Category: Features

15 DLC Characters Revealed in Third ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Data Leak
There is still more to say about Marvel’s Avengers. Ever since the Beta launched, a Reddit user who goes by 6plus4equals52 has been deciphering the code of the upcoming game. In it, he uncovered that a variety of clone characters would be made available at one point. I used an old Lego leak for the game to cross-reference its validity and it seemed to confirm their inclusion. Shortly after, an update to the Beta revealed more characters. It confirmed my theory of Captain Marvel being added as one of the first DLC characters. This weekend, the Beta was made available on Xbox and PC and it looks like some more upcoming characters got revealed as a result.
Let’s start with what everyone is interested in. The latest leak confirms that around 17 characters are planned for the game. 15 haven’t been officially announced yet alongside SpideAs such, the list of unannounced DLC characters is as followed:
- Ant-Man
- Vision
- Black Panther
- Dr. Strange
- Falcon
- Mar-Vell
- Mockingbird
- Quake
- Winter Soldier
- Scarlet Witch
- Captain Marvel
- Kate Bishop
- She-Hulk
- War Machine
This is quite an extensive list for the Avengers Initiative plans. There is a good chance that some of these characters already have in-game models. We have known that Ant-Man would show up ever since his reveal at last year’s E3. At first, we assumed that these characters will be purely available through DLC. Last time, I did question if there is some chance that characters could be unlocked through the main story mode. We still don’t know how Captain America will return in the story but a part of it will be to slowly unlock the various members throughout the game. The before-mentioned list of characters is all categorized alongside existing characters as “UnlockPlayableCharacter”. Here an excerpt from the code:

UnlockPlayableCharacter_BlackPanther
UnlockPlayableCharacter_CaptainMarvel
UnlockPlayableCharacter_Captain_America
UnlockPlayableCharacter_DrStrange
UnlockPlayableCharacter_Falcon
UnlockPlayableCharacter_Hawkeye
UnlockPlayableCharacter_Hulk

Now, what does this all mean? We know that Captain America and Iron Man need to be unlocked through the game. Hawkeye is also listed here as an unlockable character but will only be available through DLC. It throws a wrench into our previous theory but could confirm that some characters can only be unlocked after a certain part of the main story is finished. As such, you won’t be able to just wait out and access Hawkeye for early missions in the game. This would also be in line with how the last War Table placed Hawkeye as part of a follow-up to the Reassemble storyline.
We still have to wait for official confirmation but the appearance of Black Panther confirms my theory based on the Lego. The only question remains which characters are unique and which ones will be clones. The following characters would be the easiest to connect:
- Iron Man – War Machine
- Hulk – She-Hulk
- Black Widow – Mockingbird
- Captain Marvel – Mar-Vell
- Hawkeye – Kate Bishop
- Dr. Strange – Scarlet Witch
There is one more aspect that is interesting about this leak. It confirms the addition of a few other characters that might appear throughout the story. It mentions iconic Marvel characters Ultron, Vindicator, and Monica. The last name could be a connection to Monica Rameau but there is no definitive proof for that The Reddit post also mentions Red Hulk and Deathlok, but I couldn’t confirm this while going through the code that was provided. Still, in a game that will feature countless robots, Ultron seems like a safe bet as part of the story. With Vision as a playable character, he could also be a part of that character’s specific story missions. Whatever they have planned, these leaks are slowly showcasing what they meant when they said this will be an ambitious project.

Source: Reddit
August 16, 2020
The Power Broker Paradox

Marvel Studios first Disney Plus streaming series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, looks set to introduce a slew of new characters in its first season while bringing back others in order to really build a world around these characters. Daniel Bruhl’s Zemo and Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter are back while Wyatt Russell, Cle Bennett, Desmond Chiam, Miki Ishikawa and Noah Mills have all joined the cast in what appear to be major roles. Russell’s role as John Walker is the only one that’s been officially revealed and Bennett seems a sure bet to play Walker’s best friend and partner, Battlestar (a character we first reported would be appearing in the series). There’s also a group of female thugs whose identity we’ve been unable to confirm but we believe actress Erin Kellyman is one of them and we still have to resolve just who has that purple mohawk we saw in EARLY set photos. Fans have their ideas about who some of these characters might turn out to be; Flag-Smasher, Jolt, Red Lotus, Diamondback, Songbird, the Grapplers and the Serpent Society all come up quite often in discussions with fans and understandably so but the truth is we just can’t be sure at this time.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty, there is something a lot of these characters have in common: they were created by longtime Marvel Comics ace Mark Gruenwald and appeared in his long run on Captain America, a run that will undoubtedly inform The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The run introduced John Walker to the Marvel Universe but, as readers know, Walker didn’t jump right into the fray as U.S. Agent, much less as Captain America. Walker first appeared as Super-Patriot, his ring name as a wrestler in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation (UCWF), an organization that focused on superhuman bouts. Walker, like many others, joined the UCWF after receiving treatments from the mysterious Curtiss Jackson, thePower Broker: a shadowy figure from an organization known as the Coroporation who found a way to give super powers to regular folks. While Gruenwald didn’t create the Power Broker, he was a huge part of his Captain America run (issues 329-331 were called the Power Broker Saga).

John Walker’s first appearance as Super-Patriot in Captain America #323

Much of what goes on in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is expected to revolve around one particular part of Steve Rogers’ legacy: the Super Soldier serum. Between this series and Black Widow, the serum’s legacy is going to play a major role in the proliferation of powered people in the MCU. Gruenwald’s runs on Captain America, Marvel Two-In-One and the Thing solo series dealt with these same issues and saw the Power Broker juice up Walker, Lemar Hoskins, aka Battlestar, Sharon Ventura, Melissa Gold, aka Songbird/Screaming Mimi and other members of the Grapplers (such as Poundcakes and Gladiatrix) and fan-favorite Demolition Man, among others. The Power Broker played a huge role in the comics that inspired The Falcon and The Winter Solider, yet as of now, we have no evidence of the character appearing in the series. Thus the paradox: the Power Broker has to be there, but he isn’t there…or is he?

Option 1: One of the New Actors/Actresses is the Power Broker

With Wyatt Russell and Cle Bennett (and even that’s not been confirmed by Disney) being the only actors whose roles we’re certain of, there’s room for any of the other actors mentioned above to fill the role of the Power Broker. Noah Mills, for whatever reason, has the feel of a series villain and could be the guy pushing the buttons at the behest of the Corporation (yeah, there’s no way a series airing in 2020 and surrounding the naming of a new Captain America isn’t going to bring in the “deep state” organization known as the Corporation). However, Marvel Studios has shown plenty of times that they’re not always up for the straight page-to-screen adaptation, so the same could be said for any of the other actors or actresses that have signed on. Miki Ishikawa, who we expected to be Jolt, wasn’t in Atlanta for long but she could easily have been there long enough to film some key Power Broker scenes. Also, let’s not discount the possibility that there are other actors and actresses in the series whose identities haven’t been revealed to us just yet and could be filling that role.

Option 2: One of the Returning Characters is the Power Broker

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is going to see the characters go to some shady places and deal with some shady people as they enter what really seems like the MCU’s world of espionage and that’s an appropriate place for these characters to be. We all know that when we’re playing spy games, there’s always someone who is not who they appear to be. In this case, that puts a few interesting characters on the game board. We all expect Zemo to be up to no good despite his apparent affiliation with the good guys in this series, making him the first one we’d expect to be up to something like this which also means most would be quick to discount him because he’s the easy choice.

However, there’s one path we all want to see Zemo follow and even if we discount the possibility that he might be the Power Broker, there’s another really intriguing option that still gets us there: Thunderbolt Ross. We have no hard evidence that William Hurt was on set for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, but he was in Atlanta in October for Black Widow pick ups and it is possible, depending on what exactly his scenes might entail, that he could have shot something then with some stand-ins. Ross pulling double duty as both the Power Broker and the guy in charge of the Thunderbolts would be straight out of the espionage playbook: be the guy behind the illegal arms race and then be the guy who capitalizes on it when you collect all the illegal arms in the name of the government.

Zemo and Ross aren’t the only choices: super spy Sharon Carter is returning and we have evidence of a Wakandan presence in the series meaning the other Ross, Everett Ross, could be working on some shady stuff of his own.Additionally, any number of other characters could have sneaked in and out of Atlanta to film their scenes as the Power Broker or could still do so since there’s some filming left to do.

Option 3: There Ain’t No Power Broker, Charles!

Yeah, if we’re being fair, this option has to be in play. Just because I have a hard time letting go of the source material doesn’t mean that the creative team behind The Falcon and The Winter Soldier would have to. As with all 3 choices, this one has a 50/50 shot of happening: either it will or it won’t.

With filming on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier set to resume early next month, hopefully we get some resolution to this pressing problem by the end of 2020!

August 15, 2020
REVIEW: ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Season 7
It is hard to believe that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is over. After seven years the show has finally aired its final episode. It has been quite the journey. Somehow, Marvel TV’s first major series has survived quite a few hurdles. It saw strong ratings drop throughout its first season. Each season got shifted around the schedule to make way for other shows. Its fifth season finale was even titled “The End”. Suddenly, it gets renewed for two more seasons. Against all odds, SHIELD has now outlived all other Marvel TV shows. At the same time, it signifies the end of an era. Kevin Feige took control to expand into streaming services. As we enter the new Disney+ era, let’s talk about the final mission for our favorite SHIELD agents.

As you continue reading, please keep in mind that there will be spoilers. Only continue at your own risk.

An Adventure Through Time

The story starts us off where the last season ended. Our team ends up in the 1930s. The Chronicoms, a race of synthetic aliens, are trying to destroy SHIELD before it was even truly founded. As such, our ragtag team of agents is forced to chase them down throughout history. On their trip, they have to ensure that HYDRA is established. They infiltrate Area 52. At one point, they even have to stop project INSIGHT centuries before it happened in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Luckily, they have an LMD Coulson to keep them company on their travel through time.

Even after Mack’s warning, they keep changing history. SHIELD’s history gets rewritten multiple times. Wilfred Malick, the before-mentioned HYDRA founder, lives long after his expiration date. His son, Nathanial Malick, wasn’t sacrificed to Hive. He even steals Daisy Johnsons’ quake powers. Afterlife is invaded by HYDRA, where Daisy meets her sister. She was supposed to kill herself but is interrupted by Nathanial. They even invite multiple characters unto the Zephyr-One. Luckily, only Agents Carters‘ Daniel Sousa stays on board beyond his time.

Throughout the season, one of the major mysteries is the whereabouts of Fitz. Simmons has an implant in her neck that keeps her from remembering. He doesn’t show up until the final episodes. Luckily, to fill the void a lot of familiar faces appear throughout the season. Daisy’s mother Jiaying helps Yo-Yo get her powers back. Patton Oswalt returns as the Koenig’s great-great-grandfather. One particular highlight is the return of the first seasons’ main villain John Garret. Tragically, Bill Paxton sadly passed away a few years ago. His son James Paxton took on the role in his honor. He gives us an amazing performance that felt like a younger version of the character. Still, I was expecting more cameos and callbacks. With six seasons to choose from, it felt a little lackluster. I was hoping for a grand return of Brett Dalton‘s Grant Ward or Jason O’Mara‘s Patriot.

Highlights of the Season

As I am looking back at the entire season, there is a lot to cover. Instead of giving recaps of every single episode, I want to talk about my favorite episodes and the moments that made them standout in this season. A general highlight is that each episode had a different opening title depending on the era they were in. It was a fantastic touch that just made this season just a bit more special.
- #701 The New Deal kicks off the season and is our real introduction to what we can expect. It is always great to see the return of Coulson and him getting used to not being fully human. What sold this episode was our LMD agent meeting Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was a calm moment. Our former historian got to geek out to meet a historical figure.
- #704 Out of the Past embraced the classic film noir storyline. I love the in-universe reasoning for Coulson’s inner monologue and that everything is in black and white. Sousa was a highlight throughout the season. He is fleshed out much better here than in Agent Carter, which made me happy to see him join the team long-term.
- #707 The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and The D gave us Mack at his lowest. The twist from the previous episode of his parents death was heavy but it was this episode that let it sink in. We’ve never seen Mack like this. It was kind of depressing and it was so great when the episode just suddenly turned into an 80s slasher flick. It was jarring at first but with Deke anything is possible. Also, respect that they managed to add as much blood as they did.
- #709 As I Have Always Been was probably the darkest and funniest episode of the season. It’s a bit of a cliché to have a time loop storyline nowadays. Yet, I do believe they really added some perfectly dark humor to make it stand out. The ongoing joke of them getting killed by Enoch was hilarious. Speaking of, Enoch turned into one of my favorite characters in the show. So, this was a rather sad farewell to a fantastic character.
- #711 Brand New Day was a bit of a filler episode. It set up mostly everything for the finale but it really turned the tables at the end. Suddenly, the Chronicoms destroy every SHIELD facility. The moment we see the Triskelion getting blown up was a shocking sequence. It also just highlighted how great the effects work is on this show by Mark Kolpack and his team.
- #713 What We’re Fighting For has some amazing scenes. The reveal that our team was in the hazmats suits from the last season’s finale was great foreshadowing. The action sequences were done incredibly well. The reveal of Fitz and Simmons’ kid was beautifully done. The sequence through the Quantum Realm surprised me quite a bit. Also, ending the series the same way the first episode ended was a nice touch.
Overall, this was one of the best seasons. The time travel antics made me wish we had more episodes to explore this concept. Sadly, you do realize they ran out of budget later in the season due to a stronger focus on indoor scenes. Still, they managed to make this season feel like they had no restrictions. After seven seasons, they mastered the balance between action, comedy, and heartfelt drama. Especially as the show entered the more fantastical realms of the MCU, they always managed to keep a focus on their characters.

The season’s weakest link is the villains. Nathanial Malick works in theory. It helps to have a HYDRA connection but he feels underdeveloped. Also, the Chronicom’s lose their edge after a few episodes. Sibyll was a great addition. It gives the evil alien race a face. It even makes sense with the reveal that they planned on including M.O.D.O.K. at one point. They just don’t do much with her. She gets killed off-screen without a true resolution. It felt like it was trying to balance a new storyline while also paying tribute to the previous seasons. Yet, it lacked the focus to bring it together. Still, it’s a great season. I am more upset that we don’t get more time with this concept beyond these 13 episodes.

All About the Agents

Clark Gregg‘s performance as Coulson is as iconic as ever. It still makes me wish he will continue this role no matter what. We got some amazing additions throughout the seasons. Chloe Bennett‘s portrayal of Daisy Johnson has truly evolved since her initial appearance. To see her become a superhero throughout the show added a great heroic element. This season especially highlighted her arc and character development. Hopefully, these two will continue to have a future in the MCU.

Fitz and Simmons were the glue of the team. Their romance was just iconic and it was especially a highlight this season. The revelation that they were able to spend time with their daughter had me in tears. Who would’ve thought we’d miss Fitz this much. Iain De Caestecker is a fantastic actor. So, it was a bit disappointing that he only appeared for about two episodes. I was this close to retitling this show “Finding Fitz” and doubted he would ever actually make an appearance.

The rest of the cast is also fantastic. Standout performances this season go to Henry Simmons as Mack and, as I already mentioned, Joel Stoffer‘s Enoch. I’ve always been huge of Mack throughout his appearances. He was the perfect choice as director of SHIELD after Coulson’s death in the show’s fifth season. Enoch was a surprise. I believed he was a one-off character at first. As soon as he kept reappearing, I started to care for this character. His performance of a robot alien slowly with growing empathy was incredible. The moment he called Fitz his best friend was both heart wrenching and funny.

Broken Timeline

I loved this season quite a bit. The ending is a great touch. The ending showed us a world where SHIELD lives on. Mack has stolen Fury’s wardrobe to continue as a director. Daisy is in space with Sousa and her sister, Kora. Fitz and Simmons left this life behind to raise their daughter. May works as a teacher at the SHIELD Coulson Academy and Yo-Yo is still out there doing missions. The one who started it all has a rather somber moment. Coulson flies off in Lola to just do what he always wanted to do. It’s a fitting ending for this show. It echoes Coulson’s words from the first season when the spy organization fell apart at the hands of HYDRA. They are agents of SHIELD not the agents of nothing.

My only gripe is, this takes place about two years after The Snap should’ve happened. We saw that in Avengers: Endgame that the world never really recovered from that event. This show kind of glanced over that moment as if it never happened and now it doesn’t match the world we saw previously. There is a good chance that their escapades in the fifth season splintered them off into a different timeline but until an official word comes out we might never know. For now, most people can only go by their headcanon. Especially with the end of Marvel TV as we know it, this would’ve been a great way to kind of put a nice ending on it all. It still is a great ending. I respect that the showrunners Maurissa Tanchaeron, Jed Whedon, and Jeffrey Bell focused on their stories rather than let the larger MCU determine their direction. It just ends with more open questions that necessary. It could lead to some disappointment as people are expecting these characters to return in the future.

A Spy’s Goodbye

At the end of the day, it has been a fantastic seven-year run. Every show has its issues and SHIELD is not exempt from that. My only gripe is that they never did anything with the Secret Warriors. Still, I think a show does something right if the ending gives you peace. Yet, at the same time, you wished it would continue. It’s a strong testament to the writing and the team behind it. We were here for the characters and the show never forgot that. So let us raise a glass to bid Agents of SHIELD goodbye and hope for a bright future for these actors. Hopefully, we might see them again in the MCU one day.

Source: Digital Spy
August 15, 2020
FIRST LOOK: MSTR Watches Spider-Man Ambassador X

MSTR watches already had a great lineup of Marvel watches and now they’ve upped their game with the limited release of the Spider-Man Ambassador X.

The watch, which like EVERY OTHER one of their line of Marvel watches, is likely to sell out very quickly, can be purchased at their website for $100. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one to review and share with you guys.

As you all know by now, I am nothing if not a Collector and as such, the presentation of the product begins with the packaging and MSTR comes out swinging right away.

The outer box has a simple, classic Marvel logo but once you open up the inner box, you’re greeted with the Spider-Signal logo, making this a great looking storage container.

The watch itself is a glorious testament to the web slinger, showing both the Spider-Signal logo and Spidey’s spider logo on its face. The timepiece itself is both scratch and water resistant and comes with a comfortable and interchangeable 20mm wide rubber wrist band with a u-buckle.

The watch stands out and will absolutely strike up a conversation with your friends. I’ve been wearing it for a while now and it’s lightweight, comfortable, looks awesome and still manages to do what it was meant to do: tell time. With only 250 in existence, you’ll want to web one up for yourself before you miss out. Head over to www.mstrwatches.com and check out their entire line of Marvel watches!

August 14, 2020
Another ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Data Leak Confirms Captain Marvel

Not too long ago, I tried to sleuth what characters would be released as DLC for the upcoming Square-Enix Avengers game. A data leak from the pre-release Beta included a listing for clone characters, like Kate Bishop and War Machine. As the latter appeared in a Lego set that leaked in April, it seemed like these leaks confirmed some new additions. It also retroactively confirmed that Captain Marvel and Black Panther as the last two DLC characters. They would be joining the PlayStation exclusive Spider-Man and Hawkeye. Well, now it looks like there is more to this story. A recent update on the Beta gave the original leaker, who goes by “6plus4equals52” another chance to dive deeper into the code. This not only confirms one more DLC addition but adds some interesting tidbits to the game’s coding.Let’s start with what stands out the most. Last entries additions are still included in this list with War Machine, Kate Bishop, and She-Hulk. The biggest reveal is the confirmation that Captain Marvel will be added as a DLC character, as she is also attributed a Hero Card. Sadly, still no sign of Black Panther but this does give more credence to the Lego set including all playable characters.

[

“name”: “AV1_HeroCard_CaptainMarvel”,

“attributes”: [

“Rarity”: “Common”,

“Description”: “Captain Marvel hero card”

]

]

We also get our first look at Spider-Man in this code. He is included with his civilian name Peter Parker. This is important, as it follows the same formula that Hawkeye has. As there are multiple characters that carried this mantle, they are included with their given name to add a distinction. This also confirms that there are plans to include other versions of Spider-Man. Most likely, there are already plans to include Miles Morales in the game to coincide with the upcoming spin-off for PlayStation 5.

[

“name”: “AV1_HeroCard_PeterParker”,

“attributes”: [

“Rarity”: “Common”,

“Description”: “Peter Parker hero card”

]

]

The drawback of the last leak is that it only had these “HeroCard” elements named. At the time, it only included the addition of Clint and the clone characters. The dead giveaway that these Hero Cards aren’t just profile banners, but actual playable characters, was that a War Machine emote was also included in the leak. This helped make the connection with the Lego sets to confirm these additions. The latest leak also includes two ways to confirm they are also playable characters. First of all, the naming for the player cards within the code is confirmed as such. This highlights that the Hero Cards are in fact character-specific season passes.

[

“name”: “PlayerInfoCard_Thor_048”,

“attributes”: [

“Rarity”: “Uncommon”,

“Description”: “Cosmetic Player Card”

]

],

In addition, every playable character has one consistent element. They always include one “HeroCard” and a “HeroToken” element. These tokens also include the naming “AvengersCoins”. It is unclear what exactly these could be. My best guess would be that these are the symbols of the characters that are used heavily in the promotion. They even visually are showcased like coins, so they could have some significance in the game as a collectible confirming they have been unlocked. If the clone characters also have their own versions, they might be slight variations to still distinguish between them.This leak includes multiple emotes that differ from the rest. Each existing playable character has the emote structure “AV#_Emote_Character_#” while War Machine’s naming is longer and includes different categories. These include celebration, social, intro, or victory. All of them are the rarity of “Legendary” and just have a placeholder description. This is rather strange, as characters like Thor, Iron Man, or Kamala all follow the same structure. There is a good chance that they just added placeholders to update once the character is finalized. Yet, there are no emotes added for Clint or Peter Parker as the only confirmed DLC characters.This opens up a very interesting can of worms. If we go by what is available, this would point out to War Machine being the first available character post-launch. Now, if we follow the logic of what was stated in the reveal for Hawkeye, he will be the first official DLC character. This could mean that War Machine and She-Hulk might already be available through playing the main story missions. It would make for a great surprise while playing the game to get access to variations of the main heroes with their own unique abilities.There is just one thing going against this theory. If that were the case, She-Hulk would also have some emotes available in the Beta code. It would at least hint at her being further down in development. Most of these codes seem like placeholders, as they are in some step of development. There is a good chance that they are added as unlockable characters in the expansion of the story missions. They already titled a sequel to the main storyline as Avengers Initiative in the July War Table. The clone characters are probably easier to program so they can keep a consistent output post-launch. This way they can avoid long wait times between full-fledged DLC characters.Just an interesting addition. While playing the Beta, you tend to recycle through two or three different takedown actions. At one point, these would get rather tiring to watch consistently. Luckily, it seems that one can actually purchase or unlock up to five different takedowns in the game. This is a great sign that base characters won’t be left behind as some DLC characters are added throughout the game.

[

“name”: “Marketplace_TD_CA_002”,

“attributes”: [

“Description”: “Takedown Unlock – Captain America 05”

]

]

This has become quite an interesting hunt, as we are about to enter the second Beta weekend. We still don’t know if an August War Table event is planned before the upcoming release. My guess would be after the upcoming early Beta that includes other consoles for a better summary of performance issues. They could use this opportunity to include player feedback, early plans after the launch, and build up some hype for the official launch of Avengers. Hopefully, we will also get more opportunities to uncover what secrets the code has in store for us in the future. Until next time future Avengers!Source: Reddit

August 13, 2020
Theory of Evolution: How Mutants can Join the MCU
“A new generation of mutants is emerging, that much is certain.”

-Charles Xavier

Since the acquisition of 20th Century Fox in March 2019, many fans have been wondering exactly how Disney plans to manage the former’s film properties, more specifically, how Marvel Studios will manage the X-Men and Fantastic Four properties within the context of the MCU. We know that Marvel Studios already has many ideas and stories that they have been “thinking about…for years”, as stated by Kevin Feige in an interview last year.

While I can say with certainty that we are still YEARS away from seeing either of these properties in the MCU, if you were to ask me what property I think would be introduced first between the X-Men and F4, I personally believe that mutants could be implemented into MCU in a more straightforward manner than the Fantastic Four because we already have the base for them to be introduced.

As of where we stand right now, I have pinpointed 4 possible origins for how Marvel Studios can introduce mutants into the MCU.

**It is important to note that the theories discussed in this article are simply just that. Pure theory and speculation on my part.

With this being said, let us begin:

1) “THE VIRUS THEORY”:

This theory bases itself on information from the upcoming Disney+ show: “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.”

Oh the irony of this. Relax, it has nothing to do with COVID-19 I can assure you. But the premise in this theory is certainly a very interesting one to discuss. So let’s set the scene.

Madripoor (Comic vs Live-Action [Exclusive Set Pictures from Murphy’s Multiverse]).

The Setting: We have Madripoor (a location very popular in the X-Men lore). This fictional island is going to be one of the settings that will show up in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. (You can read more about it in Charles’ article here.) Now, while I can’t say for certain that this is going to be Ground Zero for the origin of Mutantkind, I do find particularly interesting the fact that Marvel would choose this location for this series, considering its history in the comics.

The Plot: Now the official synopsis for the show says: “Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson/Falcon and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier team up in a global adventure that tests their abilities — and their patience — in Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.” Something that I find interesting for this show is this plotline involving a “virus/pandemic”. Many different sources, (including my own from the time the show was planning on filming in PR before tremors and earthquakes forced production to shut down), referred to the production as “Pandemic Productions LLC.” (Now, I am aware that rumors have surfaced about possible reshoots that remove the virus/pandemic storyline. I personally don’t think they will remove it, at least not entirely).

Baron Zemo in the upcoming Disney+ Series: “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier”.

Special Facts: If anyone saw the Deleted Scene from the “Infinity Saga Box Set” where Zemo was at the Auction House, you’d see that Zemo managed to kill a bunch of businessmen with a sort of gas he concocted, so we can chalk up a bit of chemistry to his military background, and it was deleted for a reason. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to base some sort of storyline specifically involving that scene.

The Theory: What if the reason why Sam & Bucky are going to Madripoor is that Zemo is planning on unleashing this “virus” meant to hurt hundreds upon millions of innocents, and Madripoor is just one of his testing grounds. The creation of this “virus” would have required the use of human genetic material through clinical trials, which in theory, could create a “virus” that doesn’t necessarily succeed as Zemo intends, and actually has an end result which provides humans with mutant abilities (a storyline which is already being explored in the upcoming Marvel’s Avengers game.)

2) “THE REALITY THEORY”:

This theory bases itself on information from the upcoming Disney+ show “WandaVision”, the upcoming MCU film “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and the comic storyline “House of M”.

People that know me personally know how hyped I am for WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. These two projects from all I’ve heard are giving me incredibly powerful “House of M” vibes and I’m all for it. I have multiple theories on both of these projects but that’s for another article. For now, let’s talk about everyone’s favorite witch: Wanda Maximoff.

Wanda Maximoff with Vision in Avengers: Infinity War.

Background Info: Since her debut back in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Wanda Maximoff has gone through a lot of different changes over the last few MCU films (and I don’t just mean her accent.) She has shown growth in both characterization and power, but that growth has been marked by a great amount of pain and suffering that she has had to go through in her life:
1. - Her parents died when she was very young, long before the events of AoU.
3. - She and her brother Quicksilver were experimented on by HYDRA with the mind stone, which developed eventually developed their powers.
5. - Her brother Quicksilver died during the Battle of Sokovia.
6. - Thousands of her people in Sokovia died.
7. - Her home country was destroyed.
1. - The people of the world hold her accountable for the deaths of dozens of citizens in Lagos, which triggered the Sokovia Accords and thus the events of Captain America: Civil War.
2. - The outcome of the previous point forced her into hiding for 2 years until the events of Infinity War took place where she was forced to sacrifice Vision to save the universe, only to watch him be brought back so she could see him die a second time.
3. - And then she herself died at the hands of Thanos’ snap.
So, her life really hasn’t been that easy.

Wanda Maximoff in Avengers: Endgame.

Where we stand right now: The last time we saw Wanda Maximoff in action was during the final battle at Avengers: Endgame and let me tell you something straight off the bat: that scene where she took on Thanos ON HER OWN, was so personally satisfying because I knew right then and there that we were about to get the Scarlet Witch in the MCU.

WandaVision Keyframe by Andy Park.

The Plot: Now the official synopsis for the show says: “Marvel Studios’ “WandaVision” blends the style of classic sitcoms with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany)—two super-powered beings living their ideal suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.” Straight off the bat, as soon as I read this synopsis, I started brushing up on “House of M“.

The Scarlet Witch in House of M.

Source Material: So a quick recap of “House of M” if you have not read it. In the comics, Wanda gives birth to twins with Vision using her magical abilities but it only exists in this reality that she created in her head to avoid losing control. Wanda’s memories of the twins end up being erased by another witch named Agatha Harkness. Eventually, as the comic run develops, a multitude of events occur, which leads to Wanda being labeled a threat to the world and many heroes contemplate whether they should kill Wanda before she becomes too powerful to stop. Wanda breaks down, loses control, and reshapes reality so the world was run by mutants. When that reality fails and it results in the death of her brother, she redid reality again, but this time, with most of the mutant population losing their powers. Caught up? Good. (Author’s Note: I HIGHLY RECOMMEND BRUSHING UP ON THIS STORYLINE. Whether or not the storyline becomes relevant in this show, it is a fantastic comic run and it marked a very important part of my childhood, so please read it.)

The Scarlet Witch: Now let’s talk about Wanda’s powers. We don’t know exactly how powerful Wanda is or what is the extent of her powers. We can set a starting point that she is powerful enough to destroy the Mind Stone and by the looks of this upcoming show, she might grow powerful enough to alter reality itself. This is why I usually separate Wanda Maximoff from The Scarlet Witch because we have yet to see the Scarlet Witch in her full potential. Her comic counterpart was already powerful to do many of the abilities previously stated as seen in the “House of M” storyline, so it will be interesting to see how the MCU counterpart will size up when the time comes.

The Theory: So my second theory states that the events of both this show and DS2 won’t just mess with repercussions in the Multiverse, but it will affect the current reality in which the MCU is set in and could potentially pave the way for multiple mutants to come in through Wanda’s abilities, thus bringing to life a very important part of the “House of M” storyline to the MCU.

3) “THE ETERNALS THEORY”:

This theory bases itself on information from the upcoming MCU film “Eternals”.

The Theory: I can’t talk about mutants without mentioning the Eternals. While admittedly, the Eternals comic lore is one of my weak points as it was not something I have analyzed as heavily as other source materials, since the announcement of their film at SDCC, I started to brush up on the Eternals and found some very interesting information. The Eternals in Marvel lore are “the first mutants” since the comics explain that their origins are based on how Celestials experimented on the first humans many millennia ago long before the establishment of civilization. During their history, the Deviant gene begins to generate amongst them, which leads to what we know as mutants. At this time, there is very little known about the Eternals and how they will play out in the MCU but they could certainly be a viable candidate for the origin of Mutants.

4) “THE TERRIGEN THEORY”:

This theory bases itself on information from the upcoming Disney+ show; “Ms. Marvel”.

The Theory: Lastly, I’d like to discuss one more theory which also has lurked in the back of my mind since it’s similar to “The Virus Theory” and was brought to my attention following my beta gameplay of Marvel’s Avengers this weekend. In Marvel lore (and Marvel TV), there is this substance known as Terrigen Mist, which is able to alter the biology of individuals with Inhuman genes (such as Kamala Khan). While in the lore, the mists cause mutations to those with Inhuman genes, it is not really confirmed that humans can achieve mutant powers without having that Inhuman gene in them. The reason why I do not mention this theory as much is that this theory can easily combine with “The Virus Theory” above and can easily be interchanged.

The MCU has already been around for 12 years our time. By Avengers: Endgame, we’re already in 2023…

SO WHY ARE THESE THEORIES IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MCU?

Many fans believe that in the MCU, many of their favorite mutants won’t have the origin they deserve because the timeline won’t make sense, given that the MCU is currently in the year 2023. Say we keep the origin story of Magneto and Charles Xavier the same (Magneto being born in the late 1920s and Xavier being born in the ’30s). They would both be in their 90s, nearly 100 years old by the time Endgame rolls around. While mutant genes can affect the genetic composition of humans, I don’t think either of their powers has any sort of effect on the life longevity of their anatomical systems. Plus, fans like myself might start to question those origins with questions like:
- Mutants existed since before the Avengers?
- How did they hide for so many years from S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar?
- How did they hide from HYDRA’s?
- How did Zola’s algorithm not account for the possibility of mutants ever arising, considering HYDRA was already doing genetic experimentation as shown by the post-credit scene of Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron?
Something that makes all of these theories is how they can each operate outside the time constraint set by the comics. Let me elaborate. By having any of these theories be the origin point for mutants, they all allow Marvel Studios to actually write in the mutants they’re interested in having in the MCU WITHOUT the need to use any sort of chronological connection to the original source material from the comics because their origin would be established at another point of time in the MCU’s history. This would allow for new stories to be told within the context of the MCU. This would not be the first time Marvel Studios has retconned many of their characters’ origins in the MCU to make them differ from their comic counterparts (I.E. Wanda and Quicksilver having different parents, Ultron’s origin story, Star-Lord’s Father, etc.)

Whatever theory you choose and wish to believe in, one thing’s for certain. The mutants are coming to the MCU.
August 13, 2020
5 Things we’d Like to See in ‘STARGIRL’ Season 2

With the first season of Stargirl in the books, it’s time to look into the future and explore each and every possible path for the shows upcoming sophomore season. The second season of Stargirl will be departing its home at DC universe and moving on to the CW network where it’ll join the already packed roster of superhero dramas like The Flash, Supergirl, and Black Lightning. The next season has a vast amount of potential and has its work cut out for it after dropping all those hints as for what’s to come. Warning, this article does contain spoilers for season 1 of Stargirl.

5. The Royal Flush Gang

One of the biggest inspirations for Courtney this season was the running theory, despite Pat’s denial, that she was the daughter of the JSA hero Starman. That, of course, is revealed not to be the case when Barb denies this outlandish theory and contacts Courtney’s biological father, Samuel Kurtis. For many that don’t know, In Geoff Johns’ “Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.” comic run, Sam Kurtis was a low ranking member of the Royal Flush Gang, specifically the Two of Clubs. Kurtis never seems to mention a past with this gang but it wouldn’t be completely unbelievable, per his brief appearance in ‘Shining Knight’ where he radiates quite the strong deadbeat vibe. Another leading factor to this theory comes from the season 1 finale, when we shift to a frantic Cindy Burman, who is tearing through what I can only assume to be an old ISA storage room. In the background multiple giant playing cards can be seen; giant playing cards that just happened to be the getaway vehicle of choice for the Royal Flush Gang. While this room may have just been leftover items of The Magician, is it possible that he may have had a past with the gang and does this leave the door open for Courtney’s father to return in a larger antagonist role?

4. The Seven Soldiers Of Victory

Another one of the show’s longest running mysteries was that of the elusive janitor, who was later revealed to be the Shining Knight and later revealed to be one of the Seven Soldiers of victory, a team that first appeared in Leading Comics #1 all the way back in 1941. It was confirmed in the episode ‘Brainwave’ that the soldiers were active before the JSA, with a roster that included the original lineup of Shining Knight, Stripesy, Star Spangled Kid, Vigilante, Crimson Avenger, Wing, alongside the Green Arrow and Speedy of Earth-2. Towards the end of the finale we saw Sir Justin packing up his truck and preparing to depart Blue Valley after helping defeat the ISA. While he didn’t get to slay the dragon, he did set off on a new quest to find the other soldiers and bring them back together. This could open the door to more than just a guest appearance in a future season, possibly a spin-off featuring a newer more modern roster of the team, most likely taking inspiration from Morrisons run, would make for an excellent show and focus on the legacy aspect that ‘Stargirl’ absolutely nailed.

3. The Legacies Should Live On

One thing that worked so well in the first season of Stargirl was how they were able to honor the past heroes of the JSA and how well the new heroes adapted to their alter egos. They were able to keep focus on the newer characters while digging deeper into who the previous incarnations were, and with the roster of the team surely to expand in the second season it would be great to see some new characters pick up the mantles from some of the JSA’s best. When first introduced to the JSA headquarters, Courtney’s first instinct was to use the gear left behind by the previous heroes and build their ranks to help take down the ISA. She does just that and without knowing specific details just grabs anything she can fit in her bag. While there hasn’t been any teases for these few, except for brief flash from Alan Scott’s old lantern, the potential for Flash, Doctor Fate, and Green Lantern is there. Each hero has had their respective successor that could fit well within the newly formed team, with Jade filling in for Alan Scott, Jessie Quick for Jay Garrick, and Khalid-Ben-Hassin the grandson of the first Fate, Kent Nelson. This offers more chances to dive deeper and further explore the past JSA heroes and adventures before the eventual fall of the original team.

2. Shade and Eclipso: A New ISA?

The finale of Stargirl ended with the members of the ISA either being taken down or going AWOL, with the future of the team seemingly in the hands of Cindy Burman, who retrieved a gem that seemingly has the angel of vengeance himself stored within. I’m curious to know how much Cindy knows about the ISA and the teams past misdeeds to be willing to let the incarnation of gods wrath himself out to play, the character who in the comics is responsible for the death of Yolanda Montez and Beth Chapel, the current Wildcat and Doctor Midnite. Along with what seems to be the return of Eclipso, Shade, the mysterious ninth member of the ISA has returned to Blue Valley upon the failure of Jordan’s “Project New America” to possibly to see what of the team was left to salvage. It was mentioned in a previous episode that Shade had betrayed the team but was never specified how. It seems as if Shade did not agree or believe in Jordan’s plan of a better and new america that the ISA had become set on and left, wanting no part in what they were preparing. With Cindy seemingly ready to take part in this new age of the ISA, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her recruit the other children of ISA members as she had previously brought the idea up to her father.

1. Starman!?

One of the first things we’re greeted with in the first episode of Stargirl is a high paced battle between the ISA and the JSA. This fight seemingly takes the lives of many JSA members, and while many of their fates are left unanswered, one of the few that we do witness is that of Sylvester Pemberton, AKA Starman. After a brutal fight with Brainwave, Starman is speared through the chest by Icicle, and is assumed to be dead following the aftermath of the fight. At the tail end of the season one finale, what at first glance is thought to be Courtney’s father, its quickly revealed to be the one and only Sylvester Pemberton, who’s searching for his good friend/sidekick Pat Dugan. The biggest question to be answered is How?! and another is could anyone else have survived the battle who was long thought to be dead. How will Sylvester react to the new JSA and to see that someone has assumed his mantle and is able to wield his staff. Could the people that saved Starman be connected to the same mysterious organization that covered up the events in Blue Valley the pat so nonchalantly mentioned, or will nothing come of it? With many unanswered questions left for the second season to answer, the anticipation for whats to come next is through the roof.

August 13, 2020
Upcoming ‘Power Rangers’ Remake Could Lead Into A Shattered Grid Storyline
Connecting Imaginary Dots are pieces we write here that allow us to be what we all truly are: fans. These should not be taken as scoops, exclusives or facts; just speculation about the things for which we all share a great passion.

Lately, I’ve been kind of trapped on memory lane. I have been revisiting a lot of shows that I spent most of my youth with. Among them was the spandex-wearing superhero team Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Did you know it’s still been running for 27 seasons? Soon the show will continue with its latest season Power Rangers: Dino Fury on Nickelodeon. The franchise has had quite a history. Disney once purchased the series from its original owner Saban. At one point, they bought the rights back to kick start a new era only to sell it to Hasbro a few years later. Now, the future seems uncertain for the franchise. It’s 2017 film bombed at the box office and rumors have it that Hasbro won’t continue the contract with Toei that started the franchise. Fans fear that Dino Fury may be the end of the franchise’s TV run, as Hasbro starts focusing on other ventures.

We know little of what will happen. There has been no official statement regarding the Toei deal. Dino Fury has not aired yet. Power Rangers has been getting more focus from a mature audience, especially with the success of their BOOM Studios comics. This focused on an alternative timeline of the original Mighty Morphin team but the Green Ranger, Tommy, remains evil. It was such a success, the storyline was added as a selling point to the Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid game. The company is no stranger to offering some more mature stories to their audience. Their latest Netflix show Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy SIEGE certainly proves that they aren’t shy of embracing their nostalgia audience.

As such, we may see a stronger embrace of the original Mighty Morphin era. The first proof of this comes in a reveal surrounding the upcoming film reboot. Jonathan Entwistle, the mind behind the dark comedy The End of the F—ing World, is in early negotiations to explore a time-traveling team of teenagers with attitude. The film is to take inspiration from Back to the Future and will see a team of new Rangers end up in the 1990s. That just so happens to be the era that the original Mighty Morphin started. Time travel is also nothing new to this crazy franchise that has multiple different Ranger police forces, time travel agents, and dimension-hopping. What makes it stand out the most, is that its rumored to take place within the actual TV shows timelines. This is where the fun beings and let us see how that would work.

History of Power Rangers

No worries, I won’t recount the entire 28-year history of Power Rangers. My own experience pretty much ended around Power Rangers In Space. Yet, realizing how many seasons there have been, I started exploring what these various seasons have done to continue the franchise’s mythology. After In Space, they started going down a route that each season is a unique story instead of an evolving story. There wasn’t a revolving door of characters switching out with other Rangers. Instead, they started from scratch with a unique villain. It was great to add diversity to the show but it also made it quite confusing for continuity. Every season had to reinvent the mythology but also had to include a callback to a previous one. tTe only connecting element is the morphing grid, the source of their abilities to transform.

To make things easier, let’s focus on Power Rangers that might play an important role in a time-traveling story.
- Mighty Morphin will most likely get the most focus. They are the initial team that kickstarted the franchise and the ones getting most of the attention in other media. This season introduced us to the most iconic character in the franchise, Jason David Frank‘s Tommy Oliver. He started as an evil Green Ranger who would eventually become a mainstay to this day. He is also the focus of the Shattered Grid storyline, where he becomes the evil Lord Drakkon.
- Lightspeed Rescue focuses on a government organization of the same name. Their job is to protect the earth from demons that want to destroy the fictional city Mariner Bay. The rangers are civilians recruited due to their areas of expertise, may it be lifeguard or firefighter. No worries, it doesn’t make sense to me either.
- S.P.D. or Space Patrol Delta features the year 2025 where the earth has become a haven for aliens. The Rangers are a galactic police force makings sure that peace remains between the races from outside forces.
- Time Force is the obvious choice. This season introduced us to a group of Rangers from the year 3000 that return to the past to ensure the timeline remains safe.
- Hyper Force is set 16 years after Time Force. It features a team of cadets of the Time Force Academy. This is a special addition to the franchise as a tabletop RPG that takes place within the franchise’s canon. It features a variety of actual Ranger actors, including Time Force’s Erin Cahill, who played Jen Scotts.
Why am I naming these various teams? Well, the reason lies in the rumors surrounding the film. It states that while they will be mainly traveling back to the 90s, they will encounter a variety of different Rangers in their travels. Naturally, you can only spend so much time with a limited runtime. This isn’t a 40 episode season where you can take your time to fully explore each era. So, the easiest way to not waste too much time is to include Rangers whose mythology could be interconnected.

Back to the Past

So, how could they set-up an entire film that remains true to the history of Power Rangers but lets a new team take center stage? As mentioned previously, Time Force already focuses on a team that has this ability. As we learn in Power Rangers: Hyper Force, a Time Force Academy was founded to give young cadets the chance to become Rangers. A group of young cadets finds themselves at the museum of Ranger history. There stands the original time travel machine, which led to the foundation of the organization. Suddenly, alongside their mentor, they get sucked into the timestream back to the 90s.

Luckily, their mentor managed to grab test versions of new Morphers that could help her cadets remain safe. These were initially meant to be a gift for their official first training after they learned their history lesson. Out of nowhere, they get attacked by strange grey looking monsters. After morphing and defeating them, they run into the original Mighty Morphin team. Trying to figure out what happened, they start to realize that it wasn’t a malfunction but someone trying to return to the past. They seek out the machine that joined them on their journey to return to their time. After a fierce battle, they do manage to activate it and go forward in time. The only thing is, they didn’t go all the way back home and end up in the Lightspeed Rescue era. They learn how the Rangers went public at the end of In Space and became an important part of keeping the earth safe. Maybe they even get to see aged versions of the original Mighty Morphin team.

As they support the team of that time, the villainous plan starts to unravel. Their machine is being influenced by someone, who is targeting specific eras in Ranger history. It seems he is trying to make sure that they find an early end. The shadowy figure always seems a few steps ahead, as they seem to be targeting someone throughout the timelines. This new team manages to support the Lightspeed team of that era to stay intact and keep the peace. One more time jump sends them to the time S.P.D. was just starting, where they start to realize what is happening. Each era they have visited influenced the next. The small team of Lightspeed started to expand into what would one day be known as S.P.D. in 2025. Their next evolution step would be Time Force by the year 3000. Whoever was forcing these travels through time knew about the technology and was trying to make sure the Rangers of their era never form.

Expanding the Ranger-Verse

After chasing down the villain, they uncover that it was none other than Jen Scotts from further down their timeline. At that moment they realized it wasn’t the actual Rangers of that era she was targeting but rather one singular person. Her goal was to take out Tommy Oliver, someone they’ve been seeing throughout their journey. Scotts starts telling the story of how she fought an evil version of him in an alternate dimension called Lord Drakkon. She feared that there was just a slight chance he may have been affected in her timeline. Her paranoia led to the belief that he might have been building up an army and finding a way to keep himself alive even into the year 3000. As such, she made it her mission to stop him before he even gets a chance, but she was only able to travel for a certain amount of time. So, she tried to use the original machine to go further back in time to accomplish her plan.

She didn’t calculate on the fact that others would be dragged into her plan. They managed to keep the original timeline alive and Tommy got to live his life. During the era of S.P.D., they visit him to have her lose those fears. They are greeted by a friendly former Ranger, who had given up that life long ago. At that moment, Jen finally found peace and they were able to travel back to their time. Little did they know, something else was brewing and this new team might be facing a darker future than they expect once they return home. This film would help fans and newer viewers understand the world they are entering. It pays tribute to the original franchise while also exploring a completely new team of Rangers. The ending would then set-up a completely new storyline that isn’t bound by existing franchises. Unlike the 2017 version, they aren’t forced to go through what we are familiar with. They already visited different eras. So, now they can explore a completely new aspect of the franchise. Many fans want to see a live-action version of Shattered Grid. When a 2018 trailer for the comic run was released, it offered a small glance at the opportunity. It would be a waste not to explore it in a big-budget live-action film franchise.

Source: LA Times, Illuminerdi (Toei Deal), EW, THR, Illuminerdi (Remake), YouTube
August 13, 2020
‘STARGIRL’ Review: 1.13 “Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E., Part 2”

The ISA has put their plan into motion and the JSA has thirty minutes to stop Brainwave from brainwashing millions of Americans and avenge the original members of the JSA. The first season of Stargirl finishes in one incredible and jaw-dropping finale that doesn’t slow down for a moment. From the fight scenes to the teases for what’s to come, this season more than delivered and became the perfect treat for any DC fan. The legacy aspect of the show was probably the most intriguing part. Watching each new JSA member join the ranks and witnessing the passion that came through each performance, each with their very own inspiration and the goal of honoring those that came before them, was a season long thrill. With the show moving on from DC universe and taking a spot on the CW, it’ll be interesting to see how the show is effected especially when this first season was expertly executed by all involved, in front of and behind the camera.

Picking up right where the previous episode ended, we’re brought back beneath Blue Valley in the tunnel system the JSA was traversing to find the ISA’s machine and finish them off once and for all. But when we left the team last episode, the process had already begun, with Pat and Sir Justin being unable to control themselves, turning on Courtney and her friends. Without another option, Courtney must fight back against a fully armored S.T.R.I.P.E., doing whatever she can to get through to him. This is where the building of their relationship came into play when Courtney’s last attempt to stop Pat was to remind him that she was his daughter. It worked quite efficiently, but once he stopped, he began to fight Brainwave’s control; if it went on for too long, Pat’s brain wouldn’t be able to take it and he would be killed. Luckily with the help of Dr. Midnite’s AI, Beth was able to crack into the ISA’s signal blockers within the tunnels and save Pat and Sir Justin.

The real fun begins once the JSA is able to rendez vous in the central chamber where they’re shortly joined by the ISA. It’s here that fans are treated to the show’s biggest and possibly best fight scene: the showdown we’ve been waiting for all season is finally here, and it doesn’t let down as Solomon Grundy is let out to play. This leads to a big and epic brawl between S.T.R.I.P.E. and Grundy that doesn’t exactly thrill Rick, who finally has a shot at avenging the death of his parents but is told to back off by Pat. Unable to best him, Pat is served yet another beatdown and S.T.R.I.P.E. is rendered scrap metal by Grundy as he rips the mech limb by limb and begins to tear open the chest cockpit, but not before Rick knocks him back and lets Pat know ”It’s his turn.” Rick, filled with years of built of rage and a real hankering for vengeance, gives Grundy possibly the biggest beat down he’d seen in years, but towards the end, he witnesses the fear in the beast eyes and is unable to put the monster down. At some point during the showdown, Cindy was set free from her father’s “timeout” and wasted no time stabbing her father in the back while he was distracted while locked in battle with Sir Justin.

With everything seemingly under control and the situation turning in their favor, Yolanda and Courtney make their way toward the satellite. En route, Courtney encounters Shiv and locks into combat with her, insisting Yolanda goes ahead and displaying more absolutely incredible staff work. But when Yolanda enters the room she’s cornered by a mob of the dragon’s drones, but one is different, and towards the end removes his cowl to reveal himself to be Henry. For a moment, everything seemed to be perfect as Henry so cleverly reminded Yolanda of the kinda things he said to her before he was seemingly crushed to death by his father. This was an absolute gut-punch as it wasn’t long ago that we had to say goodbye to Henry, someone everyone had begun to come around on and believe he could redeem himself. But “Henry” mixes up one fatal detail and Yolanda can see through Brainwave’s sick joke and slices his throat, killing the psychic psycho and avenging Henry’s death as well as honoring his sacrifice.

With everything falling apart around him and his team down, Icicle makes his way back to the foundation where he proceeds to destroys Beth’s goggles and the Dr. Midnite AI with it, and taking Barbra hostage atop the building. Icicle’s attitude takes a complete turnaround: the calm and careful criminal mastermind is getting erratic and sloppy as begins to show Barb what he’s done for Blue Valley and how this could be the new normal for America.. Icicle had become one of the most intimidating villains on the show, if not in all of recent comic book based media. One thing they never lacked on this show was a good villain making even the simplest of them somewhat of a threat. Courtney can put up a good fight with Icicle before they’re both thrown from the clock tower. Icicle is defeated by an eager and excited Mike, who strikes him with Sir Justin’s truck thus immobilizing the last remaining ISA member.

The finale doesn’t end there and leaves a few excellent teases for what’s to come in the next season. Previously it had been reported by media outlets that Shade would be playing a big role in the second season and his appearance at the end of the finale was a welcome surprise. Currently, no actor is cast in the role leaving it open to fans’ imaginations. But it doesn’t look like Shade will be alone, with Cindy digging what looks like an ISA storage room and retrieving a gem that seems to contain the angel of vengeance himself and the incarnation of the wrath of God, Eclipso. But perhaps the biggest shocker comes from the final moments, as a man is seen approaching an apartment and claims to be looking for Pat Dugan. As the camera turns around its revealed to be none other than Sylvester Pemberton himself, better known as the long thought dead Starman.

The first season of Stargirl was perfect and was worth the extra wait. You can feel the passion that was put into this project, the town itself oozed a welcoming feeling that was almost comforting. That passion, followed by finally putting the spotlight on one of the oldest teams in comics, The Justice Society of America, made for a special season. But I can’t help but appreciate how well cast everyone is, how the chemistry between them all and the relationships they developed throughout the season, friend or foe-t all just felt so perfect. Another special shout out to the stunt and CGI work done on this show, the unsung heroes of every production, they wouldn’t be as perfect as they are without them. Finally, seeing this come together and the obvious love and passion behind this project, Geoff Johns did an incredible job bringing his comic to life and when the credits roll and you see the dedication to his sister you can genuinely feel the devotion to this heartwarming project, Stargirl season one has been on the best comic book shows in recent history and hopefully it achieves a long and prosperous run.

August 12, 2020
Connecting Imaginary Dots: A Kinnaman-Kraven Connection

A few days ago, Charles Murphy reported in a What I Heard This Week report, that Sony-Marvel are looking for a Joel Kinnaman “type” for a certain role in the third Spider-Man movie. It appears there is a chance that Kinnaman himself may not only fit the part, but could very well be cast in the film after all. This is by no means official, and mostly speculation based on a bit of detective work, but please read on and judge for yourself.

It is known that Joel Kinnaman and Tom Holland worked closely together on the film Edge Of Winter back in 2015. That film premiered the following year, along with Suicide Squad and Captain America: Civil War. The two became friends, mutually follow each other on Instagram, and Tom even popped up on the set to the Suicide Squad, via a now deleted post on Kinnaman’s Instagram.

Now, it would be easy and kind of silly to just say, well they’re friends so Kinnaman is definitely in Spider-Man 3 for that reason. But it is a small piece of evidence which is clear and undeniable. So while I wouldn’t rely on that solely for conclusions, I’ll just leave it out there.

What is also undeniable is that the much rumored, much anticipated, appearance of Kraven the Hunter in the Spider-Man universe, makes a hell of a lot of sense for the sequel. The way Spider-Man: Far From Home left off, with the cliffhanger of Peter’s secret identity being outed by one very loud mouthed J. Jonah Jamesson, plus Peter being framed for Mysterio’s murder, it seems only natural that the next installment would feature someone trying to capture the webslinger whether it be for justice, or just for the thrill of the hunt!

So Kraven the Hunter is extremely likely to be in it. In fact, our own Charles Murphy surmised as much in a Connecting Imaginary Dots feature back in February.

Also undeniable, is the fact that Kinnaman is a just about perfect casting choice to play the Russian born hunter Sergei Kravinoff as strongly hinted at in Charles’ other previously mentioned article.

So, there’s the age old question, if they are or were looking for an actor or actress who is the perfect type for a role, then why in the world don’t they just hire that actor? Of course contract negotiations, and availability can play a big part in whether or not an actor gets or takes a role, but in this case I think there is a strong possibility he might actually already have it. A check of Kinnaman’s IMDb seems to show his schedule clear for the time being.

There is also some interesting connections revealed courtesy of Instagram.

The man you see Tom Holland praising in the Instagram post above is George Cottle. He is the stunt co-ordinator and assistant director for Spider-Man: Far From Home as well as the upcoming Spider-Man film, and stunt co-ordinator for Spider-Man: Homecoming. Very interestingly, Cottle also follows Kinnaman on Instagram. I checked and it doesn’t appear they had worked together before, tho perhaps they are friends through Tom Holland. However, the fact that it didn’t take much scrolling to get down to Kinnaman’s name on his following list makes me think that follow may be fairly recent.

Perhaps I’m leaping to a conclusion, a bit too enthusiastic whilst stalking my prey of new information, but I would say there is a strong chance Kinnaman is in Spider-Man: the threequel possibly aka… ugh… Homesick. And yes it is very possible, since he’s just about perfect for it, that he is actually playing Kraven the Hunter himself!

August 12, 2020