The Marvel Cinematic Universe - Why it is more than just a “Cinematic” Universe

Ashutosh Arya
Sep 6, 2018 · 4 min read
Via YouTube

This blog is about my views on one of the most successful movie franchise/cinematic universe ever created, the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the MCU. It consists of 20 movies to date that has collectively made over $17 billion worldwide! Every character in the MCU comes from Marvel Comics.

The universe started with Iron man, which came out in 2008. It’s success lead to the start of the MCU. If it had been failed to perform well, rights of various Marvel characters would have been sold to other companies to compensate the loss. For this reason, Robert Downey Jr. is often referred to as the “creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe” by many fans. The universe has completed its 2 phases and currently in its 3rd phase which will conclude next year with Avengers-4. But more than statistics, figures, numbers, and amount of money they make, there is something more what I like about this universe. And it’s how human these superheroes actually are.

I started watching Marvel movies when I was a 12-year-old kid, today I am 18 year guy and still watch The Avengers with the same enthusiasm I watched it for the first time. The most crucial factor in the success of MCU is I think how they develop characters throughout movies.

Tony Stark, my personal favorite, a genius and spoiled billionaire who made weapons that killed thousands of innocent people, learns on his journey that his life goal is to keep the Earth and the people he loves safe at all times. He does everything in his power to keep earth safe, and in the process, creates Ultron and is now feels guilty thinking that he is responsible for all the people killed by Ultron’s deeds. He is shown to have anxiety attacks, depression, panic attacks, and insomnia. He has all the mental problems a normal human being has, proving that superheroes are no “perfect people” and Tony is a perfect example of this. He has no special powers, just his intelligence, his wit and will to save the world and sacrifice himself for others.

Steve Rogers aka Captain America was an enhanced super soldier who fought in world war 2 or his country against a terrorist organization, Hydra. He gave his life by diving an airplane in the arctic ocean, which would have killed millions otherwise. Because of his enhanced biology, he survives and wakes up after 70 years to find out that Hydra is still alive and secretly works in the same organization for which he works. He gives up his title of Captain America after a conflict with Stark and now works against terrorist groups in hiding. His journey from a soldier to a lone fighter to a flagless protector completely justifies the thing his mentor said to him before super soldier program, “Stay who you are, not a perfect soldier but a good man.”

Thor, the god of thunder, loses everything he ever had, his mother, father, sister, kingdom, people, best friend, and brother, but still fight for what is right, is kind to everyone and smiles. He is a god, so clearly the strongest of all Avengers, yet the softest of them all. This shows how brilliant his character is. His character grows from an arrogant, throne-seeking boy, to a real king of Asgard and a God.

These are just the three main characters of the universe, and there are various others. Loki, the god of mischief and Thor’s brother, had a great character development throughout movies. From being a broken villain in Thor, to a throne-seeking psychopath in Avengers, to giving his life for his brother and finally being a hero. Nebula, from being an enemy to sister, saves her sister’s life and confesses that she only wanted a loving sister all along. And there are many more.

These characters are more than just fiction for me now; they are more of a lesson or rather, inspiration. They show that no matter how broken, scared, lost you are, there is always a way to come back to what’s right. They tell you that even if you have lost everything you have, you should not stop fighting against what is wrong. They tell us that there is good in everyone, and it is our love and belief in them that changes them.

So, this was my review on The Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I recommend it to everyone who loves action, sci-fi, thriller, emotional or if you are looking for a fandom to get hurt :p. Yes, just like any other thing in this world, it has some flaws and is not perfect. But if I had to summarize my entire experience with every Marvel movie, it was just- “MARVEL”-ous !!

Thank you for reading!

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