#as someone who didn’t like clint in the mcu prior
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'Great. Now I Have Your Germs All Over Me.’
@sicktember 2022 Prompt #5
Fandom/OCs: MCU Avengers, Sick!Clint Barton, Sick!Natasha Romanov
Title: Superman (It’s Not Easy)
Words: 1163
Inspiration: None yet again. (Didn’t realized there was so many like that TBH)
Author’s comments: Surprisingly there’s little-to-no contagion in my Sicktember docs. Probably because I was trying to keep the fics so short, and I like to see the whole contagion scenario play out if I’m going to write it. Even this prompt, which was just begging for some contagion, was not used for that purpose. Mainly because an angry caretaker isn’t my jam, and that was the only way I could read this prompt if the contagion actually happened here. So, instead today you get two miserable sickies for the price of one with our favorite MCU assassins. Honestly this is probably set after the sick!Tony fic from a few days ago. Makes sense to me, anyway. And yet, this is a Clintasha ship AU.
It was Tony’s fault that Clint and Natasha were sick. It had to be. After all, he had been in the office a few days prior, visibly shedding contagion everywhere. The pair tried to stay far away from him, but Tony wasn’t nearly as fastidious about washing his hands as they were, so they ended up catching his germs anyway. There weren't many things that kept them from their duties, but illness was definitely one of them, especially when they were unfortunate enough to be ill at the same time. When the symptoms started and they realized what had happened, they did what they always did in times like these: they made their way to one of their more comfortable safe houses, stocked up on supplies, and prepared to lay low for the duration, cutting off communication with the rest of the team temporarily.
Lounging in the living room of the aforementioned safe house, each to their own couch, the topic of Tony came up as Nat and Clint discussed their unfortunate luck with no small amount of bitterness.
“What do you think is a good punishment for someone who comes to work knowing they’re sick and contagious?” Clint asked idly, giving up on watching TV since watching sideways and lying down was giving him a headache.
“Reinfect them with another sickness once they’re better, since they chose to infect everyone else with theirs,” Natasha replied sleepily, wrapping her blanket tighter around herself with a sniffle.
“Hm, that’s clever. I was just going to say make them take care of everyone they infected until everyone was better.” He had to stop to cough before he could continue. “But more painful revenge might be sweeter.”
“You’d really trust Stark to be a good nurse? Because I wouldn’t trust him with anything that wasn’t mechanical.”
“He could at least fetch and carry things. I get so dizzy when I stand up. ‘Tash, do you–”
“No.”
“You don’t even know what I was going to ask,” Clint pouted.
“You were going to ask me to fetch or carry something for you, and the answer is no.”
“But I didn’t–”
“No. My fever was higher than yours when we last checked. That means I’m sicker than you, so you get to do your own fetching and carrying.”
Clint huffed in irritation, but knew he didn’t have a leg to stand on, so he sat up and slowly got to his feet, shivering and coughing miserably to make a point.
Natasha was unphased. “While you’re up, could you make me some tea, please?” she called sweetly.
Clint sighed dramatically, but began to pull down her tea supplies, muttering to himself around frequent coughing fits.
“My head is killing me, so don’t be surprised if I make your tea wrong,” he called peevishly at one point.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine. As long as it’s hot. That’s all I care about right now.”
A few minutes later, Clnt shuffled his way back to his couch, depositing a bowl of dry cereal, a glass of juice, and a glass of milk before returning to the kitchen. When he came back to the living room once more, he was carrying a steaming mug, which he held out to his companion. Just as she grabbed it, Clint’s breath hitched in an unexpected gasp, and he leaned forward out of habit, putting him that much closer to the mug and the hand that was grasping it.
“Hih– Hiihgk-KH’SSHHhuue! hh!-HYYIIZSHH’uuhh!! Ugh, god, sorry…” He belatedly brought his hand to his nose, a poor excuse for cover.
“Clint! Ugh, great, now I have your germs all over me,” Natasha groaned. “You sneezed right into my tea, too!”
Clint gave her a look as he returned to his own couch. “Pretty sure we have the same germs at the moment, ‘Tash. I don’t think you need to worry much.” He rifled through the mess of blankets he had been lying under until he found a package of tissues, pulling one out just in time to catch the pair of drips quivering at the corners of his nostrils that had been threatening to make him sneeze again.
“It’s still gross,” she muttered. Yet she had already taken a sip and was holding the mug close to her face, inhaling the steam. He had made her tea perfectly as always. She smiled a tiny bit at this thought. When she glanced back at him, though, the smile turned into a concerned frown. “You okay, Hawk?”
He had not touched his cereal yet, and was pressed back against the couch with his eyes closed, breathing slowly. “ ‘M really dizzy. Just give me a second,” he mumbled, clenching his fists.
She did as he asked and didn’t pester, but waited in silence. Eventually he unclenched, slowly opening his eyes to meet hers. They exchanged a tiny nod, checking in.
“Most days I’m pretty happy not being Superman, or super anything. That super immunity could really come in handy though,” Clint said, wiping his nose again as he at last added the milk to his cereal.
“It’s not easy being the weak ones,” Natasha agreed. “No one likes being reminded of their humanity.”
Clint tried to scoff, which turned into a cough. Natasha laughed at this, which also became a cough. The pair would have laughed at this too, but feeling it might be unwise, settled for exchanging a wan smile instead.
In due time, Natasha finished her tea. She assumed Clint had also finished since he’d been motionless for a bit, but when she turned to ask him if he would get her a refill, she found to her surprise that he had dozed off where he sat, the spoon still resting in his hand as his chest rose and fell in deep breaths. With a little sigh, she stood and went to fetch her own refill, casting a worried look at her partner as she passed him.
She made her tea and set it down by her seat, then moved to Clint’s side. She pressed a hand to his forehead, anticipating the burning heat she felt there, but worried by it nonetheless. Upon feeling her touch, the archer opened his eyes blearily.
“It’s not like you to fall asleep out of nowhere,” Natasha sighed, removing her hand and clearing his used bowl and glasses for him.
“I get sleepy when I’m running a fever, you know that.” He stretched carefully, yawning.
“It’s still unsettling.”
He smiled a little. “And you get anxious when you’re running a fever. Some things never change,” he chuckled, coughing over the last word.
She smiled too in spite of herself as she returned to her spot. “No, I suppose they don’t.”
“Well, you know what always helps both of those things? Sharing a bed for a nap. You get to feel safe and protected, and I get to sleep. Win win.”
Natasha smiled. “You’re absolutely right. At least that’s one thing that’s easy.”
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just a reminder that clint is forever a mood and if you haven’t read any of his comics go read the Matt Fraction run because it is amazing, especially after seeing how much the hawkeye disney+ series has taken after it. Go read it, bro
#also lucky the pizza dog gets his own issue#if that’s not reason enough#but another great issue is one done in sign language#one of my favorite comic runs#as someone who didn’t like clint in the mcu prior#comics#marvel#clint barton#hawkeye#marvel studios#mcu#mcufam#kate bishop#hawkeye season 1#hawkeye disney+#hawkguy
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rest.
Pairing: Pietro Maximoff (MCU) x Fem!Reader
Genre: Soulmate AU
Warnings: Mild language, cannon divergence, reader is kind of an oblivious shy dumb-ass who avoids her problems TvT
Summary: After everything life has put you through you just want to walk through life unnoticed and unbothered, but that seems to be out of the question when you're an enhanced working for the avengers and catch the eye of a certain speedster who just so happens to be your soulmate.
Word Count: 3.1k
a/n: this is very shitty and doesn’t make much sense im sorry i haven’t written something like this in so long :’)
Sokovia. 2015.
“Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better.” Fury said punching buttons on his data pad, “Nice, right? I pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do.” Fury laughed, looking over at the small but capable team of Ex-SHIELD agents, smiling, as the old helicarrier pulled up beside the ever rising city.
You looked out of the window as the battle raged on in the city, you still weren’t sure why Fury had asked you to come with him. After all, you didn’t exactly have a useful skill set for this fight, you couldn’t operate the fancy systems that kept the helicarrier in the air, and despite being enhanced you definitely didn’t have the fighting set to help out the avengers, who were fighting in the city, saving the planet from total destruction once again.
You sighed, turning your back to the window and going to stand next to Fury, who rarely let you out of his sight.
“Sir, I’m grateful you trusted me enough to bring me along but if I could ask, why did you bring me?, My skills aren't exactly useful here.” you said with a frown.
Fury looked down at you grimly, “Just a feeling Mrs. [L/N].”
You nodded, turning your attention to your colleagues, who were diligently aiding in the rescue of the sokovian citizens, and the battle raging on outside. You watched in awe as Tony Stark- or rather Iron Man and War Machine began to destroy the bots that had begun to attack the helicarrier.
Suddenly Agent Hill’s voice rang out “INCOMING!”. You barely had time to jump out of the way as a robot crashed through the front window, Maria immediately emptying her clip into it as Fury finished it off with a piece of metal debris.
“And here I was thinking I wasn’t going to see any action”, you quipped, staring at the mess of metal and oil on the helicarrier floor.
You sighed, trying to even your breathing, absentmindedly running your fingers over the inky black words imprinted on the inside of your wrist. In this world everyone had a soulmate, all 7 billion people, and the first words they’ll say to you appear on the inside of your left wrist when your born, which turns red after you have your first kiss with your soulmate, however you don’t have any expectations to ever meet yours, and you don’t really want too, after all life moves pretty fast when your an Ex-HYDRA experiment and an Ex-SHIELD trainee, and these days you really just wanted to spend the rest of your days unnoticed and unbothered - aside from work of course.
You were broken out of your thoughts when a voice crackled over the comms, “Guys we have a problem!” It was Agent Barton, his voice was panicked and his breathing was ragged, “Pietro’s been hit, I can’t tell if he’s alive or not.”
Fury looked over at you, his face as stoic as ever, but you could see the slight bit of fear in his eyes “Showtime kid, let’s see what you can do.”
You nodded, taking off down the hall and jumping into a small craft, piloting it to the city where you could see Barton leaning over someone’s body. You landed, running over to them, it was one of the twins, a fellow enhanced experiment of HYDRA. You leaned down placing a hand on his bullet riddled chest, a small teal light eminitated from your hand as you closed your eyes and concentrated.
Suddenly your eyes snapped open, you looked up at Clint, “He’s alive,” Clint let out a sigh of relief. “but just barely, I need to get him back to the medical bay immediately.” You finished. Clint nodded, helping you get the man loaded on the craft you arrived in, he gave you a small nod of thanks before running back to the rescue transports.
Back in your lab you had him hooked up to nearly every medical machine available, while your abilities had managed to stop the blood and heal the internal damage there was still the possibility of him not making it through the night, after all he had yet to regain consciousness and enhanced powers could only do so much, bringing back the dead wasn’t really one of those.
You sighed, leaning over his resting form, brushing a stray piece of his bleach blonde hair out of his face. You studied his face, he was quite possibly one of the most handsome people you’d ever seen, and that was even with the blood and dirt caked on him.
You turned gathering a cloth and a bowl of water, deciding it would be best to at least clean what grime you could off of him. You started with his face before moving to his chest, it was still caked in blood and dirt from where the bullets had ripped through him, though the wounds were closed and healed now. You took note of how well built he was but tried to focus on that as little as possible, after all he was your patient and you hadn’t ever even spoken to him.
As you ran the wet cloth over his body your mind began to wander, however you were broken out of your thoughts when a hand grabbed your arm. It was Pietro. You let out a squeak, mildly startled by his sudden consciousness, however it was clear that he was extremely disoriented and out of it. You moved, setting the washcloth and bowl back on the counter before gathering your clipboard to write that he had regained consciousness.
“Are you an angel?” He asked weakly, you turned looking at him, shocked. Those words, the ever familiar words that had been carried with you since birth, it was him. You inhaled, pushing all that aside, shaking your head as you approached his side.
“Rest.” Was all you said, before you walked out of the room, and for the rest of the night Pietro faded in and out of consciousness, only holding on to the fading sound of your voice.
Avengers Tower. One Month Later.
It had been a month since Sokovia. One month since Pietro Maximoff had almost died. He often found himself wondering what would have happened if he had died, would Wanda have been okay? Would anyone have cared? The other question that seemed to plague his mind day and night, the thought that had burrowed it’s way into his dreams and his absent minded musings, was the thought of seeing that girl that had saved him again.
He didn’t remember much about that day after he was shot, but everytime he closed his eyes he could see her, the girl with the (y/h/c) hair and the soothing voice, he couldn’t remember her fcae or if he had said anything to her but he could remember her touch and he craved to feel it again. The word “rest” also filled his mind, the way it sounded rolling off her tongue, it was the same word that had kept him grounded over the years, and the word that he so often traced on the inside of his wrist. He found himself feeling like the prince from that old animated mermaid movie Wanda made him watch as a kid, looking for the girl that saved him. Looking for his soulmate.
He broke himself out of his thoughts when he heard Maria Hill, one of the many people that had eagerly welcomed him to the Avengers and the remnants of SHIELD calling his name.
“Agent Hill, what can I do for you?” He asked, lifting himself off of the couch, turning to face her.
“Are you doing anything around 1:30 today? I’m supposed to be giving a tour to our newest Avenger today but I have a prior obligation around that time and was wondering if you would mind running it instead, normally I would ask someone else but I feel that you would be the best option in this case due to your…” Maria trailed off trying to come up with the word “Commonalities.”
Pietro’s ears perked up, a new member? Commonalities? Needless to say it was intriguing and would definitely provide a good distraction from his thoughts. “Okay.” He said, shrugging.
Maria smiled, handing him the manilla folder that was your file. “Her name is [Y/N] [L/N], she’s talented, all the necessary information should be in there.” Maria sighed inwardly as she clasped her hands behind her as she watched Pietro speed read through the folder.
To be honest, though she’d never tell Fury, she was hesitant to let you join the Avengers. You were talented no doubt, but she worried about you, maybe it was the fact that she had been the one to rescue you all those years ago, before the fall of SHIELD, before she ever worked for Stark, but still something told her maybe it was too soon, after all you had seemed pretty shaken after the Ultron ordeal.
“Well, you’ll need to meet her at the west elevator on floor 34 in an hour. Just take her through the itinerary there and get to know her, make her feel welcome.” Maria said with a smile before leaving back the way she came.
Pietro smiled as he waved goodbye, before looking down at the picture of you, of his soulmate, the girl that saved him.
Avengers Tower Floor 34. One Hour Later.
You rocked back and forth on your heels. It had been a month since Sokovia. One month since you had saved the man who was supposedly your soulmate. After that fateful day you went back into hiding with Fury, back to training with Fury, but now, according to Fury at least, it was time for you to join the Avengers as their medic.
You walked down the long glass hall, Agent Hill had told you that your guide would meet you outside the west elevator. She had also told you that your tour guide was one of the twins, due to your “commonalities” both in being enhanced and in being the newest members. You hoped it wasn’t going to be him, after all you still hadn’t really had time to process it all. Of course, life never really listened when you asked it for things.
The elevator dinged, signaling it’s arrival, you turned your attention from your wrist to the elevator,pulling down your sleeve to cover it as the doors slid open to reveal the gray clad speedster.
“They told me we were getting a new recruit, but they failed to tell me of your beauty.” Pietro smirked leaning against the elevator wall. You blushed, looking down at your shoes before sliding past him and stepping into the elevator. “Not talking huh? It’s okay I'll get you to crack eventually.” He smiled, winking at you only causing your face to flush even more.
As the tour went on Pietro did what he could to make you talk, though you usually only answered with one or two words. He was confused to say the least, did you not know? It was as the tour came to a close that he finally asked you the question that had been plaguing his mind the whole time, wondering if you would admit to him that you knew or if you were just clueless. “So, [Y/N], they tell me you are enhanced, like us, with healing abilities.” You nodded, “Were you there in Sokovia? Last month I mean, when Ultron attacked.”
You looked up sharply. “Um yeah, yeah I was.” You sighed, fidgeting with your sleeves.
“Then you're the one who saved me that day, thank you.” He smiled, bringing your hands into his, “I’m very happy you’re with us, and I hope that you will allow me to thank you properly? Maybe dinner?” His eyes were hopeful.
Did he know? You wondered, would he bring it up then, ease into it, charm you? Or had he been too out of it to even realise and was simply trying to be nice? Either way it was too much too fast. “Um, I’ll think about it, I’m just kinda tired right now.”
“I understand, I’ll see you in the morning then beautiful, yes?” He smiled walking you down the hall to your room. You nodded, before looking down at the floor again. “Well if you need anything Wanda and I are both on this floor and if we’re not here we’re likely on the common floor.” He smiled watching you nod once again before retreating into your room.
Pietro sighed, running a hand through his hair, you had to know by now, if he hadn’t spoken to you that day what he said on the elevator should have been the words on your wrist? Why were you so hesitant? Did you not like him, was he not everything you had ever hoped for in a soulmate? He let out a short breath as he pushed the button to call the elevator, fine, he was charming right? He’d do whatever it took to convince you that he was the perfect guy for you, after all you were an angel to him.
A Stark Party at Avenger Tower. Two Months Later.
It had been two months, two months since you had joined the Avengers and you were still just as shy around Pietro as you had been on your first day. He couldn’t understand it, while you were shy around most of the other members too, save for his own sister and Sam Wilson, yet you seemed to purposefully avoid him. He couldn’t help but wonder if he had done something to make you mad or uncomfortable, he couldn’t understand why but it hurt, it hurt more than getting shot in Sokovia had, it was raw and painful but he did his best to hide it and simply be as polite and nice to you as possible.
“Hey there speedy, you seem quieter than normal and I don’t think I’ve heard one smart remark out of you today, what’s going on?” Clint Barton said, placing his hand on Pietro’s shoulder. Despite Clint’s general teasing of the younger man he did genuinely care for him and that was something Pietro was grateful for.
“I’m just lost in thought, thank you though Clint.” Pietro sighed, taking his coffee and heading to his room, after all Stark was having one of his infamous parties tonight and even if he wasn’t there with you Pietro still wanted to look nice for you.
Nearly six hours later everyone was downstairs, the floor alive with people, and Pietro found himself seated at the bar, nursing a whiskey as he watched you converse with his twin. You looked amazing, your gorgeous body clad in a gray knee length cocktail dress with gorgeous lace sleeves and accents. Despite the fact that you rarely spoke to him somehow, some way every little thing you did imprinted itself in his brain and only made himself fall harder and harder for you.
His mood quickly changed however from adoration to jealousy as he watched a group of suit clad men isolate you from his sister and begin to speak to you. Under normal circumstances he would have simply let you be, never wanting to make you uncomfortable or angry, but you were picking at your nails, something he had noticed you only did when you were uncomfortable.
So he did what any love-sick gentlemen would do, and he went to rescue you. Within seconds Pietro was by your side, snaking a hand around your waist, secretly praying to god that he wasn’t making you more uncomfortable.You tensed at the contact but relaxed with a sigh of relief as you looked up to find Pietro.
“Hello my love,” Pietro smiled looking down at you before turning back to the group of men, “Hello gentlemen, I hope you don’t mind if I steal my soulmate for a minute, it’s important Avenger business, you know?” He smirked, giving them no room to respond as he turned and led you to the balcony.
When you arrived on the balcony you sighed as you let the cool air roll over you. “Thank you for that Pietro.” You said softly. “I’m really grateful.”
Pietro smiled softly, “Of course, what are friends for.” He turned heading for the door, but stopped when your voice rang out.
“I’m sorry Pietro.” He turned back to look at you, your eyes trained on the floor, “I’ve been cold and distant and all you’ve done is try and be nice and make me feel happy and safe and welcome here and I’m just so sorry.”
Pietro sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’ve known this whole time haven’t you. That we were soulmates.”
You looked up meeting his eyes, they were blue and piercing and oh so gorgeous but they were filled with pain.
“Yes, I’ve known since Sokovia. When you first regained consciousness you asked if I was an angel, I couldn’t focus on the fact that we were soulmates in that moment so I pushed it away, after that I just began to wonder, I mean I’m so different compared to you, you're so handsome and kind and talented and I’m just plain and boring, I figured that the universe probably made a mistake, and that you would be better of with someone else, but I never meant to hurt you,” You looked up at him, his face filled with a mix of shock and pain “I’m so so sorry.” You said, your voice breaking as you looked down, tears rolling down your cheeks.
“You are the most oblivious girl I’ve ever met.” Pietro chuckled, your head snapping up to look at him, “For one I’ve been flirting with you since you got here, you’d think that that would be a sign that I find you attractive, No?” You chuckled, “Second, Not talented? You saved my life, I was nearly dead and would be without you. Not kind? You have made my sister feel so happy and so welcome, you’ve given her the best friend she’s always wanted. Not pretty? My Angel, you are the most beautiful girl at this party. I’ve loved you from the minute I saw you, your smile can light up a room, and your laughter can make any sadness fade away, you my darling are perfect.” He smiled softly at you, cupping your cheek as you stared up into his eyes. “I love you moy angel”
You stared up in awe at the silver haired speedster, “I- You’re so perfect, you have been so understanding and-” Your voice broke as more tears rushed down your face, Pietro simply whispered sweet nothings as he wiped away your tears. “I love you too.” You whispered smiling softly.
“Could I kiss you?” Pietro asked with an airy chuckle, you smiled,nodding before pressing your lips to his, letting the world around you melt away, as both of you reveled in the warm feeling of your marks changing from black to red.
#pietro maximoff x reader#pietro maximoff#pietro maximoff imagine#peter maximoff x reader#pietro maximoff x you#oneshot#marvel x reader#pietro deserved better#I haven't written in a while and this sucks and I'm sorry :')#pietro maximoff x fem!reader#pietro maximoff x y/n#quicksilver x you#quicksilver x reader#xmen#avengers#avengers age of ultron
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ten faves
Rules: name ten favorite characters from ten different things (tv, movies, books, etc.)
This came from @thegirlwholied nearly...3 weeks...ago now, but I am slow, and indecisive, and time basically has no meaning at the moment anyway, so.
1. Sally Lockhart (the Sally Lockhart quartet)
First name I wrote down. I met Sally in my early teens and I’ve never quite given up on wanting to grow up to be her. I love each and every member of Garland and Lockhart a ridiculous amount (and my love of the found family trope can probably be traced back to their door), but Sally, with her grit and her stubbornness and her fierce indepenance, captured me in something special from that moment in the first paragraph of the first book when all I knew was her name and that she was about to kill a man.
2. Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice)
I considered shying away from the stereotypical here, but that would just be lying to myself as well as anyone else. I relate more to Jane, or Charlotte Lucas, or even Mr Darcy – at least in terms of social awkwardness, not finances, sadly – but, like him, I can’t remember the first time I fell in love with Lizzy Bennet, I was in the middle of it before I even knew I had begun.
(Jennifer Ehle probably had something to do with it though.)
3. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)
Look, I was an introverted, bookish, rule-abiding adolescent, and Hermione was suddenly someone I could recognise myself in. I wanted to be Ginny (and Sally, and Lizzy, and several others on this list); I already was Hermione, in a lot of ways, and she made that a bit more ok.
4. Carrot Ironfoundersson (Discworld)
I wanted to put a Discworld character in here, and I’m a little bit sad at myself for not picking a woman – especially since this is inadvertently turning out to be a very female-heavy list. I even started the process of trying to choose between Sybil Ramkin, Tiffany Aching, Adora Belle Dearheart, and Angua, to name but a few.
But the thing is, I made the fatel error of first trying to read the Discworld in publication order, and it took me years to venture any further than the first 50 pages of Colour of Magic. Even in later books the Wizards just. Aren’t my thing.
And then, at some point – and I’m a bit hazy on the when, to be honest – I picked up Guards Guards and spent the entire book blinking at Carrot, reading and re-reading; I kept wanting to turn to someone else and nudge and point, because is this guy for real?! And then, again, a page later, for completely different reasons and in completely different tones, is this guy for real AGAIN?! Terry Pratchett’s books are richly populated with wonderfully rounded, flawed, individual characters, and at first glance Carrot is comparatively straightforward. I hope I never lose that quiet moment of glee I feel at realising that, of course, he really, really isn’t.
5. Titty Walker (Swallows and Amazons)
Consider Titty a bit of a catch-all for the tomboy girls who filled my childhood reading – George Kirrin, Maia Fielding, Kit Russell and the rest – but she’s the one I thought of first. I was not an adventurous child - I am not an adventurous adult, for that matter – but these were the books that meant I could be. I think Titty’s adventures always felt the most tangible, somehow, and the image of her tacking up the field home to read her father’s telegram cemented something in me at an impressionable age that I don’t think I’ve ever quite shaken off.
6. Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation)
Again, I love each and every character on this show, but Leslie Knope; annoying, overbearing, forthright Leslie Knope, who cares so damn much about everything that she makes everyone else care more too, who never once considers being anyone other than who she is, who makes mistakes and faces up to fixing them, who will always, always use a favour to help other people…Leslie Knope, folks. I love her and I like her.
7. Rose Tyler (Doctor Who)
It’s a pretty close call between Rose and Donna Noble, to be honest, but Rose got there first. Unapologetically, unashamedly working class Rose, from the council estate, with no A-levels and no prospects and no expectations that anyone will ever give a damn about her, who saves the world in so many different ways, who grows up and laughs and loves and changes but never in the fundamentals of who she is – brilliant, compassionate, brave. Her life is fantastic because she marches through it punching literal holes in the universe to make it so.
8. Lyra Silvertongue (His Dark Materials)
Lyra, who loved her world of Oxford rooftops, and ran from it. Lyra who loved Roger, and killed him. Lyra who loved Pan, and left him. Lyra who loved Will, and lost him. Lyra who lies. Lyra who left home and came back different, and that was only just the start of her growing up. I’ve been reading Lyra for 20 years and I read her a little bit different every time, but I never love her any less.
9. Phil Coulson (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
I’m probably stretching things a bit here, because when I say I love Phil Coulson, I’m referring to Phil Coulson of the MCU up to and including 2012, and the subsequent fanon interpretations of him. I tried Agents of Shield early on and it didn’t stick. But I saw Avengers Assemble in the cinema with no prior Marvel knowledge (comic or film) and spent the next three days watching the rest of Phase One (hilariously, at the time, five films felt like a lot). I was in my very early days on Tumblr when #Coulsonlives was a thing, and I still remember the absolute explosion of joy that was. Every now and again (like right now, actually) I go through a phase of re-reading an unhealthy volume of Clint/Coulson fic – and I do love Clint, and I love Gamora, I love Sam Wilson and Natasha Romanoff and Pepper Potts - and it’s dry, snarky, utterly unflappable who Coulson hooks me every time.
10. Georgiana Lestrade (The Least of All Possible Mistakes)
Look, I have a lot of feelings about every person on this list and quite a few who aren’t, but if I had to pick the one who felt the most…real, I suppose…then Georgiana Lestrade is my easy answer. She’s the person I would always want fighting my corner. George has no false ideals, no delusions about either herself or her world; she is completely grounded in herself and her London – which is almost a character in its own right, one of my very favourite things about Pru’s writing.
Competent, practical, fiercely unphased George, who carries a taser and throws stationary at her underlings; who is gloriously, unashamedly pragmatic; nearing forty and glad of it; as honest and self-aware of her own nature as I think a person can be; and above all else who is damn good at her job. She might give one hoot about what other people think of her, but she’s certainly not going to waste a second. That she is surrounded by wild, dangerously intelligent men is almost incidental, but she is, and that is a part of her story – though far from the whole of it - and she takes no more shit from them, never doubts her own right or ability to stand beside them, than she does any other person.
One of the saddest truths of my fandom life is that Pru will never finish the Regency spy AU of this AU, and I mourn this far more often than is healthy XD
***
This was fun and hard in equal measure, and there are so many more I could have listed - Jack Robinson, Violet Baudelaire, Brienne of Tarth, Leia Organa, Theo Hart, to name but a few - but I’m as happy with it as I’ll ever be.
Tagging @firesign23, @kiraziwrites, @angel-deux-writes and @ajoblotofjunk, and also anyone else who wants to give this a go, because I would love to read more of them.
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Avengers: Endgame: Did Marvel Pull It Off?
This is a followup to my (surprisingly popular!) post “The Stakes Are Too High.” (at least, it surprised the hell out of me that it got so popular; I wasn’t expecting it to resonate as widely as it did.)
FULL ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. I’m putting it under a cut just in case.
Also, above the cut in case you’re still dodging spoilers, tagging @kryptaria @iamanartichoke @taurileonis @hjbender @chey-tips22 @wu-the-stoic @englishontheinside @rennemichaels @alwida10 @ladylowkeyed @saltoftheearths @mizkit @thelightofthingshopedfor @essesnceofhappiness @theravenofwynter @pinetreeparadoxx @ironhammermagicshieldedgreenbow @philosopherking1887 @waywardkansasflower @lokeanrampant @maneth985 @ilovethemallsoimconfused @bengalaas @icyxmischief @yuuki-fandoms @snailchick @fictions-stranger @adhdasianaroace @artherra @missmaladicta @queerfictionwriter because you specifically commented/reblogged.
So having seen Endgame, the question becomes: Did Marvel pull it off?
My answer is: yes and no.
Did we get an emotionally satisfying ending? Did Marvel understand that closure doesn’t have to come with corpses?
There were a lot of things I loved about Endgame. There were many, many of the “small character moments” we were begging for. Marvel didn’t forget that we fell in love with people and we need to see people and their choices and how they live with the consequences of those choices... mostly.
I loved how Marvel rewarded the audience for watching 11 years of movies. It was practically wall-to-wall Easter eggs and callbacks. I loved how the time travel allowed us to loop back through some of our favorite scenes and see them from other points of view, and the additional information. (Sitwell and Brumlow taking the scepter immediately after Loki’s capture: oh, so that’s how HYDRA got the Mind Stone!) I loved the cameos upon cameos (despite how silly it is for someone like Natalie Portman to show up for literally 15 seconds and not get any lines). I appreciated that Captain Marvel was used exactly the right amount: she saved Tony and Nebula, she was established as part of the post-Snap team, she came in at the end to lend some firepower, but she did not have any part in solving the problem nor was she the person who ultimately handed Thanos his raisin ass. I LOVED THE FINAL BATTLE, HOLY FUCK. (With the exception of Loki not being present, but I’ll get to that.) There were real laughs, and real tears. I cheered when Steve summoned Mjolnir (and laughed my head off at the Cap-on-Cap fight). I loved Morgan and Cassie, and the echoes of fathers and daughters throughout.
There were things I did not love, even before we got to the final or semi-final fates of some characters. I was genuinely offended with Thor’s treatment. I was not happy with Loki. I was confused about Vision, Gamora, and Black Widow, because they are due to return for future TV shows and movies, so leaving their statuses open or cloudy (or “dead,” which I put in quotes for a reason) was just disconcerting. The time travel opened up a lot of problems.
My original post was about endings, so let’s talk about those. In approximately descending order of Satisfying to WTF:
Stan Lee: Got his last cameo in the end of the arc so he didn’t miss any, driving along, clearly having the time of his life. Excelsior, Stan, and thank you for everything.
Clint: Got his happy ending. He was deeply bitter about losing his family, but got them restored to him. He did lose Nat, but I’ll cover her in her own section.
Steve: He did get his soft epilogue, albeit with Peggy Carter, and I can’t fault that. Marvel was never going to give us the Steve/Bucky romance no matter how obvious it was, and Steve/Peggy also works. (And really, I love Peggy, so for her to get a happy ending too is a bonus.) Steve gave so much of himself over the years. I can’t object to allowing him to be selfish and re-live his life quietly, to finally put down his shield and go home from the war. He got his reward.
It basically works with the existing timeline if you squint and assume that Peggy’s Alzheimer’s was messing with her at the beginning of Civil War, or if there’s another timeline altogether. I’m slightly annoyed that whatever he got to have with Bucky all happened offscreen between the stinger of Black Panther and the beginning of Infinity War, but apparently they did spend time together. And Steve clearly told Bucky was he was planning; that’s what “I’m gonna miss you” was foreshadowing.
STEVE IS WORTHY OF MJOLNIR. YESSSSSS!
Bruce: I was okay with the “Professor Hulk” storyline (which I was told by a sharp-eyed nephew is from the comics), although I wouldn’t have minded seeing that internal struggle onscreen, but I understand it’s an IP rights issue and there isn’t going to be another Marvel standalone Hulk film.
Tony: Augh. AUGH! I get it. I know why he died, on a meta level. But still.
This, at least, we can say is mostly “heartbreaking” and not “burn.” Tony got the five-year interval to make some kind of peace with his losses. He and Pepper got married and had Morgan. He got some kind of Happy For Now. He got some kind of reward, which RDJ brilliantly conveyed even in the few minutes we saw.
@hjbender linked @starkysnarks’s excellent post about Tony’s arc. One important part:
That’s why I think that giving a better, more positive message is so important. While other characters have flaws, it’s only Tony who has this consistent, this carefully streamlined storyline of improvement, of redemption, of self-realization and self-betterment. It’s Tony who is most often referred to (by the aforementioned mainstream outlets AND within the fandom) as the most human of the characters, and his story – as the most humane. His happy ending with a new house and young family will not feel like an opt-out, it will not feel complacent, at least not to me. It will feel like hope. It will feel like achieving, at least partially, the goal of that endless internal struggle that we all go through daily. It will feel like it’s possible to be good and be happy and be content, to know that you have done you best and your best is good enough for you to live, and go forward, and be.
He ultimately got some of this, for a while. Tony’s fatal flaw is his fear about Thanos, or the threat that Thanos represents. Prior to Avengers, Tony was happy-go-lucky because he could, eventually, beat whatever the world threw at him. But Thanos was not of this world, and would have wiped everyone out if Tony hadn’t managed to get that nuke through the portal. That trauma, that guilt, that fear, is what drives him for the rest of the Infinity Stones storyline. He is desperate to protect everyone. It’s what makes him want to put “a suit of armor around the world” in Age of Ultron, and of course the way Ultron backfires compounds Tony’s PTSD and guilt, which is what leads to his position in Civil War and the fight he picks with Steve at the beginning of Endgame.
And the worst happens in Infinity War, and the Avengers lose. Everything Tony feared ultimately happened.
Five years later, he’s managed to move forward. He has his happy ending — as happy as he can be, given their losses. He’s accepted his failure, more or less. He wants to rest, which is why he rejects Steve and the others at first.
But his tinkerer’s brain won’t let him put their proposal aside. He needs to know intellectually that there’s no chance, that he can’t fix what he screwed up. Because that’s the other part of what drives him: they lost. He lost. “I lost the kid,” he tells Steve (meaning Peter). That fear of loss, of losing people, of failing people, of disappointing people, is what keeps pushing him. If he knows that there’s no possible way he can undo his mistake, he’ll figure out a way to cope, especially since he still has Pepper and then his daughter. But now there is a way, or there might be, and he can’t let that lie, he can’t rest, until he knows one way or the other. And when the way to fix things becomes possible, there is no other outcome for Tony to choose. He wouldn’t be a hero otherwise.
It is a terrible loss, but in the end I could accept it. Tony got a Happy For Now. He was able to enjoy his life for a little while. He got the genuine closure with his father which he couldn’t in the BARF hologram at the beginning of Civil War thanks to the time travel, and he got to see Peter restored and give him the hug which they weren’t at yet in Homecoming. Tony was triumphant. He defeated his greatest, most terrible adversary. He defeated his fear. Thanos is gone, and his minions with him. The echo of “I. Am. Iron Man.” was exquisite. (even more so knowing that line in the first movie was ad-libbed! it wasn’t in the script! It was RDJ’s idea!) So his death is sad, but it’s earned.
Natasha: Meh. Just meh. The scene where she and Clint fight over who is going to die was blackly hilarious. It made narrative sense for Nat to be the one who died — she has found family, but not children; she spent the interval trying to run the Avengers and SHIELD and trying to fix things, and this allowed her to contribute in a material way; she still has a lot of red in her moral ledger — but on a meta level, we know there’s a Black Widow movie in the works. It doesn’t make sense to have a spinoff series set before Endgame when you know how the character dies. It’s not a bad ending, all things considered, but the actress herself can’t get younger. Is it supposed to be her origin/backstory movie after the character has died? Is it Multiverse Branching Timelines? Was she restored when Steve returned all the Stones to their place in the timeline? Was she restored with Tony’s Snap, or Bruce’s? Not knowing how that’s going to work with the rest of the MCU timeline blunted the emotional effect of her death for me.
Although he’s not an original Avenger, I had similar issues with Vision. There will be a Scarlet Witch and Vision TV series. Vision is still dead, according to Wanda at Tony’s funeral. So was he restored with either Bruce’s Snap or Tony’s? Was 2018 Gamora?
And the two which completely did not work for me, the ones where I think Marvel really missed:
Thor: Of the original Avengers, he was the one I was most upset about.
I really, really did not like how Thor’s very legitimate grief, depression, PTSD, and alcoholism were played for laughs. Thor is down to a “kingdom” of a few hundred people at best (we don’t know what Asgard’s population was to start with, but Hela killed quite a few, and then Thanos killed half of them on the Statesman, and it’s entirely possible that the Snappening dusted half of whomever remained). He’s living with the murders of Loki, Heimdall, and the Warriors Three (I can’t remember if Sif was supposed to have survived the Snappening, but she doesn’t appear in Endgame). He didn’t “go for the head” in Infinity War, which clearly haunts him despite the fact that Peter Quill is just as much to blame for interrupting Strange, Tony, Peter, and Mantis, or Wanda is just as much to blame for not getting the Stone out of Vision’s head faster, etc. etc. He cut off Thanos’s head after the fact and is clinging to that — “Who else here killed Thanos?” — as some kind of cold comfort. “Look, at least I did that in the end. At least I got revenge.”
Thor is a mess. His family is dead. His dearest friends are dead. He’s in a depressive spiral, self-medicating with food and alcohol, lost in video games because they are a consequence-free way to “win.” He’s holed up with Miek and Korg because they didn’t know him before Ragnarok and they have no real expectations of King Thor, God of Thunder, Avenger, Hero. He feels he has failed at everything which has ever been expected of him.
And the script... plays this... for laughs.
We are meant to laugh at his pot belly and flabby physique. We are meant to laugh at his unkempt matted hair and wild unbraided beard. We are meant to laugh at his drunkenness, at how he passes out, at how he blearily begs and whimpers to be the one to unSnap everyone ( “Please let me do something good, something right,” he pleads), at how he returns to Asgard on the day of Frigga’s murder and tries to frat-boy off to the cellars for some of Odin’s best ale because he cannot face his failure on this day too.
None of this is funny. It’s not funny at. all. It’s horrifying.
I do understand that this is likely more Hemsworth than Marvel. The actor vocally complained that he was bored with formal, upright Thor and would have been done with the character without Taika Waititi’s more comedic take in Ragnarok. He has said in interviews that Thor in Endgame is the closest to Hemsworth himself that the character has ever been, and clearly the actor loves doing comedy. He’s good at it — I enjoyed Kevin in Ghostbusters 2016.
I don’t object to loosening up Thor. I don’t object to showing Thor spiraling into alcoholism and depression and hiding from the world in food and games. I object to using depression and alcoholism for comedy.
Thor faces Frigga, reluctantly, and she counsels her son whom she loves, telling him not to worry about living up to expectations but to be his best true self. This is consistent with both characters; Thor has accepted how hard it is to be king. Then as Thor is quantumming out she adds “And eat a salad.” Really? You had to throw that in there? She sees the wreck her son has become and she nags? She gives him some kind and loving advice, she knows there’s some weirdness going on, but she has to cap it with fat-shaming?
We are meant to mock formerly ripped Thor for being “fat and ugly,” but let’s be clear: Thor’s appearance is an outward manifestation of deep emotional issues. Thor has not been able to cope with his failure. He and Tony faced similar terrible losses. Both characters originally had sunny dispositions. Tony, who still had Pepper at least, has managed to crawl out of his hole and build something with his wife and daughter. Thor lost his brother, his other half, and has mentally, emotionally, and physically collapsed. There really is no Thor without Loki.
And speaking of, I’m going to scream for a moment:
SERIOUSLY, MARVEL, WHAT EVEN THE FLAMING FUCK WAS THAT? YOU TEE UP A GODDAMN LINE LIKE “I ASSURE YOU, BROTHER, THE SUN WILL SHINE ON US AGAIN” AND THEN IT DOESN’T PAY OFF? I FUCKING WAVED THAT FLAG FOR A SOLID YEAR BECAUSE I WAS CONVINCED YOU WERE SMARTER THAN THAT AND THIS IS HOW YOU DO ME?
Loki: I am well aware that Loki started as an antagonist, and that my perspective is skewed from the fandoms I choose to participate in. I know that he’s not an Avenger.
But purely from a narrative point of view, Marvel, ya done fucked up. You dropped the ball.
From my previous post:
Loki’s death in Infinity War was so stupid and narratively pointless that a lot of fans, myself included, believe that there’s a plan behind the scenes (since we know Endgame involves time travel) which somehow explains it and gives it meaning. Because if not, then one of the most popular MCU characters — the only antagonist to keep returning, film after film, and primarily because audiences love him — died for nothing.
And there you have it. Explaining it after the fact in Loki’s TV show doesn’t count (and we don’t know that they will). Yes, Loki grabs the Tesseract in 2012 and disappears, so you can argue that “he doesn’t die,” but all that really does is screw up the timeline. It creates another timeline branch which isn’t resolved.
Is everything now a branched universe? If Loki took off with the Tesseract, does that mean The Dark World and Ragnarok never happened? If Loki didn’t go back to Asgard in chains at the end of Avengers, that means TDW couldn’t have happened the way it did. It means that Loki didn’t sacrifice himself, but does that also mean that Malekith would have gotten the Aether/Reality Stone from Jane and killed her? (It was Loki’s plan which saved Jane, let’s recall. And killed Kurse.) Does that mean Odin is still alive and on Asgard? And Hela was never unleashed? And therefore Loki and Thor never ended up on Sakaar and Hulk and Valkyrie Brunnhilde are still there? Or worse, that Odin died and Hela was unleashed but Thor wasn’t able to stop her because he didn’t have Hulk, Valkyrie, and Loki to help him? So she’s now loose and rampaging across the realms murdering at will?
It was appropriate for the larger arc for Carol to be part of the cavalry swooping in during the final battle to pummel Thanos for a while, but I kept waiting for Loki to show up. Loki was tortured by Thanos and Ebony Maw, which is what kicked off the plot of Avengers. If 2014 Thor was willing to break Loki out of prison to get revenge for Frigga’s death, why wouldn’t either 2014 Thor or 2023 Thor be willing to tell 2012 Loki “We have an opportunity for you to get back at Thanos. Wanna help?” Because as strung out and as still cocky as he was, jauntily waving in the elevator at the beast who just beat the shit out of him, I bet Loki would have been delighted to take a few swings at Giant Purple Nutsack Face. Yes, he probably would have escaped at some point during the final battle, because that’s who he was at the time, and still is — he’s “very comfortable with chaos,” as Hiddleston notes. And that would have been consistent. Help others if it also helps him, he’s not really a hero at that point in his arc, check out after Thanos is dead because he doesn’t want to go back to prison. That all would have worked. Even if he had no more to do than Shuri or Okoye, just to show him shooting a few blasts of seidr and showing that he is in fact just as powerful a sorcerer as Doctor “I’ve only been doing this for a year” Strange.
But Loki’s death in Infinity War is for nothing. Even if I wasn’t as invested in the character as I am, from a storytelling standpoint, it was pointless. The entire heavy foreshadowing of that line was utterly whiffed. You can’t even argue that “Loki sacrificed himself for Thor” because Thanos disappeared with the Space Stone, leaving Thor behind, and Thor crawled over to his brother’s dead, broken body and crumpled there to die. Thor gave up and never recovered. The last word he expected he would ever say was “Loki....”
Thor didn’t choose in that moment to use Loki’s sacrifice to stand up and claim revenge. Even Clint did more than that after Natasha’s death. Thor only continued on to forge Stormbreaker because the Guardians happened to pick him up in the vacuum of space after the Statesman exploded. That wasn’t a choice by the character, which is what moves a character arc forward. It was happenstance. Thor’s heart was destroyed with Loki’s death. It’s a shell of a man who eventually beheads Thanos.
Loki got an “Avenge the Fallen” poster, but he wasn’t avenged. The 2012 version of him escaped and branched off a new timeline, according to the Ancient One’s explanation of how time travel works in the MCU.
We don’t know if either Tony’s or Bruce’s Snap restored 2018 Loki. Endgame is the end of this arc. Marvel can’t patch stuff up later and claim a do-over.
AND FOR FUCK’S SAKE MARVEL WE NEVER GOT THOR AND LOKI’S HUG.
So: did Marvel hurt us?
Not as badly as I feared. There was a ton of fanservice and moments which were so go-for-broke that I felt like we were watching wish-fulfillment fanfic. (So many jokes about Steve’s ass. Steve joking about Steve’s ass.) The script didn’t stop to explain who people were or give context; it assumed the audience knew everything and was keeping up. And that last battle, have mercy, Helm’s Deep and Pelennor Fields look like playground skirmishes in comparison.
BUT: The loose ends are deeply frustrating, and I think the Loki fandom is going to blow a collective gasket. Grotty Drunk Thor having constant My Dick Is Bigger fights with Peter Quill is not going to make me want to watch Guardians 3. (Although if Loki comes back and sneers at Quill, and Thor follows his brother off into the wild yonder with stars in his eyes, okay, call me.)
I will watch the Marvel TV shows because I’m a masochist, but I don’t know how much I’m going to allow myself to get emotionally involved. My expectations are far lower than before IW/EG. I don’t know how the shows and movies involving “dead” characters are going to explain things. Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey handwaving is kind of a cheat, and it doesn’t excuse the shit storytelling which was allowed to happen in the first place.
Do I regret the journey? I don’t. It’s been a hell of a ride, and I’m so glad to have met these characters. I could wish for some things to be better, and hoo boy is there going to be a lot of corrective fanfic, but I’m not sorry I came along.
(and P.S.: Loki lives. :P)
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TSB Week 15 Roundup!
Over the weekend rebelmeg, Tisfan, and 27dragons earned their Bingo badges! Congratulations! And a whole lot of people earned their Goal badge during the Discord party, so congrats to those as well!
Title: I Run To You
Collaborator: Trashcanakin
Link: Tumblr
Square Filled: S1 - Cleaning
Ship: IronHawk
Rating: Teen
Major Tags: TW for blood, Injury, fighting/violence
Summary: [Moodboard] Clint once again finds himself in a scuffle, and goes to Tony for help.
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Title: Hold Me Like a Grudge - Chapter 5: Project Lodestone
Collaborator: SierraNovembr
Link: AO3
Square Filled: S2 - Writing Format: Diaries and Journals
Ship: Howard Stark/Maria Stark
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Human experimentation, brief mentions of miscarriage, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's A+ husbanding, Sentinel/Guide AU, Guide Tony Stark
Summary: Selected excerpts from the laboratory notebook of Howard Stark Project Lodestone, 1968-1991
Word Count: 11,504
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Title: Everything You Do Convinces Me More - Chapter 2
Collaborator: ceealaina
Link: AO3
Square Filled: A4 - Pining
Ship: Stony
Rating: E
Major Tags: Pranks and Practical Jokes, Explicit Sexual Content
Summary: Steve likes to prank people. And then he and Tony hook up. There's some kind of connection to the two events in there somewhere.
Word Count: 9383
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Title: Cherish the Living - Chapter 9
Collaborator: 27dragons
Link: AO3
Square Filled: K5 - Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: E
Major Tags: Gore, Alternate Universe - Zombies
Summary: Tony grew up on stories of the time Before the virus, but that’s a world that’s long ago and far away. He now travels a route between the various walled settlements, trading goods and repairs for bread and board, and carrying news from one villa to the next. It’s a dangerous life, but one he’s used to and well-suited for. That is, until a cluster of zombies gets the drop on him.Bucky is a Nomad, one of a band of enhanced humans who have sworn to wipe out all zombies and put an end to the zombie plague – one at a time, if necessary. When he rescues Tony, he’s just doing his job. Agreeing to escort Tony to the next villa is a bit above-and-beyond, but it’s nice to have company after so long on the road alone. He didn’t expect the trip to forge a bond between the two of them that not nothing – not even death – could break.
Word Count: 37,249
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Title: Cherish the Living - Chapter 9
Collaborator: tisfan
Link: AO3
Square Filled: A2 - A Wedding and a Funeral
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: E
Major Tags: Gore, Alternate Universe - Zombies
Summary: Tony grew up on stories of the time Before the virus, but that’s a world that’s long ago and far away. He now travels a route between the various walled settlements, trading goods and repairs for bread and board, and carrying news from one villa to the next. It’s a dangerous life, but one he’s used to and well-suited for. That is, until a cluster of zombies gets the drop on him.Bucky is a Nomad, one of a band of enhanced humans who have sworn to wipe out all zombies and put an end to the zombie plague – one at a time, if necessary. When he rescues Tony, he’s just doing his job. Agreeing to escort Tony to the next villa is a bit above-and-beyond, but it’s nice to have company after so long on the road alone. He didn’t expect the trip to forge a bond between the two of them that not nothing – not even death – could break.
Word Count: 37,249
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Title: Shock and Awe
Collaborator: thoughtfulbreadpolice
Link: AO3
Square Filled: K4 - Clint Barton/Tony Stark
Ship: WinterHawk
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Tony gets injured; that happens; it happens a lot; they aren’t dating; then they kind of are; cute; fluff; no angst here; Clint has all the feelings
Summary: Tony and Clint get into a messy situation and both discover somethings.
Word Count: 1036
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Title: neither of us dares to bleed - Chapter 1: i.
Collaborator: deathsweetqueen
Link: AO3
Square Filled: S4 - canon: MCU (post-CA:CW)
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: Mature
Major Tags: Not Team Cap Friendly, Post CW AU, 616/MCU Crossover, so much salt
Summary: Some people would think that it starts off when Tony touches an infinity stone and gets transported to another universe. No, it doesn’t. It begins when the Rogue Avengers come back to the United States, and Tony is forced to put out a welcome party.
Word Count: 5185
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Title: A Bit(e) of Danger
Collaborator: MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)
Link: AO3
Square Filled: R3 - Tentacles
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: Explicit
Major Tags: pwp, fluffy underwater sex, octo-Tony and shark-Bucky
Summary: Tony is an octo-mer. He’s supposed to be aloof and alone, with little interest in others - but really, he thinks it’d be nice to be able to use all these arms he has to hold someone. Bucky is a shark-mer which means he should also be content to be alone. He shouldn’t want to be held, especially not by an octo-mer who could kill him, and he certainly shouldn’t want someone to travel the migration with, and yet… Rhodey laughed, his tentacles waving through the water, gesturing Tony on. “That whirlpool of danger is all yours.”
Word Count: 5228
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Title: Traditions - Chapter 1: Lost and Found
Collaborator: alwaysabrighterdarkness
Link: AO3
Square Filled: K3 - Image of Tony working on Bucky's arm
Ship: Stuckony
Rating: Explicit
Major Tags: Sexual Content (later chapter)
Summary: It was simple and domestic, undressing, preparing for bed and then climbing in and curling comfortably around each other. A year ago, Tony wouldn’t have thought this sort of thing was something he could have. Hell, a year ago, he hadn’t even known that he was, yet again, missing Steve’s actual birthday. And now, here they were.
Word Count: 5443
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Title: Traditions - Chapter 2: Something Borrowed
Collaborator: alwaysabrighterdarkness
Link: AO3
Square Filled: R4 - Steve Rogers/Captain America
Ship: Stuckony
Rating: Explicit
Major Tags: Sexual Content (later chapter)
Summary: Despite knowing Steve for years now and being in a relationship with Steve and Bucky for almost a year, he had learned more about Steve’s mom in the last month than he had at any time prior to that. For a woman who had raised Steve Rogers the best she could as a single mother in the Depression, Tony thought even ‘remarkable’ might be putting it lightly.
Word Count: 5443
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Title: Why Can’t I Be You (Or: Aww, Paperwork)
Collaborator: ceealaina
Link: AO3
Square Filled: S4 - Kate Bishop/Hawkeye
Ship: Gen (Minor Background Stony)
Rating: Teen
Major Tags: Humour, Misunderstandings
Summary: When Clint has to go away on a deep cover mission, he doesn’t hesitate to name Kate as his replacement on the Avengers roster. But when he forgets to, you know, actually submit the paperwork, misunderstandings and confusion ensue. (Not quite 616 and not quite MCU, but some fun hybrid of the two.)
Word Count: 2257
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Title: Art
Collaborator: monobuu
Link: Tumblr
Square Filled: S2 - Dreamsharing
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: None
Summary: They’re in separate beds, separate rooms, each dreaming of a sweet first date. Little do they know, they are sharing the same dream. (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡
Word Count: NA
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Title: Cherish the Living - Chapter 10
Collaborator: 27dragons
Link: AO3
Square Filled:
R5 - Adrenaline Rush
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: E
Major Tags: Gore, Alternate Universe - Zombies
Summary: Tony grew up on stories of the time Before the virus, but that’s a world that’s long ago and far away. He now travels a route between the various walled settlements, trading goods and repairs for bread and board, and carrying news from one villa to the next. It’s a dangerous life, but one he’s used to and well-suited for. That is, until a cluster of zombies gets the drop on him.Bucky is a Nomad, one of a band of enhanced humans who have sworn to wipe out all zombies and put an end to the zombie plague – one at a time, if necessary. When he rescues Tony, he’s just doing his job. Agreeing to escort Tony to the next villa is a bit above-and-beyond, but it’s nice to have company after so long on the road alone. He didn’t expect the trip to forge a bond between the two of them that not nothing – not even death – could break.
Word Count: 40,927
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Title: Cherish the Living - Chapter 10
Collaborator: tisfan
Link: AO3
Square Filled: A3 - Free
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: E
Major Tags: Gore, Alternate Universe - Zombies
Summary: Tony grew up on stories of the time Before the virus, but that’s a world that’s long ago and far away. He now travels a route between the various walled settlements, trading goods and repairs for bread and board, and carrying news from one villa to the next. It’s a dangerous life, but one he’s used to and well-suited for. That is, until a cluster of zombies gets the drop on him.Bucky is a Nomad, one of a band of enhanced humans who have sworn to wipe out all zombies and put an end to the zombie plague – one at a time, if necessary. When he rescues Tony, he’s just doing his job. Agreeing to escort Tony to the next villa is a bit above-and-beyond, but it’s nice to have company after so long on the road alone. He didn’t expect the trip to forge a bond between the two of them that not nothing – not even death – could break.
Word Count: 40,927
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Title: Handle with care
Collaborator: nashapixie
Link: AO3
Square Filled: Adopted - handle with care
Ship: Pre-WinterIron if you squint
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Fluff
Summary: James "Bucky" Barnes is recovering after the fall of Hydra, which includes some arm maintenance that only one man can help with: Tony Stark.
Word Count: 734
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Title: Nothing So Far Away
Collaborator: tisfan
Link: Tumblr
Square Filled: Adopted - Time Travel
Ship: Stony
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Time Travel Loosely, Angst, Civil War
Summary: Moodboard
Word Count: N/A
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Title: Shelter From the Bitter Storm
Collaborator: EachPeachPearPlum
Link: AO3
Square Filled: A4 - Writing Format: Fairytale-Style Narration
Ship: Loki & Tony Stark
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Fairytale, Curses, Bad First Impressions
Summary: An overextended genius reacts poorly to an unexpected visitor.
Word Count: 784
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Title: Nice Day for a White Wedding - Chapter 3
Collaborator: ceealaina
Link: AO3
Square Filled: A2 - Premonitions
Ship: IronHusbands
Rating: Teen
Major Tags: Fluff, Romance, Idiots in Love
Summary: Tony has a premonition about their future
Word Count: 1179 (7149 total)
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Title: For Want of a Badger
Collaborator: newnewyorker93
Link: AO3
Square Filled: K3 - Silver Haired Tony
Ship: Pepperony, Morgan Stark & Tony Stark
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Fluff and Humor, Parent Tony Stark, Adorable
Summary: Tony and Morgan have a lunch date with Pepper, but getting there on time proves to be a challenge.
Word Count: 1632
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Title: Sober Reflections
Collaborator: PoliZ
Link: AO3
Square Filled: K5 - Sober
Ship: Tony Stark & Nebula
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Angsty
Summary: In the aftermath of the battle on Titan, Tony really, really needs a drink.
Word Count: 621
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Title: Wearing Each Other’s Clothes
Collaborator: phoenixmetaphor3000
Link: Tumblr
Square Filled: Adopted - Wearing Each Other’s Clothes
Ship: IronThunderShield
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: They’re just being super soft okay
Summary: ITS A MOODBOARD LADS
Word Count: N/A
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Title: Traditions - Chapter 5
Collaborator: ABrighterDarkness
Link: AO3
Square Filled: R2 - Wish
Ship: Stuckony
Rating: E
Major Tags: Sexual Content
Summary: “What’d you wish for, Stevie?” Bucky asked fondly after Steve had blown out the ridiculous number of candles that covered the surface of the cake.“After today, I don’t know that I got a whole lot left to wish for,” Steve admitted, somewhat shyly.
Word Count: 3299
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Title: Blood Will Tell - Chapters 4-8
Collaborator: thewaythatwerust
Link: AO3
Squares Filled:
K1 - Handle With Care
S3 - Grief
R2 - Experience
A3 - Free
R1 - Tony Stark/Bucky Barnes
Ship: Stuckony
Rating: Explicit
Major Tags: Vampires, Werewolves, Blood and Violence
Summary: Bucky should have never intervened…But ‘should have’ had never been his strong suit. Which is how he finds himself in a cell, with the inexplicable urge to protect the human charged with holding him captive, from the aberrant lycan threat rising up around them. He thinks it can’t get worse… until a strangely familiar face is staring at him through the bars, out for his blood.That’s when things start to get really interesting.
Word Count: 35,649
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Title: I Like The Way Your Brain Works
Collaborator: thoughtfulbreadpolice
Link: AO3
Square Filled: T2 - Cheesy
Ship: Stony
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Cheesy, Fluff
Summary: “There’s a Taco Bell, want anything?” Natasha asked, looking over at Steve. Steve sighed and looked at her for a second. “For Tony to love me back.” Natasha settled back into the seat and gave Steve a look. “I have like twelve dollars.”
Word Count: 1149
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Title: Geometric Problems
Collaborator: Jacaranda
Link: AO3
Square Filled: T4 - Diner/Restaurant
Ship: Stuckony
Rating: Teen
Major Tags: Food Issues
Summary: When Bucky Barnes finally comes in from the cold after spending months on the run from SHIELD and HYDRA alike, his face is exactly the same as the assassin from D.C., but something about his body seems off. His entire silhouette has changed, and his right arm no longer matches the left.The more time Tony spends observing the man he opened his relationship for, the more he realizes that Bucky's body is still struggling under Hydra's legacy.
Word Count: 22,091
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Title: He Was Tired - Chapter 17
Collaborator: Fighting_for_creativity
Link: AO3
Square Filled: K5 - No Powers
Ship: None
Rating: Teen
Major Tags: Bullying, Comfort, Tony Running His Mouth
Summary: Ultron learns. He learns what friends are. He learns what bullying is. He learns what countermeasures are.Tony finally gets to work in his workshop with Peter again. Which actually leads to an awkward moment. Tony has no control over his mouth sometimes.
Word Count: 22,369
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Title: N/A
Collaborator: trashcanakin
Link: Tumblr
Square Filled: Adopted - Faked Spell
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Could be considered Dub-Conny
Summary: [Moodboard + Prompt] Bucky & Tony get put under a love spell... or did they?
Word Count: N/A
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Title: N/A
Collaborator: trashcanakin
Link: Tumblr
Square Filled: T1 - Pining
Ship: (Pre) IronHawk
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: N/A
Summary: Tony confides in his close friend Natasha about his crush on her best friend Clint. Natasha is done with the both of them.
Word Count: 100
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Title: Pepperony Soulmates Moodboard
Collaborator: rebelmeg
Link: Tumblr
Square Filled: K4 - Soulbond
Ship: Pepperony
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Moodboard, Soulmate
Summary: Tony has been interviewing for a PA all day, and he expects that he’ll be wasting the rest of his day the same way. Until Pepper Potts walks into his office, and words flower under their skin.
Word Count: N/A
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Title: But You Want a Good Time
Collaborator: ceealaina
Link: AO3
Square Filled: T5 - Dark Alleys
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: E
Major Tags: Oral Sex, Coitus Interruptus
Summary: After sneaking out of a gala for some alone time, Tony and Bucky manage to get interrupted by, quite literally, the very last person that they want to see.
Word Count: 2265
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Title: Show Yourself (It’s Your Turn) - Chapter 1
Collaborator: chel
Link: AO3
Square Filled: T5 - Unicorns
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Fluff and Crack
Summary: Where Tony Stark refuses to let Bucky Barnes catch him doing "uncool" things, Rhodes thinks he's an idiot, and Bucky finds out anyway
Word Count: 791
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Title: Science and Magic
Collaborator: DarthBloodOrange
Link: AO3
Square Filled: T2 - Science and Magic
Ship: Gen
Rating: Gen
Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Art
Summary: Tony works on a new potion, JARVIS the Raven watches on.
Word Count: N/A
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Title: Vermillion
Collaborator: RoseRose
Link: AO3
Square Filled: R4 - Kink: Bondage
Ship: Stuckony
Rating: E
Major Tags: Blood Kink, Knife Play, Asexual Steve Rogers, Voyeurism, BDSM
Summary: Steve is asexual, and in a relationship with Tony and Bucky. He finds Tony and Bucky gorgeous, and very, very gorgeous when having sex. He draws them as they engage in some blood play kink.
Word Count: 2513
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Title: Black Snake
Collaborator: ThoughtfulBreadPolice
Link: AO3
Square Filled: K1 - Occupational Hazard
Ship: WinterIron
Rating: Not Rated
Major Tags: Kidnapping
Summary: “How do I even begin?” Tony asked the person behind the camera.In his mind, Tony could hear the quiet tick, tick, tick, of a clock counting down the hours, counting down to an end that Tony knew was coming, though he didn’t know what kind of end it would be.“The same way everything does Tony. At the beginning.”
Word Count: 1067
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Collaborator:
Link: AO3
Square Filled:
Ship:
Rating:
Major Tags:
Summary:
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Title: Boy Next Door
Collaborator: starksnack
Link: AO3
Square Filled: A4 - AU: Teachers
Ship: Stony
Rating: Teen
Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Teachers, Fluff, Getting Together
Summary: The room next door to Tony's classroom has been empty for the last fourteen years. And suddenly the day before the first day of school Tony has a new neighbour.
Word Count: 6000
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Marvel 20 Questions
I wasn't tagged, but I saw this on @musette22‘s Tumblr and decided I wanted to play. Thanks!
1. Favorite solo film? It’s so hard to choose. It would be easier to list my top five. :-) But, I have to go with Thor: Ragnarok, because it is funny and heartwarming and I love it. Plus I have been a sucker for Thor since his first movie. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a really close second, though.
2. Favorite team-up film? The Avengers. It was so cool seeing all the characters we’d watched in the solo movies come together for the first time. Marvel really did the solo movies to team-up movies formula right--didn’t rush it like DC did. The payoff in that first Avengers movie was great. Plus a good villain, high stakes, and a plot that I didn’t have problems with. A good mix of humor to action. Love it. Also, I’m really partial to the AUs where the Avengers all live on their own floors in the tower, and that is the movie that sets that up (even if I’ll forever be sad that they did nothing with it).
3. Favorite female character? There are a lot of BAMF chicks in the MCU, but my absolute favorite is Peggy Carter. She is strong and gorgeous and knows her worth, even a time that is worse that today about allowing women to have that value. I liked her in the first Cap movie, but I loved her even more in the Agent Carter TV series. While I like the Peggy/Steve backstory, I like Peggy better on her own. Darcy Lewis is a really close second favorite--only second because, while I liked her in the Thor movies, it was fic that really fleshed out her character, while Peggy got all that character development on screen. But we’ll see how things go with Wandavision. Maybe Darcy will get the more developed character in cannon that she deserves. (I guess the Netflix shows no longer count for the MCU, huh? Because Jessica Jones was pretty awesome, too.)
4. Favorite male character? Oh my gosh. I love both Thor Odinson and Bucky Barnes SO MUCH--it’s nearly impossible to choose. However, I have to use the rule that I used for favorite female character, and give Thor the number one spot because his character’s awesomeness is fleshed out on screen. While I still think that his first movie could’ve used a bit more middle (more time than just one night on Earth to grow and change into someone who would give his life for others), I’ve loved watching Thor’s character grow and change over the years. He tried so hard to be a Gryffindor, but he’s really a Hufflepuff. While he would’ve been an all right king due to training, he doesn’t have the heart for it, and I think he finally realized that. He is so much more than muscles and a weird accent--he’s loving, supportive, and really smart; he forgives; he’s just an awesome guy. Bucky has that whole tragic redemption arc, which is great, but they really cheated his character out of development on screen after CA:tFA and CA:tWS. Like with Darcy, a lot of his development comes from fic and head cannons. I’m really hopeful for the Falcon & Winter Soldier TV series. Maybe now Bucky will finally get the character development he deserves!
5. Best canon ship? I’m not really tied to many of the cannon ships in the MCU. I liked Tony/Pepper a lot; probably because they got a lot of screen time, and Pepper is another favorite BAMF MCU lady. Scott/Hope is also pretty good. I would’ve said Thor/Jane, except then they broke up. Maybe they will resurge to the top of the list when we get Thor 4.
6. Best non-canon ship? I love so many non-cannon ships for the MCU! I like Stucky, Stony, WinterShock, WinterHawk (but only with the more comic-esque Clint who is deaf and a disaster; not boring family man movie Clint), WinterIron (but only in no power AUs without the Bucky killed Tony’s parents angle), ShieldShock, TaserTricks a bit... Basically any ship with either Bucky or Darcy in it would have a chance, and even though I don’t love cannon Steve all that much, I like a lot of ships with him in fanfic, too. Weirdly, I never read fic about Thor or Peggy--maybe because they are so fleshed out in cannon, I don’t need more from them.
7. Favorite actor? Man, another rough one. I love Chris Hemsworth and Sebastian Stan so much. I think I have to go with Sebastian on this one, though. Chris is great, hot, and I adore him, but Sebastian did so much with a character that had relatively little screen time overall. I mean, Bucky was in five movies, but in a lot of them he was there more for the action than the actual character development (which makes me sad! he deserves more!). But the fact that he took a smaller, supporting character and made him one of my favorites in the whole universe says a lot for Sebastian’s acting. Like, a lot of actors can make you love a character when they are the main character in multiple movies, but how many can do it from the sidelines? (**crossing my fingers for lots of good Bucky in the F&WS show!**)
8. Favorite actress? Gotta go with Hayley Atwell here. The way she played Peggy was masterful. I also really love Kat Dennings, though. Second only to Hayley.
9. Favorite director? Taika Waititi, hands down. He should do all MCU movies from here on out. Prior to him, it was Joss Whedon for his great work on the first Avengers, but Joss let me down with A:AoU.
10. What was the first MCU movie you ever watched? Iron Man. Aside from Spiderman: Homecoming and The Incredible Hulk, I watched all the MCU movies in theater in the order they came out. We are dedicated Marvel fans that way. :-)
11. Which MCU movie have you watched the most? Hmmm... I’m honestly not sure. I’ve never specifically counted viewings. I know the top contenders would be Thor: Ragnarok, Ant Man, The Avengers, Thor, Captain America: the First Avenger, and Iron Man. I have definitely watched every MCU movie except the Spiderman and Hulk solo films more than once, though.
12. Favorite super-suit? I think I’d have to go with the Iron Man suit. I mean, it’s by far the most useful, and it has Jarvis (or Friday) inside. And it lets you fly! That said, if we take it as most attractive suit, then I’d be torn between Steve’s navy and white suit (sans cowl) from the beginning of CA:tWS and Thor’s suit when it bared his arms (the long-sleeved version was weird looking).
13. Favorite weapon? Mjolnir, by far. Even though it creates some weird questions/plot issues, I love the idea of a weapon that only someone with a worthy heart can use. I think my favorite moment in End Game was when they paid out on that bit from AoU and Steve busted out fighting with his shield and Mjolnir. Steve and Thor fighting together with the hammer and the axe was fabulous. I do also like Cap’s shield, even though it’s a weird choice. I’m really looking forward to Thor 4, if the rumors are true and we’re going to get to see Jane use the hammer. That will be excellent!
14. Favorite origin story? Oh, another hard one! I am a sucker for a good redemption story arc, so I think Bucky/Winter Soldier edges in for the win here. Overcoming 70 years of brainwashing and mind wipes for his best friend, struggling to get back to human again, and then trying to make up for some of the wrongs from the past (which I hope is where we’re going in the F&WS show) is excellent. Though, Thor’s journey from spoiled brat to someone who is willing to sacrifice himself for others to king to someone who realizes that he isn’t the best king and is willing to hand the crown to someone else for the good of the people that he loves is a really good one, too. I also like tiny anger-ball Steve taking a risk to become a hero with a good heart. Didn’t necessarily agree with all his choices later, but did like the origin. Solid third.
15. Favorite villain? Definitely Loki. His arc in the first Thor movie is great. And knowing that in the first Avengers movie he was affected by the mind stone adds a great layer. Plus watching him continue to mature and grow until he finally was willing to be there for his brother in Ragnarok. That was a great arc, and the character toes that line of gray morality but redemption that is so compelling to watch. His death was the worst one to me in IW/EG--I really thought he was pulling some other con, and I’ll forever be sad they dropped that thread. I hope that his show is good, and I’ll give it a chance, but I’m still bummed that we’re going back to post-Avengers Loki and losing all that character development from Thor 2 and 3. :-(
16. Favorite fight sequence? Honestly, the action and fighting are probably my least favorite parts of these movies. I know, that’s atypical, lol. Like, they are the less interesting bits I have to put up with to get the character growth I want from my superheroes. Often, the action sequences go on too long. Shorter action sequences would allow them to both keep up momentum and put in more character development, but no one in charge asks me. :-P That said, I like the action sequences best when they show character development, and the best one for that is the highway fight in CA:tWS where Cap and co. fight the Winter Soldier for the first time. No one in the whole movie had challenged Steve that far, but the Winter Soldier truly put him in danger for the first time, and his friends, too. The Winter Soldier was menacing, and then paired with the Bucky reveal at the end. Best action sequence. Though I do also love the Revengers vs. Hela in Ragnarok when Thor finally gets his full lightening powers down and crashes into the battle. He is so OP now, but in an awesome way.
17. Favorite line from any of the films? I love that bit in the first Avengers movie when Thor snags Loki, Tony flies out after him, and Nat tells Steve not go because they are basically gods. I love Steve’s line of, “There’s only one God, Ma’am, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t dress like that.” That one cracks me up even now that I’ve watched it so many times.
18. Favorite scene from any of the films? Pretty much any scene with Darcy in it is a favorite. Her stuff in the first Thor movie is gold. I also like Bucky and Steve’s goodbye scene at the beginning of CA:tFA.
19. If you could pick an Infinity Stone to keep, which would you choose? Huh... I don’t know that I’d want any of them. I guess, if pressed, I’d choose the Space stone because I think it would let me teleport. The Time stone/time travel seems interesting, but I’d be afraid I’d mess up the timelines.
20. Which Disney Plus MCU series are you most looking forward to? Falcon & Winter Soldier, hands down. Though, when I heard Darcy would be a character, that jumped Wandavision up to second place.
I think that @virtual-insomnia would enjoy this. :-)
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Avengers: Endgame (2019) - Review - Spoilers Ahead
Later edit: I saw the movie again and Thanos says he destroyed the stones using the stones. First things first: Imma put a ”keep reading” below just in case someone stumbles upon this review and hasn’t seen the movie yet.
I was gonna wait until I saw it a second time, as I did with Infinity War, but because I am sick with a cold and low on money I am just gonna gather all my opinions and feelings about the movie and just get it over with.
Off the bat I have to say that I have been looking forward to this movie for a year (everyone has been), and while the constant news about it started to become quite annoying the hype was still there. So, naturally I went to see it as soon as it premiered in my country.
If i were to compare this to Infinity War, which, again, most people do, I’d say that Infinity War is more consistent when it comes to its plot and the rules it establishes or has established before in other MCU movies. BUT Endgame just feels like it has more stakes, that it is not as predictable as the first one. I mean, come on, we all knew part of our heroes were gonna be dusted and we knew they were gonna come back because it happens in the comics as well. Obviously they wouldn’t have killed a big character in IW because they needed them for Endgame. As such we were left with the OG Avengers plus a couple of other supporting cast members.
I feel as if even though Endgame was, in part predictable, its stakes were higher. We knew they’d find a way to reverse the snap we just didn’t know how. We speculated it would be time travel months ago but again we weren’t sure how that’d go.
And while I appreciate that they tried to establish some rules prior to the time travel I feel that as soon as it was convenient they threw them out the window, more or less. More on that later.
What I liked about this movie?
I confess: I wanted the movie to start with this scene above. No music, no nothing just this scene that we also saw in the trailer. It just conveys so well how Infinity War ended, how our heroes feel. It’s tragic, no shred of hope. And yeah the trailers spoiled it because they also showed Tony back on Earth ( which I hated) it still would’ve been nice to start with this but I admit the scene with Clint and his family was heartbreaking but not surprising.
Ok so what did I like in Endgame?
Cap’s determination to move forward, his willingness to help others do so and adapt to the new world post snap. it really shows the core qualities of Cap and why Steve is truly worthy to be Cap.
I really liked Ant Man, Paul Rudd is just a delight to watch. I loved all of his reactions and I feel like he mirrored the audience pretty well. I mean he is a hero in his own right yet he is still an outsider reacting to everything around him and to the other more well known characters.
The way the movie brought many things full-circle, it was like an ongoing thing. Staring with Thor killing Thanos and saying that this time he aimed for the head to Tony ending 11 years of MCU with the same line that he started it.
Black Widow - she is not really one of my favourites. There’s nothing wrong with her it’s just I couldn’t invest in her as a character, but that’s a me problem not a problem with the character as is. But in this movie Black Widow was amazing and not because of the sacrifice she made but because she endured and basically took on Nick Fury’s mantle, so to speak, and tried to guide everyone and be that shinning light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Also, her friendship with Clint is amazing and I love that throughout all of the MCU the writers did not feel compelled to make them have a romantic relationship. There are other types of relationships in this world and I am glad Marvel understands that and showed us how beautiful her and Clint’s relationship is and how she supports him and loves him and vice versa.
Everything with Rocket is amazing because he is amazing.
I liked how they used time travel to give a nod to a lot of Marvel Movies, kinda paying homage to what was before while at the same time showing where we are now and how far our characters have evolved since this whole MCU started. It was beautifully done. And yes Tony talking to his father was nothing out of the ordinary, in terms of dialogue, the moment was heartfelt and it really caught me off guard. Steve seeing Peggy was a nice touch too even though we know it was there to kind of explain the ending but more on that later.
Clint being badass. He is one of my favourite MCU characters.
The fact that Thor had a panic attack and pretty much got depressed after the events of Infinity War. I know many consider his character development that he got during Ragnarok was ruined, but I think what happened to him was a normal response. Think about it: Thor was the closest to killing Thanos, and because he aimed for the chest Thanos snapped his fingers. It was a matter of seconds. Thanos even teases him about it in IW. ANYONE in Thor’s shoes would feel like crap, like a failure because to him it feels like the faith of everyone who got dusted was in his hands and he was sloppy and missed and so because of him half of everyone on the planet disappeared. It didn’t matter that it was a team effort to try to bring Thanos down. The fact that in the last seconds before the snap it was just Thor and Thanos looking at each other with the latter teasing the former about not aiming right was enough for Thor to send him into depression. We could still see that it is the same Thor from Ragnarok but Thor lost so much and bottled up so many emotions that it was only natural that he’đ either have a full outburst of anger, wich he did in Infinity War or go into depression, which he also did in Endgame. So, yeah, in my opinion Thor was written pretty good. Ok, the fat jokes were kinda on the nose, but it did give us one of the best jokes in the movie when Tony called him Lebowski.
The final battle was freaking amazing even though I wanted Doctor Strange to have more screen time, but I guess he had his time in IW. Yet the moment he raised his finger and looked at Tony to let him know that was the one chance where they win was heartbreaking and utterly beautiful. Like this is it no screwing up. Now or never.
CAPTAIN AMERICA WIELDING FREAKING MJOLNIR!
What I didn’t like or had doubts about:
When Thanos mentioned that he destroyed the Infinity stones he said that they were basically atoms at the point when the Avengers came to fight him about it on the farm planet. If I remember correctly 2 or 3 days passed between the snap and them going on the farm planet after Thanos so I really wanted the avengers to try and have Scott go into the quantum realm to have him reassemble the stones at an atom level. It would have been harder, sure, but it was an option. wasn’t it?I guess it could have taken longer.
I think it was already established in prior movies that the Gauntlet was the only item that could hold the infinity stones and harness their power. To me it was a bit off how Tony was able to make his own gauntlet, just because. It would have been a little bit better if they used the original gauntlet. It was still cool to see yet it took me out of the moment for a split second.
Steve’s ending. Thematically I don’t think it works. Now, don’t get me wrong I want Steve to be happy but we’ve spend so many movies establishing that Steve was, at least, partially ok with the fact that he couldn’t go back to his own time. Sure he hold on to Peggy and what she meant to him but he accepted that he had a duty, that he couldn’t live a normal life even if he wanted to and in Endgame he even was the one to urge people to move on in the post snap world. Steve is a selfless, kind person and he couldn’t and wouldn’t sit on the sidelines while others suffer. It’s just not him. He also kinda fucked up the timeline. As far as I understood (feel free to correct me on this) because he returned the stones to their original locations the timeline stayed the same, it didn’t branch like the Ancient One said it would if even one stone would be removed. So, that means that the Peggy he went back to is the Peggy from the main timeline but we were told they can’t change the past so how can he go back and be with her if it is the main timeline while also doing what he did post coming out of the ice? It boggles my mind. But putting that aside, it’s just not Steve. His whole ark was moving on. And sure when he went to the 70s with Tony he saw Peggy and maybe thought to himself that there was a chance to be with her BUT our Steve, present Steve is not the same with the one who just came out of the ice 70 years ago. Yes he’d long for and miss her and want to go back but ultimately he wouldn’t because he moved on. He had a reunion with Peggy when she was old and it was bittersweet but he had closure, in a sense.
The fact that he passed on his shield to Falcon. I know that is what happens in the comics but here we are talking about the MCU and in the MCU it does not make sense. Falcon had no ark in these movies (if I am not mistaken), and he does not have any powers of his own. He is just a guy with wings. in the comics he has powers so it makes sense to take on the mantle of Cap. In the MCU giving him the shield doesn’t mean added powers as well. Having a black captain america is an amazing concept and i’m 100% for it just not Falcon.
I found it hilarious yet awful how Banner first said that time travel is not his area of expertise only to have him later on explaining time travel to everyone. Like, you could have made Tony do it after he came back and cracked time travel. I get Banner could know some stuff but if you establish he doesn’t know then he doesn’t know.
While the CGi on Hulk was great for me it looked like uncanny valley for some reason. I know Professor Hulk is a thing in the comics but it looked so awkward and weird and it showed how the writers had no idea what to do with him like that. Banner shined when he was in his astral projection form while talking with the Ancient One but looked awkward for the rest of the movie.
Captain Marvel - yeah she had the cool cool scene at the end which I loved but I dislike her character a lot.
The plot point with Nebula being the means Thanos finds out about time travelling.
The joke at the end with Thor and Star Lord dragged on for so long and it really wasn’t funny. Except the Asgardians of the Galaxy part, that was hilarious.
Questions I had:
How did Steve return the soul stone?
If past Gamora came to the future and assuming it was the same timeline why couldn’t they go and grab Black Widow? Sure it would cheapen her sacrifice and I don’t want that to happen but it is a question that you have to wonder about.
Nebula kills her past self…and nothing happens? I mean I know Hulk said your past becomes your future and all that but it doesn’t make sense however you look at it. Except if that Nebula was from a different branch, a different reality.
If past Thanos came into the future and got killed there does that mean that the snap does not happen, assuming it is the same timeline? and if it’s not then does that mean there’s a timeline out there where the snap outright didn’t happen?
How did Thanos destroy the Infinity stones in the first place? He is the most powerful being in the MCU so far but you gotta wonder how did he accomplish such a thing.
The movie was incredibly enjoyable, it didn’t feel like 3 hours at all. It was darker than Infinity War but less solid than the former. At least in my opinion. It is truly emotional to see all of the MCU movies leading up to these 2 which are by all means masterpieces of the genre. I mean sure they have flaws but we’ve got to admit they did raise the bar a lot. Many of the MCU movies did. Some titles were bland, sure but most were not.
I’d give this movie a 9,5 out 10 which is almost perfect in my book. It was a perfect conclusion, all the time travel shenanigans and plot holes aside.
#endgame#avengers#avengers endgame#infinity war#spoilers#tony stark#steve rogers#iron man#thanos#captain america#black widow#doctor strange
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Endgame: Opinions/Analysis
Spoilers ahead - under the cut- so read at your own risk.
The movie was good. I may not agree with how we go to the end of some of the Avenger’s stories but it was done well. Let's being.
Putting to stones back didn't undo Nat's death, I don’t think it could have without hurting her, not without changing her on some fundamental level. She went willingly into that void as much as Clint. She sacrificed herself not for him but for the avengers and her adoptive Barton niece and nephews. She died to protect her family as much as Clint was willing to. She was fraying, coming apart at the ends in a way that is keenly familiar to me. Yes, she found a family with the Avengers but that was the only family she found. Yes, she lost the opportunity to build anything beyond 2023 with that or any family. But that's okay. Sometimes you don't get more than a few years and your protect it vehemently. She did. She weighed the needs of the many against those of the few and wouldn't let her oldest/best friend join those numbers. I doubt she wanted to entertain the conversation with Laura about Clint sacrificing himself for this. For them. So she did what she does, she read the situation and made a play. She was the better spy, the better hero that day. I was reminded that because Wanda’s powers came from the mind stone, she may have a link to the Soul Stone so she has some awareness of that stone’s pocket reality. (So “Force Ghost” Nat and original MCU Gamora. Maybe?)
Tony got a happy ending. Or at least part of one. He was always going to be our Martyr. That's just MCU/RDJ Tony. It's his MO. He was always going to be the one we lost tragically, no matter how Endgame went. He got to flip out and call Cap on his bullshit from AOU and how he knew this would happen. He and Pepper have their Morgan and gods do I hope she makes appearances or is at least referenced going forward. But in the end, Tony did it all of this for HER and for PETER. These are his kids. He couldn't protect one but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to be there for the other right until he was given the chance to fix things from 2018. His death hurt me most because your spouse dying is one of if not the most stressful events that can happen to a person (so sayeth science). It's an inevitability and Pepper knew from Iron Man 1, the start of all this, that he could probably die out there. She's called him on in and cautioned him to be careful more times than I can count. He seldom heeded her warnings.
Thor blamed himself for everything that happened: Frigga’s death, Hela’s return and the inevitable destruction of Asgard, the losses in Infinity War, and those at the beginning of Endgame. It didn’t matter that destroying the planet of Asgard meant saving the people. He lost. He was their monarch and he failed to protect them in the ways he was expected to. Then Thanos showed up and cost him half the remaining people. The losses that day included at least one of his best friends & most trusted advisers (Heimdall) and Loki, the brother with whom he’d only JUST reconciled. The only way he wasn’t going to be the drunk we saw (or some variation thereof because survivor’s guilt manifests in different ways) was if he’d taken Thanos’ life before the snap. That was it. He’d still be dealing with Survivor’s Guilt, no doubt, but if he had at last avenged the assault on their refugee ship and saved everyone else from the snap. His going off to join the Guardians was fitting in that he’s not a ruler, not like he thought or was told he’d be. So he’s going back to what he knows, what he does best, and doing the things he does best - saving people.
Why not reverse the last 5 Years with the time travel heist/plot? What about all the time travel and Steve living a life with Peggy? Well, I’m gonna quote Doctor Who “it’s a great big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey...stuff.” The movie ctually established the MCU’s time travel rules through Banner Hulk and The Ancient One. First, they couldn’t change their memories or pasts. So STeve staying in the post WW2 era with Peggy doesn’t or can’t affect anything we saw in the movies. Bucky stayed in the present, so he’s the same Bucky. Loki snagged the Tesseract and BAMF’ed out so, as someone else posited, he’s probably something similar to his TDW self. Second, changes to the past would only result in branching timelines an d alternate realities. The current MCU timeline’s “present” is still likely that new/central timeline only Old-Man Rogers (Old Man Carter eheh) knew the future and he knew to stay ahead of his younger self. How uncomfortable would that conversation be? Third, things are inevitable as a result. Thanos’s 2018 assault: Inevitable. The fates of all our beloved characters: Inevitable. Bucky staying in the 2023 present as a physically 30 year old: Inevitable.
Now, I put the basic time travel overhaul up there because Steve’s whole ending is time travel. This video from ScreenCrush explains it better than I can. So I’ll hop onto the psych explanation since that’s more my jam than quantum physics. We all HEARD him say he’d moved on at the end of AOU. He told Tony as much. Then he got Bucky back in CW only to lose him again to both cryo and Thanos. During time travel he sees Peggy, who he’s definitely not let go of and never will, only to lose her a third time the second he and Tony are back in the present. He’s been broken and had to put himself together in new and interesting ways emotionally multiple times over the decade of the MCU. Like Thor, he’s likely suffering from survivor’s guilt and PTSD. With everything he’s been through it would impossible for him not to be. Unlike Thor, and I suspect even unlike Bucky, he never really found a home in the modern world. Bucky had Wakanda and was reluctant to leave his little farm to fight except that he was duty bound. Steve wanted the kind of life that Tony got to have with Pepper. Only he wanted it with Peggy. By the end of Endgame, he’d finally found a way to achieve that when he returned the stones and TDW Mjolnir to their original places in time.
I’m not going to launch into the arguments for/against him and Peggy, the internet and Tumblr in particular have done enough of that. The video I linked above also explains how he got to have both lives and still follow the rules put forth for Time Travel in the MCU by suggesting that his timeline with her was a branch and so never interacted or impacted the one we know prior. If I had been in Steve’s position, I can’t say I wouldn’t have gone back in time and risked my life to stay with the person I love.
Bucky’s the last person I’m gonna touch on. There was no way that he didn’t either know or suspect that Steve was going to stay back in time. For all know they had a conversation about it prior, even if it was one of those “so Hypothetically speaking what would you do if I stayed in the past with Peggy”. any conversation they may have had about him saving Bucky sooner would have probably included some mention of Sam and, I suspect, how Steve needs him to guide/keep an eye on his successor. It could have even included the same lecture(s) from Bruce Hulk and the Ancient One about branching timelines. Bucky needs to stay in the present because he fits there better than Steve did and he’s the link that Old Man Rogers-Carter is going to rely on to look after the others.
By this point I realize I’m talking in circles but I’m trying to look at the film in the context of what happened and how it ties into the rest of the MCU as opposed to what I as a fan would have wanted to change. Like somehow getting Nat back. Or maybe the Loki Outside Time showing up during that final fight to throw a knife or two at 2014 Thanos. Maybe a tie in to that video of middle-aged Peggy talking about her husband and kids where Steve is sitting another room, looking enough not like himself that the camera crew never bothers him. Something like that. Have Tony live somehow and just be the brains behind the team even if he couldn’t fight. And so on.
#avengers endgame#avengers endgame spoilers#avengers#captain america#bucky barnes#winter soldier#steve rogers#hulk#bruce banner#natasha romanoff#black widow#hawkeye#clint barton#peggy carter#ant-man#thanos#infinity stones
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I feel like there were a lot of moments that worked in the micro (were impactful scenes very true to the characters involved, or were just cool/fun), but were incredibly problematic when viewed in the context of the MCU as a whole (which they have to be, not least because this is The Culmination of Ten Years of Storytelling). Examples: Nat's death, Thor's convo with his mom, the girl gang scene. Thoughts?
Uhhhh, short version? Yes.
Longer version? Ugh. Yea, there were a lot of things that were either outright plotholes or that could have easily been done another way that would have made more sense in the larger context BUT that also were chosen to be done the way they were because they wanted to give that to the fans. [The whole time heist stuff was such an incredible reward for the audience getting those peeks at the older stories but ... honestly ... it was almost sillier than Legends of Tomorrow storylines in some places!]
Also some things that make sense for the series as a whole but that disappointed me in the micro-sense of individual character’s stories. This kind of thing is just gonna happen in a series like this. It would be incredibly hard to avoid. But it’s still frustrating.
One of my big examples is actually how Thanos was ultimately felled.
Of course it had to be Tony, it was always going to be Tony. He started the whole series and the emotional notes leading up to the crescendo of the big battle all led in that direction and him taking Thanos down with the line “I am Iron Man” was almost too epic for words. So, in the context of the past 11 years and the journey these characters have been on since he first said those words, it was very meaningful. (One could even say ... inevitable?)
But I personally felt like it would have been much more meaningful if Nebula and Gamora had taken him down. I know they were important parts of the fight overall, but because of the powerfulness of their stances against him, I always envisioned the two of them working together to bring him down in the end. Or at the very LEAST to have had a more significant role in his downfall.
Like maybe they could have been there to help give Tony the set-up that he then took. IDK. It just really left me kinda cold how little they ended up having to do with defeating him when it came down to it.
Now, a lot of this is perspective and I’m seeing so many different perspectives based on which characters and stories impacted people the most. And for me, it’s always been the stories of the female characters that hit me the most. So I wanted this for these two sisters who worked so hard to be able to work together against their abuser. *shrug*
I’ve also seen a lot of people sad or upset that Carol didn’t end up having a big enough role, but I feel like - well she wasn’t going to be there for the big emotional beats in the first half because she wasn’t part of that Avengers family. (and in the in-story reason of course being that she had a whole universe of planets to help while Earth had all these other heroes)
But what she did contribute to the fight was pretty damned epic. Showing back up just in the nick of time and blowing through Thanos’s ship was *chefkiss* - I was bouncing around in my seat practically chanting her name!
And same for the whole “girl gang” scene. Like, ooof, this idea that all of the badass lady fighters who may or may not even know one another well would drift towards one another protectively and fight together just felt Dead ON to me.
Would it have been better if the MCU had more carefully and intentionally fostered relationships between the female heroes, and perhaps even cultivated more female heroes in the first place? Heck yea! But lacking that? I love the idea of them finding one another organically in the heat of battle and cooperating like that. That’s pretty much what would happen, imo. Women fucking rock.
Nat’s death is another one that can be framed in so many different ways, depending on the perspective you have going in. I find stories of sacrifice really meaningful and touching, and to me it made perfect sense for her character that she would make that choice. Obviously, Clint wanted to be the one to make it and probably any of the other heroes who would have found themselves in that situation would have tried to have done it, too. That’s part of what makes them all heroes.
But for Nat, especially being there with Clint, who saved her and who’s family was her family? There was no freaking way in hell she was ever going to let him be the one to sacrifice himself.
And it sucks that she had to. And it sucks that the storytelling couldn’t come up with a better way and/or have given the audience more context for her character by having given her a solo film prior to this heroic end, etc. But it still made sense to me and was deeply meaningful to me and left me satisfied as far as her having made the choice that fit for her arc. All she wanted was to fix things and save her family. And she did. She did that.
IDK, I feel like I’m tangenting at this point. But I’d love to hear more of what you thought worked on one level but not another. For me the biggest one was the sisters and Thanos’s downfall. But there were definitely others.
Thor’s whole arc fit weirdly into the overall story. But his arc has been kinda goofy for awhile, anyway. I know some people are mad about it, but I liked his choice to abdicate. I never felt like he Wanted to be king. His choosing something else for himself was not, I felt, a result of his depression but rather his way of crawling back out of it. His people needed a leader, though, so he found someone who he thought could do a better job, and really, why should leadership go down a familial line? Valkyrie will be an amazing king. And Thor is gonna have such fun adventures with the Guardians!
#avengers: endgame spoilers#avengers: endgame#avengers#endgame#spoilers#mcu#mcu meta#ask me stuff#startenthousand
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endgame spoilers.
some of my thoughts on the movie. this incredible movie. i really did enjoy it. so obviously, spoilers beneath the cut. soz for the swearing. also soz if the cut doesn’t work mobile. my b.
they did thor dirty. i get that he was at the lowest of lows. he lost everything. he missed the target. he had so much guilt weighing him down that him turning into the dude made sense. where did they go dirty on him? how his friends handled his depression . really, banner kinda touched on it, frigga definitely did. but everyone else treated it like it was nothing. that didn't sit well with me. the entire time, he was treated like the butt of every joke, and when do we really see his character shine? at the end. not during the battle bc we all saw that coming, but after that when he's back at his tiny asgard and gives asgard to val. then says he's going to leave to find who he is, not who he's supposed to be.
i loved that tony had a family. i think after all the prior movies, after infinity war, he deserved that slice of heaven, and i totally understand how he was so stubborn in letting them go to help out the gang. that convo between him and pepper - he's basically begging her to stop him. there's such a huge unsaid discussion going on between them. their connection is deep and the fact that pepper doesn't throw a fit over it all shows that she really was meant to be with tony. she gets him through and through. she knew he wouldn't be able to get it off his mind and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he didn't help.
mcu did nat dirty in general, lbr. but in a sense, i get that she'd be the one to die for the soul stone. look at secret empire. she took cap's shield to the neck to make sure that miles morales didn't become the murderer that a premonition said he'd be. she gave up her life for the success of the world. they did her hella dirty by glossing over her death and overshadowing it with tony's bloated funeral. it should've been a joint funeral tbh. they both paid the ultimate price to make sure the world kept living onward. the only person who was actually really torn up about her was clint, which made sense in the mcu, but she was legit the backbone of the avengers for the five years after IW. she poured everything into the team, which is why she sacrificed herself.
wtf was up with clint's ridiculous hair and his 90s sleeve tattoo? loved ronin tho. looooved that tone shift in him after losing his family.
people are tryna drag scott for not mourning his family but....the dude got out of the quantum realm, figured out what had happened. he was sad. he was so sad. but he had a plan. he saw the problem, and he had hope that it could be fixed, and he knew how to fix it. he was so desperate to keep that hope alive that you could see how manic he was when he was describing what to do that he couldn't even really articulate it. and it's a throwback to what jan van dyne said about the quantum realm and how hard it was to keep sane there. scott was also the most relatable avenger imo.
despite not having a whole lot of screentime, nebula was fucking incredible. that character development? i'm on board wiht that. i also want to see more of her working with rhodey. rhodey, who i also absolutely loved. he got the development he needed that he didn't get prior
i didn't like banner's "gentle giant" bullshit. he looked and acted like a pretentious asshole. i miss the mousy banner with the rage monster inside. it made it seem like he had more faults that were easily translated on screen. there was barely any explanation for that merging either. he had problems tryna get hulk to come out in IW, but he got him to merge???? nah, fam. shit doesn't make sense.
they did cap dirty. for a dude who has spent all the movies he's in preaching about moving forward and healing, he sure did regress a shitload in endgame. how fucking selfish was it for him to up and ditch the family he'd made in the present - a family that he had started wars over, fought friends over, had almost died for - for peggy, a woman he'd barely known when he was first introduced? not to mention the fact that he knew she was supposed to get married and have kids with someone else . she had her own life that she lived out and he saw that. he learned about her life, and he still fucking went back and fucked with the timeline because he was so fucking selfish. no. i get that chris's contract ended, but you know what would've been more satisfying because it would've been more true to his character? his death. dying for an ideal he believed in. dying for a family that he had stuck with and had stuck with him.
i did love the ancient one's appearance during the attack on manhattan. that was fucking cool. she explained the multiverse theory so well, and it showed that she knew so fucking much more than she let on in doctor strange's movie
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Tell me aaaaaall about Sofya, Helena, Valerie, and Kiara. Put it under a cut if you have to!! I want all the tea!!!
ahhh i love you so much jen!!! you really came through for me 💖💖 okay this is gonna get hella long so i’m gonna put my answers under the cut bc there’s just so much i gotta say!!
SOFYA VOLKOVA
so here’s the tea on sofya volkova! her story is called “budapest” she’s paired up with my queen, natasha romanoff. and her story is full of sadness lol. on new years day in 1937 (aka her 9th birthday), her parents who were well respected scientists for the soviet union were killed in her home and she witnessed their death. she was later taken in by a name named viktor grankin, who encouraged her to join the red room academy under the idea that she could one day get revenge for her parents’ death. it’s during this time that she meets natalia romanova, and the two often clashed that lasted nearly a decade. but they eventually came to respect one another as assassins and eventually led to a relationship that remained hidden from their handlers.
viktor grankin was her handler during her time and he set her on missions that they believed would lead her to her parents’ killer. she would later earn the alias “sparrow” which was given to her by viktor himself. during one mission, she learned that the man behind her parents’ death was none other than viktor. she tried to take him out but failed, but she faked her death (also ending her relationship with natasha) and remained in hiding as she worked up a plan to ruin viktor and kill him.
she was inspired by the infamous line in the avengers where natasha and clint mention budapest. and since we don’t know what happens, i decided to make sofya and she’s the budapest mission lol. basically clint and natasha get word of a dangerous assassin that they’re meant to take out, and nat is SHOOK bc her old girlfriend is alive and well but also dead set on killing viktor (who basically was given something similar to natasha and sofya).
her story is so sad bc she’s lost so much and was used by viktor for 21 years. and in order to get her revenge, she had to leave the only person she’s loved since her parents??? and now she’s like a stranger in natasha’s eyes but natasha doesn’t want to lose her again?? i love angst lol!!
HELENA HARTLEY
here’s the tea on my mom, helena hartley! her story is called “second chances”. so’s a revived oc of mine from yeeears ago and i think i love her a lot more now than i did before lol. but she’s the ex-girlfriend of tony stark and the mother of the beautiful lauren stark. she met tony back in 1990 at a science convention and she honestly couldn’t stand him but he always flirted with her and it was cute as heck. they clashed a lot on ideas but they also really enjoyed the bickering?? and formed an interesting friendship. but after the death of tony’s parents, helena was always there for him and something more bloomed.
tony didn’t admit his feelings until like 1992. tony was always supportive of helena’s dreams of being an engineer and even got her a job at stark industries. their relationship resulted in the birth of their daughter in 2001, but they never got married. there were also a LOT of cute dad!tony moments like he spoiled lauren to the point where her only way to sleep was on someone’s chest and listening to their heartbeat. or he loved mentioning her whenever he could during an interview bc he was so proud!!
but tony was prone to self-desctruction and it put a strain on their relationship that eventually ended in 2005. but despite their breakup, they always made sure lauren wasn’t too negatively affected and remained coordial for her sake. helena left stark industries and became an engineer at northrop grumman. but when tony needs help making the jericho missile, the first person he wants on his team is helena (but honestly it’s partially bc he misses her and is still in love with her).
their story is gonna be filled with angst (especially during the iron man movies) bc helena is trying to date other men but tony keeps finding his way back into her life, then tony goes missing and it messes up helena AND lauren (who’s like really young during this time so OW) and then when tony becomes iron man and how lauren is constantly worried about her dad.
i’ve also planned to have helena being an inhuman but it doesn’t get found out until later. and her power was going to be technology manipulation bc i didn’t want her to be a full on hero but have something a little different.
VALERIE BYERS
um so i really love my time traveling bby girl!! she’s one of the three main characters of my fic, “timeless,” and the other main characters are my cyborg bby boy jai graham (who was created by the queen shuri herself) and sarah wilson, who’s the younger sister of sam wilson. so valerie is the only child of tony stark and her mother was an old girlfriend of his named susan byers. their relationship was never liked among susan’s parents and though it ended, susan found out that she was pregnant but never told tony. in fact, valerie never found out about tony being her father until she was 15.
valerie would try to find ways to meet tony, such as going to different conventions he held or was a guest at. but after the battle of new york, she realized how much she needed her father. her mom was paralyzed during the event and it wasn’t until valerie was 20 when susan finally passed. valerie then made it her business to get a job at stark industries, which she luckily did. she would work under tony, but never tell him the fact that she was his daughter.
but due to the events of infinity war, and tony is believed to have died after last being seen going into space, and the avengers fail to save the world from thanos, valerie’s life goes to shit.
since “timeless” is basically one big au and my own spin on infinity war, thanos actually takes control of earth after the big snap and the chitauri still roam earth. it’s kinda like an apocalyptic setting and humans aren’t as free to do much and the chitauri controls a lot of what happens???
but anyway, valerie meets jai and sarah when she’s out looking for scraps to build stuff and jai and sarah and they come up with the idea fo build a time machine and valerie is the perfect brain needed for the job to help create it. their plan is to go back to different points in time to assist the avengers and stop them from breaking up (bc they believe them being apart was a downfall) and try to find the infinity stones and destroy them so thanos can’t get his hands on them.
and they all lost something in the war; valerie lost her father, jai lost his creator/mother (he really never got to meet her bc she died and her last thing she did was setting him free), and sarah lost her brother who turned to ash. but one happy thing is that valerie is paired up with jai but they’re gonna be hella cute and make s.carlet.vision look like nothing compared to them lmaoo.
KIARA WILLIAMS
finally, we have my pretty bird kiara! her story is “icarus” and i created her maybe a year or two ago??? she was inspired by the line where sam mentions wanting to impress the lady who worked at the va, and kiara is that lady!! she’s got a younger sister named layla and kiara is also an inhuman (the mcu has ignored them and i love them so i gotta include them lol). her father, raymond, is also an inhuman and he brought her to afterlife where she got the help after going through terrigenesis in her early teen years and gained the power of wing manifestation. when she finally returned to society, her relationship with layla was strained, but they’ve been working hard on fixing it.
she tried her best to live a normal life, getting a job as a receptionist at the va in washington dc and eventually meeting sam wilson (who she’d admire from a distance lol). but when steve rogers comes in and plays a wingman for sam, they start to become friends that eventually leads to something more.
kiara eventually becomes an avenger and gains the alias “icarus” thanks to a cute interaction she had with sam years prior. basically when it was believed that shield attacked afterlife (which kiara just so happened to be at the moment) kiara was hit in the line of fire and barely made it out with her life and it’s that day when sam finds out about her being an inhuman and her powers. he’s really sweet and helps her heal and he makes a joke saying “i guess icarus flew too close to the sun” and it’s just been her nickname ever since.
#sent a raven#valerie byers#sofya volkova#kiara williams#helena hartley#bless u for coming thru with this ask!!!#i love gushing about my ocs so much!!#jen tag
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Warning! Spoilers ahead for WandaVision episode 6.
Marvel's WandaVision is Hawkeye's opportunity to fix a potentially disastrous mistake he made with Scarlet Witch. Wanda Maximoff has somehow fabricated her own happy ending, with Scarlet Witch using her powers to hold a small town in New Jersey hostage regardless of the consequences to her actions. All she cares about is holding onto what she wants: a life with her husband Vision and their children, despite Vision having been killed during the events of Avengers: Infinity War. With the organization known as SWORD having formed a perimeter around the town (and its director looking to go on the offensive), Hawkeye's potential involvement in the volatile situation could help deescalate things given his relationship with Wanda, as well as making up for arguably failing her after Avengers: Endgame.
WandaVision has revealed that the events of the series on Disney+ take place only a few short weeks after the Avengers fought Thanos and his forces in Avengers: Endgame, restoring the world after half of it had been erased by the Man Titan in Avengers: Infinity War five years prior. It's also been revealed that Wanda almost immediately went and found Vision's body in possession of SWORD. In her grief, it was reported that she took the body and went to Westview, New Jersey, where she somehow created her sitcom happy ending in the town using her powers. Now, the people within are trapped with no way out, forced to play out their roles in Wanda's fantasy with a revived Vision. While it's clear that Wanda's done all this due to her immense loss and pain, perhaps that didn't need to happen had someone been there to offer some support. Someone like Clint Barton.
Related: Marvel Confirms When WandaVision Is Set In The MCU Timeline
Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch have a pretty close relationship in the MCU, as Barton was the first Avenger to truly give her and her brother a chance to redeem themselves and become Avengers in their own right. Likewise, Clint would continue to be a mentor to Wanda, as seen in Captain America: Civil War. While they didn't interact after Civil War until after the battle with Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, they did share a moment together at Tony Stark's funeral. Like Wanda, Clint had also suffered a deep loss when Black Widow sacrificed herself to get the Soul Stone to help bring everyone back that they had lost. However, it doesn't seem like Hawkeye provided any kind of support after this conversation near the end of Endgame, as evidenced by Wanda's drastic and grief-filled actions in WandaVision.
It should be noted that Hawkeye certainly has his share of baggage to process himself after Avengers: Endgame. Not only had he spent the last five years in darkness as the lethal vigilante known as Ronin (for which it's unclear if he's a wanted man), but the loss of Black Widow hit him hard as well, as he firmly believed he should have been the one to die. Furthermore, he's also reunited with his family who had all been erased in Thanos' Decimation as well. That being said, given Clint's connection to Wanda, and essentially being the only strong relationship she has left at this point in the MCU, Hawkeye could have and arguably should have extended more support to her. While he certainly could have tried off-screen, WandaVision makes the implication that this probably wasn't the case, given Wanda's recent admission that she felt completely alone after Endgame before creating the Hex.
This is why an appearance from Hawkeye in upcoming episodes of WandaVision would be so significant. If anyone could get her to realize what she's doing is wrong, it would be Clint Barton. He's proven to be the voice of reason and guidance for Wanda in the past, and it's evident that she could really use some redirection. Scarlet Witch is justifiably confused, in pain, and angry. She could very much benefit from a friend like Hawkeye, and a potential appearance in WandaVision would be the perfect opportunity to make up for not being there earlier, as well as starting Clint's own redemption arc in the MCU.
More: All MCU Movie Connections In WandaVision So Far
WandaVision: Hawkeye Saving Scarlet Witch Would Fix His Greatest Failure from https://ift.tt/3jX7DpD
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