January 21, 2022
- “Loki”
I will preface this review by saying I have never been a fan of Loki or his character’s storylines throughout his time in the MCU. This is probably one of the reasons the series did not appeal to me.
“Loki” lacks an interesting or well-developed story then has an explosive ending that makes audiences feel as though they sat through five hours of vamping. The first three episodes lack any significant plot points besides new information on variants.
Four and five give the audience something they never asked for, a romance between two Loki variants. In “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker refers to the other Peter Parker variants as his “brothers.” So three Peter Parkers are brothers, but two Lokis are love interests?
Episode six hits audiences like a truck with the amount of information revealed. This episode confirms the existence of the end of time, reveals Kang the Conqueror as the leader of the TVA, highlights Sylvie’s betrayal, showcases the corruption in the TVA, and unleashes the unknowns of the multiverse into the MCU. Those five major plot points could have been scattered throughout the series or multiple series, but instead, they were thrown into the last episode making the viewing experience drag and confusing.
Watching “Loki was confusing and boring, and yet some people will rank it higher because of the characters showcased. The multiverse may be a new confusing concept for the MCU, but making good content is not. I am all for introducing new ground-breaking material, but “Loki” makes watching the MCU grow very difficult.
- “What If…?”
Too often animation is seen as a “kids” genre that is either silly or boring. This is simply not true. Animation is also a great way for studios to portray things that are impossible in the real world or to not use CGI. “What If…?” does this while giving the Marvel Universe a new level of dimension that helps them flesh out the multiverse and grounds the endless levels of possibilities.
The main character of “What If…?”, The Watcher, grounds the series with a consistent main character who guides the audience throughout the vast multiverse without changing what we already recognize as cannon. He guides the audience throughout the glass-like universes with the ease that an already existing character would not be able to do.
I found the individual episodes to be hit or miss. Episodes 4,5,7 and 8 were the real shining stars of the individual episodes. The others lacked in plot or in excitement level, and I am not sorry to say but Captain Carter is not the attention grabber like Marvel Studios thought it would be. The finale tied everything together beautifully and gave audiences some of the character meet-ups we did not get in “Infinity War” or “Endgame.”
But it is not going to matter if you do not watch “What If…?”, right? Wrong.
In the latest Marvel movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “What If…?”’s influence can be seen. In one specific moment, I can remember seeing The Watcher through the cracks in the universe. If you have not watched “What If…?,” the “Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness” trailer was full of things you probably did not understand as well.
Though “What If…?” was hit or miss with the individual episodes, it is confirmed for a season two. This show holds the keys to the multiverse and by association the keys to the future of the MCU.
- “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”
“The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” is one of my personal favorites for many reasons, but one of them is the way that it shows the “realistic” side of the MCU.
Bucky goes to therapy, Sam experiences racism in the 21st century, and the “villain” is a teenager who has been wronged by the people who swore to protect her. Plus, we see a family struggling to stay afloat and a world struggling to achieve a state of “normal.” These are all real experiences that people can relate to, that is what makes “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” so charming.
Another reason why I found this show interesting is because of the concept of good vs. evil. John Walker, the one character audiences hate from the very start, makes the audience question the definition of good.
Walker is almost exactly like Steve Rogers, valuing his morals, his friends, his country, but he lacks the innate “goodness” Steve had. This is clearly shown when he beheads the man who accidentally killed his partner with the iconic symbol of protection, Captain’s America shield. The shot of the shield with blood coating the bottom was one of the most chilling moments from Marvel this year.
The only critique I have of this show is what could have been. The release schedule of the show was changed due to the shooting schedule being affected by COVID-19, so plot adjustments had to be made.
Ironically, in the scrapped plot there was a worldwide pandemic. The reasoning for the Flagsmashers destruction was due to the uneven distribution of supplies between the Blipped and the Un-Blipped. This would have seamlessly tied together with the Flagsmashers cause with the anger for injustice Sam feels about the government.
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” highlights the true meaning of what it means to be Captain America, and Sam Wilson is modern America’s Captain America. Where the iconic shield will turn up next, no one knows, but this series sets up the future of Cap and restores the legacy Steve Rogers had.
- “Hawkeye”
Clint Barton has always been one of my favorite comic book heroes, so it is safe to assume that for the last few years I have been pretty upset about his lack of characterization. When this series was announced I was pretty apprehensive about where they would take his character. As a long-time fan of Hawkeye, this series redeems the MCU’s Clint Barton for me.
Clint’s deafness is something fans have been angry about for a while. Marvel Studios realized their mistake and finally corrected it in a way that allowed it to happen without forcing a plot point. Being an Avenger comes with lots of risks, head trauma is one possible injury. Hearing loss that comes with the repeated explosions is a good way to incorporate Clint’s hearing loss without trying to convince the audience he has always had it.
Kate Bishop gives the series the bit of fun and humor that it needed. She truly gives the audience the “outsider’s perspective” on the Avengers. Her excited fan energy next to Clint’s “tired dad” energy gives the audience one of the best comedic duos in MCU.
The storyline of the series is one of family and how mistakes can affect the ones you love. How Clint’s dark time as Ronin affects his family is one of the driving factors in the plot. Whereas Kate’s mother’s mistakes with the crime bosses of New York forced her to commit acts that scar Kate for life. One final example of this is the deep friendship between Clint and Natasha Romanoff. “Hawkeye” showcases the true friendship that they had, Clint’s guilt about her death, and how Yelena was affected by it.
Cameos are sprinkled all over the show with all different types of characters making appearances. Maya Lopez as Echo, Jack Duquesne the Swordsman, Kazi Kazimierczak, Agent 19 or Mockingbird as Laura Barton, and the star of the show is Kingpin. The confirmation of Kingpin and Matt Murdock from Marvel Studio’s “Daredevil” is the shining star of cameos.
“Hawkeye” is a show about familial love, overcoming the sins of your past, and growing into the person you were meant to be. Every character feels well-rounded and feels as though they serve a purpose for the story. “Hawkeye” is a love letter to Clint Barton and Kate Bishop that genuinely feels heartfelt and fun.
- “WandaVision”
From the beginning, Wanda Maximoff has been a character that people always thought needed more screentime. Her fiery personality, multiple heartbreaking losses, and intriguing powers made her a perfect candidate for a television series.
I found this series to be the best because it presented two things that the others just did not have – a strong plot and no weak episodes. “WandaVision” played to its advantage by using the mystery of Wanda’s powers. In this series, we finally see the full extent of Wanda’s powers and get the true version of the Scarlet Witch.
There is not a “bad” episode of “WandaVision.” Episodes 1, 2, and 3 draw the audience into this unknown world while revealing very little. Episode 4 gives us our first look into the outside world, while 5 and 6 docs on the ever-evolving dynamics inside the Hex. Episodes 7 and 8 focus on Wanda and her personal story while we see her breaking her illusion in real-time. Episode 8 is the most heartbreaking showing of Wanda’s grief throughout the MCU. The finale is satisfying but leaves the audience empathizing with Wanda’s grief.
The themes in “WandaVision” are some of the most heartfelt of the entire batch of 2021 shows. Grief and how people recover from loss are the main themes that carry throughout the series. In her time in the MCU Wanda has lost her parents, her brother, her friends Natasha and Steve, her husband, and both of her children. The amount of grief she has is so beautifully shown throughout the story while adding a unique Marvel twist.
“WandaVision” caught my attention in the first episode because of the suspense and mystery. The commercial breaks, changes in music, camera angles, and the use of color all brought me back constantly wondering about the small hidden truths they held. Some of the small moments where the camera shifts brought the episodes to life in a way the other series could not quite accomplish.
Though the main character is obviously Wanda Maximoff, “WandaVision” also introduces new characters that are most definitely going to come back into play at some point in the future. Agatha Harkness teaches Wanda how to use her powers in the comics, and Monica Rambeau who later becomes Photon, and Captain Marvel are both confirmed to appear in the MCU again. Two other characters introduced in “WandaVision” are Will and Tommy Maximoff, the sons of Wanda. These two characters are two of the iconic members of the Young Avengers. With Kate Bishop and these two confirmed we could be looking at the Young Avengers sometime soon.
