10 Most Badass Women In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

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April 30, 2018

The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t getting its first female-led entry until Captain Marvel arrives in theaters next year. Yet, throughout its first decade, the MCU has had no shortage of badass ladies. In fact, Avengers: Infinity War — despite its epic scope — takes the time to spotlight several of them.

So now seems like as strong a time as any to celebrate the women of the MCU. For the record, we’re ranking these badass ladies not only on their power but also their strength, attitude, intelligence and impact on the greater MCU. Without further delay, let’s get to the 10 most badass women Marvel Studios has to offer.

10. Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly)

Putting Hope van Dyne on this list does feel a bit premature, considering that we have yet to meet her superhero alter-ego in this summer’s Ant-Man and the Wasp. Still, Evangeline Lilly’s performance demonstrates that Hope is far more than the loyal daughter of Hank Pym. She is a force to be reckoned with and one we can’t wait to see suit up as the Wasp. “It’s about damn time” indeed.

9. Hela (Cate Blanchett)

Honestly, the only reason two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett’s Goddess of Death isn’t higher on our list is because her appearance looks like it will begin and end with Thor: Ragnarok. When it comes to pure power, she’s easily the tops, and hopefully, the MCU will find an excuse for her to reappear at some point. Just don’t take her down a Loki-esque redemption arc. Hela’s just too good at being bad.

8. Nebula (Karen Gillan)

Nebula has spent her whole life in sister Gamora’s shadow, but having reconciled with her in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Karen Gillan’s character earns some much-needed dimension. Intent on taking down Thanos, she is among the most dangerous and unpredictable women in the MCU. And we cannot get enough of her.

7. Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson)

From the first time we meet Tessa Thompson’s “Scrapper 142,” she’s already like no other woman we’ve seen in the MCU. A boozy, devil-may-care figure, Valkyrie emerges as essentially the female version of Han Solo. No wonder she came out of Thor: Ragnarok as a standout. While she doesn’t factor into Infinity War, Valkyrie’s days are far from over.

6. Okoye (Danai Gurira)

Never mind that T’Challa is the title character, the ladies of Black Panther undoubtedly stole the entire film. Okoye is one of the main reasons why. Brought to life by The Walking Dead‘s Danai Gurira, the leader of the Dora Milaje is T’Challa’s right-hand woman and by far one of Wakanda’s noblest, most loyal servants. She also steals every moment she has in Infinity War, which is saying a lot among that ensemble.

5. Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell)

A lot of the central male heroes in the MCU have strong women standing behind them, but Peggy Carter is so much more than just Captain America’s love interest. Unlike Pepper Potts, Betty Ross and Jane Foster, the character’s contributions to the MCU run deep, especially as a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hayley Atwell also reprised the role for the gone-too-soon ABC series Agent Carter, one of the only female-led Marvel Studios projects to date.

4. Shuri (Letitia Wright)

Remember how we said Black Panther is overrun with amazing, powerful women? As princess of Wakanda, its lead scientist and a cunning warrior in her own right, there’s no way we would dare leave Shuri off this list. Whether she’s ribbing her brother, remotely aiding in a car chase or using her genius-level intellect to help the Avengers, we need much, much more Letitia Wright in future MCU films.

3. Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen)

To be honest, we weren’t blown away by Scarlet Witch when she debuted in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Sure, her abilities are impressive and all, but her role felt muted in that film. But she has really come into her own as a critical element of both Captain America: Civil War and now Avengers: Infinity War. Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff feels like a character who’s very much still evolving. We look forward to seeing what she’ll be capable of next time.

2. Gamora (Zoe Saldana)

When you’re just one among an entire crew of intergalactic badasses, standing out could be tricky business. Then again, Thanos is on to something in Infinity War when he refers to his favorite daughter as “the fiercest woman in the galaxy.” Gamora isn’t only unbeatable in battle; she is also the heart and moral compass of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Zoe Saldana serves a very similar function in Infinity War and, as such, nearly topped our list.

1. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)

Characters like Shuri, Scarlet Witch and Gamora present compelling arguments, but in the end, the most obvious selection for the top spot is also the best one. Scarlett Johansson first popped up in Iron Man 2 in a supporting capacity. Yet, through her roles in the Captain America and Avengers films, she has developed into more than just S.H.I.E.L.D.’s top agent. One of the original Avengers, Natasha Romanoff remains the most popular woman in the MCU. Thank goodness her long-awaited solo film appears to be finally on its way.

Honorable Mentions

Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander)

Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders)

Agent 13 (Emily VanCamp)

Mantis (Pom Klementieff)

Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o)

Which badass woman in the MCU is your favorite? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

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WESTWORLD Review: “Reunion” Brings Together Old Allies and Enemies

By

Joshua Versalle

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Not every “Reunion” is a happy one. Sometimes they lead to violent confrontation, like last night’s episode of Westworld. In the episode, we learn more about the origins of the park, Delos’s plans for it, and where this whole thing is headed. To misquote Dolores, “A strange SPOILER can be just as frightening as the dark”, so if you haven’t watched the epsiode yet, turn back now.

“You thought you could do what you wanted to us because there’s no one here to judge you.”

Dolores and crew reach the lab. This is what she told Teddy last episode that she needed to show him: the nature of their reality. They conscript a tech named Phil (Patrick Cage) into their service and he shows Teddy that he has died many times before. They find out that Delos will be sending a force of 800 to take back the park, and so Dolores will need to gather an army to defend themselves. She has one in mind: the Confederados.

On the way to recruit them, Dolores has a tense reunion with Maeve, who says that fighting a war for revenge on humans is just a “different prayer at their altar”, and she has no interest in it. Maeve, Hector, and Lee move on with their own quest.

Dolores meets the Confederados, who rebuff her offer to join them. It seems that seeing an old member resurrected and Dolores’s seemingly mystical knowlwedge of their plans wasn’t enough to convince them, so Dolores resorts to that age-old bargaining tool: violence. She orders Angela and Teddy kill them all, then has Phil bring them back online.

“You’re too perfect to be one of us.”

Back in the real world (and back in time), Logan is fielding requests for capital. Asking on behalf of Westworld are Akecheta (Zahn McClarnon, Hanzee from season two of Fargo) and Angela, in her more refined, pre-marauder days. The demonstration that follows, with Logan wandering around a crowded cocktail party trying to discern who there is a host, is shot in such a way that even though we the audience have seen hosts in action before, we still feel his surprise and wonder upon seeing them for the first time. Instead of one or two, we find that almost everyone there (including a piano-playing Clementine) is a host. Logan’s first instinct on seeing possibly the greatest technological achievement in history is to fuck it. He takes several hosts to bed and when Angela wakes up, Dolores is watching her.

Another flashback shows William and his future father-in-law James Delos (Peter Mullan) inspecting Westworld. Delos is uninspired at the prospect of investing in the park, but William tells him what he sees as the park’s main value: learning about the wants of consumers in an environment where they feel no one is watching them. The whole thing is an advancement in market research and James is now interested. It when it comes to the Delos family, sex and money are the extents of their vision.

“Well, dead isn’t what it used to be, Lawrence.”

The Man in Black once again saves Lawrence from an execution, nearly getting killed himself in the process. He tells Lawrence that although people come to Westworld to sin without anyone watching, the fact is they (Delos) have been watching everything. Like Dolores, he sets out for the Valley Beyond in the west and tries to recruit an army along the way. In the sacked town of Pariah, the Man in Black and Lawrence find El Lazo (Giancarlo Esposito). In juxtaposition to Dolores, violence won’t help recruit El Lazo’s army. He has his men kill themselves, and kills himself, rather than join the Man in Black and he leaves him with a message from Ford: this game is meant for him, but he must play it alone.

“In this world you can be whoever the f*ck you want”

One of my favorite things about season one of Westworld was watching the actors get to play hosts in so many different ways. The prime example is Evan Rachel Wood going from Dolores (the rancher’s daughter who sees the beauty in the world) to Wyatt (the murderous soldier) and eventually transcending either of these characters to find that she alone determines who she really is. In season two Ed Harris’s Man in Black proves that you don’t have to be a robot to undergo such a metamorphosis. Sometimes all it takes is being reminded of your own inevitable death. He’s is a completely different character in season two, going from a grim, joyless killer to a grim, joyful killer, but as good as he was in the first season, watching him revel in playing the game now that the stakes are real is even better.

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STEVEN UNIVERSE Suprises Everyone With LETTERS TO LARS

By

Anthony Wendel

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Summary

Lars receives a letter from Steven updating him about the current goings-on in Beach City.

Review

What madness is this? The residents of Beach City actually working to prepare themselves for the next time there is a Gem attack? About time! Just took them, OVER 100 episodes to become proactive. Seriously, though it’s good to see with Nanefua Pizza as Mayor episodes which feature the resident of the town won’t be such a worrisome thought. Who knows they may even prove to be indispensable the next time the homeworld Gems invade. Okay, the last sentence may be a bit too much wishful thinking.

Other than this important detail, the episode is just filled with little notes of interest. Pearl got a cell phone and fans are more than likely going to assume its for her to talk with the mysterious girl last seen in Last One Out Of Beach City. Peridot joined an improve troop with Mr. Smiley, Barb, and Amethyst. It’s good to see she found something to occupy her time after the departure of Lapis.

Also, with the return of Mayor Dewey, means the return of Mystery Science Theater 3000 creator Joel Hodgson to provide the characters voice. Always good to see the guest appearance actors checking in regularly so the characters feel just as entertaining as they did when they originally were introduced. Hopefully with this new opportunity for the character, Mr. Hodgson will be around more often to entertain the viewers.

All in all, it’s not a bad episode. Considering its one which entirely focuses on the residents of Beach City this is actually something of an accomplishment. Not every resident of the town has become Lars or Connie, who have become much more than they were on their initial introduction. Hopefully, more episodes in the future showcase this new sense of active movement in the residents of the town Steven Universe calls home.

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Kevin Feige Shuts Down Popular Theory Regarding AVENGERS 4 Title

By

Jackson Hayes

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April 30, 2018

Audiences will have to wait until May of next year to get the conclusion of the story that began in Avengers: Infinity War. The Marvel spectacle left fans shocked, hurt and most importantly, clamoring for more. The big mystery of the film’s sequel, Avengers 4, is what will the title be. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige gave some insight on that subject post-Infinity War.

In an interview with Collider, Feige discussed the idea of Avengers 4 potentially being Avengers: Infinity Gauntlet, titled after the comic storyline. He was quick to shoot down the theory:

Definitely not called that. When we announce the title I am not sure, but as I’ve probably said to you, it’s gotten completely blown out of proportion. It will just be a name and the reason to hold it back was to keep the attention on Infinity War. That backfired a little bit because now everyone thinks what’s the name of the next one gonna be? But it was really just to keep the focus [on Infinity War]. We did not want to call it Part One and Part Two. Although it will be quite evident that the films obviously connect, as all our films do, but this in particular connects very directly. And then we changed the Part One and Part Two, we said let’s just keep this Infinity War and we’ll talk about the next movie later. We had done things in the past that had taken attention off of whatever the film at hand is because we talked about this. For instance, Infinity War announcing before Ultron came out, and it worked out, it was fine, but it felt like let’s keep the attention on the film at hand.

Infinity Gauntlet was the most popular fan choice online when it came to the title of Avengers 4. If you’ve seen Infinity War, you’ll know that title would make even more sense following the events of the movie. With that being the case, it’s unlikely anyone outside of Marvel knows the actual title.

What do you think the title of Avengers 4 should be? Let us know in the comments below!

Avengers: Infinity War is currently in theaters!

An unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making and spanning the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War brings to the screen the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time. The Avengers and their Super Hero allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

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AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR’s $640M Opening Weekend Is The Biggest Ever

By

Nick Battaglia

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April 30, 2018

While Thanos was collecting Infinity Stones over the weekend, Disney and Marvel were collecting money in record-breaking amounts. Over the course of its opening weekend Avengers: Infinity War made $258 million domestically and $640 million worldwide. Shattering both domestic and worldwide box office records, and it doesn’t open in China until May 11th. Even without China, Infinity War had the biggest debut among other Disney and Marvel properties.

Black Panther opened with $202 million, the first Avengers movie opened with $207 million, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens made $247 million during its opening weekend. Those three movies were the top three grossing movies for Disney until Infinity War‘s release. Two of them (Black Panther and Avengers) made over $1 billion during their runs in theaters. Black Panther is still in theaters and pulled in $4.38 million this weekend, bringing its total gross to $688 million domestic and $1.3 billion worldwide.

As for non-Disney and Marvel films, the third Avengers movie annihilated The Fate of the Furious‘ worldwide debut of $541.9 million. A debut that included China and was at the top until Disney and Marvel unleashed Thanos and his plan upon moviegoers. While Infinity War did not have any major competition this week, it will come May. As Deadpool 2 and Solo: A Star Wars Story will be released.

When it comes to Marvel’s plans after Infinity War, Kevin Feige is already planning beyond 2020. “We had meetings about 2024 and 2025 earlier today,” said Feige to the Associated Press on April 24th. Of course no word has come out about what those plans may include. Hopefully those plans include Namor The Sub-Mariner getting his own movie.

Despite its huge opening weekend, drop-offs in ticket sales do happen. So it will be interesting to see if Infinity War can keep up its momentum and cross $1 billion. The reason Avengers crossed $1 billion was because it was the first of its kind. A big-budget superhero movie that told a linear story over a number of years, using various movies to bring its characters together.

Black Panther reached the $1 billion mark in part because of its cultural and historical milestones. Yes part of it was also because it was released in February which doesn’t see a lot of quality releases. However, there is no denying Black Panther‘s story, strong characters, and its pertinence to both culture and history, played a role in people seeing it over and over again.

Its story allowed people who haven’t seen any or all of the Marvel movies to immediately immerse themselves in it. Whereas Infinity War is the foreseen conclusion to a story and event 10 years in the making. While it has T’Challa and other fan-favorite characters, its story relies on moviegoers knowing who characters are. More important how they got there.

So unless they have a good enough feel for them and their history, they might not feel so inclined to see it again and again. Plus it’s almost three hours long. Whatever the final box office total is, it really is impressive to see the movie have this type of opening. If it doesn’t cross the $1 billion mark is it a failure? No.

It’s just nice to see a movie centered around comic book characters being praised and well-received by people of all backgrounds. To be honest the Marvel movies have done a lot to bring nerd culture into the mainstream. They have also done a lot to make people within the nerd community feel accepted.

That is something worth more than box office success.

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Official ‘Ant-Man And The Wasp’ Poster Released Online

By

Kieran McLean

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April 30, 2018

After celebrating a record-breaking weekend at the worldwide box-office with Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel Studios is already looking to its next big release Ant-Man And The Wasp. The studio just dropped a new poster for the film, which gives us a new look at Earth’s smallest superheroes.

More – Kieran’s Movie Space Ep.1 – ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Review

The poster gives us a new look at the incredible cast of Ant-Man And The Wasp, including returning cast members Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Evangeline Lilly (The Wasp), Michael Douglas (Hank Pym) and Michael Peña (Luis). The poster also features Michelle Pfeiffer (Janet van Dyne), Laurence Fishburne (Bill Foster), Hannah John-Kamen (Ghost) and Walton Goggins’ as his mysterious character.

Marvel also announced that the official trailer for Ant-Man And The Wasp will land online tomorrow (May 1st), so make sure you check back here to watch the trailer.

Check out the poster below:

“From the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes Ant-Man and The Wasp, a new chapter featuring heroes with the astonishing ability to shrink. In the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a super hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside the Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from the past.”

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_rTIAOohas[/embedyt]

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8 Sequels, Prequels and Reboots We’ll Be Talking About This Summer

By

Robert Yaniz Jr.

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April 30, 2018

Audiences may have already seen the year’s biggest film in Avengers: Infinity War, but the summer movie season hasn’t even officially kicked off yet. Moviegoers still have several months filled with many of 2018’s hottest releases waiting just around the corner.

To be sure, this summer will probably bring a few welcome surprises and startlingly original ideas akin to this spring’s monster hit, A Quiet Place. So, before we take the time to celebrate some of the most exciting original (i.e., non-franchise) films coming our way, let’s take a look ahead at the most anticipated sequels, prequels and reboots coming to theaters between now and the end of August.

Deadpool 2 (May 18)

After the runaway success of Deadpool in 2016, all eyes are certainly on its follow-up to keep the momentum going strong. Director David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde) certainly has the action chops to handle the Merc with the Mouth, and the addition of Cable (Josh Brolin) and mutant-led team X-Force should give Ryan Reynolds plenty to play off of. The biggest risk though is that Deadpool 2 will push its self-aware irreverence and ultraviolence too far. Remember Kick-Ass 2? Of course not. Our point stands.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 25)

In the decades-long history of the Star Wars saga, we’ve never gotten another installment this soon before. As fans continue to decry (or praise) The Last Jedi, director Ron Howard’s spinoff about young Han Solo may inject just the nostalgic boost the series needs right now. Alden Ehrenreich has gotten a mixed response based solely on the trailers, and there is the matter of that insane production. But most moviegoers will probably go to Solo: A Star Wars Story expecting another fun adventure and receive exactly that.

Ocean’s 8 (June 8)

Over a decade has passed since the George Clooney-led Ocean’s Eleven trilogy wrapped up. And so this sequel/reboot sees Sandra Bullock step into the role of Debbie Ocean, sister to Clooney’s Danny, as she assembles a team to pull off an impossible heist at New York’s Met Gala. The ensemble cast includes Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna and Awkwafina. By the looks of it, director Gary Ross (The Hunger Games) has created a thrilling way to give the franchise new life.

The Incredibles 2 (June 15)

Few films released throughout the 2000s have made audiences sweat it out in anticipation of a sequel like The Incredibles. Writer/director Brad Bird (The Iron Giant) struck on something special with his tale of the Paar family dynamic following a nationwide ban on superheroes. Brimming with imagination and heart, the first film remains one of Pixar’s most beloved releases, and with any luck, Bird can recapture that magic and present a sequel that deepens its rich themes and contributes mightily to the superhero genre.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (June 22)

Critics may have been mixed on Jurassic World back in 2015, but audiences flocked to the theater like hungry Velociraptors on their prey. Now director J.A. Bayona (A Monster Calls) looks to build upon that film’s success. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are back, as a mission takes shape to rescue Isla Nublar’s remaining dinosaurs from extinction — ironically enough — at the hands of an active volcano. While the story seems to be taking Jurassic Park in a new direction, it’s unclear if Fallen Kingdom is on the right path.

The First Purge (July 4)

The Purge films have been an interesting experiment, as the series has aimed to couple its relentless brand of action-horror with harsh social and political commentary. This fourth installment looks to be the most resonant yet, as director Gerard McMurray explores the logic and motivation behind the first annual Purge. In an increasingly divisive time, a film in which the government decides it is necessary to allow an unspeakable outlet for the people’s aggression is far more terrifying than it has any right to be.

Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6)

You didn’t really think Avengers: Infinity War was the last we’d see of Marvel Studios this year, did you? But you might want to keep your excitement in check. Although a sequel to the original Ant-Man, this entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is set before Infinity War. So don’t expect more information following Infinity War‘s jaw-dropping finale. In any case, director Peyton Reed seems on track to provide another exciting trip into the quantum realm. Plus, fans will finally properly meet the Wasp, an original Avenger in the comics.

Mission: Impossible — Fallout (July 27)

It’s hard to believe the Mission: Impossible franchise is still going this strong so far into its run. Tom Cruise returns for the sixth (!) entry in the series, as Ethan Hunt and his team face the consequences of their actions in Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation. That tight continuity is fitting since Rogue Nation director Christopher McQuarrie and leading lady Rebecca Ferguson return. We expect plenty of death-defying stunts performed by Cruise himself as well as a bittersweet introduction to the notorious Henry Cavill mustache that made such trouble for Justice League.

Which sequel, prequel or reboot are you most looking forward to this summer? Sound off with your thoughts in the comments section below!

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DC on CW Weekly Review: Leonard Snart And Starting The Season Wrap-Up

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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April 30, 2018

This series will be a brief, semi-comedic review of the CW superhero shows. You can check out last week’s review post here. The only shows discussed will be ‘Arrow’, ‘Flash’, and ‘Supergirl’. There WILL be some spoilers discussed, so only look at the reviews you’re up to date on!

BackNext

1. Arrow, “Shifting Allegiances” (April 26th)

It seems like Arrow taking it “back to basics” means episodes with next to no actual Green Arrow in it. All Oliver does this week is have an underwhelming argument with Anatoly. Diggle getting in with ARGUS makes a lot of sense, and his team-up with the B-Team works well. The Rene freezing in combat storyline feels too much like Diggle’s freezing in combat storyline. That said, it would’ve been a more interesting choice to let Wild Dog totally retire, making the show less saturated with heroes. Diaz still isn’t all that frightening – Anatoly’s really that disgusted over Diaz punching Oliver twice? For ARROW to set itself straight, there needs to be a much stronger focus on the titular archer.

SCORE: 6.5/10 Weapon Trucks

WEEKLY WIN TALLY:

The Flash: 8 Weeks

Supergirl: 5.5 Weeks

Arrow: 5 Weeks

What show did you think won the week? Does Legends of Tomorrow or Black Lightning take your vote? Let us know in the comments below!

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The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – Casualties

By

Michael Bedford

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The war between Earth and Mars is heating up quickly in season 3 of The Expanse. “Assured Destruction” featured a number of difficult decisions for a number of characters: with this kind of start to the season, I’m excited to see how the rest of it turns out.

The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – “It’s gonna’ be Mei!”

Having rescued UN Deputy Undersecretary Avasarala and Bobbie Draper, formerly of the Martian Marines, from an explosive end at the hands of the UNN, Holden and the crew of the Pinus Contorta, which everyone aboard still calls the “Roci,” tell Avasarala that they are heading to Io to find Prax’s daughter Mei. Avasarala and Draper aren’t keen on this plan since they both want to return to Earth to help end the war by proving that Undersecretary Errinwright is a traitor working with Jules-Pierre Mao.

Avasarala makes her case by telling the crew about the protomolecule hybrid that attacked Ganymede and nearly killed Draper. Holden and his crew show their worth when they, in return, show Avasarala and Draper the recording of their battle with and destruction of a protomolecule hybrid. Draper is noticeably impressed.

Realizing that Holden is unlikely to take her back to Earth, Avasarala requests that they be allowed to send a tight-beam transmission concerning Errinwright’s guilt to Admiral Souther aboard the Agatha King. Holden denies this request, saying that sending a tight-beam would allow the UNN to locate and destroy them.

Avasarala tries to appeal to Holden’s quixotic nature, but her manipulative reference to Holden’s mother and childhood fall on seemingly deaf ears. Holden says he’s done fighting battles he can’t win.

The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – “Alas, poor Theo…”

Cotyar, Avasarala’s mercenary bodyguard, survived the explosion of the Guanshiyin, Jules-Pierre Mao’s space-yacht. But the drop ship that Cotyar and Theo Simibelli, a member of the Guanshiyin’s crew, are currently aboard has been detected by the UNN Agatha King, the flagship of the United Nations Navy’s Jupiter Fleet. And since the Guanshiyin was vaporized by the UNN, Cotyar is justifiably anxious about being rescued by the very organization that just tried to kill him.

Making a harsh executive decision before being picked up by the Agatha King, Cotyar elects to kill his fellow escapee from the Guanshiyin…poor Theo. Cotyar believes this is the best way to protect his cover story that Avasarala was killed by Mao’s mercenaries. Once aboard the Agatha King, Cotyar is questioned by Fleet Admiral Nguyen.

Nguyen doesn’t believe that Avasarala is dead, and he similarly doesn’t believe Cotyar — more likely, he’s in Errinwright’s pocket — when Cotyar tells Nguyen that Errinwright destroyed the Guanshiyin in an attempt to kill Avasarala. Admiral Souther, the Agatha King’s commanding officer, however, does believe Cotyar’s story.

Faking an electrical malfunction, Souther questions Cotyar without Fleet Admiral Nguyen present. Cotyar tells the seemingly trustworthy Souther of Avasarala and Draper’s escape from the Guanshiyin aboard the Razorback. But before Souther can take any action, Fleet Admiral Nguyen pulls rank and commandeers the Agatha King, setting a course for Io.

The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – “Katoa-Man, Katoa-Man does whatever a Katoa can!”

On Io, Jules-Pierre Mao and Dr. Strickland witness the effects of their protomolecule experiments. Although Prax’s daughter Mei has yet to be infected with the protomolecule, her friend Katoa has been, and the effects of it are showing in a big way. The previously sickly Katoa can now climb walls and jump around like Spider-Man.

Mao is pleased with the results of the experiment, and Mei is impressed by her friend’s newfound abilities, but after Katoa suffers a sudden protomolecule-related seizure, Mao demands that the experiment be shut down. Mei, it seems, reminds Mao of his daughter Julie who died as a result of exposure to the protomolecule, and the ethical implications of putting Mei in danger weigh heavily on him.

The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – The Gun Show

Meanwhile, His Excellency Secretary-General Esteban Sorrento-Gillis faces a difficult decision of his own. The treasonous Undersecretary Errinwright proposes a preemptive strike against Mars’s orbital missile arrays, which are moving into strike position. Although Sorrento-Gillis seems to be committed to winning the war, his conscience and his speech-writer Anna Volovodov suggest that he should minimize casualties.

Sorrento-Gillis first decides to act against Errinwright’s suggestion to preemptively destroy Mars’s orbital missile launchers since any firing malfunction would allow an opportunity for Mars to retaliate. However, after another discussion with Errinwright in which the undersecretary reminds Sorrento-Gillis of the threat of the protomolecule on Venus, Sorrento-Gillis decides to go ahead with Errinwright’s plan.

At the secretary-general’s command, the UN’s orbital “rail-guns” fire their deadly volleys at the Martian orbital missile launchers. But, one of the rail-guns misfires due to being warmed up and shut down when Sorrento-Gillis previously decided to call off Errinwright’s preemptive strike. Due to the malfunction, a single Martian missile gets away before the last launcher is destroyed. The missile detonates in South America killing two million people.

The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – Alex + Naomi

Alex and Naomi are also at crossroads, although the decisions they make in “Assured Destruction” have far lower stakes than any other character in this episode. Alex receives a message from his family: his wife and son have moved on and no longer want him around. His wife is glad that Alex has found something he loves more than them. But rather than make a desperate plea to be taken back, Alex just leaves things as they are, instead turning his attention to reassuring Naomi and convincing her to stay on board.

Alex knows that Naomi is considering high-tailing it to Tycho Station. She eventually decides against it, at least for now, and, in a rare show of camaraderie, eats dinner with the lonely and dejected Alex.

The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – Chrisjen Values

Naomi and Avasarala are unlikely to be sharing many dinners together, though. Avasarala is horrified to learn that Naomi provided Fred Johnson and the OPA with the protomolecule. Naomi fires back, telling Avasarala that she will do everything in her power to ensure that Earth never gets the protomolecule.

The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – Amoside, Life on the Street

Amos reveals a bit more about his personal history when he tells Prax that he’s from Baltimore, saying that the only way to get out of Baltimore is to die. When Prax asks Amos how he got out, Amos, rather mysteriously, replies that he died.

The Expanse Season 3, Episode 3: “Assured Destruction” – Final Thoughts

It’s good to see Mao acting like a human being for once. Although I have no interest in feeling sorry for the unscrupulous financier, it’s refreshing to see the humane side of any villain.

I felt like Alex’s story-line in this episode was a bit weak and that the way Amos revealed his past was a tad heavy handed. I want to learn more about these characters, but I don’t want their development to seem forced.

The massacre in South America really raises the stakes of the war, and I wonder what Earth’s response is going to be after the devastating attack. If the war-mongering Errinwright has anything to say about it, though, I’m sure it won’t be diplomatic.

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First Look: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 800 Variant Covers

By

Michael Stagno

-

April 30, 2018

On May 30, The Amazing Spider-Man will punch its ticket into the record books with the release of issue No. 800, which will also secure it as the first-ever Marvel comic to do so.

The milestone will mark the end of Dan Slott’s run on the series, titled, Go Down Swinging. It will feature a massive showdown of two classic foes in Spidey and Norman Osborn.

To celebrate the upcoming achievement, the publisher will release 10 variants for the 80-page issue, in conjunction with Alex Ross’ epic cover. The full list of artists include: Mark Bagley, John Romita Sr., Ron Frenz, Frank Cho, Moebius, John Cassaday, Greg Land, Terry Dodson, Paolo Rivera and Nick Bradshaw.

For more information, click HERE for a preview of No. 800 and be sure to check out the official Marvel release for the event as well.

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