I’m about to admit something that may shock people to the core of their Christmas-movie-tradition centers.
Ahem!
I have not seen Home Alone beyond the first five minutes. No, I’m not talking about the sequels, I mean the first one. The famous one. The “Merry Christmas, you filthy animals!” one.
Also…
It’s A Wonderful Life gets really, really, really long for me. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the message, I absolutely do. I’m rather fond of Jimmy Stewart as well. I watched more black and white movies as a kid than movies with color, so that’s not stopping me. There’s nothing “wrong” with It’s A Wonderful Life, it just doesn’t move me that way it does for other people. I have watched it twice, and I’m done for another decade or two.
And another thing…
I didn’t fall in love with White Christmas. To be honest, most of the time I was staring in horror at how unhealthily thin the younger sister was. My sadness was deepened when I learned the actress starved herself in order to maintain her reputation as being ridiculously small. She ended up dying too young of cancer that was connected to malnutrition. I have much to say on the subject of Hollywood’s trail of bodies, but that’s for another time.
And just when you thought I was done…
My family and I got 15 minutes into the Jim Carrey version of The Grinch That Stole Christmas before we couldn’t do it anymore. We turned it off and didn’t care. My version of the Grinch is the recent animated one starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the voice role of Mr. Grinch. It’s beautiful, deep, light, and just really beautiful visually. It’s the perfect bite of a Christmas movie, and that is the version my future children will know of as “the Grinch movie”.
Aha! But there’s more!
I saw Miracle On 34th Street once. It was okay. Just okay.
Y’all doing okay with these shocking revelations?
I didn’t set out to be different from the rest of American society in this particular way. That’s not how I roll, I don’t “have to be different” just to feel special. Things just happen.
I do, however, have some favorite Christmas movies. Many favorites, but I’m going to feature 3 that are likely not as well known and definitely underappreciated. It’s time to refresh that Christmas watchlist, my friends. Branch out, try something new.
This movie is a hoot!
It Happened On 5th Avenue (1947)
Honestly, I don’t know why this one isn’t more acclaimed than Miracle On 34th Street. This gem of a movie absolutely fits the bill for a perfect Christmas watch. It has heart, humor, and a happy ending.
Taking place right after WWII, a group of homeless people finds shelter by squatting in a rich, unhappy millionaire’s home while he is away for the winter season. They are joined by the millionaire’s daughter, who pretends to be one of them in order to enjoy the fun and camaraderie of the situation. Before long, she drags her father into it, and he is forced to play another “poor man” who is squatting in his own home.
This movie is utterly hilarious. I mean, hilarious! The number of misunderstandings, the amount of times the millionaire is utterly flabbergasted, and the changes that result from his time with these people is a delightful journey, all taking place leading up to the Christmas season.
Another neat feature of this movie is showing the housing crisis faced by some of the GI’s and their families post-WWII.
This movie is one I can rewatch more often and not get bored. It’s a nice story with appeal to multiple ages and personalities. It makes use of verbal, situational, and physical humor. And the ending is tied with such a nice, neat bow, you genuinely feel like something beautiful was accomplished. It’s delightful!
Don’t let the cheaper cover fool you, this movie is fantastic!
The Man Who Saved Christmas (2002)
A made-for-TV movie about a whimsical toymaker during the WWI era. A.C. Gilbert and his brother Frank go out on a financial limb and start a toy company. They are wildly successful. A. C.’s inventive spirit and his brother’s practical mind create one of the foremost toy companies in the United States. It’s a wonderful place to create, to play, and to work.
Until the shadow of WWI comes looming…Frank enlists, and A.C. is approached by representatives from Woodrow Wilson who request him to turn his beautiful toy factory into a weapon and munitions factory.
I’ll sum up the whole movie with the movie’s own tagline – He couldn’t stop the war, but he wouldn’t let the war stop Christmas.
The historical setting is deeply intriguing as many more movies often focus on WWII. But WWI came first, and it shaped the world that birthed WWII. The characters are very engaging, particularly A.C. and his beautiful wife, Mary (who is a whole head taller than him which is adorable). I love watching the way this family faces sadness, loss, uncertainty. They go through a lot (everyone did back then) and yet, they continue to fight for the light, hope, and the oxygen that a whole country needs!
Christmas is necessary. Christmas brings healing. Christmas brings hope. Celebrating Christmas is warfare against the darkness of this fallen world. That’s the message of this movie, and it’s beautiful.
The power of this story comes with raw human emotion, whimsical invention, and a rich historical setting.
This movie has my utmost respect and admiration. I will learn something every time I watch it.
The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
I saved the best for last. If there was a team of people assigned to the promotion and recommendation of this movie, I would already be a senior member of said team.
This is the story behind the story of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. I’m already deeply in love with Dicken’s work, particularly A Christmas Carol. That story captured my heart during a very difficult Christmas season, and the Lord really used that story to breathe hope, wonder, and joy into my heart.
Charles Dickens is one of the authors I admire the most. He used the power of story to change the world. He saw his occupation as a sacred calling, and considered every story an opportunity to teach someone a truth.
The Man Who Invented Christmas is based upon the true story of the shockingly short deadline Charles Dickens had when he wrote, A Christmas Carol. It isn’t just about Charles writing a new book, or teaching the world something, it is also about facing his own past trauma and personal demons that are robbing him of the joy of his own life. In this movie we see it’s not just the Oliver Twists who need saving, but also the Ebenezer Scrooges.
The magic of this movie is meeting Charles (Dan Stevens knocks it out of the ball park), but also seeing his writing process. As a writer myself, I connect so much with how Charles draws inspiration from the world around him. A stray name that catches his fancy, the sounds of a busy market street, a ghost story he hears his children’s nanny telling them. The characters of A Christmas Carol come alive and speak to Charles as real characters in the story. We also see how personal Charles’ writing is, how much of himself he puts into his stories. The griefs he feels, the hopes he carries, the brokenness he is trying to heal. Good writers do this, we bare our souls and the souls of others in our stories in order to make something beautiful out of them. This movie is such a beautiful blending of fantasy mixed with raw human reality.
The ending is my favorite. For Ebenezer Scrooge is saved, and we learn why he is allowed to be redeemed. But the very best part is the information shared at the beginning of the ending credits. We learn about the real life impact that A Christmas Carol had on the world. My friends, this story truly change the world and changed the way people saw Christmas and each other. God used Charles Dickens’ writing to bring more of His heart to humankind.
This movie shows the power of story and what it can do in full force. And I loved it, absolutely loved it. It’s a deeper watch than It Happened On Fifth Avenue, and definitely more British than The Man Who Saved Christmas, but this one is my favorite.
I highly recommend all of these movies to those who are looking to change up their Christmas watchlist and enjoy the layered beauty and meaning of this holiday. Obviously Jesus is the reason for this whole season, and He is my favorite part of it. Though none of these stories focus on Jesus specifically, they echo pieces of life, beauty, hope, and redemption born from the truth of Jesus. These stories are produced organically from a world that has Jesus in it, He is the source and stories like these show us His heart in multiple ways.
If you’ve seen any of these movies, or choose to watch them after reading my article, what did you think? Merry Christmas!
Endgame was without a doubt the most “human” Avengers movie to date.
Everything from the different, non-superhero music “Dear Mr. Fantasy” in the opening credits scene to the fact that Natasha Romanoff spent most of her non-Voromir scenes wearing comfy lounge-wear set a different tone for this story.
After everything that has happened over the past decade, the Russo brothers wanted a heavy emphasis on FAMILY in this story.
We’ve always been told to see our characters as a family. They have acted as a family with the teasing/inside jokes, and shared living spaces (yes, Vision, we’ve talked about this, you still need to knock on Wanda’s door before entering).
We’ve also seen them hurt each other and break one another’s hearts. We’ve seen the damage that can result from a family being broken apart. Civil War felt like a personal punch to the gut.
The Russo brothers confirmed that had the Avengers all been united in Infinity Warthat they would have actually beaten Thanos. It was possible, they had the power. But they were fractured, fighting on separate fronts, therefore they lost.
It’s a sobering reminder to us how important unity is and just how powerful families walking in unity can be.
We lost everything in Infinity War, but we also gained something that was Thanos’ ultimate undoing…
We got our family back, and this time they were stronger for the breaking.
One of the chief ways the Russo’s communicated this idea of togetherness and family was through a very visual feature.
Food.
I have never seen a Marvel movie that has this much eating in it. Sure, we’ve gotten cute moments of eating before. The famous “Shawarma” scene from the first Avengers is probably the most memorable one.
Food is necessary for our continued existence, but even more than that, food is a part of who we are.
When someone dies, we bring their family food. When a new life enters the world, we bring food.
Weddings are celebrated with food. Birthdays, sporting events, parties, and holidays as well.
People enjoy food together on dates, during long work hours, late night snacks, last minute taco runs, etc.
Food can also be used as an escape. Food can mark times and seasons as well as locations.
Food is comfort. Food is tradition. Food is artwork. Food is memories. Food is home. Food is a new adventure. Food is family. Food is gathering. Food is escape. Food is healing. Food is normal. Food is special. Food is celebration. Food is personal. Food is uniting. Food is provision. Food is safety.
Food is a common thread that ties a whole life together, the good, the bad, and the glorious.
Avengers: Endgame was meant to tie all of the previous threads of the MCU together just as it was also meant to tie our characterstogether more strongly than ever before.
Every film is a conglomeration of many parts. If the set guy doesn’t do his job as well as the lighting lady does hers, the whole movie suffers. The musicians have to create music that illuminates the story. The actors have to bring the lines the scriptwriters wrote to life. The director has to see a million details and arrange how they come together in order to create a masterpiece.
No detail is too small. It is no mistake that there was so much food shown in this story, it was an excellent use of setting+props+actions to communicate the keyword, the solution, the most important theme for this entire story.
Together.
We open the movie to Clint Barton having an archery lesson with his daughter. In the background, his sweet wife is fixing hotdogs for lunch while the boys play catch. It’s calm, peaceful, and homey.
Clint pays no attention to the ankle bracelet he is wearing, it’s a forgotten object of his other life. This place, these people around the picnic table, this is his life, his heart, his home. Hotdogs at the picnic table, it doesn’t get much more normal and relatable than that.
One moment his wife is calling out for condiment orders, the next moment Clint’s entire family is dust. A very normal, familiar scene is turned into a horror show as he runs around screaming their names. The normalcy is polluted by the tragedy and shock.
Natasha Romanoff sits at an empty Avengers headquarters and talks to all of her super friends across the galaxy, trying to keep the whole universe safe at once.
And she’s making a peanut butter sandwich. A girl still has to eat, it is a strange juxtaposition. A woman in lounge pants making a peanut butter sandwich while managing intergalactic tensions and listening to the horrendous crimes her best friend Clint is committing in his grief.
She can barely choke the sandwich down, the peanut butter and the lump in her throat and her chest are in conflict with each other. We all know this, it’s scientifically impossible to eat peanut butter and cry at the same time.
Steve Rogers drops by, and after threatening him with the sandwich Nat affectionately slides it across the table towards him. It’s a comfortable, casual kind of hospitality that shows their intimate friend/sibling relationship and trust. They are comfortable sharing saliva. I mean, yes, I know they kissed while undercover. But sharing food, that’s pretty personal.
Scott Lang arrives in a flurry, he’s excited and he’s hungry. “Is that anybody’s sandwich? I’m starving!” #ilovethismansomuch
He downs the discarded sandwich in between sharing his brilliant idea to use the Quantum Realm to bring everyone back.
One sandwich tied together multiple characters. It was a strangely normal object in the midst of abnormal circumstances. It connected heavy grief, deep friendship, and new hope.
The hope of a new possibility. The sandwich connects the old mindset, the ruins of the previous era to the birthing of the new one that will drive the entire rest of the story for this movie and all that follow.
Tony Stark comes out of a very normal-looking cabin (normal for a Stark) to go bring his messy-haired little princess in for lunch. It’s such a darling domestic scene that highlights everything we ever wanted for our beloved Ironman.
A car pulls up, Steve, Nat, and Scott get out and interrupt the moment. Tony pours them some sort of healthy “smoothie”? A homemade smoothie likely made from the same vegetables we saw growing in the garden between the cabin and Morgan’s playhouse. They talk “quantum physics” and saving the world, and Tony invites them to stay for lunch. They have to decline and leave to go talk to Dr. Banner.
Later on, Tony is doing his dinner dishes in yet another scene of beautiful domesticity. The great Tony Stark does dinner dishes, AND in a moment of distraction, his own water sprayer attacks him. I loved that moment. He may be a genius/billionaire/superhero but even he gets attacked by his own water sprayer! #beentheredonethat
He pulls up the specs to play with the idea of time travel while drinking another health drink (a neat callback to his famous green chlorophyll drinks) and munching on nuts.
Tony falls into his chair in shock at the discovery that this plan could work…only to be interrupted by Princess Morgan who wants juice pops. He tucks her in later and finishes off the juice pop.
Almost Tony’s entire story is summed up and highlighted by the use of food in these scenes. A callback to his earlier green drinks that were once upon a time his attempt to give himself a few more days to live in Ironman 2.
His new life is such an opposite to the previous days of flashy towers, unhealthy sleep and eating habits, superficial relationships and constant noise.
This new life is deep, rich, simple, and pure. It’s natural and homegrown. It’s wholesome and nourishing, just like the kinds of food we see around the Stark household. The juice pop is playful and childish, but it represents Morgan, therefore it’s utterly precious in it’s meaning.
Tony tells his wife that he may actually be able to save the world, all the while he is still playing with the stick from his baby girl’s juice pop.
This moment is huge for the Starks. Rather than jumping the gun, Tony actually has a calm and honest conversation with his wife that shows the vast growth and maturity of him as a character and of their relationship as a couple.
Pepper also shows huge growth as she actually listens to him, lets him know that she knows who he truly is, and gives him permission to pursue this new direction, knowing full well that she may lose him as a result. Tony is at peace when he makes this step, and he’s in unity with his wife. That peace enables him to unify with the rest of his family.
I believe that is why Tony is so incredibly successful this time around. Home and family were rooting for him now, he wasn’t reacting anymore, he was making conscious choices.
That sweet cabin with its vegetable garden and playhouse and two lovely ladies and a freezer of juice pops, that is why Tony Stark was able to defeat Thanos.
After thinking that Tony was out of the picture, Steve, Scott, and Nat go seek out Dr. Banner/aka Professor Hulk…and they meet at a diner.
The Dr. Banner of old would have been horribly uncomfortable in this casual, well-peopled setting, he would have felt exposed and nervous and been unable to relax. This time around Banner is fully in his element. He’s downing giant bowls of eggs and sausage and taking time for cool selfies with the neighborhood kids.
It’s stinkin’ adorable. This big, green “Hulk” sitting at a little diner table eating eggs and sausage talking Quantum Physics, Time Travel, and selfies with his pals. Oh yes, and we noticed the “looks” he and Nat were trading. #youthoughtwewouldntnoticebutwedid
The small American diner is a common experience many of us have had throughout our entire lives. It is in this setting over eggs and sausage that part of our team comes together and begin a bizarre plan to save the world.
In previous movies, these kinds of plans were usually made dramatic surroundings, be it the Avenger’s Tower or the ruins of New York streets. The only thing that comes close is Nat and Steve enjoying breakfast at Sam’s house while they make a plan to take Hydra down. But that moment was still a reactionary thing.
Good, high quality food requires excellent planning, preparation, and proper execution. Just like good food, this Time Heist the Avengers have to pull out cannot be a haphazard plan, this is their Sistine Chapel. This is their Great Wall of China. It’s their masterpiece.
Our heroes have had to react after the fact so many times over. In their line of work, that’s often the only way to do it and maintain some balance of freedom. Like Cap says, “I thought the punishment came after the crime.” It’s hard to anticipate every threat without aiming a whole gun at the world.
But this time around they have had five years to sit and think about Thanos’ crime. This time they have a chance to take a breath, assemble the pieces of their plan carefully, do their research, and launch from a place of preparation.
This isn’t a quick breakfast before or shawarma after, this is a fine, full meal that our Avengers have planned. Most of our characters have grown immensely over the past 5 years, they have nourished different parts of themselves that were always on hold before.
Scott Lang is sitting outside about to enjoy a lovely taco when suddenly all of his toppings are blasted out of his shell by the arrival of the Milano bringing Rocket and Nebula. He stares open-mouthed (oh how I love this man) only to be called an idiot by Nebula (WHY? Cause he’s excited to see a spaceship? I call that charming, sister, get over yourself!) And then he’s scared half to death by the arrival of Rhodey, who thoroughly enjoys calling him “Regular-sized man.”
I was so panicked that Scott would be left a laughingstock with no taco, but then Hulk walks by, beams at him, and gives him not just one taco, but two. Scott beams back. It’s one of the most adorable moments of the whole movie.
Hulk/Banner is so chipper, so benevolent, for how heavy some of the other parts of the movie are, Banner’s turnaround was really refreshing to me. This moment showed just how far he’s come, how at peace he is with himself. It also cemented the fact that Scott is an accepted member of the family now, he gets to share their tacos.
Tacos are playful and celebratory. Both Professor Hulk and Scott Lang provide some of the lightest moments in this movie, they were bouyant characters who lifted it up even as the subject matter and parts of the storyline were really heavy.
We see food used in a negative context with Thor. From the bulging beer belly to the pizza that looked non-to-fresh (where did he even get pizza in New Asgard?), we see that Thor has not been nourishing himself well in the past five years.
I do not judge him, that man had taken more hits of grief one after another than almost anyone else leading up to Thanos. His personal crash dive was inevitable and made him more “human”. But food has had a negative effect on him, it has become an escape as well as a prison to him.
Even this very shocking change in our handsome god of Thunder made this movie seem more normal. We have experienced grief, and many of us have medicated with food, and some have medicated with alcohol.
But just like we try to bring those broken brothers and sisters back into the fold, so our Avengers family bring their broken brother back home. He may feel unworthy, but they have not forgotten who he is. They still need him, they still want him. It’s a beautiful thing.
Gathering together in unity around a feast of ideas, personalities, abilities, and experiences; this is how the Avengers save the world. Together.
The most prominent scene involving our Avengers and food is around the dining room table during the Time Heist planning montage. It’s an utterly charming montage of people sprawled all over furniture, storytelling, note-taking, and yes, eating noodles.
I loved, loved, LOVED this quick scene. No, I didn’t appreciate Rocket giving Scott such a hard time for his excitement over space. GUYS! Would you all give this man a break? Part of what I love about Scott is his open-eyed wonder and enjoyment of all the super stuff around him. He’s exactly how I would be if I suddenly became a superhero but I was still me. He’s adorable.
But we see most of the team taking in some delicious looking Chinese takeout. Thor is at his drinks again. Rocket is walking on the table as he shares about the Power Stone, and no one blinks an eye. Hulk is eating a giant carton of ice cream that given the color and ingredients we can only assume it is Ben and Jerry’s Hulk Hunka Burning Fudge flavor mentioned in Infinity War.
They are all so…weird.
Rocket is on the table. He’s a raccoon with a deadly shot, brilliant mind, and sassy mouth, and specific cleanliness standards just like any other raccoon. Thor, King of Asgard, the god of Thunder is wearing a dirty hoodie and drinking cheap beer. This dude can literally fly and channel lightning through his body.
Billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist-now-husband-father Tony Stark. Serum-super WWII hero Steve Rogers.
Nebula, an alien/cyborg who really needs to see a counselor. James Rhodes, former military-rule-stickler turned Avenger who gets around with his robotic legs.
Scott Lang, a brilliant thief who can shrink between molecules or become the size of a giant. Natasha, formerly a deadly assassin turned into the biggest, sweetest heart we’ve ever seen.
Clint Barton, husband, father, expert bowman, samurai assassin? And Professor Hulk. He’s huge, green, playful, and sophisticated.
They are so weird, but they are teammates. They are partners. They are a family. They have gathered together as individuals carrying their own griefs, their own burdens, their own regrets.
They also came to carry each other’s burdens as well, to stand side by side and fight not just for their own sakes, but for the sake of their loved ones and millions of strangers.
A family dinner with the Avengers means that the earth is about to shake. Good is about to happen. Darkness is about to fall from its throne. This family is gearing up to take down evil and bring life together.
The final mention of food is the one that brings us full circle in this decade of films. It’s the part of the movie that got me the hardest.
Cheeseburgers.
Dangit, Happy! I cried harder when Happy got choked up than at any other part of this movie.
Cheeseburgers. Cheeseburgers.
Cheeseburgers marked the turning point of Tony Stark. The moment he came back from captivity in the Middle East the first thing he asked for was cheeseburgers, and a press conference.
Tony had come back from the Middle East a changed man. He saw a bigger picture now, he was not just living for himself anymore, he had decided to use his incredible gifts to make the world a better place. “Don’t waste it.”
Tony didn’t. He made a heck of a mess along the way, he made a lot of mistakes, hurt some people, but oh man,he did NOT waste it.
The sweet moment where Happy is cuddling Morgan on the front porch and being a kind, fatherly figure to her was such a precious, gut-wrenching moment.
Like father, like daughter. Morgan just did something really hard, and she’s setting out on a new journey that is going to be hard, she wants cheeseburgers. #somebodyhelpmemyhurtiswounded
The use of food in this movie was like a thread in a rich tapestry, a bit of theme music on low volume, present but subtle.
It added to the richness and the purpose of this story and appealed to our personal experiences. It reminded us of old and precious memories and gave us new ones. It marked times and seasons, it tied our characters together and drew them even closer to us, the audience.
Future filmmakers should take notes from the excellent use of food in this movie. It was not a 100% necessary element, but it was used effectively to flesh out a story in an unforgettable way.
…I do what he does, just slower. (Sam Wilson/aka Falcon) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
#foreshadowingmuch
Marvel has me pretty paranoid by now with how intense their line foreshadowing game is. It’s scary on point.
The meeting of Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers is my favorite introduction of two characters in the entire MCU. The Winter Soldier is my favorite Marvel movie, it’s almost my favorite movie period. Every aspect of that film is absolute perfection.
From the first moment we met Sam Wilson, it felt right. He clicked. He and Steve Rogers were immediately on the same page, walking to the same rhythm. Have you ever met a kindred spirit and just known somewhere inside that you two fit together like puzzle pieces?
I have, and that is what happened when Steve Rogers met Sam Wilson. They clicked and they have never been out of sync since.
Sam may not have super serum like Steve does, but they have the same heart. The same resolve. The same courage.
If it had been just Sam still standing in front of Thanos and his horde of invaders in Endgame he would have acted no differently than Steve did. He would have taken a breath, tightened the strap on his shield, and stood his ground against an army, even if he had to do it alone.
When I saw Steve hand the beloved shield over to Sam, I was delighted inside. I know some people were rooting for Bucky to receive that honor, but in truth, that was never supposed to be Bucky’s place.
Bucky Barnes is an incredible character and a good man. He’s been through hell and he’s still standing. I am very much looking forward to getting to see more of his story and his future in Wakanda under the name of White Wolf.
Bucky has been a good friend to Steve, but he is not cut out to be Captain America. The differences between Bucky and Steve made them powerful as a team; however, they are not similar in the way Steve and Sam are.
Since Day 1 of meeting Steve, Sam Wilson has been right by his side. He’s listened, encouraged, and understood Steve when no one else could. Sam fed the poor man breakfast when he showed up looking like an abused golden retriever. Not once did he worry about the threat “Everyone we know is trying to kill us.”.
I can’t ask this of you, Sam, you got out for a good reason.
Dude, Captain America needs my help, there’s no better reason to get back in the fight.
It wasn’t his fight, but he chose to make it his own without complaint or hesitation. From that moment on Sam has never left Steve’s side.
Sam was the one keeping vigil at Steve’s hospital bed waiting for his new friend to wake up.
He signed up to search for Steve’s other best friend, the guy who almost killed them very violently. Why? Because it’s important to Steve, so it’s important to him as well. He was even working on the search when Steve had to be busy tracking down leftover Hydra goons with his cool Avenger friends. Sam wasn’t bitter in the least, he was happy to help.
You’re a good man, Sam.
In Civil War Sam was Steve’s closest ally. He’s right beside him at Peggy’s funeral, he’s got his friend’s back physically and emotionally. Seriously, folks, we need more supportive friendships like this in the world.
Sam willingly goes into exile with Steve and their other buddy Natasha post Civil War and they do some pretty cool Secret Avenger work up until Infinity War.
Even after Sam is gone we still see the similarities. Just as Sam was doing with veterans when Steve met him, Steve begins a support group to help people in need. He cares about the individual grief and stories of everyday people, and he’s willing to take the time to help them. The scene is very similar to the one we see in The Winter Soldier where Sam is coaching veterans through their trauma.
Cap, can you hear me? Cap, it’s Sam, can you hear me? On your left.
Steve has never been so tired or looked more alone than he does right at the moment when Sam’s garbled radio message reaches him in Endgame. He’s gonna face an army alone if he has to because he will never quit. That’s who he’s always gonna be until his last breath. But he’s not alone…
On your left.
And his faithful friend Sam arrives…along with everyone else the Avengers just fought tooth and nail to bring back.
Sam was ready to follow his friend through time and share the burden of replacing the Infinity Stones, that’s what he’s been doing since Day 1, sharing Steve’s burden regardless of how hard or messy it got.
I think Bucky knew that Steve planned to stay in the past. There is a level of internal understanding between those two that is entirely unique to them. He knew and understood it.
Sam was the more agitated of the two best friends when Steve didn’t immediately return. Unlike Bucky, fighting alongside Steve has been Sam’s entire life for the past few years. When both men look over to see a more elderly (and still very handsome) Steve seated on the bench, Sam looks to Bucky to give him room to approach first, he respects the seniority. #puninteded
Bucky nods and lets Sam go, he knows that this is more important to Sam’s life right now than it is his. He’s giving permission for Sam to get to be the best friend he’s been for the past several years. He’s earned this. He’s proven his worthiness over and over again with no thought of personal gain. He’s just being himself.
It’s never been the super serum that made Captain America what he is, it’s always been Steve Rogers’ heart.
I am looking for qualities beyond the physical.
Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man. (Dr. Erskine) Captain America: The First Avenger
You’re a good man, Sam.
They’ve been telling us all along, it was always Sam who was destinedto take up the shield.
Sam and Steve have the same heart, and that is why Sam is our next Captain America. He will not be Steve Rogers, no one can ever replace that man, but…
If you haven’t seen the Avengers: Endgame trailer by now, then drop everything and take a moment to inhale this heroic humanity…
Aside from Scott Lang being the delightful goober that he is (I would have died of misery if I hadn’t had his comic relief during Ant-Man and the Wasp to ease the tension of this year’s movies)…
…the best part of this trailer to me is Steve and Nat.
I was originally very disappointed with Infinity War as I felt that everything was off.
For the large variety of unique and beloved characters the Russo Brothers had at their disposal, I felt like some characters were given all the spotlight while others (like Steve and Nat) were left backstage. Add to that the ridiculous melee that took place in Wakanda that was in complete opposition to that country’s entire infrastructure, I was unimpressed.
Some time has caused me to view a few aspects of the movie more gently.
No, there is no excuse for that ridiculous melee. Sorry, Mr. Russos’, there is no excuse. The most basic military strategy available is to NOT pile all of your warriors and resources in one big mass and yell “charge” at the enemy!
I don’t care if you have a Force Field or people with powers. It was a gross misuse of your resources and insulted my intelligence. You made it even worse by placing the world’s greatest soldier, Captain America, and the King of the World’s most advanced technological and military nation, T’Challa, at the head as leaders.
But, there is nothing I can do about that now. The mess has been made. People are gone (PETER PARKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). I have read a few articles since then that have given me a bit more perspective.
I now know that showcasing characters like the Guardians, Tony Stark, Dr. Strange, and Bruce Banner was a conscious choice.
They are reactive characters and when something happens, they react immediately. Characters like Steve, Nat, Falcon, etc tend to dig in and deal with the problem at hand, saving their reactions and or breakdowns for after the fact.
Therefore, as was shown by the trailer above, and confirmed by an article I read, we will actually be getting more of The First Avenger and The World’s Greatest Spy, Steve and Nat, in Avengers: Endgame.
It’s been theorized and practically confirmed that time travel will be the solution to defeating the Mad Titan and getting half of the universe back. Actors have been spotted in their Battle of New York costumes from the original Avengers movie, which leads us to the conclusion that we are going to be blasting to the past to save the future.
Natasha: This is gonna work, Steve.
Steve: I know it is, cause I don’t know what I’m gonna do if it doesn’t.
These dramatic and beautiful lines come right on the heels of a quick scene where we are shown Steve looking at his old compass from the 1940s, the one containing a cutout picture of Peggy Carter, his first love.
Mixing this highly emotional moment with the idea of time travel obviously leads many fans to this question: after he saves the world (again) will Steve choose to return back to his original time and be with his first love for a lifetime? Will we actually get to have that dance?
My answer?
No.
And…yes.
First, on a practical note, both Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter have been major power players, forces of good in world history. To misplace them, to change their destinies would be to rearrange the Marvel Universe as we know it.
Peggy Carter’s story was continued in the brilliant series Agent Carterthat was ended far too soon. Oh, yeah, Dear Disney, if you are looking for another pet show that needs a renewal on your streaming service, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE QUEEN OF MARVEL HERSELF! It’s ridiculous that this show hasn’t been renewed already.
In the short 2 seasons that the show was allowed, we saw just what a huge impact Agent Margaret (Peggy) Carter was going to have on the world. She runs circles around literally everyone else. She’s faster, stronger, smarter, and has the best lipstick in the business.
Peggy would go on to fight Hydra as well as forces from other worlds her entire life. She created SHIELD. She was vital to keeping the world as stable and safe as it was by the time Steve awoke from his chilly beauty sleep. In Agents of Shield, Season 2 during Hydra’s big “coming out party” (contemporary to The Winter Soldier) it was revealed by high-level Hydra baddies that the one reason they hadn’t revealed themselves sooner is that they had to wait for Peggy Carter to retire.
They knew she’d kick their face in. So let that sink in, folks. Peggy Carter singlehandedly kept Hydra at bay for 70 bloomin’ years.
It is obvious that Steve Rogers will forever be a part of Peggy’s heart. Even as we watch her learn to let him go and move on with someone equally special and wonderful, we know that Steve lives on in her legacy.
The bond between Steve and Peggy is still deeply obvious in that beautiful and gut-wrenching scene in The Winter Soldier. Steve’s grief at Peggy’s funeral speaks of the still deep connection that is never going to end. We know how special these two were to each other, and how special they remain to us.
I don’t need to tell you all how different the world would be if Steve stayed in the past. We’ve seen that play out before our eyes.
My point is this…it just doesn’t work to change the timeline. I am an avid Flash fan, believe me, peeps, I know what I am talking about.
Point 2, Steve Rogers is not the same man he was in the 1940s.
The story of Steve Rogers is one of triumph and tragedy. The thought of being ripped away from your entire world and everyone you hold dear is horrifying, to some, a fate worse than death.
But of all things, we know that Steve Rogers is not a quitter.
So he didn’t quit. He jumped back into the fight and kept going.
Steve has had a busy arc. He started out as the knight-with-shining-shield of his day, Captain America: The First Avenger. Next, he was a man out of time who tried really hard, Avengers. Steve integrated himself with the world following that event, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He made some friends and kept fighting the good fight. But something wasn’t sitting right. He was told it was his problem, he needed to get with the program. Good thing Captain America is actually terrible at following bad orders because he ended up being right.
After that Steve wasn’t going to apologize for what he believed to be right. He also showcases a rather frightening belief that fighting is kind of his destiny. Avengers: Age of Ultron. There is no world for him outside of this never-ending battle. No picket fence, no wife, no mini Steves running around. It’s a natural place for his character to go. He’s tired.
Next up, Captain America: Civil War. Steve chooses what he feels in his gut to be right, and he chooses the person who needs him most over being the status quo Captain America. He drops the shield and goes to discover who he is outside of Captain America.
Tony Stark to Peter Parker : If you’re nothing without the suit then you shouldn’t have it.
The above statement is a good one for any hero. Having seen Steve from his slim beginnings, clearly, we all knew that Steve Rogers is more than just a suit. But I think Steve needed to remind himself of that.
Avengers: Infinity War. We didn’t get much of Steve, but we saw was quite clear. He is not apologizing anymore. He’s going to take care of this world whether we like it or not. #hot And he’s still a really, really nice guy. He looks a bit tired, and yet, there is burning energy that wasn’t there before. Perhaps he hasn’t accepted the fact that his future is decided yet? It’s like he’s freshly alive, freshly awake…
Future.
Steve is not the same man he was in the 1940s. I believe he loved Peggy Carter with all of his being, but that is a past dream. It just a beautiful memory now. He still has the same noble heart, but he’s tread different soil. He’s got family here. He’s made a mark on the world, and he may actually want to stick around to appreciate it.
I do think we may finally get our dance scene. It has been teased before and we have walked away disappointed. Despite the fact that Steve needs to move on, it would be appropriate to have one dance with his best girl. I believe Nat (whether she is just a friend, or more) would fully approve. Heck, she’d help him fix his tie and take photos for him on the dance floor!
Life is not about trying to recreate every perfect and beautiful moment from the past. Our good memories are to be treasured, but life is about living in the here and now. It’s making the most of this moment that you are currently living.
Characters have to keep moving forward or they become stale. Steve is moving forward, and if he has a future in this world, it’s going to be here and now with either Sharon or Nat (please be Nat, PLEASE BE NAT).
I skipped over this the other day because I was having a heavy week and I didn’t need to add to the emotion. But I have loved Steve Rogers aka Captain America too much to say nothing, and you are an integral part of that character. So here is my two-cents worth.
Steve Rogers is like a breath of fresh air in a city of smog. In a world crowded with selfish people, and Steve Rogers is selfless.
Steve fights wrong/evil ideologies and beliefs, which usually means fighting people, but Steve has a marked difference. He fights bloody wars and does so without hatred. There are millions of people today who have never actually had to shed blood to protect what they believe, and yet they still walk around full of hatred. They dehumanize those who do not agree with them. To them, mere disagreement is the same thing as actual evil and oppression.
I don’t want to kill anyone, I just don’t like bullies, I don’t care where they come from. (Steve Rogers, Captain America: The First Avenger)
There are actual people in this world who want to kill someone for the mere reason that the person disagrees with them. It’s sickening, it’s cruel, it’s evil.
Steve is a beautiful example of what freedom actually means. Steve knows what he believes, and he won’t apologize for it.
He’ll even die for what he knows to be true.
But he will not hate.
There was a marked difference in Steve Roger’s approach to his opposition in Captain America: Civil War, vs the government and even Tony Stark’s approach. They came with anger, blame, and misused the facts.
Steve did his research, he did his thinking, and he decided his answer to them was no. But he never hated. He willingly bled for what he believed in, but he never hated.
That’s one price he’s never been willing to pay.
Dear America, we have a lot to learn from Captain America.
Steve Rogers is kind. He gives second chances all the time, even if it means he has to put himself at risk.
Steve Rogers is a gentleman. He treats everyone regardless of age, position, or gender with respect. He treats women like ladies while regarding them as valuable friends and partners in this battle between good and evil. His friendship/relationship with Natasha Romanoff is one of my most favorite things in movie history. Steve builds up the men around him, rather than tearing them down in order to make himself feel more powerful. That is what a truly powerful man does.
Steve is humble. He doesn’t live his life to prove something, rather he proves something every day that he just lives his life. He gives courage for normally weaker people to say no because he said no first, and because he believes in them.
Steve is the kind of leader that enables everyone else to go higher, faster, and be better than before. He’s the kind of leader that takes responsibility, but not unnecessary guilt. He protects his team even while he trusts them to fulfill the roles given to them.
Steve is the kind of best friend everyone wants. He never gives up on you even while he will also call you on the carpet about your crap. He’s the kind of friend who makes you better.
Steve is not perfect. He makes mistakes, he hurts people, he has good intentions that go awry. Sometimes he has a really bad day and he takes it out on others (essentially the first hour of Avengers.) That’s okay with me, though. Someone doesn’t have to be perfect for me to love them. Steve is a real person. He loves, he laughs, and he grieves. He does his best, he falls down and gets back up, and he tries to tackle the problem right in front of him. He has dreams, he has people he would walk through hell for, and he believes in things strongly. He’s a real person.
I could go on and on about everything Steve Rogers is, but now I want to say what Steve Rogers is to me.
Steve Rogers aka Captain America is a hero of mine. For the past 6 years (yes, I got into the superhero game a few years late), he’s been a shining beacon of hope and delight for me. The past 6 years have been so, so hard. Hard, monotonous, ever-changing, exhausting years. But during all of that time, I have been watching Captain America.
I have worn the t-shirts. I sleep under a Captain America blanket at night. I have spent hours talking/writing about this character I adore. I have made new friends because of my love for Captain America.
Dear Chris Evans, the Steve Rogers/Captain America you have played has given me hope. He has encouraged me. I have memorized his/your face. The different moods, expressions, and feelings. I know what he would say in different situations.
I have a favorite Steve smile. It’s not a full blown, knock-your-socks-off-smile. It’s a small, quirk of a smile. It brings a sparkle to his eyes and I feel like I can see his soul. I love that smile. It’s one of my favorite smiles in the world actually. It makes me want to smile and cry all at the same time. And it gives me hope. It has given me delight. It has brought me sunshine on cloudy days.
Dear Chris Evans, I know you are not Steve Rogers/Captain America. You are your own person. You have your own dreams, your own hurts, your own fears. You have moments where you laugh, and moments where you grieve. You have favorite places, foods, and stories. There are people that you love. There are things in this world that make you feel afraid and vulnerable. There are empty spaces in your heart that you want to know how to fill.
Chris, I don’t know you. But as a fellow human being, I know some pieces of you because I am the same. And I want to tell you something as another human being.
You matter. Even if you had never played my beloved superhero, you would have mattered just as much. You do not matter because you are handsome (very handsome). You do not matter because you are strong. You do not matter because you can be cute and witty. You do not matter because you are famous. You do not matter because you are rich…
…you matter because God loves you and you were made in His image. And that makes you worth more than priceless gems.
I don’t know if anyone has ever told you that. I hope they have. I hope that in your life you get to discover just how amazing God is, how much He loves you, and that He is the thing your soul is lacking. I hope you find out that Jesus died for you thousands of years before you were born. I hope you discover that even if you had been the only person on Planet Erath Jesus still would have died for you because you mean that much to Him.
I hope and pray you will come to know that.
I don’t know if you will ever read this post. It’d be super cool if you did. 😉 But I wanted to say thank you.
Thank you as a 16-year-old girl who found a hero she could root for. Thank you as a 17-year-old-girl who was lonely and depressed and tired, but always felt a little something when she thought about Captain America. Thank you as an 18-year-old-girl who was struggling to finish high school but still had something to look forward to. Thank you as a 19-20-year-old chick who gained some major street cred at the school where she worked because she watched the same movies her students did. Thank you as a 21-year-old who like Captain America, had experienced broken relationships and broken people, but still kept getting up every day.
Thank you as a 22-year-old-woman who is preparing to say “so long” to a favorite hero of hers, but not goodbye. Steve Rogers is an important part of the fabric of my story and he always will be.
Thanks again, and I’m with you to the end of the line.
Regardless of it’s reception, no one can deny the major impact that Avengers: Infinity War had on superhero fans around the globe.
A wailing cry went up starting April 27th and I don’t think it’s stopped since. Watching so many people you love like family dissolve into dust is kind of awful (yes, I’m thinking about our sweet baby Peter Parker right now).
I saw the movie and didn’t have much of a reaction (except for my baby Peter Parker because that was just cruel). It was so intense, really chaotic, and kind of disjointed feeling to me. I also know that a whole lot of the people who are currently dead can’t stay dead because their Marvel contracts still have a long life on them. So I didn’t panic when they died, because I know that most of them are coming back.
And c’mon, no one in their right mind actually thought Marvel was going to just kill off our brand spankin’ new Spider-Man? Peter Parker is not only one of the most beloved superheroes of all time, but Tom Holland’s most recent rendition stole the world’s hearts immediately. He’s a fresh new character who we have the pleasure of watching evolve. It makes 0 sense to kill off an asset like that. I mean LOOK AT THIS ADORABLE FACE!!! I have full confidence that we will be enjoying Peter Parker for many years to come.
It’s taken me a while to process Infinity War. It is an unfinished story, so I decided to not draw too many conclusions right away. I won’t completely know what I think of it until Avengers 4 comes out May 3, 2019.
I’ve drawn a few conclusions, however, and I wanted to share some positives as well as the negatives I have found. Today we will focus on the positives, the next post will contain the negatives.
I’d love to hear your take in the comments section, so when you’re done reading let me know what you thought of Infinity War now that the dust has settled (oohhh, too soon?) and you’ve had months to process. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
4 Ways Infinity War Was Awesome
1. THOR
I was NOT a fan of Thor: Ragnarok by any stretch of the imagination. To me, it felt that Taika Waititi pretty much worked his tail off to literally erase any traces of of the previous Thor material. Old friends and characters were killed off without ceremony. New and very serious threats (Hela) were introduced with no warning or time to feel fear.
And Thor was made a laughingstock so many times. The level of slapstick/downright stupid/crude humor was embarrassing to me. I felt 0 chemistry between Thor and Valkyrie as characters, be it platonic or a potential romance. The Hulk was confusing. I felt like Loki was mocked, etc.
Needless to say, Ragnarok was a deep disappointment to me. But, Thor in Infinity War?
Perfection! The Russo brothers managed to bring back the regal bearing and crazy-awesome might of the Mighty Avenger. Thor is a prince, a king! He’s a glorious warrior with a huge heart and a charming sense of humor.
Though I may not have been a fan of Ragnarok, I know many Marvel fans were. The Thor of Infinity War was a beautiful blend of the Thor from the previous films as well as the good changes to Thor from Ragnarok.
Let’s just say it, that self-generating lightning thing is the bomb…
Infinity War gave me the Thor I always wanted. When he touches down in Wakanda, giant new hammer blazing, I thought I was gonna explode. Yes! Welcome the King of Asgard, the Mighty Avenger!
2. I Am Groot, I Am Steve Rogers, Rocket and Bucky
When you sit back and think about it, these Marvel movies are totally bizarre. How in the heck have a tree that says 3 words and a tiny raccoon made me cry so much?
Two guys who are biologically pushing 100 are physically only in their late 20s-early-30s?
A fully functional AI android who is deeply in love with a girl who can manipulate matter and minds because she was exposed to a magic space stone?
Yeah, this is WEIRD.
Occasionally we get to see our characters have an out-of-body moment where they become self-aware and go, “This makes no sense.” Like Hawkeye’s beautiful and brilliant speech in Avengers: Age of Ultron .
But it’s been a few years since this all began. By now the characters have stopped asking why. The world is getting wackier by the minute and honestly, they’re tired. They are just so tired. Too tired to ask why anymore. They don’t ask, they just do now.
I felt that attitude was beautifully captured in two moments during the chaotic melee of Wakanda. Did that sound negative? Yes, it was meant to, but more on that in the negative post.
Steve and Thor have a cute little bro-to-bro exchange while fighting those disgusting creatures of Thanos. It’s old work buddies catching up. And then the talking, sentient tree we all know as Groot comes up. The old Steve Rogers would have said,
“You know I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science had created was me.” Captain America/Steve Rogers, Age of Ultron
But not the new Steve. He’s been around enough now. He’s too tired to ask why anymore, just rolling with the punches now.
Thor: “This is my friend, tree.”
Groot: “I am Groot.”
Steve: *doesn’t even blink* “I am Steve Rogers.”
By extension of this same thought, I didn’t think I could handle it when Bucky just plucked Rocket Raccoon up and they turned in an epic, bullet-spitting circle. There was no conversation leading up to this, no introduction, no,
“How is a raccoon wearing armor and shooting a gun that is at least his full body weight?”
Just a natural assessment,
“Small raccoon is causing big-time damage. Partner with small shooting raccoon.”
Audiences who know and love both characters see an even bigger picture as Bucky and Rocket actually have quite a bit in common. They would be good buddies.
But they don’t know any of that. They are just accepting life as it comes and making the most intelligent decisions they can at the moment.
Which makes it all the funnier.
3. Anything Peter Parker, but especially how his well-rounded movie-watching career saved their bacon.
Again, this is why Peter Parker is gonna be around for years. This boy is GOLD!!!
Peter already showed his ability to think on the fly in Civil War when he helped bring down Giant-Man using the AT-AT trick from the classic Hoth battle in The Empire Strikes Back. He may be making things up as he goes, but it’s working!
The fact that Tony, Peter, and Stephen Strange were able to rid themselves of Squidface-full-of-himself out there in space just by copying a classic thriller film is just the best thing ever.
And we can thank Peter Parker for it. Every moment that he is in this film is pure delight, with the exception of his slow and devastating decay as he gasps for air in his adopted-daddy Tony’s arms.
4. Enter, Captain Marvel
Sometimes the best way to announce something HUGE is to do it without even saying it. To hint at. To put in a quiet, subtle and chills-inducing moment that is surrounded by chaos. A moment that whispers, “…she’s coming…”
The end credits scene with Maria Hill and Nick Fury did just that.
I’ll give a few honorable mentions to some other parts I loved.
-Peter Quill and Gamora’s tender interaction in this movie was what I have been dreaming of since I fell in love with that wacky crew of Guardians back in 2014. It was deep, real love. Two people who know the good and the bad about each other, and they still choose love. I enjoyed their scenes so much.
-Gamora really stole the show if you ask me. Her past is so intricately intertwined in this movie, her scenes with the Guardians, and her scenes with Thanos were packed with powerful emotion.
-Bad Boy Steve. Mmmmmmhhhhmmm. His entrance in Scotland with his best friends/Secret Avengers at his side was kind of a glorious moment for me. That trio are my favorite Avengers, and I desperately want to know more about what they have been up to (more on this in the negative post).
-Dr. Strange heading out to order lunch. It was so crazy normal compared to literally everything else in this movie.
-Tony’s dream where he had to pee. If someone says this hasn’t happened to them at least once they are lying.
-Rhodey hanging up on Secretary Ross while his illegal buddies hang out in the background. I hope Ross dissolved and is accidentally never brought back.
-Loki getting to say the line. WE HAVE A HULK. It just felt right. I am honestly disappointed Loki is never coming back, I think hearing the rest of his story would have been neat.
-The fact that our original 6 Avengers are still standing. I know that every single character left alive was left alive for a very specific purpose. We’ve added so many new and wonderful characters to the mix over the past 6 years since The Avengers was released in 2012, but I have to say, I am deeply excited and curious to see why we were left our original 6. There is something meaningful and powerful there.
So, what were the good things you felt about Infinity War? What moments made you laugh, or just touched your nerd soul in the right spot? What character interactions did you enjoy the most? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
You’ve probably seen the epic second trailer for Marvel’s highly anticipated film Avengers: Infinity War by now. If not, here you go.
Once we get past the awesomeness of Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill/Starlord giving Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Ironman some sass, or the sweet adorableness of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker introducing himself to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Dr. Strange
“Oh, we’re using our made-up names? Then I’m Spider-Man.”
Could this baby Avenger be any cuter?
And let’s not forget the intensity of Chris Evan’s Steve Rogers/currently The Nomad screaming at Thanos while holding back the Titan’s guantleted hand. Excuse me while I go find some AC, cause it’s getting HOT in here!
Obviously we all have one, very dreadful question hanging over our heads right now….
I don’t relish character deaths. They hurt like heck and leave me in a fog for days as I mourn the loss of someone I counted as an old friend (NEWT, WHY???). But I’m going to try and look at this from an analytical angle and keep my emotions out of it.
So, my theories on the chances of which Avengers we will be saying goodbye to.
Tony Stark/Ironman 7/10 Chance of Death
Tony has been with us since the beginning. 3 solo Ironman films, 2 Avengers films, and 2 major appearances in both Captain America: Civil War and SpiderMan: Homecoming. He is like the father of Marvel as we know it, and we would not be here without him. Tony’s personal character arc is deeply intertwined with the overall MCU story. He’s gone from being a reckless weapons dealer/playboy, to leader and father figure. Tony has faced some pretty fierce demons, but he’s still standing.
Tony’s arc feels like it’s heading to a point of finality. Either he will make the ultimate sacrifice and end his story with a heroic death, or he will survive and move into retirement where he just keeps making toys for “the kids”. I WANT Tony to make it. I feel like he should get to come home to kiss Mrs. Pepper Stark *squeal*, pick their baby up out of a high-tech crib, and have Star Wars marathons with Dum E.
But what I want, and what may end up happening could be two very different things. One point of hope we might be able to cling to is that Tony almost did make the ultimate sacrifice in the original Avengers movie, so perhaps to repeat that scenario would be repetitive. It may be a fool’s hope, but it’s still a hope.
Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow 1/10 Chance of Death
Given that it was recently announced that a Black Widow solo film was in the works, I highly doubt Natasha will be the Avenger to buy it. Not only is she a survivor, but Nat is a character with a lot more story to explore. Even though Nat’s arc has followed the typical pattern of making her a better character over time, her story is a reverse. She started out with her worst fears, there is almost nothing in her future that can compare to the terror and horror she endured as a young child/women in the Red Room. To Nat, fighting and potentially dying alongside people she loves and trusts is a gift, therefore, she has little to lose.
A character like Nat is deeply intriguing. We’ve literally watched her learn how to be human again. I believe that her film should focus on her future, rather than be a prequel film about her past. If I’m right about this prediction, our Nat is safe even with the Mad Titan roaming around. Which is good, since she’s my second favorite Avenger.
Clint Barton/Hawkeye 4/10 Chance of Death
We got a major fake-out foreshadow of Hawkeye’s death in Age of Ultron, only to be taken by surprise with Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver took the bullets for him. Hawkeye is the coolest Avenger. His ability to stay focused and on target #punfullyintended #yourewelcome shows his steady personality and grounded character. Hawkeye is also the happiest Avenger. He is the only member to have a settled home and family to return to. He only comes out of “retirement” when the other Avengers get extra unruly.
The only reason I have any fear for Hawkeye’s potential death is because he is so happy, I’m afraid the writers won’t leave him in peace. They had better leave him alone. The knowledge that the Barton farm and family exist have literally kept me going during the most upsetting Marvel moments. I need to know at least one of my Avengers is happy. And I am willing to bet he will get to stay that way.
Bruce Banner/The Hulk Chance of Death 8/10
I hope you didn’t just choke on your drink. I’m gonna go out on a limb here with this one, so bear with me.
The Hulk is “unkillable”. He’s a powerful smashing machine who has survived death a hundred times and ways over. That’s exactly why I think The Hulk may be the one to go. Our MCU world is about to be turn upside down! It would shock everyone if the second-most powerful Avenger was the one to buy it well before his fellow Avengers did.
But shock value aside, here is another reason. I think Bruce Banner is nearing the end of his story. I don’t see much of a future in following MCU films for this character, and it feels as if his light might be fading. Banner is tired. He was just trapped as The Hulk in space for 2 years. Fun fact, I’m pretty sure that’s the vision that Scarlet Witch gave Banner back in Age of Ultron. His worst fear, being trapped as a smashing machine with no control. And that’s exactly what happened for two years.
Banner hasn’t really been a part of the continuing story on earth for a while now. He’s not as vital to our overall story as other characters, but his death would still punch us in the gut.
One final reason? I think Bruce would be okay with dying. As I said above, he’s tired. Other than his science sessions with Tony, and his feelings for Natasha, Bruce doesn’t feel he has a whole lot left to live for. I believe that dying for someone he loves would be perfectly okay with Bruce, I think he would almost welcome it.
Okay, okay, stop crying! I know *sniffs*, it’s so sad. But I can see it happening.
Thor/Himself 7/10 Chance of Death
Directly after Thor: Ragnarok I would not have thought that Thor’s chances of doom were so high. A whole new chapter had just been opened up for the prince, no, the King of Asgard. Despite the fact that he lost his father, and his planet, Thor’s character was given new life and purpose as he led his people into space in search of a new home.
However, that end scene in Ragnarok where we see the Asgardian ship come upon a oh-so-familiar hostile alien ship left me feeling very nervous. I got even more nervous when the first Infinity War trailer came out and showed Loki (who has chosen to stand by his brother in Ragnarok) holding the Tesseract/Space Stone, surrounded by dead Asgardians. Loki has had dealings with Thanos since Avengers, and Loki didn’t deliver his end of whatever bargain was made. Thanos is not one to forgive past grievances, as the dark scene on the Asgardian ship could mean that the Asgardian people are dead, thus freeing Thor up from the task of leading his people. Which means he’s now open for the kill.
One hope we may have is that like Tony, Thor has already sacrificed himself in his first movie Thor. He allowed himself to be killed so that Jane Foster and the small town in New Mexico would be saved from Loki’s wrath. Perhaps killing him again would also be repetitive.
Then again, maybe it just proves Thor is fully prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and Vision Chances of Death 5/10
Again, I hope you didn’t just choke on your drink there. I know I must sound like a crazy person since Vision literally is a host for the Mind Stone, and we have seen Thanos attempting to remove this stone in one of the trailers while Vision screams gut-wrenchingly. Something has to have happened to Wanda for Thanos to have gotten that close to hurting the one she loves. And that “something” has to be drastic as Wanda is the most powerful Avenger, something she proved when she brought even the Hulk to his knees.
However, I am betting these two are safe for a couple of reasons.
One, they’re the new kids on the block. They haven’t had the years of tragic backstory and fighting to wear them down like the veteran Avengers have. They are new, fresh, and have a lot of story left to tell. Vision is just learning what it is to be human, to feel, to love someone. He is a puzzle of a character, and fans love a good puzzle.
Wanda is a beautiful character, she has come so far, and she has so much to learn. Her character, as well as her mind-blowing powers make her ripe for more movies, perhaps even a solo film in the future. She’s still got a lot more to give to the MCU, a fact that I think makes her very safe. Her brother has also already made the ultimate sacrifice, it seems like at least one of the Maximoff twins should remain standing.
Wanda and Vision being together as a couple also protects them from death-by-gauntlet. A love story creates this other, new angle that needs to be followed through and explored. Unless the writers are able to follow-through with this story and wrap it up properly in Infinity War, Wanda and Vision have plenty of time left!
Unless they pull a Romeo and Juliet on us. But that’s been done, let’s leave the one to Mr. Shakespeare.
And as a final bit of ammo for my argument, Paul Bettany was filming for Avengers 4. So, while it could be a flashback, there is a good chance that Vision lives. And if Vision lives, I’m betting Wanda does as well.
Dr. Stephen Strange/Dr. Strange Chances of Death 0/10
Dr. Strange is a fresh, unique new face that was recently added to the MCU with a great reception. He can venture into dimensions that other heroes cannot, which makes him extra powerful and gives him a way of survival. He also has a great future and much more story to be told, as is confirmed by the fact thatDr. Strange 2 is a future MCU film on the docket for 2021. I believe Strange may get some bruises along the way, he is after all, the caretaker of the Soul Stone, so Thanos will be paying him a visit. But the Sorcerer Supreme (sounds like a knockout pizza) will survive.
Bucky Barnes/White Wolf Chances of Death 0/10
Bucky has been to hell and back again. His worst fears have already come true. Bucky has recently been reborn and given a new purpose as well as a new superhero title after his healing in Wakanda. And dogon-it he deserves it! I am convinced if death even tried to send Bucky so much as a text a horde of rabid fans would arrive on scene and kill death on the spot!
Sam Wilson/The Falcon Chance of Death 3/10, James Rhodes/War Machine Chances of Death 5/10
Rhodey almost bought it in Captain America: Civil War. He’s back on his feet thanks to some snazzy Stark tech, and as we have seen from the trailers, he’s not only back in the fight, he’s fighting alongside Avengers that he formerly fought against in Civil War. This is a big deal, since in my opinion, Rhodey was the strongest supporter of the Accords. I think Rhodey could make for a lower impact death that kind of softens us up for a bigger character death. I could also see him walking away from the fight. (was that joke too soon?) I’m pretty much 50/50 on his chances.
Sam Wilson (who is my 3rd favorite Avenger) I believe, will survive. Sam is one of the most amazing and underrepresented characters in the MCU. The way he just calmly walked into Steve Rogers’ life and never left, come heck or high water, blows me away. Top that off with a smooth, oh so smooth, personality, and a combat skill-set from a normal guy that puts some super-powered individuals to shame? SAM WILSON FOR PRESIDENT!
Sam just has the feeling of a survivor. He’s a great character who I would love to see pulled out of the woodwork and given more limelight.
King T’Challa/Black Panther. Chances of Death? Death asked Okoye for permission, very politely, and she stabbed Death to death. 0/10
The King isn’t really an Avenger, he’s his own thing. Wakanda is it’s own version of the Avengers. Not to mention that T’Challa and Black Panther is making massive waves in the world right now. He has a second movie coming, and like I said, Okoye said NO to death.
The King is safe!
Scott Lang/Ant-Man Chances of Death 0/10
Look at this goober, he’s gonna be fine! Ant-man is a fresh new hero who brings a lot of heart, and a lot of laughs to the table. Even though his next movie, Ant-Man and the Wasptakes place before the events of Infinity War, Scott has a long and happy future ahead of him. The potential for his character in the future MCU is huge, especially since Hope Pym/The Wasp is joining on as his lovelier co-star. There is a lot of untold story to look forward to, and we can’t wait to hear Luis narrate it!
Peter Parker/Spider-Man Chances of Death….if you touch my baby Avenger I WILL END YOU! But for real, 0/10.
Look at this precious boy! I love him so much, I want to adopt him. Tom Holland has brought our friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man to life in such an endearing way, I know we have a long and happy future with this character. He’s young, he’s fresh, he’s energetic and because he is choosing (oh so maturely) to take his time and build up, he has a long runway ahead. Spider-Man, I believe, will be a key player in the future of the MCU once our Avengers’ chapter has been closed. God bless Peter Parker!
The Guardians Chances of Death 1/10
If anyone buys it, it will be Nebula. And she will die doing something that hurts Thanos, perhaps even eventually destroys him. I hope she gets the killing stroke, she deserves it the most.
Our Guardians are pretty safe. They have a whole galaxy to keep worrying about, we already lost Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Yondu in Vol. 2. Our Guardians also are a key part of the MCU after Phase 3 closes, and they have one more movie to go. I anticipate a happily-ever-after for them. After all of the chaos, the pain, the horrible backstories, it just feels right. This family has a future.
And you’re thinking, she’s missing someone very big.
No, I haven’t forgotten. I left him to the very last for a reason.
Steve Rogers/Captain America/The Nomad Chances of Death 5/10
Really, you need to stop drinking your beverage right now, I don’t want to be responsible for you choking to death. Yes, I did just give Steve Rogers a 50% chance of surviving Infinity War. And no, I didn’t do it just because he’s my favorite Avenger, my main man, and one of the greatest characters to ever be created in the history of stories.
I say it, because everything is pointing at his death. He’s Steve Rogers, he’s the guy who throws himself on top of the grenade. He’s the guy that ditches the plane and is frozen in the ice for 70 years. He’s the guy who takes down Hydra and still lets his best-friend-now-assassin beat him almost to death because “you’re my friend”. He’s the guy who is willing to stand against an entire room in opposition against him and stay true to what he believes.
Yes, I saw the same trailer you did. I saw Thanos going one-on-one with Steve. I’ve seen Steve’s nightmares in Age of Ultron where he couldn’t be at peace. I’ve seen it all and been terrified the whole time.
But now I’m starting to wonder if it is all too obvious. Marvel is great at the big fake-outs. We expect one thing, and then the opposite happens. They do it over and over again, and we still don’t see it coming. Steve is the most glaringly obvious choice for a sacrificial character, which is exactly why it would be perfect for him to actually survive.
Clearly the Steve Rogers we will meet in Infinity War is a bit darker, a bit badder than our Rogers of the past. He’s been off with his two amigos, Nat and Sam (a triangle of perfection and my top 3) doing Secret Avenger stuff. I think he’s only grown stronger, more strategic, and more determined than ever. I wouldn’t count America’s golden boy out yet.
Chris Evans has said that he is open to more movies with Marvel. Whether they choose to head in that direction or not, I’m not believing that they have signed his death warrant. I think Steve may have just bought himself a happy ending after all, one where he finally gets some peace and can pass his shield on to a “younger” generation.
I’d love to see him get to settle down with the right partner. I don’t know if that will be Sharon, a resurrected Peggy (it’s Marvel, we know it can happen) or my personal choice, Natasha. But Steve is a man who will always have friends, and after the dust settles, I believe he will finally come home from the mission he set out on all the way back in the 1940s.
So, what do you think? Who is going to buy it in Infinity War? Are my predictions sound, or way off? What do you hope happens? Who do you hope survives?
*warning, many spoilers a good amount of Lyatt gushing ahead*
Last night we rejoined our Time Team with a bang! The only episode in Season One that came even close to that level of intensity for me might have been Episode 11: The World’s Columbian Exposition. But even that episode could not compare to the intensity of last night’s Season 2 debut.
First we are given an epic recap of last season to the tune of Imagine Dragons “Believer”. Can you say chills?
As with all of our Timeless episodes, we are given a small taste of our historical destination for the episode. We see a soldier desperately searching for “Captain Allbright” among the fallen on a dusty, bloody battlefield. Dog fights are still happening in the skies above. The solider finds his captain still alive, but wounded, he hurries off to find a vehicle, leaving the captain behind. Captain Allbright pats his jacket, appears to panic, and searches the ground desperately for a fallen item. He finds a small pouch beneath the dead solider behind him, inside is a cellphone?!? Clearly there is something off about this scene.
Next we are dumped directly back into the center of the action. Wyatt and Rufus are rocking the 70’s duds, wondering where Lucy is. She wouldn’t miss this mission to get her sister back. A puzzled and slightly concerned Wyatt calls Lucy yet again, and we are shown a stomach churning image of her discarded phone ringing on the floor amidst the wreckage of some kind of altercation, next to a broken bottle and a puddle of blood.
Before Wyatt and Rufus have time to even get further, Wyatt spots a very wrong looking canister, with a blinking red light. Everyone and their dog knows what that means. We zoom outside to see Mason Industries erupt in an orange fireball.
Fast forward 6 weeks.
We are at some post-apocalyptic looking bunker that has a very Rebel-base-on-Hoth-esque vibe. We see Wyatt’s bare shoulders covered with healing lacerations and burns, but thank heavens his face is intact! You can feel the weight of his anxiety, his anger, his grief, and his helplessness. The level of joy at the end of last season when he chose to stop living in his past, and embrace his future (potentially with Lucy) has now been transferred into an agonizing worry and fear of losing yet another woman he loves.
Wyatt is determined to track Lucy down, it’s his one and only thought. He’s chafing at every delay to repair the damaged Lifeboat.
Rufus seems to be dealing with the situation with a more surface level calm. He has an outlet where he can channel his concern into manually fixing the Lifeboat. But Rufus has deep fears and concerns of his own. His mother and brother think he is dead. Rittenhouse tried to kill him. His former benefactor and boss, Conner Mason is penniless and rather useless at the moment, another one of the fugitives. And while Rufus has the love of his life, Jiya, by his side helping him restore the Lifeboat, she’s regularly being attacked with strange headaches and seizures or visions that no one can seem to explain.
Agent Christopher is attacking the problem with her usual firmness. I would NOT want to cross this woman. She rubs Wyatt the wrong way many times as she appears calloused and uncaring regarding Lucy’s fate. But we all know that Agent Christopher is the Time Team’s link to the outside world, their supply line, and she does care.
Meanwhile, Lucy is trapped with Rittenhouse. We see her dressing herself in proper World War I vogue attire, as she stares at a newspaper article written about the explosion at Mason Industries and the deaths of 22 people. Her beloved guys are gone, she is trapped in Rittenhouse and about to be sent catapulting through history to rewrite the story according to Rittenhouses’ agenda. We sense a coldness in Lucy, a tense desperation.
Lucy, Carol Preston, and Emma (who is a devil woman and scares the living daylights out of me) go back to the Western front in 1918. Their mission? Track down a single wounded soldier, and heal him. Lucy wasn’t given all of the details.
It’s easy to be in the right place at the right time when you have the proper info. The soldier Rittenhouse wants saved is literally brought to the door of the cabin the ladies have been staying in near the Western Front. A concerned young soldier brings his battered and bloody friend in, desperate to find help for him. Emma and Carol get to work on saving the young man’s life, while Lucy pleasantly distracts his friend with conversation. She’s so good at this, kindly engaging on a personal level with new people.
The wounded man is crashing, Emma pulls out a modern defibrillator, and shocks the soldier, scaring his friend into thinking these women are trying to kill his buddy. Emma doesn’t have time for this, she pulls out a pistol and SHOOTS THE POOR MAN IN THE LEG! “You’re a better shot than that, Emma.” Carol Preston says dryly. Can you believe this woman actually raised a child? #cold #notmommymaterial
“I did it on purpose, I think Lucy should take care of this.” A cold Emma hands the soldier’s rifle to Lucy, who is staring at the scene in horror.
This moment of the show haunted me. I wanted Lucy to stand in front of the soldier, to shoot Emma instead, to come up with another plan, something, ANYTHING! What actually happened broke my heart, and I do not agree with it. But I also know Lucy was in an impossible situation and felt forced to make a horrible choice, and it’s one she will grieve over the rest of her life.
She picks up the rifle, and shoots the innocent soldier in order to prove her loyalty to Rittenhouse. She goes blank for a moment, the world drowning out around her, until the voice of her mother breaks in, “Are you okay?”
Like you care, Carol! You can prepare to be disappointed next Mother’s Day!
We know our Lucy. We know her big heart, we know something is very wrong for her to have just done this dark deed.
The soldier is full of shrapnel, an x-ray machine is needed. Lucky for our Rittenhouse ladies, Marie Curie and her daughter Irene are contemporaries of this era, and happen to be nearby with their portable x-ray machine. How serendipitous!
Meanwhile, back in 2018 the Lifeboat is working! And bad news, they have tracked the Mothership to the Western Front, where it has been for two days. The look of fear in Wyatt’s eyes rise, that area’s a bloodbath. Thank heavens the mission where we are missing our historian it happens to be one involving military history!
Wyatt and Rufus jump on the Lifeboat, “We are BRINGING Lucy home!” Wyatt declares as they shut the door and jump through time to rescue their girl.
Lucy and her mother, and their armed guard “Mac” have found Marie and Irene Curie. The shared moments of mother-daughter history nerding would be way cuter if Carol Preston wasn’t a sicko. Lucy fears dragging the Curie ladies into the crossfire. Her mask is starting to slip and we see the panic starting to take over. She manages to slip away into the military camp, and seek out a tent where she finds grenades. You can see a half-baked plan form in Lucy’s mind, but as she turns to leave the tent, a hand grabs her from behind.
She whips around to defend herself, only to be brought face to face with Wyatt. She cannot believe he is still alive, and throws herself at him where they have the most delicious hug. The peace and joy in Wyatt’s eyes that he found his girl, safe and well is just overwhelming. Rufus comes in behind him and Lucy eagerly embraces him. The guys want to get out of here, but Lucy is here to stop Rittenhouse. She shows them the grenades and outlines her plan to blow up the Mothership. She was going to do it on her own, but now that her guys are back they can help her out.
A shadow falls on Wyatt’s face, “How were you going to get home?” Lucy quiets. “I wasn’t.” You see how that quiet little statement just shatters Wyatt’s heart. She was gonna be trapped in the past, alone and grieving for the rest of her life.
Lucy rushes off to join her mother, leaving the mission of destroying the Mothership in her guys’ hands. We see our old Wyatt spring back to life, he has a mission, his sense of humor is back. Lucy is alive and well, our boy is back!
Wyatt and Rufus attempt to steal a vehicle to drive to the Mothership’s location, only to be caught by “Mac”, and a man we recognize to be Captain Allbright. We feel a cold fear in our gut as our guys are led to a tent, where Wyatt assumes they will simply have to talk their way out of this situation, but Rufus spots Mac going for his gun. “Wyatt!”
The next few minutes are fast-paced and intense as Wyatt and Rufus tag-team a fight. The teamwork chemistry between these two is simply beautiful, and you feel their brotherhood. Together, they defeat the Rittenhouse agents, and find Allbright’s cellphone? What on earth is a WWI captain doing with a cellphone?
The guys finally get to steal their jeep, and share a little personal conversation on their way to destroy the Mothership.
“You’re in love with Lucy, just admit it!” Rufus, calling it like it is! We love you, man! Wyatt balks at this statement, but doesn’t deny it.
Lucy and Irene Curie share a neat conversation about having demanding mothers, but it is clear the Irene adores her mother and their depth of love is real. You can see the longing in Lucy’s eyes, she thought she had that with her mother. But she was so, so wrong.
The Curie ladies use their x-ray machine, but the picture is not very clear. Something is interfering with it. The Rittenhouse ladies give each other a knowing look, but then attempt to send the Curie ladies on their way.
Lucy’s grip on the situation is slipping. Emma has made it clear that she doesn’t trust “the princess”. Emma has worked her way up through the ranks of Rittenhouse, she “earned” her place, while Lucy rejects her royalty. Cry me a river, Emma. Your rags-to-riches story does nothing for me. Emma and Carol go outside for a private conversation, and Lucy is left alone with the soldier. This goes against every instinct she possesses, but she searches for a means to kill the soldier. If Rittenhouse wants him alive, she needs him dead in order to save thousands of others. Her mother comes in on her just as she is about to smother him with a pillow.
“I was hoping that Emma was wrong.” Carol is disappointed in her daughter, you have no right to be upset, Mother Gothel Rittenhouse! She gives Lucy some baloney about still loving her, being the same woman who kissed her skinned knees, but if Lucy doesn’t shape up she will no longer be able to protect her daughter. If you have a nice mother go hug her now on poor Lucy’s behalf.
She Rittenhouse bundles up their wounded soldier, and start to take him to the Mothership, which is still operational due to the unfortunate fact that Wyatt and Rufus ran out of gas and are running behind.
The Rittenhouse ladies arrive at the Mothership, only to find the Curie ladies on site.
“We wanted to see what was interfering with the machine.” These Curie ladies are too smart for their own good! Emma whips out a pistol, and prepares to murder the women where they stand.
“No!” Lucy pleads with both her mother and Emma, even throwing herself in front of the Curie women. Her mother stands behind Emma (a contrast to Marie Curie, is standing in front of her daughter protecting her, while Carol looks on as her daughter is in imminent danger). Emma has orders from even higher up than Carol, if Lucy interferes she is to be killed. The look of pleasure in Emma’s face is evil.
“Your mother can’t save you.”
“But I can.” Can we get some hero music playing? Wyatt is standing, his gun to the wounded soldier’s head, Rufus standing by at the ready. Lucy’s guys showed up in the nick of time. Emma has her gun to Lucy’s head, but clearly the wounded man is important, Wyatt negotiates, “Let’s both leave here with the people we came for.” He’s not losing this woman.
A tense standoff happens, then Emma releases Lucy who walks towards Rufus. In a last plea, she begs her mother to return with her.
“Come with us, be on the right side of history!” Her mother looks sadly at her daughter.
“Oh, Lucy, this is so much bigger than you or me.” Yeah yeah, *gag*.
Emma has to get one last dig in. She eyes Lucy triumphantly.
“Before you came, I went on a few missions. You are NEVER getting your sister back.” In agony Lucy lunges at the devil woman, but Rufus pulls her back. It’s time to cut our losses and make a run for it.
We go back to the bunker, where Jiya, Agent Christopher, and Conner Mason are waiting. The entire team comes out, quiet and shaken.
Later we see Lucy in sleeping quarters. Her surroundings are very spartan. She’s got her hair down and is wearing plain clothes. She looks so, lost. Wyatt comes in and makes some remarks about “it’s not what you were expecting to come home to”.
Lucy shares her grief over killing the innocent soldier. “If I hadn’t, Emma would have.” Wyatt understands, he doesn’t skip a beat. The weight of her losses and the past six weeks hits Lucy like a wrecking ball, and she bursts into gut-wrenching sobs,
“I’ve lost everything.”
Wyatt comes over and envelopes her in a huge. “You haven’t lost me.” He’s been in her place before, he knows the grief, and he is not going to leave her alone in it. It’s a deeply tender scene, full of deep love and compassion.
Jiya (poor Jiya) walks in on them as we were about to get a #lyatt kiss, but she has important news.
The cellphone the guys found back in 1918 contains a Rittenhouse manifesto, and it’s no bueno. Also, the Mothership went back in time 10 times before the 1918 mission. They have planted sleeper cells throughout time, agents awaiting to be activated to bend history to Rittenhouse’s will. The cold terror of this reality seeps in on everyone present. A name comes up as the writer of the sick manifesto, it’s Nickolas. The soldier Carol and Co saved back in ’18. The soldier who came back in the Mothership.
The wounded soldier from WWI wakes up in a modern-day hotel room. Carol Preston is standing over him in current clothing.
“Where am I?” He asks, puzzled by his surroundings.
“You’re with Rittenhouse.” We discover this man, Nickolas, is an important member of Rittenhouse. He believed in the possibility of time travel. And….
“I’m your granddaughter.” Carol says with a smile. Nickolas smiles back, but it’s not a smile that made me feel good.
There is one person the Time Team can turn two who might have some answers. Agent Christopher goes to a top security facility, and enters a cell where we see a chained Garcia Flynn.
“We need to talk.” He gives her one of his signature side looks.
“I only talk to Lucy.”
This episode was possible because of all the character groundwork laid in Season 1. The writers took their time to develop our characters, to give them arcs that strengthened them to be able to withstand the heightened darkness and stakes brought in Season 2. They aren’t trying to wrap their heads around time travel and team work any more, that part is now instinctive. Now, it’s a battle for history.
To me, I think Wyatt (Matt Lanter) was the MVP of this episode when it comes to acting.
His facial expressions, the unspoken words his eyes communicated, and his ability to convey multiple feelings and histories in his scenes blew me away. My favorite moment was when he was comforting Lucy. This wasn’t just a chance to cuddle the lady who has had his heart for a while now, his heart broke for her pain, and he was able to be her rock in that moment because he has walked through that pain himself. His tenderness, compassion, and love in that moment was beautiful.
I cannot wait to see what we have in store, I am so glad to be here, writing about this episode now. Until next week!
NBC’s Timelessmade history last year after it was resurrected from the “cancelled” grave in less than a week and brought back to life by a vibrant fan base of #clockblockers that refused to let their beloved show be resigned to the TV history shelves.
Why do we love our little time travel show so much? It’s not like it is the first of it’s kind, time travel shows have come and gone throughout the decades (Dr. Who, you’re still here). What makes Timeless stand out? *spoilers ahead*
I’ll tell you why.
It’s not the amazing sets that put you right on the ground of New Jersey, 1937. Or Texas, 1836, or Chicago 1893. Sets that make you feel as if you can smell, taste, and feel the past. Nor is it the costumes that leave this history nerd salivating. It’s not even the incredibly engaging and terrifying plot involving “Rittenhouse” a secret organization who has been arranging history from behind the scenes for centuries.
All of these things are wonderful, but they would fall utterly short if it were not for the true, beating heart of Timeless. That heart is, the characters.
History is the story of humanity, from Day 1 until now. Our good, our bad, our hopes, our disappointments, our triumphs and our failures. Timeless steers it’s viewers through time using the lens of people that we connect with on a soul level. It teaches history the way it should be taught, as a story about people.
Characters are the heart of every story, be it fictional or real. Timeless tells us a magnificent story that brings both fiction and reality together in an unforgettable way. There is little to connect us, in 2018, to the people of past centuries if we only consult dusty history books full of dry narrative and facts. But put a face to those narratives, give me a heart struggle, questions all humanity has asked, and suddenly I cannot look away! Through these character elements, we discover that those of past centuries were people just like us, and their stories come alive in a whole new way that both breaks our hearts and raises our spirits.
Timeless kept their character list focused and simple. We were given 4 main characters who are very skilled, very imperfect and often weak people who were thrust into an unimaginable situation that likely none of us will ever experience. And yet, we were able to understand not only these fictional characters, but also the real life historical figures they bump into along the way.
How did this happen?
It happened when we felt their pain. Their fear. When they asked questions we have all asked. When they laughed, and when they cried. They touched our hearts and we reached out for more.
Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer) is a brilliant historian, a loving daughter/sister, a kind soul and a beautiful woman. She’s not perfect. She makes mistakes, she’s afraid much of the time, and she doesn’t have all of the answers. The dragon that Lucy has to slay in Season 1 comes in the form of her family legacy. She was born into Rittenhouse, a pureblood princess of an evil organization bent upon controlling millions of people. Throughout the season we see both Rittenhouse, and Garcia Flynn whispering things in Lucy’s ear in a oh-so-Emperor-Palpantine way. “This is your destiny, you cannot deny it. This is who you were made to be.” Lucy asks the question, “Can I decide who I will become? Or am I forced to be who they say I am?”
How many of us have asked this question? “Do I have to become an alcoholic like my father?”, “I grew up on the wrong side of town with no guidance and a lot of anger, is this my lot in life?”, “People find me unlikable, am I worthless and destined to be alone?” We’ve all had our devils whispering in our ears, “This is who you are destined to be.” And those whispers paint a picture of someone we do NOT want to be. Lucy’s struggle tugs at my heart, as I am sure it did yours. Her fear is one that I too, have felt.
Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter) the handsome, protective soldier with a huge dose of regret and survivor’s guilt. He’s a warrior in every inch of his body, strong and capable. But inside his heart is failing him. He sees the ghosts, the ghosts of his fellow soldiers he had to leave behind, the ghosts of “failure”, and the biggest ghost of all, his murdered wife Jessica. Wyatt regularly asks the question, “How can something like my murdered wife be meant to be?” He grieves over the evil in the world and how powerless he feels to stop it. He’s trapped in the past, and no, I am not speaking about being stranded in a past century. Wyatt is mired in the regrets and pain of his past.
Does this ring a bell for anyone else? Show of hands please! We all have ghosts, some bigger than others. It’s easy to become mired in the pain of the past, and we have all cried out, “Why???”
Rufus Carlin (Malcolm Barrett) is a soft-spoken, gentle, shy genius with a crush on his cute coworker Jiya (Claudia Doumit). He also feels zero courage or words to express himself. He jumps at shadows, as well as real monsters. He regularly questions his ability to be the person his team needs him to be. He’s straight-up terrified, feels out of his element, and hears a voice in his head saying, “I’m not strong enough and I can’t do this.”
Ever felt that? *entire world raises hand* Hello, Insecurity! Hello, Fear! There is not a human being on earth that has remained untouched from these very human things.
Garcia Flynn (Goran Visinjic) a former NSA operative who stumbled upon Rittenhouse by accident, which caused the death of his family and sent him plunging through time to destroy Rittenhouse, by whatever means necessary. Flynn is drowning in grief, anger, and he is consumed by both revenge and a desire to save his family. He performs dark, dark deeds, believing that “The ends justify the means.” He’s a man in horrible pain, doing horrible things to try and relieve that pain.
Flynn is a very vivid, crimson image of us as human beings when we are in a place of raw grief and anger. Even as I rooted for our Time Team to stop Flynn, I still ached for his pain. My humanity cried out for his broken heart. Have you ever had a broken heart that hurt so bad, you wanted to do whatever it took to stop the pain?
These were our vessels, our “Lifeboats” that dropped us right into the middle of human experience. And then these vessels, these magnificent characters took us through time. We saw them experience those of past centuries and decades. And we saw the same humanity in Robert Todd Lincoln, Ian Flemming, Katherine Johnson, Harry Houdini, and so, so many more. We saw the people of history in brilliant colors.
By the end of Season 1, our characters were giants compared to the smaller versions of themselves that they began with.
Wyatt realized that he was “meant to be here, helping you and saving history”. He faced his grief, his regret, his fear. He’s not completely healed, healing can sometimes take a lifetime. But he is also no longer stuck in the past. He’s moving forward and opening himself up to something new….#LYATTFOREVER
Wyatt has found a hope and a future.
Lucy grows bolder. She questions less about what is right and wrong, she plants her feet upon what is right and leads her team forward. She also faces the truth, “I decide who I will be, and I will NOT be Rittenhouse.” She is taking her stand and speaking in the truth of her free will.
Rufus. I think I loved Rufus’ arc the most. He believed himself to be the man cowering in the corner. In his heart, Rufus often still feels this way. But we all, including Rufus, know the truth now. Rufus is a warrior! I triumphed with Rufus every single time he was scared and did the brave thing anyway. We watched the hero be called out of Rufus, and we felt our own spines straighten as we gained courage with him.
Flynn. No, the ends do NOT justify the means. Flynn came to the place where I believe he hated himself. His heart was now breaking for more than just the loss of his family, it was breaking over the monster he had become. But he did not see a way to change his course. He believed himself to be too far gone.
Lucy didn’t. Lucy slayed her dragon, owned her free will and her right to choose a path other than Rittenhouse. Through that place of strength, and through the honest lens of her own pain and humanity, she reached out a hand in grace and compassion to Flynn and said, “Come on, I’ll give you a second chance.” And he took it. It was beautiful.
Meant to be.
Free will.
We can be warriors.
Second chances are possible.
We are not alone in this world, we don’t have to stumble in the dark of random chance and bad luck. I for one, know Who is at work in my world, He is the Creator and Author, as well as my Friend. I believe in meant to be, and it gives me a hope and a future.
We get to choose to rise above our past pain, our dark legacies, our hopelessness. I loved how Timeless showed how meant to be and free will are not at odds with each other. Meant to be simply means, you’re not alone, and there is a plan. Free will is our ability as thinking, creative beings to make choices in our moment by moment. It’s when these two things align, our free will, and the plan, that amazing things happen. Amazing things, like #LYATT
We can be braver than we think, and rise to a new level of warriorhood. Can we have a round of applause here? The stories in history that have always inspired me the most are the stories of normal, scared people who had the hero called out of them because of their circumstances. They were faced with an evil, an injustice, an obstacle, and they overcame it. It gives me chills just thinking about it.
And second chances are real. There aren’t many people in our world who are willing to give second chances. We judge each other based on performances so often that many of us are blinded to the people who are crying out for help, crying out for grace. I believe in second chances, I believe in grace. I am so glad Flynn was given a second chance, and I can’t wait to see what he does in Season 2.
All of the above is hit-you-in-the-gut humanity kind of stuff. And Timeless captured it all while giving us a funny, terrifying, beautiful ride through history. Timeless showed us the people of the past, the present, and what will still be true for our future as human beings. And we loved it.
If you have not already seen Timeless, might I suggest you give it a try? The clockblockers would be happy to welcome you with open arms. And if you are already a fellow Clockblocker, hello, Friend. I cannot wait to join you tonight for Season 2, Episode 1: The War to End All Wars
A review of tonight’s episode will be posted tomorrow. Until tonight, clockblockers! Keep being human!
In the fall of 2017, NBC put out a little show called “The Brave” starring Mike Vogel, Anne Heche, and a full cast of truly delightful people. The Brave follows a small military unit led by Adam Dalton (Vogel) that specializes in extractions, rescues, and yes, even the occasional assassination. They are overseen from D.C. by Patricia Campbell (Heche) and her brilliant staff.
The components I just listed are not that extraordinary in and of themselves. Many military dramas have had the same ingredients, and they never rose in rank above their peer shows. On paper, The Brave looks no different. So why is this show so great?
I believe what sets The Brave apart from other military shows is the heart.
The heart of this show IS the military men and women it seeks to represent. Our real life heroes are truly the stars of this show, even though the roles are portrayed by actors. Dean Georgaris (writer, creator), the cast, and the crew give every moment 110%, because their top priority is to honor and represent our real heroes. This heart of respect and passion shine through every moment, every line, every wounded look and new scar that is gained.
The Brave is character-centric, as a good story should be. Unlike many other action-heavy shows, The Brave does not rely on explosions, fancy gadgets, or trumped up inter-personal drama to bring viewers in. Does that mean its boring? Heck no! Each new episode brings a unique location, creative problem solving, and some straight up epic scenes that often do involve explosions. Not to mention humor that is natural and classy. These elements are all the better because they are not carrying the weight of the show, but rather highlighting the true pillar of this series, the characters.
The team is composed of imperfect, broken, beautiful people who have come together with a common purpose. They share a goal to protect freedom and innocent lives, even if it means giving their own. They laugh, they fight, and they cry together. No one is left behind. The Brave doesn’t use cheap and gratuitous sex, gore, or language for shock value like so many shows do. It showcases real people, who love each other, doing a very hard job. And it does it well.
The Brave addresses the male/female equality discussion brilliantly, it doesn’t talk about it. Talk is cheap, actions are not.
Deputy Director Patricia Campbell (Anne Heche) is a competent and strong leader. She evaluates, gives orders, and supports wherever, whenever she is needed. Her tactical and analyst teams, composed of men and women, trust and respect her without question. Hannah Archer (Sofia Pernas) and Noah Morganthau (Tate Ellington) have developed a brilliant rhythm where they play to each other’s strengths and use their different approaches to create a broader perspective.
Sergeant Jasmine “Jaz” Kahn (Natacha Karam) is the tactical team’s sniper, and one of the toughest women currently on TV. She’s had to work incredibly hard to be where she is, but she is valued and respected by the men she calls “my guys”. Even pretty boy medic, Sergeant Joseph J. “McG” McGuire (Noah Mills) carries himself with respect and compassion, which is not always the case for his character type.
The men of The Brave are fully men, the women are fully women. Together they are powerful. There is no “us” and “them”, no struggle for the spotlight. Each person, be they tactical, or analyst, know their strengths, and their weaknesses. They celebrate and lean on each other’s strengths, and support each other through their weaknesses, just as God intended.
This is the key to a good team, if only the rest of the world would quit spewing useless words and just start treating each other with the same value and respect.
The Brave represents the true heart of America. This is the show where a Muslim intelligence operative, Agent Amir Al-Raisani (Hadi Tabal), and a Christian family man, CPO Ezekiel “Preach” Carter (Demetrius Grosse) fight side by side as brothers and friends. They face evil as allies with a common cause.
That has been the heart of America, even through our biggest mistakes and worst moments, the goal of this country is freedom, life, and unity. We are made up of all colors, shapes, sizes, and religions. We come from different circumstances, we carry different baggage. But that isn’t something to fear, it’s something to celebrate and enjoy. The men and women of The Brave fight to protect these ideals, and to protect the brother or the sister beside them. The love these characters have for each other is so beautiful, so rich. It’s what America was meant to be, and it’s what I still believe in.
And now for my favorite part of The Brave.
Because I have watched this show, I feel like I better understand the hearts and minds of our service men and women.
I have not had the privilege of knowing many service men or women in my life, so my knowledge regarding their experience has been limited. Through watching The Brave and subsequently interacting on Twitter with service members, I have learned so much. In the most recent episode, Grounded, Dalton (Vogel) had a monologue describing something very personal, very emotional regarding his experiences in combat and how they have effected him. A gentleman on Twitter responded so powerfully.
@Mike_Vogel just told the story so many of us veterans have tried to get out into the world in that monologue in that final part of #thebrave
To which Mike Vogel replied….
It’s your story _________. We’re sorry the world is so slow to listen, but we thank you for answering the call and being part of it. We owe you guys everything.
Got chills yet? I know I do.
I believe the call of a storyteller is to tells stories that bring life, truth, and understanding. It is to delight an audience, to give them a good time, but to also instill in them a deeper understanding of something, or someone. It is to share an experience that the audience may have never had. It is to be a voice for someone who either can’t speak, or doesn’t know how. Or in this case, a voice for someone who has been yelling, but no one has heard.
It is to tell the people it represents, “I hear you, I see you, and you are NOT forgotten!” And to give the rest of the audience a chance to say, “We see you, and you are loved.”
Stories are meant to bridge experiences, to delight, to teach….to heal.
The Brave has accomplished all of this in a glorious, beautiful way. No, I am not just talking about the fact that this entire cast is almost too good-looking and charming for my TV screen to handle. Who needs explosives on hand when you have dynamite smiles to work with?
I have seen The Brave, and I have seen the people it is touching….
….and I see life.
Something this special is worth protecting. This show is worth renewing. Our team has more missions to go on and more stories to tell. NBC, we hope you are listening, ’cause you have a treasure right now, and we want more of it.
reellifebygrace 