Fantastic Four: First Steps Review

Remember ten years ago when Fox announced they were releasing a reboot of the Fantastic Four? The moment I saw the trailers for it, all I could do was groan because I knew it would be a disaster. More than that, I didn’t understand why Fox felt the need to do this. With the MCU already well-underway, it felt like a waste of time and money to make a standalone film. I wasn’t alone, either; the film flopped so bad that when Disney bought Fox in 2019, people cheered since it meant Marvel’s first family could come home at last. Fast-forward to 2025, and we finally have the Fantastic Four’s induction into the MCU with their newest film, Fantastic Four: First Steps. But does it manage to give the quartet their due after all these years? The long and short of it is that yes, yes it does.

The Amazing Retrofuturism

The big thing that needs to be said about Fantastic Four: First Steps is the fact that while it’s part of the MCU, it doesn’t take place in the MCU’s main timeline. Instead, it takes place on Earth-828 during a retro-futuristic 1960s. Besides being a loving tribute to the birthday of the team’s co-creator, Jack Kirby, the most advantage this film has is starting off with a clean slate. Ever since Endgame, more and more people have complained about the abundance of shows and specials that the MCU has gotten on streaming. It’s a bold experiment, but even the most devoted fans (like me) don’t like having to watch everything to make sense of what’s going on! Not only is this film something that we can watch without seeing any other Marvel movies, but it taking place on an alternate Earth means it can use the Multiverse concept to be as creative as possible. And creative it gets!

When the Fantastic Four first came out in 1961, the US was experiencing a time of growth and prosperity. Advances in science, technology, and civil rights meant that people were very optimistic about the future held in store. Shows like Star Trek had us exploring the depths of the universe, while cartoons like The Jetsons imagined a future with flying cars, floating houses, and wonders that would like our lives better than ever. While that future has yet to come about in real life, First Steps gives us a chance to see what that would might have been like. Everything is full of bright colors and smooth lines from the biggest buildings to the cars (which look awesome!) The movie even goes the extra mile by capturing the art style of the time on everything from the billboard signs to a box of cereal. As someone who loves sci-fi and retro-futurism, it was like a dream come true for me!

What was even better, though, was how the film managed to do justice to not only the Fantastic Four, but Galactus…and the Silver Surfer, though that’s complicated.

The Characters Were Near Perfect

As a kid, I never had any interest in Fox’s first two attempts at Fantastic Four movies, and I have never seen the disaster that was the 2015 film (and I never hope to!) It wasn’t until after I had already seen First Steps that I even watched the 2005 film. I’m glad that I waited, because the 2005 movie is very dated, not only in special effects, but in how it portrays the characters. The movie forgets one of the most important things about its main characters: they’re a family. And while families do often fight and argue about things, at the end of the day, the Fantastic Four are incredibly close and care about each other. I watched the 2005 film, and I barely got any family vibes from them.

In contrast to the previous films, First Steps sees the Fantastic Four fully embrace their role as Marvel’s first family. Not only do the actors do a good job of portraying their characters, but they manage to act much like a normal family would when they’re onscreen together. Reed is constantly worrying about things that could go wrong, but he has his wife, brother-in-law, and best friend to get him out of his head when needed. Johnny and Ben’s back-and-forth is a lot more playful than in the Tim Story films. And not only does Susan have a lot more agency, but she lives up to her role as the loving team mom who keeps everyone together.

As far as the individual actors go, though, I’ve got a few things worth saying.

Good Actors!

I know some people have gotten tired of seeing Pedro Pascal everywhere, but I haven’t. And I think that he does a good job of downplaying the more negative aspects of Reed Richards’ personality. While he does admit that he’s the smartest man in the room, he also holds himself to high, almost impossible standards. This is best shown when he can’t initally find a way to stop Galactus without sacrificing someone. But that’s why he has his family and especially his wife to keep him grounded.

Speaking of grounded,  Ebon-Moss Bachrach plays a good Ben Grimm. Having seen the 2005 film and how grumpy he was, it was nice to have a Thing that has already come to terms with his life. Ironically, he also gets the least focus out of the four.

Johnny, played by Joseph Quinn, was the biggest surprise for me. It makes sense that the people making the movie would want to tone down Johnny’s womanizing, because, quite frankly, the Chris Evans Johnny would get cancelled in today’s culture. That wasn’t the biggest surprise though; it was his intelligence. Johnny manages to be as smart as the rest of his family. In one crucial plot point, he’s able to take what the Silver Surfer says in her native language and use it to translate the entire thing! It becomes an important part of the plot, so, that’s impressive, Johnny!

The character that gets the most attention, though, is Vanessa Kirby’s Susan Storm, and for good reason. She spends the first half of the film pregnant with her and Reed’s child. With the second half focusing on protecting their newborn son from Galactus, her importance only grows. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always imagined Susan Storm played by someone fierce but motherly, like Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender. And as this film makes abundantly clear in its climax, you don’t want to mess with mom! She’s pretty much the badass, self-actualized mom that every woman aspires to be!

They Did Right By Galactus

On the other end of the spectrum we have our main antagonists, Galactus and the Silver Surfer. While some might complain about Norrin Radd getting swapped out for Shalla-Bal, I didn’t care. At all. What mattered is that the Surfer fulfilled their narrative purpose, and I’d say Julia Garner did that. Like many people, what I did care about was Marvel doing right by Galactus. He’s to the Marvel Universe what Beerus is to Dragon Ball: a force of nature and destruction. Rise of the Silver Surfer dropped the ball eighteen years ago, but Ralph Ineson manages to do right by the Devourer of Worlds.

If Stan Lee and Jack Kirby could be brought back to the present-day so they could see this movie, I hope that someone like Ralph is who they imagined Galactus to be. He’s every bit as terrifying as he was back in the 60s, and even though you might feel bad because of his lot in life, you still root against him. Moreover, since this universe doesn’t have plot armor, you can’t but fear that before he is defeated, one of the heroes might have to make the ulitmate sacrifice. Or even worse, that the Fantastic Four would ultimately fail.

Decent Superhero Film, Better Family Film

As far as being a superhero film, Fantastic Four: First Steps is actually rather basic when compared to the more fantastical plots we’ve gotten in the MCU. However, it doesn’t need to be that complex, as its adapting one of the greatest stories in comic book history. What I will say, though, is that when it comes to balancing being a superhero film with a family film, First Steps favors the latter over the former. Much of the film is centered less on the combat and more on the family drama as the heroes struggle against their biggest challenge to date. It only gets worse, though, when Galactus wants baby Franklin so he can drop his world-eater gig for good. When they refuse, everyone’s understandably upset. It’s things like this where the film is at its best, and unfortunatley, that means that the superhero stuff seems to suffer a bit. The combat is rather simplistic when compared to what we’ve gotten in other Marvel films, and this becomes glaringly obvious during the final battle against Galactus. Maybe I’ve seen too much shonen anime, but I know that the heroes could do way more with their powers if they pushed themselves to the limit!

To its credit, though, the film does a great job of playing on the sci-fi aspects of the Fantastic Four, especially once the group travels into deep space to confront Galactus. That entire section of the film, from confronting him on his worldship to the Surfer chasing them through warp into a quasar is like something that’s out of the best of Star Trek. Which is fitting, considering how both came out in the 60s, are heavily influenced by sci-fi, and have an overall positive outlook on the future, one that the world desperately needs right now.

This message about hope and optimism is something that First Steps has in common with that of Superman. Both are encouraging people to look for the best possible future, and both have their own strengths. But while I loved both movies, I think that Superman might beat out Fantastic Four when it comes to being a superhero film. Because, as I’ve already said, the Fantastic Four aren’t just a team of heroes; they’re a family. And when the film focuses more on the dynamics of being a family, I think that’s where it works best. Then again, this is only the Fantastic Four’s formal introduction to the MCU, so they’re only getting started.

The Fantastic Four are Just Getting Started

Let’s rip the band-aid off: the rumors about the mid-credits scene were true. A man in a green hood does show up, and the film explicitly states that the Fantastic Four will be returning in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, where they are set to play a key role. With Kevin Feige confirming that Avengers: Secret Wars will serve as a soft reset for the MCU, the Fantastic Four will undoubtedly become a part of this merged universe when the dust settles. Having seen other studios repeatedly fumble the ball with Marvel properties in the 2010s, I wholeheartedly support this. It’s time for all of Marvel to come home.

Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t just another Marvel; it’s a homecoming. After all these years and three failed attempts as well as movie that never got released, we finally have a movie that does Marvel’s first family justice. It is, by no means, a perfect film, as the pacing is a little off and some of the cast gets more attention than others. As far as formal introductions to the MCU, though, First Steps delivers. I cannot argue whether or not it’s a better movie than Superman, though, as I feel both films have their pros and cons and are delightful films overall. They manage to put Marvel and DC on equal footing on the big screen for the first time in years, and that in and of itself could be considered a win. I will say this, though: I’m not paying $80 for the Galactus popcorn bucket, world record or not!

I Give Fantastic Four: First Steps a 4/5

Werewolf by Night Review

I never saw the Universal Monsters movies before, but I know about their impact on pop culture. They provided the public with definitive versions of famous monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein’s Monster. Now, even the MCU’s trying to emulate the classic monster movies for Halloween. The end result, Werewolf by Night, is a triumphant masterpiece. A perfect blend of classic horror and the often-overlooked horror elements of Marvel comics.

Monster Hunters Ain’t That Surprising

In a universe filled with heroes, gods, magic, time travel, does the existence of monsters come as any surprise for anyone? The answer is a resounding no: monsters exist in the MCU, and so do the people that hunt them. Thus, when the most famous monster hunter of all, Ulysses Bloodstone, dies, the best hunters in the world congregate to choose his successor via a trial. 

There are several candidates that show up, but the ones that should be the main focus are Jack Russell, an unassuming guy with a high kill count, and Elsa Bloodstone, Ulysses estranged daughter. It’s never explained why, but it seems that she left her home due to not being on good terms with her stepmother. To be fair, though, her stepmother is a very unpleasant woman! The only reason Elsa returned is so she can gain her father’s bloodstone, which provides longevity, among other powers. Thus, we get to the main event of the special: the monster hunt. Each hunter enters a maze to chase a monster with the bloodstone attached to it. The first one to kill it and get the stone wins.

On the surface, it seems like a simple premise. However, it soon becomes clear that it’s not so simple.

Not Evil, Just Misunderstood

As it turns out, Jack wasn’t interested in getting the bloodstone for himself. He just wanted to help out the monster, AKA Ted, AKA Man-Thing, a being that’s the product of a science experiment gone wrong combined with mystical energy. Despite his monstrous, plant-like appearance, though, Man-Thing’s a gentle giant, and a friend of Jack. He only acts threatening to those that seek to do him harm, as he chooses to spare Elsa when she chooses to not attack him. 

I picked up on it early on, but I want to say it anyway: most of the monster hunters are racist Van Helsings. They automatically assume that anything that looks like a monster is a threat and must die, regardless of whether or not it actually is a threat. In this case, Man-Thing’s not evil; just misunderstood, as is Jack. 

As it turns out, Jack is a werewolf, albeit one that goes out of his way to make sure he can’t hurt anyone when he turns into a werewolf. Despite this, Mrs. Bloodstone and the other hunters don’t care, since they capture him and Elsa and trap them inside a cage with the goal of having Jack, the Werewolf by Night, kill Elsa.

Sometimes, the biggest monsters in the universe are the ones who think they’re doing the world a favor. In reality, they’re just being bullies who need a swift kick in the butt. In this case, Jack delivers a well-deserved ass-kicking as he proceeds to break free as a werewolf and kills all the monster hunters. Except for Ulysses Bloodstone’s widow; she dies at the hands of Man-Thing. 

The Monsters Win!

Thus, the story ends with Elsa reclaiming her birthright, the bloodstone, and her dad’s home. As for Jack and Man-Thing, they get to walk away. Happy ending for the good guys!

Overall, I thought that this was a very fun Halloween special for Marvel to do. It pays homage to classic horror with its black-and-white appearance. It doesn’t go too heavy on CGI in favor of practical effects. There’s even a shout-out to The Cryptkeeper in the form of Ulysses Bloodstone’s corpse acting like an animatronic. It’s a lot of fun. Hopefully, Marvel will decide to do more horror-themed stuff in the future. I wouldn’t mind seeing this sort of stuff for Halloween.

I Give “Werewolf by Night” a 4.5/5

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Thor: Love and Thunder Review

No one wants to say it, but plenty know it’s true: the MCU lacks direction post-Endgame. With Phase Four focused on the post-Thanos world, it lacks an overarching narrative. For now, at least. While this has let Marvel explore different concepts and genres of storytelling, it makes the MCU seem inconsistent in tone. Case in point, we have the newest Thor film, Thor: Love and Thunder. It’s a really fun film, but if people expected it to be groundbreaking and innovative, prepare to be disappointed.

Gorr the God Butcher’s Coming

The MCU’s put Thor through the wringer, hasn’t it? He lost his Dad, mom, homeworld, and adoptive brother in a few years. In addition, failing to stop Thanos left him a broken man, and he’s only started picking up the pieces. At the end of Endgame, he went with the Guardians (and Korg) on a journey of self-discovery. This film picks up where they left off, and despite getting ripped again, Thor still hasn’t found inner peace. So they leave the Guardians and go on their adventure…right as a man who’s channeling his inner Kratos enacts a plan to kill every god in existence.

Yeah, they need to get on that.

More of the Same…

Tone-wise, the film’s consistent with its predecessor, Thor: Ragnarok, due to Taika Waititi returning to direct it. It’s very comedic and relies a lot on gags, hamminess, and lots of 80’s vibes. Guns N’ Roses songs get used a lot in this film. However, the problem with this is that it causes the lead character to suffer from Flanderization. Thor is far less serious and more comedic than when first introduced in 2011. In all fairness, this could be attributed to frequent exposure to modern Earth Culture and his newfound humility, but it’s still a sharp contrast from 10 years ago. It also doesn’t help that Thor’s hung up over his relationship problems. Not just Jane Foster, but with Mjolnir and Stormbreaker.

Love and Thunder takes the return of Mjolnir and frames it like Thor’s Ex getting together with his other Ex. In this case, Jane Foster. Thor’s clearly very confused about it, and not helping is that Stormbreaker seems to get jealous. Yes, the axe gets jealous of the hammer. It’s funny at first, but not so much by the film’s end.

…Some New Improvements

The film’s best aspects, though, are in Jane Foster and the main villain, Gorr.

Natalie Portman’s return as Jane Foster is a much-welcomed one by fans, and she doesn’t miss a beat. Now wielding Mjolnir and Thor’s powers, she’s no longer just Thor’s love interest but a hero in her own right. The films just as much about her as it is about Thor.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the villain, Gorr the God-Butcher, played by Christian Bale. Gorr is a man who’s utterly consumed by despair. His whole world died of famine, and the god he thought would save them didnt just do nothing; he laughed at their plight. This led him to conclude all gods are bad and need to go, and his weapon, the Necrosword, has the power to get it done.

The thing is, Gorr’s not wrong. The gods can be jerks. Thor was a big jerk before he learned humility, and Zeus is even worse. A lot of gods can be very cruel and callous, so one cannot help but sympathize with Gorr’s decision, even if he takes it way too far. Christian Bale still does a great job being a villain, and is a big highlight of the film.

Overall, this film isnt really groundbreaking or game-changing. It doesn’t have to be, though. It’s a Marvel movie. People will watch it either way. Whether that’s a sign that the MCU’s going downhill remains debatable, though. If you want a fun distraction for two hours, this is a film for you.

I Give “Thor: Love and Thunder” a 4/5

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America, Heck Yeah!

America, Heck Yeah!

— Read on thegameofnerds.com/2022/07/04/america-heck-yeah/

Something I wrote for the Fourth of July for the Game of Nerds.

Jay’s List of Some of the Best Things to Happen in 2021

When 2020 finally came to an end, people had more reasons to celebrate than normal; after all, 2020 was the year from Hell. However, if people were expecting 2021 to be when things reached a state of normality, it didn’t. First there were the people storming the US Capitol, the struggle to get everyone vaccinated, and now even more COVID variants setting us back. It feels like we’ve barely made any progress.

Despite COVID-19 being a major pain, though, 2021 felt somewhat better than 2020; at least entertainment wise. Don’t believe me? Here’s a look back on 2021 through the eyes of this blog, which shows that there was a lot of good to come out of this year.

WandaVision Started Off a New Year of Marvel Content

After more than a year in exile thanks to COVID-19, the MCU returned with a vengeance with WandaVision. This fusion of Marvel with sitcoms spanning from the 1950s all the way up to the present day, combined with the overarching mystery, kept fans guessing from start to finish. It was one of the best ways I could’ve started 2021, even if it did drag at some points.

In addition, it also set us up for the eventual debut of the Young Avengers.

South ParQ Vaccination Special Gave us a Laugh When We Needed It

Last year, South Park gave us a very bleak look at the world, even for them, with their Pandemic Special. The fact that the show was outright begging its fans to vote Trump out of office was an indicator of how bad things had gotten. Thankfully, they rallied with the South ParQ Vaccination Special, giving us some genuine laughs when we needed them most.

Besides poking fun at Q-Anon and storming the Capitol Building, the Vaccination Special also saw Mr. Garrison return to South Park to be a teacher once more, which also meant that the woman who was meant to be temporary got killed off by COVID; no one in South Park cared, though, as the entire cast celebrated getting vaxxed to “Down by the Lazy River.” Sadly, it looked like the four boys broship was over, despite my optimism about their future. I was wrong…before being right again.

DuckTales! Reboot Series Finale

I fell in love with the 2017 reboot of DuckTales! from the moment I saw it. I watched every episode, enjoyed all the adventures and drama, and just ate it up. This is the gold standard that anyone rebooting a beloved cartoon should aspire to measure up to. So, you can guess that when the series finale came around, it was a big deal for me. I honestly hope that Disney keeps these versions of the cast around for future projects, as I absolutely adored them. And that ending to the finale was just the icing on the cake!

The Owl House, Season 2

If you’ve read my blog, then you know that I’m a big fan of The Owl House. Thus, seeing the show return for its second season was a major highlight of the year for me. Having established its setting and characters, The Owl House hit the ground running in its second season. The stakes got higher, plot threads building since the start got connected, and did I mention that Lumity broke the Internet? Because it did!

The one downside to all of this is the fact that Disney refused to give the show a fourth season. They’re not even giving it a full third season; just three hour long specials. That’s not a lot to work with, but fans have come out to show their support for the show on social media, so maybe Disney will change its mind.

Speaking of showing support…

Amphibia Season 2 Finale & Season 3

Just like The Owl House, I was hyped for the return of Amphibia as it got set for the second half of its second season. To my joy, the show managed to largely meet my expectations, or even exceed them. Then…came the moment where Disney screwed up. Thanks to their monumental incompetence, they delayed the season finale hours before its release, and then let it leak onto ITunes. If that doesn’t get someone fired, then I don’t know what will.

The one pro to this injustice is that fans and people working in the animation industry spoke out in solidarity with Matt Braly and his team. It was truly touching to see people come together to support the team behind Amphibia when they were wronged like this, and when the finale finally aired on TV, it was everything fans wanted, and more. Just look at this!

And then, we got the first half of season 3…

Amphibia, you are one of the best cartoons out there, and you deserve all the awards.

South Park: Post COVID Specials Continued the Story

Earlier this year, Matt Stone and Trey Parker made a deal with Paramount+ to make a boatload of specials for the streaming service. Then, on Thanksgiving Day, we got the first special…and it gave us a dystopian look into the future.

Seriously, you have no idea how confused and bummed out I was when I saw how awful South Park was 40 years in the future. Everyone except for Cartman got a bad future!

Thankfully, this dystopian future got erased in the follow up special, much to my joy.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

I don’t need to say anything about this. It was the absolute best way for Marvel to end the year of their triumphant return, and it gave us one of their best films ever.

All right, everyone! Happy New Year, and I hope that this is the year where we kick COVID-19 to the curb. Or at least render it no more harmful than the Flu.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Spider-Man: No Way Home Review Source-TV Tropes, Marvel Studios, Sony In a year that’s been jam-packed with MCU content, Spider-Man: No Way Home …

‘No Way Home’ is the Spider-Man Film 20 Years in the Making

Marvel What If…? Episode 9 Review

For nine weeks, Marvel’s given us our first look at the new MCU Multiverse with their animated series, What If…? At first, it looked like this show would be an anthology series. We’d look at an alternate version of the MCU every episode, then move on. However, all that changed when Marvel threw us a universe-sized curveball. In one universe, Ultron beat the Avengers, got the Infinity Stones, and killed almost everyone. Worse, he learned how to travel to other universes and stood poised to wipe out all life in the multiverse. Not even the Watcher could sit back and do nothing. It was time for him to step in and save the multiverse. But first, he was going to need a team.

Multiversal Avengers, Assemble!

The first few minutes of the episode pick up where we last left off: the Watcher and Strange Supreme need to assemble a team to stop Infinite Ultron. Thus, they recruit heroes from several of the worlds we’ve seen throughout the season. The exceptions being the universe where the Avengers all died, and the zombie universe. The latter for obvious reasons.

However, there’s one member coming from a universe we never got to see: one where Gamora somehow beat Thanos. Rumor has it that that story was supposed to be in the first season, but got pushed back, leaving fans left in the dark for the moment. After catching everyone up to speed, the Watcher dubs his new team…the Guardians of the Multiverse.

While I can understand why he’d give them that name, I don’t like it. It seems better to have something with the Avengers in it. Considering that this is the multiverse equivalent of the Avengers first assembling, it would be appropriate. Alas, there’s no time to worry about that, as the threat of Ultron comes knocking.

The Final Battle For the Multiverse Was…Okay.

The team’s fight against Infinite Ultron ends up taking them back to his original universe, where they’re joined by Black Widow, who’s now the last sentient being left on Earth. With her help, they come close to beating Ultron, but fail to destroy the Stones. Turns out, the MCU’s Infinity Stones don’t just work outside their universe; they’re unique, meaning any attempts to destroy them with another universe’s tech won’t work!

In the end, it doesn’t matter: Natasha fires a well placed arrow into Ultron, uploading Zola into him and ending Ultron for good. Then Killmonger pulls the classic double-cross, and he and Zola get sealed away in a pocket of reality, forever engaged in a tug of war for the Stones. Justice!

As far as battles go, this one met all the basic tenets of the MCU. Strange Supreme showcased how magically jacked he was several times, even opening a portal to the zombie universe! However, the overall final battle felt…meh. Considering how it’s supposed to be for the fate of the multiverse, we shouldn’t feel like that. Yet, the final battle of Avengers: Endgame carries more emotional weight. Marvel could’ve gotten a lot more creative with it, if you ask me.

What’s Next for the Multiverse?

With the battle over, the Watcher sends everyone back to their respective realities while Strange Supreme guards Killmonger and Zola. However, he gives Natasha a well-deserved reward. Rather than send her to her dead universe, he lets her move to the one where the Avengers never rose, letting her reunite with some of her old friends. As for Captain Carter? The post-credits scene teases that an old friend might be waiting for her.

Speaking of friends, a big highlight of the episode was the relationship Captain Carter and Natasha had. They were firm BFF’s in their universe, and certainly acted like it. However, there was also some romantic subtext going on between them that I think a lot of people will pick up on. I don’t know if we’ll see Captain Carter again, but if we do, I think I now ship her and Nat together.

As for T’Challa, this marks the final time we may see him in the MCU, due to Chadwick’s passing. The worst part is that there could’ve been a Star Lord T’Challa spin-off series, were he still alive. Maybe in another universe, they’re enjoying that right now. For the rest of us, though, we have to wait for season two to travel the multiverse some more.

As far as season finale’s go, I think the action could’ve been a lot better. Still, at least the show tied everything together, so I have to give it credit for that.

I Give “What If…The Watcher Broke His Oath?” A 3/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 8 Review

So, I’m just going to get down to the nitty-gritty for this. The MCU multiversesa has just given us a villain capable of destroying it I’m the form of Ultron. Who, as you recall, was able to push the Avengers to the breaking point in his short existence. Whose legacy would fracture the Avengers and lead to their loss against Thanos. Now, the Watcher’s found a universe where Ultron’s become a mechanical god and defeated almost everyone. And as we saw at the end of last week’s episode, he’s not stopping there.

What if…Ultron Won and Became a God?

In this iteration of the MCU, the Avengers failed to stop Ultron. He managed to upload his mind into what should’ve been the Vision’s body, and curb-stomps humanity before bringing about Judgement Day.Then things get worse: Thanos shows up, and…see for yourself.

With all the Infinity Stones and an inorganic body immune to radiation, Ultron uses the Stones to curb stomp the rest of the universe. It’s a preview of just what would’ve been in store for the main timeline if the Avengers had lost.

Then, things get even worse. For the entire multiverse.

Black Widow is Last One Standing

As Ultron continues wiping out all life, we learn he missed Hawkeye and Black Widow. Back on Earth, they work together to find a secret weapon to help them destroy Ultron: Dr. Zola’s AI. However, due to circumstances beyond their control, the unlikely trio fails in even doing this. Worse, this universe’s Hawkeye, already broken by the loss of everyone he knows, sacrifices his life to give Nat and Zola a chance to escape.

This was a very tough moment to watch, even if it was visually stunning. It also represents a great parallel between the two characters fates in the main universe. However, while Black Widow fans might be happy, Hawkeye fans won’t be. Especially since he died once before in the comics.

All of that, though, is only secondary to the main focus of the episode. Ultron becomes the first multiversal threat that the MCU faces. And it’s partially the Watcher’s fault.

Peekaboo, Ultron Sees You

Having decimated his native universe, Ultron has a moment where he goes “Oh no, what do I do now?” However, thanks to the Stones (and the Watcher’s own narration), he becomes more aware of the universe around him. He can see the Watcher from behind the fourth wall separating him from the rest of the multiverse.

The idea of a character breaking the fourth wall isn’t a new concept, but rarely is it played so menacingly. The Watcher, for all his power, is terrified when he learns Ultron knows about him. That terror turns to desperation as he watches Nat and Barton almost give up, wanting to intervene so badly, but held back by his oath.

Then, Ultron does the impossible. He breaks the walls between universes and attacks the Watcher. In a treat for longtime Marvel fans, we see the Watcher unleash his full power against Ultron, and the fight is Shonen anime levels of action. This was my favorite moment of the entire episode, and we got to see the show’s animators use the medium to its fullest extent. The sight of Ultron growing large enough to devour an entire Galaxy is something I’d never thought I’d see, but was amazing to look at.

In the end, not even the Watcher can stop Ultron, leaving the AI free to wipe out all life in the multiverse. But all is not lost.

Multiverse Spanning Avengers, Assemble

There’s an underlying point to this entire MCU, one that was also made clear in Loki. If left unchecked, a threat in one universe could become a threat to the entire multiverse. Thus, the TVA was founded to keep the number of timelines down to a minimum. But the TVA’s methods weren’t right. Luckily, there is a better idea in place. An idea involving remarkable individuals and fighting battles others never could.

The Watcher knows that what’s at stake goes beyond his oath. However, he also knows he can’t make things worse. So, why not create a team of multiverse-spanning Avengers to protect it? Because that seems to be what we’re headed for. And the Watcher’s already got his first recruit: Strange Supreme, who we last saw getting his universe destroyed.

This has to be the best episode of What If…? thus far. The action was superb, and it’s bringing all the disparate stories together into one plot. I can’t wait for the finale next week! Multiverse Avengers, assemble!

I Give “What If…Ultron Won?” a 4.5/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 7 Review

When I saw the premise of this week’s episode of Marvel What If…?, I thought that the show was joking. Having one based around Thor if he never had Loki as his brother? It was intriguing, but not the kind of thing that most people would want to watch. Especially when you consider how every episode of the show thus far has focused on big changes to the timeline. However, then we get to the ending, and we see that Marvel played us all with a bait-and-switch. The party god brings the thunder to Earth this week, people!

Party Hard With the Party God

In the main MCU, after fighting against the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, Odin ended up adopting Loki, the infant son of Laufey, King of the Frost Giants. However, in this universe, Odin somehow convinced Laufey to keep Loki and treat him right. As a result, he grows up a Frost Giant, and Thor remains an only child (as far as he knows). Unfortunately, rather than grow up to be the boisterous but lovable warrior we know, Thor becomes a…party god.

I’m serious. Rather than spending his days fighting, Thor and his Asgardian friends throwing the biggest parties in the Galaxy. And while Odin’s asleep for a week and Frigga’s visiting friends, Thor decides to do just that. And the place he chooses to go to? Earth, which he turns into a party planet.

It’s an absolutely silly premise. The first time extraterrestrials come to Earth (that the public knows about), and they come to party like college students. And it’s not just Thor. We got Yondu; Drax; Rocket; Nebula; Korg; Surtur; and the Grandmaster as a DJ!

As for Loki? He shows up with his Frost Giant posse, and it’s clear that Loki and Thor have a better relationship than they initially did in the MCU. It’s nice to see that these two, for better or worse, were always meant to be brothers.

Frigga Is Coming

So, S.H.I.E.L.D. has a big problem with Thor showing up and turning Earth into a frat planet. And when Jane Foster (who’s already met Thor partying), won’t help, they call in Captain Marvel. And she is not happy with Thor ruining her homeworld.

Since Avenger: Endgame, I’m sure plenty of people have wondered who would win in a fight between Thor and Captain Marvel. Spoiler alert: Captain Marvel would probably win, and this episode proves it. The two clash in a fight around the world, and it looks like Captain Marvel will likely come out on top. Until, that is, Thor gets a call from his mother.

Jane managed to get in contact with Lady Frigga, and told her just what her son’s been up to. As a result, Frigga decides to come to Earth, leading Thor to panic. What follows is pure hilarity. Once Thor tells everyone that his Mom’s coming, they panic and proceed to fix all the damage they’ve done to Earth. It’s honestly like one of those teen party scenarios we see in sitcoms and movies, and I loved it.

But I think I loved what happened next even more.

A Multiversal Threat Emerges

In the episode’s closing moments, Thor, the audience, and even The Watcher are all surprised when an army of machines steps in through a portal. And at their head is what looks to be an Infinity Stone powered Ultron with the body of Vision. Uh-oh.

So, maybe the TVA was right about keeping the Multiverse down to a bare minimum to prevent the rise of threats like this. My current theory? In one universe, Tony and Bruce succeeded with Ultron as they meant to, only for him to go rogue and seize the Infinity Stones, leading him to becoming a universe-hopping conqueror. Or he succeeded in taking Vision’s body for himself, wiped out humanity, got the Stones, and did all of that. Either way, this is bad news for everyone.

The teaser for the second half of season one of What If…? has hinted at some sort of crossover between the different variations of characters we’ve seen thus far. Now, with the threat of a super Ultron to contend with, The Watcher may have no choice but to intervene for the sake of the Multiverse. Either way, I expect the next episode to set us up for the season finale, and the birth of a Multiverse-spanning Avengers.

Here’s hoping Party God Thor can be of some help.

Also, Darcy and Howard the Duck have a Vegas Wedding!

I Give “What If…Thor Was an Only Child?” a 3.5/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 6 Review

Who’s the best villain in the MCU? Given how most of the MCU baddies are forgettable, there are only three real choices right now: Thanos, most versions of Loki, and Erik Killmonger. Erik Killmonger may not be a demi-god like Loki or a universe-altering warlord like Thanos, but he’s still one of the best villains in the franchise. His backstory elicits sympathy. His motives, while violent, are understandable given what he went through. And though he lost, he ended up changing the Black Panther’s view on the world. So, when I saw that Killmonger would be coming back for Marvel What if…?, I was excited to see how things would turn out for him in this part of the Multiverse.

Having seen the episode, though, I am…a little let down.

What If…Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?

In the latest alteration to the MCU timeline, the fateful attempt of the Ten Rings to capture or kill Tony Stark fails, thanks to the intervention of Erik Killmonger. According to him, he was in deep cover with the Ten Rings when he got word about the attack, and thus saves Tony from the events that make him Iron Man. Then, to further ingratiate himself (and show just how far above he is over most of the MCU villains), he ousts Stane as the mastermind behind the attack.

That is only step one of Killmonger’s master plan. From here, he orchestrates a Machiavellian chess game that would make Littlefinger and Tywin Lannister jealous. Firstly, he talks Tony into building mini Gundam drones (he likes anime, just like his actor). Then, he offs both Rhodey and T’Challa and frames both sides for the other’s deaths. Tony follows suit, along with Klaw (Andy Serkis was great as him), and uses it to get himself into Wakanda where he “heroically” saves the day from the drones he helped to create.

On the one hand, this just hammers home how dangerous Killmonger really was, rivaling even Loki in terms of manipulation. On the other hand, it feels like they wasted him this time around.

What the What If…? Should’ve Been

When I first saw the teaser for this episode, I hoped that things would take a far different turn than what they did. Saving Tony Stark could’ve been Killmonger’s start to a better life, one where he could actually do some good for the world. He could’ve turned his back on his violent past, become a better person, and become the Prince he could’ve been if T’Chaka hadn’t left him behind. If he did that, then he could’ve entered Wakanda under much happier circumstances.

Instead, they wasted one of the MCU’s best villains just to hammer home how dangerous he really is by playing everyone like a fiddle. Almost everyone, really; Pepper and Shuri team up at the end to stop his plans for good; that seems like even more of a cop-out than it did when Hank Pym killed the Avengers. Even the Watcher disapproved of how things turned out.

The Watcher May Not Watch for Much Longer

Speaking of the Watcher, this episode dropped a subtle, yet important, clue about his role as the show continues. When we started out, we never saw the Watcher; only his silhouette. Then, we saw him cloaked in shadow. The story with Dr. Strange had him directly interact with events in the show. And this week, we see him in full view as he watches everything with disgust.

Those who read the comics will know the Watcher’s history, and that despite his oath to not interfere, he ends up breaking it many times for the greater good. My guess is that as these alternate timelines in the MCU continue to grow worse, it gets to the point where the Watcher says “Screw it. I need to fix this mess!”

I would not blame it. There’s a time to observe and a time to take action. And something tells me the Watcher will take action soon. Until then, Disney should go back and use an alternate Killmonger better.

They did, however, hit home with this scene of T’Challa’s funeral.

I Give “What If…Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?” a 2/5

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