On the heels of the release of Avengers: Infinity War, we have some Captain Marvel set photos to keep your Marvel high going. The images, which come via Hollywood Pipeline, give us our first look at 90s Nick Fury.
Sam Jackson’s Nick Fury first appeared in the post-credit scene of 2008s Iron Man. Since then he has appeared in 6 other Marvel Studios films, becoming the linchpin of the MCU. Then news broke from SDCC last year that Fury would return in the upcoming Captain Marvel. The only catch was the film will be set in the 1990s meaning audiences would get a glimpse at a younger Nick Fury.
These photos give us a look at what we should expect Fury to look like, minus the possible use of de-aging technology. MCU alum Clark Gregg, who is also returning as Agent Phil Coulson, recently mentioned the possibility of using the technology to de-age himself for the film. This technology is something Marvel has utilized several times in the past on actors such as Michael Douglas and Robert Downey Jr.
Captain Marvel will star Oscar winner Brie Larson and follow the story of Carol Danvers, an Air Force pilot who gets caught up in an intergalactic war. The film will also see the return of Ronan the Accuser to the MCU. Played by Lee Pace, Ronan first appeared as the antagonist in 2014s Guardians of the Galaxy.
Are you excited to see a young Nick Fury in Captain Marvel? Let us know in the comments below!
Captain Marvel blasts into theaters March 8th, 2019
The story follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Image Comics’ horror anthology series, Ice Cream Man, has been an exciting exploration of dread. Writer W. Maxwell Prince, artist Martín Morazzo, and colorist Chris O’Halloran have been delivering beautifully disturbing horror tales. In Ice Cream Man #4, we get the first real inkling of what this creepy frozen-treat vendor is actually up to.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Our main story this time is centered around a deceased musician’s estranged father and childhood friend. They’re both carrying heavy guilt and regret, all coming to the surface in the wake of an untimely death. W. Maxwell Prince masterfully immerses readers into this scene of tragedy in a few short pages.
On the other side of this plot is the deceased musician, who finds himself in some sort of revolving hell. Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran unleash an onslaught of uncomfortable imagery, all inspired by a cone of ice cream. The melting-face visuals and eerie transitions continue to wrap this comic up in a uniquely terrifying package.
Ice Cream Man‘s purposely dreadful tone comes through strongest in the art. There’s an uncomfortable texture to the characters and landscapes that makes these scenes even more effective. This is a horror comic that rarely relies on gore-porn to qualify as horror, and when it does, it’s more in the fun and ridiculous vein of A Nightmare On Elm Street sequels.
Following the scenes of hellish torture for our newly deceased musician character, somebody new pays the Ice Cream Man a visit. This “man in black” cowboy, Caleb, is familiar to the frozen-treat creep and even gives him pause. There’s still plenty of mystery surrounding this star of this series, but this moment gives us enough to pose a few theories.
We may have thought that the Ice Cream Man was the Devil, but this dark cowboy’s introduction makes us think that there are beings higher on the totem pole of evil. Is this new character the Devil? If so, does that mean the Ice Cream Man is some sort of rogue demon, collecting souls and torturing the people of this small town without his overlord’s consent?
Caleb says “I know what you’re doing to the people of this town, friend o’mine” before promising to see him around. Perhaps Caleb’s black attire is a misdirection and he’s on the side of good. Could he be keeping tabs on our evil man of ice cream snacks? Maybe even some sort of authority in the realm of higher powers?
We’ll have to keep reading to find out, but this issue took big steps towards this being more than just another horror anthology. Ice Cream Man #4 managed to give us all these questions and tell another effective horror story up front. The next issue isn’t coming until July so we’ve plenty of time to theorize!
Steal an all-powerful planet-killing orb, meet a talking raccoon, flirt with the alien assassin: that’s just an average day for Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord, a self-proclaimed legendary outlaw.
Over the course of the three movies Quill has appeared in so far, his character has come along way from being a kidnapped 80’s kid. But those who saw Infinity War this weekend may have noticed something interesting: Quill continues to screw up.
Infinity War‘s Peter Quill, for lack of a better word, sucks. But this was an intentional decision, and it works.
And here’s why.
The following contains major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Avengers: Infinity War. Read at your own risk.
1The Rise of Star-Lord
When we first meet Peter Quill, he is a fast-talking tomb raider. He is insulted when someone hasn’t heard of Star-Lord, his supposedly “legendary” moniker. He can’t remember the name of the alien woman he slept with, still aboard his ship.
The Peter Quill of Guardians of the Galaxy is a self-centered ego-driven jerk, like most of his soon-to-be-teammates. Though he is more open to a partnership than Rocket or Drax, he is still focused on what any given action can earn him.
We see his struggle with moral action vs. reward after experiencing the destructive nature of the Power Stone.
GAMORA: We have to bring this to the Nova Corps. There’s a chance they can contain it.
ROCKET: Are you kidding me? We’re wanted by the Nova Corps! Just give it to Ronan!
QUILL: So he can destroy the galaxy?
ROCKET: What are you, some Saint all of a sudden? What has the galaxy ever done for you? Why would you wanna save it?
QUILL: Because I’m one of the idiots who lives in it!
GAMORA: Peter, listen to me. We cannot allow the stone to fall into Ronan’s hands. We have to go back to your ship and deliver it to Nova.
QUILL: Right, right, okay. I think you’re right. Or we could give it to somebody who’s not going to arrest us, who’s really nice for a whole lot of money. I think it’s a really good balance between both of your points of view.
GAMORA: You’re despicable.
Quill’s first glimmer of heroism is caused, in part, by Gamora. Outside Knowhere, he gives up his oxygen supply to save her. Rocket makes the stakes clear for the audience, telling him “You’ll die in seconds!” Quill goes anyway, risking his life for her, though he’s not able to put why into words.
His completes his transformation into a hero with his famous speech to the Guardians.
QUILL: I need your help. I look around at us, you know what I see? Losers. I mean, like, folks who have lost stuff. And we have. Man, we have. All of us. Our homes, our families, normal lives. And, usually, life takes more than it gives, but not today. Today, it’s given us something. It has given us a chance.
DRAX: To do what?
QUILL: To give a shit. For once, not run away. I, for one, am not gonna stand by and watch as Ronan wipes out billions of innocent lives.
By the end of Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill has finally earned the name Star-Lord. He hears it from the enemies aboard Ronan’s ship, and his mother uses his moniker in her gifted tape.
Most importantly, the film ends with this exchange:
QUILL: So, what should we do next? Something good? Something bad? A bit of both?
GAMORA: We’ll follow your lead, Star-Lord.
QUILL: Bit of both!
While he is not necessarily a purely altruistic hero, Quill is trying to do some good, and that’s primarily because Gamora has started to re-align his moral compass.
2Learning to Love a Loss of Ego
In Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, Peter Quill has maintained his new moral alignment. He objects strongly to Rocket stealing the batteries they are supposed to be guarding, despite their high value.
Though his actions are pointed now toward more beneficent ends, they are driven still by his arrogance and ego. When escaping the Sovereign fleet, Peter and Rocket fight over who is piloting the ship, and end up causing it to become damaged and crash. Gamora explains the conflict:
GAMORA: Either one of you could have gotten us through that field, if you had flown with what’s between your ears instead of what’s between your legs!
QUILL: If what’s between my legs had a hand on it, I guarantee I could have landed this ship.
GAMORA: It’s not funny, Peter. We almost died. Because of your arrogance.
While dealing with his Ego, Quill is also faced with conflicting ideas of what family and love look like. He is put off by Rocket’s constant snark and traumatized by the way Yondu raised him. He is embarrassed to admit his feelings for Gamora publicly but is also confused by her inability to acknowledge the feelings they have for each other. And most significantly, Quill harbors deep anger toward his father for leaving his mother, “the most wonderful woman ever,” to die.
Quill tries to process these feelings but finds himself conflicted. He feels trepidation toward meeting his father and being on his planet but is also hurt when Gamora questions the situation. He has aligned himself with good because of Gamora but doesn’t understand why she doesn’t trust him.
This conflict comes to a climax when Quill has the opportunity to obtain infinite power. Within him is the power to remake the universe, in his image. But to obtain this, to truly become a legendary star lord, he must give up Gamora and the rest of his family, just like his father did.
Of course, Quill is unable to do so. He cannot let go of the people he loves. He describes what this means to him at Yondu’s funeral:
QUILL: And what I’m trying to say here is, that thing you’re searching for your whole life, sometimes it’s right there by your side all along and you don’t even know it.
So he defeats his father, even when faced with what seemed previously to be something he would fear:
EGO: Listen to me! You are a god! If you kill me, you’ll just be like everyone else!
QUILL: What’s so wrong with that?
3One Sandwich Away from Demotion
By the time of Infinity War, Peter Quill has gone through a significant transition. He has re-aligned his moral center, choosing to do some good in the universe, and earning the name Star-Lord. He also learned that what mattered to him was not legendary fame and ego, but the family that he had been searching for his entire life.
These changes set up Quill’s conflict in Infinity War: he has his family and his purpose but is faced with the loss of those things. Thor is on his ship, threatening what Quill see’s as his natural place as captain. He is jealous of the attention Thor gets from Gamora and the other Guardians, a.k.a. his family.
These reactionary emotions don’t come from a place of weakness, but from his already profound fear of the loss of his family, stemming from his mother’s death. What if he isn’t fit enough, good-looking enough, or a strong enough leader, for his family anymore?
We see during the sequence on Knowhere that Quill’s expectations for himself are not shared by the other Guardians. He tries to give orders, still seeing himself as the leader, but they ignore him. The Guardians have moved on from the end of the first film, where they decided to follow his lead. They are a family now.
Gamora then forces Quill to face his greatest fear and asks him to kill her. In a moving moment, and one of the Infinity War‘s emotional highpoints, Quill pulls the trigger, choosing to honor her wishes, but is stopped by Thanos.
Only later does Quill’s fear come true, when he discovers that Gamora has died at Thanos’ hands. Overcome by his sadness and anger, he lashes out, effectively ruining the plan he, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange had concocted.
As before, this reaction does not stem from a character weakness. Quill’s emotional response to a familial loss was established in Guardians Vol. 2. This is simply the apex of his emotional journey.
While Quill has learned and developed a great deal over Guardians of the Galaxy and Vol. 2, Infinity War proves that he has not yet learned to deal with loss. Whether he gets the chance to face this lesson in Avengers 4 or Guardians of the Galaxy 3 remains to be seen.
That’s it, folks! Do you agree or disagree with Peter Quill’s characterization in Infinity War? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments below.
Unless you have a time stone, turn back now if you don’t want Avengers: Infinity War spoiled for you. I mean it. If you have not sat in a theater for almost three hours while watching superheroes fight Thanos, go back. Avert your eyes from the spoilers that lace this article.
Then again the word “spoiler” is in the headline so you’ve entered at your own risk. But seriously don’t tweet me saying I’ve spoiled the ending of the movie and what comes after it. I’ve written two paragraphs and placed a picture of Vision below just so you can exit if you haven’t seen the movie.
Avengers: Infinity War ended in a way no other Marvel movie has ended. With the villain coming out on top. Many of Earth’s mightiest heroes including Spider-Man, Black Panther, and many of Earth’s people were wiped out by the gloved hand of Thanos. After all of the credits rolled, we saw Nick Fury and Maria Hill driving through New York City.
As they themselves become part of Thanos’ mass genocide, Fury is able to make one final call. A distress signal to Brie Larson‘s Captain Marvel. Though she does not appear on-screen, her symbol does appear in-color on Fury’s device and then the screen goes black. This end-credits scene does raise a bit of a question.
Is Captain Marvel’s ending tied to why Fury had to alert her? Does her movie answer why she was not in Infinity War? While we won’t be finding out until March 6, 2019, the cliffhanger was a bit meh. Normally the studio uses cliffhangers to introduce a character we didn’t know was coming or a twist related to a film’s story.
If we didn’t know Carol Danvers was part of the universe and this was the first reveal, it would’ve been a solid reveal. But since we already know she’s coming it takes away the surprise element and the purpose of the cliffhanger. Serving as an unnecessary reminder of what we already know. What do you think of the end-credits sequence? Comment below!
The Curse of Brimstone #2 is out Wednesday, May 2nd from DC Comics, and Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive first-look at the issue!
Brimstone is one of the titles being published under DC’s “New Age of Heroes” initiative, and is drawn by Philip Tan with colors by Rain Beredo, and written by Justin Jordan. It’s the story of a man who makes a deal with a devil to save his town, but the power he receives may be more than be bargained for.
Like most “New Age of Heroes” series, there’s a special emphasis on the art in Curse of Brimstone, and as you can see in the preview below, Tan and Beredo are bringing the heat in this fiery comic.
About the issue: What do you do after you unknowingly make a deal with the devil that transforms you into Brimstone, and you can’t stop the constant feeling of screaming, fiery pain burning from head to toe? Joe Chamberlain is determined to relieve himself of this curse by tracking the devil by his tail. That is, if the devil’s Hound doesn’t get to him first…
Check out the full preview:
Are you reading Curse of Brimstone? What’s been your favorite “New Age of Heroes” series? Comment below!
A stellar performance from Jason Clarke isn’t enough to overcome a meandering narrative and the pacing issues which plague John Curran’s Chappaquiddick.
While Curran intends to provide insight into the intricate workings of the Kennedy family (especially Ted), the storyline comes across as a drawn-out look at how a political scandal operates. It’s as if Curran tries to accomplish too much in Chappaquiddick. Had the narrative focused on either the Kennedy family dynamic or Ted Kennedy’s political rise, then the tone of this review might have been very different.
This tale centers on the events before and after the accident at Chappaquiddick. Senator Ted Kennedy (Clarke) is still reeling from the death of both his brothers and appears to be wilting under the enormous pressure from the world to run for president. Ted finds comfort in drinking and feels at ease around people who have lower expectations of him.
At a little get-together with some of his late brother Robert’s campaign staff on Chappaquiddick Island, he ends up leaving the party with Mary Jo Kopechne (Kate Mara). Intending to find a new place to continue partying, Ted makes a bad turn, causing his 1967 Chevy to flip into the water below. The senator is able to escape, but Kopechne drowns. The rest of the film centers around the public scrutiny and attempt to cover up the details of this tragedy.
With Chappaquiddick, Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan constructed a narrative which puts entirely too much focus on the parties involved in the incident and not on the most interesting person, the incredibly flawed Ted Kennedy. Ed Helms and Jim Gaffigan play Markham and Joseph Gargan, trusted advisors to the Kennedy family. However, audiences will have little interest in whether or not Joseph was his closest friend or was there for him in his hour of need. Curran’s film certainly touches on the issue of morality but should have focused squarely on Clarke’s character. What type of person justifies walking away from an accident scene knowing full well their passenger is unaccounted for?
Because most moviegoers who pay to see Chappaquiddick are likely already familiar with the story, the film feels like it moves at an excruciatingly slow pace. Curran feels the need to switch the focus from person to person in the storyline to gauge each reaction as the events unfold. After a while, audiences will become disinterested, as the most interesting player in this tale sparsely contributes. The cinematography is lackluster as well, neglecting the beauty of the island and shooting the actual crash from a distance which made the audience reaction ho-hum.
Clarke’s performance is the lone highlight in Chappaquiddick. He brings such intensity and depth to a role which was poorly written, but he makes the film tolerable. Seeing the pain he projects on the screen perfectly illustrates how much of a missed opportunity the movie is. Instead, we are left with an average at best retelling of a particularly dark moment for one of America’s most famous families.Chappaquiddick is hardly anything worth rushing out for.
Fear Agent returns in a new “Final Edition” trade paperback brought into existence by Image Comics and Rick Remender that covers the first ten stories in the series and reintroduces Heath Huston to a whole new generation.
Long ago, back in 2005, Image unleashed Fear Agent on the world. The action-adventure series spans the universe and includes all manner of insane science fiction fun. After a couple of years, the titled continued its space adventures at Dark Horse Comics. However, Heath Huston, the intergalactic “exterminator” and the last Fear Agent, returns home to Image for a re-issue of each story arc. Fear Agent Final Edition Volume 1 covers the first ten issues which play out like the pilot episode of the best science fiction TV show you’ve never seen. Fear Agent is a blend of sci-fi spectacle, and rich character and world-building and this new trade is worthy of these grand adventures.
Writing: Rick Remender
Art: Tony Moore & Jerome Opeña
Colors: Lee Loughridge & Michelle Madsen
Letters: Rus Wooton
“Mother of God …” – Heath Huston, Fear Agent
WRITING
Back in 2005, Rick Remender felt that science fiction had “lost its stones,” and so he created Fear Agent in response. Fear Agent is a throwback to pulp science fiction of the 50s but played with a much harder edge than most entertainment of that era. Huston is a classic hero, throwing himself into harm’s way to reach his goal, but Remender fully realizes Huston as a man with demons which he keeps at bay with alcohol. The universe built by the creative team throughout these first ten issues is familiar but wildly fresh. Many of the rockets and sci-fi gadgets take on a familiar shape. But the context shaping their use is the special signature of this book. Reminder, Moore, and Opeña have an absolute blast with the story they are telling.
What exactly is the story of Fear Agent? Heath Huston is an alcoholic who earns his living by exterminating aliens. As any regulated industry, Huston must stay within certain rules when cleansing the galaxy of pests. On our first mission with Huston, he screws up the rules badly, but as the character says “If the law didn’t see me, I didn’t do it.”
Huston is the last of a dying breed of “Texas Ass-Stompers” known as the Fear Agents. Throughout the first volume, readers are absorbed into the world of Fear Agent, the weird aliens, junky, high technology, and attitude. Every character written by Remender has a clear voice and personality. Huston’s journey from a survivor doing what he can to survive ends as a hero, albeit the kind of rough-around-the-edges hero Huston is meant to be. But when you save the human race, you get to be a bit of an asshole.
ART
Moore and Opeña split the drawing duties here. Their styles are evident but never jarring. Each one offers something to the book that works so well for the kind of wild adventure story going on here. Moore handles the first four chapters, and his style is a touch more animated. By the time Opeña shows up, it seems the story is calling for something a little darker and edgier. The switch is seamless, but the effect is profound. The slight contrast in their styles is best compared with how they draw Huston drinking from his bottle.
Both Moore and Opeña are masters of creating fast-paced action beats. Quieter character moments don’t clutter panels with needless visual detail. Splash pages throughout the first ten issues are as bold as splash pages should be.
In addition to Moore and Opeña’s interiors, the remaining creative team brings the entire story up to its maximum potential. Additionally, the book features concept art and all the original covers of the book.
CONCLUSION
I conclude that fans of science fiction action comic books must read this immediately. Fear Agent Final Edition Volume 1 is a wild ride that keeps a smile on your face from start to finish. Huston is richly realized character who battles internal monsters while also fighting external ones. The sci-fi world of Fear Agent features incredible artwork and great writing coming together for a series that rightfully deserves this new edition.
“Unwomen” aired as the second part of The Handmaid’s Tale season 2 premiere. Part I, entitled “June” fleshed out June’s (previously Offred’s) personal history and showed viewers her desperate struggle to regain her personal freedom while making an escape to Canada — good ol’ Canada.
“Unwomen,” though it focused some of its attention on June’s current whereabouts, gave viewers a better sense of who Emily (previously Ofglen) is, what she’s doing now that she’s been shipped to the dreaded colonies, and where she came from.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – “Stop…Hammer time.”
A somewhat elderly and very out-of-breath driver drops June off at yet another loading dock. Once the driver manages to get June inside, she asks her reluctant traveling companion what the next step is. He tells her that it was his job to get her here, and he has. He explains that the building has power and running water, and after leaving June some necessities he makes to leave. An appreciative June bids the driver farewell with an all-too-formal, “Under his eye,” and receives a genial, “After a while, crocodile,” in return.
Hearing sirens as the driver leaves, June locks the loading dock door, frantically searches through the building for a small room, grabs a nearby hammer, and clutches her new weapon tightly to her chest. She relaxes only slightly when the sirens fade. When she finally works up the courage to take a look around, she realizes that fate has taken her to another home of another of John W. Henry II’s acquisitions, the offices of The Boston Globe.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – Black, White, and Red All Over
While exploring some employee cubicles, June gets an uneasy feeling when she finds a discarded women’s shoe. Her journey into the printing room, though, shows her something much worse. In addition to finding the mate to the discarded shoe she found in the cubicle, June also finds a row of nooses hung from the printing equipment. A wall riddled with bullet holes confirms her fears: she is standing in a slaughterhouse for “gender traitors.”
Her anxiety levels through the roof, June takes her hammer and makes for a more comfortable location. She ducks under cover, though, when she hears someone walking toward her. Nick’s familiar voice comes out of the darkness. June drops her hammer, tries to compose herself, and greets him. Wasting no time, she demands to know the next step in her struggle for liberty.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – Have Gun – Will Travel
Nick explains that it could be weeks before an opportunity to head north presents itself, and June, fed up with waiting around in a slaughterhouse, demands Nick’s keys. If Nick won’t help her, she’ll find Hannah and escape to Canada on her own. Nick reluctantly hands over the keys to his truck, along with his gun. June takes both and heads for the truck.
Once she’s behind the wheel, though, she realizes how hopeless her plan is. She pounds on the steering wheel in frustration and eventually returns to Nick inside the loading dock. Nick locks the door, and the two rebel-lovers engage in some angry and passionate carnal activity. A cut reveals a change in location — and position — and an exhausted Nick says he can’t go on. June instructs him, “Try,” as she climbs back atop the exhausted Eye.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – Professor Rory Gilmore
Leaving the lovers for a bit, viewers are taken to the colonies, which don’t look very pleasant at all. A yellowish fog permeates the entire landscape. Emily along with the other Unwomen, disgraced handmaids and other female outcasts, work the irradiated land by shoveling radioactive dirt into bags. They receive an electric shock if they’re caught taking a break, and are forced to kneel and pray at the sound of a bell. During one of these mandatory prayer sessions, Emily takes some time to reflect on her life before the Gilead regime took power.
We see Emily teaching a course on cellular biology and dealing with the mansplaining habits of one of her young male students. A hallway conference with the dean of her department, only ever referred to as “Dan,” reveals that she will no longer be teaching next term. The friendly dean tries to spin the change as a chance to get more research time, but Emily knows she’s being forced out.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – Dean Dan’s Dilemma
Dean Dan says there’s nothing he can do and gently admonishes Emily for keeping a photo of her wife and daughter on her phone, suggesting that she ought to have known better. Emily asks if this newfound paranoia is the reason that he removed all the pictures of his partner from his own office. Dan admits that his fears played a part in removing the photos, but says that he and his partner Paul had been fighting recently, everything coming to a head when Paul called Dan a collaborator.
Emily is adamant that she will continue teaching and tells Dan not to let the board of directors scare him back into the closet. The next day, though, a commotion in the quad draws Emily’s attention. The word “faggot” has been spray-painted on the ground, and we see the corpse of the affable Dean Dan hanging from a walkway in the center of the the courtyard.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – The Kiss and Ride
Deciding it’s high time to get out of Dodge, Emily and her wife Sylvia arrive at an overcrowded airport with their son Oliver. Emily’s wife Sylvia, a Canadian citizen, is allowed immediate travel along with their son. Emily, however, is not Canadian so her travel plans must be scrutinized further. Emily quickly produces her and Sylvia’s marriage license, and a helpful ICE agent says Emily was smart to bring it. Sylvia and Oliver are cleared for travel, but, even with the license, Emily must secure a boarding stamp.
Emily suggests that the two go on without her, but Sylvia refuses, saying they’ll all go together. The final documentation review, though, is handled by a militant agent who describes Emily and Sylvia’s marriage license as invalid since “it is forbidden” by “the law.” Emily demands a lawyer but is shoved into her seat. It becomes obvious that Emily will not leave with her family. She tearfully kisses her wife and son goodbye as they board their plane to Montreal.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – “You think I’m hostile now, wait ’til you see me tonight.”
Back in the irradiated present, the Unwomen watch as a busload of new recruits rolls up. One of them (played by Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei) wears the trademark blue-ish uniform of a commander’s wife. The rest of the Unwomen spurn her, but Emily takes an uncharacteristic interest in the fallen woman.
After a tough day of toiling in the dirt, Emily helps the newbie by providing her with some alcohol for her blisters. During Emily’s ministrations, the disgraced wife, whose name is Mrs. O’Conner, pours her heart out: she lost her position as wife because she was unfaithful to her husband. But, though she was unfaithful, she knows God will be merciful with her because she truly loved the man she cheated on her husband with.
Emily listens and gives Mrs. O’Conner some pills, antibiotics she says, that will help fight off the E. Coli bacteria that permeates the water. When Mrs. O’Conner asks why Emily’s being so helpful, she replies that “A mistress was kind to me once.” Strange, I don’t remember that happening.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – “There will be consequences!”
That evening we see Emily’s new “friend” retching into a toilet. Emily asks if she took the pills, and Mrs. O’Conner says she doesn’t think they’re working. Looking up into Emily’s unfeeling face, the woman’s suspicions mount, and she demands to know what Emily gave her. Rather than responding, Emily explains her motives, reminding the woman that every month she would hold a woman down and let her husband rape her; “Some things are unforgivable.” Denying the woman’s last request to pray with her, Emily tells her she should die alone.
The next morning, the Unwomen awake to find the crucified body of Mrs. O’Conner strung up in the field. An overseer screams that there will be consequences, and the unwomen smile to themselves as they start their daily slog. Another bus arrives just as the crowd disperses, and we see Janine clamber out. She and Emily embrace, but an attendant quickly pulls them apart.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – Shrine Time
We cut back to June in the offices of The Boston Globe. Nick has apparently worked up the courage and energy to leave, and June sits watching “The One with Phoebe’s Uterus” on an employee’s laptop. After watching for a bit, though, she gets up and collects various personal effects, including the discarded shoe, from the abandoned cubicles. Bringing her load down to the printing room, June creates a makeshift shrine for the victims of the massacre.
Then, showing a positive side of Christianity, June offers up a prayer for the faithful departed and asks God’s holy angel to watch over the shrine. Taking a different tack from the powers that be, she prays in Christ’s name and closes her prayer with the traditional “Amen.”
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Premiere: Part II, “Unwomen” – Final Thoughts
Powerful stuff in this episode! Emily’s struggle and eventual lack of empathy show her to be more ruthless than I had thought. It was great to see the colonies, having been teased with the new setting last season. It’s always intriguing to see a new setting, and this one didn’t disappoint. Its bleak and dreary aspect made for a great representation of the irradiated colonies.
It was good to see Marisa Tomei, but the Oscar-winner couldn’t hold a candle to her scene partner Alexis Bledel. Showing a dark side that we only saw briefly in season one, Bledel seems to have stepped outside her comfort zone quite a bit for The Handmaid’s Tale, so I’m excited to see what the future has in store for Emily.
Elizabeth Moss as June was, as always, great in this episode. I especially liked her immediate negative reaction to being brought to the scene of a massacre. Even before she sees the evidence of what happened at the offices of The Boston Globe, she seems instinctively wary of the place. Great direction and great acting in this episode, and a great start to the second season.
Let’s start this article with a big fat spoiler warning for both Avengers: Infinity WarandAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Please navigate away if you’re not trying to spoil the movie, or if you’re not caught up on the show.
Classic Distraction Technique
If you’re anything like me, you spent the last few minutes of Infinity War waiting for the other shoe to drop. There was no way all those characters were just going to…disappear, was there? Fine, there’s a part two coming eventually, but we have to wait for that, and in the meantime…I had to use my own two eyes to watch Steve watch Bucky die. Again.
[easy-tweet tweet=”At the end of it all, I was hoping for an epic tie-in with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents swarming the scene and proper order restored to the ***REDACTED*** left hanging in there post-Thanos. ” user=”Jenisaur” hashtags=”#infinitywar”]
At the end of it all, however, I was hoping for an epic tie-in with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents swarming the scene and proper order restored to the half of humanity left hanging in there post-Thanos. To keep up with the results of the movie, around half of the cast would have to wither away Voldemort style. Let’s assume that the show goes full on with continuity. Who’s about to bite the dust? Who’s safe? Is anyone going to be left standing?
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Who are Probably in Danger
Fitz
Leopold James Fitz. What an outstanding character, carried through the vehicle that is Iain DeCaestecker’s phenomenal acting chops. He and Simmons have finally decided not to leave each other’s side, but what about ‘the universe’ and what it wants? What if ‘the universe’ was named Thanos? If the show does come back for season six, Fitz is still a popsicle in space—but that version of Fitz hasn’t gone full-dark and mutilated his best friend yet.
May
Coulson is (likely) going to die at the end of the season and taking him away via Thanos is too easy. So how do we tighten the screw before that? Take away his oldest friend, partner, and potential love interest. The only person on the planet (or in space) who really understands him and lives in the same world. If Robin is right and May goes on to act as a surrogate mother following her birth mother’s death, then Melinda might be safe, but otherwise, you might want to start saying your goodbyes now.
Mack
Daisy needs a new Partner
Mack has gotten out of so many close calls. His number is probably up and if that’s the case, it’s going to be the actual worst. Losing Hope at the end of last season was bad enough. Almost losing Mack to the Framework was even worse. Losing the big guy himself would be the worst of all, and that’s saying something for a scenario where we lose half of humanity. But that’s also why he’s probably on his way out. Mack is the easy favorite of everyone with a heart, and he’s also beat all the odds and stuck with the team longer than any other non-original member of the team.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Who are (Relatively) Safe (From Thanos Only)
Simmons
For maximum emotional impact, one member of Fitzsimmons needs to outlive the other. Although Fitz did say that in “all scenarios,” Simmons winds up dying…they also know they have a grandson. While Simmons has determined that she, Elena, and Fitz are invincible, the only evidence she has for Fitz’ survival is their bloodline. If Simmons is already pregnant, or if they decide to pull in popsicle Fitz? Then there is only one of them with a lifetime guarantee.
Coulson
Poor Coulson. Hasn’t he been through enough? Isn’t it time for a nice long nap or a real vacation from all his woes? Coulson has been dying slowly all season, as we know. Like Tony Stark before him, Coulson lives with a ticking clock inside his veins, and it’s only a matter of time before he his expiration date arrives. What if even that limited timeline is cut short, or if the team does discover a way to save him only to have their fearless leader crumble to dust on the operating table?
Elena
Yo-Yo might be able to outlive the Gauntlet, but if we’re still in the Kasius timeline, she’s going to die just to be brought back in prophetic zombie-form. So “safe” is a VERY relative term in her case, and she’s probably going to be PISSED if she survives. I say probably, but it’s a guarantee. Double that if she has to watch Mack whither away or perhaps worse…if she’s off pretending she’s invincible and the last thing she did was lock him in a cell.
Daisy
Look, if Daisy survives the Thanos-reckoning, it will likely be just in time for her to crack the world into pieces. Now that Ruby’s gone and Daisy is for sure the “Destroyer of Worlds”? Quake is on shaky ground, and she’s not even using her powers.
Deke
Deke’s probably gotta live. And then travel forward in time and restore timelines, or something. I don’t know, I’m not very invested in his character after he sold Daisy into slavery. His grandparents should have taught him better.
What do you think? In this fantasy world where Marvel still treats it TV shows as part of the same Universe, who’s about to literally float off into the sky?
Avengers: Infinity War is finally out and leaving a lot of people wondering about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Let’s talk spoilers!
This is your official SPOILER WARNING for Avengers: Infinity War. Heavy spoilers ahead.
At the film’s climax, Thanos has driven a blade through Tony Stark’s abdomen. It’s a very dramatic moment. Iron Man – the genesis of the MCU – is going to die. Then Doctor Strange trades the Time Stone for Tony’s life. This paves the way for Thanos to travel to Wakanda, pluck the Mind Stone out of Vision’s head, and complete his collection of Infinity Stones. The Mad Titan snaps his fingers and erases half the life in the universe. End of film.
As Strange himself fades away into oblivion, he looks at Tony and says, “it was the only way.”
It’s worth noting that Thanos wouldn’t have been able to take the Mind Stone without the Time Stone. A lot of the Avengers’ failure hangs on Doctor Strange’s decision to give up his Stone.
But did the heroes actually fail?
Earlier in the movie, Doctor Strange tells Tony that, given the choice between protecting the Time Stone or Tony’s life, he’s going to protect the Stone. So why the change of heart? Strange is literally given that exact choice, and he chooses to save Tony. One life saved for billions lost. Seems fishy.
Also earlier in the movie, Strange is seen perusing a myriad of alternate timelines, searching for one where the heroes defeat Thanos. He sees a ridiculous number of futures, but only one where they win. One.
In theory, Doctor Strange knew the one way to beat the Big Purple Meanie. Maybe he had to give up the Time Stone in order to set off a specific chain of events.
Think again about the Sorcerer Supreme’s final words: “It was the only way.”
Literally, it was the only scenario where the heroes could eventually win. Similar to Agent Coulson’s sacrifice in the first Avengers film, Strange had to give the team something to avenge.
From THE INFINITY GAUNTLET issue 5.
In Infinity Gauntlet, the comic that the film is based on, Doctor Strange plays an important role in the heroes’ victory. Though events play out very differently, and involve characters that have not yet been introduced in the MCU, the Master of the Mystic Arts is still front-and-center during the big finale. He plays a critical role in bringing the heroes back together, keeping them alive, and keeping Thanos away from the Gauntlet. He could be doing the same in the movies.
INFINITY GAUNTLET issue 6.
Did Doctor Strange steal the Reality Stone?
Strange might have also set up the heroes for victory in a different way. During the battle with Thanos, Stephen wraps the Cloak of Levitation around the Infinity Gauntlet. It’s to keep the Mad Titan from using the Stones. But is he doing more than meets the eye?
Thanos eventually rips the Clock from his arm. He rips it off hard. Like, it’s a noticeable moment, almost like the filmmakers wanted to make a point of it.
Perhaps Strange managed to get one of the Stones from the Gauntlet in this moment. Maybe it was even the Reality Stone. Then, everything that came after this scene could be in question. Stephen could actually be behind the scenes manipulating events like the Sorcerer Supreme he is.
INFINITY GAUNTLET issue 6.
Again, in the Infinity Gauntlet comic, Strange pulled some literal behind-the-back magic to help secure a victory. It tracks well that he’s doing the same in live-action.
Either way, Doctor Strange played a huge role in Avengers: Infinity War and it seems clear that he did something to give his allies a way to win in the next film. Both of the theories above might even work together in some way. Luckily, we only have to wait until May 3rd of next year to find out.
What did you think of Avengers: Infinity War? Do you think there was more to Doctor Strange’s decision than just saving Tony’s life? Sound off in the comments!
Poor Coulson. Hasn’t he been 
Look, if Daisy survives the Thanos-reckoning, it will likely be just in time for her to crack the world into pieces. Now that Ruby’s gone and Daisy is for sure the “Destroyer of Worlds”? Quake is on shaky ground, and she’s not even using her powers.
