Marvel Phase 4: Not all that Bad
We all know Marvel. Whether or not you’ve seen any of the films, you’ve definitely heard of them. Back before the Golden Years of Marvel movies, us nerds were happy to have any adaptation on the big screen, regardless of quality. Films like Ghost Rider (2007) and Fantastic Four (2004) may not have been the best, but they satisfied our nerdy hunger for a while.
Then, in 2008, Iron-Man came out and it was great. Ironically, I didn’t even know about the hidden after-credit scenes until I watched The Incredible Hulk (2008), where Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) made a cameo and talked about a team-up. Everyone was buzzing about the after-credit scene in Iron-Man where Nick Fury visited Tony. It was a game-changing moment, but I was still skeptical.
The Avengers? A wannabe Justice League? Who cares about that? At the time, my knowledge of comic-books was limited to animated TV shows and films. The only Avengers movie I had watched was The Ultimate Avengers (2006), which I didn’t really care for. It wasn’t until I read a few comics and watched the Avengers Earth Mightiest Heroes (2010) show on Disney that I started to get excited.
Even then, I still didn’t believe it would happen. But it did. And I thought to myself, “Okay, we did it. Now what?” Then came Thanos, and suddenly, my attention was fully captured.
During Phase 2, I had my doubts. I thought the magic was gone and that they wouldn’t be able to keep up the quality. But they did. And I was sold. No more doubts, Marvel knew what they were doing, and I was along for the ride.
After Avengers End Game (2019), we were ready for the next saga. And then, one faithful day, everything changed.
The streets were eerily quiet, the once bustling Times Square was now a ghost town, entire countries were in lock-down, and the entire world was brought to a standstill by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was like Thanos himself had snapped his fingers, unleashing a devastating disease that spread like wildfire across the globe.
As a result, Hollywood came to a screeching halt. Movies and TV shows were put on indefinite hold, leaving fans wondering when they would ever get their next fix of blockbuster entertainment. However, thanks to streaming services like Disney+, Netflix, and Hulu, we were still able to get something to keep us entertained.
Marvel was hit hard by the pandemic. Projects were delayed, and the release of highly anticipated movies like Black Widow (2021) was thrown off course. When the movie finally hit theaters, it was met with mixed reviews. This marked the beginning of Marvel being accused of being “woke.”
Black Widow (2021) marked the beginning of Phase 4 for Marvel. However, the film received criticism for being too “woke” — a term used to describe being aware of social and racial issues. According to fans, the film was accused of having an “All-Men” agenda and pandering to feminism.
Despite these accusations, the movie had an intriguing plot, with Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh delivering excellent performances. The villain, TaskMaster, a skilled mercenary under the control of General Dreykov, was unique but not memorable. One noticeable change from the comics was TaskMaster’s gender — originally a male character, but played by a female actress in the film. The change may have contributed to the film’s feminist backlash, but it also fits the movie’s theme of men controlling women.
The feminist backlash was also there at the release of Captain Marvel (2019) where Brie Larson’s portrayal of the titular character was criticized for being boring and overly feminist. Many fans thought the movie was alright, but had room for improvement. I thought it was okay.
Despite the backlash, Marvel continued to push for more female representation, including shows like WandaVision (2021), Ms. Marvel (2022), and She-Hulk (2022). More female heroes have also taken the spotlight, such as Kate Bishop played by Hailee Steinfeld, who is taking over as Hawkeye, Yelena as the next Black Widow, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) as a Loki, and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) as Captain America in different films/tv shows.
While some fans still complain about “woke” content, it is important to remember that diversity and representation should not be a downfall for Marvel. The increase in female leads is a welcome change. Ultimately, Marvel’s success depends on its ability to create compelling stories, regardless of the gender or ethnicity of its characters.
Wokeism rears its head once again with Anthony Mackie’s character, Sam Wilson, who used to be The Falcon and is now the new Captain America. I have to admit, I was rooting for Bucky to take up the mantle, but the show Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) explains why Bucky never wanted it in the first place. That’s why Steve chose Sam because he knew he was the right person for the job. However, many fans weren’t too happy about a black Captain America — even though it happened in the comics. The show was criticized for its focus on the “Black lives matter” agenda and the exploration of black characters and their experiences with racism, even as superheroes.
Shang Chi (2021) was a groundbreaking success. It was the first MCU film to star a Chinese lead, played by the charismatic Simu Liu. He was heavily involved on Twitter, fighting back against any form of racism or hatred. During that time, Chinese-Americans were unfairly targeted with blame for the COVID-19 virus, and it was a difficult time for them.
But despite the film’s success, some fans still had the audacity to call it boring and not “superhero” enough. Simu Liu wasn’t afraid to call them out, though, and remind them how ridiculous their statements were. It seems like no matter what kind of film comes out, there’s always someone who has something negative to say about it.
The Eternals (2021) was a bold move by Marvel, but for me, it was a refreshing change. Despite its lackluster performance at the box office and criticism of being dull, I found the film to be intriguing in its own way. One thing that really stood out was the movie’s diverse cast, featuring characters of different races, abilities, and sexual orientations. It was a breath of fresh air to see a character with deafness use sign language, and the movie’s portrayal of an openly gay character was groundbreaking for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Of course, not everyone was pleased with this. The kissing scene between the gay characters was met with a lot of backlash and negativity from some fans. But that’s to be expected when something new and different is introduced. I think it’s important for Marvel to continue pushing boundaries and exploring diverse characters and storylines. It’s the only way to keep things fresh and exciting,
Despite the incredible success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), some fans claim that it doesn’t make sense and that there is no connection between the movies. However, I believe this is a foolish perspective.
The truth is that Marvel takes years to answer questions, and this has been evident throughout the franchise’s history. For example, Tony Stark’s meeting with General Ross in The Incredible Hulk left fans wondering whether the character would ever reappear. Eventually, Ross returned in Captain America: Civil War. Similarly, The Leader, played by Tim Blake Nelson, a villain who made a brief appearance in The Incredible Hulk, will finally appear in Captain America: New World Order in 2024. And let’s not forget Thanos, who made his first appearance in the 2012 movie The Avengers and was later seen in Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014.
With Phase 4, Marvel has embarked on a new saga, a new adventure that requires us to start from the beginning and plant the seeds for the bigger picture. The multiverse storyline is understandably confusing so far, but it’s just the beginning of a new story that will eventually be explained. We need to remember that we’re like we are back at the beginning of all the phases, and Marvel is laying the groundwork for its future projects.
While there are many upcoming projects and features, we must also acknowledge that we are incredibly spoiled by Marvel. It’s hard to believe that comic book movies are now the norm and everywhere. If I told my younger self that I would see three Spider-Mans in one movie, I wouldn’t believe you. However, some fans want answers right away, and when they don’t get them, they immediately bash the movie as a failure or bring up irrelevant criticisms.
We must also consider that many new fans started following the MCU during Phase 3. These fans didn’t have to wait years for a movie to connect to the next or to the grand finale. Consequently, they may be more easily disappointed with new releases, simply because they weren’t around at the beginning.
In conclusion, the MCU is a complex, intricate web of interconnected storylines, characters, and themes. Yes, it can be confusing at times, but it’s also incredibly satisfying when all the pieces fall into place. So let’s enjoy the ride and trust that Marvel will continue to deliver the amazing stories we’ve come to love.
