MCU REVIEW

– As of today Marvel has released their first two Disney+ shows. We have witnessed the evolution of the relationship between Wanda and Vision as well as the aftermath of Steve Rogers passing on the shield to Sam Wilson and I must ask, how are we feeling so far? This is the first time that the MCU has developed their silver picture ideas for the small screen. I can hear most of you saying that there are already pre existing Marvel shows on Hulu and Netflix but those shows are not canon. This is the the first time that we have seen a continued motif of big screen ideas being told for television. I believe it’s safe to say that most of us had some reservations when it was first announced that the MCU would have original content coming to Disney+. I am sure by now those concerns have been put to bed. Each show is evident on just how great the minds behind Marvel Studios are at converting these comic story lines for visual consumption. By now everyone has seen both shows, but if not let me break it down for you.

*Spoiler Warning*

The MCU’s first shot at a tv series came in the form of WandaVision. The show premiered on January 15, 2021 with the first three episodes dropping at the same time. I must say this is probably my favorite content from Disney and Marvel. The way they were able to convey a love story all while keeping the “supernatural” aspect of Wanda ( Elizabeth Olsen) being a witch and Vision (Paul Bettany) being dead. The show picks up 3 weeks after the events of Endgame, where we say Tony Stark using the infinity stones to bring back the half of the world that was snapped away by Thanos. Wanda, being one of the people that was snapped, has come back and has to deal with the fact that the last thing she witness was the death of Vision. Being as she has nothing left and must now cope with the trauma of her no longer having vision, Wanda journeys to New Jersey to visit a plot that was to be her and Visions house. When she arrives the pain of lose is to much too handle so she uses her powers to create this reality that is based on sitcoms where her and a newly formed vision can live their lives out in peace. Slowly but surely she loses control of this world she created as outside intelligence agencies, otherwise known as “SWORD” and inside supernatural forces races to take control of Wanda’s magic. As each party gets closer and closer to the scarlet prize…life as they know it is in the balance.

he theme of the show is trauma and Wanda personifies that trauma in the form of sitcoms from different decades, as the episodes pass so do the decades. The show starts with an I Love Lucy inspiration ending with something out of The Office and Modern Family. The audience is able to see this artificial world that Wanda has created, with Vision and her children, slowly start to deteriorate as she is not able to hold on to what she has lost. The show is heavily influenced by The House of M story line. And if you know anything about comics, then you will have some insight to who the big bad is of the series. (So if you are looking to get more context on the comic aspect of the series, then I recommend you read this comic.) The show is a direct prequel to the upcoming Doctor Strange 2 Multiverse of Madness. So I recommend that you binge watch all 9 episodes of WandaVision.

assume if you haven’t seen WandaVision then you would not have seen Falcon and the Winter Solider. The show reprises Anthony Mackie as “Falcon” and Sebastian Stan as “The Winter Solider”. The show picks up 6 months after the events of endgame, where we witnessed Steve Rodgers retiree the mantle of Captain America and pass the shield on to Sam just like he does in the comics. The overlaying theme of the show stands on two political fronts. The first dealt with a freedom-fighter group called The Flagsmashers. They declared their fight was to protect those people who did not get snapped against the government. To assist their fight, their leader Karli Morgenthau sought it fit to embu her comrade with the super solider serum. The serum was stolen from a mob boss called The Powerbroker. Its interesting to see how that plays out

The second front is one that is all to familiar. America has always had a terrible relationship with its African American citizens. F&WS plays on what if the most famous superpowers American was a black man. It actually plays on that two ways. We are introduced to Isaiah Bradshaw who was technically the first African American, but instead of being celebrated like Steve Rogers. His story is covered up by the US government and he is experimented on for the better part of 30 years. The other side of the coin is now Sam is offered that same position and naturally he understands that America would never accept a black man as Captain America so what does he do, he gives the shield to the US Government. Who then tries to create a replacement in the form of John Walker (Wyatt Earl). In the comics John Walker does hold the mantle of Captain America but that is short lived and he is rebranded as the U.S. Agent, sort of an antihero. But in the show his time as a symbol of freedom and the “American Way” is short lived as his character is a play on the current state of law enforcement and how unjustly they seem to operate. And thought the show we witness John Walkers slow deterioration while opposite of that coin Sam and Buckey are reenforcing their relationship not only within themselves but both as symbols of something good.

*The whole show is very political with its undertone but the Captain America comics are just about as political as they can get*

However aside from the politics we witness the relationship between Sam and Buckey gradually gets better. Not to mention Sam does get a new suit, one that is damn near identical to the one he receives in the comic when he becomes Captain America, we also get a tease of the second person that takes up the mantle of The Falcom. Zemo returns in fully glory and it is alluded that we will be getting sort of a Dark Avengers/The Thurnderbolts iteration. We are introduce to another fictional city in the comics that may tie into a bigger Marvel picture. Falcon and the Winter solider is another concrete win for the MCU Disney+ team.

Remember these are only the first two shows and they are good, I can not wait to see what else Marvel and Disney have in store for us.