One of the most fun aspects of Loki, that they frankly have not done enough of, is when the writers use time travel aspects to explain away historical mysteries. In season one, we learned Tom Hiddleston’s Loki was actually the infamous D.B. Cooper, who robbed an airplane in the ’70s, popped out with a parachute, and vanished for all time. Now, in the second season’s penultimate episode, “Science/Fiction,” the show solved yet another historical mystery, MCU style. One involving the most infamous (and mythologized) prison in American history—Alcatraz.

At the end of episode four of this season, the Temporal Loom exploded, and we learned the different TVA employees who were in the control room, as well as Sylvie, were sent back to their lives before the TVA took them and wiped their memories. Mobius was a single dad named Don who sold jet skis (of course). O.B. was a scientist and an aspiring sci-fi author. Hunter B-15 was a doctor. Sylvie just went back to work at McDonald’s in 1982. But the most interesting true identity of a TVA employee had to be Casey. Turns out, the mild-mannered “guy at the desk” was once a notorious criminal, Alcatraz escaped convict Frank Morris.

When Loki starts time slipping again, Casey appears in 1962, escaping from Alcatraz. We even see the crude dummies the inmates made to appear as if they were sleeping during bedcheck. It’s something that really happened. Casey even says “If they catch us, they’re going to gut us like a fish!” That was a fun callback to season one, when Loki threatened to do the same to him but he had no idea what a fish even was. As they’re trying to escape, a time-slipping Loki appears on the shores of Alcatraz island in San Francisco. He finds Casey, now called Frank, who doesn’t recognize him, along with two other men getting ready to escape in a makeshift raft.

In reality, the two other men were Clarence and John Anglin. They were portrayed by the episode’s directors, Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson. The real Frank Morris was a lifelong criminal who spent much of his life in correctional facilities. Authorities arrested Morris for armed robbery, car theft, and finally, the crime that put him in Alcatraz, bank robbery. However, he had a genius I.Q., and was likely the real mastermind behind the whole escape. Being so smart, it’s no wonder the TVA wanted him as an employee.

Later in the episode, Loki appears to Frank Morris on a beach along with the other two escaped convicts, who made it to dry land. In reality, no one really knows what happened to the three men. Official reports suggest they drowned in the waters of San Francisco Bay, or hypothermia got them. But they never discovered any bodies. Over the past 60 years, some anecdotal evidence points to at least one of the men surviving. We have since mythologized the only successful escape from Alcatraz in pop culture. It was even the subject of the 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood playing Frank Morris.

Frank accepts Loki’s offer to help restore the TVA, even though he doesn’t understand what’s going on. Once he realizes that O.B.’s temp pad can take anyone to anywhen, he even asks if it could take him into a bank vault. Even after doing time in the world’s most infamous prison, Frank still can’t get rid of the urge to rob banks. When one of the TemPads vanishes due to reality coming undone everyone thinks Frank stole it. Hey, when you’re famous for robbery, it’s hard to shake that reputation.

While we saw Frank/Casey unravel at the end of the episode, we have a strong feeling it’s not the last we’ve seen of him. If Loki has taught us anything, it’s that there’s always another branched timeline somewhere.

The post LOKI Reveals How One Character Was Involved in an Infamous Historical Event appeared first on Nerdist.

The Temporal Loom is central to Loki’s second season, and we learn it’s critical in making the Time Variance Authority function. But what is Loki‘s Temporal Loom exactly? Here’s what we know about the Temporal Loom from Loki season two and what we can glean from Loki‘s various inspirations.

The MCU’s Loom: Loki Season Two’s Temporal Loom

Created by He Who Remains at some unknown point in time, Loki‘s Temporal Loom takes raw temporal energy and refines it into a physical timeline. Part of the reason the TVA prunes the extra timelines is so that the Temporal Loom doesn’t overload trying to “weave” too many timelines at once. Without the Temporal Loom, the TVA can’t function. And if it overloads, the TVA goes boom, and all of reality would soon follow. In episode two, we learn that a meltdown can’t be prevented without the temporal aura, or time signature, of He Who Remains. Who is currently quite dead.

By the third episode of Loki season two, the Temporal Loom is indeed overloading, thanks to the countless branched timelines that are returning with the death of He Who Remains. It simply wasn’t made to handle so many divergent timelines branching off at once. And without it, not only does the TVA cease to function, but chaos will reign in the multiverse. But we also learned of the origins of the Temporal Loom and how they tie into a specific Kang variant.

Victor Timely and the Origins of the MCU’s Temporal Loom

In episode three of Loki’s second season, Loki and Morbius travel back in time to the year 1893. There, they encounter a variant of He Who Remains. This variant, Victor Timely, is presenting his latest invention at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. It’s a very rudimentary version of the Temporal Loom, sold to the 19th-century audience as a way of harnessing energy. Victor Timely was able to create this Temporal Loom prototype based on his understanding of the descriptions of the TVA manual. A book that was left for him by Ravonna Renslayer and Miss Minutes when he was a child. Of course, the Temporal Loom malfunctions on stage after a mere few minutes. Yet it shows that as early as the 1890s, a Kang variant was working on the very thing that would make the TVA run.

Loki‘s Temporal Loom Implodes Threatening the MCU’s Multiverse

In episode four, Loki and Mobius bring Victor Timely to the TVA to fix the overloaded Temporal Loom. They need the temporal aura of He Who Remains to open the blast doors to the Loom, which Timely matches. But Timely provided another service, what he called his “greatest invention” in the previous episode. Timley’s greatest invention is something that looks like a primitive version of Kang’s Multiversal Power Core from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He can attach this invention to the Throughput Multiplier and expand the rings of the Temporal Loom. This would allow the new branched timelines to filter through, and save the TVA, and all reality. However, it doesn’t quite work out that way.

When Victor Timely tries to head out and fix the loom, he turns into spaghetti. And the Temporal Loom, well, it overloads and explodes. We don’t know the full extent of what the Temporal Loom’s explosion means yet, but already there are major consequences in the world of Loki and the MCU.

In episode six of Loki, we see that seemingly due to the Temporal Loom’s explosion, every branch of reality is starting to turn into spaghetti and die. Every universe and thread of reality is literally shredding, and there’s nowhere to go. Thankfully, Loki seems to be able to turn back the clock and is trying to head to a time before the Temporal Loom’s complete meltdown. Whether or not he is able to remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, it looks like the Temporal Loom being able to do its job is key to keeping existence stable.

That’s the MCU. But does Loki‘s Temporal Loom have a precedent in the pages of Marvel Comics? Well, yes and no. But mostly, no. However, Loki season two’s Temporal Loom found inspiration in various parts of Marvel’s comics and actual myth.

Loki‘s Temporal Loom and Its Mythological Inspirations

In Greek mythology, there is a Loom of the Fates, which also exists in the Marvel Universe. In Norse mythology, that loom is the Loom of the Norns. (Marvel Comics combines these two mythologies together into one.) Essentially, in mythology, the three Fates weave this loom to shape the life and destiny of every being in creation. Thor destroyed the Loom of the Fates in Thor Vol. 2 #85 and broke the thread that holds the destiny of Asgardians, from which Those Who Sit Above in Shadow were absorbing energy. Those Who Sit Above were the silent beings who created the Asgardian Gods. So it’s fitting that a powerful loom that determines how the universe flows originated in Thor comics since the MCU’s Temporal Loom now appears in Loki, thus tying it to Thor’s mythos.

Spider-Man’s Loomworld

In the Spider-Man lore, there’s another powerful loom of sorts, reminiscent of Loki‘s temporal loom. The loom in this instance is a whole world itself, one that accesses all existence. There’s an entire Loomworld, where beings called the Inheritors could access the Web of Life and Destiny to travel across the multiverse and hunt down Spider-Totems. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse especially drew inspiration from this. They created the Loomworld of conquered realms from countless wars fought across realities. Eventually, several spider-people formed the Web-Warriors. They operated from Loomworld and used it as a focal point to protect the multiverse, which is similar to how the MCU’s TVA works.

Temporal Limbo, Chronopolis, and the Heart of Forever

In the comics, Kang did not create the TVA. There was a “He Who Remains,” but as far as we know, he’s not a Kang variant. However, the TVA has a lot in common with the realm of Limbo, a place outside of time historically ruled by Immortus, who was, of course, a Kang variant. Temporal Limbo was a timeless realm facilitating time travel to various points in history. Much like the MCU’s TVA, it existed outside the time stream. And time did not flow there the way it does everywhere else.

Limbo is also part of Chronicles, which has something very similar to the MCU’s TVA. At its heart is the most important component of the city, the Heart of Forever. It’s a trans-chronal engine that enabled Kang’s home to exist in every branch of the timestream simultaneously. While not exactly like the Temporal Loom in Loki, it has key similarities.

In the end, Loki‘s Temporal Loom is a hodgepodge of different elements from the pages of Marvel Comics—not to mention actual mythology itself. Ultimately, though, the Temporal Loom is a unique creation designed for the MCU. However, we’d hardly be surprised to see it retconned into the comics at some point.

Originally published on October 5, 2023.

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One of the greatest unrequited loves in the whole of the MCU has been the one between Loki‘s Mobius and a jet ski. Loki‘s first season gave us glimpses of Mobius’ jet ski adoration. Despite living his whole remembered life in the confines of the TVA, where there are certainly no rivers, lakes, ponds, or jet skis, Mobius had a very specific dream. In episode two of Loki season one, Mobius has a magazine with jet skis on his desk and tells Loki that he keeps it because “they’re awesome.” Then Mobius proceeds to give a touching monologue about jet skis and how they’re the only perfect thing in history. He calls them “a beautiful union of form and function.” Sadly, Mobius confesses he’s never actually ridden a jet ski. A cruel twist of fate! But did Mobius finally get to ride a jet ski in season two of Loki?

Here’s what went down.

Mobius Gets to Ride a Jet Ski in Season Two of Loki… Sort Of!

In episode five of Loki season two, we finally get to see Mobius ride a jet ski. And just like he told Loki in season one, it looks like fun. Mobius has the time of his life during his jet ski montage. He’s feeling the wind in his hair, he’s experiencing the sting of mist slapping him in the face, he’s surfing the waves. And it’s all set to some incredible funky instrumentals. But then, record scratch. It turns out Mobius hasn’t actually taken a jet ski out onto the ocean; he’s sitting on a stationary version of the watercraft in Piranha Powersports, the store where he works.

So did Mobius actually get to ride a jet ski in Loki? Well, technically, he was riding on a jet ski, but the adventure was still only in his mind. In our book, this is not that dissimilar to when he imagined riding jet skis in the TVA, though, of course, it’s closer. We feel happy that Mobius gets to actually touch and feel a real jet ski, but we still need to see him fulfilling his dreams.

Loki Season Two Enhances Mobius’ Love of Jet Skis

The anticipation is only heightening, though. Although Loki season one teased Mobius’ jet ski love, in season two, we see how deep it runs. In episode six, after the Temporal Loom’s dramatic explosion, Loki time slips to a a 2022-branched timeline where he meets a version of Mobius called Don. And this Mobius is obsessed with jet skis. He sells them and hypes them up every chance he gets. Among other things, Mobius shares that “a personal watercraft is kind of a thinking man’s dirtbike” and even very earnestly tries to sell the branched timeline version of Hunter B-15 on the idea of buying one though she lives in New York City. (New Yorkers will truly appreciate the futility of this mission. But Mobius is right; a jet ski would be a thrilling way to commute… Although maybe not on the Hudson.) What a truly pure love. It warms our hearts.

Mobius even owns two jet skis which he refers to as “beauties,” and offers to sell one to Loki. He, wholeheartedly agrees, of course, when Loki repeats his own words back to him and calls them “a beautiful union of form and function.” It would break his heart to let one go. But, well, Mobius can’t ride two of them, after all. Sounds like an excellent setup to us for a full-force “Mobius rides a jet ski” scene in Loki or elsewhere in the MCU.

The MCU Needs to Show Us Mobius Living His Dream in Full

Even though the branched timeline’s Mobius may have ridden his jet skis on open water, we don’t see our version of Mobius do that very thing. But we hope that in time, he gets to see his whole wish come true.

Producer Kevin Wright notes of the scene, “We wanted to find a way to do it in an unexpected way… I mean, there’s been so much anticipation, and I think we could have just plopped him on a jet ski riding around a lake, and people would have been just as happy. Owen said something really funny, which was he compared it a little bit to an old TV romance — will they, won’t they? He’s like, well, the second you do it, the thing kind of is done. So he’s like, if we’re going to do it now, it’s got to be really fun and really unexpected.”

He further shares, “That was kind of the genesis of, well, what if we tease this out?… We know we can get some of that out there. He’s working at a dealership. Also, the fun of, it is in Cleveland, which is not known for its water sports. It’s the dream but not exactly the ideal version of it.”

We completely agree that in the scope of this episode, this version of the moment was the right way to go. Mobius took one step toward his dream of riding a jet ski. But there’s still a dream out there ready to be realized… And two empty jet skis waiting patiently in a garage.

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When the Netflix Marvel shows moved to Disney+, fans hoped they might see some familiar faces incorporated into the MCU’s world. Although there were many good iterations of Marvel characters in the Netflix shows, one hero that fans particularly hoped would return for a solo show or movie was Charlie Cox’s Daredevil. Happily, Marvel Studios didn’t make us wait very long. At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, the studio announced that Daredevil would receive a new MCU series on Disney+, Daredevil: Born Again. Since that announcement, the series had some ups and downs, including an overhaul of its creative team. Here’s everything we know about Daredevil: Born Again.

Title

The title of the MCU Daredevil series will be Daredevil: Born Again. This is also the title of one of Daredevil‘s famous comic arcs.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Plot

We don’t yet know much about the exact plot of Daredevil: Born Again. But in the comics, Born Again is a very dark tale for Daredevil. In it, the man without fear faces down Kingpin, who manipulates Matt Murdock’s feelings for a struggling Karen Page in his attempts to destroy the hero. Whether this storyline will find its way into the MCU, we can’t say for sure. What we do know is that Daredevil: Born Again will have eighteen episodes, leaving a lot of room to explore the MCU version of the hero.

According to a report by Variety, Marvel is planning to overhaul the direction of Daredevil: Born Again. The publication shares that “Marvel Studios has recently parted ways with head writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman and is currently seeking new writers to revamp the show. Ord and Corman will still be credited as executive producers.” Additionally, Marvel has released the directors for the series episodes that have not yet already been filmed. Variety reveals that less than half of Daredevil‘s 18 episodes were filmed before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. And that “Some elements of the already shot material will be used going forward, but Marvel is looking to take the show in a new creative direction.”

Behind the Scenes

Originally Daredevil: Born Again was written and executive produced by Matt Corman and Chris Ord. According to Deadline, Clark Johnson was meant to direct two episodes. However, Variety recently reported that Corman and Ord were released from the show and Marvel is seeking new writers and directors for the series.

The Hollywood Reporter shared the superhero crime series has added Dario Scardapane as its showrunner. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead will direct the rest of the episodes for the first season. Scardapane has experience with The Punisher, while Benson and Moorhead directed episodes of Loki season two.

While Marvel will apparently retain some episodes and other material that was already filmed, Scardapane will add new episodes and new scenes. It’s unknown how many episodes season one will have.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Cast

So far, Charlie Cox, who, of course, returns as Daredevil, and Vincent D’Onofrio, who will play Kingpin, have signed onto the new series. In addition, reports indicate that Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Punisher in the MCU series. No other actors from the original Daredevil show have been confirmed to return.

Also joining Cox and D’Onofrio are Nikki M. James, Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva, and Sandrine Holt. Their roles remain unknown. In addition, the publication recently cited Carnival Row‘s Arty Froushan as part of the cast. Clark Johnson, in addition to directing, reportedly has a recurring role in the series.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Release Date

Daredevil: Born Again does not yet have a release date.

Originally published January 5, 2023.

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Nick Fury assembled an impressive Avengers squad to protect the MCU. However, that version of Earth’s mightiest heroes is just one of an infinite number of super teams spread out across the multiverse. A few others are surely better, and a lot more are likely worse, but one stands out because of how it was built. And by that, we mean it’s built from little plastic bricks. Now those heroes are getting their very own special at Disney+, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red.

The film’s new Easter egg-filled trailer puts together an incredible lineup with a special member. It will have Marvel fans wondering when they’ll get to see such an X-citing unit in live-action.

The Collector is back! The LEGO Variant of the character is looking to add Marvel’s Avengers to his vast library of intergalactic goods. That’s a big problem on its own, but one they can manage. It’s a far bigger issue that will lead to the superheroes asking for help. Here’s the synopsis for LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red from Disney:

The Avengers gather to celebrate their latest victory, but their celebration is quickly interrupted by the mysterious disappearance of Black Widow’s father, Red Guardian. As the Avengers investigate, they discover that Red Guardian isn’t the only one missing when they meet a dangerous new foe quite unlike anything they’ve ever encountered before.

That new foe is Red Phantom. He’s why LEGO Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, two Captain Americas, the Incredible Hulk, and the Black Panther will reach out to a “quirky” Marvel counterpart. And oh, is he quirky. The LEGO Avengers will turn to a grumpy, self-healing, hot dog-loving Marvel legend who has yet to appear in the MCU: Wolverine.

Sorry Hulk, we know you really don’t want to deal with “that guy,” but he does have special skills. And also knives in his hands. Indestructible hand knives are always helpful, especially against plastic. Plus, with Wolverine joining the LEGO Avengers, it might push his MCU Variant to get in on the action sooner rather than later. We really want to see that happen. Wolverine makes every team better in every universe.

LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red stars: Laura Bailey, Trevor Devall, Steve Blum, Will Friedle, James Mathis III, Liam O’Brien, Laura Post, Bumper Robinson, Roger Craig Smith, Fred Tatasciore, Travis Willingham, Mick Wingert. It debuts on Disney+ on Friday, October 27. 2023.

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Lately, it feels like every major franchise is getting the Magic card treatment. Magic: The Gathering has collaborated with The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, Doctor Who, Fallout, and more to bring fans cards that speak to their favorite fictional worlds via their Universes Beyond arm. But now, it feels like the biggest collaboration yet has just been announced. Marvel and Magic: The Gathering will come together to bring Marvel’s greatest heroes, worlds, and more into the world of Magic cards. And although we don’t have any official card art, or really any details yet, we feel the excitement already.

A release shares that this Marvel and Magic collaboration is a “multi-year, multi-set deal.” So fans can look forward to many Marvel Magic cards in the future. The release further notes, “The first tentpole Magic set based on Marvel’s fan-favorite characters and epic stories will appear globally in 2025, with additional all-new exciting sets for multi-generational fans to collect and play.”

2025 feels like a long way off, but we guess there is a lot of Marvel to distill down into one set. We can already imagine the “Captain America’s Shield” card in our mind’s eye. But we hope there will be some deep cuts and Easter eggs we didn’t see coming in this upcoming Marvel Magic card sit. One thing is for sure, though, this collaboration will be beautiful. If Magic: The Gathering’s The Lord of the Rings cards were anything to judge by, then these Marvel sets will totally floor us. We can’t wait to see our favorite heroes reimagined in this whole new way.

“Trading cards have always been a part of Marvel’s DNA, so this collaboration takes that experience to a whole new level,” Dan Buckley, President of Marvel Comics and Franchise noted about this team-up. “With the depth that our storytelling and characters bring to the table, we can’t wait for fans to see how the Marvel Universe translates seamlessly into gameplay within these Magic: The Gathering products and sets for years to come.”

And so, the multiverse expands. There’s no official release date for the Marvel Magic card sets, but we’re sure we’ll get more looks and news about the collaboration way before 2025.

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The Spider-Verse has shown “anyone can wear the mask.” It’s a beautiful sentiment, but let’s face it, the odds a radioactive spider grants us super arachnid powers is probably close to zero. (Yes, “probably.” We refuse to give up all hope.) That doesn’t mean we can’t experience what it’s like to be a friendly neighborhood hero, though. We can be a beloved webbed-slinger in video games, and the next chance we’ll have to do that will expand our horizon—and our wardrobe. Three new trailers for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 reveal a ton of drama and many foes, a full closet worth of incredible Spidey-suits, and an even bigger map to explore.

Villans Are Everywhere in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Slightly Spoilery Launch Trailer

It’s almost time for the web-slinging to begin. And in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launch trailer, we’re thankful for our team of Spidey heroes because there sure will be many villains for them to fight. Beware, though, this new trailer is slightly spoilery.

Kraven, Lizard, and Venom all take a starring role in this upcoming game, and we can see their full strength in Spider-Man 2‘s latest look. But we also get a couple of surprises. The nefarious Spider-Man villain Sandman appears in this trailer, and he is absolutely terrifying (and enormous). Not to mention we see Mister Negative fighting Miles. Any spider-donning hero in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 better watch out.

A synopsis released with the trailer shares:

Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise for the PS5 console. Nine months after the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, we find Miles still enlisting Peter’s help, but when the mysterious symbiote appears, Peter and Miles’ relationships are put to the test. Peter begins to change as he gains symbiote powers, and Miles, Mary Jane, Harry, and the rest of the friend group must help Peter while also facing the impending threats from a cast of new villains like Kraven, Lizard, Sandman, and Venom!

We can hardly wait.

MANY New Spider-Man Suits Are on the Horizon

The second new trailer from Insomniac Games and PlayStation for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 highlight the game’s Digital Deluxe edition. This promo features the many, many, many suits players can opt to use in the game, which will see “Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.”

The game will include the following options for Spidey-ware:

• 5 unique Miles Morales suits
• EnC0ded Suit design by Kris Anka
• Biomechanical Suit design by Jerad Marantz
• Tokusatsu Suit design by Julia Blattman
• Agimat Suit design by Anthony Francisco
• Red Spectre Suit design by Sweeney Boo
• 5 unique Peter Parker suits o Aurantia Suit design by Raf Grassetti
• Apunkalyptic Suit design by Jerad Marantz
• Tactical Suit design by Joel Mandish
• Stone Monkey design by Victoria Ying
• 25th Century Suit design by Anthony Francisco

Pre-ordering Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will also get a few more suits. Those who buy it ahead of its October 20 release will nab an Arachknight Suit for Peter with three color variants and a Shadow-Spider Suit for Miles that also comes with three color variants. Pre-orders will get an early unlock Web Grabber gadget.

Is that…too many suits? No, no, that’s not a thing. We truly need all the suits. Especially since we’ll have even more places to show them off.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Reveals Expanded NYC Gameplay Map

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s last new trailer, narrated by Insomniac Games’ Senior Creative Director Bryan Intihar, shows the expanded map players will encounter in the game.

Peter and Miles’ open-world adventures will let them go to their respective home burrows, Queens and Brooklyn. Those long-overdue additions to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will double the original release’s New York City’s map. And how will you traverse so much ground fast enough to save the day? With new web wings that will help each Spider-Man zip through the air.

These new Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 trailers provide even more insights into the new aspects players will find in the game. But the most important one remains the same. It will let us wear the mask. Many, many, many versions of the mask.

Originally published on September 15, 2023.

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Carol Danvers joined the MCU in 2019 with her own standalone movie, but the powerful superhero won’t be the only “marvel” appearing in her sequel. Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau will star alongside the former pilot in The Marvels. How will these three come together? What moments in their past led them to a future working together? And will Nick Fury be a part of their story? Here’s everything you need to remember from Captain Marvel, WandaVision, Ms. Marvel, and Secret Invasion before The Marvels flies into theaters.

Who Are the MCU’s Marvels?

The Marvels will feature the trio of Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau. While they have shared specific superhero monikers at various times in Marvel Comics, each goes by a different name in the MCU. (One of which we know for sure thanks to official toys.)

Captain Marvel – Carol Danvers

Nick Fury paged Carol Danvers for help in Avengers: Infinity War before Brie Larson even made her MCU debut. Captain Marvel then revealed how the United States Air Force pilot became one of the most formidable cosmic beings in the universe. She gained incredible powers when an explosion of energy exposed her to the space stone inside the Tesseract. The Infinity Stone, along with an infusion of Kree blood, imbued her with super strength, speed, agility, durability, and more.

She also gained the ability to fly (including through space without a helmet), emit energy blasts, and generate intense heat. Once she unlocked her full potential Carol Danvers was strong enough to overwhelm Thanos. He needed the Power Stone to fight her.

The explosion that gave her powers also caused Carol to experience total memory loss. That made it possible for the Kree to manipulate their powerful new soldier, whom they called “Vers” thanks to her partially ruined military dog tag. Vers was loyal and dedicated, but she turned on the Kree after learning the truth about her past and mentor. Carol then became an ally to her former enemies the Skrulls. She and her new friend Nick Fury helped save the Skrulls before she left Earth again. Carol Danvers returned to her home world after the Snap and joined the Avengers, but she soon returned to space so she could help maintain order on other planets. Her many years away from Earth led to a rift between Carol and the daughter of her best friend, Maria Rambeau.

Carol Danvers last appeared in the MCU as a hologram during a Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings mid-credits scene.

Ms. Marvel – Kamala Khan

The Disney+ series Ms. Marvel introduced young Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan to the MCU. Jersey City’s biggest Avengers fan joined the superhero ranks herself after she accidentally unlocked innate powers while wearing a magical wrist bangle. Kamala’s special abilities, which include stretching her own body, let her both manipulate and generate light into physical matter (“hard light”) both big and small. She does that by accessing energy from the parallel Noor Dimension. That extra-dimensional world was her great grandmother’s original home.

Kamala Khan’s abilities do not come solely from the Noor Dimension. Other Noor people like her grandmother had been stuck on Earth for decades without being able to access their home dimension’s powers. In the show’s season one finale, Kamala’s best friend Bruno figured out why. He discovered Kamala is different because she has a strange genetic mutation. If there were any doubt what that meant for both Kamala and the MCU, part of the X-Men: The Animated Series theme song played during the scene. That all but confirmed Kamala as the MCU’s first official mutant.

Read more about the MCU’s superhero-loving superhero with Kamala Khan’s Powers In Ms. Marvel, Explained, as well as our piece Why Ms. Marvel’s X-Men Revelation Is Exciting.

Photon – Monica Rambeau

Monica Rambeau made her MCU debut in Captain Marvel, which took place in 1995. Akira Akbar played the young version of the character in the film. Teyonah Parris took over the role as the adult Monica on Disney+’s WandaVision, set in 2023. The show revealed Monica’s mother Maria had died after the Snap (which turned Monica to dust) and before the Blip. During Carol Danvers long absence, the former pilot Maria had established S.W.O.R.D. Her daughter ultimately followed in her mom’s footsteps by joining the government organization.

(A Variant of Maria appeared in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness as a member of the Illuminati. In that world Maria became Captain Marvel rather than Carol.)

On WandaVision Monica passed through the Scarlet Witch’s Hex—the magical barrier around Wanda’s false utopian sitcom city—multiple times. Each time she did it rewrote her body’s cells on a molecular level. Monica Rambeau’s third and final push into Westview ultimately turned her into a super powered being. The Hex tried to rip her apart, but Monica fought back by focusing on her past and her mother. When she emerged intact on the other side of the Hex she had super reflexes, energy absorption, and intangibility, which makes it so she can let objects pass through her. Monica also gained spectral vision that lets her see energy waves. Her eyes glow when she uses her powers.

In WandaVision‘s closing moments Nick Fury had a secret Skrull operative tell Monica he wanted the new superhero to join him on the S.A.B.E.R. station in outer space.

Dive deeper into Photon’s story with our explainers on Monica Rambeau’s Super Powers and our piece on Wandavision’s Mid-Credits Scene.

How Ms. Marvel’s Season One Finale Set Up The Marvels

The story of The Marvels began during a mid-credits scene in Ms. Marvel‘s season one finale. It began when Kamala’s bangle started glowing. Kamala then disappeared as someone crashed into her closet. It was Carol Danvers, whose hands were emanating the same cosmic glow as Kamala’s ancient artifact.

Why Is Kamala Khan’s Bangle So Important?

Kamala’s bangle is one of two we know exists. Ms. Marvel never fully explained where it came from or why it’s so important, other than the Noor wanted both and Kamala’s grandmother used magic to send it to Kamala. It also sends Kamala where she needs to go even if she doesn’t know why. That’s how she went to the past to save her family long before she was born.

We do know her grandmother found it in a temple that has connections to Shang-Chi’s magical Ten Rings (which very well might be of alien origin themselves). More importantly, the Noor ClanDestine outcasts found the bangle on a severed blue hand that looked a lot like a Kree body part. The bangle also shares many traits with Marvel Comics Nega-Bands, which could explain exactly what it is and why it switched Kamala and Carol’s places in the universe.

To learn more about Kamala’s bangle, her swap with Carol Danvers, and the Nega-Bands read Ms. Marvel Finale’s Mid-Credits Scene Explained.

Where in the MCU Timeline Does The Marvels Take Place?

The Marvels will take place after Ms. Marvel, which took place in the fall of 2025. The Captain Marvel sequel will also take place after Secret Invasion. That ended with Nick Fury returning to outer space aboard the S.A.B.E.R. ship. He’ll be working with his old friend and her two unexpected partners in the film. All three of them are stuck in a quantum entanglement together.

Trailers for The Marvels revealed Monica Rambeau not only took Fury up on the job offer at the end of WandaVision, she was also part of the switch that took place with Carol and Kamala. When that bangle began to glow Carol ended up in Kamala’s room, Kamala took Monica’s place in space, and Monica went to wherever Carol was at the moment. When one of them uses their powers it causes all three to swap places across the universe.

Not exactly a marvelous situation for the three of them. Especially Monica who doesn’t have much love left for her “aunt” Carol. But that’s exactly why their entanglement should make for an entertaining film when The Marvels go higher, further, and faster together on November 10.

Get ready for the MCU’s new team with Everything We Know About The Marvels. It explains why the film’s villain might already answer some of our biggest questions.

The post What to Know From CAPTAIN MARVEL, MS. MARVEL, and WANDAVISION Before THE MARVELS appeared first on Nerdist.

In a perfect world we’d be waiting for a very specific movie this fall. We’d be waiting for the premiere of a followup to the 2022 MCU Halloween special Werewolf by Night. The creepy black-and-white tale of monster hunters and their prey remains one of the franchise’s best and most original post-Infinity Saga releases. But while we don’t live in a perfect world, it’s not all bad either. Disney+’s 2023 “Hallowstream” lineup will include the newly announced Werewolf by Night in Color, a special version debuting this October.

And it now this colorful rendition has a scary good trailer.

Hulu subscribers can now catch the original Werewolf by Night on the streamer. Disney added the special starring Gael García Bernal to the site as part of its “Huluween” collection. But customers of the Mouse House’s flagship streaming service will be getting a very different version on October 20.

Marvel Studios’ Werewolf By Night in Color will give viewers an opportunity to see the film in a whole new way. Disney is giving its spooky story a companion version that comes in “vibrant color.”

On Twitter X, director Michael Giacchino said they “spent a lot of time working on this color version” because they “wanted to pay homage to the incredible vibrant color in horror films like the ones Hammer made.” Giacchino said the result is “a whole new look for the film.”

Prior to this trailer we had only seen colorized images from the set thanks to the behind-the-scenes doc Director By Night.

Before we learned of this colorized version we were planning to rewatch the black-and-white original a couple times anyway. Now? We’re still going to do that, we’re just also going to enjoy Werewolf by Night in Color.

Hopefully next year we also have a second original movie to enjoy, too. That won’t make the world perfect, but like this special colorful version it will get us one lycanthrope step closer.

Originally published September 15, 2023.

The post Marvel’s WEREWOLF BY NIGHT IN COLOR Special Scares Up First Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

Loki‘s first season established the TVA as a place outside of normal time and space. He Who Remains and his servants didn’t age over eons inside the Machiavellian bureaucracy. Mobius wasn’t even sure exactly how long he’d been protecting the Sacred Timeline, since “time moves differently” at the TVA. Combined with Multiversal War, the Citadel at the End of Time, Variants, branches, and pruning it was a lot to make sense of. Now Loki‘s second season is showing we didn’t even know as much as we thought.

What exactly is going on with time at the Time Variance Authority? What does all this new information mean for the MCU’s multiverse? The TVA’s own past, present, and future? Here’s what every episode of Loki season two has revealed about how time does—and sometimes doesn’t—work in the strange world of the TVA.

Episode 1

Time Slipping

Time slipping is when someone is violently ripped through the past, present, and future. It’s supposed to be impossible inside the TVA, a place where magic doesn’t work and countless Infinity Stones are nothing more than colorful paper weights. O.B. and Mobius solved Loki’s time slipping problem by extracting a pruned Loki out of “every strand of time and space.”

The TVA’s Own Linear Timeline

Loki’s time slipping explained why Mobius didn’t recognize the God of Mischief at the end of season one. It also revealed the TVA still has its own self-contained timeline. The organization exists outside of normal time and space, but people in the TVA still live a linear timeline with a past, present, and future.

When Loki went into the past he went into the same TVA’s own past. That was a period when He Who Remains didn’t hide his identity from his workforce. When Loki went into the future it was the same TVA’s future. His travels through TVA time also made it possible for Loki to help save himself from time slipping. He told O.B. about his problems in the past, which made it so O.B. in the present had the Temporal Aura Extractor ready to go.

Mobius attached the Extractor to the most important device in the TVA, machine that weaves entire branches together.

Temporal Loom

The “heart” of the TVA is the Temporal Loom, a device that refines raw time into a “physical timeline.” The death of He Who Remains caused the Sacred Timeline to branch off. Those new strands then began to overload the Temporal Loom, which is not designed to handle that many strands at once.

Read More About Loki Season 2 Episode 1

• How Loki’s Season 2 Premiere Explains Season 1’s Ending
• Does Loki’s Season 2 Premiere Have A Post-Credits Scene?
• Loki’s Post-Credits Scene Ties Into A Classic Thor Comics Location
• Loki’s Temporal Loom: What Is It And What Are Its Marvel Comics Inspirations?
• Who Is Loki’s Ouroboros? Ke Huy Quan’s Character O.B. Ties Into Mythology And Marvel Comics

Episode 2

The Secret Brad Wolfe Life of Hunter X-5

The season premiere saw heavily armed TVA hunters under General Dox’s command go through a Timedoor. Episode two revealed their mission was to blow up all the new branches. One of the Hunters who went on that mission originally was X-5, but Mobius learned he’d abandoned his post entirely in the second episode, which took place immediately at the first within the TVA’s own timeline.

That’s not how much time had passed for X-5, though. He’d left the TVA to make a life for himself as a actor on the Sacred Timeline in 1977 London.

X-5, now known as famous Zaniac star Brad Wolfe, had much longer hair than he had in the first episode. Between his notoriety, success, and lengthy follicles it was clear he lived a long time on the Sacred Timeline even though very little time had passed for his former colleagues in the TVA. The same was true of Sylvie. Despite killing He Who Remains just days prior within the TVA’s own timeline, she’d already established a life on a new branch in 1982 Oklahoma.

Time Discrepancy Between the TVA and Normal Life

The implications of this time discrepancy between normal life and the TVA are terrifying. Someone could theoretically leave the TVA, live an entire life on a branch for many years, and then return to the TVA mere moments after they originally left it. What kind of damage could someone do to the Sacred Timeline if they could do what they wanted for decades before the TVA even knew they were gone?

We’ll have to wait for future episodes to find out. That’s also when we’ll learn whatever else it is we don’t already know about time in the TVA.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post How Time and Time Travel Work in LOKI’s TVA appeared first on Nerdist.

In 2020, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, would spring to life from comic pages in her own original series starring Dominique Thorne. Ironheart will be part of Phase Five. While details about the series are still pretty scarce, Riri Williams’ comic history will provide its foundation. We finally met Riri “Ironheart” Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, an appearance that set the stage for diving into her story. Here’s everything you need to know about Ironheart. 

Title

The series title is Marvel Studios’ Ironheart. 

Ironheart‘s Plot

Ironheart will focus on Riri Williams, a brilliant Black girl inventor who creates a high-tech metal suit like Iron Man’s. As we discover in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri is a 19-year-old MIT student who is “running” a homework business. Oh, and she also builds a vibranium detection machine that puts her in the path of Namor, the leader of a underwater nation who is willing to kill her to protect his people. Of course, she’s alive and well at the end of the film and heading back to Massachusetts… for now. Right now, there are no solid details about the show. But it is possible that the show will bounce between her native Chicago and MIT, where MJ and Ned also happen to be.

Behind the Scenes 

Playwright, poet, and Snowpiercer writer Chinaka Hodge will lead the show’s writing team as a head writer. According to Deadline, Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes will direct the series. In addition, Proximity, Ryan Coogler’s production company, will serve as one of the show’s producers. Coogler is also onboard the series as an executive producer alongside Kevin Feige. Ironheart finished filming in November 2022.

Ironheart‘s Cast

Dominique Thorne will take on the leading role of Riri “Ironheart” Williams in the MCU. She will be joined by Anthony Ramos of Hamilton and In the Heights fame, who will play The Hood. This Is Us mainstay Lyric Ross will portray Riri’s best friend. In the comics, Riri’s BFF Natalie died way before she became an iron hero but lived on through N.A.T.A.L.I.E. This AI program takes her friend’s form and they work together much like Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S. did. It remains to be seen if this friend will be alive, appear in flashbacks, or operate as AI in the series. Or, perhaps it is not Natalie at all but rather a new character.

Other cast members include Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Zoe Terakes, Shakira Barrera, Jim Rash, Shea Couleé, Regan Aliyah, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón, and Cree Summer.

A new Marvel filing with the U.S. Copyright Office Public Records System also reveals that Sacha Baron Cohen will appear in Ironheart as “Mystery Man.” Very mysterious indeed.

Ironheart‘s Release Date

The Disney+ series doesn’t have a release date yet.

Originally published on March 1, 2022. 

The post Everything We Know About Marvel’s IRONHEART Disney+ Series appeared first on Nerdist.

The chaos of Loki‘s season two premiere began during season one’s finale. When Sylvie killed He Who Remains she upended both the Sacred Timeline and the entire TVA. And yet, the rogue Variant responsible for all that turmoil didn’t appear during season two’s debut until it was already over. A post-credits (more specifically a mid-credits) scene in Loki season two’s first episode revealed where Sylvie headed after leaving the Citadel at the End of Time. She went as far away from the royal court of Asgard as possible. At the very end of Loki’s first episode, Sylvie travels back to 1982 and visits a McDonald’s in a small Oklahoma community on a branch of reality that only exists because of her. This Loki season two, episode one post-credits scene location already had major ties to Marvel Comics. Now it’s home to one of the MCU’s most beautiful scenes.

What Happened in Loki‘s Season 2 Premiere Post-Credits Scene?

Sylvie ended Loki‘s first season in He Who Remains’ Citadel. At the time, she also had the dead TVA’s leader’s TemPad, which was how she opened up a Time Door to kick Loki through. Loki thinks that TemPad might have unique abilities (and he’s almost certainly right).

So what exactly did Loki‘s post-credits scene reveal to us? Well, in its only after-the-credits moment, the show’s season two debut shows us where Sylvie went next after the events of Loki season one. In it, we learn that Sylvie used a Time Door to go to Earth on a new branch that broke from the Sacred Timeline after she murdered He Who Remains. That place was Broxton, Oklahoma, in the year 1982. Her Loki armor would have stood out even in the 21st century, but she made for quite a spectacle when she walked into an ’80s-era American McDonald’s.

Sylvie had spent plenty of time on Earth before, but always under the worst circumstances. She successfully hid from the TVA inside apocalyptic events. Her best method of evasion involved mass casualties with no survivors. But in Loki season two’s post-credits scene, inside that normal McDonald’s, she saw peaceful Earthlings eating and laughing with friends. She then asked the young restaurant manager—who admirably did his job under strange circumstances—how “this works” so she could order food. When he asked her what non-rat and non-possum option she wanted to try, Sylvie smiled and said, “Everything.”

Why Did Sylvie Go to Broxton, Oklahoma on Loki?

Sylvie spent her whole life running from the TVA. The organization took her as a kid without ever telling her what her Nexus Event was. She spent decades fighting to survive, all while planning to bring down the TVA itself.

Once she seemingly did that by killing He Who Remains, she opted for a quiet, easy existence in a place that is the proverbial antithesis of an Asgardian god’s life. The place she sees in Loki‘s post-credits scene is also the antithesis of her own experiences. The TVA is a lifeless, emotionless bureaucracy of death where Variants and timelines are pruned to a Void where a monster eats them. The opposite of that is the quiet beauty and ease of a place like Broxton, Oklahoma on Earth in 1982, a time before cellphones and computers that never knew alien invaders.

Even that McDonald’s, a place totally unremarkable from any of the chain’s other locales, had a simple grace to it. A fast-food burger joint is as unpretentious as the TVA is arrogant. It’s a place designed for people to enjoy a simple pleasure that is so easy to take for granted.

But why Broxton specifically? Why an unincorporated community in Oklahoma’s Caddo County (a real place with less than 7,000 residents) versus the countless other similar locals on Earth? Because Broxton’s Marvel appearances aren’t just limited to Loki season two, episode one’s post-credits scene. Broxton was actually a major location in J. Michael Straczynski’s Thor comic series.

You can read more about Broxton’s Marvel Comics history and how it was briefly New Asgard in our own Eric Diaz’s deep dive.

What Was the Meaning of Loki Season 2’s Post-Credits Scene?

He Who Remains had Loki debating the merits of taking control of the TVA as a necessary evil. Sure, pruning Variants and entire branches might be awful, but isn’t the alternative worse? Aren’t some terrible sacrifices in the name of order better than all-out chaos?

It was easy for Loki to think that way because he never had to deal with being one of those sacrifices. But Sylvie had. She had her entire life stolen from her. She was a person with a home and a family, and the TVA took that away from her, just as it had to every Variant it pruned or stole to do its dirty work. A necessary evil is still evil, and it’s not even clear the TVA was necessary.

When Sylvie walked into that McDonald’s in Loki season two’s post-credits scene, she was finally free. No more running. No more TVA. And no more death. Instead, she found a simple life, the kind where you can sit down and eat a cheeseburger without worry. And while those people didn’t know it, they owed their entire existence to her, one brave individual who wanted nothing more than to let others live.

It was the culmination of Sylvie’s entire life. All that hard work fighting for survival and refusing to give in to evil led to a truly beautiful moment of hope and appreciation. And that was before she got to find out just how good Chicken McNuggets are.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Does LOKI’s Season 2 Premiere Have a Post-Credits Scene? appeared first on Nerdist.

High-end nerdy collections are all the rage. Not too long ago, Jimmy Choo collaborated with Sailor Moon to create a pair of $15,000 boots. And Loewe’s Studio Ghibli collections are always worth a second look (even if you can’t afford anything). Now, Christian Louboutin is getting into the game with one of the biggest nerdy properties of all, Marvel. Christian Louboutin and Marvel have announced a new global collection that highlights some of Marvel’s most iconic heroes and, of course, its shiniest piece of mythology, the Infinity Stones. Not only does the Christian Louboutin and Marvel team-up involve shoes, bags, hats, and more, but it also comes with its own Marvel comic. Who would have thought? Let’s take a look at this Marvelous collection below.

A release from Marvel shares that this Christian Louboutin collection is inspired by three Marvel entities:

The Infinity Stones, which immediately caught Christian Louboutin’s attention, are embedded with strass into two unique heels for men and women.

Namor, the first character ever appearing in a Marvel comic, is the inspiration for the reinvention of the Louboutin scales into an exclusive fish scale known as Spikes Namor. This reimagination of one of Christian Louboutin’s most iconic embellishment pays tribute to Namor’s underwater world.

Moon Knight’s mysterious black and silver suit influences Christian Louboutin’s most audacious styles within the collection.

We definitely see these Marvel characters and concepts popping up throughout the Louboutin line. And, although this collection is a little more conceptual and a little less literal than other collections we’ve seen, the spirit of Marvel and its comics definitely comes through.

Click To View Gallery

Of course, as with any high-end collaboration, a price tag is involved. But hey, it’s not $15,000, so that’s something. The shoes and boots in the Christian Louboutin x Marvel collection cost around $1,995.00 at their cheapest and $3,995.00 at their most expensive. We guess we’d better start putting in extra hours on our heroing. Or maybe Tony Stark wants to chip in to get us a pair.

For free, though, Marvel has put together a comic featuring Christian Louboutin himself. Does that cannonize the designer in Marvel lore? Maybe we’ll see him dress heroes in the next phase of the MCU. Marvel shares of The Loubiverse Explodes!, “The Infinity Stones play a vital role in this special-edition comic book – the story of a quest led by an Egyptian archaeologist Super Hero, based on the [Christian Louboutin] and his North African heritage… The comic book adventure takes place in Egypt and depicts the shoe and accessory collection itself, as well as numerous Marvel characters, including Black Widow, Shuri, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Avengers.”

 Louboutin notes, “There is something about the Marvel mythology, its chronology and recurring characters going through epic adventures, dramas, and intrigues, all spiced up with superpowers that really resonates with me!” And we guess the reverse is true because some items in the Louboutin Marvel collection have already sold out.

If a red sole is the last thing you need in your heroic look, you can check out the full collection, available now.

The post Christian Louboutin’s Marvel Shoe Collection Brings Red Soles to Superheros appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s been an exciting week to say the least. The WGA strike happily came to an end, Pokémon announced its full Van Gogh Museum collaboration, and we even got to see a very exciting familiar face on Ahsoka. But in the mix with all that, there were some other exciting annoucements and releases that might have gotten lost in the shuffle. But never fear, we’re ready to catch you up on it all.

Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends that you don’t want to miss reading about.

This Week’s Odds & Ends in News:

• A Reboot of The Office Is Reportedly in the Works From Greg Daniels
• Newest The Lord of the Rings Release Will Be a Cozy Game Featuring Hobbits and the Shire
• Get Ready for the Holidays with LEGO’s Marvel Avengers Advent Calendar
• A Rick & Morty Movie Could Be Heading Our Way
• Enjoy Magic: The Gathering Themed Pancakes a IHOP
• Spirit Halloween Movie Coming to Stream on Shudder
• Skittles Littles Invites You to Taste a Mini Rainbow

A Reboot of The Office Is Reportedly in the Works From Greg Daniels

That’s right folks, it might be time to head back to work… Or whatever it is they do in The Office. According to The Wrap, The Office series co-creator Greg Daniels is reportedly working on a reboot of the show’s US version. This news is still tenuous for now. It comes from Puck News‘ Matthew Belloni. As the WGA strike came to a close, Belloni shared in his newsletter, “We’re also about to see a firehose of announcements of projects and castings that have been held back for fear of bad optics or violating guild rules. Greg Daniels is set to do a reboot of ‘The Office,’ for instance.”

Of course, we’ve seen conversations surrounding a reboot or spinoff of The Office before. In fact, Parks and Recreation started life as a spinoff of The Office. In this age of media, everything old can become new again. And The Office remains an immensely popular show. So if Greg Daniels really was helming a The Office reboot, it would not surprise us. But we would be equally unsurprised if it did not come to pass. Only time will tell.

Check out news of the latest remake of The Office, here:

Newest The Lord of the Rings Release Will Be a Cozy Game Featuring Hobbits and the Shire

Ready for some truly exciting news for fall? A new The Lord of the Rings video game is coming our way and this one will be a cozy outing dedicated to Hobbits and the Shire. Honestly, we could not imagine a better idea to make into reality. We don’t know too much about the game yet, but a teaser trailer for Tales of the Shire sets up with just the right vibes.

Your cosy Hobbit life awaits in Tales of the Shire, a heart-warming new The Lord of the Rings™ game by Wētā Workshop and Private Division. Coming 2024. pic.twitter.com/CvDnRXyMQN

— talesoftheshire (@talesoftheshire) September 21, 2023

A little watercolor, a little humming, and a few leaves blowing in the wind, you say? That’s a real mood right there. The only explanation we get so far notes, “Your cosy Hobbit life awaits in Tales of the Shire, a heart-warming new The Lord of the Ring game by Wētā Workshop and Private Division. Coming 2024.” In the video, we do see references to the Green Dragon, Ivy Bush, and Bywater. But those are about our only clues.

Wētā Workshop, of course, is known for its gorgeous creations and work on The Lord of the Rings movies. We’re hoping for the best and expecting the best with Tales of the Shire.

Check out some gorgeous The Lord of the Rings collectible items, here:

Get Ready for the Holidays with LEGO’s Marvel Avengers Advent Calendar

If you’re like us, you don’t really want to get ready for the holidays yet. It feels early. But nevertheless, the holiday season is incoming whether we like it or not. But least it’s bringing with it some excellent gifting ideas. High on our list is this LEGO Marvel Avengers Advent Calendar. Whether this is your first LEGO Marvel Advent calendar or your hundredth, opening 24 days of superhero surprises make for a lot of fun.

This year the calendar will bring you LEGO Minifigures of your favorite Avengers like Okoye, Doctor Strange, Captain America, Spider-Man, Wong, Iron Man, and Black Widow alongside mini builds and accessories. Additionally, “Buildable play experiences include a Quinjet, jetpack, ice hockey kit, the Hydra Train and lots more items inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.” Basically, you get to create a LEGO Avengers winter wonderland. And what could be better than that? We especially love Okoye playing a game of hockey.

The LEGO Marvel Avengers Advent Calander is available now and costs $44.99.

For more LEGO Marvel fun, check out this advanced Captain America shield set, here:

A Rick and Morty Movie Could Be Heading Our Way

Rick and Morty season season seven premieres in October. But a recent profile with creator Dan Harmon by The Hollywood Reporter indicates even more Rick and Morty could be on the way in movie form. The publication notes “Pre-strike, Harmon even had a serious conversation with executives at Warner Bros. about a Rick and Morty feature. He says they were all aligned on a kind of ‘“’super episode’”’ conceit, the way that Matt Stone and Trey Parker approached the South Park movie years ago. He has plenty more percolating in development, too, including a musical and a multicam.”

Whether these Rick and Morty movie conversations return post-strike remains to be seen. But it feels like one way or another, we’ll get a whole lot more Rick and Morty on our screens sooner rather than later. A “super episode” seems to only make sense.

Check out Rick and Morty‘s full season seven trailer, here:

Enjoy Magic: The Gathering Themed Pancakes a IHOP

Need more Magic: The Gathering in your life? How about in pancake form? Well, if so, you’re in luck. IHOP and Magic: The Gathering are collaborating on a Magic-themed menu that will be available for a limited time. In addition to being able to redeem IHOP loyalty points for Magic: The Gathering Arena in-game rewards, “Guests can also order from a custom Magic: The Gathering Arena menu featuring five specially themed pancakes at participating IHOPs.”

Here’s what the menu consists of:

• Ajani’s Purr-fect Pancakes: Original Buttermilk – classic original buttermilk keeping the Multiverse at peace. 
• Jace’s Illusion-Berry Pancakes: Double Blueberry – double blueberry pancakes conjured specially for magic lovers. 
• Liliana’s Chocolate Corruption Pancakes: Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Chocolate pancakes – chocolate chips & chocolate syrup – irresistible for mere mortals. 
• Chandra’s Pyroblast Pancakes: Strawberry Banana – a delicious combination of banana-filled pancakes topped with fiery red strawberries, more bananas & strawberry syrup. Consume with haste. 
• Vivien’s Heroic Protein Pancakes: Protein Power – protein-packed pancakes that are in tune with nature & in tune with your stomach.

Sounds magical to us!

Check out Magic: The Gathering‘s latest cool collaboration cards, here:

Spirit Halloween Movie Coming to Stream on Shudder

Remember the Spirit Halloween movie? Maybe you do, probably you don’t. But if you want to watch your favorite Halloween store transform into a horror movie you can now do so at any time. The Spirit Halloween movie will start streaming on Shudder beginning on October 2. This movie might not be what you call good, but it could be what you call a good time. Not to mention, according to Variety, it was shot in abandoned Toys R Us location in Georgia.

Relive the magic of the Spirit Halloween movie’s trailer, here:

Skittles Littles Invites You to Taste a Mini Rainbow

Admit it! Things are better when they’re teeny tiny. Just look at mini M&Ms! Well, Skittles wants to get into the fun now with Skittles Littles. These small candies are exactly what they sound like, Skittles but shrunk down to cute-size. We love it. A release shares, “Bursting with the five iconic fruity flavors of SKITTLES fans love, now in a tiny and more poppable form, SKITTLES Littles make it even easier to enjoy SKITTLES on-the-go.”

We can’t wait to taste the tiny rainbow. Skittles Littles are available now in stores and online.

If you’re looking for more adorable treats, take a look at this Girl Scout Cookie collaboration with Skippy P.B. Bites

The post THE OFFICE Reboot in the Works, a Cozy LOTR Game Coming Soon, and More News Odds & Ends appeared first on Nerdist.

Since the moment DVDs first arrived on store shelves I’ve been the world’s biggest sucker for deleted scenes. Even when they aren’t very good they still offer fascinating insights into the making of shows and movies. Plus on rare occasions they’re actually great. Both things are true of deleted scenes from the new Blu-ray of Loki season one. They each show the God of Mischief in physical confrontations. That includes a delightful, angry meeting between Loki and Chris Hemsworth’s frog thunder god, Throg.

Disney has shared two bonus deleted scenes from its upcoming Blu-ray release of Loki‘s debut season. The first, titled “Loki’s Coronation,” comes from Mobius’ interrogation of the Asgardian prince, when the TVA agent showed Loki losing moments from the god’s past. During one attempt to name himself the future king, Loki’s brother Thor turned up unexpectedly as frog thor. (Well, not that unexpectedly. Loki had transformed Thor into an tiny amphibian.) A powerful frog punch to the face ended Loki’s almost-moment of triumphant.

It’s a great sequence that would have expanded Throg’s role on the show. He briefly appeared trapped in a jar underground during the first season. That was fun, but not as good as this unfinished scene.

A second deleted scene, “The Standoff,” doesn’t end much better for Odin’s mischievous boy. It starts with Loki holding Sylvie at knife point and ends with both Variants in TVA custody.

It’s a well-acted, emotional scene, but the omission ultimately makes sense. It would have really changed the powerful moment the two had right before this portion started.

Good. Bad. Terrible. Amazing. I don’t care. I just want more deleted scenes from every show and movie I like. And since I always want more Throg this is an especially good batch.

Loki season one is now available on both 4K UHD Blu-ray and standard Blu-ray.

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We officially have a trend. Loki season two has announced its release date will arrive earlier than planned. Loki has moved its second season release up by one day. It will now release on October 5 instead of October 6. But Loki season two’s release date move isn’t so much about releasing one day earlier. No, it’s about the time of release.

When Will Loki Season 2 Episodes Release? Here Is the New Time and Day They’ll Drop on Disney+

Joining Disney+’s Star Wars series Ahsoka, Loki season two will be released at Disney+’s newer, friendlier release time, 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET. And what a gift from the gods that is.

When we saw Ahsoka had shifted its release date by one day, so it too could air at 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET, we crossed our fingers that this would be the new normal for Disney+. And it seems like that’s exactly what will happen with Disney+ shows releasing from now on, on both the Marvel and Star Wars fronts. A release shares that “Marvel Studios’ Loki Season 2 launches exclusively on Disney+ at 6:00 P.M. PT on Thursday, October 5.  All subsequent episodes will also be available starting Thursdays at 6:00 P.M. PT.”

All we can say is that we will not miss late-night vigils to watch our favorite MCU and Star Wars shows.

Is This Earlier Release Time for Star Wars and Marvel Shows Now an Official Strategy?

We now have one Marvel and one Star Wars Disney+ show landing at the 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET release slot. So it does feel like this time could become the official drop time for Disney+ shows. However, Disney+ has still not officially confirmed that this will hold true for all its shows. For now, as with Ahsoka and Loki season two’s releases, announcements are being made on a case-by-case basis.

More About Loki Season Two

To celebrate Loki‘s new release date and time, Marvel Studios released a brand new featurette for the series’ second season. This new look at Loki takes us behind the scenes of the show, assures us that Loki and Mobius will reunite as we know them, and gives us a look at many hugs. The featurette also teases that Loki will really lean into his heroic side this time around.

Loki season two has now officially set its release date for October 5. As mentioned, the show will return at its new time, 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET.

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Star Wars is a franchise with an immense historical timeline. Recently Disney has finally broken the timeline up into nine different eras. On Star Wars’ website, the timeline now consists of:

• Dawn of the Jedi
• The Old Republic
• The High Republic
• Fall of the Jedi
• Reign of the Empire
• Age of Rebellion
• The New Republic
• Rise of the First Order
• New Jedi Order

While almost all of the Star Wars eras have accompanying descriptions, the Dawn of the Jedi remains curiously blank. 

The term “Dawn of the Jedi” may not be familiar to Star Wars fans who have stuck to canon television shows, films, and video games. But against what some may think, the Dawn of the Jedi is not a new time period to Star Wars. In fact, it has existed for more than a decade. That period is the setting for a slew of comics and novels that are now part of Star Wars Legends continuity. Within Legends, the Dawn of the Jedi period ranged from 37,000 to 25,000 years before the events of Episode IV: A New Hope. 

The central text of the Dawn of the Jedi period in Legends is a comic book called Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi #0 by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema. Ostrander is a celebrated comic book writer, best known for his iconic runs on Suicide Squad, Martian Manhunter, and The Spectre for DC Comics. Published in 2012 by Dark Horse Comics, this one-shot laid the foundation for the Jedi, originally called Jed’aii, and their origin on the planet Tython. 

The first Jed’aii were a collection of Force-sensitive “warriors, scientists, philosophers, priests, and artisans” brought to Tython in eight ships called the Tho Yor. Tython was a planet with strong ties to the Force, providing the perfect training ground for the Jed’aii. They created eight temples on the planet. Each centered around a different purpose: Knowledge, Arts, Science, Healing, the Forge, Force Skills, Martial Arts, and Balance. At this time, the Jed’aii included some full-blooded Sith, a red-skinned alien species whose name those strong in the dark side would later appropriate.  

Dawn of the Jedi #0 also detailed the origins of lightsabers. An alien species called the Rakata, whose Infinite Empire sought out planets strong in the Force, created them first. They armed their scouts to these new worlds, called Force Hounds, with weapons called Forcesabers. These Forcesabers could only ignite through tapping into the dark side. They served as a prototype of the lightsabers that Jedi would later wield. 

Force Hounds would play an important role in the next phase of Dawn of the Jedi stories in comics. Ostrander and Duursema created three consecutive mini-series following Dawn of the Jedi #0 called Dawn of the Jedi: Force Storm, Dawn of the Jedi: The Prisoner of Bogan, and Dawn of the Jedi: Force War. This trilogy followed a Force Hound named Xesh, who was born into slavery and was raised by the Rakata. After meeting a group of Jed’aii, Xesh gradually devotes himself to learning the ways of the light side. 

Ostrander and Duursema’s comics are an important part of Star Wars history to return to now. Elements of Legends continuity are now officially canon thanks to Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, and The Rise of Skywalker. It is no easy feat to explain an enormous swath of Star Wars history. So why shouldn’t Ostrander’s writing and Duursema’s artwork be the basis for Star Wars’ Dawn of the Jedi period? At this point, Star Wars can no longer continue to ignore the stories that took fans where its films didn’t. Darth Revan’s return to canon is evidence of this movement.

Creating Legends may have given Disney a fresh slate to develop its sequel trilogy in. However, many Legends stories like Dawn of the Jedi have stood the test of time where Disney projects like The Rise of Skywalker haven’t. Either way, Ostrander and Duursema’s comics provided a moving foundation for the Star Wars franchise before Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm.

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After meeting Echo—a skilled fighter and former member of the Tracksuit Mafia—in Hawkeye, fans wanted to see more of her. The MCU is telling a wider array of stories from different backgrounds in its latest offering. And that will continue with this character, who is Deaf and Native American. Now it’s time to focus on Maya Lopez, a.k.a. Echo’s, story in Echo, a series heading to Disney+.

Here’s everything we know about Echo so far. 

Title 

The title of this series is Echo (more formally Marvel’s Echo.) 

Echo’s Plot 

We don’t know a lot about the plot right now. But Marvel’s synopsis does give us a bit to work with: 

…the origin story of Echo revisits Maya Lopez, whose ruthless behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. She must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.

Behind the Scenes 

Several of the show’s creatives are Native American, including directors Sydney Freeland (Navajo tribe) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai tribe). Executive producers include Kevin Feige (obviously), Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Stephen Broussard, Richie Palmer, Marion Dayre, and Jason Gavin (Blackfeet tribe). Echo’s co-executive producers are Amy Rardin, Sydney Freeland, Christina King (Seminole tribe), and Jennifer Booth.

Echo’s Cast 

Alaqua Cox will return as Maya Lopez/Echo. The Echo TV show also stars Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, and Graham Greene in roles that aren’t clear yet. Zahn McClarnon will portray William Lopez, Echo’s father. And, we are getting some familiar MCU faces in the form of Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin respectively. 

Echo’s Release Date 

The Echo series received an official release date of November 29, 2023, but reportedly it will now release in January 2024. And, in an unusual move for the platform, all episodes of Echo will drop at one time. That means we can view the season all at once, which of course, we enjoy doing. Some series are better suited to this format. We just hope that’s the case for Echo and the reason behind this choice.

Originally published in 2021.

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Loki season two will soon arrive on Disney+. It promises us a romp through time as glitches and resets send our main characters in many different directions. But Loki isn’t the only Disney+ series dealing with shifting timelines. Disney+’s upcoming slate of MCU series is seeing a serious calendar shuffle. The result is that only Loki season two will arrive in the fall of 2023. All the other Disney+ MCU shows we planned on seeing soon are heading further down the line. And some of these series seem to have been removed from the calendar altogether.

The Hollywood Reporter shared this news about the shift in release date plans for Disney+ MCU shows. Here’s what was revealed.

Firstly, What If…? season two has shifted from its original early 2023 release to a Christmas 2023 release. Echo, which had a release date of November 29, 2023, appears to have moved to January 2024. All episodes will still drop at once, an unusual move for Disney+. X-Men ’97, meanwhile, originally planned to release in the fall of 2023, will arrive in early 2024. The Agatha series, which The Hollywood Reporter notes has yet another new name, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, will shift to the fall of 2024. In unfortunate news, Disney+ appears to have removed Ironheart from the schedule for now. The Disney+ series will focus on Riri Williams, a delightful inventor introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Daredevil: Born Again and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Wonder Man also do not have clear release windows at this time.

The latest Disney+ MCU series release date calendar shift is unsurprising, given that the studios continue to refuse to pay their actors and writers, forcing the WGA and SAG strikes to continue. In addition, although Disney+ shows seemed to be a highlight of Marvel Studios’ strategy for a while, it feels like they are now less in vogue. Still, some of these shows have been in the works for several years now. So, hopefully, they can come to light just as soon as those who made them receive the respect they deserve.

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Season one of Loki introduced the TVA to the MCU. That secret organization in charge of the Sacred Timeline wasn’t especially ethical. However, as He Who Remains warned, it really might have been a necessary evil. The latest Loki teaser trailer for the show’s upcoming second season features the God of Mischief trying to restore some semblance of order to the multiverse. Again. It seems he’s been working on this problem, repeatedly, for a long time since we last saw him.

The first season of Loki was among the MCU’s strangest installments. That was a big reason for its success. But everything we’ve seen of Loki season two so far, including this wild trailer, indicates we’re in for an even weirder storyline with even bigger ramifications for the entire franchise. When Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie killed the TVA’s original founder she did more than just murder the most powerful figure in the universe. She plunged time itself into anarchy. Now her Variant and former cohort, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, is trying to fix everything.

The worst things get for him, the more entertaining it will be for us. Getting dragged through time means visiting lots of interesting places. It also means Odin’s trickster son will get to show off more of his many powers, which the MCU has not always fully utilized.

Loki‘s second season also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Rafael Casal, Tara Strong, Kate Dickie, Liz Carr, Neil Ellice, Jonathan Majors, Ke Huy Quan, and Owen Wilson. Eric Martin serves as head writer. Directors Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Dan Deleeuw, and Kasra Farahani will all be in the the show’s big chair over its six episodes.

Season two of Marvel Studios’ Loki arrives at Disney+ on October 6. At least that’s the plan now. It’s possible someone screws up the timeline before that. Again.

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Enjoying a show on a streaming service is a dangerous mission in our current world. You’ll dig the first season and its awesome cliffhanger only to discover that there will not be a second season. Or, even worse, a streaming service pulls the plug on a show you love and removes it from the service altogether. This is why physical media will never go out of style. If you own a copy of your fave movie or series, no one can take it away unless they physically fight you first. While Disney+ probably won’t remove its MCU nor Star Wars shows any time soon, you can now own physical copies of Loki, WandaVision, and The Mandalorian on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. These will be the first Disney+ original series to get a physical release.

These collector’s editions from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm will have Steelbook packaging, exclusive concept art, and bonus features. Here are the titles and release dates for the Disney+ MCU and Star Wars series that will have physical copies available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. 

• Marvel Studios’ Loki: The Complete First Season: 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases on September 26, 2023
• Marvel Studios’ WandaVision: The Complete Series:4K UHD and Blu-ray releases on November 28, 2023
• Star Wars The Mandalorian: The Complete First Season: 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases on December 12, 2023
• Star Wars The Mandalorian: The Complete Second Season: 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases on December 12, 2023

Right now, there aren’t more details for what WandaVision and The Mandalorian will offer with their 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases, but here’s what the Loki release will include:

• Designing the TVA – Step into the incredible set of Loki Season 1 with Production Designer, Kasra Farahani, and Tom Hiddleston while getting a sneak peek into Season 2.
• The Official TVA Orientation Video – Miss Minutes explains the inner workings of the TVA timeline in her orientation video.
• Gag Reel – Take a look at some of the fun outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Loki Season 1.
• Deleted Scene: Loki’s Coronation – Mobius reviews some moments from Loki’s timeline, in which Frog Thor makes an appearance during Loki’s coronation.
• Deleted Scene: The Standoff – Loki holds Sylvie hostage against the TVA in a standoff.
• Assembled: The Making of Loki – Loki explores the series centering on the MCU’s chief mischief maker.

We can also check out the artwork for these lovely releases. It will certainly make you want to add them to any collection that you already have or want to build. And, if the day ever comes when Disney+ doesn’t have MCU or Star Wars content anymore, you will own these shows forever in their physical forms.

Click To View Gallery

All four of these 4K UHD and Blu-ray Disney+ releases will be available for preorder on August 28.

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Many MCU fans did a full franchise rewatch ahead of Avengers: Infinity War. That meant revisiting 18 movies, roughly ten years worth of Marvel Studios releases. Not an easy task, but far from an impossible one. That’s not the case anymore. As of this writing there have been 32 big screen entries in the series, with a whole lot more on the way. Wading through all of them again would take a whole lot of time. But do you even need to? If you’re not a completist, or simply want to/must cut back on your total viewing commitment, there are some you can omit on your next go-round. These are the nine MCU movies—including some of the best, most beloved in the series—you can now skip on a rewatch.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Right off the bat this list feels sacrilegious because we’re omitting the origin story for one of the MCU’s foundational characters. Plus, the movie is really good! But at this point there are few elements from Captain America: The First Avenger that still matter to the franchise’s future. And those do—like Bucky’s story—are explored in other entries. We gotta start somewhere, and the First Avenger is fittingly our first cut.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Captain America: The First Avenger: Anything you want. And you can do it all day.

Iron Man 3

I’m an Iron Man 3 convert, but before Extremis played a minor role on the very forgettable Secret Invasion, what long term impact did this film have on anything that happened after? It ends with Tony destroying all of his extra suits, which he completely rebuilds by Civil War. His entire Iron Man 3 character arc is entirely undone immediately. None of the villains stuck around for future entries, either. The only real long-term impact came from Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery. He returned for more comic relief in Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings, a movie we’re not sure Disney even remembers it made.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Iron Man 3: Read about why it should have been set at New Year’s Even instead of Christmas.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Forget being an Iron Man 3 convert. I am an Age of Ultron truther. The Avengers second film, arguably the one that most captures the feel of the team’s comic dynamic, is much better than it gets credit for. It also has the great James Spader as the titular sentient robot. But unless you just want to watch for pure enjoyment, the only thing you really need to remember from this film is what it means for Vision’s understanding of mankind. That gets covered in future films and shows.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Avengers: Age of Ultron: Watch the Seinfeld episode Spader guest-starred on. It’s still hilarious and only 22 minutes.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Baby Groot, we’re sorry. We love you. We also love seeing Nebula take her first real steps towards becoming a hero. In fact, we love all the Guardians, including Mary Poppins, y’all. But if we’re looking to trim some time from a lengthy rewatch schedule we can leave out the second Guardians film, even if it’s still really good. Infinity War, Endgame, and their Holiday Special give us everything we need to know ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Dance off, bro.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

If you’re angry seeing Tom Holland’s first solo outing included on this list, I don’t blame you. I personally think it’s the best of his three movies. So why is it on this list then? Because the character development Peter Parker undergoes in his next two installments are considerably more important. In Far From Home he has to deal with no longer having his mentor Tony around, and No Way Home marks the death of Aunt May. Everything important from this first film is also addressed in those films. And let’s face it, it’s not like we don’t spend too much time watching Spider-Man movies in general. There’s no shortage of friendly neighborhood Spider-people in our lives.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Spider-Man: Homecoming: Reach out and thank a teacher you definitely scarred as a kid.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

There’s an argument to be made the original Ant-Man is more skippable, especially because the sequel introduces both generations of the Wasp to the superhero franchise. But Scott Lang is still too important to the MCU to omit his origin story. It also matters more to the events of Quantumania than his second movie. And since he series’ third installment also covers all of the important stuff you need to know from Ant-Man and the Wasp, if you pass over it you’re not really missing anything other than meeting Ghost, who won’t seemingly appear again until Thunderbolts. See, you forgot about Ghost! And now you already remember everything you need to know about her.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Ant-Man and the Wasp: We’re not legally allowed to say try your hand at burgling, but we can say, “Try something new and exciting that might be a little dangerous.” Then get back to us in 3-5 years to tell us how it went.

Black Widow

Black Widow is a beautiful farewell to Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, an original MCU Avenger who sacrificed her life to save the entire universe. It also introduced Yelena and Red Guardian to the franchise, both of whom will return to the MCU soon. And yet, you don’t really need to watch this Infinity War prequel if you want to shorten your rewatch. It’s more a goodbye than another chapter in a story, and Yelena’s arc on Hawkeye covers her story.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Black Widow: Visit Budapest, but for pleasure not work.

Eternals

Remember anything that happened in Eternals? No? Me neither, which is weird because I remember going to the theater to see it. Did Disney use the Men in Black Neuralyzer on us collectively to erase it from out memories? The MCU itself certainly hasn’t done anything to remind us that movie existed. Until it does you can leave it off your rewatch list.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Eternals: Watch Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao’s Best Picture triumph Nomadland, a movie you won’t be able to forget.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Unlike Eternals we remember everything about Thor: Love and Thunder. Only by leaving it off our MCU rewatch can we start to remedy that.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Thor: Love and Thunder: Watch Thor: Ragnarok a second time.

The post MCU Movies You Can Skip on a Rewatch appeared first on Nerdist.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 had plenty of unexpected moments. But one truly shocking comment wasn’t quite what it seemed. Groot didn’t actually expand his vocabulary and speak new words in English in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. How can that be when we heard him say something other than “I am Groot?” The understated response of his fellow Guardians reveals what was really going on during their emotional goodbye. James Gunn’s final entry in the franchise lets us hear Groot the way his friends do.

“I love you guys.” Before the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the only words MCU fans ever heard any Groot say were “I am Groot” and “We are Groot.” (The latter was used in countless trailers as a reminder of the original Groot’s ultimate sacrifice.) That seemingly limited vocabulary never stopped his friends from understanding him, though. There’s something about the Groot language—severely limited though it may be in terms of total words—that makes it easier to comprehend the more you hear it. The alternate 2014 Gamora initially accused the Guardians of just “making up” stuff when Groot repeated the same three word phrase. She thought he was simply telling her his name again and again. But by the end of Vol. 3 she didn’t need a translator to understand the way Groot speaks.

We always needed one, including during their last scene together. Without specific translations from other characters, we never knew exactly what Groot was saying when he spoke. The best we could do was make an educated guess based on his inflection and body language. Sometimes that was easy, like when teenage Groot was obviously being a sarcastic a-hole. Other times our lack of comprehension denied us the full emotional weight of Groot’s words. How many fans know his last spoken “I am Groot” before turning to dust in Infinity War was him calling out “dad” to Rocket?

That wasn’t a problem. It was an effective and entertaining way to establish his character and role in the group. Groot’s simple vocabulary reflected his sweet, childlike nature without limiting his inherent complexity and full range of emotions. James Gunn also used those necessary translations effectively for both comedic and dramatic purposes. Sometimes he even pulled off both simultaneously, like in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 when Rocket told a soon-to-die Yondu that Groot had said, “Welcome to the frickin’ Guardians of the Galaxy. Only he didn’t say frickin.”

It was only at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 for the first—and likely only—time ever, we didn’t need anyone to tell us what Groot actually said. Gunn let viewers experience what it was like for the sentient tree’s loved ones to hear Groot speak. It might not have seemed that way initially because it was so jarring to hear Groot clearly say, “I love you guys.”

But the fact Groot’s other Guardians of the Galaxy weren’t as shocked as we were is the key to understanding the significance of that moment. It didn’t impact them because that was a normal moment for the Guardians; they always understood Groot when he spoke. Groot didn’t actually speak new words to them. He physically said, “I am Groot,” only, like them, we heard the true meaning behind those words. It was like having a galactic translator in our ears that let us hear from Groot directly.

It was only fitting we got to experience that moment, which Gunn has confirmed is exactly what we thought it was. The alternate Gamora only spent one movie with him before she understood him. We’ve been listening to Groots talk for way longer, and we’ve always loved those guys, too.

Originally published on May 4, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at  @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The Guardians of the Galaxy had plenty of familiar faces join them for their last ride. The group’s third and final film featured a bevy of returning co-stars from the franchise. It also included some new characters played by some pretty famous stars. Did you catch them all? Or did some fly over your head like a rocket flying into the forever? Don’t worry if you missed any. Here’s every major supporting role and all the cameos—including those we knew were coming, ones we expected, and those we didn’t see coming—we spotted in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Cameos We Knew About in Advance

Linda Cardellini, Mikaela Hoover, and Asim Chaudhry as Lylla, Floor, and Teefs

Linda Cardellini, Mikaela Hoover, and Asim Chaudhry’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cameos as Lylla the otter, Floor the rabbit, and Teefs the walrus were among the best.

Batch 89 will forever remain in our hearts.

Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord

Sylvester Stallone once again played Yondu’s former Ravager mentor Stakar Ogord. Only this time he had a new member in his clan. The 2014 Gamora had joined the Ravagers following her departure from Earth in Avengers: Endgame. Stakar helped facilitate Gamora’s (not ultimately) paid mission with the Guardians to break into the Orgoscope. He then warmly welcomed her back to the Ravagers at the end of Vol. 3. It was fun to see this Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cameo in action, even though we already knew it was coming.

Nathan Fillion as Orgoscope Guard Master Karja

When he wasn’t busy dealing with his idiot employee, Nathan Fillion’s easily annoyed Master Karja and his organic orgosentry uniform were trying to capture the Guardians on the Orgoscope. Karja was a good shot, but even he couldn’t fire in zero gravity.

Tara Strong as Mainframe

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Tara Strong, Loki‘s Miss Minutes herself, replaced Miley Cyrus as the voice of the Ravager Mainframe for one of the more sneaky cameos. The floating mechanical artificial intelligence head first appeared in Vol. 2.

Michael Rosenbaum as Martinex T’Naga

Stakar’s first officer Martinex T’Naga, played by Michael Rosenbaum, also returned in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The crystal-headed Ravager was glad to have Gamora in the clan.

Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha

Elizabeth Debicki’s Golden High Priestess of the Sovereign was not the powerful figure we first met in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Her peoples’ creator, the High Evolutionary, had her under his thumb (thanks to a box that let him lord over her). She was determined to have her own creation, Adam, capture Rocket for the High Evolutionary to earn the Sovereign his favor. But Ayesha died when the High Evolutionary destroyed Counter-Earth.

Jennifer Holland as Orgoscope Administrator Kwol

James Gunn truly made the film a family affair by bringing his wife and Peacemaker standout Jennifer Holland to the MCU. In Holland’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cameo, she played Orgoscope administrator Kwol who Gamora shot in the leg. Kwol was also shocked by Adam Warlock’s fatal misunderstanding of how to intimidate a witness.

Daniela Melchior as Orgoscope Employee Ura

Holland wasn’t the only DC alum Gunn brought into the Guardians franchise. The Suicide Squad director also found a role for Ratcatcher 2, Daniela Melchior, in the MCU movie. She played the kidnapped Orgoscope employee Ura, who may or may not have found Star-Lord charming.

Krugarr

Another former member of Stakar’s clan, first seen in Vol. 2, was back working with his old leader in Vol. 3. The silent-but-funny sorcerer Krugarr opened the portals his fellow Ravagers used to board the Guardians ship near the Orgoscope.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Surprise Cameos That Weren’t Surprising

Seth Green as Howard the Duck

Just as he had in the previous two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Howard the Duck made a cameo in Vol. 3. He was seen playing poker on Knowhere.

Christopher Fairbank as the Broker

Also spotted at that poker game was Christopher Fairbank’s Broker. This cameo was more than just an Easter egg from the first film. It revealed not every citizen of Xander died during Thanos’ attack when the Mad Titan stole the Power Stone.

Rhett Miller as Bzermikitokolok

The Old 97’s Rhett Miller was still rocking out on Knowhere as Bzermikitokolok, the leader singer and guitarist of the band that performed original Christmas songs during The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. He was also in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s cameo-filled poker game.

Gregg Henry as Grandpa Quill

Gregg Henry made it three-for-three in the Guardians trilogy as he once again played Quill’s grandfather. The two had an emotional reunion and appeared together during the film’s second and final post-credits scene.

Stephen Blackehart as Steemie

Knowhere’s dispatcher Steemie, played by Stephen Blackehart, was still on the job inside the dead Celestial’s skull in Vol. 3, just as he had been in the original movie and in the group’s Holiday Special. The Guardians relied on him to help them during the evacuation of the High Evolutionary’s ship. That was a far cry from when Drax put a knife to his throat years ago.

Actual Surprise Cameos in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Michael Rooker as Yondu

James Gunn kept to his word and didn’t undo Yondu’s death. But that didn’t stop him from finding a way to bring back Michael Rooker and his blue “angel” for one last cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. He appeared as a vision to Kraglin, as Yondu told his old friend to use his heart to guide his whistle arrow.

James Gunn as Lambshank, The Definitely Not Scary, Really Cool Looking Amorphous Blob

Blink and you would have missed one of the film’s strangest creatures. But that was impossible thanks to Mantis’s totally real compliment. It brought attention to Lambshank, the weird little blob voiced by James Gunn himself.

Pete Davidson as Phlektik

Another alum from The Suidice Squad made their way into the MCU with a secret cameo. Pete Davidson played Phlektik. And he was really on set to film the role even though it was impossible to know he was really there.

Judy Greer as War Pig

Judy Greer, for reasons we’ll never understand, was not in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. But she did become a two-time MCU member in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. She voiced the High Evolutionary’s War Pig, the bioengineered muscle who lost its head to Adam Warlock while trying to kidnap Rocket.

We didn’t like War Pig initially, but we can’t hate anyone played by Judy Greer.

Originally published May 17, 2023.

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was James Gunn’s MCU swan song, but just because he’s moved to Metropolis doesn’t mean Marvel Studios is closing up shop. The third and final film in Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy still featured two post-credits scenes teasing what lies ahead for the group’s members in the franchise. The ramifications and significance of the first were obvious, but the second’s importance wasn’t as clear. At least not initially. What happened and what did it reveal? Here’s what Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s second post-credits scene was all about.

What Happened to Peter Quill at the End of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

At the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Star-Lord decided Mantis’ advice (delivered via Drax) was right. Peter needed “to learn to swim.” He couldn’t keep running/hopping from his own issues; he needed to face them.

To do that, Star-Lord needed to go back to the place where his mother died, the place he’d left his grieving grandpa behind in 1988 when Yondu kidnapped him as an eight-year-old. Peter Quill ended Vol. 3 by leaving the Guardians of the Galaxy behind and finally returning home to Earth and his grandfather.

Peter Quill wasn’t sure his grandfather (played once more by Gregg Henry) was even still alive. Viewers knew he was in 2014 when Grandpa Quill appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Ego’s Expansion nearly killed Quill’s grandfather, who barely escaped thanks to his grandson’s heroics halfway across the galaxy.

While Grandpa Quill could still drive at that time, he was already accompanied full-time by a nurse. With Guardians of the GalaxyVol. 3 set at least nine years later, Star-Lord’s fears about his grandfather’s age and health were not unfounded. The elder Quill needed live-in assitance.

Old age didn’t stop Peter Quill’s grandfather from recognizing his grownup grandson immediately in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. More than three decades later, he knew exactly who Peter was by sight, resulting in an emotional moment for both of them and for the audience. And that led us right to Vol. 3‘s second post-credits scene.

What Happened During Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s Second Post-Credits Scene?

The movie’s last post-credits scene showed it didn’t take long for the Quill boys to become a family again. It featured the two sitting at a kitchen table for breakfast. Peter Quill ate cereal while his grandpa read a newspaper with a front-page story about Kevin Bacon’s supposed abduction by aliens. That was a direct reference to The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special when Drax and Mantis kidnapped the actor.

The rest of the Vol. 3 scene establishes just how normal Star-Lord’s life on Earth had already become. Peter Quill was talking/complaining about how he would happily mow a neighbor’s lawn even though she had a 45-year-old, able-bodied son entirely capable of doing it himself. Peter’s own (reasonable!) incredulity led his grandfather to cryptically reference his issues about the lazy neighbor. That made Peter want to hear his grandad’s unvarnished thoughts on the matter.

The Guardians of the Galaxy post-credits scene was a humorous but seemingly mundane moment that established Peter Quill had truly returned home and developed a familial bond with both his grandfather and his community. He had moved on from Gamora and the Guardians and was now part of a normal little neighborhood. It was the exact kind of life he’d spent over 30 years trying to avoid. Star-Lord, the former Ravager who had once been half-god and helped save the galaxy multiple times, became fully domesticated on the planet that had brought him so much pain with a man he previously wasn’t sure even loved him.

(We can forgive eight-year-old Peter for not understanding why his grandfather didn’t want him to see his mom die.)

What Is Chris Pratt’s (and Star-Lord’s) Future in the MCU After Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

The film’s final scene was beautiful in its simplicity. But when it ended, it became far more important than it first appeared. Before we could find out Grandpa Quill’s thoughts on that listless neighbor the scene cut to black. That’s when we found out Chris Pratt’s not done with the MCU just yet. Text appeared at the very end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 saying, “The legendary Star-Lord will return.”

The Guardians of the Galaxy as we knew them are over. There’s a new lineup led by Rocket, and the team is protecting civilizations far from Earth, which has plenty of its own heroes. (A fact former Avenger Rocket knows well.) But that little blue marble now has another great hero it can call on in times of danger. Peter Quill might be domesticated and out of the Guardians business right now, but he hasn’t stopped being the MCU’s Star-Lord. Even without his father’s Celestial powers, he remains a smart, cunning, charming, formidable force for good.

The Avengers can always use someone like that, just as Rocket’s new Guardians could always turn to their former captain for help. It’s even possible Star-Lord could lead his own standalone MCU movie in the MCU someday or be a major part of another character’s film.

Until we know exactly what Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios have planned for Peter Quill, all we can do is speculate on the specifics of his return.

What we do know, thanks to that last Guardians of the Galaxy post-credits scene, is that when Star-Lord returns he will be more mature, more grounded, and probably a better hero. He went back to his home world to face his past and address his pain head-on. He’s no longer jumping from lily pad to lily pad; he’s swimming in Earth’s blue waters while his loving grandfather watches over him. And he’s definitely doing so with an even bigger library of music.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

Originally published May 4, 2023.

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Somebody get Steve Miller on the phone cause the God of Mischief could use his expertise. Odin’s son keeps on slipping through time in the new trailer for Loki season two. But that’s far from the biggest problem he’ll face when his MCU series returns to Disney+. He has to save both the multiverse and the Sacred Timeline from the most dangerous man the past, present, and future have ever faced. Fortunately Loki still has some friends around to help him.

Tom Hiddleston is back for another season of time-hopping adventures, only this time the stakes are even greater. The decision of Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie to kill He Who Remains at the end of season one unleashed so much chaos Loki himself is now getting pulled through time itself. His unplanned trips through the past and future is why he knows there’s a very fine line separating his world and “utter destruction,” in what looks like an action-packed season.

That is unless Owen Wilson’s Mobius can slow things down. He likes to be more methodical in his work. He likes to savor a nice piece of pie when facing annhilation, which, fair.

This Loki season two trailer also features some surprise moments, like the marquee teasing the Marvel Comics’ villain Zaniac. Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan is also getting in on the fun. This teaser also seems to confirm something the MCU has only been alluding to, which is that the TVA and Citadel exist inside the Quantum Realm. And, despite the actor currently facing very serious allegations, the trailer does tease the return of Jonathan Majors’ Kang.

The series also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Rafael Casal, Tara Strong, Kate Dickie, Liz Carr, and Neil Ellice. Loki season two debuts on Disney+ on October 6. That is unless someone messes with the timeline. Then it might already have premiered last month. Or it will next year? Or today? Maybe Steve Miller knows?

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We all know the story of how Spider-Man gets his powers. He gets bitten by a radioactive spider, and the rest is history. But the newest Sony Marvel movie, Kraven the Hunter is bringing a twist on the spider bite. A lion bite. In the first blood-spurting trailer for the movie, we get a quick rundown of this version of the Spider-Man villain comes to be. And it’s all down to a bad dad and the jaws of a giant beast. Take a look at Kraven the Hunter‘s official trailer, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, below.

The trailer for Kraven the Hunter gives us a pretty good set-up for the movie to come. In childhood, Kraven’s father, Nikolai Kravinoff, played by Russell Crowe, drills it into his son that power is about never showing weakness. But after the future Kraven fails to kill a lion, Nikolai leaves his son for dead. Villains aren’t born, the Kraven the Hunter trailer reminds us, they’re made. Indeed, between his father’s cruelty and the maws of a lion, Kraven rises to life. It seems like his blood mixes with that of the lion, and that melding gives him all kinds of new powers, including a connection with animals.

The trailer also teases that Kraven the Hunter might give us a more anti-hero view of the Spider-Man villain. Kraven’s brother seems to think he’s just like their father. But Kraven himself believes he’s taking evil out of the world, not creating it. Anti-hero or villain, Kraven is certainly out for blood. Knives, bullets, crossbows, teeth, you name it. Kraven seems to take at least some delight out of his rampages. Particularly of note is a scene where he bites the nose off of a man and spits it into the camera… Not for the faint of heart. Kraven the Hunter is rated R, after all. It’s the first Sony Marvel movie to get that rating.

When it comes to other aspects of the Marvel world, we see a few teases. We get a glimpse of Aleksei Sytsevich transforming into the Rhino, another Spider-Man villain. But perhaps, in this case, he’ll be a Kraven villain… Or is that a future ally? As for Spider-Man himself, we still don’t see any indication the hero will appear in any form in the movie. However, we do see some excellently creepy spiders in the Kraven the Hunter trailer, nodding at the character.

Kraven the Hunter previously had a release date of October 6—however, the movie will now release in theaters on August 30, 2024.

Featured Image: Sony Pictures

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Nick Fury has been a central figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2008; however, Secret Invasion is the first entry to focus on his life and survival tactics. In one episode, we discover that Nick Fury has tombstones all over Earth. This is not surprising, considering he previously faked his own death in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In fact, faking death is nothing new for Nick Fury. He did it Marvel Comics and will likely do it again in the future. So, in honor of his penchant for faking his death, here’s all the times Nick Fury has done it in the Marvel Comics as well as the MCU.

Every Time Nick Fury Faked His Death in the Marvel Comics

Strange Tales #148 (1966)

Nick Fury’s habit of faking his own death goes back to 1966’s Strange Tales #148, by Jack Kirby, Don Heck, and Sam Rosen. Fury got caught in an explosion and the Howling Commando, Dum-Dum Dugan, saved and rushed him off to surgery. To Dugan’s surprise, a perfectly healthy Fury popped up behind him, explaining that the body in front of them was a Life Model Decoy (also known as an LMD). Fury used the LMD with a remote control in order to question prisoners, without putting his physical self at risk. The LMD appeared indistinguishable from the real Fury. This set the stage for Fury’s future use of LMDs. 

Strange Tales #156 (1967)

The next year, Nick Fury used a more elaborate plan to fake his own death. Fury was confined to his room while aboard a SHIELD helicarrier in space. At the same time, another ship, a Dyna-Soar, launched from the helicarrier. Unbeknownst to the SHIELD agents, an undercover agent of HYDRA piloted the Dyna-Soar. When the Howling Commandos went to visit Fury, his room abruptly exploded, leading them to believe that he had perished in the inferno. Luckily, Fury broke out of his room and snuck aboard the Dyna-Soar, just in time to foil the HYDRA agent’s plans. 

Agent of Shield #15 (1969)

In Agent of Shield #15 (by Gary Friedrich, Herb Trimpe, Dick Ayers, Sam Grainger, and Jean Izzo), Nick Fury gave readers his most puzzling fake death yet. While out and about in Central Park, a villain named Bullseye (not the Daredevil villain) shot Nick in the head. Nick seemingly dies, but the next issue of the series picks up as if nothing had ever happened. A completely different creative team did the next issue, suggesting that this fake death was for generating interest rather than have permanent repercussions. In fact, the cover of issue #15 advertises it as “The Assassination of Nick Fury!” 

Double Edge: Omega (1995)

Fury’s LMDs would make another appearance in Double Edge: Omega, by John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Doug Wheatley, Jimmy Palmiotti, John Kalisz, and Jim Novak. It spun out of the events of the Punisher’s series at the time. Fury and the Punisher were locked in conflict, as Frank Castle believed that Fury was responsible for ordering the hit that wiped out his entire family. One night, Fury burst into Castle’s room, where the two exchanged gunfire until Castle seemingly killed Fury. However, once the smoke cleared, Fury’s “body” was an assortment of robotic parts, revealing him to be an LMD. The robot’s final words taunted Castle, saying, “SHIELD has a warehouse full of [LMDs], along with other weaponry. So long as the LMDs exist, you will never be sure you have truly killed Fury.” This marks the first time that Fury’s fake death is primarily for tormenting an enemy. 

Original Sin #3 and #4 (2014)

Nick Fury escaped a gory death at the hands of the Winter Soldier, thanks to another LMD. In Original Sin #3 and #4 (by Jason Aaron, Mike Deodato, Frank Martin, and Chris Eliopoulos), the Winter Soldier decapitated Fury while investigating the murder of the Watcher. The Winter Soldier had suspected that Fury had been an LMD, and thankfully, he was correct. The real Fury then revealed that he was an old man. He had used hordes of LMDs that posed as his younger self for years. This countered the established explanation for Fury’s inability to age in Marvel Comics. Previously, his slowed aging was the result of a serum that he took. Original Sin, however, showed that the serum had eventually lost his effects on Fury, leading him to use LMDs to maintain a façade to his allies and enemies. 

Every Time Nick Fury Faked His Death in the MCU

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

In the MCU, Fury was famously “killed” in Captain America: The Winter Soldier when he visited Steve Rogers’ apartment. HYDRA agents shot into the apartment, striking Fury several times. Fury was able to fake his death by taking a drug that slowed his heartbeat to one beat a minute. It was enough to fool Steve Rogers, Maria Hill, and Black Widow. By faking his death, Fury could covertly work with Captain America to bring down the infiltration of HYDRA agents into SHIELD.

Secret Invasion (2023)

In Secret Invasion‘s fifth episode, “Harvest,” Fury tells Sonya Falsworth that he has tombstones for himself all around the world. He does this in order to keep the Avengers’ DNA stashed safely away. He doesn’t attribute a specific event to each of these deaths. But these tombstones do bear his full name on them. This moment doesn’t pack the same dramatic punch as his fake death in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But it makes us question just how many fake graves he has around the world. 

Nick Fury is one of the most prominent non-powered humans in the Marvel Universe. His fake deaths reflect the vulnerability that he has while entangled in crises far beyond the average person’s imagination. Within the comic book medium, Fury’s fake deaths play with reader expectations because of its serialized form. They’re indicative of his “five steps ahead” mentality, outsmarting both his enemies and readers in the process. Even without using his Life Model Decoys from the comics, it’s clear that this element of Fury’s survival tactics will continue to shape his MCU characterization in the future. 

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Forget Thanos, Carol Danvers, Thor, Hulk, or any other MCU character who might have deserved the title of the MCU’s strongest character ever. Secret Invasion just created a hero whose abilities dwarfs all of theirs. How did the Disney+ show do that? By giving G’iah all of their powers. Gravik unknowingly also imbued his fellow Skrull with the Harvest, making her the franchise’s most formidable figure ever. And that’s why Emilia Clarke is poised for a big future in the MCU.

What Was Nick Fury’s Plan to Defeat Gravik?

Nick Fury sent G’iah in disguise as himself to meet with Gravik at the secret Skrull compound in Russia. Fury wouldn’t have been able to handle the site’s radiation, but Skrulls can. He also let G’iah share the truth about his failures to find the Skrulls a new planet. “Fury” told Gravik there isn’t a planet to find, something Fury discovered long ago. He’d instead spent decades trying to find a way to make Earth a welcoming home for Skrulls.

The final part of Fury’s plan included an offer. Gravik could have the Harvest full of super DNA in exchange for leaving Earth alone. Rather than destroy mankind “Fury” told Gravik to take his Skrulls to another world and conquer that planet’s race. It was a needlessly risky gambit by Fury and G’iah, but Gravik would never get the chance to use his new powers against any planet.

Would Secret Invasion‘s Harvest Work on a Human?

Gravik using the Harvest while Nick Fury was also inside the Super Skrull Machine indicates the device doesn’t work on humans. Humans possibly can’t survive the transformation process. Or, at minimum, the Harvest specifically was too much for a human body to withstand.

Gravik might have been blinded by rage, but he’s not stupid. He wouldn’t have made his enemy a supreme being, too. But his rage blinded him to the true identity of the person he was dealing with, and in powering himself up he created someone who could go toe-to-toe with him. He also created the only person who could seemingly kill him in combat.

Which MCU Characters’ Powers Does G’iah Now Have?

These are the MCU characters whose super DNA made up the Harvest. G’iah, who can also shape shift and fully maximize her new genetic abilities, now has the powers of:

• Ghost
• Captain America (Steve Rogers)
• Corvus Glaive
• Thanos
• Outrider
• Proxima Midnight
• Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)
• Abomination
• Mantis
• Cull Obsidian
• Drax
• Korg
• Ebony Maw
• Frost Beast
• Hulk
• Valkyrie
• Thor Odinson
• Gamora
• Flora Colossus (Groot)
• Winter Soldier

We saw many of these powers used by both Gravik and G’iah during their fight. That includes phasing like Ghost and hulking out like Abomination. However, those two did not actually fight during the Battle of Earth. Fury simply included their DNA into the Harvest anyway. G’iah also has Extremis from her previous trip in the Super Skrull Machine.

There is one major, unexplained discrepancy from the Harvest loading sequence. Every name that appeared by itself in large letters at the top of the screen also appeared in a smaller list on the side. The single names popped up in the same order as the list until it got to Black Panther. When Wakanda’s hero’s spot came up top of the screen instead read “Chitauri,” even though that DNA is not included in the list.

It’s unclear if this was a case of Nick Fury mislabeling Chitauri blood as the Black Panther’s, the computer making an error, or a mistake by the show itself.

What Avenger DNA Was Missing from the Harvest?

The Harvest had some notable absences from its collection of DNA. The biggest was Spider-Man’s. Peter Parker bled a lot during the Battle of Earth, but Marvel Studios doesn’t own his rights, Sony does.

Some other major Avengers who fought Thanos in Endgame have normal human DNA and rely/relied on machines and their natural ability. That included people like Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Scott Lang, etc. Others use magic, like Wanda, Doctor Strange, and Wong. Their DNA would seemingly be no use to anyone, human or Skrull.

Not that G’iah needs more powers anyway.

Is G’iah the Most Powerful Superhero in the MCU Now?

We thought Secret Invasion might be setting up Emilia Clarke’s G’iah to be its next great hero. We didn’t think the show would make her the most powerful superhero the MCU has ever had. She might end up being the most powerful superhero the franchise ever introduces. Combining the DNA of Carol Danvers and Thanos alone might be enough to make that true, let alone every other character’s DNA she now has.

She’s seemingly has no equal now that she’s murdered Gravik, though his death shows G’iah is not totally invincible any more than a Celestial is. It’s a good thing she will now fight to protect humans and Skrulls alike on their shared planet.

Why Does Olivia Colman’s Sonya Want to Work With Emilia Clarke’s G’iah?

Talos worked with Nick Fury for decades to keep both America and the world safe. Now Olivia Colman’s Sonya Falsworth and G’iah will do the same, only without any of the “mistakes” that led to Talos’ death. The two women won’t be friends; their partnership will be purely professional and pragmatic. America’s president has declared war on Skrulls, which is getting humans and aliens both killed. Skrulls will need G’iah to lead them and keep them safe, just as Sonya needs the type of shape shifting spies Fury had to help keep humans safe. (Neither side can exactly rely on the potential of Kree peace talks.)

By working together and using one another they can both get what they want to the benefit of both species. And with Nick Fury heading back to space and S.A.B.E.R., Earth needs someone like Sonya to take his place. Only, she has a far more powerful ally than Nick Fury ever did. G’iah is a more powerful ally than anyone has ever had in the MCU.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at  @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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And just like that, Secret Invasion is over. As we all knew, Nick Fury lives to be a badass another day after working with G’iah to thwart Gravik’s plan. We will see him again very soon when The Marvels drops in November. Anytime there’s any sort of big Marvel showdown, though, we can expect some casualties in the mix. Most of these deaths are ancillary characters who only exist to die in the background, many of whom don’t have a known name. But the season finale of Secret Invasion may leave some fans questioning what really happened to a couple of faves after a season of misdirections, mistaken identities, and faked deaths. Here are the MCU characters who actually died (at least, those who matter) in Secret Invasion. 

Did Maria Hill Really Die in Secret Invasion?

Sadly, Maria Hill is actually dead in Secret Invasion, and this death will hold as the MCU moves forward. We hoped it would be some sort of fake-out death, but that’s not the case this time. It seems there are real stakes in the MCU, after all. When Gravik (masquerading as Fury) shot and killed Maria Hill in the first episode, that was the end of her story. We don’t see her being held hostage, and she does not make a return in any way. We hope the MCU death of Maria Hill will not be forgotten after Secret Invasion.

Is Talos Actually Dead in Secret Invasion? 

Yeah, Talos met his death on Secret Invasion… Everyone’s favorite Skrull is dead too now, which is a true shame. In Secret Invasion’s fourth episode, Gravik once again gets the drop on Fury and stabs Talos in the heart, an injury from which he dies pretty quickly. He didn’t have the luxury of Extremis DNA to save him like it did G’iah. The Nick Fury and Talos relationship felt like it was truly starting to blossom in this MCU series, and this poor Skrull died for a bunch of nothing. Talos’ MCU death is another one we hope will not be for naught.

Is the Real Rhodey Alive in the MCU After Secret Invasion? 

In the Secret Invasion season finale, we discover that Rhodey is one of the many people being held hostage by Gravik in the compound under New Skrullos. We were pretty certain that the real Rhodey wasn’t dead, despite his Skrull look-alike taking over in Secret Invasion, and thankfully we were right. It’s not clear how long Rhodey has been trapped in the compound, but this happened at some point after the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Raava, the Skrull impersonating Rhodey, rightfully dies at the hands of Nick Fury in Secret Invasion‘s finale. 

Is the Real Agent Ross Alive in the MCU After Secret Invasion? 

In the first episode, the first Skrull we see disguises himself as Agent Ross. It left many fans wondering where the real Ross was and whether he was dead in the MCU. Thankfully, when G’iah goes in to rescue folks, Agent Ross is among those people, confirming he is indeed still alive. He even asks Rhodey how long he’d been down there, indicating that Ross was there before Rhodey arrived. We’re happy that Ross avoided death in Secret Invasion and lives on in the MCU.

What Happens to Gravik in Secret Invasion? 

Well, what do you expect to happen to a villain in a limited series?! Yes, Gravik dies in the season finale of Secret Invasion. Secret Invasion‘s ultimate villain gets into a major battle against a very strong and powered-up G’iah, and the clash ends in Gravik’s death. It looks like a new MCU hero is here, after all. At least Kingsley Ben-Adir is still with us in real life and still very hot. There’s a bright side to everything.

Secret Invasion Ultimately Delivered Two Major Deaths

Although the series’ impact otherwise is unclear, Secret Invasion did manage to deliver two major deaths. Maria Hill and Talos were both relatively entrenched characters in the MCU and definitely fan favorites as they headed into this series. Although it’s hard to keep track of all the different component parts of the MCU, these two deaths remind us what we can miss if we don’t pay attention. In the end, Secret Invasion definitely left at least this mark on the universe.

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“So you are responsible for all of this?”
“Yeah.”

Secret Invasion‘s latest episode finally revealed the full extent of Gravik’s plan. He doesn’t just want to create Super Skrulls, he wants to become the most powerful being in the galaxy. The Harvest, a special serum made of superhero DNA, would allow him to gain the abilities of every Avenger who fought Thanos in the Battle of Earth, even Carol Danvers. But while it’s not shocking Gravik would seek out the Harvest, what is surprising is who created something so dangerous: Nick Fury.

Why would someone dedicated to protecting the world create the very thing that might destroy it? The world’s greatest spy had good intentions, but he made the same mistake the MCU’s heroes and villains alike always do.

What Does Gravik Want on Secret Invasion?

The combined powers of Groot, Cull Obsidian, a frost beast, and Extremis are not enough to defeat Earth’s mightiest heroes. Nick Fury’s close friend Captain Marvel could destroy that version of Gravik with minimum effort. If Skrulls can’t beat the Avengers they can’t conquer the world even if they manage to incite World War III between humans. To truly stand toe-to-toe with the Avengers and make Earth theirs, the Skrull general requires far more superpowers. To get what he needs he must find the Harvest.

What Is the Harvest on Secret Invasion?

The Harvest is a secret vial with the ability to create a being so powerful it might make them all but invincible. It contains the DNA of every single Avenger who fought in the Battle of Earth at the conclusion of Endgame. Everyone from Steve Rogers and Thor Odinson, to Wanda Maximoff and Bruce Banner, bled while fighting Thanos’ army. After the victory Nick Fury had the idea to send in Skrull collectors to take their blood from the battlefield. They then harvested all of the blood for super DNA and combined the genetic material into one concoction. (Hence the name “the Harvest.”)

The only people who knew about this work and the resulting serum were those who took the blood and the person who organized the project. And because that organizer was Nick Fury, the collectors were Skrulls disguised as humans. That included Gravik, the collectors’ leader.

Why Is Nick Fury Responsible for Gravik’s Plan on Secret Invasion?

The Harvest put humanity in danger because it led Gravik to hatch his plan. Nick Fury told Sonya Falsworth the very existence of that super vial likely gave Gravik the idea for his Super Skrull Machine. Without superpowers Gravik would never be able to defeat the Avengers and therefore never be able to make Earth the New Skrullos. Nick Fury gave him the means to do just that

If the spy hadn’t been smart enough to hide it from everyone Gravik would already have it.

Why Did Nick Fury Create the Harvest?

The Battle of Earth took place five years after Thanos dusted away half the universe. Nick Fury was among those who vanished. When he came back he was not the same man he’d been before, and it’s no mystery why the Snap seemingly broke him. His life’s work was protecting Earth. Fury was the one who came up with the Avengers Initiative. It was an incredible “idea” he’d successfully put into practice. But in the world’s greatest moment of need the Avengers weren’t there to save it. Nick Fury blamed himself. He believed he failed Earth and everyone on it, humans and Skrull alike.

Did he want the Harvest to create even more heroes? Was it meant to serve as a super backup in case Earth’s mightiest heroes vanished again or needed backup themselves? Both reasons likely motivated Fury, along with a bunch more we can’t even imagine. (This is the spy of all spies, after all. He’s always many moves ahead of everyone.) What we do know is that benevolent intentions or not, the very existence of the Harvest is yet another example of MCU heroes refusing to understand you can’t put a suit of armor around the world anymore than you can rely on the Avengers to always save it.

Order and Chaos in the MCU

Nick Fury created the Harvest for the same reason Tony Stark created Ultron. It’s the same reason He Who Remains created the TVA and Alexander Pierce joined HYDRA. All of them, heroes and villains alike, can’t see the undeniable truth Vision recognized long ago, that order and chaos are the same thing. Each thought it was possible to keep everyone on Earth safe by brute strength and control. But the natural order of life is chaos. To try and control chaos you unleash it.

In his desperate attempt to make sure he never failed Earth again, Nick Fury repeated the same mistake countless others have in the MCU. It’s an idea that remains at the forefront of the franchise. But Fury at least seems to understand what he’s done. It’s why he came back and why he must fight this war alone.

Why Won’t Nick Fury Call the Avengers to Help on Secret Invasion?

Once Secret Invasion‘s penultimate episode introduced the Harvest it could have easily explained Nick Fury’s reluctance to call on the Avengers. Between a Skrull replacing Rhodey and the way Gravik can use super blood to make himself more powerful, there are two very logical reasons for Fury not to call in his most powerful allies.

Instead Fury provided a far better reason. It’s not that this battle is just personal for him because of his role in making it possible. It’s personal for humanity. He now recognizes mankind cannot simply rely on a few super people to “swoop in and save our asses” every time the world is in danger. He tried that once and it didn’t work. A suit of armor, in any form or secret serum, isn’t protection. It puts everyone at risk.

People must instead find the strength to save themselves when the time comes. It took a lifetime for Nick Fury to appreciate how true that is. It’s why he alone can save humans and Skrulls from Gravik. The Avengers haven’t lived the life Nick Fury has and they can’t defend the world the way he can.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 has arrived, introducing MCU fans to Peacemaker’s Chukwudi Iwuji as the film’s main villain, the High Evolutionary. But just who is Marvel’s maddest scientist? What are the High Evolutionary’s powers? Get ready to get cosmic, as we’re here to answer all your burning High Evolutionary questions, from Marvel Comics to MCU. 

Who Is the High Evolutionary in Marvel Comics? 

1966’s Thor #133 marks the first reference to the High Evolutionary in Marvel Comics. He would make his debut on the page in the very next issue, which also included a cameo of the mutant twins who would become such a key part of the High Evolutionary’s comic book lore. With Galactus planning deep space destruction as always, Thor is looking for Jane Foster. It’s on his search that he comes across Mount Wundagore, the High Evolutionary, and his New Men. Marvel’s Pietro and Wanda are going to Mount Wundagore to seek answers about their waning mutant powers.

It wouldn’t be until years later that readers learned who the High Evolutionary truly was, thanks to backup stories in The Evolutionary War event. In the Marvel universe, the High Evolutionary’s human name was Herbert Edgar Wyndham, and he had once been a successful academic scientist. As a child, Herbert became obsessed with genetics and the possibility of “evolving” creatures. But it wasn’t until an encounter with a strange man—later revealed to be a rogue Inhuman—who enlightened him on how to “crack the genetic code” that Herbert made his dreams a reality. His experiments made him an outcast in the scientific field, and he moved to Mount Wundagore with his research partner, Jonathan Drew, father of Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew. There he built his futuristic home. The High Evolutionary began to evolve animals, creating a series of humanoid beasts known as the New Men.

The High Evolutionary’s Powers and Abilities

The High Evolutionary’s powers are always in a state of flux. When he exposed himself to his Evolutionary Accelerator machine and its unstable Isotope E, it caused him to switch from evolved super being to someone with caveman intelligence levels. But usually, the High Evolutionary has a certain baseline of abilities. These include an artificially evolved human brain, making him one of the smartest beings on Earth. The High Evolutionary also has the powers of superhuman strength, durability, and a healing factor similar to Wolverine’s. Additionally, he can communicate telepathically and shield his mind from other psychics.

Some other powers the High Evolutionary has demonstrated over the years include the ability to levitate, although not outright fly. Body mass manipulation allows him to change his physical size and density at will. Wyndham also has the ability to create force fields, and shoot deadly concussive blasts from his body. He can even evolve or devolve other beings through a form of forced artificial evolution. And thanks to all his evolutionary tampering, the High Evolutionary has effectively achieved immortality, perhaps his greatest power of all.

How Is the High Evolutionary Connected to the Scarlet Witch? 

Herbert’s first appearance alluded to a connection to the Maximoffs. A flashback in 1974’s Giant-Size Avengers #1 teased a vital Mount Wundagore backstory around the twins’ birth. Finally, in 1979’s Avengers #185-187, Herbert’s full impact on the twins’ lives came to light. It was during this iconic arc that readers learned their “true history.” Their mother sought refuge on Mount Wundagore after their father gained powers and went mad, “raving with a desire to rule the world.” The High Evolutionary’s cow creature known as Bova delivered the twins, and soon their mother left the children with the bovine midwife. While Bova tried to give the twins to the hero known as the Whizzer, he chose to run away. Eventually, the Maximoffs came and adopted the twins.

What does all this have to do with Wanda’s powers? Chthon “marked” her at her birth. We learn this as Chthon possesses Wanda. Speaking through Wanda, Chthon tells the Avengers that Mount Wundagore was created to imprison him and the Darkhold. Inevitably, someone used the Darkhold, and Chthon was freed when this knowledge fell into the hands of the wrong person. Eventually, the demon is defeated. But at that moment, Chthon decides to imbue baby Wanda, who was just born thanks to the High Evolutionary’s creation, with his magic, thus arguably creating the most famous origin of the Scarlet Witch. Whether the MCU’s High Evolutionary and Scarlet Witch have any ties at all in the MCU, we must wait to find out.

How Is the High Evolutionary Connected to Adam Warlock? 

In the comics, Adam Warlock and the High Evolutionary are deeply connected. Remember how we first met Adam Warlock in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 stinger? Adam was in a giant cocoon, looked after by the High Priestess of the Sovereign, Ayesha. Ayesha calls her creation “Him” (as in Adam’s first appearance in the Fantastic Four) before deciding to name him Adam.

1972’s Marvel Premiere #1 brought the story of Adam Warlock to life, and the issue dug deep into his past. Created by scientists on Earth, the High Evolutionary later found Adam’s body floating in a cocoon in space. In the comics, Herbert adopts Adam, names him Warlock, and places an emerald upon his forehead. The comics would later reveal the emerald as the Soul Gem. In the MCU, Adam’s creators, the Sovereign, are creations of the High Evolutionary. It’s more of an indirect line, but still a line.

The MCU High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the MCU’s High Evolutionary does not seem to originate from Earth. He was only referred to ever as the High Evolutionary. The MCU made no reference to the High Evolutionary’s Marvel Comics human name of Herbert Wyndham. On Counter-Earth, he mentioned that he visited Earth once and admired it. The High Evolutionary based his new MCU world on his memories, further suggesting his origins are alien. Of course, he might have taken the name Herbert Wyndham while living on Earth, but it’s not mentioned in the film at all.

Additionally, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 portrays the High Evolutionary as one of the most sadistic villains the MCU has ever seen, torturing animals to further his own experiments in perfection. And he’s worshipped as a god among many alien species, suggesting Guardians of the Galaxy‘s High Evolutionary is far older than his Marvel Comics counterpart.

Although the High Evolutionary appeared to die at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he actually lived. James Gunn confirmed as much on Twitter. Not only did Rocket save the High Evolutionary’s life at the climax of the film, he’s now actually imprisoned in Knowhere.

Gunn notes, “Yes! It’s the whole culmination of Rocket’s journey. His shift comes in that he doesn’t kill him – he goes from being the least empathetic to the most empathetic Guardian. It seems silly & hollow that he’d refuse to kill him [the High Evolutionary] & then leave him on an exploding ship. And, yes, there is a deleted scene. It’s really great actually, but it messed up the pacing of the end. But you’ll see it in the extras eventually.”

And, indeed, the deleted scene revealing the High Evolutionary’s fate is included in the home release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It is titled, “Knowhere After the Battle,”

So yes, it’s very possible we may see the High Evolutionary return again in the MCU and its multiverse. Now that Ms. Marvel established the mutant gene in the MCU, it feels very intentional to introduce a famed geneticist. As to whether the High Evolutionary ever visits Mount Wundagore or creates Bova… well, we can dream.

Originally published on July 27, 2022.

Original reporting by Rosie Knight. Additional reporting by Eric Diaz.

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Leave it to Deadpool to give X-Men movie characters a last chance to live. We’re all pretty stoked for the MCU’s first true foray into the Fox-era characters with Deadpool 3. We already know Hugh Jackman will play Wolverine one more time in it (in comics-accurate costumes, no less), and that Jennifer Garner’s Elektra will hop over too. That’s fun! But all this X-nostalgia has made me think once again about the supremely flawed and uneven franchise as it was between 2000 and 2020. Over the course of 13 movies, the series ran the gamut between sublime and stinky. So I’m going to rank them, because I want to!

13. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

The first solo adventure for Hugh Jackman’s Logan came in 2009, and it sure wasn’t good. And look, I know it was fashionable to crap on this movie for its weird pacing, terrible CGI, poor attempts at humor, and nerfing Deadpool, but it’s also accurate. Not a good movie. The one thing it did was prove Hugh Jackman could carry a movie, a thing we already knew by this point. Oh, and don’t get me started on how this movie alone messed up the continuity. Best to just forget this one.

12. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Following the departure of the franchise’s first super problematic director, they hired another super problematic director to helm the third movie. To say it’s messy is an understatement. They tried to put “The Cure” arc alongside “Dark Phoenix Saga,” and those two stories did not gel at all together. You get a lot of characters standing in a line opposite other characters standing in a line. It killed off Cyclops (sidebar: of all the characters done dirty by this franchise, Cyclops is perhaps the most egregious), completely wasted Angel, and nerfed Mystique. It also is unforgivable that it made the “I’m the Juggernaut, b****!” canon in a movie. So terrible.

11. Dark Phoenix (2019)

The second attempt at adapting the most famous X-Men comics arc is just as disappointing as the first. It’s less messy and more boring, but it still completely bypassed all the build up of what made the Phoenix Force interesting, and what makes the ending so tragic. Also, at this point, the timeline breaking down just makes no sense. Let’s hope they never do the Dark Phoenix Saga ever again. (I know they will.)

10. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

Mercifully, the final X film from a very problematic director indeed. Despite very good films previous, this one—a third in the First Class timeline, more or less—just threw everything at the wall and hoped it stuck. It’s another enormous, messy hodgepodge of different X-characters and storylines. Oscar Isaac does his very best as the titular ancient mutant, and the new batch of Xavier students are okay, but it just turns into gloop. Another waste of Angel/Archangel; a major waste of Storm. And they had to turn Mystique into a main hero thanks to Jennifer Lawrence’s star power. Not even another frenetic Quicksilver sequence can save it.

9. The New Mutants (2020)

Okay, so here’s where I lose some of you. I didn’t see The New Mutants when they dumped it during the pandemic. Pandemic and all. In fact, I didn’t end up watching it until a month or so ago. And you know what? Yes, it’s hacked to all hell. Yes, the third act poops the woods (Demon Bear joke). But I thought it was pretty fun! Creepy vibe, decent characterization, plus it was just nice to see an X-Men movie that didn’t even try to reference Wolverine. Should have gotten more love, and it’s a shame the planned appearance of Jon Hamm as Mr. Sinister never happened.

8. Deadpool 2 (2018)

I’m gonna be real honest here: I was over Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool schtick pretty soon after the first movie came out. So while I was excited to see the sequel, I was wary of how annoying I found the character. The upsides were that the movie brought in a ton more X characters, and it was a joy to see Josh Brolin as Cable and Zazie Beetz as Domino. I could for sure use more of them in future installments. The downside? I’ve never been a big Deadpool guy and, like the character, the movie seems to think its way funnier than it is. But the X-Force skydiving joke is pretty amazing.

7. X-Men (2000)

Here is an example of a movie that is so much more important than it is still good. It definitely set the stage for the modern superhero movie era and finally gave us some live-action mutants. (Sidebar: yes, I remember the 1996 Generation X TV movie. That doesn’t count.) And the casting is, by and large, really great, with Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Hugh Jackman all standing out. But for all the good of the first X-Men, there’s always a sense that it’s half-apologizing for comic books being silly. In 2023, it’s just not as revolutionary as it once was.

6. The Wolverine (2013)

After X-Men Origins, I thought there was no way a solo Wolverine movie was going to be good. And then we get director James Mangold. A lot of this movie covers ground in the fan-favorite Frank Miller/Chris Claremont run of Wolverine in the ’80s, with his dealings with the Yakuza in Japan and various romances. I think it almost totally works. The ending is bad, I won’t argue it isn’t, but I think The Wolverine is still upper half of the movies. Jackman rules.

5. Deadpool (2016)

Remember everything I said about the character of Deadpool earlier? That’s still true, but even with that, I cannot deny how good, how funny, how effective, and how fresh the first Deadpool movie felt. After years of development, Ryan Reynolds’ passion project got the go-ahead and made just a ton of money with its heavy violence and foul-mouthed frat humor. This is arguably the best page-to-screen adaptation of any comic book character. And its success is 100% the reason he’s not getting rebooted (really) for the MCU. I won’t hold this movie accountable for the Deadpool-ifying of other superhero movies, though I could.

4. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

The second most famous Uncanny X-Men comics arc (which was only two issues) ended up as one of the very best superhero movies of the era. I love the way this movie utilizes both timelines’ casts and sends the sole superstar character of Wolverine back in time to foil a future where sentinels take over the world. The Quicksilver “Time in a Bottle” sequence is still super great, and the finale where Magneto drops a stadium around Richard Nixon is wild and enormous, but manages to work because the characters are believable. Best use of Mystique in any movie. In my head cannon, this is the end of the franchise (Deadpool and Logan notwithstanding).

3. X2: X-Men United (2003)

I think it’s arguable this and Spider-Man 2 are the reasons superhero movies kept going. They’re not just successful, they’re really good. X2 took what worked about the first movie and focused on it and heightened it. Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler is excellent, Brian Cox as Stryker is really good, and we got maybe McKellen’s best Magneto performance. Wolverine gets center stage here for real and they let him do what he does best (and what he does best isn’t very nice). Just a great example of what the X-Men on screen could be.

2. X-Men: First Class (2011)

Matthew Vaughn’s lone foray into the X-universe really was a fresh start. Not only did it get a whole new cast to portray some of the characters who’ve been around a while, but setting it in the early 1960s, contemporary to when the comics first came out, brought in a new style, a new energy, to the mutants. Young, swaggery Charles Xavier as played by James McAvoy was a great choice to offset Stewart’s austere portrayal. Michael Fassbender’s Magneto was damn cool; could have watched a whole movie of Erik Lensherr, Nazi hunter. Above all, it proved the franchise, which had already gotten a bit stale and silly, could reinvent itself, which proved to be just what it needed to continue for another decade.

1. Logan (2017)

Look, it was never going to be anything else at number one. Logan isn’t just a great X-Men movie. It isn’t just a great comic book movie. It’s a great movie, full stop. What was originally going to be the swansong for both Jackman and Stewart ended up a somber, elegiac reflection on regret and hope as Logan has to tend to a sickly Charles Xavier and try to save young, angry Laura Kinney (Dafne Keen). The action is as brutal as you’d hope with a Wolverine movie, and the story flows to a wonderful, sad conclusion. It’s the superhero movie as western, writ large. Took three goes, but Jackman really did make the best of this franchise.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Playing the fourth lead on a Disney+ mini-series is a far cry from playing Daenerys Targaryen on the world’s most popular show. But an Avenger has the same kind of pop culture standing as a Khaleesi, and Secret Invasion’s fourth episode just made possible for Emilia Clarke to be both. The explosive installment provided a potential origin story for her character. G’iah now has everything she needs to be the MCU’s next great superhero, including a classic tragic origin story.

How Did G‘iah Survive Gravik’s Assassination Attempt?

Just as we theorized, Gravik only thought he executed G’iah. A flashback at the start of episode four revealed she’d previously used the general’s own secret lab program to imbue herself with superpowers.

G’iah recovered from a bullet to the heart thanks to Extremis. It’s the same Iron Man 3 biological nanotech that allowed Gravik to heal his sliced hand in the third episode. It’s also why he was able to withstand point blank bullets to his body and face.

What Other Superpowers Does G’iah Have?

Gravik’s attack on the President confirmed that in addition to Extremis super healing, he also has Groot-like powers. Groot and Extremis were two of the four projects G’iah discovered on the secret Skrull lab’s computer. The other two were a Frost beast and Cull Obsidian. We don’t yet know if Gravik has their powers as well. Nor do we know if his machine can only administer them individually. Gravik’s scientists could have put all four entities’ abilities into a single vial.

As for G’iah, that flashback only showed her using one vial. If it was an Extremis-only serum—which the lab’s computer indicated it was—that’s likely her only current superpower outside of her natural advanced Skrull strength and speed. If, however, she turns her arms into super long tree branches in the show’s final two episodes, we’ll get answers about both her and Gravik’s capabilities.

Is Talos Actually Dead on Secret Invasion?

Skrulls who don’t have Extremis are just as vulnerable as most humans. Talos was also already injured before Gravik stabbed him in the heart. Even under the best circumstances it seems unlikely he could survive such an injury. Nick Fury’s reaction, similar to the one he had when Maria Hill died, made clear he thought the same. If he believed Talos was still alive or could be saved he probably wouldn’t have left his friend behind. It certainly seems like Gravik killed the former Skrull leader at the end of Secret Invasion‘s fourth episode.

But while his death is obviously sad, it’s also part of the reason to think Emilia Clarke’s G’iah is positioned to become a big time MCU superhero. She not only has superpowers, she has a classic superhero origin story.

How Could Emilia Clarke Become a Major MCU Superhero?

Countless superheroes, including some of the most famous ever like Spider-Man and Batman, became heroes in part because they lost someone very close to them. Death, especially of a morally righteous family member, mentor, or friend, has a way of galvanizing those with great power to take on great responsibility. It’s a classic inciting incident in a hero’s journey.

Talos not only had a strong moral center, G’iah’s last conversation with her father put into focus just how right he was. Gravik does not have the caring heart her dad did. Gravik doesn’t value life or relationships. So while she thought (probably correctly) Talos was delusional about how willingly humans will accept Skrulls, his murder might crystallize why she still has to try to do the right thing. If she gives into hate the way Gravik has, she would end up killing the man who saved their entire civilization. G’iah risks being her peoples’ destruction. The question is, does G’iah want to believe in her dad or the man who killed him?

The fact G’iah walked away from her father’s last lesson makes their final conversation even more meaningful. If he’s truly dead it will likely haunt her forever. She walked away from him and left him on his own when he needed her the most. That’s exactly why his death could prove to be the catalyst she needs to become a great leader herself. And that means Emilia Clarke could become the MCU’s next great superhero.

The MCU now has a super powered, shape-shifting alien with a moral compass and a tragic origin story played by a famous, talented performer with experience headlining a worldwide phenomenon. No wonder Marvel Studios wanted a Khaleesi for the part. Secret Invasion is just the start of Emilia Clarke’s role in the franchise and could be setting G’iah up to be a new MCU superhero.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at  @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Super Skrulls aren’t coming to the MCU. They’re already here. In Secret Invasion‘s third episode Gravik informed his Council he’s working on turning their species into a race of super powered beings. But he’s already imbued himself with one incredible ability that will let him take on the Avengers: super healing. Gravik instantly mended his sliced hand thanks to Extremis, a genetic mutation featured in Iron Man 3. That explosive serum didn’t work out very well for humans, but it looks totally under control in an alien body. Bad news for mankind, but good news for Talos. Extremis might be why G’iah isn’t as dead as the Gravik believes.

What Is Extremis from Iron Man 3?

Extremis is a type of nanotechnology that rewrites DNA. It uses a body’s own bio-electricity to chemically recode and enhance the part of the brain responsible for healing. Extremis not only makes it possible for users to survive and overcome otherwise fatal injuries—it lets them regenerate entire body parts.

In addition to super healing abilities, Extremis also grants users enhanced physical capabilities similar to a super soldier. The amazing technology also greatly raises its subjects’ standing body temperatures. That’s why Extremis manifests in the eyes and skin as a glowing, fiery red-orange. Only, unlike Steve Rogers, those who could best control their body’s elevated core temperature could also generate great amounts of heat they could then expel in an attack. The most trained Extremis users could even shoot flames out of their mouth.

But what good is a new limb or being a human flamethrower when you’re also a ticking time bomb?

Why Was Extremis So Dangerous to Humans?

Genetic biologist Dr. Maya Hansen originally created Extremis, but she had trouble stabilizing it. The plants she originally tested on exploded shortly after getting the serum. She got a big assist making her work less volatile from a very drunk Tony Stark in 1999. He provided a formula that greatly advanced Hansen’s project, but he did not ultimately solve her problem long term.

Hansen then joined forces with Advanced Idea Mechanics’ founder and CEO Dr. Adrian Killich. (She really liked his money.) Together they strengthened Extremis and moved on to a series of clinical human trials. Most of them involved veterans who’d suffered major injuries or amputations.

Extremis worked in bodies which did not outright reject it. Those subjects who didn’t accept the serum, failed to regulate their body temperature, or did not get assistance in doing so eventually exploded with the force of a bomb. Users would disintegrate in the deadly blast, leaving nothing but scorch marks of themselves behind and killing those nearby.

Why Doesn’t Extremis Seem to Cause Any Problems for Gravik?

Extremis did not make its users invulnerable. In addition to being unstable biological bombs, humans who relied on Extremis were also at greater physical risk while regenerating or healing. A strike to the brain or heart could still kill them, too.

But Gravik does not seem to suffer from any known side effects or dangers associated with Extremis. When he repaired his hand it was the only part of his body that glowed. The overheating that plagued human users in Iron Man 3 aparently isn’t a problem for him. Either he isn’t overheating or can easily regulate his body’s temperature.

Considering Secret Invasion is set in 2026 and Iron Man 3 took place in 2012, it’s more than possible scientists who continued Dr. Hansen’s work greatly advanced Extremis over the intervening years to make it completely stable. (Someone using the serum was seen fighting in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.) It’s also possible Gravik’s scientists also improved Extremis to make it safe.

However, the explanation for Gravik’s lack of issues is potentially far simpler. Skrull DNA is (obviously) very different from human DNA. Skrulls’ bodies likely handle Extremis better than Earth people ever could. And even without any other super powers, that makes him especially dangerous. Gravik is a shape-shifting super soldier who can instantly heal from almost any wound.

But is he the only Skrull who’s taken Extremis?

Is Emilia Clarke’s G’iah Really Dead on Secret Invasion?

In Secret Invasion‘s second episode Emilia Clarke’s G’iah discovered the secret lab where Gravik’s scientists are working to create Super Skrulls. On their computer she found evidence they’re working with DNA taken from Groot, a frost beast, and Cull Obsidian. That’s also where she learned they’re using Extremis.

That super healing serum would be especially valuable for someone who’d decided to double-cross a dangerous figure like Gravik.

We saw in episode three a bullet to the chest will kill a Skrull same as a human. The premiere also made clear Secret Invasion is capable of killing off a major character. But if G’iah secretly injected herself with Extremis she didn’t die during her final encounter with Gravik in episode three. She almost certainly survived a single bullet and faked her own death. Extremis provided her with the perfect way to ensure her safety if/when Gravik learned of her treason and to then get away without him knowing she’s still a threat.

Super Skrulls have already arrived in the MCU. The question is how many of them are already here. If the answer is at least two, Talos’ daughter might not be as dead as Gravik thinks.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at  @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The shapeshifting alien Skrulls have been around the Marvel Comics universe since the very early days. In both the comic book series Secret Invasion and its MCU namesake, the Skrulls have replaced key people associated with the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and the X-Men. And that leads many to wonder, just who has been a Skrull in Marvel’s world? Well, it turns out, quite a few characters. Here are some of the most important Marvel characters who Skrull agents replaced over the years, some almost two decades before the Secret Invasion comics.

Alicia Masters Was a Skrull

One of the first major Marvel Comics characters a Skrull replaced was Alicia Masters. Marvel introduced the blind sculptor as Ben Grimm’s, a.k.a. the Thing, girlfriend in Fantastic Four. Alicia was his main squeeze for decades, until Thing decided to live on another planet after the first Secret Wars. With the Thing gone, and likely never to return, Alicia fell in love with his Fantastic Four teammate Johnny Storm and married him. When Ben Grimm returned, let’s just say he was not happy. Fans didn’t love it either.

But years later, Marvel revealed that the Alicia Masters who met and fell in love with Johnny was actually a Skrull agent in disguise, meant to infiltrate the Fantastic Four and destroy them from within. Meanwhile, the Skrull Empire kept the real Alicia Masters in captivity. The Skrull imposter’s true name was Llya, and although a Skrull agent, she really did fall in love with the Human Torch. Eventually, Llya was exposed as an alien Skrull, and an enraged Johnny left her. Marvel Comics returned the real Alicia to Earth. Years later, she eventually married the Thing, Benjamin J. Grimm.

Captain America’s Time as a Skrull in Marvel Comics

Years before the Secret Invasion comics mini-series, Marvel replaced Steve Rogers with a Skrull. In a 1998 storyline in Captain America from writer Mark Waid and penciler Dale Eaglesham, the Skrulls captured Captain America and impersonated him with one of their own. Their plan was to have Skrull Captain America expose two of his companions as Skrulls live on TV, hoping it would send the human population of Earth into prolonged paranoia, turning neighbor against neighbor. The plan very nearly worked, as Steve Rogers was perhaps Earth’s most trusted hero. But with the help of the Avengers, the real Captain America returned and exposed the Skrull plot.

Wolverine Became a Skrull in the ’90s

Another late ‘90s Skrull infiltration plot occurred when they revealed the X-Men’s Wolverine as a Skrull. In a twist, the Skrulls were actually working for the X-Men’s longtime enemy, Apocalypse. He needed a new Hoseman of Death, especially as his previous Death, better known as Archangel, had reverted to being a good guy. So Apocalypse chose the character of Logan and replaced Wolverine with a Skrull imposter in the world of Marvel. His fellow X-Men went unsuspecting for months, even the psychics like Professor X. This fake Wolverine had implanted memories and didn’t even know he wasn’t the real Marvel Comics’ Logan but a Skrull version. He heroically died in battle with Death, who was eventually freed from Apocalypse’s thrall and became good ol’ Logan again. The Skrull Wolverine actually made his debut in a Punisher/Wolverine crossover.

Elektra’s Skrull Reveal Began Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion Series

The truth of the Skrull threat to Marvel’s heroes began in earnest when the ninja assassin Elektra was the first of several heroes exposed as a Skrull. This reveal happened in 2007’s New Avengers #31, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and penciler Leinil Francis Yu. Echo killed Elektra in battle, and upon death, Elektra was revealed to be a Skrull, shocking everyone. Marvel Comics then revealed that Skrulls replaced the true Elektra several months prior, and that the Skrull who impersonated her was meant to die. Marvel designed the Skrull infiltration to be revealed to the Avengers as a way of creating suspicion among the heroic community. The real Elektra would return, of course, but the death of the Skrull impersonator would kick off the Secret Invasion event series.

Skrull Black Bolt Attacked Marvel’s Illuminati

With the Skrull Elektra exposed, Iron Man brought her corpse to the rest of his compatriots in the Illuminati. He hoped this would spur his fellow Marvel Universe power players to treat the Skrull threat seriously. It was then that Tony Stark learned his fellow Illuminati member Black Bolt, King of the Inhumans, had been a Skrull for months, replacing the real Black Bolt at a time when his brother Maximus assumed the throne of Attilan. Skrull Black Bolt attacked Marvel Comics’ Illuminati, but the Illuminati defeated him with a bit of help. His wife, Queen Medusa, eventually rescued the real Black Bolt.

Skrull Spider-Woman Betrayed the Avengers

Spider-Woman was a prominent Marvel hero in the ‘70s and ‘80s, only to all but vanish for decades, while other heroes took her name and carried on. But the original Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew, returned in 2005 as a member of the New Avengers. But just a few years later, Marvel Comics revealed this Spider-Woman was never the real Jessica Drew at all, she was the Skrull Queen, Veranke. And she was about to commence the Skrull invasion of Earth, fulfilling a prophecy she believed was about Earth becoming a new Skrull Throneworld. Luckily, the real Spider-Woman appeared not long after, and joined the Avengers, but the other members had to work to trust her. After all, the last version of Spider-Woman in their ranks was working against them from the start.

Dr. Hank Pym Was a Skrull for Years in Marvel’s Comics

A Skrull agent replaced founding Avenger Hank Pym as well. But during Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion, Pym revealed that the Skrull had replaced the true Hank after the events of 2004’s Avengers Disassembled. So Skrull Hank was on the team for roughly four years. His purpose was to give his ex-wife Janet Van Dyne, the Wasp, a special growth formula—one that was actually a deadly weapon to be used against the Avengers.

Captain Marvel Returned to Life Only As a Marvel Comics Skrull

The original Captain Marvel, the Kree warrior Mar-Vell, was one of the rare comics heroes to die and stay dead. Marvel chronicled his demise from cancer in the 1982 story The Death of Captain Marvel. Others succeeded him, most recently Carol Danvers, but Mar-Vell stayed dead until 2007’s epic The Return of Captain Marvel, which shocked Marvel Comics fans. Many longtime fans met this grand return of a Silver Age hero with skepticism. Eventually, during Secret Invasion, Marvel revealed this Mar-Vell as a Skrull sleeper agent, and he attacked Marvel’s heroes. Much like Lyja beforehand, he ultimately sacrificed himself as one of the good guys after switching sides. And so, the real Mar-Vell remains dead, 40 years and counting. In comics, that’s got to be a record.

Skrull Mockingbird Caused Some Drama

Heroine Bobbi Morse and her ex-husband Hawkeye were a tumultuous couple. Both heroes, both stubborn—their relationship ultimately ended in divorce. Mockingbird herself died in Avengers West Coast #100. But surprise, that Mockingbird was a Skrull agent. The shape changers held the real Bobbi in captivity, and she finally returned to Earth during the Secret Invasion. Mockingbird was entirely unaware of her “death” and that she and Clint Barton were no longer an item. One big Marvel Comics continuity error with this Skrull takeover was that when Skrull Bobbi died in the ’90s, the character did not revert to Skrull form.

Skrulls Used Doctor Voodoo

Jericho Drumm, the sorcerer originally called Brother Voodoo (now Doctor Voodoo) eventually became the Sorcerer Supreme. But for a time, he was an advisor to Black Panther in Wakanda. But this version of the good doctor was actually a Skrull agent, meant to infiltrate the ranks of Wakanda’s royal court as a weapon from within. The hope was that incapacitating the most powerful nation on Earth via this character would make the Skrull invasion that much easier in the Marvel universe. This version of Jericho Drumm died once he was revealed, and the real Doctor Voodoo returned.

Nick Fury

The Disney+ series Secret Invasion has everyone asking “Is Nick Fury a Skrull?” We don’t know for sure if the Nick Fury we see in the show is or isn’t a Skrull… Although we know Fury became a Skrull in the MCU’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, so we can’t rule it out. Regardless, it does beg the question, was S.H.I.E.L.D director Nicholas J. Fury ever impersonated by a Skrull in Marvel Comics? And the answer is yes, here’s when it happened.

In the comics, in one issue of 2010’s Hawkeye & Mockingbird series, Nick Fury was a Skrull. But only ever so briefly. This Skrull Fury imposter was sent to the Savage Land, where he was tasked with gathering the dead bodies of other Skrulls. Mockingbird and bounty hunter Dominic Fortune went to look into a beacon in an old S.H.I.E.L.D. base. But Mockingbird realized this Nick Fury was nothing more than a Skrull imposter and ended him pretty quickly. We’ll have to see if Secret Invasion brings any new entries to the Fury Skrull ledger.

Originally published on June 28, 2023.

The post These Marvel Comics Characters Were All Replaced by Skrulls appeared first on Nerdist.

Steve Rogers is either dead or a very old man, but the world still needs Captain America. Fortunately for Earth, someone just as worthy of that title as Steve took on the job. No, not John Walker. (Definitely not John Walker.) On The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson finally accepted the mantle his friend tried to give him at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Now Anthony Mackie is ready to lead the superhero franchise into the future with the MCU’s fourth standalone Captain America film. Here’s everything we know about Captain America: Brave New World.

Title

Marvel first announced Captain America 4‘s official title as part of its Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022. It was originally called Captain America: New World Order. But in June 2023, Marvel changed the movie’s name. It is now called Captain America: Brave New World.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Plot

Marvel has yet to reveal many details about the film. Thus far, the title is our best clue about the film’s plot. It echoes both the main conflict of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and Aldous Huxley’s dystopian classic. Marvel executives have shared some tasty breadcrumbs, though.

That began with Nate Moore, VP of Production & Development at Marvel Studios, talking about how Harrison Ford will replace the late William Hurt as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in Brave New World. In an interview, Moore said:

Well, look, Sam Wilson’s Captain America, he is going to bring his own team to play. It’s no secret that Samuel Sterns is making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is fantastic because Tim Blake Nelson’s the best. Harrison Ford is taking on the role of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and to see Sam Wilson and Thunderbolt Ross, which if you remember actually threw him in prison at the end of Civil War because he violated the Sokovia Accords. There’s going to be some natural sparks there, which I think are going to be really fun.

Behind the Scenes

Malcolm Spellman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and Dalan Musson are co-writing the film. Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) is set to direct.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Cast

In addition to Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier‘s Carl Lumbly will return as Isaiah Bradley. As will Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres.

Additionally, Brave New World will bring back Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) from The Incredible Hulk. Sterns, of course, is also known as The Leader. He will likely act as the film’s villain. Shira Haas will join the film as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore has joined the movie in an unknown role, and WWE wrestler Seth Rollins was spotted in costume on set.

Another original MCU star will also return after a long absence, too. Liv Tyler will reprise her role as Betty Ross. She originated the role in The Incredible Hulk.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Release Date

Captain America: Brave New World will fly into theaters on July 26, 2024.

Originally published on February 14, 2023.

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Secret Invasion is full steam ahead as Nick Fury discovers the shocking truth about millions of Skrulls on Earth. His determination to neutralize Gravik’s rogue collective leads him to seek Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes for help. The subsequent conversation between Fury and Rhodey is a surprisingly nuanced examination of what it means to be Black, to obtain and maintain power, and how to navigate that responsibility. And, it totally hints at Rhodey being a Skrull. 

Within the MCU, James Rhodes and Nick Fury are in the highest ranking positions of power in their respective areas of professional expertise. And they are both in arenas where their colleagues are predominately white. Fury is the founder/leader of S.A.B.E.R., former S.H.I.E.L.D. director, and the founder of the Avengers. Rhodes is a respected Colonel in the US Air Force and an Avenger. These accomplishments are surely beyond what they imagined as children who were born into and/or grew up during a segregation-era America. In fact, Nick reflects on his childhood while riding comfortably in a train car and donning an all-black suit. He recalls riding in the “colored” section of a train from Alabama with no air conditioning or working bathrooms and a dining car his family couldn’t access. 

Years later, he is internationally known and in the early stages of his latest Earth-threatening predicament. Naturally, he looks to another Black man who is on his level, someone with ample resources and intelligence to help achieve his mission: Rhodey. Colonel Rhodes is busy skirting around accusations and concerns from the UK Prime Minister and other Heads of State that Nick Fury is responsible for the Moscow bombing. As if on cue, Fury calls him for a meeting.

Rhodes is understandably angry about the Moscow fiasco, informing Fury that everyone blames Fury for the resulting carnage. Rhodey believes that, thanks to Fury’s failure to stop the attack, WWIII is on the way. Even worse, all of the US’ allies are now siding with Russia. Fury quickly explains why the attack happened in the first place, revealing the (new to him) info about the Skrulls. Rhodey says he’s known for 15 years, thanks to a top secret briefing about Skrull ships crashing onto Earth. He’s well aware of their possible plans to invade the planet from the inside, presumably through achieving high-ranking status and power, very much like what Rhodey has in America.  

Fury says the invasion has happened and Moscow is just the beginning. He rejects the idea of calling in reinforcement (Avengers? S.H.I.E.L.D?), says it is his war (fair considering he’s been dealing with them for decades), and asks Rhodey to back him on it. Rhodey says he cannot do that because he spent all his political capital getting Maria Hill’s body back. He insists that he protects the planet by protecting the seat at the table. 

Fury tells Rhodey that he must have forgotten who helped him get that seat. This is when the verbal fistcuffs come out. This vital conversation about the fate of humanity between two Black men takes a turn that most fans wouldn’t expect. Nick Fury reminds Rhodey of the reality of their positions in this world. He rightfully points out that men who look like them don’t get promotions because of who their daddies know.

“Every ounce of power we wrestle from the vise grip of the mediocre Alexander Pierces who run this world was earned in blood,” says Fury. “So let’s make the power mean something. Help a brother out.” 

Fury’s words hold a lot of weight, especially for Black people who have built careers in overwhelmingly white spaces. In many fields, the privilege of existing as a white man supersedes the accomplishments and accolades of Black people. The numbers don’t lie, from racial and gender pay gaps as well as missed promotions and other opportunities for advancement. As a Black person, to achieve in your respective field is to endure a barrage of barriers to entry that a family name cannot wave away. It’s a constant fight to prove you are worthy of what you have earned. You’re fighting against the status quo, against people who your very existence threatens.

With surprising candor for MCU standards, Fury acknowledges that although he frequently grapples with otherworldly threats, he still has to fight against systemic oppression that no amount of respectability nor ranking can vanquish. He’s asking Rhodey, not just as someone with professional power status, but as another Black man to be in his corner during an uncertain time. It’s evident that Fury is experiencing a dark night of the soul season following the Blip. It is also far too easy to cast someone who doesn’t subscribe neatly to respectability politics like Fury aside and attempt to discredit his accomplishments… and he knows it. This is when that community and camaraderie that Black people have used to survive and thrive is critical.

The expected reaction from Rhodey would be to acknowledge the mountains they have had to continuously climb. The pathway to garner their respect and rankings in this relentless professional game of power play hasn’t been easy, right? Rhodey’s always been a man who is loyal to the military and to the cause. However, he is also logical and pragmatic. We think he will show empathy and understanding (in his own signature way), even if his hands are tied in ways he cannot release.

Oftentimes, being a Black hero/agent of change with socioeconomic power is toeing the line between two sides. It is playing a role to keep your proverbial seat at the table and stealthily stepping outside of the boundaries (usually made to keep those who are “othered” like you in check) to uphold the greater good. We’ve seen Rhodey do this, at times making decisions that come into direct conflict with his professional duty. He’s knowingly withheld intel to protect Tony Stark and other Avengers interests.

Instead, he replies to Fury with undertones that are a bit uncharacteristic for him and also highkey disrespectful. “…you should know better than most,” Rhodey begins. “The reason we wrestled this power from mediocre men who don’t look like us was not simply to turn around and hand it to mediocre men who do.” OUCH. That’s a low blow to Fury, who has done more than his fair share to protect the planet, albeit through more “rogue” avenues at times. Yet, he also says that Fury is someone whom he respects and understands… before hitting him with a gut punch.

“The point of this power is to be uncompromising, to be unsparing, to be able to sit across from a man we greatly admire, with whom we share an entire professional, personal, ancestral history with, and to tell him without any reservation, that he’s fired.” -James Rhodes

Rhodey saying he has no reservations about volunteering to fire Nick is very wild, indeed. (Also, he calls him Nick and no one does that except his mother. He’s a Skrull!) Rhodes is rightfully angry about Moscow and the death of Maria Hill. And yes, Fury does hold some responsibility there and is not above reproach. Perhaps Rhodey is hardened by years of dealing with all sorts of mess before losing his best friend. But, purposely being the person to tell Fury that he’s “fired” is a low blow with a lot of layers.

It’s the equivalent of forging a bond with another Black person in a specific circle only for them to turn their back in your time of need. No matter their rationale, it boils down to acting in favor of the status quo upheld by “the man.” There are a lot of people who won’t admit that they’d take the Rhodey route, but it certainly happens. Nick jacks up Rhodey’s security detail and reminds them that even when he’s out, he’s in. (Rhodey is lucky that Fury didn’t knock him out of his seat and call him a MFer.)

Fury storms off and has a lonely breakdown, clearly hurt in more ways than one. We will see where Secret Invasion will go next and if Rhodey is a Skrull. But, even if Rhodey isn’t himself, this conversation with Nick Fury shows how both characters’ Blackness and powerful positions always intertwine. 

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In a superhero multiverse full of shapeshifting aliens, time travel, infinite parallel worlds, and countless Variants, it’s nearly impossible to make an important character’s death feel like a major moment. The MCU has also conditioned viewers to think the biggest consequences, even the ultimate one, probably won’t stick. When someone in the franchise dies, even repeatedly, they don’t tend to stay dead very long. But that’s exactly why the shocking end of Secret Invasion‘s first episode was so effective. It managed to kill off an important person in a way that felt real and meaningful. And that unexpected farewell to Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill made the thriller’s intergalactic invasion feel truly dangerous.

To love the MCU is to realize you should never assume a character is gone forever. Even when they are unquestionably 100% dead they can still return, like Heimdall in Thor: Love and Thunder. Fans especially understand that no one (outside of maybe Loki, the literal God of Mischief) is better at staging a believable death than Nick Fury. He faked his own elaborate demise in Captain America: The Winter Soldier after he’d previously faked his colleague Phil Coulson’s in The Avengers.

Samuel L. Jackson’s spy, a man who is normally at least three steps ahead of friends and foes alike, understands the value in a pretend death. It makes your opponents think they’ve removed you or your closest allies from the game entirely. With that relief comes a vulnerability you can exploit. Sometimes that’s the only way to win.

But that’s not the Nick Fury introduced in Secret Invasion‘s first episode. The veteran spymaster still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, but he’s not sure of himself anymore. He’s hesitating when he’d normally already have a plan in place. Even worse than failing to act is that he’s reacting to events. Fury, who’d spent years off world, is completely behind in this war for Earth with Gravik and the breakaway Skrulls.

While some of Fury’s “old man” routine is itself an act, the end of the premiere proved Maria Hill’s worries about him were well founded. Nick Fury at his best would have stopped that bombing. Each explosion revealed how far he is from the peak of his powers. They also made it easier to believe the bullet Gravik put in Maria Hill’s stomach really did end her story when we expected her to be a major part of Secret Invasion‘s. Smulders’ former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent isn’t an MCU redshirt. She’s been a major player in saving Earth for a longtime. The Avengers hung out with her. They trusted her completely.

She was also Nick Fury’s closest and most important friend and colleague. He could rely on her in a way he can’t rely on anyone else, not even Talos or the Avengers. And he’s never needed someone he can trust more. With her dead, the Skrull threat feels real and tangible in a way MCU stories often don’t. If Gravik can get to Maria Hill while she’s working with Nick Fury, Gravik can get to anyone.

The emotional impact of her death won’t go away no matter what happens, either. Even if/when Fury saves the world, he couldn’t save someone he loved along the way. He lost a person viewers care about, too, someone they assumed was entirely safe specifically because she was with him. For someone without superpowers, Maria Hill almost seemed invincible. Making us think someone like that really died is an incredible achievement for a franchise that has always made us believe consequences and stakes are fleeting rather than permanent.

Could her death be a giant ploy by her and Fury and she’s really alive? The entire history of the MCU makes it impossible to dismiss that possibility. But whether she eventually pops back up or not won’t change the fact that in the moment her death feel real. And because it did everything that follows her death will mean more. Truly no one is safe on Secret Invasion.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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We’ve known that a Blade movie is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2019. Who can forget with the film’s star—Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali—put on a hat that said “BLADE!” and caused an excited uproar in San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H?! Though there have been some ups and downs with this movie, hopefully, we’ll only see smooth sailing for our favorite vampire from here on out. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming Blade movie.

Title

The title of this movie is simple: Blade.

Blade‘s Plot

Right now we don’t have any plot details for Blade. But, we can imagine the film will borrow from the character’s comic origins. Blade debuted in the tenth issue of Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula comic back in 1973, from writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan. He quickly became a supremely popular character, a half-vampire killer of vampires and other occult baddies. Blade first made it to the big screen in 1998 starring Wesley Snipes. Two sequels followed—one of them good—but eventually, that franchise sort of fell by the wayside.

Behind the Scenes

Playwright Stacy Osei-Kuffour (Watchmen) wrote an early draft of the script. In 2021, Bassam Tariq confirmed he will direct the film via The Playlist podcast. However, Tariq has since left the project.

The director offered a brief statement about his experience with Blade.

Now Lovecraft Country‘s Yann Demange has come aboard as Blade‘s new director. In addition, Michael Starrbury wrote a new script for the vampiric movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto has recently joined the project to work off of Starrbury’s script.

Blade‘s Cast

As mentioned above, two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali will play the daywalking half-vampire badass in the upcoming Blade movie. Meanwhile, Delroy Lindo is joining Ali in film. While we don’t formally know who Lindo is playing, we think he could be Jamal Afari, who in the comics raised Blade and taught him all about vampire slaying. As we saw (or rather, heard) at the end of Eternals, Kit Harington will cross paths with Blade, reprising his role as Dane Whitman.

Krypton actor Aaron Pierre has joined the cast of Blade in another undisclosed character. Unlike Lindo, however, this role will seemingly have bigger implications on the Marvel Cinematic Universe than just this one film. And Deadline has also reported that X and Pearl star Mia Goth will join the cast in an unspecified role.

Blade‘s Release Date

The Blade Marvel movie will arrive in theaters on February 14, 2025.

Originally published on July 20, 2019.

The post Everything We Know About Marvel’s BLADE Movie appeared first on Nerdist.

The MCU’s multiverse is no longer the purview of a handful of characters and a few movies. Avengers: Endgame‘s Time Heist might have saved the universe, but it also set the MCU on a much more complex path. Infinite paths actually, to infinite dimensions and parallel worlds. These branching timelines and other realities are changing the face of the entire franchise for every Marvel Cinematic Universe hero and villain. And that’s true for both new and (very) old characters alike.

Marvel’s multiverse can be a lot to keep track of, even for those creating it. But while all those roads can be confusing, they are important. Especially after Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Fortunately, we’re here to help break down the multiverse’s most important figures, storylines, and innumerable divergent paths. From Doctor Strange‘s dimensions, the Quantum Realm, Loki‘s Variants, and more, here’s everything you need to know about the MCU’s multiverse.

What Is the MCU’s Multiverse?

As laid out by the Ancient One in Doctor Strange and confirmed by He Who Remains on Loki, the MCU exists in a world “without end,” because the MCU’s multiverse is infinite. Vastly different parallel worlds, along with vastly different dimensions, all exist. Anything and everything can happen within them. And they can cause utter destruction to one another. There are differences between other dimensions and parallel worlds, though.

Another dimension is an entirely different plane of existence within a shared reality. It’s also possible to be in one plane while still observing another. However, if you travel the multiverse and go into a parallel world, you have entered another reality entirely. If that’s confusing, here are a couple of analogies to help make sense of the difference.

Sometimes in the MCU, being in another dimension is akin to being a ghost. If you become a ghost, you exist in a different dimension, but you can still see the plane of existence you left behind.

Meanwhile, visiting a parallel world is more like walking through a portal into a new destination. Imagine if you walked into a world identical to our world, except the sky is purple instead of blue. In the purple world, you would no longer see the blue sky of home. Also, your actions in the purple world would impact everyone there instead.

In the MCU, other dimensions in a shared reality sometimes have no ability to impact each other. Even when one can be perceived within another. But both parallel worlds in other realities, along with other dimensions within the same reality, sometimes pose existential threats to other dimensions and worlds in the multiverse.

Marvel’s Multiverse Explained By Dimension, Realm, and Property

Countless dimensions and realities (a.k.a. parallel worlds) also mean countless sinister dimensions and threats too. The Ancient One explained that chilling fact to Stephen Strange when he first arrived at Kamar-Taj in the first Doctor Strange.

“This universe is only one of an infinite number. Worlds without end. Some benevolent and life giving. Others filled with malice and hunger. Dark places where powers older than time lie ravenous…and waiting.”

The “infinite dangers” the former Sorcerer Supreme warned of have already been seen in many of the MCU’s dimensions and parallel worlds. But so have other less nefarious places. These are the most important ones—good, evil, and in-between—to appear in the MCU so far. (Please note, this article deals only with the MCU, not Marvel Comics or non-Marvel Studios Marvel movies.)

The Many Dimensions of the First Doctor Strange Movie

Stephen Strange first saw the true scope of existence when his soul traveled through many dimensions in his debut film. Some were beautiful, others nightmarish. His journey took him through wonderfully named planes like the Mandelibus, Actiniaria, Flowering Incense, and Grass Jelly Dimensions.

He then got a glimpse of the diversity of parallel worlds during his unplanned “jump” with America Chavez in Multiverse of Madness. The pair dived through realities of paint, cubism, animation, and more.

These briefly seen places are all visual marvels worth exploring for any sorcerer-in-training. But thus far, these dimensions have been unimportant in the MCU. The first Doctor Strange film did introduce three vital dimensions to the franchise, though.

Astral Dimension

The Astral Dimension, sometimes called the Astral Plane, is “a place where the soul exists apart from the body.” Masters of the Mystic Arts can leave their physical bodies behind and enter the Astral Dimension. Within the Astral Plane they exist as pure energy, though they still look like ghostly versions of themselves. Sorcerers can also push other souls into this plane. The Ancient One did that to Stephen Strange. She also pushed Bruce Banner’s soul out of Smart Hulk in Avengers: Endgame. And Strange himself did this to Spider-Man in No Way Home.

Marvel’s Astral Plane exists around/next to the physical Earth realm. Souls in the Astral Dimension float through the real world, but the two are not the same place. They are different and independent planes of existence. What happens in the Astral Dimension does not affect the physical world. An astral projection can reveal itself to a physical being, though, as Stephen Strange did to Dr. Christine Palmer.

Time also works differently within the Astral Dimension. A single moment can be stretched out so that a dying Sorcerer Supreme can have a long conversation with the next one. In Doctor Strange, we see a discussion start and end before a bolt of lightning hits the ground.

This plane of existence also lets those who access it multitask. A body can sleep or enjoy a mug of tea in the physical realm while the soul reads a book in the Astral Dimension. Doctor Strange made use of the Astral Realm while studying the Mystic Arts. In WandaVision, Wanda Maximoff also used this aspect of the multiverse to study the Darkhold. And it was also within the Astral Plane where Wanda heard the voices of her sons, Billy and Tommy. (Though what dimension her original kids—not their Variants—currently exist—if they exist at all—is still unknown.)

Non-sorcerers can access the Astral Plane and have done so at other points in the franchise. However, depending on the MCU property, this dimension goes by other names and appears differently. We discuss the Astral dimension’s presence in Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Moon Knight, and Thor: Love and Thunder—as well as its overall importance to the MCU’s multiverse—later in the article.

Mirror Dimension

Sorcerers also frequently access the Mirror Dimension. This dimension is an exact copy of the physical world it parallels. “Ever present but undetected,” the Ancient One said. “The real world isn’t affected by what happens here.” It’s why Masters of the Mystic Arts use it “to train, surveil, and sometimes to contain threats.”

A sorcerer working to save the physical world can lock an enemy within the Mirror world. Nearly every person gets stuck in there if they don’t have a Sling Ring, which sorcerers use to access the realm. Without a sling ring they have no way of getting out. That’s how Peter Parker managed to imprison Doctor Strange inside the Mirror Dimension in No Way Home. Only the supremely powerful Wanda Maximoff found a way out of a mirror dimension prison. She escaped by moving through reflections in the real world.

A Mystic Arts master might also learn new skills in the Mirror Dimension that they can then use against an unsuspecting and unprepared enemy. It’s the ultimate secret training ground.

The Mirror Dimension is not invulnerable, though. Doctor Strange attempted to use it in his fight with Thanos on Titan in Infinity War. But Thanos used the Power Stone to shatter the Mirror Dimension and turn it against Strange. And while it can be used for good, the Mirror Dimension can also be used for evil purposes. Those who practice dark magic can also hide, train, and jail foes within it. Their willingness to access another dimension’s terrible power also gives them additional strength within the Mirror world.

Dark Dimension

You don’t get a name like the Dark Dimension because you’re full of sunshine and rainbows. You get that moniker because you belong to the Cosmic Conqueror, Dormammu, Doctor Strange‘s interdimensional monster. The Dark Dimension is also known by the equally unpleasant moniker the Hell Dimension. If that name is not an exaggeration it might also be home to the much-anticipated Mephisto. What it definitely contains, though, are all of the worlds consumed by Dormammu.

This terrible fate awaited Earth, but Doctor Strange struck a bargain with the MCU’s Eater of Worlds.

Earth almost became part of the unnatural Dark Dimension because a former Master of the Mystic Arts, Kaecilius, and his followers fell prey to its promise. The Dark Dimension is “a world beyond time” and therefore a world beyond death. The Hell Dimension is so strong it’s possible to draw power from it to extend your life in other dimensions. Sorcerers who do harness this dark energy, known as the Dark Force, become more powerful inside the Mirror Dimension.

But it’s not just misguided magic users who sometimes draw from the Dark Dimension. The Earth-born Ancient One used the Dark Dimension to live for hundreds of years, violating the natural order. Messing with Dark Force is a dangerous game for everyone and every dimension.

That was equally true for anyone learning the secrets of the Darkhold. That sinister book of dangerous magic was made by Chthon from the Dark Dimension’s dark energy. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness showed just how much “the book of the damned” corrupted its users, even those with good intentions. But that wasn’t the only major contribution the film made to the ever-expanding multiverse of the MCU.  

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the Connections Between Realities

We knew about the existence of the MCU’s parallel worlds before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We also knew about Variants. But what we didn’t know was just how connected they can be. The film introduced new concepts that completely change the possibilities for everyone in every universe.

Incursions and the Destruction of Entire Universes

An incursion is when two MCU realities collide with one another. When that happens either one or both of them are completely destroyed. That’s why the Illuminati killed the facial hair-free Supreme Strange of Earth-838. His use of the Darkhold caused an incursion that destroyed an entire universe, killing trillions.

A type of incursion can also happen when someone toys with the fabric of reality itself. Two Doctor Strange Variants did this, bringing about the destruction of their own universe. The first happened on What If…? The other happened in Multiverse of Madness with Sinister Strange. When an entire reality comes apart it fades away into nothingness, like a cloud of ink vanishing into an ever-darkening sky.

The introduction of incursions to the MCU could mean the franchise is now building to its next big event, Secret Wars. That would mean war between every dimension, realm, and parallel world, exactly what He Who Remains warned Loki and Sylvie about.

Waypoints and the Gap Junction

The Book of Vishanti, the antithesis of the Darkhold, rested in a nexus dimension between the infinite worlds of the MCU’s multiverse. That dimension is known as the Gap Junction. Doctor Strange 2 didn’t invest much time explaining why it looks the way it does, but we did see Variants from multiple universes access it. That included Defender Strange and the MCU’s main Stephen Strange, who went there from Earth-838 via a secret portal called a Waypoint.

If a door exists in one world to the Gap Junction, theoretically you can travel to parallel dimensions via that nexus. Or you can rely on the singular nexus being who has the ability to hop between worlds.

The One and Only America Chavez

America Chavez has no Variants. She also has an incredible power. America can move freely between the realities of the MCU’s multiverse, an ability she finally learned to control by the end of Doctor Strange 2. A powerful being can absorb her power, but if anyone succeeds she will die during the transfer.

Others, even the most powerful beings in Marvel’s multiverse, can’t do that. But they do have another way to make their presence felt in other universes.

Dreams and Dreamwalking in the MCU

When someone in the MCU has a dream they aren’t seeing a creation of their subconscious. What they are seeing is the real life of one of their Variants from the MCU’s multiverse. Main Stephen Strange didn’t imagine Defender Strange and America running from a demon in the Gap Junction. He saw what really happened to them. Anytime someone in the MCU has a dream (not necessarily a vision) they are introducing a new Variant to the franchise.

While dreams are passive links between Variants, dreamwalking is an active connection. Not to mention an evil one. The Darkhold allowed its users to remotely control one of their Variant’s bodies across dimensions. Wanda did this from Earth-616, turning Wanda Mom of Earth-838 into a “meat puppet.” Doctor Strange also did this with his Variant’s corpse. Dreamwalking is the darkest of magic (using a dead body is especially forbidden), and whether or not anyone can do it now that Wanda destroyed the Darkhold in every universe is unknown.

Black Panther‘s Ancestral Plane

The Astral Plane is a dimension living souls can access, but we’ve never seen a dead person’s soul there. Meanwhile, the connected Ancestral Plane of Black Panther is a realm where a soul goes after its body dies. It’s not limited to just the dead, though. T’Challa and Killmonger both traveled there while still alive and each spoke to their deceased fathers.

Marvel Studios’ T’Challa and Killmonger each journeyed to the Ancestral Plane after they consumed the Heart-Shaped Herb and had themselves buried alive. This ethereal world appeared differently to each of them. T’Challa went to lands similar to his country, but it was a world of non-Earth-like bio fluorescence and beauty. Meanwhile, Killmonger went to the home he grew up in with his father in Oakland. When each man woke, far less time had passed on Earth than he had experienced in the Ancestral Plane because time moves much slower there.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever added another layer of depth to the Ancestral Plane. When Shuri travelled there she expected to meet her recently deceased mother. Instead she found her cousin Killmonger waiting for her. She was angry to see him sitting in the equivalent of Wakanda’s throne room, but he said she “summoned” him. It’s not clear how much we can trust him, but if he told the truth, those who eat the Heart-Shaped Herb and go to the Ancestral Plane call a family member to meet them rather than their dead loved one coming to them, an interesting twist to that spiritual world.

The Astral Plane and the Ancestral Plane share many of the same traits and are clearly connected. As are other realms of the dead in the MCU.

Moon Knight and the Duat

Marc Spector and Steven Grant went to the Duat following their death on Moon Knight. There they encountered the Ancient Egyptian hippo goddess Taweret. She told them they were not in “the” afterlife, but merely “an” afterlife.

According to her, “many intersectional planes of untethered consciousness exist.” That particular realm of the dead, the one Ancient Egyptians believed in, leads to a soul either becoming forever frozen in the sands of the Duat or living for eternity in the paradise known as the Field of Reeds.

But Taweret still knew about the “gorgeous” Ancestral Plane of Black Panther. Supernatural beings who live in one realm of dead soul still know—and can seemingly visit—other realms of the dead. Unlike the Ancestral Plane, though, there is a way for souls in the Duat to return to the land of the living. Osiris must allow them passage through his gates. If it’s possible to move between “intersectional planes of untethered consciousness” it’s possible for anyone to return from the dead.

As for the Field of Reeds, it’s unclear if all those intermediary planes of the dead lead to one single paradise for all souls. Those who die in the MCU appear to arrive in afterlife connected to what they believed in while alive. That’s what happens to Viking warriors of Asgard.

Thor: Love and Thunder‘s Valhalla

Asgardians believe the souls of warriors who die on the field of battle will ascend to Valhalla. The good news is that they’re only half right. Valhalla exists, but you don’t need to specifically die valiantly at the hands of an enemy. Jane Foster went to Valhalla, where Heimdall greeted her, even though she died of cancer and not from Gorr’s sword. And just like Steven Grant returned from the sands of the Duat, and Marc Spector returned from the Field of Reeds, to go back to the dimension of the living, there’s reason to think those in Valhalla can also find their way back to life.

At the very least, what does seem clear is that each and every realm of the dead belongs to a dimension that contains all souls and their subsequent realms.

Infinity War‘s Soul Stone and Soulworld

When someone uses the Soul Stone, they enter a separate dimension inside the magic space rock. Thanos went there after his Snap in Infinity War. In Soulworld he met his daughter Gamora as a small child. Smart Hulk visited that plane too after the Blip, though we didn’t see what he encountered there. And before he died Tony Stark saw his young daughter as a grown woman in an Endgame deleted scene.

The Soulworld is not only where people go when they use the Soul Stone. It’s where souls go when they die. The Soul World may hold the Ancestral Plane, the Duat, Valhalla, and every realm of the dead. And just because the Soul Stone is not destroyed doesn’t mean it is.

What really matters, though, is that a world beyond life exists in the MCU. It has many names and takes many forms, and it can be accessed in many ways, but it’s all one place, hidden in Marvel’s multiverse.

Ant-Man‘s Quantum Realm and Loki‘s Citadel

The Quantum Realm is so important to the MCU we wrote an extensive primer about it before Avengers: Endgame. Then Scott Lang realized it could be used as a portal through time. (An ability only Kamala Khan’s bangle has also provided.) You’ll definitely want to read our Quantum Realm breakdown, as it explains why that realm is not merely a smaller-scale version of Earth’s realm. It is actually an entirely different dimension. If you shrink your physical form down enough, you leave your own plane of existence and cross over into another one. The MCU’s Quantum Realm is a unique dimension, just as the Astral or Mirror dimensions are. But it’s seemingly more important than both combined.

The Quantum Realm first reshaped the MCU by undoing the Snap. But that was only the beginning of its role in the MCU, especially if the Quantum Realm exists beyond the end of time itself, a place as we saw in Loki‘s finale.

The castle known as the Citadel of He Who Remains exists in a dimension outside and independent of time itself. Where that Citadel is located exactly is still unknown. But its surreal, swirling environment full of color looked a lot like the Quantum Realm. Considering the Quantum Realm can be used to hop in and out of a timeline, it’s the best candidate for where the Citadel exists. If that’s true, He Who Remains and the staff of the TVA are essentially time travelers who don’t age.

For a brief moment Doctor Strange and Peter Parker also entered an identical-looking plane when Strange’s spell broke apart in Spider-Man: No Way Home. That very well might have been the Quantum Realm. And not just because of how it looked. Strange’s spell pulled in other Peter Parkers and their enemies from multiple dimensions. But they each came out of different points in time, even those who came from the same parallel world. That spell didn’t just open the multiverse, it opened up portals through time.

Loki‘s Variants and Parallel Worlds

Loki’s six-episode run on Disney+ took everything we knew about the MCU and flipped it on its head. Then it twisted and spun the entire franchise and its history all around, so we have no idea which way is up. Because as soon as He Who Remains gave us answers to monumental questions, Sylvie created even bigger ones when she killed him. (The show also left some important topics open to interpretation rather than explicitly addressing them.)

Some valuable lessons Loki taught us about the MCU’s multiverse still remain true, though.

The dimension where the Avengers live, now labeled Earth-616 by some and Earth-199999 by others, has an infinite number of parallel universes “stacked” on top of it. Many of those parallel realities look similar to each other. Doctor Strange 2 confirmed that fact which was first introduced on Loki where Variants and the many versions of He Who Remains fought a Multiversal War. Some Variants look like exact copies of each other, and their worlds have similar histories. But even those can have significant differences. Loki can, for instance, lose the Battle of the New York in one part of Marvel’s multiverse but win in another. Sometimes the difference between realities can be a single moment or event that leads to a vastly different world.

The existence of infinite parallel realities has major ramifications beyond even what we’ve seen in the MCU so far. For example, Tony Stark is dead in the universe we know. But an infinite number of Tony Starks must still live in parallel worlds. In some, he could be evil. In others, he didn’t defeat Thanos with the Snap because another Avenger did. Other Variant Tonys never even became Iron Man. Instead, they died in that cave. Or they lived their whole life as an uncaring genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist. The same holds true for every character—living or dead—in the main timeline.

What If…? and the Illuminati Show Anything (and Anyone) is Possible

Marvel’s What If…? series introduced some of these alternate realities. On the animated series Peggy Carter stayed in a room instead of leaving it. Because of that one decision she ended up a Super Soldier instead of Steve Rogers, thus changing her world’s history forever. Those alternate realities/parallel worlds can co-exist in peace. It’s even possible to travel between them and share knowledge and technology. So long as multidimensional travelers avoid three potentially catastrophic pitfalls. 1) don’t fight with each other, 2) don’t cause branches to the Sacred Timeline that keeps every parallel world contained, 3) don’t cause an incursion.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness also showed famous figures never before seen in Earth-616’s reality exist in the multiverse. Professor X and the rest of the Illuminati showed just how similar yet different worlds can be at the same time. The group included other versions of characters we know from the main timeline alongside important characters that don’t have main MCU counterparts. Yet.

Multiversal War and the Sacred Timeline

He Who Remains won a Multiversal War against his own Variants. (Possibly/likely not the first such war, and definitely not the last.) Once he and his Variants learned inter-dimensional travel between parallel worlds, some versions of He Who Remains sought to conquer the others. That battle threatened to destroy all of reality. That war was nearly the end “of everything and everyone” in every universe and dimension, the ultimate incursion.

To prevent a potential multiverse apocalypse from happening again, He Who Remains organized all of those parallel worlds into one Sacred Timeline. Thus, Variants and parallel worlds co-exist on top of and next to one another in a single loop of time. Different realities have their own existence, but He Who Remains created the TVA to make sure they all stayed on the same path of time to ensure they didn’t destroy one another.

If a Variant causes a Nexus Event, which results in a branch from the Sacred Timeline, they are ripped from their reality and sent to the Void at the end of time. Those branches must be pruned lest they result in another all-out war between dimensions.

The TVA is the MCU’s most Machiavellian creation. It sacrifices the lives of some to protect the lives of everyone. It’s neither inherently good nor bad, and even similar Variants disagree on its merits. Loki ultimately decided the TVA was a necessary evil, a form of control that kept the worst outcomes at bay. Sylvie did not. She believed the universe and its infinite dimensions want to break free from control. Results be damned.

How one world can be so different, to the point Variants can be entirely different species (looking at you—from a safe distance—Alligator Loki), yet not constantly cause branches to the Sacred Timeline is hard to fathom. But that’s how powerful a Nexus Event is. It can destroy everyone everywhere.

That’s because it’s not actually the greatest threat to the multiverse. That title belongs to a very dangerous man and all his Variants.

Quantumania, Kang the Conqueror, and the Council of Kangs

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania fundamentally changed what we knew about the Quantum Realm, the Sacred Timeline, and the most dangerous man of any time or world.

The Quantum Realm is far more diverse and strange than we ever realized. It’s home to an advanced civilization of living buildings where broccoli people live alongside humanoids and goo with no holes. Time seems to work differently there, too, more evidence that’s where He Who Remains built the TVA. The main city of the Quantum Realm also looked like the one seen outside the TVA building.

It was also used to imprison Kang the Conqueror outside of time so he could no longer threaten the multiverse or the Sacred Timeline after he had already destroyed entire dimensions. We know one of He Who Remains’ Variants replaced him after Sylvie killed him. Was that Kang the Conqueror? If so, when exactly did he take over the TVA? Before or after the events of Loki? There are so many questions we don’t have answers to yet, including how Kang survived and when in time he ended up. But Quantumania ended with the Council of Kangs coming together. He Who Remains was right about what would happen if he no longer controlled the Time Variance Authority. Worse versions of him returned.

Only, Kangs now see the Avengers as their greatest threat, not one another. Every world in the MCU’s multiverse now has to countless Variants of the Conqueror to fear. But it’s not like that’s the only danger the multiverse faces.

The Existential Threat of Ms. Marvel‘s Noor Dimension

Kamala Khan’s great grandmother, the ClanDestine Aisha, came from the Noor Dimension. That’s a parallel dimension of Earth. The Veil separates the two, and opening that portal threatens the entire dimension of Earth. Left unclosed the Noor Dimension would completely consume the dimension of Earth.

The Noor is a powerful dimension if someone can harness its powers. Aisha imbued her bangle with her Noor power, and that artifact helped unlock Kamala’s powers and sent the teenager back in time. It was also powerful enough to instantly transport and swap Kamala, Carol Danvers, and Monica Rambeau places across the universe.

Is Shang-Chi’s Ta Lo a Part of the MCU’s Multiverse?

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ Ta Lo is a pocket dimension that exists parallel to Earth, making it a part of the MCU’s multiverse. The residents of Ta Lo—who put magical dragon scales on their weapons—protect Earth and its people. But getting to this beautiful realm of peace is almost impossible. A shifting, moving maze of trees and dirt keeps its Earthly portal hidden. Access is only possible once a year. However, a resident—either human or one of Ta Lo’s magical creatures—can direct an outsider through the otherwise impenetrable maze any time of the year.

The Ta Lo village seen in Shang-Chi is just a small part of this multiverse dimension. But it long stood guard against a creature that threatened both Ta Lo and Earth. The extra-dimensional beast the Dweller-in-Darkness, leader of the Soul Eaters, waged war against Ta Lo thousands of years ago. Thanks to the Great Defender dragon, the people of Ta Lo locked the Dweller-in-Darkness behind the Dark Gate. It stayed there until it lured Xu Wenwu with the false promise of seeing his wife again. He freed it with the Ten Rings. Shang-Chi ultimately killed the massive leviathan, keeping both Ta Lo and Earth from becoming victims of the massive eater of souls.

Thor Visits Omnipotent City, the Shadow Realm, and Eternity

In addition to Valhalla, Thor: Love and Thunder introduced other new realms to the MCU. The first was Omnipotence City, a secret haven for all gods led by Zeus at the Parliament of Pantheons. Thor, Jane Foster, and Valkyrie also traveled to the Shadow Realm, a land without color and shadow monsters where Gorr the God Butcher resided and drew power.

The God of Thunder also followed Gorr to Eternity, an abstract entity. Gorr and Thor walked through a portal opened by Stormbreaker to reach Eternity, which stands as the living embodiment of all time and space everywhere. It can also grant any wish, which reverberates throughout that world’s reality. And each reality has its own Eternity.

Non-MCU Marvel Movies and the Multiverse 

The parallel worlds of the MCU are no longer limited to only the universes and dimensions created within the MCU and its parent company. Spider-Man: No Way Home made non-Disney Marvel movies a part of the MCU’s multiverse too. Then Multiverse of Madness made it so entirely new actors could play roles still only seen in non-Disney Marvel movies thus far. Reed Richards appeared on the big screen before, but never before by John Krasinski.

And these crossovers are just the start. Kevin Feige has already promised Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool will join the MCU. And Sony’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage added another wrinkle to the franchise crossover fun. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse also made direct mention of the events of No Way Home. (Though whether or not Disney officially considers every Sony Marvel movie canon for the MCU is unclear. That might just be a one-way street for now.)

That opens the (parallel worlds) door to any and all Marvel movies ever made now being canonically folded into the MCU. Especially when magic—intentionally or not—can bring in anyone from anywhere at any time. It’s why Chris Evans could return to the MCU not as Steve Rogers or even one of his Variants, but as Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four. As could another former Johnny Storm, Black Panther‘s Killmonger, Michael B. Jordan.

The (former) Netflix Marvel shows and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, which no longer seemingly exist in the same universe as the MCU, are already making their way into the franchise proper. Daredevil‘s Matt Murdock and Kingpin are now a part of the MCU. And someone like Wesley Snipes’ Blade could one day help Mahershala Ali’s upcoming MCU version of the character fight vampires from across the multiverse.

And, of course, any and all members of Fox’s X-Men franchise could join Disney’s franchise at any point. Evan Peters’ Quicksilver on WandaVision stands as a bit of stunt casting. But we could soon learn Ralph Bohner’s resemblance to the X-Men character was not a mere coincidence. Ralph might be a Variant of the cinematic X-Men‘s Quicksilver. Now that a Variant of Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier is formally a part of the MCU, more of his former X-Men cohorts could—and likely will—follow.

Thanks to the multiverse, it’s now possible to consider anyone who has ever played a Marvel character in film and TV—for any studio—to be part of the MCU. (Technically Black Bolt already was a part of the MCU, but Anson Mount’s appearance in Doctor Strange 2 was still a major moment.)

The Future of the MCU’s Multiverse

Doctor Strange‘s movies have shown us what the multiverse has to offer, both good and bad. The first two Ant-Man movies showed us how another dimension could upend the entire world as we know it. Avengers: Endgame made good on that promise by manipulating time and reality to save the universe before WandaVision, Loki, and Spider-Man: No Way Home expanded the multiverse in ways that have fundamentally changed the MCU forever. And Quantumania gave us even bigger questions whose answers could mean the destruction of the entire multiverse. For everything we know there’s even more we don’t.

Marvel’s multiverse will only bring more chaos and villains to every version of Earth’s mightiest heroes as the MCU goes forward. From Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to Loki season two and the Avengers Kang movies, the MCU is diving headfirst into infinite possibilities. And with each step the franchise takes down that road, the more complex all the journey will get. But knowing where they are all coming from will help keep the path clear for viewers moving forward.

…We think. It’s not always easy to keep track of infinite dimensions and worlds. Even He Who Remains needed the TVA to do that.

Originally published on August 30, 2021.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike, and also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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When the Captain America franchise returns to the MCU, it’s going to do so with a new hero. Steve Rogers is an old man who’s either dead, living on the Moon, or playing shuffleboard in Fort Myers. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is now the United States’ signature superhero, the one and only Captain America. But that isn’t the only change the film will deliver. Harrison Ford is stepping into the role of Thaddeus Ross after the passing of William Hurt. We don’t expect any version of ole Thunderbolt to get along with a man of morals like Sam. But the actors who play the characters certainly seem to like one another. They’re having a whole lot of fun together in the first official behind-the-scenes image from the film, which Mackie and Marvel Studios shared to announce that Captain America 4 now has a new title.

New World Order is out. Captain America: Brave New World is in.

Sorry fans of late ’90s WCW. Once again, the New World Order has fallen. Apparently, that Captain America title was not “too sweet” for Marvel. But today is a big day for readers of Aldous Huxley’s classic dystopian novel, as it now serves as the inspiration for the name of the next Captain America installment.

It’s unclear if the Captain America 4 title change is simply a legal matter or if it better reflects the story we’re going to see. The phrase “New World Order” also has some murkier roots, so it’s probably best to see it go. There is a Marvel Comics issue titled Secret Empire: Brave New World, but it seems to largely feature Namor. So it doesn’t really add much insight to the equation.

What is clear, though, is how much Mackie and Ford are enjoying working together in the movie’s first official image.

What are they talking about? On Instagram, Mackie wrote, “When Harrison Ford tells you how kicking ass should look, you listen! LoL… Thanks for the on-set wisdom and laughs my friend! Can’t wait to do it again.” (The film’s production is currently on hiatus.)

Anthony Mackie is basically us if we got to hang out with Harrison Ford.

There are some other takeaways from this seemingly innocuous picture, though. And we don’t just mean that the set chairs already have the new title on them. We mean, like how Ford isn’t sporting Ross’ mustache here. Is that how he’ll appear in the film, or is this just a moment when he didn’t have it glued on/shaved it off? And what exactly are we seeing on the monitor? It’s hard to tell at a squint, but you never know when a really good Easter egg is right in front of you. Could it be the re-emergence of Sam’s original Captain America suit?

Whatever’s going on, we’re thrilled to see Mackie’s Captain America current suit looks so good. (Especially compared to the aforementioned one we saw him wearing on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.)

Clearly, a Brave New World for Captain America means more than a title change; it means better gear when the movie comes to theaters on May 3, 2024. 

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If I could have any fictional item from the MCU I’d take the Infinity Gauntlet. I’m not saying I’d actually snap away half the universe, but I’d certainly like people to think I might. That’s exactly why I’m almost certainly not worthy of owning one of Marvel’s symbols of heroism. But for $200 I can have one anyway. LEGO’s newest collectible is a recreation of Captain America’s iconic shield.

LEGO’s 3,128-piece build-and-display Cap shield set won’t protect you during battle, but it will look good on your desk or bookshelf. Designed for ages 18 and above, this “detailed and authentic model” measures more than 18.5-inches in diameter. LEGO’s build also comes with a stand adorned with a nameplate for Captain America’s shield (now your shield) to rest on.

And the collectible also features a Captain America minifigure who holds both his own miniature shield along with Mjölnir. (That added Avengers: Endgame bonus touch also means this set pairs perfectly with LEGO’s replica of Thor’s famous hammer.)

This advanced item also comes with a digital version of its building instructions. You can find the how-tos for the Captain America shield on the official LEGO Builder app.

Unlike Steve Rogers, a rich scientist probably won’t just give you this. But at least you won’t have to prove to a bunch of terrible people you’re worthy of having it like Sam Wilson had to. What you will have to do is wait to get your hands on it. You can pre-order your LEGO Captain America shield today, but it won’t ship until later this summer, on August 1. That is unless you possess either the Time or Reality Stone. Then you can have this whenever you like.

Any chance LEGO’s replica Infinity Gauntlet actually works? Specifically, if we’re only trying to use it to magically get our hands on another LEGO set?

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We knew Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was going to have a lot of Spider-people. That much we saw in the trailers. What we didn’t know is exactly how many were going to be there. Nor did we know in what dimension they’d exist. Not alternate dimensions; physical ones. While the movie as a whole is gorgeously animated, utilizing a number of different styles and types as Into the Spider-Verse did, some Spider-Man cameos are even not animated. Have I been vague enough yet?

Okay, so there are real human people in this movie. Like live-action, real people. One of the pre-release marketing bits revealed the Spot (Jason Schwartzman) popping up in the convenience store from Venom. That’s pretty fun, but without Tom Hardy in it, it’s little more than that. Later, when Miguel O’Hara is trying to convince Miles about the tragedy necessary for timelines to exist properly, we see flashes of various Spider-peoples crying over Uncle Bens or Captain Stacys. This allows the movie to show both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield clips in Across the Spider-Verse. No new footage appears, though, just clips from their respective movies.

But, the biggest, most fun, and potentially universe-collapsing human cameo comes when Miles sees the tubes of villains who’ve hopped dimensions. In one of them, we see a version of the Prowler, aka Miles’ uncle Aaron. Except this one is Donald Glover, the Childish Gambino himself. Yes, Donald Glover appears as a live-action Prowler in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Let’s unpack.

This is fun for myriad reasons. First, it hearkens back to the initial groundswell of internet support for Glover to play a live-action Miles Morales several years ago. He’s obviously a bit too old now, but during the Community heyday, he was a favorite. That didn’t come to pass, obviously, but it did eventually lead to Donald Glover’s appearance in a Spider-Man movie. He played an unwilling informant in Spider-Man: Homecoming, named Aaron Davis. Yeah, the Prowler!

So when it comes to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, you may have noticed, while a lot of different depictions of Spider-Man appear, we only ever get a passing mention of the Tom Holland one and what he did with Doctor Strange. This is, of course, a reference to Spider-Man: No Way Home. This is due to the very weird Marvel Studios/Sony deal. Sony owns Spider-Man film rights, but had to strike a specific deal to have Spider-Man in the MCU. Even the Sony-co-produced movies within the MCU have special dispensation to use the villains. Because Sony owns the rights to the villains and ancillary characters.

The Vulture, as seen in Homecoming, had to hop universes to appear in Morbius. This effectively cuts him off from appearing in further MCU movies. Or at least until it doesn’t anymore. So is the Donald Glover Prowler actually the same Aaron Davis from the MCU’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, or is it just a fun nod to that? The truth is, it doesn’t entirely matter. Donald Glover represents the MCU and the actor’s history with Miles Morales. We know Sony wants to make a Miles Morales live-action Spider-Man movie, so could Glover appear there? Only time and Amy Pascal can say for sure.

In any case, seeing Glover as the Prowler was one of the most enjoyable surprises in Across the Spider-Verse. It was right up there with seeing animated Spectacular Spider-Man and the one from the Insomniac video game universe. One can only imagine what kind of surprises we’ll get in the next movie next year.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The MCU certainly knows how to build to a big showdown. Ever since the Avengers first got together to take on Loki the franchise has delivered some epic team-ups. Now LEGO will let fans physically build their own big showdown via two new action-packed sets. Both Endgame and Spider-Man are getting their own final battle LEGO collections.

LEGO’s Endgame Final Battle 794-piece set ($99.99) will bring the iconic war with Thanos at the Avengers compound to your own home. The 360-degree set comes with seven minifigs. That includes: Captain Marvel, Okoye, Wanda Maximoff, Shuri, Valkyrie, Thanos, and The Wasp. The collection also features plenty of spots to place the heroes, as well as other fun extras. Among the wreckage you’ll find Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer, the Time Stone, and the portal-opening rat that helped save the universe.

While you can put this set on display, it’s designed for play. It stands 11.5-inches high by 8.5-inches wide and 8-inches deep when closed, but it comes with two handles so you can pull it open. That “causes the battleground to expand for even more adventures.”

But LEGO knows no MCU fan would settle for just one epic showdown, which is why the company has also announced another new 360-degree playset. The Spider-Man Final Battle collection ($109.99) celebrates the last clash in No Way Home in cool LEGO style. And yes, that means it has separate minifigs for each the film’s three Spider-Mans: Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland. Joining them are figures for Electro, Doctor Strange, Green Goblin, Ned, MJ, and Doc Ock.

The characters are just the start of the fun with this set measuring 7-inches high, 8-inches wide and 8.5-inches deep. It also has “three minifigure supports for midair action. It also has a removable roof that opens up to show Sandman’s hand. And there’s “a flip-open rear access to a portal and a soft web element to envelop minifigures.”

Both sets are designed for ages 10 and up. Each will be available later this summer on August 1. But while you have to wait to get your hands on them, you don’t have to build a bunch of other sets before they come out. Only the MCU has to do that before it reaches its final battles.

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The MCU is full of superheroes and supervillains. It also features monsters, living planets, robots, Celestials, and gods of every sort. But the Marvel Cinematic Universe would still be pretty empty without its many, many critters, both Earth and alien alike. With so many to choose from, though, which ones are the best? Whether they’re lovable pets or highly advanced beings, these are the top 10 animals in the MCU.

Honorable Mention

These lovable—and in some cases not-so-lovable—creatures just missed the cut:

Howard the Duck (Guardians franchise), Blurp (Guardians Vol 3.), Alexei the Pig (Black Widow), Abilisks (Guardians franchise), Irina the Cockatoo (Iron-Man 2), Fenris the Wolf (Thor: Ragnarok), every Gus the Goldfish (Moon Knight), Murph the Cat (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Orloni Rodents (Guardians franchise), Sparky the Dog (WandaVision), Rocky the Owl (Hawkeye), Señor Scratchy (WandaVision), and Valkyrie Flying Steeds (Ragnarok).

They all tied for 11th. Any MCU animal we didn’t rank that you think should have been included tied for 12th.

(Note: This list only applies to the MCU proper. Sorry, animals from the Netflix and ABC shows. We still love you.)

10. Goose (Captain Marvel)

When it comes to the MCU’s alien animals, appearances can be deceiving. No one better exemplifies that than Goose the (not really a) cat. This adorable and dangerous Flerken helped save Carol Danvers, Nick Fury, and the Skrulls in Captain Marvel, but Goose would have earned a spot on this list for just being so damn cute. Unfortunately we can’t rank this intergalactic kitty any higher after what she did to a trusting Nick Fury.

9. Alligator Loki (Loki)

Alligator Loki answered one of mankind’s oldest and most important questions: can you turn any animal, no matter how fearsome and terrifying, into a beloved one if you put a tiny little crown of horns on their head and feed them wine? Yes. You can. That is also reason enough to earn a spot on this competitive list.

8. Ant-thony (Ant-Man)

We were tempted to simply include all of the ants from the Ant-Man franchise because they’re all great. But one loyal insect’s heroics clearly elevated him above the rest. Scott Lang’s flying carpenter ant/spy/steed/friend Ant-thony holds a special place in the MCU. We will always remember you and your sacrifice, #247.

7. Tawaret the Hippo Goddess (Moon Knight)

A gigantic, delightful, helpful, friendly, compassionate Egyptian hippo goddess with style and pizzaz? And she’s only number seven!? That’s not an indictment on Moon Knight‘s most wonderful denizen of the Duat. It’s the biggest compliment we can give to everyone ranked above her.

6. Lylla, Teefs, and Floor (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

For this entry we wanted to hire Sarah McLachlan to record a Lylla, Teefs, and Floor specific rendition of her classic “I Will Remember You.” Unfortunately we were told to “stop emailing her about this.”

But that won’t stop us from honoring Rocket’s original friends, the greatest cybernetically-enhanced otter, walrus, and rabbit to ever live on any world.

5. Cosmo the Dog (Guardians of the Galaxy Franchise)

Cosmo is a very, very, very good dog and anyone who says otherwise is a monster. Looking at you, Kraglin! Even if you didn’t mean it that wasn’t very nice.

4. Indigarrian Goats (Thor: Love and Thunder)

If we had to personally fly around space with Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder we would definitely not include them on our top 10 animals list. That’s just too much screaming for any mortal to deal with. But the amount of time we spent with those hilarious goats in Thor: Love and Thunder was perfect, so they rightfully take a spot near the top of our rankings.

3. Morris the Dijiang (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)

What this rotund, friendly magical animal from Ta Lao dimension lacks in eyes it more than makes up for in wings and lovability. And also extra sensory perception. Trevor Slattery’s unlikely (not hallucinated) pet also helped save the day in Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings, which elevates him into the top five easily. It has nothing to do with Morris being sensitive and us not wanting to upset him, we swear.

2. Lucky the Pizza Dog (Hawkeye)

A golden retriever with one eye who loves pizza and is a remarkable judge of moral character is in the running for greatest dog ever, not just in the MCU. Obviously only a truly remarkable animal could have kept Hawkeye’s Lucky from garnering the number one spot.

1. Rocket Raccoon (Guardians of the Galaxy Franchise)

Rocket Raccoon might be the best freaking character in the entire MCU. Ain’t nobody like him ‘cept him. And that includes being number one in our hearts.

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Secret Invasion is promising a “Cold War espionage” style thriller on an intergalactic scale. The Disney+ series will deliver a clandestine battle for the very fate of Earth, where not even the world’s greatest spy can know the identity or allegiance of those around him. The show won’t be able to truly deliver a story worthy of its premise, however, if the only secret Skrulls we meet are entirely new characters. It won’t surprise anyone if Olivia Coleman’s MI-6 agent is actually an alien plotting to destroy mankind. It won’t mean all that much, either.

For Secret Invasion to truly have an impact it will need to reveal people we already know and trust have always been hiding their real identity. But which long-time characters would make sense without retcons if the MCU suddenly unmasks them? The show will feature two stalwarts that fit all the criteria needed.

Each has reached the highest levels of the U.S. government. That’s something Skrulls did in Marvel Comics, just as they’ve already done in the MCU. They’re also two characters whose personal lives we know shockingly little about: Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes and Everett K. Ross and.

Secret Invasion will almost certainly feature characters replaced by Skrulls. That happened in the comics all the time. That will also be part of the reason why Nick Fury needs to fight this war “alone,” but maybe not the most important one. Even the world’s greatest spy won’t know who his true friends really are.

Anyone and everyone he meets on the show might be an alien double. But in terms of characters who have secretly been Skrulls their entire time in the franchise, the choices are limited. Technically his closest confidant, Maria Hill, qualifies. Only we’ve already seen her willingly replaced by a Skrull in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Marvel now saying the “real” Maria is also a shapeshifter would fall flat. And since nothing in Captain Marvel makes sense if Nick Fury himself is a Skrull, that leaves only two main candidates who a) could have been aliens since their introduction and b) would qualify as genuinely shocking. Their stories thus far also happen to make perfect sense for such a revelation.

What do we really know about either Colonel Rhodes or Everett Ross beyond the jobs they have? We’ve never seen much (if any) of their personal lives. We also know almost nothing about their pasts. The most significant fact we’ve learned about either is Ross was once married to the shadiest person in the US government.

His ex-wife is current Deputy Director of the CIA Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. In the context of Secret Invasion, that lone personal fact is actually incredibly damning. The only person Ross has had a private relationship with is someone who tries getting Avengers killed. Doesn’t sound like they had the most honest marriage in history. What might he have been hiding from her? (And yes, a Skrull temporarily replaced Val in Marvel Comics.)

Both Rhodey and Ross are essentially complete mysteries beyond what they do. But what they do—and, just as importantly, who they do it with—is fascinating in the hunt for secret Skrull candidates. They each attained important positions in the U.S. government without garnering the kind of spotlight someone in hiding would want. They’ve wielded enormous power in the military and CIA without ever being anyone’s focal point. They work alongside and advise some of the most powerful people in the world. And while Ross is on the run after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Secret Invasion will find Rhodes now serving as the “right-hand man” to the President.

These are smart people who don’t just know the world’s two biggest superpowers’ most important and biggest secrets, they have/had the ability to act on them, either directly or indirectly. They are exactly the type of characters—highly capable figures we know little about who can avoid intense media or professional scrutiny—who make perfect sense to be Skrulls even though it will be completely shocking to discover their real identity.

If either or both ultimately is revealed as a Skrull, that won’t change the fact they served humanity and Earth loyally before. Neither will it mean they won’t do so now. Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos is a Skrull we know about who’s done just that. As have other Skrulls who’ve been secretly working for Nick Fury. Instead, their past actions will make the truth about their real identity even more meaningful now.

Every member of that alien race, even those who have protected and fought on Earth’s behalf for decades, will face a choice. They will have to choose a side in a war that will pit their own kind directly against mankind.

We know from the show’s trailers Nick Fury doesn’t want the Avengers to help him in this battle. His refusal to call Earth’s mightiest heroes shows Fury can no longer trust anyone when an army of shapeshifters are out to get him. But it also suggests he doesn’t want anyone getting involved because he can’t be sure who any Skrull will fight for when the time comes.

Whether he already knows someone like Everett K. Ross is really a Skrull, or has no idea someone like Colonel Rhodes is, the best way for Nick Fury to make sure he never has to worry about anyone’s allegiance is to make sure they don’t have to pick.

When you’re fighting to save Earth from an enemy that can take on any identity they want, you can’t trust anyone you meet. Not even heroes fans of the MCU thought we truly knew this whole time.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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It’s the MCU’s world and we’re just living in it. Well, it’s the MCU’s infinite multiverse and we just happen to live in this dimension. This plane of existence will be all fans need this year. The franchise will once again dominate the pop culture landscape with a Hulk-sized lineup of new releases. What heroes and villains can we expect to see on screen during the next year? Here’s every MCU movie and Disney+ show in order coming in 2023.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February 17, 2023)

The third film in the Ant-Man franchise will be its biggest yet. It will mark the formal debut of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror, a dangerous Variant of his Loki character He Who Remains. Kang is the MCU’s next big baddie. His highly-anticipated arrival is why Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will also be Scott Lang’s most intense movie.

For more on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, check out everything we know about the movie so far.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5, 2023)

The MCU’s most unlikely heroes—and in some ways most unlikely success story—will say farewell with their third and final movie. From the High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock, to Rocket’s backstory and the search for Gamora, there’s a whole lot to cover in the Guardians’ swan song. We’d say we can’t wait, but we expect this movie to emotionally devastate us and we’re not ready for that.

For more on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, check out everything we know about the movie so far.

Secret Invasion (June 21, 2023)

Nick Fury has a difficult job and it’s about to get a lot harder with Secret Invasion. The Disney+ six-episode “crossover event” will “showcases a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years.” While the series will feature a number of familiar faces, it will also introduce some big names to the franchise. The show will star Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Carmen Ejogo, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Christopher McDonald. Are they playing aliens of humans? Finding out is going to be a big part of the fun.

For more on Secret Invasion, check out everything we know about the show so far.

Loki Season 2 (October 6, 2023)

Time is not a flat circle in the MCU – it’s a Sacred Timeline. And season two of Loki will see what happened to the TVA that controls that timeline after Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie killed He Who Remains. The series, starring Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson, returns this summer for more time-jumping fun and mayhem. We loved season one, which is why this is one of our most anticipated MCU releases of 2023. Plus, Mobius might finally get to ride a jet ski!

For more on Loki season two, check out everything we know about the show so far.

The Marvels (November 10, 2023)

The sequel to Captain Marvel won’t feature one hero. It will star three marvelous ones. The recently empowered Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau will join Carol Danvers on the big screen for a supersized team-up. With the growing influence of S.W.O.R.D., the sudden appearance of mutants, and personal animosity between old friends, the movie will need every hero it can get to deal with all of its pressing issues.

For more on The Marvels, check out everything we know about the sequel so far.

Echo (November 29, 2023)

Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez was a part of Clint Barton and Kate Bishop’s story on Hawkeye. But soon the deaf antihero will get a chance to tell her own. The Disney+ series Echo will show how her “ruthless behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown.” She will “face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.” For this show, all episodes will drop at once.

For more on Echo, check out everything we know about the show so far.

Ironheart (Fall 2023)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever breakout star Dominique Thorne is a worthy successor to Tony Stark, and her Riri Williams will get to show why with her own Disney+ series. Anthony Ramos will join her as Parker Robbins, a.k.a The Hood. It appears (at least initially) he’ll be an ally rather than a villain like he is in the comics. The series is also expected to deal with the theme of magic versus science. We also expect it to be a whole lot of fun after seeing Riri in action.

For more on Ironheart, check out everything we know about the show so far.

X-Men ’97 (Winter 2023)

Professor X is already part of the MCU after Sir Patrick Stewart played a Variant of Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But soon all his X-Men will join the MCU as Disney+ revives the beloved ’90s animated series. X-Men ’97 will pick up where the show left off (when it went off the air; 1997, hence the title). Not only will it be incredible to see those characters back on screen, the show could have huge ramifications for the famous mutant group’s future in the franchise.

Agatha: Coven of Chaos (Winter 2023 – Maybe)

With Blade officially pushed back to 2024, the only major question mark left on the MCU’s 2023 calendar is the WandaVision spinoff, Agatha: Coven of Chaos. It might be the franchise’s last new release of 2023, hitting Disney+ this winter. Or it could get pushed back to next year. No matter when it airs, we’ll have our bags packed to revisit Westview and Kathryn Hahn.

For more on Agatha: Coven of Chaos, check out everything we know about the show so far.

What If…? Season 2 (2023)

An infinite multiverse means infinite possibilities for stories. Marvel will explore more of those alternate realities with season two of the animated Disney+ series What If…? The show’s first season connected with the main franchise in some unexpected ways. We expect the show’s sophomore outing will be even more important for the MCU’s future.

Originally published January 6, 2023.

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In the 15 years since Iron Man came out, ushering in the behemoth that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we’ve had roughly four full phases, 32 feature films, around 20 TV shows (some de-canonized), and a veritable bord of smorgas of characters. It’s been a lot, folks. Some franchises are lucky to get to three movies, but the MCU is so vast it contains a number of trilogies in and of itself. But with another trio of movies recently wrapping, which of the MCU’s reigns supreme?

Below I’ve ranked the Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogies from worst (or my least favorite) to the best (or most favorite). But first, some ground rules.

• This will only be the trilogies (tetralogy in one case) pertaining to one character or separate team. Basically, I’m not counting the Avengers movies since they depend so much on all the other sub-franchises.
• I’m weighing each trilogy as a whole rather than which trilogy has the best individual film. So one might have a single movie that’s top three MCU, but if the other movies in the franchise don’t measure up, the average goes down.

Everybody ready? Then here we go!

6. Thor

I feel like people have already begun to draft their angry missives toward me. But listen. Look. Wait. Will ya wait? Just wait. Yes, 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok is outstanding. It reinvented the character of the Asgardian hammer god into the true God of Thunder. Taika Waititi allowed Chris Hemsworth to play to his strengths, offered up some of Mark Ruffalo’s best Hulk/Banner work, and paved the way for Loki’s redemption. But. The Thor series has four movies, doesn’t?

The rest of the Thor movies are just so much lesser. The first movie is fine; the second movie has its defenders but suffers, as many did, from having a lackluster villain. Then we had Ragnarok which was great, and set up Infinity War and Endgame in an amazing way. And then we come to Love and Thunder which proved even Waititi couldn’t do it again.

As a whole, the Thor tetralogy (not “quadrilogy,” which isn’t a word) is way too all-over-the-place to be really effective.

5. Ant-Man

The one thing the Ant-Man movies have over the Thor movies, in my view, is consistency. They are consistently fair-to-middling. A lot of fun to be had, certainly, but nothing super special. The first movie has a goofy charm to it that plays to Paul Rudd’s charms, though the plot and narrative kept it feeling rote. The second movie, 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, perhaps because it aimed a bit lower than a lot of Phase Three movies, was a fun little movie, but again, hampered by a boring villain and some needless messiness.

Wanna talk about messiness? Let’s talk about Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. This movie could not decide what the hell kind of thing it was. Sure, for comic dorks who follow the MCU for its universe-expanding, the Kang stuff was very exciting. But did it need to be an Ant-Man movie? Aside from a couple decent effects sequences, did this do much to further Scott Lang’s story? It sure as heck didn’t further Hope Van Dyne’s.

Ultimately, the Ant-Man movies are a pleasant diversion at best.

4. Iron Man

The one that started it all! We cannot overstate just how much of a watershed moment in superhero movies Iron Man was in 2008. It’s not even that it’s a perfect movie or even Robert Downey Jr.’s finest hour as Tony Stark; more, it let us know this would be a franchise made of franchises. The Marvel Cinematic Universe exists because Iron Man did it right. And because of that, Iron Man was the unofficial (maybe even official) main character of the MCU. He got his trilogy first.

But here’s the thing about this trilogy. While it’s arguably the most cohesive, it also started too fast. Iron Man 2 came out before the first Thor or Captain America. It felt a lot like a “okay, we need to hedge our bets a bit before we dive in.” Probably a smart move. But as a result, Iron Man 2 doesn’t feel like it does a whole hell of a lot. It gives us Tony stuff, naturally, and it has him deal with some of his daddy issues, but it feels pretty pedestrian—aside from introducing War Machine, of course.

And I’m one of the weirdos who thinks Iron Man 3 is pretty good. It’s not amazing, but it’s fun and it has a lot to say about PTSD which I think is perfect for Tony, post-The Avengers. All in all, the first movie is doing a lot of the heavy lifting, but it still works very well as a trilogy.

3. Spider-Man

Okay, so here’s the thing about the MCU Spider-Man trilogy: they very rarely let Spider-Man be Spider-Man. Really, only No Way Home puts Spidey at the forefront, but it’s because it has all the previous versions’ villains and leads. It’s about Spider-Man as a franchise, not this Peter Parker. The first two movies are way too contingent on Tony Stark and his shadow over the whole thing.

That said, the overall quality of these movies, and especially Tom Holland’s amazingly winning performance, makes them worthy of this high ranking on the list. He manages, most of the time, to transcend the messy Sony-versus-Marvel-Studios-ness of the whole thing, and has very good repartee with the movies’ respective villains. Homecoming has Michael Keaton as a supremely sinister take on Vulture; Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio is a fresh and fascinating take on the character; and look, Holland somehow manages to go toe-to-toe with the best baddies in superhero history in Dafoe and Molina.

I’m looking forward to the next Spider-Man trilogy, one after all the shoe leather of making him Spider-Man. But as it stands, the “Home” saga is a ton of fun and full of heart. (Far from Home is by far my least favorite of the three, for the record.)

2. Captain America

I’m a Cap guy, I’ll admit it. While RDJ’s Tony Stark takes a lot of the spotlight for the MCU, it wouldn’t work nearly as well if it didn’t have a true, stalwart hero at the center. Chris Evans rules, playing Steve Rogers with a mix of “aw shucks” and “don’t you effing dare” that is perfect for Captain America. The entire trilogy of his, plus the first Avengers movie, feels like explorations of the themes of the past versus the future. Literally a man out of time has to learn, not only about technology, but the complicated political and societal issues that were seemingly much simpler in WWII.

I very much love Captain America: The First Avenger, even though it feels the least in keeping with the rest of the MCU. I just dig that whole 1940s vibe. They got the director of The Rocketeer for a reason! It’s a blast. Red Skull, we hardly knew ye. Then we go in a completely different direction with The Winter Soldier, for a while my favorite MCU movie. The hard-hitting spy story with complicated political intrigue was one of the best action movies I’d seen in years. It still holds up amazingly well.

If Steve’s first two movies were about learning things are worse than Nazis, and the government isn’t to be trusted, by the time of Captain America: Civil War, he’s lost all hope. With Peggy dying, he has one piece of his former life around, and it’s his formerly brainwashed best friend. He’d do anything to protect him, even if it means fighting other heroes and ruining his good standing with Tony to do it. How easy it was for Baron Zemo to sow discord. Superb trilogy all around.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy

Did you think it would be something else? Did you maybe think I hadn’t concocted this whole article because I loved Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and how it pulled everything off? I know the third installment has its detractors—and certainly it’s much grimmer than the other two—but as a saga about these misfits learning to be both a team and a family, and fighting some huge cosmic threats, it succeeds in almost every department.

We’ve already written a lot on this site about paying off the character arcs, but all three Guardians movies—plus Infinity War and Endgame—make the case that these are the best written and realized of all the MCU figures. Certainly the most consistent (Angry Quill ruining the universe notwithstanding). Aside from the Ant-Man movies, this is the only trilogy to have the same director throughout. But more than that, this feels like we got James Gunn’s full vision on display. I doubt we’ll see the like of it again.

So yeah. Hands down, far-and-away, the Guardians of the Galaxy is the best trilogy (so far, he says knowing six million more movies are on the way) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The 1990s gave kids some of the very best action-adventure cartoons ever. I say this not only as an action-figure-buying ’90s kid, but as a consumer of all manner of animated media. Sure, a lot of them were just lengthy toy adverts, but they were no less exciting and deep. While Warner Bros. Animation’s Batman: The Animated Series stands as the very best of this crop of shows, which ushered in the DC Animated Universe, Marvel had a whole bumper crop of cartoons in the decade. Without those, as Nerdist‘s Eric Diaz posits, we wouldn’t have the MCU as we know it.

But not all of the ’90s Marvel cartoons are created equal! And it’s up to me (according to me) to rank all of them, from worst to best. It’s a more varied list than you might expect. Luckily, if you want to watch any of these, they’re all on Disney+ now.

9. The Avengers: United They Stand (1999-2000)

You very well might be saying to yourself, “What is this show?” And that’s not unreasonable. By the time the show debuted on Fox Kids, interest in these kinds of animated shows had started to wain. I actually didn’t know The Avengers: United They Stand existed until very recently. It consists of only a single, 13-episode season and, uhh, there’s kind of a reason it didn’t last beyond that.

For the series, the makers used largely the roster from the ’80s West Coast Avengers: Ant-Man and the Wasp led the team, while other members included Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Vision, Falcon, Tigra, and Hawkeye. A solid lineup, certainly. However, the characterizations of most of these characters just feels very off, especially Hawkeye who is supremely self-serious and angry. In order to compete with WB’s Batman Beyond, the series takes place in a non-specific future and all of the Avengers have borderline sci-fi costumes. It also doesn’t help that the animation was not nearly on the level of other shows at the time. It looks cheap and feels it.

8. Fantastic Four Season One (1994-1995)

Just like how the Fox movies never quite nailed its take on Marvel’s First Family, so too did the syndicated animated series have trouble finding its tone. So much so that its two seasons may as well be two separate shows. And so that’s how I’ve delineated them!

Now, your mileage may absolutely vary on this choice, but the first season of the Fantastic Four animated series just really doesn’t work for me. Despite having a very respectable roster of villains and storylines, the tone is way too goofy. It feels at times much more like a sitcom than an action-adventure show, and that also holds for the animation style. Much swimmier and more elastic than the other “realistic” shows in the lineup. Hell, just watch the first episode where Gary Owens plays a talk show host interviewing the FF about how they got their powers. It’s just not great.

7. Spider-Man: Unlimited (1999-2001)

Remember what I was saying about the above Avengers series trying to be like Batman Beyond? Well that was the second attempt. The first attempt was much more overt, and more successful. In a particularly weird twist, Peter Parker from our present gets flung into a dystopian Counter-Earth and resumes his Spider-Manning with different versions of his villains while also aiding in the war between the humans and the Beastials.

This is a very weird cartoon, surely, and it felt like they were trying to do Spider-Man 2099 without doing anything that that comic did. The result is a radically different, while still at times painfully repetitive, take on the Spider-Man story. The designs are pretty good and Spider-Man having a nanotech suit is pretty neat, but it all feels a bit grimdark for no reason and was definitely trying too hard to ape Batman Beyond. This one also only lasted 13 episodes, but had a huge gap in the middle of airing.

6. The Incredible Hulk (1996-1997)

This is the just-okayest cartoon on the list, in my humble opinion. The Incredible Hulk might arguably have the best, smoothest animation of any of the shows, but its formula is a particularly tired one, even for only 21 episodes. It follows everything you’ve probably assumed; Dr. Bruce Banner is on the run from the U.S. military and General Thunderbolt Ross, his Hulk side too dangerous to be left alone. Along the way, as Banner/Hulk destroys millions of dollars worth of government property, he also helps people and fights some heavy hitting villains, such as Abomination, Doctor Doom, and the Leader. It’s all very bog standard.

The second season, which is only eight episodes, saw a full-time team-up with Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk and the plots became a bit sillier. While the quality of the series never really dipped during its run, it never quite hit the heights of series further down the list either. The best part of the whole thing was probably Lou Ferrigno, who played the Hulk in the ’70s live-action series, voicing the Hulk here. And we got some fun crossovers with other UPN series of the bunch. But yeah, it’s fine, nothing more.

5. Fantastic Four Season Two (1995-1996)

Both the Fantastic Four series and another one we’ll get to in a moment had drastic retooling in their second seasons. I’ve already said how much the overt comedy of the first season didn’t work for me. The second, however, I think is a legitimately good show. It still keeps the fun and exuberance you want from a Fantastic Four show, but it takes its topics, and characters, much more seriously.

While the first season had introduced the big FF villains Doctor Doom and Galactus in multi-episode arcs, the second season did much more with both of them, plus introduced Daredevil, Black Panther, and the Inhumans. I was fully prepared to put both seasons of this show pretty low on my list, but after my recent rewatch, I have to bump this one up. It’s a good season. Not perfect, but it does justice to the characters which, again, seems very hard to do for some reason.

4. Iron Man (1994-1996)

I would argue—and I might not even need to do it that emphatically—that when the Iron Man movie came out in 2008, an entire generation only really knew him from this two-season cartoon. Despite him being one of the most important Marvel Universe figures, he’d not really gotten much push outside of comics since the mid-’60s with the terrible “animated” series. It’s certainly how I knew about Tony Stark, Rhodey, Hawkeye, Mandarin, and a dozen or so other Marvel heroes and villains.

This is another series that got a drastic revision between its first and second season, but while the second season is better than the first (which I’ll get to in a minute), I actually like both seasons well enough to put them comfortably here on the list as a whole. The first season is a bright kind of villain-of-the-week series, with Tony, Rhodey, and a number of other heroes working together to fight bad guys. Each episode is standalone and the resolutions are neat and tidy. The second season sees Tony dealing with a season-long injury, upgraded armor, and serialized storytelling. It’s much more serious and has a darker look to boot.

Definitely personal biases showing, but I thought this show was incredible when I was a kid, and it’s the reason I like War Machine as a character so much. Sure, Iron Man was the main character, but War Machine was the real badass.

3. Silver Surfer (1998)

I knew this show existed at the time, but I never watched it as a kid. It wasn’t until the early days of quarantine back in 2020, when I was looking for something to watch to take my mind off of everything, that I finally watched the 13-episode Silver Surfer cartoon. Boy, do I both wish I’d watched this at the time, and that I’d been millions of people so that they could have kept making it. I was so impressed by this series—which followed Norrin Radd from family man on the planet Zenn-La to Herald of Galactus to galaxy-roaming cosmic hero. The cel-shading look really made the space adventures pop, even if it retained the limited mobility of some other series of the time.

Not only that, but in only 13 episodes we got a bevy of other Marvel Cosmic characters. Galactus, of course, but also Thanos, Adam Warlock, Gamora, Drax, Nebula, Pip the Troll, Beta Ray Bill, Ego the Living Planet, and Uatu the Watcher. Legitimately the only negative thing I can say about it, other than its abbreviated length, is its CGI is a bit dated. Big whoop.

2. Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998)

The top two are pretty much no-brainers; the only real question is the order. It’s definitely down to a question of preference, but in either case, no one can dispute the quality and influence of Spider-Man on future superhero shows. This series, especially on rewatch, feels so packed with story, character, and action that you could easily double the seasons just to fit in everything. The story of college student Peter Parker and his never-ending fight against New York City’s billion villains made a major impression on me as a young and burgeoning comic fan, and this series gives you just about everything you could hope for, with a couple of network-mandated caveats.

Spider-Man wasn’t allowed to punch anyone, for fear kids would emulate it. Instead, he only kicks or swing-kicks, or throws things using his webbing. I never noticed as a kid. Another weird mandate was that Morbius (you know, the Living Vampire) was not allowed to drink blood. He instead sucked “plasma” out of people using a lamprey-like sucker in the palm of his hand. It’s weird more than anything. Also what’s Blade doing if he’s not hunting vampires? I dunno, man.

At any rate, the Spider-Man series followed its villain-of-the-week first season with a series of very lengthy serialized adventures. By the end of the show’s surprisingly consistent five-season run, we got everything from Secret Wars to Spider-Verse precursors, and all the villains you could imagine. It’s a great show, just great.

1. X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-1997)

Come on, did you think it could be anything else?! The first, the best, the reason the rest of the ’90s cartoons got a chance. X-Men may not have the animation quality of some of the other shows on the list—and heaven knows the last season looks pretty darn bad—but not a more iconic show exists in the canon. Utilizing the then-mega-popular Jim Lee redesigns and adapting a ton of Chris Claremont’s classic comics arcs, X-Men gave us mature stories and characters dealing with heavy, real-world allegories and a complex, unfolding narrative.

Honestly, I’m not sure what more I can say that hasn’t already been said by a million other people. I’ll just say, the same way Kevin Conroy’s voice rings in my head when I read a Batman comic, the Canadian voice cast of X-Men: TAS rings when I read any X-title. Especially Lenore Zann as Rogue, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, Cedric Smith as Professor X, and John Colicos as Apocalypse. For whatever reason, those are the ones that remain unchanged in 30 years.

It’s not perfect, but it’s perfect, ya know?

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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