Category: Features

How Disney+ STAR May Hint at ‘Deadpool 3’ Being a Soft-Reboot for the MCU

Marvel Studios is venturing into new territory with their first R-rated project. The third entry in the Deadpool franchise will continue where the latest left off with the same vulgar we’ve come to love from the character. Yet, unlike the previous entries, we know that this new entry will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe even with the R-rating. Ryan Reynolds will return to tackle the role of the merc with a mouth. As far as we know, he is the only confirmed returning character from the previous films, and it opens up the question if the upcoming threequel will soft reboot the franchise. Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin are hard at work on the script. So, nothing is set in stone for now. Yet, there is a chance that Marvel Studios and Disney may have accidentally hinted that the upcoming Deadpool film will work on its own merits.

A few months ago, Disney+ expanded in specific markets through the STAR brand. It was a gateway for adult and R-rated projects to find their way into the usually family-friendly platform. Marvel already included a variety of the 20th Century films under the tagline “Marvel Legacy.” They had two separate stacks for the films and animated projects. Interestingly enough, the TV shows Legion, Agents of SHIELD, and others are titled “Marvel Live-Action Series.” Now, as you can see in the image below, even though the third entry of Deadpool will be an MCU project, its first entry is classified as a Legacy film in the Disney+ selection.

The list goes out of its way to highlight which projects are part of the MCU. Now, there is a chance that they might not have a placement for Deadpool, as his films tie into the other Legacy films from the X-Men franchise. Yet, that is a loose connection at best, because it seems to take place in the modern era, but we see the cast from X-Men: Apocalypse, which takes place in the 80s. Plus, the second film ended in a sequence where the merc with a mouth jumps through time. If it remains the same character from the previous films, they can easily retcon the character into the main timeline of the MCU as a result of his actions.

So, he still has his fourth-wall-breaking mentality and experience from the previous films, but he ended up screwing the timeline that he ended up breaking through the multiverse. That way, they can write off the previous entries as Legacy films while the third is a soft-reboot into the MCU. It’s just speculation but with the Star Wars Vintage branding separating non-canon Star Wars projects, it seems quite deliberate that it was given the Legacy title. We’ll have to see how they approach the project, as there are rumors of a Hulu Deadpool series in development that may be hinting at a bright and bloody future for the iconic mercenary.

April 14, 2021
Chloe Frazer is the Future of Naughty Dog’s ‘UNCHARTED’

Our last adventure in the world of Uncharted was nearly four years ago, but the drought is almost over. Sony is working on a film adaptation starring Tom Holland later this year. It will serve as a sort of prequel to the games. Also, Naughty Dog may be developing a new installment in the franchise, despite previous comments that the series had concluded. While it’s not surprising that Naughty Dog might have lied about putting the kibosh on Uncharted, the ending (and title) of 2016’s A Thief’s End made it pretty clear that protagonist Nathan Drake’s journey had come to a close.

So, if a new treasure hunting escapade is genuinely on the horizon, it would stand to reason that Drake won’t be at the center of it. Luckily for fans and the developers, the world already has a shining example of what Uncharted could look like without a ruggedly handsome man on the cover. 2017’s DLC-turned-spin-off The Lost Legacy put Nate’s former flame and fellow explorer, Chloe Frazer, on the front lines. Led by a stunning performance from Claudia Black, the character rose to the occasion with such exhilarating independence that one would be forgiven if they forgot Nate existed in the first place. If they want to see the franchise succeed into the future, Naughty Dog should consider Lost Legacy as the blueprint and make Chloe Frazer the new face of Uncharted.

We first got introduced to Chloe in 2009’s Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Her character was a bond girl figure in Nathan Drake’s life. She was the sweat-inducing and morally ambiguous foil to Nate’s goody-two-shoes persona. Plus, she was the obvious losing option in a temporary love triangle between her, Drake, and Elena Fisher. Chloe seemed to be a fairly one-dimensional character at the time. Although she appeared to be a one-off character, her immense popularity with fans led to a short return in Uncharted 3, before her lessening importance in Nate’s life caused her exclusion from the series finale. The epilogue of Uncharted 4 revealed that Nate and Elena would eventually have a spirited daughter. Many of us assumed that Cassie Drake could become the franchise’s future focus. Not long after, Lost Legacy flipped everything on its head.

As it turns out, Chloe is a far more complex character than any of us thought. Much like Nate, she began adventuring to continue the legacy of a deceased parent. Her cocky attitude turned out to be a mask shielding a softer heart that she’s been hiding from the world. As such, her newly-disclosed Indian heritage immediately impacted the tone of the franchise by eliminating the age-old “white savior” factor from play. Instead of a white man entering foreign lands to steal its treasure or even save the indigenous people from the sins of somehow-even-whiter bad guys, we got a woman of color giving her country its property back.

This direction was a wildly refreshing take on the genre. It was a form of representation sorely needed in an entertainment industry usually dominated by the Nathan Drakes, Indiana Jones, and even Lara Crofts of the world. Luckily, Chloe’s story doesn’t have to end with Lost Legacy, which gave her a new outlook on life and a potentially fruitful partnership with former mercenary Nadine Ross. Naughty Dog would be smart to use this as a soft reboot of Uncharted, re-framing the story as a Robin Hood-inspired tale with Chloe at the heart of it. Should the developers insist on making a Drake part of the story, they could always make Frazer the mentor of a rebellious teenage Cassie or make Sam Drake a recurring partner with a looser moral compass.

Naughty Dog may want to bring back Nathan Drake to form marketing synergy with the aforementioned upcoming film. There is no doubt a desire at Sony to launch a franchise with the big-budget movie, and with a star like Holland attached to play Nate, it’s obvious the character won’t be disappearing anytime soon. However, Nate isn’t the only protagonist from the games getting translated to live-action. Up-and-coming actress Sophia Ali is reportedly set to bring Chloe Frazer to life in the film. Dialogue from Among Thieves, and a non-canon comic book, indicates a long history between Nate and Chloe dating back several years. We never got a clear timeline on how their relationship developed. So, the writers and Ali have plenty of room to explore the character’s past. It wouldn’t necessarily betray the information presented in the video games.

Linking what we learn about Chloe as a supporting role in the films with what we uncover about her as the lead in future digital sequels would be an exciting way to keep Holland around while Frazer continues to shine. For example, Tati Gabrielle‘s mystery role could be a romantic or villainous connection to Frazer, who comes back into play in a Lost Legacy follow-up. Ultimately, Sony and Naughty Dog have quite a few options moving forward. They can’t deny the increasing hold Chloe’s exposure is sure to have over the fandom. There isn’t a character in the series’ envelope who deserves it more. So, the companies should lean into the tide and double down on her leading qualities until her journey reaches its natural conclusion, just as Nathan Drake did not that long ago.

Source: IMDb

April 14, 2021
Brian Michael Bendis’ MOON KNIGHT Is Still Worth A Shot

Brian Michael Bendis can be a tough pill to swallow for a lot of readers. For an entire decade, his name ruled the Marvel stratosphere which a lot of fans grew tired of. He wrote an unreal amount of comics, having practically written almost all the mainline Marvel titles over the course of his tenure with the company. His work arguably served as the lynchpin for the creative direction of the company in the years that followed. It was in the Bendis era that the modern Marvel crossover event was introduced which a lot of people perceive to be one of the worst aspects of the industry. His distinct style of decompressing storylines, making them more drawn out than most, and his quippy Sorkin dialogue makes his work all the more polarizing.

As a storyteller, his strengths were always rooted in more grounded street stories. It’s no surprise that Bendis’ big picture stories such as Secret Invasion and Age of Ultron pale in comparison to his street-level stuff. The reason why Ultimate Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Jessica Jones were huge breakout successes is that Bendis has a full grasp of that seedy world. His impeccable skill in understanding the language of crime stories is due in part to his long stint writing film noir comics. So for him to take the reins of Moon Knight seemed like a no-brainer on paper.

Moon Knight has always been a tough cookie to crack. The logline for the character, in my head, has always been, “Fight Club but with Marvel’s Bruce Wayne.” As a character with a multiple personality disorder, a lot of his stories have leaned towards the unconventional. Writers and artists have taken numerous creative liberties in the ways they could tell a story of a superhero with a multiple personality disorder. Some of them are really introspective and almost surreal, like Jeff Lemire and Jordie Bellaire’s take a few years back. Some barely scratch the surface of the comic’s potential and are more action-oriented like Charlie Huston’s run. Bendis’ stuff falls somewhere in between.

This version of Moon Knight was written at a time where Bendis was riding high on his long-tenure with the Avengers. He had just finished a long run with the New Avengers and was beginning a new run under Marvel’s Heroic Age event. In this new event, Steve Rogers was running his own covert ops Avengers team called the Secret Avengers which happened to have Moon Knight on the roster. The character stepping up to the big leagues may explain why Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine are all crammed into a Moon Knight book.

But crammed as they are, there is a twist to them appearing. You see, Moon Knight has three distinct personalities within him: Marc Spector, the main guy and mercenary, Steven Grant, the playboy millionaire, and Jake Lockley, the Taxi Driver who patrols the grimy streets of the criminal underbelly. Bendis nixes Grant and Lockley from this story and instead has Spector interacting with apparitions of Cap, Spidey, and Logan in his head. It’s a wild departure from Spector’s status quo but has its own merits.

For one, I think the whole thing makes the book a fine entry point for the character. As I said, he is already a fringe character, to begin with. His mythology feels far removed from the standard mythos we usually see in marquee characters (a CIA officer getting killed in Egypt but is revived by an Egyptian moon god and develops multiple personalities along the way isn’t an origin story made for normies). His rogue’s gallery is practically unrecognizable even to well-versed fans. Yet, you see this figure cloaked in ivory white cloth hanging out with the most famous Marvel characters, suddenly he’s a guy that you yourself can hang with.

Part of why Moon Knight gets likened to Batman is the high-tech gadgetry at his disposal. He’s got his own moon-themed vehicles, such as the appropriately named Moon Copter. This aspect of the character is on full display in Bendis’ story, albeit in a fresh utilitarian way, as his version of Moon Knight has gadgets that directly correlate with Cap, Spidey, and Logan. He has a web shooter, an energy shield, and collapsible claws on his forearms. This jack-of-all-trades approach to being an Avenger makes for some really interesting fight sequences. They can go in a slew of ways, some good and bad, but overall just makes Bendis’ core premise work on a utilitarian level. Moon Knight having imaginary Avenger friends isn’t a bug, it’s a totally new feature.

Like most New York-based heroes in the Marvel Universe, they’re bound to migrate to a new location at some point for a change of scenery. California seems to be the go-to for these characters. Even Moon Knight joins the fray of West Coast transplants alongside Daredevil (who made the move to San Francisco a bunch of times) and plants himself into Hollywood, where he gets an opportunity to cash in on his mercenary history by creating a TV series around it. It’s wacky as shit and a drastic departure from the character’s more grounded and serious trappings, but an undeniably interesting one. Bendis really does the job of refreshing the character for new audiences.

One thing that he also does in strides, he puts otherwise B-list characters into the forefront of the more popular stories. Bendis did that when he turned Luke Cage and Jessica Drew into full-fledged Avengers. He’s somewhat doing it here by bringing back long-forgotten Avengers baddie, Count Nefaria, and Echo, Daredevil characters he used during his Avengers run. Anytime an under-utilized character gets pushed into the limelight is always something I appreciate.

The actual plot of this 12-issue comic is, sadly, half-baked. Unfortunately, Bendis doesn’t reach the highs of his other street-level fare with Moon Knight. I think there simply just wasn’t enough meat in the story. As the story goes: Moon Knight discovers that a new crime boss is slowly making their play for Los Angeles. His investigation leads him to the McGuffin of the story: a smuggled head of Ultron. You’d think that in a span of 12-issues, Bendis would delve deep into the complexities of the underbelly of LA and give us a neo-noir hardboiled thriller disguised as a Moon Knight story, but the whole thing ends up whiffing into a plodding story.

Bendis‘s worst habits are on full display in Moon Knight. For one, this is a very slow-paced story. During his pitch-perfect Daredevil run, Matt Murdock would have already gone to hell and back in just a handful of issues. In twelve issues, Moon Knight just kinda lumbers to solve this one case. There’s barely any intrigue to what could otherwise be a really good hardboiled detective story. There’s a fish-out-of-the-water premise to the whole thing that is interesting but doesn’t get explored in any meaningful way. It’s not outright terrible but very little happens in a story with a lot of real estate spread out. I’ve seen writers do more with so much less. It certainly doesn’t help that the story’s ending is a hamfisted tie-in to Bendis’ then-upcoming Age of Ultron event (which ended up being a hot pile of a mess too).

Despite all this, I still think this book is still worth looking at. It’s far from the best Moon Knight run on the market. Several writers have proven that there is more to the character than the generic Fight Club logline I mentioned. But as rough as it can get, a lot of Bendis’s ideas have a cinematic flair to them. It’s no surprise that next to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, he has the most Marvel creations to ever make it into the live-action realm. His ideas, regardless of execution, resonate well in this modern franchise-driven world we live in. I think using Echo as a foil to Marc Spector is a great choice. I don’t necessarily agree with how Bendis writes Echo at a later point in the story but anytime Echo shows up, I love it. Count Nefaria is in the annals of Avengers history as one of the team’s most vicious villains. The fact that he’s a big bad, in a Moon Knight story no less, is pretty damn fun. I’d love to see Echo and Nefaria in the Moon Knight show.

Lastly, I wanna talk about Alex Maleev’s art. Even the story description didn’t quite work for you, the art of this book alone makes it worth looking at. I’ve long celebrated Maleev as the greatest artist to ever draw Daredevil (sorry, Frank). So, to see him do another street character like Moon Knight is unreal. He has a full grasp of this grimy world’s visual language. His panels always feel huge and grand despite it being set intimately on the ground level. Maleev’s vision is concretely bleak and rustic and brings to life a world in the Marvel Universe unlike any other.

April 14, 2021
‘MORTAL KOMBAT’: A Beginner’s Guide to Every Kombatant

The release of Warner Bros.’ Mortal Kombat reboot is fast approaching. While die-hard fans of the infamously bloody franchise are no doubt excited to see their favorite fighters on the big (or small) screen, newcomers may be feeling a little overwhelmed by the wealth of over-the-top characters included in the film. Luckily, dissecting fictional universes is what we at Murphy’s Multiverse do best, and I’ve taken the liberty of breaking down every person, half-person, and monster confirmed to pop up in the movie. Welcome to the tournament and here are its combatants:

Cole Young

Cole, played by Lewis Tan, is the outlier on this list. As far as we know, Mortal Kombat‘s main protagonist is an original character created for the film. According to Entertainment Weekly, Young is a washed-up MMA fighter with little knowledge of his heritage. He has a mysterious birthmark in the shape of the Mortal Kombat tournament’s logo on his chest and a major chip on his shoulder. Down-on-his-luck, he finds himself pulled into the world of MK when Shang Tsung sends Sub-Zero to hunt him down, but his story after that is still a giant question mark. Although, we may have some ideas on that.

Scorpion

Mortal Kombat‘s mascot, and by far the most famous character of the bunch, is an undead warrior hell-bent on revenge. Born Hanzo Hasashi, he became the greatest warrior in the Shirai Ryu ninja clan, an off-shoot of the storied Lin Kuei clan. During a raid on his village by the bitter Lin Kuei, Hanzo and his family got slain by Sub-Zero. Luckily for Hasashi, he was resurrected by the evil sorcerer Quan Chi as a specter from the Netherrealm and given a second chance at evening the score. He enters the tournament to face his rival and eventually succeeds in killing him. After completing his initial task, Scorpion spends the rest of his existence balancing attempts at a peaceful life with rage-induced killing sprees against those who’ve wronged him. Along with Sub-Zero, the character has appeared in every installment in the series. Hiroyuki Sanada will wield the character’s iconic kunai when the movie premieres.

Sub-Zero

As one of the franchise’s most iconic characters, Sub-Zero is a respected member of the Lin Kuei clan with the ability to harness ice as both a tool and a weapon. The first Sub-Zero, and the one in the movie, was Bi-Han, a cold-hearted assassin who murdered Hanzo Hasashi and his family in cold blood. After Hasashi’s resurrection as Scorpion, the two became embroiled in an intense rivalry. The feud made its way to the Mortal Kombat tournament, where Scorpion would eventually get his long-awaited revenge. After his death, Bi-Han’s younger brother would take up the Sub-Zero name and Scorpion rivalry as a more honorable version of the character, while Bi-Han himself would become a ghostly wraith known as Noob Saibot. Joe Taslim will don the blue armor as the film’s main antagonist.

Liu Kang

The original series protagonist. 1992’s debut Mortal Kombat game introduced Liu Kang as an honorable Shaolin monk. He finds himself recruited to fight in the tournament when its previous champion, Goro, and host, Shang Tsung, threaten Earth’s existence. Kang defeats them both and becomes the new Mortal Kombat champion, falling in love with the princess Kitana along the way. He returns as the protagonist and becomes champion for the first four games in the franchise. Kang defeats the likes of both world-conqueror Shao Khan and evil sorcerer Shinnok. Although he eventually takes a back seat to allow new characters to shine, as he has remained a staple in almost every iteration and installment of the series. Oh, and sometimes he can turn himself into a giant fire dragon. Ludi Lin will play Kang in the upcoming movie.

Shang Tsung

Shang Tsung is an evil sorcerer intent on stealing the souls of the tournament’s victims. He uses the souls to maintain a youthful visage and temporarily steal their inherent abilities. He spent 500 years as the host of Mortal Kombat on his private island, with Goro as his champion and Shao Khan as his only master. He came close to allowing Khan to conquer Earth but was finally defeated in combat by Liu Kang and removed from his position as head of the tournament. Following this, he spends much of the series on the sidelines, concocting nefarious schemes and continuing to serve the Khan in exchange for his eternal life. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played the character in the original Mortal Kombat from 1995. Chin Han is taking over for the reboot.

Sonya Blade

Sonya is a no-nonsense member of the United States Special Forces. Alongside her partner, Jax Briggs, she formed an intense rivalry with the Black Dragon crime organization and its top mercenary, Kano. Her pursuit of Earth’s scum led her to Shang Tsung’s island, where she got forced to participate in the tournament. Her military training allowed her to assist Liu Kang in becoming champion, and she found her tough exterior cracked by the romantic advances of cocky movie star Johnny Cage. Since then, Blade has committed her career to defending Earth from otherworldly threats, settling scores, and even starting a family along the way. She will be portrayed on screen by Jessica McNamee.

Raiden

Raiden is the assigned protector of Earthrealm and the franchise’s resident thunder god. The original game saw Raiden join the Mortal Kombat tournament to save his realm from Shang Tsung. After Liu Kang’s victory, he became an advisor of sorts to the heroes of Earth. He spends much of the series stoically guiding protagonists through their problems, stepping in to shoot some lightning when need be. Though recent entries have taken the character down a darker conflicted path, it seems the movie will stick to the lighter version we know and love. Tadanobu Asano will tackle the godly role in the upcoming film.

Kano

A threat from down under, Kano is the leader and top mercenary of the Black Dragon crime organization. His skill with a knife and an array of cybernetic enhancements, like his laser eye and the ability to turn himself into a spinning death ball on occasion, allow him to be a formidable fighter when he needs to be. Kano originally joined the tournament in search of riches on Earth but quickly found himself taking advantage of his newfound connections to become a real player in Outworld’s criminal underworld as well. He’s been everything from a general in Shao Khan’s army to a secret Special Forces informant, but one thing has remained consistent: Kano is the scum of the Earth. Josh Lawson will take on the role of the film.

Jax Briggs

Jax is Sonya Blade’s faithful and physically imposing Special Forces partner. He first appears in 1993’s Mortal Kombat II, venturing into Outworld to save a captured Blade. He quickly becomes a mainstay, joining his partner as one of Raiden’s chosen warriors to protect Earth. His larger-than-life personality, inspired by Marvel’s Luke Cage, is complemented by powerful robotic arms fitted to enhance his favored style of combat – boxing. It already looks like the movie will take liberties with his origins (the trailer shows Sub-Zero removing his organic arms). Mehcad Brooks‘ performance seems like it will bring the same energy that made the character lovable in the games.

Kung Lao

He is Liu Kang’s best friend and a fellow member of the Shaolin monks. He is the last living ancestor of the Great Kung Lao, the former Mortal Kombat champion who lost his life to Goro and Shang Tsung 500 years prior. Known to be every bit as honorable as Liu Kang, his ultimate goal is to find eternal peace on Earth, and he often chooses the route of non-violence when possible. Despite this, he is well-known to be a deadly combatant with the aid of his razor-tipped hat and extreme proficiency in martial arts. Max Huang will embody the role on screen.

Mileena

She is the monstrous clone of Princess Kitana. After conquering the realm of Edenia, Shao Khan took the former ruler’s family as his own. Fearing his newly adopted daughter would eventually rebel (she did), he created a more loyal copy with the essence of both Kitana and a warrior from the terrifying Tarkatan race. Known as Mileena, the disfigured clone was raised as Kitana’s sister until her taste for flesh and violent tendencies turned her into an efficient assassin. Though Kitana has not gotten confirmed yet to appear in the film, Sisi Stringer will bring her evil counterpart to life.

Kabal

He is one of the more minor characters appearing in the movie. Kabal is an on-again-off-again member of the Black Dragon crime organization. The Black Dragon member got introduced as a reformed mercenary in Mortal Kombat 3, who used his expertise with hook swords and surprising super-speed abilities to act as both a hero and a villain of Earthrealm. He was renowned for his intense body scars, which resulted from an attack by Shao Khan. It left him reliant on high-tech respirators for survival. A man of few words, he will be played by stunt actor Daniel Nelson in live-action with Damon Herriman providing his voice.

Nitara

A winged vampiress, Nitara is a freedom fighter masked by a haunting facade. Only making a handful of appearances in the franchise, the character is an inhabitant of Outworld hell-bent on freeing her homeworld from its unwanted bond with Shao Khan’s empire. Elissa Cadwell and Mel Jarnson will team up for Nitara’s cinematic debut.

Goro

He is a prince and the reigning Mortal Kombat champion for 500 years. This four-armed beast became the brawn to match Shang Tsung’s brain and helped place a stronghold on the fighting tournament to take over Earth. After centuries of easily vanquishing opponents ill-equipped to deal with his hulking frame, Goro finally tasted defeat at the hands of Liu Kang. He would return, however, as one of Shao Khan’s favored warriors. Goro would consistently be a threat to the heroes of Earth. Angus Sampson will voice the Shokan in the movie.

Reiko

For all you Justice League fans out there, Reiko is the Steppenwolf to Shao Khan’s Darkseid. The leading general in Outworld’s world-conquering army, Reiko has a knack for brutalities with a variety of large weaponry. He possesses a brilliant strategic mind despite looking like a cliché meathead. There was once a fan theory that Reiko and Khan were one-in-the-same, and though the games have since proved it to be false, I wouldn’t put it past the upcoming film to adapt the theory into a reality. Especially with Khan look-alike Nathan Jones in the Reiko role.

Reptile

This guy didn’t get confirmed for the movie, but the first trailer included some footage of a lizard creature that looks a lot like him. So, I’ll keep you informed just in case. Reptile is one of the last remaining members of his species. They were wiped from the map by Shao Khan. He became a sort of Grima Wormtongue-type slimeball character (you’re welcome, LOTR fans) who serves Khan in the hopes that the conqueror will bring his race back to life. Often underestimated by his opponents, Reptile has many natural abilities that help him in a scrap, including sharp claws and venom spit. If it is Reptile in the film, it’s unknown who is playing him.

Source: IMDb

April 13, 2021
‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’: Sam Wilson’s Time is Now

“My world doesn’t matter to America, so why should I care about its mascot?”

Through three episodes, I kept asking myself “why did Steve pick Sam to wield the shield?”, and at the end of this episode, I FINALLY understood. When Dr. Abraham Erskine created the Super Soldier serum, he told Steve that it was not that he was a better soldier that made him the ideal choice over Hodge but that he was a fundamentally better person. Through his time in the MCU, Captain America’s arc was driven by two things: his willingness to be a better person regardless of the consequences and his constant belief in people. Sam Wilson, in this episode and really the entire series so far, displayed that in spades. He doesn’t want to break Zemo out, he wants to help Sharon, and, yes like Steve, he believes in Bucky. He doesn’t want to see the Dora Milaje beat up Walker; he, also, doesn’t want to beat him up himself despite Walker antagonizing him. This episode gave us our first confirmation that Sam was really the best person to wield the shield in a post-Steve Rogers world. What stood out was that the moment that solidified it came after some micro and macro-aggressions.

At this point, the Flag Smashers have been cast in an ambiguous light. More revolutionaries than terrorists, their goal is to ensure that everybody has what they need. That’s an equity lens if I’ve ever seen one, and them bombing a location in order to achieve that goal is no different than the Black Panthers being ready to kill law enforcement if need be. By any means necessary didn’t mean “except for violence” when uttered by Malcolm X, and Karli’s decision to use violence doesn’t suddenly make her a supremacist. Movements led by people who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) tend to always be labeled as such, and it was nice to see Sam push back when Zemo pointed that out: none of us are free if we’re all not free and all that. It reminded me of Steve Rogers’s willingness to trust Wanda Maximoff in Age of Ultron and to defend her when Tony Stark labeled her a weapon of mass destruction. Steve didn’t have to want to help Wanda the same way Sam didn’t have to want to help Karli, but they both chose to try because of who they are. Yet Walker is so blinded by a hate that had really been on the surface for most of the show but now really came out when a Black woman proceeded to wash him all over Zemo’s villa.

The writers gave Walker a Black partner and a Black colleague and, yet, in interactions with Sam you could tell he viewed Sam as lesser than him. When he referred to Wilson as Cap’s sidekick? Check. When he told Wilson to stay out of his way? Check. When he refused to acknowledge Cap’s last wish regarding who would get the shield? Check. All of this despite the fact that Sam’s military prowess is the stuff of legend, as highlighted by Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and that they both enlisted to serve their country. That didn’t seem good enough for Walker, who has spent the entire series genuinely being annoyed at Sam. Our own Anthony Canton highlighted what finally broke Walker in this episode and I keep coming back to him not being able to punch his way through a Black woman. He thought he could flex his symbol in front of Ayo, a warrior from the Country that is responsible for that symbol existing. Steve respected T’Challa enough to call him “Your Highness” and it’s no accident that the first person through the portals in Endgame is the King of Wakanda: there is a nod of acknowledgment and respect from T’Challa to Cap because Cap had succeeded in bringing them back. Sam was there too, flying in out of the Wakandan portal with Ayo and the Dora Milaje, so there is that level of respect there as well. Walker doesn’t seem to pick up on it, to be generous, or he just doesn’t care, to be frank, and ceremoniously gets his ass kicked. When Bucky intervenes, Ayo proceeds to take his arm right off. A fate worse than beating him up, to be honest, because it serves as a reminder to Bucky that his loyalty should’ve been to the Wakandans and the woman who had a hand in giving him back his humanity. All Walker can say is “they weren’t even super soldiers”, and it’s in THIS moment that we get confirmation that Walker really never understood what made Steve a Super Soldier. The Dora Milaje didn’t need strength or a serum: they were there on a rightful mission to bring Zemo to justice, and Walker couldn’t fathom being both told what to do and then subsequently getting beaten up by a Black woman. This pushes him to the brink, despite Sam trying to reason with him beforehand.

The final straw, as Anthony mentioned, would seem to be Battlestar being killed by Karli. However, I don’t think its that at all: its that Sam tried to reason with Karli first instead of letting him handle it. It’s Sam taking the lead despite Walker being Captain America. It’s Sam being given the shield in the first place despite Walker feeling like he was more qualified. It was Sam not staying out of his way and not willing to work for him that set Walker off to the point where he killed a man of color in broad daylight with the whole world watching. As the Derek Chauvin trial is occurring, another white man who murdered a man of color in broad daylight, we are treated to a pan of people with their camera phones out recording the entire thing as art mirrors life. What we land on is Walker holding the shield that doesn’t belong to him as it’s covered in the blood of a revolutionary. Forget for a second that Zemo has escaped and that Sharon Carter has access to a satellite: the takeaway from this episode should be that Walker, in his anger, killed an innocent man of color in broad daylight because he couldn’t stomach his own insecurities without the serum and ended up taking it. Erskine said the serum magnifies who you are: we saw that with Emil Blonsky in The Incredible Hulk, and this seems to be no different as we see a man with insecurities try to circumvent them with something they don’t fully understand.

Sam looks on shocked at the symbol his friend gave him is no longer representative of what Steve meant. Sam has tried his hardest to carve his own path, but all along he was very much the person Steve saw when he handed him the shield. Walker spent the entire episode reminding us why Sam was the best choice and, like Steve, he just wanted to do the right thing. How often have people of color been brought in to clean up the mess that a beloved bigot makes? Our country is littered with moments like these in recent memory alone, and this show has done a really good job of touching on these themes without making it overt. You have to make it palatable, I guess, but every BIPOC person I know can relate to that very moment when Sam is looking at Walker. It’s the realization that the country you try and save still will lift up the worst version of you in your place.

Sam’s world may not matter to America, but he’s about to become its mascot.

April 12, 2021
‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: John Walker Comes Undone

In the second episode of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Lemar Hoskins chats with John Walker. They discuss the weight of taking on the mantle of Captain America. It is the first time we get a feeling of the pressure on Walker’s shoulders. It is a brief look into his humanity before he wears the legacy left behind by Steve Rogers. The most poignant line spoken was when Lemar pointed out his war buddy:

You can’t just punch your way out of problems anymore, you know?

How different that line hits now. As the whole world is watching, John forgets Lemar’s lesson in a blind rage. He’s caught on camera brutally killing a member of the Flag-Smashers. John Walker was trying so hard to be like Steve Rogers that he ended up becoming something else entirely.

When we think about who Steve Rogers is and why he got idolized so much, we’re always presented with his unwavering penchant to do the right thing. He’s willing to give up his life to save Bucky from Hydra. It’s the willingness to make sure not only Hydra but S.H.I.E.L.D. all goes down. It never mattered about how he was perceived or the narrative. As Dr. Erskine points out in Captain America: The First Avenger, there was an important reason why he got the serum, to begin with:

Bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man, who has known power all his life, will lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength and knows compassion.

Walker is a classic strong man who has known power all his life. MIT even studied his body. So, of course, the government saw him as the perfect replacement for Steve Rogers. It is that perception that John not only feeds into but allows to consume him. It’s the way his insecurities come into play when Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes don’t want to work with him. You feel the need to prove something to himself and the world that Steve never exhibited.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely is the saying, and John Walker taking the serum is the culmination of letting perception be his guide. The embarrassment of being soundly defeated by the Dora Milaje was the point that his inner demons took over. It echoed the words spoken by Zemo in a conversation with Sam, as they discussed if he would ever take the serum if he had the choice.

The desire to become a superhuman cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Anyone with that serum is inherently on that path.

In a way, one could downplay the events. John was taking vengeance for the death of his best friend. Yet, he was headed down this road long before. It was just an accelerant. His thirst for power, which is unchecked, was always leading him down this path. The idea that Walker decided to escalate a situation that Sam was trying to deescalate. It is something that Steve Rogers would never do. Captain America: Civil War echoes the importance of these events. In a fight for his life, Steve could’ve killed Tony Stark, who was in a rage after finding out Bucky was behind his parent’s death. Steve had gotten the better of the fight and finished Tony by slamming the shield into his arc reactor. However, he never went through with it. John was not in the same scenario, but there was a choice. His anger overtook him as he killed Nico.

The episode ends with John holding a bloody shield after he showed the world his true colors. Lemar prophetically says when John asks about taking the serum. John asks the questions that Steve always had the answer to. Captain America was never about the shield but the person behind it. John Walker wanted to be Steve Rogers so desperately that he becomes something darker and uncompromising. His actions have left their mark on the symbol that once had the weight of the world on it.

April 11, 2021
How ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Opened Darker Avenues for MCU’s Legacy Characters

The following article will include spoilers for the latest episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Only continue at your own risk if you haven’t seen it yet.

Marvel Studios has made an essential move with the latest episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. At one point, it was going to be the first Disney+ show based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe to release. As fate wanted it, WandaVision took over that position and gave us a very experimental series exploring grief through unconventional ways. It opened up the question of what Sam and Bucky’s story might add to expand the ever-expanding world. The latest episode may have set a new potential within the universe that could echo throughout other shows and films. We were introduced to the first legacy character to go off the deep end.

The MCU is no stranger to the concept of legacy characters. Hank Pym passed on the mantle of Ant-Man to Scott Lang to ensure his research wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. Lang was a thief, but he was a good person at heart. The entire point of Spider-Man: Far From Home was for Spider-Man to escape the legacy that the world was trying to force upon him. In a way, he was his protégé. It made sense that he could take on the mantle, but he was Spider-Man, not Iron Man. Avengers: Endgame was the first official passing of a torch when Steve gave Sam his shield.

Yet, just like Peter, Sam didn’t want the legacy. His unwillingness led to the mantle landing in the hands of John Walker. In reality, it landed in the hands of the government. It was a new legacy getting continued without any involvement of the old. John Walker didn’t know or interact with Steve. There is a reason he wanted Sam to join his side. He’s not carrying the legacy of the person. In his hands is only the symbol. They don’t have much say in their carrier. They can easily become a means to an end. Yet, they also have weight. Without the guidance of those that came before, it can easily pull one down. It was very evident that the title of Captain America did that.

The echoes of this misdeed will besmirch the shield and what it stands for. Yet, it also sets a precedent that the heroes’ iconic titles aren’t safe. Kate Bishop’s upcoming role in Hawkeye does not exclude the possibility of her facing some demons along the way. It won’t be as easy as Scott stealing the suit and getting welcomed to take on the role long-term. It’ll be a harrowing journey for some. It also opens up the possibility that not every legacy character will carry on the mantle in a positive light. We’ve been theorizing that Black Widow would see Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova take on Natasha’s title. Yet, it doesn’t mean she will become an Avenger. She may have a darker road ahead of her than we might expect at first. Her paths might even cross with this newly formed agent of the United States.

April 10, 2021
Theory Thursday: ‘My Hero Academia’s’ Final Arc May Not Be The End After All

My Hero Academia‘s 306th chapter indicated that the story of Izuku Midoriya and Class 1A could be coming to an end. As the manga enters its final arc after a 300+ chapter-long story, fans have been pretty vocal regarding the possibility of the series’ ending. Of course, rumors came to a cusp when the author and creator, Kōhei Horikoshi, commented on the series possibly heading towards its conclusion during an interview in Jump Festa 2021. It looks like a recent statement may hint at a future beyond the final arc. The release of the manga’s 30th volume in Japan included an afterword by the author. He addresses his original plans for the series and what is in store for the future. Check out the original Japanese afterword below, posted by Twitter user @kylescouter.

"MHA was originally supposed to end in around vol.30"
Kohei Horikoshi says in the afterword of vol.30.

Thank you for not ending it at vol.30…
Please take care of yourself and continue the series😭#MyHeroAcademia #ヒロアカ pic.twitter.com/vqYhBBL3y5

— Kyle Scouter (@kylescouter) April 2, 2021

One of our Knowhere Discord members, Randy, was kind enough to translate the original afterword to the best of his ability and this is what his translation stated:

THE AFTERWORD:

And so we come to issue 30. Before I had felt like just writing, and initially I was planning on writing 30 issues and ending the series, yet as I have written and drawn these last few issues I have surprised even myself. For the first volume/issue for the time I have worked on this, I have been enjoying fighting the good fight and the main story will continue! I wish you continued peace and blessings and thank you for this opportunity.”

Translations can be a fickle thing. They can easily get misinterpreted, or parts of the text end up lost in translation. As such, I also contacted a friend who works as a translator. They were able to transcribe the afterword to offer an additional comparison point. This way, we have another translation to make sure.

A portion of the translation varies a bit, but much of the context remains the same. Horikoshi first addresses the statements he made in 2018 about his original plans for the My Hero Academia story to end around the 30th manga volume. He talks about how he’s surprised that the manga has gone on for this long. Now the 4th line is where the two translations start to get a little bit mixed up, as they both talk about a battle or a fight. I am going to lean heavily on the second translation, as it does refer to a specific line in the afterword of the previous volume where Horikoshi thanked those who have “read the manga and hope they can enjoy its end.” The final line reads that the main story will continue, and he thanks everyone for supporting the series.

This afterword can get interpreted in multiple ways. I believe that the manga has entered into the final arc of its story, but it could easily take more than a year until it ends. We’ve learned that lesson from Shie Hassaikai Arc and the Paranormal Liberation War Arc. Also, this doesn’t mean that Izuku Midoriya’s story will end right there and then. Writers are often vague with what they say, and more often than not, plans tend to change when one writes. The My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising film is a perfect example. Director Kenji Nagasaki talked about how the film used the original ending written by Horikoshi.

Not only that, but there are far too many plot threads left hanging from the main story that is worth exploring, and most might not get the attention they deserve in this final arc. If you want to read up on how I think the series may end, check out the Theory Thursday article we posted earlier today regarding Izuku’s Vigilante Arc. So we can assume that My Hero Academia is still set to continue for the time being. However, whether Izuku Midoriya continues his story under the My Hero Academia brand or through a new title, that’s up to Kōhei Horikoshi.

Source: Twitter, Comic Book, Twitter (Kenji Nagasaki)

April 8, 2021
‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER’ Episode 4 Primer

I can’t be the only one who really likes the new episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. I also can’t be the only one who thought that Madripoor was CRAZY! Sam, Bucky, and Zemo get in to trouble very quickly, but somehow get bailed out by Sharon Carter. Sharon has been on the run since Captain America: Civil War, and isn’t very thrilled to see them at first. She has definitely gotten on the criminal side of things and, because of that, gets them to the doctor who recreated the serum. Dr. Nagel’s scenes were very important because he is the only guy who has been able to recreate the Super Soldier serum. Nagel’s lines strongly suggest that he used Isaiah’s blood and inidcate that there are still 12 vials still out there. The boys are back to looking for Karli and the Flag-Smashers, Karli has gone too far by killing a bunch of people for no logical reason. As the episode wraps, Ayo reveals that the Wakandans are looking to get their hands on Zemo, the murderer of their previous King.

Zemo is never willing to work with other people, so why is he helping Sam and Bucky? There were several times where he could’ve run off but he didn’t, so he must be somehow benefitting from sticking around. This episode leans very heavily in the direction of Sharon possibly being the Power Broker. If she is, why? Is she working by herself? Or is she tied up into the government somehow in some sort of Winter Soldier-Hydra level conspiracy? We know that Walker and Hoskins are going after the Flag-Smashers by tracking Bucky and Sam. We also see that Hoskins may be the only one thing that is stopping Walker from going crazy, but what happens if Hoskins is taken out of the equation?

Arlyn’s Assumptions

Lamar Hoskins/Battlestar has been the one keeping Walker’s emotions balanced, I am concerned about his health in this next episode. We have set pictures of Walker maybe killing someone with a shield. We have another picture of him on his knees, possibly crying because he realizes what he did with the shield. Hoskins has been there to balance out Walker so far; losing him could easily be the thing that pushes Walker over the edge. As great as Clé Bennett has been as Battlestar, I’m afraid this might be his last episode.

The next episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier streams tomorrow.

April 8, 2021
Theory Thursday: Exploring ‘My Hero Academia’s Final Arc

“The Final Arc Begins” was the title for chapter #306 of My Hero Academia. As the manga appears to be reaching its end, fans from all over the world have shared mixed feelings about the worldwide phenomenon concluding so soon. Some believe it’s far too early for Izuku Midoriya’s story to end. After the last arc’s ending, there is a lot of excitement about how the story will conclude. Right now, we are only two chapters in without much information on where it is heading. As the new chapter set to arrive on Sunday on the next edition of Shonen Jump, I wanted to take my shot at predicting how this final arc could play out and ultimately how the story could end. If you only actively watch the anime and have not yet read the manga, consider this your SPOILER WARNING.

Why did I name the final arc the Vigilante Arc? As of chapter #306, faith in heroes has waivered. Most of the pro heroes are either out of commission, still recovering, or retired at this point. The events of the Paranormal Liberation War Arc have left a deep scar in the hero community. Many believe that heroes are now unable to handle the attacks of the villains. As a temporary solution, the next generation of heroes is being called upon to rise to the challenge where pro heroes cannot. Since then, Izuku Midoriya left UA High School. Shortly before he did, he left a note to all of his classmates informing them about his decision to protect the people he loves, as well as explaining his quirk “One for All.” He even reveals his connections to All Might, All for One, and Tomura Shigaraki.

Deku VS the World

If we base ourselves on what has transpired in the last two chapters, we can deduce that “Deku” has been taking on villains on his own since he left UA in March. This decision would make Izuku a vigilante by the Hero Commission’s standards. Since the commission does not discriminate between a villain and a vigilante, both individuals violate Hero Law and must get prosecuted as the same.
It’s April in the manga, which means this is the month where Class 1A will finish their first year. The next couple of chapters will most likely showcase Izuku’s rematch with Jailbreaker, but these events will certainly not go unnoticed in the hero world. Such a high-profile villain is a high priority for heroes to detain. There is no doubt in my mind that his classmates will intervene in the attack as a sort of final exam for the class. This action would bring about the reunion of Izuku and Class 1A since his departure from UA. And what exactly might occur after everything that’s happened?

Deku VS Class 1-A

Izuku is depressed right now. He believes that everything that has transpired is because of him. So, he will want to seek atonement by going rogue and fix everything as a lone wolf. His class will not agree with him and will try to convince Izuku to return to UA to complete his training. This clash of ideals could lead to a bittersweet encounter and force Class 1A to take on Izuku. In a way, he has connected with his classmates and inspired them to become better heroes. Now, it’s time for Class 1A to repay the debt. This showdown could also lead to a final encounter between Deku and Bakugo, where his rival could have a heart-to-heart with Izuku. Even with their history, they’ve gone through enough together since they joined UA. He might even convince him to stay, thus bringing about his character development full circle.

I believe that by the end of the manga, Izuku Midoriya will be convinced to return to UA to finish his training, thus bringing an end to the story of the First Year. Does this mean it’s the end of My Hero Academia? I believe it will. Will it end Izuku Midoriya’s story? I doubt it, as it’s only just the beginning. We still have quite a few plot threads that need answers and could be expanded into new stories down the line. Not only that, but we still need to find out how he becomes “the greatest hero,” as his future self teased when the series started. So more likely than not, there is a possibility that Izuku and the rest of 1A’s story could get continued as part of a sequel manga story, similar to how Naruto had a sequel titled Naruto: Shippuden. I guess only time will tell if, even as some hints may be pointing towards the future.

April 8, 2021