MCU Retrospective #6: The Consultant
This article contains spoilers for The Consultant and other MCU projects.
There are eight One-Shots: a series of short films, attached to DVD releases of MCU films, that are canon to the universe and provide context (or re-tooling) on events that have taken place. The Consultant, our first one, provides us with an engaging twist that helps the movies feel more cohesive. Unfortunately, these four-to-15 minute shorts are never mandatory viewing, and until recently, it felt as though Marvel Studios didn’t care if we watched them or not.
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Jasper Sitwell, still unnamed, sits in a Puente Antiguo diner waiting for Agent Coulson. On arrival, they discuss The World Security Council (WSC) wanting The Abomination to be exonerated and cleared to join The Avengers. This sounds bizarre, given The Incredible Hulk, but the idea doesn’t matter. It cleverly re-tools some confusing elements from Phase One.
It clarifies S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t work for our government or alongside General Ross. The WSC, where S.H.I.E.L.D. reports also exist outside of our government. It answers why Coulson or Nick Fury operate in a morally-gray zone. They cannot ignore an WSC request, so our two men need to ensure Ross doesn’t agree to release The Abomination.
They land on “The Consultant,” or Tony Stark. We’ve seen Tony and Ross’ conversation in a pre-credit scene, but we assumed it was about Hulk. This twist is effective because it clarifies the MCU timeline and allows Tony’s role as consultant from Iron Man 2 to actually matter. It would’ve been incredible to see additional footage from this scene, but it cuts back to the diner.
We learn Ross got angry; The Abomination is still locked-up; he got kicked out and Tony purchased (and tore down) the bar. Again, the idea doesn’t matter: The Consultant exists because Marvel Studios is committed to their timeline and ensuring consistency. This fixed an error, and that can make the saga-long viewing experience more worthwhile.
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There hasn’t been a One-Shot since 2018. In December 2022, Disney+ is releasing The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, a one-off glimpse into a low-stakes adventure for our characters. This, in my opinion, could be the future of One-Shots and the MCU as a whole. There is so much potential there.
Take Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, for example. A common critique of the movie was the writing and treatment around The Scarlet Witch, because her descent into a villain was jarring; WandaVision seemed to end with her lesson learned. For die-hard fans, who knew WandaVision’s post-credit scene with the Darkhold wasn’t good, this descent was expected. However, not all MCU fans are die-hard fans.
If Marvel Studios produced an extended One-Shot (say 30 minutes) that explored Wanda’s time in her cabin, how the Darkhold possessed her and the discovery of America Chavez, that could re-tool and make her presence in the movie significantly better.
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#1: Introduction | #5: Thor
