Murphy's Multiverse

Category: Features

  • ‘AGE OF ULTRON’ is All About Demons and ‘WANDAVISION’ Will Be Too

    ‘AGE OF ULTRON’ is All About Demons and ‘WANDAVISION’ Will Be Too

    The latest episode of Marvel’s WandaVision may have been packaged with a hidden teaser for the show’s future that most of us weren’t even looking for. So far, Marvel Studios’ maiden foray into the world of television has come without the creative giant’s customary post-credit scenes. You know, those minute-long tidbits that lead us to linger several moments in the theater for a peak at what’s to come? Well, the third episode of the series, “Now in Color”, didn’t have one of those little scenes, but the credits did finish with a bit of a recommendation. It seems Marvel was really hoping you’d give up a little time to watch Avengers: Age of Ultron before you continue along with the mind-bending adventures of Vision and the Scarlet Witch.

    *Spoilers for WandaVision*

    There are a lot of simple reasons why Disney+’s algorithm may have decided to advertise the second Avengers film at the conclusion of that WandaVision episode. After all, Age of Ultron was the Marvel Cinematic Universe project that introduced both Wanda Maximoff and Vision, and “Now in Color” contained a major reference to the climax of the film, with “Geraldine” commenting on the death of Pietro Maximoff at the cold, metallic hands of Ultron himself. The more interesting explanation, however, could be that WandaVision will make an effort to continue the major theme of Ultron; confronting demons. Eventually maybe literally, but for now, I just mean figuratively. One of the major plot points of Wanda Maximoff’s debut appearance is her ability to mess with other people’s minds, forcing them into dream-like states they can’t escape. The unfortunate souls on the receiving end of this magic travel ticket find themselves facing down their deepest, darkest fears and insecurities. Of course, we’re still a long way off from finding out what’s really going on with Wanda in her current starring vehicle, but if Marvel is actually trying to tell us something with that sneaky “watch next” suggestion, it would make a lot of sense for it to have something to do with the dream-world power we haven’t seen in action since 2015.

    Thus far on WandaVision, we’ve seen Wanda doing her best to live a happy life in a picture perfect town. And yet, despite her best efforts, she’s occasionally put in the position of preventing the real world (because I think it’s safe to assume Westview isn’t real) from seeping in. It seems clear she’s giving the age-old tactic of suppressing trauma the old college try. Unfortunately for her, conventional storytelling would indicate she won’t be able to do it much longer. At that point, in my opinion, WandaVision is going to pick up where Age of Ultron left off, and Wanda is going to have to face all those demons if she wants to survive herself. Now, let me turn your attention to the film that brought us here.

    The subtle genius behind the Avengers sequel script is the way it inverts the objective of the previous film to become a little more personal. Whereas the original is a story of our heroes learning to cope with each other to function as a team, the sequel is about them learning to cope with themselves in order to continue functioning. Over the course of the movie’s two and a half hour runtime, each prominent character is forced to confront their greatest personal demon, via some witchy business, and attempt to come out the other side better for it. And you know what? It’s all done brilliantly. It turns out that, just like Disney+, I think you should rewatch Avengers: Age of Ultron, and you should do it with this theme of personal demons in mind. I think it just might change how you see the MCU’s Phase Two. Here’s a quick rundown of what goes on for each major player in Ultron, according to the topic, so you can keep it in mind when you hit play (presented in pairs, for convenience).

    Iron Man & Ultron – Ego

    This is the obvious one, so let’s get it out of the way. Tony Stark’s greatest demon is his own ego, or more specifically, his narcissism. He holds a firm belief that he is the only person who can truly save the world, permanently, and if he doesn’t, everyone’s deaths will be on him. This is apparent in several spots over the course of the story. His Wanda-induced nightmare features Cap directly telling Tony that he failed the world, and he goes as far as to tell Nick Fury that the Avengers have found themselves at the end of a path he started them on. So, the man creates Ultron, a literal manifestation of his own overcompensation. He basically gives his ego a body. Ultron also firmly believes only he can save the world, to the point of operating with an army comprised entirely of himself. The lesson Tony learns from all of this is that sometimes he needs to listen to the advice of others, and it’s this acceptance of teamwork that leads to Ultron’s defeat. Oh, and in the spirit of inverse, the movie even goes an extra length to present Stark as Ultron’s demon, in oedipal fashion.

    Captain America & Thor – Destiny

    Steve Rogers and Thor Odinson have perhaps one of the most unique relationships in the MCU. Aside from their now famous moments of mid-battle banter, both are soldiers who feel somewhat displaced. Rogers is a man forced out of his own time, while Odinson is a god who feels most at home among mortals. Age of Ultron plays off of this dynamic splendidly, as the two Avengers find themselves facing a crisis of destiny. Their nightmare sequences find them both at parties in locations they know they should call home. Cap hallucinates a group of WWII soldiers slain in war, whom he feels he should have been around to protect, and the love of his life still begging him for a dance. Thor finds Heimdall waiting for him with a foreboding message of a coming doomsday the God of Thunder is not around to prevent. The duo spend the film carrying with them the weight of guilt, contemplating whether they have cheated themselves out of their intended fates, and whether or not those they care about have suffered because of it. The difference between the two arcs is that while Thor struggles with his future, Rogers struggles with his inability to change the past. Ultimately, Steve commits to building a life in the present, accepting his role as a modern soldier, and Thor realizes that saving Asgard might be the key to saving all Nine Realms.

    Black Widow & Hulk – Humanity

    A tale of two people who see themselves as monsters. Natasha Romanoff, because she was once willing to sacrifice her future in order to become a better killer, and Bruce Banner, because sometimes when he’s mad he literally turns into a giant green rage monster. They’re both heroes who are concerned they’ve done too much harm to ever balance out with good, and they cling to each other so that they might feel just a little more human. Luckily for them, they’re actually more human than most at heart, and they’re able to see each other for who they really are. Despite magic-induced flashbacks to her time in the Red Room, Natasha spends most of the film bringing a much-needed sense of humanity to her teammates. She makes lighthearted jokes with Clint while he’s down and out, has his kids calling her “Aunty Nat”, and even manages to talk down a raging Hulk. When she has a chance to disappear and start a new life, she instead chooses to help save the world. In the end, Nat realizes that she never sacrificed a future, but has actually forged a new one with chosen family. Banner, on the other hand, opts to remove himself from the equation, and retreats to parts unknown.

    Hawkeye & Quicksilver – Mortality

    Clint Barton has maybe the second-most prominent demon in the movie, and it’s his own mortality. The character study is set up early, when Hawkeye finds himself unable to keep up with the Avengers’ newest super powered antagonist, Quicksilver, and winds up bleeding on the ground because of it. This is followed by a string of plot points and throwaway moments that just repeatedly punch you in the face with the concept of Clint Barton being a lot less indestructible than his teammates. Not only that, but Barton is revealed to have a family, which makes the challenge to stay alive all the more important. It acts as a foil for basically everyone else’s self-centered problems, and really highlights just how resourceful Hawkeye has been this whole time. It’s also juxtaposed wonderfully against the plight of Pietro Maximoff, an enhanced individual who is still coping with the death of his family. It makes it all the more surprising when a morally rejuvenated Quicksilver sacrifices himself to save Hawkeye, who accepts his mortality and attempts to ride off into the sunset with his loved ones.

     

    Vision & Scarlet Witch – Trauma

    Ever since her debut, the MCU’s take on Wanda Maximoff has been motivated mostly by past trauma. She loses her parents, and the emotions she feels fuel her to team up with Ultron. She is born from an act of terrorism and inadvertently finds herself acting as a weapon of a terrorist. Then, in the midst of trying to recompense, she loses her brother. It’s a lot for one person to bottle up inside, which we see when she drops to her knees and completely obliterates a small army of Ultron bots, before ripping the heart out of Ultron himself. After all she goes through, who else could possibly understand her pain? Only another child of trauma, Mr. Vision Vision (which I assume is his full name). He may be a synthezoid, but Vision was created using the brain patterns and powers of multiple men all trying to deal with what it means to be human, which could have gone horribly wrong, but instead resulted in a soulful figure with a deep understanding of failure. He ends up saving Wanda’s life, and who knows? She might have saved his as well.

    From this point forward, Wanda only experiences more and more trauma. She accidentally causes the demise of countless innocents in Captain America: Civil War, and she loses Vision twice (once by her own hand) in Avengers: Infinity War. This is true for the other characters mentioned above, but unlike the heroic giants she’s surrounded by, Wanda has had trouble fully reconciling with her past. That thread hasn’t been tied up just yet. Expect WandaVision to change that.

     

  • Where ‘WANDAVISION’ Soared – and Slipped – In Paying Tribute to the 70s

    Where ‘WANDAVISION’ Soared – and Slipped – In Paying Tribute to the 70s

    This week’s installment of WandaVision took us to another decade as the story was set in the fully-colored sitcom world of the 1970s. The transition from the black-and-white palette of the two premiere day episodes to this comparative rainbow of an aesthetic was far from the only change in the manner the decade of choice’s sitcom elements played into, though, so let’s take a look at how WandaVision tackled the era of the Third Great Awakening.

    Now in Color

    I’ve already mentioned how this episode was the first time during the series in which we saw color other than the credits and ending of Episode 2. I appreciated that the palette of the 1970s was different from the one for the scene we saw at the end of the 1960s. That one was more muted with lots of neutrals like white, beige, and plenty of shades of brown, with only the colors seen on the characters and their clothing really popping out (most notably, the purple of Vision skin and the red of Wanda’s lips and clothing).

    Conversely, the 1970s is full of bright hues from Wanda’s multicolored striped number to many of the walls in the house. However, what I appreciated about this was that the designers went with colors that were particularly big in that decade, with plenty of yellows and oranges abound, as well as some darker greens and lighter blues. Here’s hoping that now that the show is in color, these deliberate palette decisions will continue every week to match the era.

    A Less Derivative Approach

    Aesthetically, the episode does a bang-up job at capturing the 1970s, especially the hairstyles and aforementioned color choices. When it comes to the area of sitcom-specific material, though, the episode is pretty light on that compared to the first two. A lot of Marvel fans have been waiting for more emphasis on the action and mystery elements of WandaVision, and while we got that this week the majority of the show was still rooted in the sitcom antics but didn’t feel like it was supposed to be paying homage to other shows for the most part.

    There are only two very obvious references to specific shows here: the house inspired by The Brady Bunch (which isn’t quite an exact recreation but it’s clear that an homage to the show is what they’re going for) and the theme song similar to The Partridge Family’s “Come on Get Happy”, which can actually be heard in Marvel’s own Ant-Man and the Wasp. Unlike the previous two episodes it’s mostly just the music that’s similar; since the entire Partridge Family opening sequence consists of animation and stylized photos the only specific visual emulated in this opener is The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s sprawl of colored copies of the program’s name before transitioning into live-action footage.

    Unlike the first two decades, there’s no specific episode of a classic 70’s series like The Brady Bunch or The Jeffersons I could point to as the inspiration for this episode’s storyline. It seems like it’s almost supposed to be an homage to pregnancy and childbirth storylines, which have been present on sitcoms ever since their inception (though this episode is far enough along into the decades to allow the characters to acknowledge the pregnancy directly without having to dance around it with terms like “expecting” like they did back in the 1950s). I think this is actually a better method as it allows WandaVision to carve out its own identity rather than present itself as simply a tribute to old shows, but to do this after two episodes with more specific references makes this one feel as if there’s just a little something missing and I wish they would have just gone their own way a bit more from the get-go.

    The Dilemma of The Decade

    As I said, I appreciate the show going its own way with this episode but I think part of the way the sitcom elements contribute to the overall story is each potentially highlighting or offsetting a certain mood or attitude present in its episode. Ideally, this wouldn’t be directly lifting a story from a sitcom episode from that era, more like how the “wholesome” 1950s showcased Wanda and Vision’s innocence to the whole situation, and the changing attitudes of the 1960s taking the episode from silly fun to giving us (and the characters) a bit more of a hint as to the overall plot; the beds moving together and color being added to this world is intercut with clues as to what might really be going on.

    This sort of thing isn’t really present in the 70’s episode, but the creators were probably in a tough spot here. The sitcom eras naturally have to go in order (at least for now, since it appears Wanda will discover the ability to mix them up at some point as showcased by some of the trailers) so the birth of the babies had to happen now. But unlike the decades before and after it, the 1970s didn’t really have a lot of iconic sitcoms with babies in them, even ones focusing on family dynamics like the aforementioned Brady Bunch and Partridge Family.

     Women had also gained many opportunities in the working world by this point (which was nodded to in this week’s WandaVision via Geraldine telling a story about her job promotion) and things like divorce and single-parenthood were much less taboo. Therefore, a lot of the most popular shows of the era were workplace sitcoms like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, politically charged ones like All in the Family and Maude, or shows featuring non-nuclear family living situations like Diff’rent Strokes, Three’s Company, or The Odd Couple. So it’s understandable why the episode’s storyline doesn’t utilize a lot of 70s-based tropes, as they didn’t really fit with the whole childbirth plot.

    Hopefully, WandaVision will be able to find a nice balance between paying homage to shows of the past, telling its own story, and including more creepy and mysterious elements in its remaining three sitcom era-based episodes.

  • How ‘WandaVision’ and the Mind Stone Could Set Up the MCU’s Future

    How ‘WandaVision’ and the Mind Stone Could Set Up the MCU’s Future

    Like a lot of MCU fans, for some time I’ve been trying to figure out what is going on in WandaVision. Where’s this series heading? What’s Wanda’s state of mind? Who is the villain of the show? How will this lead into Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness? How exactly is Vision alive? Is he alive? How will Monica get her powers? What will happen in the last big final battle? How might mutants figure into this show, if at all? And how can everything fit together to make a coherent story? 

    Possible major spoilers for WandaVision below!

    To be clear, the following is based on my own speculation, based on trailers and such that is already out there, not insider information. That being said, after a lot of thought about a lot of things WandaVision, I believe I’ve figured out one key piece to the puzzle. I believe Wanda will attempt to recreate the Mind Stone in the hopes of making her fantasy life with Vision and her children a reality. This will very, unfortunately, backfire on her, in spectacular fashion, as is seen in some WandaVision trailers. The destruction of this Mind Stone will likely create the mess that awaits Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, may open a door for Billy and Tommy and maybe even Papa Vision to survive the series, could tie into Monica gaining powers, and quite conceivably could inadvertently lead to the creation of more mutants. The latter making Wanda Maximoff, in a way, the mother of all mutants. Kevin Feige really does love Wanda, doesn’t he? 

    You may have some questions about how I came to these conclusions, so if you’re curious, please read on…

     

     

    As I mentioned, I’ve been mulling over many aspects of WandaVision for a while now. Utmost in my mind was: How is Vision alive? Is he really alive or her imagination? Is he of his own free will or not? In regards to the last question, there are lots of hints and clues within the show so far, pointing both to Vision having some free will within the sitcom fantasy, and to him being under Wanda’s control. His restraint was shown during their dinner with the Harts, his looking to Wanda for her okay to help, when Mr. Hart was clearly in danger of choking to death, being chief among them. As I mentioned in an article about this last week, we all know if Vision was fully in control he would have helped Mr. Hart right away. Another moment comes up during the third episode, where Vision begins to think something is wrong during his conversation with Agnes and Herb. He is exhibiting free will there, in his curiosity and questioning. This appears to be happening again in other trailer footage of future episodes where he seems to be going on his own and investigating things. Considering Wanda would probably not want him to investigate here, this is a clear indicator of free will. It is possible that in the beginning, he had less free will but as time goes by, and he “reboots” so to speak, he begins to exhibit more of his old self, and his own free will to do things that are not necessarily going to make his beloved Wanda pleased.

    I say “reboots” as in, yes I think this is Vision’s body, repaired either by Wanda’s own reality-altering powers or through attempts to bring him back without the Mind Stone. The Mind Stone was not, after all, a requirement of him living, it’s just the fact that it was so viciously ripped from his head that he appeared dead. I believe there is no reason to not think that some of Vision’s programming, the essence of who he was, could still be in that body just awaiting a spark of life to bring him back for real. Certainly, there is no reason to think that Wanda would not believe that as well. This is perhaps why we see her at the SWORD facility. She may have been working with them to try to bring him back to life, only to find they could not, and perhaps taking his remains with her for safekeeping until a solution could be found. So if that theory of mine is correct, this might explain why she’s imagining him alive again, and perhaps using her powers to try to bring him back “online.”

    Vision and Wanda were always deeply connected not only through the power of the Mind Stone stuck in Vision’s head but through love. So with all of that in consideration, what if because of her love and grief, Wanda attempts to use her powers to bring Vision back to life, and to some extent succeeds in “rebooting” him? And does so to the extent that his body comes to life again, with his personality, and free will, and love for Wanda very much intact? Wanda and Vision are connected through the Mind Stone’s power, even tho it is no longer lodged in his head, there may be residual energy from it infused his is vibranium imbued body. Wanda’s connection to the Mind Stone may be the one thing she has that can actually save him, through repowering and rebooting. But what if that’s still not enough?

     

     

    What would Wanda do then? And what about her children with Vision that were born in episode three? What if the outside world threatens them? Because it definitely will. What would Wanda do then? I think everyone knows not to mess with a mother protecting her children, and Wanda is certainly no one to mess with, as Thanos himself learned. So what can she do to protect Vision, her children, and their alternate reality with the likes of Monica and SWORD figuratively and literally knocking at her door? What can she do, how can she protect them, and how does this all lead into Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness?

    Some deep thoughts and a rewatch of WandaVision trailers on Youtube later and the solution starred me and Wanda right in the face. Look at that moment in the “Daydream Believer” trailer where Wanda is staring at what appears to be a levitating Mind Stone. One might think it’s a flashback but for the fact that she wouldn’t have seen the yellow stone inside of Loki’s scepter when Hydra was experimenting on her. She appears ragged and distraught, she stares at the seemingly forming stone. It may be a trailer maker’s trick but it seems as if the yellow light and particles and dust are gathering to form the stone in front of her. Then it explodes with a flash, sending Wanda back for a split second in the trailer. It really looks to me as if she’s actually using her powers to form the stone, but she fails and it cracks and explodes in front of her. This is no flashback. It’s her present. If I’m correct about this, there is only one reason why she would attempt to recreate an Infinity Stone, and that’s in a desperate attempt to save Vision and her children. 

     

    The Mind Stone appears to form right before Wanda’s and our eyes in the second WandaVision trailer.

     

    Could she even do this? Can she actually form an Infinity Stone? Her stans often refer to her as the “most powerful Avenger” and even Wanda Maximoff superfan Kevin Feige has conceded he thinks she is the strongest Avenger after she nearly took out Thanos in Endgame. That was just because Thanos killed her Vision, she has his kids now. I don’t doubt Wanda will find the strength to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. However, if you can’t quite buy that she could form one with her powers alone, think about this possible route they could take, as set up in Avengers: Endgame. As Thanos pointed out in that film:

    Gone. Reduced to atom…. I used the stones to destroy the stones. It nearly killed me, but the work is done.

    Technically the Infinity Stones still do exist in the prime MCU timeline, they are merely reduced to dust. Could Wanda, with her very specific and strong connection to the Mind Stone and her incredible powers combined, somehow reach out and pull together the remnants of the Mind Stone from across the universe and form the stone again? Is that an explanation that viewers would accept? I think I would.

    It would also prevent the whole issue of having more than one Infinity Stone of the same type in a timeline at once, which I’d think would cause a certain amount of chaos as well. Either way, the Mind Stone exploding, could bring on a catastrophe that creates or opens up various realities, and multiverses among other important, consequential, events for the MCU. Now, I’m aware the stone exploded before, when Wanda destroyed it in Avengers: Infinity War, and nothing seemed to happen as consequence. However, Thanos pushed rewind fairly soon after, so we didn’t really get to see the consequences. Also, some of this might depend on what Wanda’s trying to do with the stone at the time. For instance, if she’s trying to use it to bend reality to the extent that she’s expanding her Westview bubble to encompass the whole world, and the stone explodes due to instability, then that could believably fracture reality, and set up the multiverse for Doctor Strange 2. It may also set up a scenario where Vision, Billy, and Tommy, live beyond the last episode of this series.

     

    In the second WandaVision trailer, the Mind Stone appears to explode in front of Wanda.

     

    Lastly, a note on Mutants and possibly Monica as well. Depending on what exactly Monica and S.W.O.R.D. are up to during the course of the series, it’s possible that Monica gains her powers as a result of the explosion of the Mind Stone, or equally likely as a way to try to combat a certain “scarlet witch” who is angry, protective, and not willing to just talk things out.  

    As for Mutants, and how they could come into the MCU here, I believe that the effects of the Mind Stone exploding could provide a suitable explanation. Wanda and Pietro are mutants in the comics, even if they are not yet referred to as that in the MCU. Ultron commented in Avengers: Age of Ultron, that they were the only ones who survived Strucker’s experiments with the Mind Stone. There’s been some debate for a while why that was, and whether or not the Maximoff twins were in fact Mutants (even if they weren’t calling them that). It’s long been speculated that the Mind Stone triggered latent abilities in the twins which may be connected to their mutation. This would explain why the twins don’t have the same powers. More recently, I’ve seen many speculate that the HYDRA soak, commercial in the third episode might be a hint at this as well. The “Release the Goddess within” catchphrase is a pretty strong wink to the idea that the Hydra experiments on the twins with the Mind Stone are what unlocked the twin’s latent abilities.

    This line of thinking about the twins and the effects of the Mind Stone on them certainly makes the how and why Wanda might “create mutants” much clearer. This notion that Wanda might somehow create Mutants has been around for a while now. How and why has been more difficult to answer. It occurred to me that if exposure to the Mind Stone brought out Pietro and Wanda’s mutant powers, then it would do the same for other Mutants that have not had their powers activated yet.

     

     

    My first thought was that perhaps Wanda tries to expand her fantasy world’s bubble to encompass the world, and exposure to her powers triggers other mutants. It’s certainly one possible scenario. But then I realized that Wanda may actually be attempting to form a Mind Stone and use it to protect her family. With the Mind Stone exploding in front of her, it appears she was unsuccessful. Now, what if the Mind Stone explosion lets loose a shock wave of the Infinity Stone’s energy throughout the world, and this energy triggers mutant genes in certain humans? What if that’s the last thing we see evidence of during WandaVision? That would be a pretty mind-blowing result and an incredibly exciting note the end WandaVision on, right? And something I think I could and would like to see happening. We shall see. 

    Source: Youtube

  • Why Godzilla is on a Rampage in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    Why Godzilla is on a Rampage in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    Dr. Ishiro Serizawa’s words “Let Them Fight” in 2014’s Godzilla would come to define the franchise, as the films that followed would feature more and more Kaiju smackdown. The now-titled Monsterverse started to dig deeper into the mysterious hollow earth. Since 2019’s Godzilla: King of The Monsters, fans have been teeming with excitement for the fight of the century, Godzilla vs. Kong. We finally got our official look at the film in the recent trailer. After multiple delays due to the pandemic, the film will finally release on March 26th. At first glance, it looked like it would live up to its name, as Godzilla and Kong clash once again for the first time since 1963. However, a small discovery in the trailer may showcase a new direction.

     

    godzilla vs kong trailer

     

    Upon a first watch, the trailer brings us into a post King of The Monsters world, where Godzilla has successfully taken the title after defeating the three-headed King Ghidorah. A voiceover explains that Godzilla has started attacking random cities for no reason, and they need someone to stop him. These events are where Kong comes into play, as old Monarch files must list him as the only other Kaiju that could stand a chance against the giant lizard. Since his first appearance, Kong has grown considerably and now can measure up with Gojira. His more humanoid frame stands a much better chance against the overgrown lizard and his stubby arms. What doesn’t make sense is why Godzilla would all of a sudden turn on the people he’s fought to protect multiple times, even if his dominance got threatened in one case.

    The trailer may be playing a trick on us. If you look closely, a recent toy leak confirmed the existence of a false God, Mechagodzilla. At this point, almost everyone knows the mecha will make his Monsterverse debut in this film, but it seems to be much sooner than initially thought. In the original 1974 film Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla, we know the robot can camouflage and pretends to be Godzilla. It does open up a few questions, however. Why would he do this in this film, and who would have the motives to do such a thing? The previous installment, King of The Monsters, has that answer.

     

     

    We learn in that film that Dr. Ishiro Serizawa has a son, Ren Serizawa. A cast listing did confirm that actor Shun Oguri will play the character, who we see in the trailer in front of a screen featuring Mechagodzilla’s operation status. There is a possibility that Ren now works for a shadow organization to enact his revenge. His father’s fascination with the titans may have pushed him down a darker path. So, his father dying to save Godzilla may have been the last straw, so he took it into his own hands. He aims to frame Godzilla while luring out one of the few survivors so that they may kill each other and end their reign.

    A final note is a moment within the trailer where we return to the aircraft carrier battle between Kong and the fake Godzilla. In one shot, we see what looks like Godzilla’s tail. Upon further examination, it doesn’t seem to be the case after all. It looks to be a lot more mechanical and with links holding it together. I’m unsure when this fight takes place, but this could be the big reveal to the world that the Godzilla they know and love is not behind this. It may be what brings the two Kaiju together to take down the mechanical monstrosity and restore the balance to the world of titans.

  • A Shift in Perspective in the Next ‘WandaVision’ Episode

    A Shift in Perspective in the Next ‘WandaVision’ Episode

    Episode 4 of Disney+’s streaming hit WandaVision is set to become a pivotal point for the show. After only the first three episodes being shown ahead of time to select reviewers (our own Charles Villanueva being one of them), one would expect that there might be a reason why Marvel Studios drew the line where it did in terms of getting even more information surrounding the show out there. And now, as we reach the half-way point of what is the sitcom-themed portion of the season, even the biggest stars of the show aren’t holding back in terms of hyping what, to them, might be the biggest episode yet.

    Paul Bettany says Episode 4 will “blow our [the audience’s] minds”, but it’s the words chosen by Elizabeth Olsen that might help us better understand what might be in store this Friday. While being interviewed by DigitalSpy, Olsen said:

    I think the reason why they show the press the first episodes is because Episode 4 is quite a shift. It’s a really fun perspective swap and I think a lot gets understood at that moment.

     

     

    The keyword here seems to be “perspective swap” and how that might help answer a few questions the first three episodes set up. I remembered how on Lost, after witnessing the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 in season one, the first episode of the third season showed us the exact same event from the perspective of The Others, which was when we learned how Ethan and Goodwin first infiltrated the survivors of the crash. WandaVision might end up doing something similar, if not with an entire episode, at least with a few flashback sequences where we get to experience events we’ve already seen, but from the perspective of those coming from outside Westview. And the best thing is that there is previously released footage that seems to indicate just that.

    On the story featurette released by Marvel Studios on January 15th, we get multiple shots of sequences that happened in the first three episodes that we haven’t seen yet. The fact that they are through the eyes of both Geraldine and the beekeeper instead of Wanda or Vision, who have been the audience’s vehicles so far, helps to understand how that “perspective swap” might transpire.

     

     

    First, we get the encounter between Wanda, Vision, and the beekeeper, from his point of view. When he first appeared in Episode 2 he was the focus of attention, but what we get from this other footage is that Wanda and Vision have now taken up that role. He is watching them, and it will be interesting to see if, a few seconds later, after Wanda says “No!”, he gets to see them rewind into their home or if he himself is rewound back into the sewers. Speaking of sewers, we also get a show of him entering the Westview Bubble through there. He seems to be wearing a suit that turns into the beekeeper outfit, something that the reality inside the bubble sees as a better fit to its timeline.

     

     

    We will probably also get Geraldine’s side of the story, as there are a couple of shots of Geraldine first coming into contact with the bubble in the presence of Jimmy Woo, at a time the military presence outside of Westview was still nowhere to be seen. There is also new footage of Geraldine being thrown out of the bubble by Wanda, something that might help in recapping that event. We see her flying out towards the outskirts of town while also getting a shot that explains how she left the Vision residence. Through the wall, one that Wanda is seen reconstructing. This goes hand-in-hand with what Olsen said in an interview with TvLine, that what happened between her character and Geraldine is..

    answered in the following episode

    There might be a few more sequences that we haven’t seen yet that’ll help provide that perspective shift Olsen speaks of, with several lingering questions maybe being answered, but with a few more being raised. In three days, we will all know for sure.

    Source: Twitter, Digital Spy, YouTube, TVLine

  • EXCLUSIVE: Podcasting with David Lengel from Marvel Studios ‘WANDAVISION’

    EXCLUSIVE: Podcasting with David Lengel from Marvel Studios ‘WANDAVISION’

    In a special bonus episode of Murphy’s Law, Charles and Charles sit down for an exclusive interview with the hilarious David Lengel, the man behind the mustache and the funniest neighbor on Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series WandaVision.

    David talks about how he landed the role, the on-set secrecy, those awesome zingers and the theory that Phil Jones might actually be married to Squadron Supreme sorceress Arcanna!

  • ‘WANDAVISION’: Time in a Bubble

    ‘WANDAVISION’: Time in a Bubble

    We’ve already seen how Wanda is in control of what happens inside the Alternate-Reality Bubble that envelopes Westview. From the way she almost unknowingly affects her surroundings, which then tend to mimic her emotional state, to how she manages to rewind certain moments so that the narrative doesn’t stray too much from the one she had envisioned. One of the times she decided to do the latter was in Episode 3, after the contraction-induced blackout, when Vision seemed to become a bit suspicious about their circumstances. But the most memorable one was during Episode 2 when, after returning home from the talent show, both she and Vision crossed paths with an enigmatic figure dressed as a beekeeper. We got actual graphics and sounds of film rewinding, as the couple returned indoors and the casual meeting was avoided, showing us just how in control of that reality Wanda really is.

    Since the Bubble is exactly that, a bubble, Wanda’s powers don’t seem to have any effect on the outside world. We’ve already seen footage of the fields surrounding Westview and, besides the huge military presence, everything seems normal. What remains a mystery about those shots are the tall, floodlight-type devices directed towards the bubble that seem to be holding it back, preventing it from engulfing everything in sight.

    And, by keeping the outside world unaffected by Wanda’s powers while Wanda herself is stuck inside the bubble rewinding her narrative at will, this could mean that the outside timeline would become dissociated from the bubble’s. All of this would indicate that even though it seems like mere days have gone by inside the bubble, that could translate into weeks or even months outside, in the real world. This would be a way to explain how everything seems to be moving so fast, from small events like the Hart dinner party to bigger, usually longer and more relevant occurrences like Wanda’s pregnancy.

    Wanda’s rewinds only affect each person’s consciousness, so that each of them can forget the situation that prompted the rewind, not their physical body itself. One wouldn’t become 5 minutes younger after a 5-minute rewind, that sort of stuff. This would mean that both Billy and Tommy might have actually been carried to term after all, even if for everybody, us viewers and Vision himself included, it all seems to go by really, really fast. Having this be such a central issue of the show would also provide some context as to why the commercials shown at each episode’s intermission seem to have a common underlying theme: Time.

    There are also a few other visual clues that hint at the passing of time not being as conventional as expected. On the “Story Featurette” released by Marvel Studios, we see footage of Geraldine/Monica coming into contact with the bubble for what it seems to be the first time. She’s just outside of town, in pretty much the same place we see her getting thrown out to in Episode 3, just by the town’s Billboard. Here we notice how the surrounding fields are empty, whereas when she gets expelled from the bubble, there’s this huge military compound already set up, something that might have taken more than a few weeks to do. If that early shot was when she first entered the bubble, this might hint that several weeks/months have gone by when she gets out, an idea reinforced by both how the military seem to react to her, as a stranger they don’t know aything about, and her own reaction, like she just woke up from a long dreamlike situation, not recognizing where she was.

    Paul Bettany has recently tweeted out that Episode 4 will blow our minds, so maybe in four days, WandaVision will begin to shed a little bit of light on all of this. But having Wanda emerge from the slumber of Westview, years after she first entered it, realizing that the world moved on while she was stuck in time, both literally and metaphorically, mourning the ones she loved and still coming out of it empty-handed, would be something.

  • Why Kong will Rule after ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    Why Kong will Rule after ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    The long-awaited sequel of Godzilla vs. Kong is only a few months away. And with the trailer that just came out, we cannot wait to see the legendary throwdown between these two iconic monsters. However, the history behind this battle spans multiple decades. It has been an old-age question, and fans have different arguments in favor of their personal favorite. Most people underestimate Kong and speculate that it would be a one-sided battle. Let me brush you up on Kaiju cinematic history if you still think Kong has no chance. It isn’t the first time the two Kaijus are at odds against each other. In Toho’s 1962 film, King Kong vs. Godzilla, it was Kong who stood victorious once Mount Fuji ended. Therefore, calling Godzilla vs. Kong a one-sided battle is a bit premature. Now, let me make the case why I believe Kong will be victorious and become the true king of monsters.

     

     

    People have been attributing Godzilla’s victory to their size, which is misleading. The last time we saw Kong was during the events of Kong: Skull Island (2017). It took place in 1973, so the big feller was still growing during that time. The trailer confirmed that once we reach Godzilla vs. Kong, we will see a taller and more mature Kong. Although Godzilla has shown better resilience and endurance in his previous films, Kong has the advantage of incredible strength, durability, and long arms. In addition to his speed and skills, he has an upper edge over his competitor.

    Godzilla is slow due to his bulky size. In contrast, Kong has more mobility to move around. We’ve seen him demonstrate his flexibility and how he makes short work of enemies with his long arms. He is also able to leap very high, so he can easily dodge any attacks. While Kong and Godzilla are great fighters, Kong gets a competitive edge with his skills to jump over mountains and durable buildings. Moreover, the Toho original has imbued the Kong with the ability to absorb and zap out lightning with his hands that add to his already impressive physical attributes. I do, however, believe that this won’t be adapted in the upcoming film.

     

     

    We also have to consider their intelligence. It is subjective, but we have seen it in previous films. Godzilla’s fighting still adapts to whoever he is facing. Meanwhile, Kong shows a higher understanding of who his allies are and who isn’t. He also forms strategies and focuses on his enemies’ weak points by utilizing tools to gain an advantage. It just proves that this won’t be as one-sided as people believe it to be, so anyone can win. The important thing to consider here is that they might not kill each other, as Legendary has some big plans for these characters. My point is that Kong is capable of defeating Gojira in a fight. We will have to wait until March 26, when Godzilla vs. Kong drops in theaters and on HBO Max.

  • Why Godzilla Will Triumph in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    Why Godzilla Will Triumph in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    After many delays, Godzilla vs. Kong is finally happening. It has been a long wait, but fans of the Monsterverse are about to get the clash we’ve been waiting for since 1962’s original King Kong vs. Godzilla. Of course, we’ve seen many variations of the VS type of film, such as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In most cases, the two opposing forces are going to fight a uniting villain. So, in many cases, the actual fight is a showdown with no definite winner. There are exceptions, but it is the common trope you can expect. Luckily, in an interview with IndieWire, director Adam Wingard confirmed that there will be an actual victor. So, Edward and I are marking our case for who we believe to be victorious. In my case, I think the winner here is going to be Toho’s resident lizard, Godzilla.

     

     

    Why do I think the nuclear-powered giant is going to win? Ignoring my bias here, I think Godzilla has proven his fighting capabilities against various monsters throughout the franchise. He took down two MUTOs in the 2014 film before killing a literal alien Ghidora in the sequel. We’ve also seen Godzilla take quite a few punches, so an overgrown gorilla is not going to be that different from what he took on before. His atomic breath is also an effective way to take down any enemy that tries to get in to close. Plus, he is an incredible swimmer that can easily drag the giant ape into his territory to take him down without an issue.

    He does have a weakness. In comparison to Kong, Godzilla is quite a bit slower and less agile. So, there is a good chance the monkey will get some good punches in throwing him off balance. It’s going to be the true test of his abilities, as he needs to keep his environment in mind. His tiny T-Rex arms aren’t going to help him if the monkey starts swinging a subway car like nunchucks. Still, he has experience fighting enemies that can fly, so I bet Kong jumping around isn’t as daunting a task as it could be otherwise.

     

     

    No matter who wins, we are going to have a blast watching it. Though, I do not doubt in my mind that Godzilla’s got this fight. Edward can make an argument he wants to, we all know that the true king of Monsters will keep that title for as long as he roams the Earth. He is just getting ready, and his spine is already glowing up. Even if Kong got a little bigger since Kong: Skull Island, he has no chance. He probably has gotten lazy during his time there while Godzilla was out there keeping nature in check. We can answer the debate with a simple question. What is a king to a God?

    Source: IndieWire

  • How ‘Deadpool 3’ May Redefine Disney+ and Hulu’s Future

    How ‘Deadpool 3’ May Redefine Disney+ and Hulu’s Future

    WandaVision finally premiered on Disney+ last month. It will be the first of many to fill out the service in the coming years and expand the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, they have big plans or the silver screen as well. As the cinematic future is currently a bit uncertain, the studio has been focusing on turning Disney’s premiere streaming service into their MCU hub. However, two future projects open up an interesting question about Marvel Studios’ future within the Disney+ restrictions. Deadpool 3 is confirmed to be an R-rated project that is part of the MCU. There is a good chance that the vampire film Blade will also share that rating. Now, Disney+ is expanding with mature content, which means they would be available on the service. Yet, once we open pandora’s box on their international strategy, it gets quite complicated. It won’t be easy for those that are searching for a central MCU hub on the franchise.

    So far, the streaming service managed to gain 86.8 million subscribers by the end of 2020 purely on family-friendly content. To put that in perspective, after being the dominant service on the market, Netflix only now passed 200 million subscribers. These are impressive numbers, but they also showcase the surprising speed of Disney+’s growth. Netflix’s key advantage is that they have no restrictions on their content. Even Disney’s strategy focusing on high-profile franchises to sell the service can only push a growth so far. They are already looking into expanding that offering to include more mature-themed content to ensure their exponential growth. Now, the problem is that this strategy is not as simple as it probably should be.

     

     

    So far, only Canada and Europe will receive the new STAR brand within the Disney-owned service. It gets complicated once we look towards the international market. Latin America is getting a singular streaming service known only as STAR+. Indian and other Asian markets have another unique offering in Disney+ Hotstar, which also includes sports programming. The STAR shows and films are available in the United States through Hulu. We still have no idea if there are plans to include the Spider-Man films. Sony Pictures still owns the franchise and determines its availability. You can read up on my thoughts on that matter by clicking here. So, the availability of the MCU is going to be quite disjointed as they start expanding. In addition, even when it is made available, the R-rated Deadpool 3 will most likely be categorized under the Hulu or STAR rather than the Marvel brand.

    If you live in the United States, you’ll only have access via an additional Hulu package. Let’s take this thought experiment one step further and say they want to expand with a Deadpool spin-off series. You’ll have this issue in addition to the uncertainty if this original show will even get a physical release. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige also seemed unsure if WandaVision would release on Blu-ray in a recent interview. So, if you want to binge the entire MCU on your Disney+ app, you’re out of luck as you need to switch between service or brand. If we move towards a digital dependency, Marvel Studios might push Disney to include Hulu as an app within the streaming app. Once LucasFilms also aims to expand Star Wars with mature series and films, Disney might consider centralizing their services. It may seem irrelevant in the short-term, but it is essential for Disney+’s branding strategy moving forward if they want to grow Disney+ internationally to compete with Netflix. Deadpool 3 most likely won’t release until 2023, so the next few Investor’s events might tease a new direction for the service.

    Source: Variety, TechCrunch, ComicBookMovie