Well... here we are, folks.
The whole dizzying tapestry and ever-expanding character cast of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been the rising action to this one fever pitch of an event, capped off once and for all TOMORROW NIGHT when Avengers Endgame drops.
There are only a few entries left in our Marvelous Marvel Recap before this grandest of grand finales, so let's just dive right into them without any further ado:
BLACK PANTHER
THE GIST: Returning to his hyper-advanced and secretive kingdom of Wakanda in the aftermath of his father's death in Civil War, Prince T'Challa ascends to the throne and assumes the hereditary warrior mantle of Black Panther among his people, all the while aided by his genius sister Shuri and an elite force of all-women bodyguards.
Soon into T'Challa's rule, however, his claim to the throne is challenged by an American mercenary named Erik Killmonger, who has secret ties to the royal bloodline and whose experiences with racism during his upbringing as an African-American put him at ideological odds with Wakanda's isolationist policies. T'Challa must confront Killmonger's violent actions while reckoning with his valid claims, and ultimately decides to share Wakanda's technological marvels with the rest of the world.
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT: It might be a toss-up between this and the original Iron Man for the title of best self-encompassed entry in the MCU. Easily the studio's most social-minded work, the film's intelligent message and themes don't get lost in or interfere for one second with our total immersion in the utopian Wakanda, whose various tribes and traditions make it Marvel's richest setting (literally and figuratively so) to date. Add in some downright Shakespearean family dynamics between fathers, sons, and cousins, and it's no wonder this one shattered box office records around the world and became the first MCU film to take home some Oscars bling.
Wakanda Forever.
RE-WATCH VALUE: 5/5
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
THE GIST: Believing his actions will save the universe from the effects of overpopulation and the scarcity of natural resources, the purple-chinned space warlord Thanos sets out to collect all six of the Infinity Stones: deadly and mysterious ingots of concentrated cosmic power that grant their wielder absolute control over the very concepts of time, space, and reality. Individual stones have been scattered across the preceding eighteen Marvel flicks as plot points unto themselves; by collecting them all in one place and activating them simultaneously, Thanos will have the ability to eliminate half of all sentient life across the universe with a snap of his fingers.
The Avengers and their various allies across the cosmos therefore find themselves scrambling to prevent Thanos from carrying out his terrible mission. Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and the Guardians of the Galaxy confront the stone-wielding warlord in a climactic battle on his desolated homeworld, while the fugitive Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, Winter Soldier, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (aka War Machine) unite with Black Panther and the Wakandan army to fend off Thanos' minions from obtaining the final stone in its hiding place on Earth.
The heroes' efforts ultimately fall short, however, and even after the tide-turning arrival of Thor with a powerful new battle axe, Thanos is able to obtain and activate all six stones with a snap of his fingers. Winter Soldier, Black Panther, Groot, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, Shuri, Mantis, Drax, Star Lord, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and half of the universe's population then disintegrate into dust, leaving the stunned survivors behind to grieve while Thanos himself retires to a peaceful farm world.
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT: The culmination of all that came before it and the shadow over everything that's come since, the hype leading into Infinity War was almost impossibly unrealistic - yet somehow, this movie was able to not only pass expectations, but shatter them. There is so damn much happening here, yet unlike Age of Ultron, this one sticks the landing, and so is one of the more epic spectacles you're ever likely to watch. Infinity War sprints out of the gate, and never once lets up for a breather: Thor is rescued by the Guardians of the Galaxy, who quip with Iron Man, who has a battle of egos and goatees with Doctor Strange, who duels Thanos, who pulls a damn moon from the sky and throws it at his opponents.
You think the movie has reached peak-goosebumps level when a renegade Captain America emerges from the shadows, war-torn and sporting a full beard - and then Thor touches down in Wakanda with Rocket and Groot, brandishing a battle axe and bellowing "BRING ME THANOS!" as he charges into enemy hordes... and you realize you can't even see the peak yet.
For all the fireworks, however, nothing compares to the gut-punch of disbelief delivered by the film's eerie ending, as one beloved hero after another literally disintegrates into oblivion before our eyes. No one expected (or certainly believed) Marvel would be gutsy enough to actually go through with such a bold narrative choice and off these characters, who we've invested so much time and attention in - but now that they have, the sheer hysteria leading into Endgame has paid their chess master strategy off in spades.
RE-WATCH VALUE: ∞/5
THE GIST: Breaking the house arrest he was placed under after the events of Civil War, Lang becomes Ant-Man again to assist Pym and Hope - now with a shrinking suit of her own and calling herself The Wasp - in extracting Hank's wife Janet Van Dyne from the Quantum Realm, a subatomic time warp zone where she has been trapped for over twenty years.
The trio's efforts are challenged by black market dealers and a masked criminal known as The Ghost, who can walk through solid surfaces after surviving a Quantum Realm-related accident as a child.
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT: Just as funny as the original Ant-Man, this outing has the additional benefit of Lang's double act with the even-more-adept heroism of the Wasp, as well as a more realized threat in The Ghost, whose phasing powers make for some "coooooool" special effects.
Most important, however, is an after-credits scene that [SPOILERS] will likely prove of the utmost importance to all the Avengers' hopes in Endgame. When Hank, Hope, and the now-rescued Janet all disintegrate as a result of Thanos' snap, Lang finds himself stranded in the time-warping weirdness of the Quantum Realm. The mysterious timey-wimey properties of Lang's cliffhanger fate might just turn out to be the eleventh-hour Hail Mary the Avengers are in such desperate need of...
RE-WATCH VALUE: 4/5
CAPTAIN MARVEL
THE GIST: An amnesiac warrior from an alien race known as the Kree crash lands on planet Earth in the 1990s; working with a younger Nick Fury at the start of his SHIELD career, she discovers that she is in fact a human by the name of Carol Danvers, and disappeared in a mysterious plane crash incident six years ago.
Carol subsequently uncovers some unpleasant truths about her time with the Kree and their war with the shape-shifting Skrulls, then uses her newly unlocked powers to put an end to the conflict. Carol departs from Earth on a mission to help the Skrull refugees find a suitable new homeworld, and leaves a modified pager with Fury to contact her in case of emergencies.
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT: The most recent of the MCU releases, it's fitting that Captain Marvel debuted during Women's History Month. Carol is feminism's new favorite superhero, and she ends her arc in the movie with the fist-bumping realization that she doesn't owe it to anyone - least of all her male detractors - to prove herself in any way. She knows exactly who she is now: a tough-as-nails pilot who can shoot energy blasts out of her fists and punch gaping holes in spaceship hulls, without getting so much as a scratch herself. Oh, and she likes
At the end of Infinity War, Nick Fury is one of the uncountable victims to fall casualty to Thanos' snap; in his final moments before being dusted, he is able to successfully activate Carol's modified pager. In the mid-credits scene here, Carol, having received his distress call, returns to Earth and meets up with the surviving Avengers. Thanos, if I were you, I'd be running. Fast.
RE-WATCH VALUE: 3.5/5
PHASE 3 (Part 2) FINAL TALLY
Snapped: Ant-Man & The Wasp, Captain Marvel
Survived: Black Panther, Infinity War
"Perfectly balanced... as all things should be."
Gun to the head, if there's only ONE movie of the whole MCU effort you should watch before Endgame, it has to be Infinity War, since the pair allegedly comprise Parts I & II of the same story - but honestly, Infinity War requires just as much prep to understand it as its sequel, hence the whole darned purpose of these last few posts.
For those willing to enjoy the full ride, however - as well as for those who've been keeping count as we made our way through here - we have Iron Man, The Avengers, The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Civil War, Ragnarok, Black Panther, and Infinity War as our final roster of A-list, starting lineup, MUST SEE offerings before it all comes to a close,.
And there you have it! A Marvel-sized thanks to anyone who followed along here from start to finish. I hope these recaps were able to save some time and maybe even refresh some memories for those hoping to brush up on their Captains (from America to Marvel) before the cinematic event of our generation rolls around this weekend.
It's been one of the joys of my movie-going life to experience these movies, this shared universe, with friends and family all throughout high school, college, and now "adult" life. What was once the kind of thing you got laughed off the playground for showing enthusiasm over has become the pop culture pantheon of our time, and witnessing it blossom into a beacon of inclusion, humor, and heroism - at a time when they're all so desperately needed - has been a once-in-a-lifetime ride.
I've had Endgame circled on my calendar now for months; experiencing it tomorrow night with my dad Patrick (the original hero who introduced me to this all in the first place), fiance Katie, and cousin Ben, in a sold-out theater of fans who will laugh, cry, and clap their hands raw, will be a memory I'll probably take with me the rest of my life.
Enjoy, everyone - good luck, and keep the spoilers to yourselves.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!!!
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