the city, on rooftops. By the time you flew up to the rooftop though, they were already fighting towards a glass ceiling, several feet away from you.

They crashed into a train station where you finally caught up to them, only to find Vision badly hurt, Wanda trying to protect him, and Steve across the tracks. You smiled at him and he stepped forward. 

Natasha and Sam suddenly burst onto the scene, where Natasha stabbed Corvus in the stomach and you wanted to applaud her, but now was not the time. The three of them worked to fight Proxima and Corvus until Corvus lied on the ground and he couldn’t stand. 

“We don’t want to kill you, but we will,” Natasha said as you approached them. 

“You’ll never get the chance again,” she promised, which lit a fire inside you. 

A beam of light came down and retrieved them, making you turn to Nat angrily. “You should’ve killed them.” 

“What good would it have done?” she challenged. 

“You have no idea what’s coming,” you said with accusation. “If we have any flicker of hope against Thanos, we can’t let his army get back to him.”

“I killed one of them, what more do you want?” 

“I want every one who is in alliance with Thanos dead,” you deadpanned as you got close to her. 

“Alright, alright, take it easy,” Steve ordered gently before getting between you and Natasha.

“I can’t, Steve. The fate of the universe depends on us stopping him. We can’t let any of them go.”

“Well, I didn’t see you taking any fatal shots,” he remarked. The comment made you stiffen and sigh. He was right, and that destroyed you. This was your fault they were alive too. “Alright. Now we need to get back to base.”

------------------------------

Steve, you, Nat, Vision, Wanda, and Loki walked into the Avengers Compound. Rhodey had been talking to Secretary Ross, the same man who sent most of your friends to jail. 

You immediately found Shannon. She was standing at a table, mumbling to herself. You didn’t see Tony and your heart skipped a beat. You approached her, bracing for whatever she was about to tell you.

“Look who's back!” She rushed to you and the others. “Are you guys alright?” She pulled back from hugging you and looked to see who needed healing. “Come here Wanda, let me get rid of that cut.” She got closer and cleared the cut leaving a little irritation.

You shook your head. “Shan, where’s Tony? Stephen?” Your heart was pounding, waiting for an answer, fearing the absolute worse.

She looked over to you and she held her chest and her eyes began to water. “Ton-Tony’s up in space and I lost signal,” she wiped her tears. “He went after Peter to get him off the ship and figure out what their plan was.”

You stood there baffled. “Wait. Shan,” you started, feeling a panic attack coming on. “Back up. How the hell did Tony wind up on that ship? And Peter? Parker? The fucking kid? He’s on the ship? And Stephen…” You choked down a sob. “Tell me they’re not all lost in space with that fucking Squidward asshole… What happened?” 

“One moment the three of us are fighting Maw and keeping Bruce safe, the next Peter swings in out of nowhere and is helping. Tony had him go after Maw because he took Strange and the time stone,” she was shaking really hard as she spoke. “Tony rushed after the two of them and had to enter the ship to get to them and I lost the signal once they were too far away.”

It felt as if all the blood had drained from you. “Stephen… is in the hands of Maw? With Tony and Peter and we can’t get ahold of them?” You started to really break down until Loki ran over and wrapped his arms around you, shushing you. He stroked your hair and kissed your head before pushing you slightly away from him. 

“Love, I know you're scared, but we have a problem. We need to address it, now,” he reminded softly, but sternly.

“You’re right,” you agreed, swallowing your tears. “Shannon,” you said before wrapping her in a tight hug. “I’m so sorry. We’ll find Tony, alright? We need to find Thanos first. He’s our main objective. Those three can handle that idiot Maw, okay?” You rubbed her arm, trying to keep her calm and refocus her, just as Loki had done for you.

“I know Y/N, there goes Tony again doing something crazy.” she tried to laugh but it made her cry more. “You’re right we need to focus.” In that instant she focused up and was in mission mode. “Alright this is what we know so far…” she went off to explain what she knew and let Steve continue.

“Alright, Y/N, Loki, you two spent the most time with Thanos out of everyone here, what does he want? What are we looking at?” Steve demanded once all the troops were rounded up. Bruce went to get cleaned up and Pietro had to be retrieved from his place in hiding.

“The biggest army in the universe,” you said without hesitation. “The only reason we didn’t win in New York is because subconsciously we didn’t want to. I’m not saying that to start a pissing contest. I’m stating it as a fact. With Thanos army alone, a monkey could win, but we didn’t want to.”

“Could’ve fooled us,” Rhodey remarked and you made a face of chagrin.

“So what’s his mission? What does he want?” 

“Annihilation. He wants to gather all six infinity stones and with the snap of his fingers, he can wipe out half of all life across the universe.” After Charles had removed your brainwashing a long time ago, he’d also somehow restored the memories of Thanos’s plans that you’d overheard time and time again on Sanctuary. Thanos probably removed them to make sure you didn’t betray him in any way. Now though, that knowledge was extremely useful and caused you no pain to remember it. You told the Avengers everything you could to help them. He had to be stopped at any and all costs.

“And he already has two,” Steve realized.

“Which is more than anyone has ever had, except for Loki and myself when we had the Tesseract and the scepter, but even then, they were in vessels. Now, the mind stone is on Vision’s head and Thanos crushed the tesseract to get the space stone,” you explained. 

“But back in New York we didn’t have Wanda or Vision,” Nat started. “Plus you and Loki are on our side now, right?” 

“Of course,” you said as if it was obvious. “You’ll have me, Shannon, and the rest of you. We have a chance, a better chance… but if we are facing Thanos himself… he’s like a rabid dog when it comes to these stones. He won’t stop until he has them all even Vision’s,” you solemnly told them as you peered at Wanda and Vision. 

They looked back at you with a look like they didn’t want to believe you but they knew that you were telling the truth.

“Then we have to protect it,” Natasha responded.

“No, we have to destroy it. I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also, its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its own signature, perhaps… its molecular integrity could fail,” Vision suddenly said, aiming it at Wanda.

“And you, with it. We're not having this conversation,” she remarked.

The next few minutes were spent debating on whether or not Vision’s stone had to be destroyed. You didn’t weigh in on the matter. This was Vision and Wanda’s choice. 

Finally, Bruce concluded that perhaps Wakanda would have the resources they needed to extract the stone, so that’s where everyone headed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tag List: @essie1876​ @magpiegirl80​ @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked​ @iamwarrenspeace​ @marvel-imagines-yes-please​

@superwholocked527 @missinstantgratification @thejemersoninferno @rda1989 @munlis @thefridgeismybestie @bubblyanarocks3 @igiveupicantthinkofausername @kaliforniacoastalteens @feelmyroarrrr @kaelingoat-blog @friendlyneighbourhoodweirdo @damalseer @heyitscam99 @yknott81 @sorryimacrapwriter @glitterquadricorn @xxqueenofisolationxx @little-dis-kaalista-pythonissama @bittersweetunicorm @alyssaj23 @sea040561 @princess76179 @thisismysecrethappyplace @sarahp879 @malfoysqueen14 @ellallheart @breezy1415 @marvelmayo @random-fluffy-pink-unicorn @cocosierra94 @hardcollectionworldtrash @capsmuscles @marvelloushamilton @paintballkid711

Loki: @lostinspace33 @ultrarebelheart @lenawiinchester @esoltis280 @tngrayson @wangdeasang @harrymewmew @jayfantasyatyourservice

UC: @lokis-high-priestess

[luxury-loki]

Endgame Chat

!!spoiler free part!!

Hey everyone, this is part one of my full Endgame review, hope you enjoy! My blog is now officially no longer spoiler free (I mean it’s been a week, if you haven't seen it by now then wyd???). However, everything will still be tagged with ‘#endgame spoiler’ and ‘#endgame spoilers’. If you do not want to see any spoilers, PLEASE block these from your feed if you haven't already, consider this your only warning! I will not be taking the blame for anything you have spoiled for you from this blog from now on.

thanks babies,

Lara xxx

I fully have no words to describe this film. It was such a satisfying end I barely even knew I needed, and I have so much I wanna talk about, so strap in cus this is gonna be a long ride.

I think I'm just going to do the same layout as my infinity war posts, with one for character arcs and the there for memorable events/moments.

Let’s start with characters. I’m going to talk mostly about the main six, and anyone else just a brief few things.

Thor

“I’m still worthy!”

I have been seeing alooooot of hate for the way Endgame handled Thor’s character, and I have to completely disagree. We’ve become so comfortable with seeing Thor as the most powerful Avenger, the one who was fine when his mother died, father died, brother, best friend etc that it was crucial to see that this was never actually the case. Thor’s decent into alcoholism, obesity and depression showed he was never really okay with everything that’s happened, he only bottled it inside till it all became too much, and having it healed by a chat with his mother was the perfect way to reach his arc. His relationship with his mother has been so overlooked by the marvel fans (me included) and it was so special to see this heart warming moment between them. When he said “I love you Mum.” to her my heart BURST and my eyes suddenly got very teary, not to mention the added heartbreak that he knew it was the day she was going to die. Overall, although yes, It was comical to see him in this state, that was not the only point to his storyline, it was about seeing a more emotional side to his character, a side which proves he isn't just a ‘tough guy’ who can handle the force of a star and wield lightening. He just as emotionally unstable as the rest of us, and needed his family back (both blood and The Avengers), and a reminder that he was still worthy of Mjolnir to set him back on the right path again to greatness. 

His passing of his kingship of Asgard to Valkyrie was also important. Although the Thor franchise had the most perfect beginning and ending, starting with Thor becoming king of Asgard when he was childish and irresponsible and ending with him becoming King when he was actually prepared, the title of king was still not something he chose, and with Valkyrie there to be extremely capable of the role and eager to take it, it makes sense now to allow Thor to go on to actually live the life he wants, and become the true hero his mother tells him to be. I feel he suits the role of a hero who fights the bad guys more than a sensible noble king. I desperately hope he is in Guardians 3, as I think a Quill/Thor bromance is about to blossom beautifully. 

Natasha 

“I used to have nothing, then I got this family.”

I did not see Natasha’s death coming, like not from a million miles away and it BROKE ME. I actually cried at it more the second time I went to see it. We as an audience forget how she really has no one except The Avengers, they are her one true family, and this is emphasised in the scene on Vormir when she explains how she didn't even know her own father's name. Natasha has always been great in every film she's been in, and has been integral to the development of the MCU, however her role in Endgame was something else. Seeing how broken she was over the snap and seeing how she felt it was her responsibly alone to keep track of the events happening across the whole planet shows how seriously she takes her role as an Avenger and how much she wants to earn the title. I’ll talk more about the scene on Vormir in my next post, but it was really something else. The fact it was Clint she goes with was so important, her best friend. The line from him in the guardians’ ship “this is a long way from Budapest” was such a great call back to the first avengers film, and reminds us of the long history the two share. 

When it was obvious one of them was going to die I knew it was going to be her, which is very telling of what I internally think of her character. She would never have let Clint die whilst he had a wife and children at home. Natasha sacrificed herself so that half of the universe could survive, as did Tony. Everyone alive in the MCU owes their life to her, and that is an incredible legacy for her character to leave. She will be desperately missed, but her new film coming out, despite (I assume) being a prequel will be a welcome look into her life again.

RIP Nat x

Clint

“I wish I could tell her we won.”

Opening the film on Clint losing his family was a clever way of reminding the audience of the loss experienced by everyone in Infinity War, not just the characters we followed. It was also interesting to see Clint’s darker side. On his mission to rid the world of the criminals who avoided dusting whilst innocent lives were taken, he murders what we can only assume is hundreds, showing the extreme anger and sadness he was feeling over the loss of his wife and children. It is Tony later in the film who says to Pepper “we got lucky.” in reference to the fact they still had each other, Clint had the least luck, losing three children and his wife, we can understand why he turned to such eratic violence.

Once reunited with The Avengers he continues to have a huge role in the film, especially driven by both his desire to bring back his family, and also avenge Natasha’s death which he most likely feels very guilty for. The moment when they all return form the quantum realm except her, and Clint is seen crying is very emotional, and his role in the fight against Thanos is not one he takes lightning. Clint even carries the Infinity Gauntlet for a large proportion of the final fight scene, we thank him for his incredible service! Endgame was definitely Clint’s film. He had a big part in many of the most emotional/nail biting scenes, and dint just spend the whole thing under the mind control of the main villain! Really glad he got to shine through and find his spotlight, and I can't wait for what the Hawkeye series will have to offer.

Banner

“I put the brains and the braun together.”

Okay so when I first saw the Doctor Hulk combo I HATED IT. I remember turning to my friend in the cinema and just going “I hate it I hate it I hate it get it away from me” but then by the end of the film I won't lie, I loved it. I love that he now has the best sides of both banner and Hulk, the funny/smart/kind side, put together with the incredible strength of The Hulk actually makes for a pretty powerful avenger, even standing up to Thor at one point when he asks him to take his hands off him. Banner had some great comedy bits, including when he makes fun of Scott when the kids don't wanna take a picture with him, and the hilarious part when he punches the taxi in New York, but also some important emotional roles. His upset when he discovers Natasha is dead is evident, explaining how he misses her to Steve later in the film, and this is definitely used as a drive for what he goes on to do. He sacrifices his life and uses the gauntlet to bring everyone back, BANNER DID THAT. Can we start appreciating him more now???? THANKS. No but seriously this was a very important moment for him, and was like the finale of the great character arc we have seen over the last 3 films he has been in. In Ragnaork he struggles with his relationship with the Hulk, still being unable to control when he changes from Hulk to Banner, stuck in either when least convenient, nd always under the control of Hulk. In Infinity War, it’s almost like the two are so connected, and hulk is so aware of Banner’s experience that he begins to control when he doesn't want to come out, rather than when he does. The two are much more like a duo, understanding of each other but stilll not necessarily working together. in Endgame they finally merge, forming a mutual relationship where each benefits wonderfully from the other. I’m really happy for Banner reaching this state. I don't know if his character will appear in anymore MCU films to come, but his character arc has certainly reached a satisfying end, and I believe, despite the sadness of losing Natasha, he has a reached a place of peace and happiness.

Tony

“I love you 3000.”

THE BIG SAD. Still can't believe he is dead. The corner stone of the MCU, the man who made it all happen, how can we ever thank Tony Stark enough? short answer: we can’t, but I'll damn well try. Tony Stark has had perhaps the greatest character arc of them all. Growing from being an arrogant, selfish, greedy businessman who sold weapons and funded wars now sacrifices his life for the entire universe, despite knowing he will leave behind his child and wife alone. It is so painful watching the film for the second time, seeing how desperate he is to not lose what he’s got (Morgan), knowing the whole time what is to happen a the end, yet also a sense of pride emerges. It is heartbreaking to know he will in fact die, but also incredible to know that even despite all his personal feelings, he will always put his family, The Avengers and the rest of the beings in the universe before him because THAT is who Tony Stark is. it doesn't matter who he once was, he has grown beautifully as a character, and has the hero’s death he properly deserves. When  Pepper said “you can rest now.” to him I absolutely BAWLED. very good. Awful and painful, but very good.

Also just Tony as a dad, although we didn't get to see it for very long, was a great position to see his character in. He keeps that classic Stark sense of humour “go to bed or I'll sell your toys” whilst also it is immensely clear to see how much being a father has matured him. Although in reality, he is not only a father to Morgan, but Peter too, and choosing to have him die in front of him was truly a STAB to the gut, but also important I think for Peters development now. He will have to go it alone now, without the support of his guardian, which will be a good way to ensure his character can grow independently. Stark was clearly torn up over Peter’s death in a way only a father would, and Peter im sure will carry this bond with him for as long as he lives. I hope to see Morgan and Peter connect in Far From Home, that would be really special, and the perfect way of carrying Tony’s memory.

Thank you to Tony, and RDJ for the incredible 11 years in the MCU, we just could no be here without you, you can rest now, but know you are in our hearts forever.

RIP Tony x

Steve

“You gonna tell me about her?”

“No, I don't think I will.”

Guys okay so I cried at Tony and Nat’s death, but NOTHING got me like Steve’s final scene let me TELL YOU, but first we will start earlier on. 

Steve has a very classic role int he first half on the film, comforting Nat when she needs it, helping Tony, devising the plan etc but he really shines in his trip to New York, the final battle scene, and of course his finale. 

The scene where he fights himself was really great, and the lines “I can do this all day” “yeah I know” was AMAZING! Not to mention the iconic callback to the elevator scene with the added ‘hail hydra’. The Russo Brothers did an excellent job in ensuring the revisited all the best parts of cap’s time in the MCU in Endgame for sure. But, the best bit came in the final fight scene WHEN HE LIFTED MJOLNIR. I SCREAMED. I genuinely don't think I have ever been so excited in an MCU film in my life, when the hammer came flying through the air I thought at first it was going to be Captain Marvel (which would have been cool too) but when it was him I YELLED. I simultaneously couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing whilst also thinking it was the most obvious thing ever. OF COURSE Steve can lift the hammer, of course he is worthy. The added line of Thor saying: “I knew it!” was just perfect too, with their mid-battle banter yet again “you have the little one, I'll take the big one.” much like in Infinity war with “I see you’ve copied my beard!”. Another great moment was of course the: “Avengers... assemble.” which I also absolutely screeched at. INCREDIBLE CINEMA.

But, despite all this excitement and incredible action Steve’s character got, his best part in the film by far was his final goodbye to Sam and Bucky. When he left to put the stones back something in me knew he wasn't going to come back, and although it was sad, it was also relieving in a way. To know he must be going to find Peggy, and to know he would finally “get some of that life” he had always wanted, and find happiness with her was beautiful. When the camera panned round to him on the bench, it was extremely clever to (as he was older and more shrunken) depict him looking the exact way pre-serum Steve did in The First Avenger, with a similar jacket and smaller frame. At first I thought it somehow was younger him, and It was only seeing his face that made me realise that was not the case. By this post I was properly crying. Like tears streaming down my face hiding my sobs crying. His passing of the shield onto Sam was incredibly moving, and before he left to the see when Bucky and him joke about not doing anything stupid whilst he’s gone was also a perfect goodbye. When he went to put his hand on Sam’s and it showed he had a wedding ring, I honestly couldn't even see through my tears, and that final scene. That final scene. The camera panning through the window, the soft music, the slow turning of the camera to reveal Peggy dancing with Steve, I let out what I think is the ugliest noise I have ever made. a full blown SOB. I was actually uncontrollable, the lights went up in the cinema and I just kept going, still crying a good five minutes later. It was an ending that, now it’s happened, seemed so obvious, yet I never saw it coming. Of course The Avengers’ saga had to end that way. The beauty of the ending was that it wasn’t really an ending at all, but a beginning. Yes, Steve has reached the end of his time as an Avenger, but he was only just starting his true, long life he has ahead of him. The perfect finale.

CONCLUSION

I loved this film. I think it did wonders for all the main characters, and to know I know live in a world with no more Avengers films to come is devastating, but I'm just happy I was alive to see them happen, and to be a part of this wonderful community.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far! Check back next Thursday for my post on storylines/events!

Lara x

[lovelykhaleesiii]

Synopsis

GoT x MCU AU 

Words: 1246

A/N - Kind of wrote more than what was expected, though I tried to cover as much as I could without giving away too much info ;) AHAHAH But I REALLY hope I can pull this off. I’ll try with all my might, but this is definitely my coping mechanism for Endgame and GoT. I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I will, when I begin to write for this series. 

I also thought I should let you know that the main (romantic) pairing between Y/N is Thor x fem!reader... May have some other love interests but it’ll be more than fluff. There will be angst trust me... I already have plenty in mind! I’m going by the storylines of Infinity War, Endgame x the latter half of the GoT finale: although I will add some other parts in from the past/make up stuff for it to make sense. 

Pray that I can pull this off, for my sake <3 enjoy xx 

(STILL WORKING ON THE TITLE!!!)

Y/N Targaryen. First of your name, the rightful heir to the Seven Kingdoms, in all that glory that you were meant to be, that was until your people had been annihilated. Your beloved House, amongst the many other unfortunate houses slaughtered, your family, wiped out in its entirety. All...Except you. And for those that survived, mourned for the years to come, struggling to rebuild what the many houses had lost. However, he had taken a liking in you, swore to promise you a steady, prosperous world in which your future could thrive from: and what more could you do? You were only just a mere child.

As the years passed, after he had taken you in, he’d continued committing the same monstrosities across each civilisation he could come across. One by one, he massacred the populations by the half, leaving them in raw grief and loss, with you and your fellow sisters, Nebula and Gamora, by his side to watch: both with a similar story to you, of losing a past neither of you three could even remember.

He mentored you all, taught you his philosophy of life, that he deemed necessary, was his destiny. It was Thanos’ dream, day by day, that he prioritised above all else, including you 3, was that of the Infinity Stones: and day by day, he found himself getting closer to. 

If I look back, I am lost.

Was the thought on your mind, always. The innocent faces you had seen, of the many your father had repeatedly sacrificed and the ones he’d shown mercy too, was a recurring nightmare since. He made you watch them all, made you aid him in committing these injustices: and in time, you had learnt his ways, and yet still...A part of you suffered just as much as the people before you. Reaching a point inside you since Gamora’s betrayal to Thanos’ cause, and on his order with Nebula on the hunt for her, did this ignite a feeling that you had kept masked for so long. It seemed, however, that Thanos had sensed a shift in behaviour, each time you trembled under his touch, struggling to keep face to face with him, unlike before… He knew immediately, though didn’t speak a word

Instead, he gifted you… With 3 dragon eggs.

“In honour of my daughter’s life, one that she shall thank me for saving. Dragons, for you, my dearest one. You see the people we have been saving, all of them...Sheeps. But you, you’re a dragon… So be one. ”

Fire and Blood.

Was all the magic needed for them to be born, and you: reborn. It was the blood from the violence, and the fire from the wars, unfortunate yet necessary, that turned the eggs from stone to life. These dragons, your children, were the constant reminder of what you had sworn, never to relive.

And there you stood, the only remaining daughter left, standing beside him once more, before that same, unnerving feeling crept up within you. You would decide to escape, alongside your children. It was elaborate, and required far too much patience and thought, though in time, it had worked. The punishment for treason for Thanos, was beyond brutal. Although, you knew he’d spare no man now in search for you, he knew of your capabilities, and knew you were far more skilled than any of his subjects… Valuable you were to him, you knew: you were his greatest lost cause.

Despite having physically escaped, you could have never planned an escape from your memories: at time you feared your conscious would drive you mad, though there you stood, another chance granted to restart, or more so, to rebuild. And far beyond any civilisation Thanos was in proximity to, you found yourself alone, hiding amongst the strangers on the planet of Sakaar. Lonesome you were, and as desperate as you were, you had vowed yourself to return home, wherever it was, once you were able to. And you knew exactly when the right time would come…

It was there that your legacy remained buried beneath the wrath of the mighty Titan, Thanos. He knew well enough, that that would be amongst the few places you’d so desperately seek refuge in, and still with all the resilience you could amount, you had resisted the urge...There simply was no choice. And what of the people? Would the remainder of the houses be ashamed of you, for not having fought back? The thought of returning intimidated you, although it was and is to be inevitable.

For now, however, Sakaar was the optimal option for the dragons and yourself. It was only here, with your head kept low, that you’d stayed for some time now, invisible to the eyes of its inhabitants: yet you found that you were unrecognizable. Not even the dragons had given away your identity: yes, they were small, and they were vulnerable, growing ever so steadily, although dragons in a place such as Sakaar, was no more surprising to the other creatures it held. It was only now, out of blood magic, or more so, out of faith purely within yourself, that you knew it was possible. You knew your time reigning beside your Titan father had come to an end, the moment they were born. Your fate opposed that to Thanos’, and you knew what needed to be done.

In the meantime, no one knew of who you were, of where you had come from, nor of what you had done. And that was more that you could have asked for.

Blood of my blood.

Were the words you had distinctly heard, speaking to you from a man much older than yourself. Jorah, of House Mormont, so he was called: exiled from Westeros, place that you’d come to learn was home. He’d recognised you instantly, his heart skipped a beat as he’d seen you wondering the streets… A Targaryen, in the flesh.

“I had served your father for many years, before I was exiled after his death. I fled before Thanos had desecrated the lands … Gods be good, I have hoped to return to always serve the rightful heir.”

It was there, that Jorah had become your trusted advisor: introducing you to the diverse ways of the many cultures in Sakaar, teaching you in ways that Thanos was incapable of. Most importantly, Jorah was the first, to have ever introduced you to appreciate the history of your country.

And so Sakaar was where you’d stayed alongside him: adapting, learning, and evolving.

It was only when the dragons were grown, and independent enough to search for food themselves, that you’d caught the eye of the Grandmaster. He’d taken not a liking in you, nor did he care of who were, although it was your dragons, your children, that he’d taken an interest in. And you knew what his exact intentions were: it was what Sakaar thrived on. It was only with constant bickering and by taking a firm stance, that you had come to an agreement with the Grandmaster himself, completely disregarding Jorah’s advice to avoid him at all costs. If it meant establishing an army, a few men at a time, that it would cost you to be amongst his many own personal acquisition specialists. And in time, it was through that, that you’d come across the God of Thunder, himself… His name, Thor.

“I’m Y/N… Y/N Targaryen.”

Taglist - @suoidea

[hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger]

SPOILERS for Endgame!

“To learn great power and great responsibility, this Peter Parker needed a genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.

”

Doesn’t that make him innately inferior to basically every other version of Spider-Man who just needed a humble working class man trying to preach being a good person?

 “Tony Stark is many things. As of Avengers: Endgame, “father” is now one of them. But the former weapons manufacturer turned superhero had a long, long journey unfold throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while Spider-Man’s inclusion in the franchise came only after some legal fu between Disney and Sony years after his debut, Tony Stark’s evolution into Peter Parker’s superhero mentor turned him into one of the most important characters in Spider-Man’s story.”

 In the MCU Spider-Man’s story sure, not in the grand scheme of Spider-Man’s own mythos.

And either way...that’s just a travesty. Tony should NOT be that to Spider-Man.

 “If it hadn’t been the sixth Spider-Man movie in over a decade, critics and audiences would complain that director Jon Watts left a gaping hole in his story. What happened with Aunt May? we’d ask. The movie never tells us.

But because we know Spider-Man’s story, Peter and Ned’s dialogue is one of the most touching moments in the entire movie. Spider-Man: Homecoming sits at Rotten Tomatoes with a sensational 92%.”

 Yes because we all know RT scores are the absolute last word on a film’s quality.

 It’s not like garbage fire Last Jedi got a great score in spite of it obviously being dilapidated.

 “Names aren’t named. But we can guess that Peter Parker of the MCU had an Uncle Ben, a warm, non-toxic masculine father figure who instilled in Peter what to do when greatness is thrust upon him.”

 Why was that neccesarry?

 Why did the author feel the need to qualify ‘non-toxic’ before the word masculine as though without it we’d have just inferred he was toxic, as though masculinity is somehow innately toxic.

 Fuck you OP, you misandrist piece of shit.

 “Ben could never anticipate his nephew shooting impenetrable web and climbing up walls, but he definitely taught Peter what to do if he ever could.”

 Peter’s webs are not impenetrable and this grammar is bad. Either write ‘shooting an  impenetrable web’ or ‘shooting impenetrable webs’

 “It makes all the sense in the world that Stark, whom we met sipping scotch in a war zone and sleeping with attractive magazine reporters, became a dad in Avengers: Endgame. This new identity was both why Stark resisted time travel (he could risk erasing Morgan) and why he did it, to regain his first lost child, Peter Parker (from at the end of Avengers: Infinity War).”

 Peter wasn’t Tony’s child. They had less than an hour of screen time across all the movies before Peter died.

 Tony was distant, critical, aloof, hands off and frankly creepy at times. He literally never considered what would happen if he whisked Peter away on a mission then dumped him back in his normal life and barely spoke to him thereafter. Not to mention giving a teenage boy a lot of money, they going into his room for a private chat with him away from his parental guardian, hitting on said guardian, violating his privacy, threatening to reveal his secret to his parental guardian, flattering him, bribing him with an upgrade all so he could recruit him to go to another country and use him as a powerful yet ultimately child soldier against a super soldier, his Nazi programmed assassin friend and other super humans is royally fucked up!

 “The bond between Stark and Peter, forged from Captain America: Civil War all the way to Endgame, became an elongated “origin” of Spider-Man.”

 Er...no it didn’t.

 Spider-Man’s origin is spider bite+not stopping a burglar+burgler killing father figure_Great power/great responsibility

 Thanos isn’t a burglar Spider-Man chose not to stop. We never saw the Spider bite.

 The entire point is that Spider-Man’s origin was passed over because we all already knew it.

 “Their first meeting is one of the loudest first encounters in all of the MCU, and not a single punch was thrown. Instead, sitting on his bed in Queens, Peter Parker tells Tony Stark what he thinks about great power and great responsibility.”

 You mean that thing that forms the climax of Peter’s origin because it literally motivates him into being a hero and by having that already in place the point was his origin already happened.

 “You can almost see Tony Stark’s disappointment in his eyes. Not because Peter said the wrong thing, but because he said all the right things. And that means Peter was up for the task (rounding up the rogue heroes in Civil War) even though he’s a kid who does not belong in the Avengers’ world.”

 Yeah almost like Stark was immoral for coercing this impressionable kid or something.

 “In other stories that told Spidey’s beginnings, we saw Peter learn to become responsible after his irresponsibility cost him his only real paternal teacher.”

 In EVERY story. Because that is Spider-Man’s origin. That is the point of Spider-Man. There was a whole Oscar winning animated movie entirely about this less than 12 months ago!

 “We never saw, and didn’t need to see, Uncle Ben die in Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: Homecoming. After six previous movies and two Ben Parkers — Cliff Robertson in Spider-Man (2002) and Martin Sheen in The Amazing Spider-Man 10 years later — we were good on the origin story. All we needed to know about Ben Parker was that he mattered, that he’s gone, and maybe it was because of Peter.”

 You misspelt ‘definitely because of Peter’.

 “But Stark’s sacrifice at the end of Endgame, though seismic, will undoubtedly have the greatest impact on Peter Parker. ”

 Because fuck Happy, Rhodey, Pepper, Steve, Clint, Thor, Bruce or his literal fucking daughter.

 “Whether it’s the second death in Peter’s superhero career or the first, Iron Man’s death has effectively become the ultimate lesson for Spider-Man. That with great power (“Genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.”) comes great responsibility (“I am Iron Man.”).”

 Fuck you.

Fuck this article.

Fuck the MCU if that is true.

 If that is true why the fuck was Peter Spider-Man in the first place. He was a superhero for SIX MONTHS before he met Tony.

[silktoyourspidey]

SoulStoneMate AU

Hello, fellow MCU maniacs, as we all mourn and celebrate the ending of a 22 film journey, I jumped onto the tumblr bandwagon and fel more in love with Peter Parker/Spider-Man/Tom Holland than before. SO I'm dusting off my creatively blocked brain with some fic even though I haven't written anything in months. This is also my first Marvel fic, so pretty please bear with my crap.

Across the Universe

A slight AU inspired by the original fan theory that those snapped by Thanos were all more or less coherent in the Soul Stone. The stone draws out internal truths that you never know existed, all while getting to know Spider-Man.

Warnings: Infinity War and eventual Endgame angst.

Nothing more than a shade, you wandered around the orange abyss for who knew how long. It felt like days, maybe even weeks, since you felt your body fall backwards into oblivion, fading to darkness and waking up here.

Alone.

You had no idea what was happening, one minute your boyfriend was getting down on one knee and the next was this.

Did you fall and obtain a traumatic head injury? A coma inducing seizure? You couldn't know, struggled for days to listen for his voice, a hospital monitor beeping, anything. But nothing.

You’d already screamed, already cried, bargained. You’d gone through the five stages the situation allowed. You were pretty sure your life was over, but whatever this afterlife was, you figured it could've been worse. Lonely, but not a tormenting loneliness. You could handle it, though you mildly longed for interactions.

So much, in fact, you thought you were hearing voices, now. It was faint, but echoes bounced between your ears. Maybe you were going crazy.

“We’re not alone, don't give up.”

You startled at the clear whisper. It was a young woman, voice shaking and teary, but loud and calm enough to be heard. You didn't know the voice, but it was cathartic to hear.

And just like that, people started materializing.

You heard shouting and crying and screaming and joy and desolation and confusion and people.

It looked like families and friends were reuniting, questions with no answers thrown into the air. Seemingly, everyone here was brought back to their closest acquaintances, likely who they were with when The Event happened, based on chatter you overheard. You searched for your boyfriend and came up with no one. Like you, not everyone was lucky, some remained alone, sadly and uncomfortably holding themselves, and you felt the urge to console as many as possible, despite your loss, if that's what you could call it.

The consensus was that some sort of virus struck worldwide, killing off at least half of the population. Then the aliens showed up. You were from New York, so the alien battle against the planet’s mightiest heroes a few years ago already made you aware of such reality, however other humans did not take so kindly. Luckily, in this afterlife, violence was impossible on all parts of the spectrum. But as more materialized, it became clear: not just Earth, but the entire universe, had been obliviated.

No one you knew ever appeared near you. You supposed you were grateful, this meant they’d all survived. You tried to reach out to others like you, The Singles, this world coined the term. Some of them were welcoming and some were aloof. You still offered friendship to the latter, grieving comes in many forms and you could keep it together by supporting others. You made a close friend, Nath, who was from Coney Island and majored in Film at NYU.

You guys toss around theories and small talk and film analyses nonstop, no time existed and sleep wasn't a necessity in this world, though you could and if you willed it hard enough, you could create a sort of architecture, food, landmark, almost as if you're heart could bring it into existence. The food was never as good and none of the buildings were as solid, but slowly, the community of Goners created a hodgepodge of places to thrive in.

You and Nath were analyzing The Dark Knight trilogy when you heard the same female voice, less shaken than before.

“If anyone out there can hear me, my name is Wanda Maximoff. You might know me as Scarlet Witch, of the Avengers. To anyone listening, those of our team that were Snapped have important information.”

The Soul World, as was you were now properly informed, fell into a collective silence. You listened as your ‘Snapped’ heroes reported the facts. The Mad Titan and his quest for balance collected some stones and you were all trapped in the Soul Stone. You weren't technically dead. The Avengers back on Earth could still find a way to bring you back, but how and when was unclear. Doctor Strange, from that weird library you passed by on your bus route, was blunt. One out of 14 million. But he was heavily relying on that singular chance.

Then, the theories. The Soul Stone was powered by true self, hence why people you cared about and things you loved were available to you. It was a very uplifting notion, you realized, as it meant everyone was naturally, inherently good. In reality, people harmed others out of fear and hatred grown by fear. No one feared here, this was almost rock bottom, hence why violence never appeared. Emotion was stronger here, and your own soul would gravitate to truths. Strange advised that this would be a long waiting period, but a good self journey awaited those who needed it.

But despite everything, meeting Nath and recreating your room from home and all of your favorite places, you longed for your boyfriend, whose name seemed like a fading memory. You were going to say yes, despite being seniors in high school. You were going to spend forever with him, and you knew he was mourning for you, but that the remaining Avengers would inform the world and he would wait with a hopeful heart.

So why were you not remembering your first date or his favorite color or what he wanted to major in?

And how in this godforsaken piece of shit rock prison did you end up running straight into your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?

“Sorry,” the masked hero managed out, as you rubbed the spot on your shoulder that made contact with the...iron suit?

“‘S’cool,” you were able to say easily. “Nice new suit.”

“Oh, oh yeah,” he looked down, like he forgot what he was wearing. “I got it from Mr. Stark; I was wearing it to breathe in space before we got all dusty.”

“You were in space?” You gasped. “You weren't with you parents? I'm so sorry!” Really, you figured he about your age, so this must be just as hard for him as it was for you.

“I was with Mr. Sta-Iron Man, technically,” he shakes his head. “He looked really upset and I felt really bad that I couldn’t stay with him, but I know he’ll figure this out. He’s the smartest man I know.” He waved his arms emphatically.

“Well we all knew that,” you giggled. “He's fucking Iron Man.” You frowned. “Your parents, though?”

“My parents passed away long before The Snap,” his voice wavered slightly. “My Aunt May isn't here, so she must be worried sick, especially after she lost Uncle Ben, but I think Mr. Stark will do his best to help her understand.” He paused. “Plus she knows I'm Spider-Man. And my best friends are all here, Ned knows too but I'm don't suit up when I see everyone else.”

“I'm assuming your on patrol then?” You pondered. “Falcon said something about that to assure the masses that we’ll be okay.”

“Er, kinda,” a blue and red arm tried to scratch the back of his head. “I do, but I'm not assigned this area, despite it being predominantly New Yorkers. Strange’s area.”

“Oh? Then what brought you here?”

“I just felt drawn to this area, more specifically, your location, right here.”

[caps-clever-girl]

thoughts on endgame.

fair warning, i am not going to be kind. i enjoyed watching this movie, for the most part. it was funny; it had many good jokes and good, pure and well done interactions between multiple characters. but i didnt like it, and here are the reasons why.

unfortunately, this isnt a ‘nitpicky’ post. my main problems are with a lot of the bigger points points of the film, and had quite a few. this is a LONG post.

• “marvels first gay character!!!!!!!!!!!!” shut up. you joined the ‘fad’ late for brownie points and it was a cameo character who got about 3 lines. there are plenty of canon queer and gay characters who could have been introduced, either as cameos or in earlier films. dont even get me started on the fact that tony has more canon bi material than most others and marvel could have taken the time or even the slightest bit of effort to make this. while i enjoyed the jokes about steve being Incredibly Hot and his ass being Gods Gift To America (which honestly??? correct!) that could have been expanded on. several characters made comments about how nice steve’s ass is, and could have been used as actual material for a queer character, instead of sticking a random chharacter in there. i get the whole ‘gay people could be anyone! its normal!’ thing by giving the ‘role’ to a regular person, but you would also prove that by making any one of your 30+ main cast actually queer instead of making gay jokes and hints that could be retconned and explained away by humour.

• slapping someone out of a panic attack, and treating the panic attack like a joke. yeah, i get it, they didnt have a lot of time. still, come on. did iron man 3 teach you nothing? apparently not since tonys ptsd was pretty much never brought up again.

• speaking of thor. now, i am not an expert, but when a person gains weight, they do not keep their abs. certainly not after five entire years - not even asgardians. i also found it odd that thor became the way he did. i understand gaining weight and comfort eating after all the trauma thor went through losing his home and brother and people, i really do, but 1.) do it properly, at least, and 2.) thor is the leader of his people. does he want the task? not particularly. he hasnt wanted to be king since the first thor movie, but hes been forced into the role. even depressed i dont think thor would shy away from it, not completely. hes always wanted to do right by his people and i think that hed stuck to it, especially after The Snap backing him into a corner, if that makes sense. to clarify, i dont have a problem with chubby/fat thor. (IF done right instead of with weird, shitty cgi, that is.) i have a problem with the fact that thor, even though he doesnt want to be king, would abandon the last remanents displaced people to build a new home all on their own and become a hermit gamer boy. ESPECIALLY with valkyrie around. she’s been through a derpressive, alcohol fuelled time in her life and thor pulled her out of it. (mostly anyway, asgardians are party animals and im p sure she still gets trolleyed on the reg) i have bo doubt that after years of wallowing she would do her damned best to try and kick his ass out of it, even if it were just because his people need a leader, instead of letting him drop everything on her and just let him stew while new asgard gets on with it. i also didnt like the fact that all of thors emotional moments were treated as jokes and made to be funny when hes genuinely Fucked Up about eveything thats happening and made his image into a whiny crybaby.

• professor hulk. more of a personal one, this, simply because i just didnt like it. fair enough if y’all disagree on this one, im not going to fight it. i just never saw him wanting to combine himself with the hulk. ever. when he apleared on the screen i was completely blindsided, and his explanation, and the way he interacted with the kids????? i just want to know where all of this confidence suddenly came from. i use the term ‘suddenly’ loosely, since its been five years, but bruce has never been the guy to care about strength or looks or fame. hes always been shy and nerdy. not afraid to stand his ground or make his opinion known. hes bot a catchphrase, posing and flexing ‘hell yeah lets take a selfie’ guy. i get that thats maybe the result of the hulk and bruces combined personality but it just felt WEIRD to me, like, there wasnt a time in the film where i felt comfortable with the character. this was the final avengers film, with all of the original six avengers in it. but it didnt feel like that, it didnt feel like bruce or the hulk was in the film, even though there was a lot of funny and good moments with orofessor hulk, it felt like a stranger with some familiar characteristics. it ruined any feelings of nostalgia for me. i like bruce, and i like the hulk. i like the way their differences add to the story and the way they interact with eachother, and the slow change in their relationship. sorry if its petty but i prefer them seperate, theres just so much more to them for me.

• clint and natasha’s journey for the soul stone. both times, in infinity war and endgame, a male character and a female character went to get the soul stone. both times the male came back and the female died, and we lost possibly two most developed and main-line female characters in the entire mcu. now i understand the reasoning for both, and out of the characters that went there, i agree with the choice. thanos and gamora; it was thanos who was aware of the sacrifice and who chose to make it. gamora didnt get a choice and was unaware until it was too late. thanos was never going to die there. he knew there would be a sacrifice and chose to take gamora, because she would be the most likely sacrifice to actualky sucsesfully yield the soul stone because she was the most loved by him. i get it, but we lost gamora and i dont like it. clint and natasha; looking at it completely objectively, clint has a family, a wife and three children, that he wants to get back. natasha does not have any children, nor any (blood) family. if i had to choose, based on facts like that, id choose her too. but i still hate it, because there goes the only female member of the avengers. also, nebula (and i think maybe rocket?) KNEW that a sacrifice would be made and either accidentaly or deliverately left out the terms of aquiring the soul stone. it would have been easy to tell, if not easy to solve. but nothinb was said, and two best friends had to make a fucking awful and horrible choice when they might not have had to.

• on the ‘feminism’ tangent; the random congragation of women in the end scene??????? i dont????? okay so i am marking myself as a hypocrite here because i did love this scene!!! it made my lil gay heart go boom to see so many good and strong women all in one place - ESPECIALLY rescue - and it also made me realise how many women there actually are across the mcu??? which was really nice?? but it just felt... so forced? the way they ALL suddenly apleared and stood together even though they were all mixed in around the battlefield. it was a wonderful thought and i did enjoy it, but it seemed too Off and Odd to seem as much more than a bid for Feminism Brownie Points.

• captain marvel. i dont know about you, but i was actually looking forward to her being in the film. for a character so hyped to be the saviour of the avengers and the end of thanos, she was barely in the film. ‘i have other planets to save, the earth isnt the only one affected by thanos’ yeah but earth is the only plannet actively attacked by him. its where the people who are rallying to fight him and reverse what he did are. dont you want to stick around and help them? surely it would be a hell of a lot easier with your help, and faster too. yes, she blasted theough the ship at the end, but she did fuck all to help defeat thanos himself, and the help she did give with the ship came at the end. i genuinely think they kept her out of the movie because she was too powerful, and would have made fighting thanos etc too easy to get all the suffering and noble sacrifices in. if she had been a side character i dont think id be as mad, but she got a whole MOVIE in which she is clearly the start of the entire avengers initiative; she is their HISTORY!!!! she is so powerful!!!! and yet she has 5 mins of screen time!! it pisses me off that she was So Strongly implied to be the character the avengers NEEDED, the one that without whom it would be IMPOSSIBLE to defeat thanos; the woman that really tipped the scales in there favour, and yet she did fuck all. (and lets not even get started on the carol/rhodey and carol+tony bromance we COMPLETELY missed out on.)

• (speaking of bonding what the fuck happened to tony and nebula????? after they were rescued it was like they never met)

• the whole entire concept of time what the fuck!!! ‘dont change anything’ okay well for the most part you did okay, and the PLAN and CONCEPT was actually really easy to grasp, at least to me, which is hard when working with paradoxes and wibbley-wobbley timey-wimey stuff. but that went out the water when past!thanos and his army were brought into the future and disintergrated. does this mean they’re dead in the past - since they would have just. Left and not come back and therefore ceased to exist from that point???? or did tonys Snap simply send them back to their point in time, with no memory of what had occured? idk because it aint explained.

• speaking of; loki. again - his past changed; he managed to escape, with the tessarect. this is not explained nor expanded upon. assuming the events of thor 2 came about - which were impossible if he escaped - then his timeline would carry on as normal, and would PERHAPS explain the tessarects wacky timeline. (i dont know for certain, because i cant work it out anyway). but loki disspearing means he wouldnt have gone to trial on asgard, nor would he wouldnt have been in thor 2 - also by extention meaning that frigga is still alive. technically if he went back to get odin off the throne anyway, everything else after thor 2 involving loki/asgard would still come to pass. either way, we dont know. it was a nice way for endgame to give fans what we wanted; the posibility of loki coming back. but it doesnt make a lick of sense, and we have no idea if hes still alive/escaped or not, and why. personally i have no fucking idea and im pretty sure it was a cop out so they could give us what we wanted. which brings to my other point:

• giving the audience what we wanted. we got loki interaction. we got loki ‘escaping’ and ‘surviving’ (????) we FINALLY got rescue, who many fans have been asking for since i think iron man 2, and even more so since The Badass That Was Pepper Potts in im3. we got morgan stark and tony and pepper married, we got jokes about steves ass, and more jokes about male characters admiring how hot other male characters are. and, most importantly, we got tony having the nice relaxing life he wanted out in his cabin in the woods with his wife and kids (even if it was a horrific way of getting there). i dont quite know how to explain it, but to me it seemed like they were shoving as many ‘fan-requests’ into the film as possible - so that when they killed off 2 of the original 6, and removed another by ageing him out of use, they could lessen the backlash and justify the changes by going ‘but you got so mych that you wanted beforehand!!’. a tactic they drenhed us with because one of those 2 was a fan favourite that people were BEGGING not to be killed off because they felt that he hadnt recieved anywhere near the peace or happiness he deserved so far - and now never will. which brings me to:

• tony’s death.

there are two parts to this.

one, i was incredibly pissed off because strange’s Big Plan, the ONLY reason he saved tony in infinity war, was so tony could use the gauntlet and kill himself anyway later. anyone in that film could have used that gauntlet - and many wouldnt have suffered fatal injuries; captain marvel, steve, t’challa, peter quill to name a few possibilities - basically, anyone who is in anyway enhanced would have had a better chance of surviving and would have therefore been the better choice; aka, half the mcu. i think it was a proximity thing; tony was closest. he had the oppertunity and the others didnt. but tony didnt know about the option of using it until strange looked at him and gave him ‘the signal.’ the signal to sacrifice himself. and of course, this is tony stark. when is he ever going to refuse that.

but reason two, and this is the one that stings the most; tony started the mcu.

in my opinion, he is the character who has put the most in during the whole ten years. he, of ALL the characters, deserves his happy ending of marrying the love of his life and having a kid, without constantly fearing that hes foing to have them ripped away from him, that hes going to have to fight to the death to keep them safe.

one of my friends, when i complained about tony dying, said; “it was his time. plus, he had a legacy! with pepper and morgan, and the iron man name. how can you be upset?”

i can be upset because tony got the happiness he wanted after losing exactly 50% of what he held dearest. i can be upset because hawkeye got his family back, but tony only got five years with his wife and less with his kid, instead of getting the oppertunity to grow old with his wife and watch his kid go to collage like clint will. i can be upset because the character that has gone through the most trauma, both physically and mentally, who spent the last ten years trying to better the world and everything in it and protect it, who got the most shit for every decision he made and who ended EVERY SINGLE FILM with a broken limb or his face littered with bruises and cuts while every other film centric character ended the film usually scrape free, didnt get his happy fucking ending. sure, he has a legacy. but i dont give a shit, because that legacy - of iron man, of morgan and pepper and stark industries - would have been there whether tony was alive to see it flourish or not. but he wont be.

this goes beyond being a ‘tony stan’ or tony being my favourite character. out of every single character, from start to finish, anthony edward stark fucking deserved a happy ending and by god he deserved it the most. i will argue that until my end of days.

i watched tony stark on screen for ten years, and i watched him get progressively more scarred and fucked up. his parents. the ten rings. losing yinsen. obie. vanko and hammer. the palladium poisoning. new york; the nuke and the wormhole. the ptsd, the panic attacks. the iron legion and retirement attempt. killian and extremis and the end of that returement attempt. wanda’s vision. jarvis being destroyed. the accords and subsequent civil war. finding out about the winter soldier and his hand in his parents death. finding out that steve knew. siberia. struggling to balence iron man and the accords. losing peter. being stranded on titan, in space for weeks.

tony in that wheelchair, shaking and rail thin and unable to stand for more than a few moments will haunt me forever.

i watched him suffer for ten years - longer, even, in-universe - clawing for his quiet, happy ending while fighting for the happy ending he thought the rest of the world deserved, and instead of getting rewarded he just got beaten down and beaten down. after ten fucking hears of watching the backbone of the entire franchise get nothing but shit piled on him until he struggled to breathe for it, excuse me for thinking he woukd finally get the chance to crawl out from under it and be happy. no strungs attatched, no awful, sacrificial price to be payed, just for a man who had given so. fucking. much. to finally get something for once, and be allowed to keep it.

well i was wrong. and i feel so incredibly fucking stupid for even hoping otherwise.

and thats what i didnt like about avengers endgame.