One of the most fun aspects of Loki, that they frankly have not done enough of, is when the writers use time travel aspects to explain away historical mysteries. In season one, we learned Tom Hiddleston’s Loki was actually the infamous D.B. Cooper, who robbed an airplane in the ’70s, popped out with a parachute, and vanished for all time. Now, in the second season’s penultimate episode, “Science/Fiction,” the show solved yet another historical mystery, MCU style. One involving the most infamous (and mythologized) prison in American history—Alcatraz.

At the end of episode four of this season, the Temporal Loom exploded, and we learned the different TVA employees who were in the control room, as well as Sylvie, were sent back to their lives before the TVA took them and wiped their memories. Mobius was a single dad named Don who sold jet skis (of course). O.B. was a scientist and an aspiring sci-fi author. Hunter B-15 was a doctor. Sylvie just went back to work at McDonald’s in 1982. But the most interesting true identity of a TVA employee had to be Casey. Turns out, the mild-mannered “guy at the desk” was once a notorious criminal, Alcatraz escaped convict Frank Morris.

When Loki starts time slipping again, Casey appears in 1962, escaping from Alcatraz. We even see the crude dummies the inmates made to appear as if they were sleeping during bedcheck. It’s something that really happened. Casey even says “If they catch us, they’re going to gut us like a fish!” That was a fun callback to season one, when Loki threatened to do the same to him but he had no idea what a fish even was. As they’re trying to escape, a time-slipping Loki appears on the shores of Alcatraz island in San Francisco. He finds Casey, now called Frank, who doesn’t recognize him, along with two other men getting ready to escape in a makeshift raft.

In reality, the two other men were Clarence and John Anglin. They were portrayed by the episode’s directors, Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson. The real Frank Morris was a lifelong criminal who spent much of his life in correctional facilities. Authorities arrested Morris for armed robbery, car theft, and finally, the crime that put him in Alcatraz, bank robbery. However, he had a genius I.Q., and was likely the real mastermind behind the whole escape. Being so smart, it’s no wonder the TVA wanted him as an employee.

Later in the episode, Loki appears to Frank Morris on a beach along with the other two escaped convicts, who made it to dry land. In reality, no one really knows what happened to the three men. Official reports suggest they drowned in the waters of San Francisco Bay, or hypothermia got them. But they never discovered any bodies. Over the past 60 years, some anecdotal evidence points to at least one of the men surviving. We have since mythologized the only successful escape from Alcatraz in pop culture. It was even the subject of the 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood playing Frank Morris.

Frank accepts Loki’s offer to help restore the TVA, even though he doesn’t understand what’s going on. Once he realizes that O.B.’s temp pad can take anyone to anywhen, he even asks if it could take him into a bank vault. Even after doing time in the world’s most infamous prison, Frank still can’t get rid of the urge to rob banks. When one of the TemPads vanishes due to reality coming undone everyone thinks Frank stole it. Hey, when you’re famous for robbery, it’s hard to shake that reputation.

While we saw Frank/Casey unravel at the end of the episode, we have a strong feeling it’s not the last we’ve seen of him. If Loki has taught us anything, it’s that there’s always another branched timeline somewhere.

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Victor Timely’s stay at the TVA was both short and long. Soon after arriving he tried to stop the Temporal Loom’s complete failure but before he could, temporal radiation turned him into human spaghetti. What exactly happened to Victor? And what does his demise mean for Loki, the TVA, the Sacred Timeline, and the entire MCU? His un-Timely death just unleashed total chaos—and infinite Kang Variants— on the multiverse.

What Happened to Victor Timely on Loki?

Victor Timely provided the final component O.B. and Casey needed for the device they’d built to expand the Temporal Loom’s capacity. The Throughput Multiplier that Victor designed would ensure the Loom could handle more strands of universes safely, stabilizing the Sacred Timeline.

Just like in the season two premiere with Mobius and the Temporal Extractor, someone needed to physically place that piece of equipment on the Loom. That meant going outside the TVA and risking exposure to extreme temporal energy and “fatal corporeal de-husking.” (A term we know from an official show poster featuring O.B.)

Despite the risk, there was no time to waste. The Loom was ready to burst under the strain of too many branches. Victor, whose temporal aura had unlocked the blast doors, offered to go. Sadly his bravery led to his death. Even with a suit on, the instant Victor stepped outside he burst into ribbons. The amount of temporal radiation had become too much.

Why did Victor turn into spaghetti instead of simply exploding or having his skinned peel off, though? In the show’s season two premiere, Loki asked O.B. what would happen if the Temporal Extractor failed to the pull the Asgaradian out of the time stream. Ouroboros answered with a question. “Well, have you heard about how if you fall into a black hole you turn into spaghetti?” Loki had not, but we have.

What Is “Spaghettification?”

“Spaghettification” is a theoretical concept introduced by Stephen Hawking in A Brief History of Time. It hypothesizes what the immense density and gravitational pull of a black hole would do to someone or something who crossed the black hole’s event horizon. As NASA explains, “This effect essentially stretches out the object more and more as the object gets closer to the black hole, creating a long, thin shape.”

That is what O.B. warned Loki about, but it’s not exactly what happened to Victor Timely. For one Victor wasn’t caught in the time stream like Loki had been. Victor also wasn’t stretched into one long Variant noodle. Temporal radiation caused Victor to burst into multiple spaghetti-like ribbons, something we’ve seen before in the MCU.

Who Else Was Turned Into Spaghetti in the MCU Before Victor Timely?

Thanos used the Reality Stone in Avengers: Infinity War to briefly transform Mantis into loose ribbons.

The Scarlet Witch also used her dark magic to brutally murder Reed Richards of Earth-838 in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Magic. Wanda stretched Reed out into long spaghetti-like pieces before making his head explode.

Reed Richards’ slower, painful splintering more resembled Victor Timely’s instant death in many ways. However, the Kang Variant’s fate will have far greater ramifications for the entire multiverse. That starts with what Victor failed to stop.

What Happened to the TVA at the End of Loki Season 2 Episode 4?

Without the Throughput Multiplier in place the ever-increasing number of branches overwhelmed the Temporal Loom. The “heart of the TVA” could no longer weave all those strands of existence into one neat timeline. The result was an explosion of all branches and unrefined time that seemingly destroyed the TVA.

Without the Time Variance Authority there is no one to help manage the chaos of a multiverse that also lacks the guardrails offered by the Sacred Timeline. And we know that means because we know what happened before the TVA existed.

What Does the Implosion of the Temporal Loom Mean for Loki and the MCU?

The Temporal Loom’s explosion literally threatens all threads of reality in the MCU. In Loki season two, episode six, we learn that no branch of existence is safe after the Temporal Loom’s meltdown, they are all dying. We see both Sylvie’s and OB’s separate branches disintegrate into nothing before our eyes. Sphagettification is now happening across branching timelines, essentially destroying every MCU universe and every variant in existence.

But that’s not the only threat that exists for the MCU. He Who Remains created the TVA after defeating his Variants in the Multiversal War. Their battle nearly resulted in the end “of everything and everyone.” The TVA was He Who Remains’ solution to avoiding total annihilation, because without the organization, his Variants would always be a threat to existence. Without the TVA, Kang Variants always live since time is a circle. The TVA alone eliminated them as threats forever. (Except possibly Victor, who might have been He Who Remains’ backup plan specifically because Victor was not a threat, though we need more information to know for sure.)

The breaking of the Temporal Loom, and therefore the Sacred Timeline, means the system created to prevent Kang Variants from existing is gone. That means they might all have come back the second the Loom exploded. That would explain the existence of the Council of Kangs at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. All those infinite strands of existence that just broke free of TVA control represent infinite Kangs.

That might ultimately explain why Victor himself turned into strands.

Is Victor Timely’s Spaghetti Fate Related to the Branching Timeline?

Temporal radiation is not a black hole, so Stephen Hawking’s theory doesn’t fully explain why Victor Timely became spaghetti in Loki. There’s also too much we don’t know about how time works in the MCU, specifically at the TVA, to explain exactly what happened to him and why. And since we know the season did not end with the Loom’s explosion, there’s still more to learn. But we can’t ignore that Victor literally branched out right before every branch of reality broke free.

Did Victor splinter into strands because the branches of reality did that to him? Or did the Loom finally burst because He Who Remains’ Variant did? If so, does that mean Victor’s temporal aura spaghetti-ed and brought all the Kangs back? Did He Who Remains actually want that so he’d come back, too? The last thing he told Sylvie after she stabbed him was that he’d see her “soon.” Was Victor his backup plan to restore himself rather than save the TVA? Does He Who Remains just assume he’ll win the next Multiversal War same as before?

Whatever answers await us during the final episode of Loki season two, one thing is clear: the untimely death of Victor Timely unleashed infinite strands of chaos on the multiverse. Fortunately, if anyone knows how to deal with time chaos it’s the God of Mischief, who already knows what it’s like to slip through time.

Originally published on October 26, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The Temporal Loom is central to Loki’s second season, and we learn it’s critical in making the Time Variance Authority function. But what is Loki‘s Temporal Loom exactly? Here’s what we know about the Temporal Loom from Loki season two and what we can glean from Loki‘s various inspirations.

The MCU’s Loom: Loki Season Two’s Temporal Loom

Created by He Who Remains at some unknown point in time, Loki‘s Temporal Loom takes raw temporal energy and refines it into a physical timeline. Part of the reason the TVA prunes the extra timelines is so that the Temporal Loom doesn’t overload trying to “weave” too many timelines at once. Without the Temporal Loom, the TVA can’t function. And if it overloads, the TVA goes boom, and all of reality would soon follow. In episode two, we learn that a meltdown can’t be prevented without the temporal aura, or time signature, of He Who Remains. Who is currently quite dead.

By the third episode of Loki season two, the Temporal Loom is indeed overloading, thanks to the countless branched timelines that are returning with the death of He Who Remains. It simply wasn’t made to handle so many divergent timelines branching off at once. And without it, not only does the TVA cease to function, but chaos will reign in the multiverse. But we also learned of the origins of the Temporal Loom and how they tie into a specific Kang variant.

Victor Timely and the Origins of the MCU’s Temporal Loom

In episode three of Loki’s second season, Loki and Morbius travel back in time to the year 1893. There, they encounter a variant of He Who Remains. This variant, Victor Timely, is presenting his latest invention at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. It’s a very rudimentary version of the Temporal Loom, sold to the 19th-century audience as a way of harnessing energy. Victor Timely was able to create this Temporal Loom prototype based on his understanding of the descriptions of the TVA manual. A book that was left for him by Ravonna Renslayer and Miss Minutes when he was a child. Of course, the Temporal Loom malfunctions on stage after a mere few minutes. Yet it shows that as early as the 1890s, a Kang variant was working on the very thing that would make the TVA run.

Loki‘s Temporal Loom Implodes Threatening the MCU’s Multiverse

In episode four, Loki and Mobius bring Victor Timely to the TVA to fix the overloaded Temporal Loom. They need the temporal aura of He Who Remains to open the blast doors to the Loom, which Timely matches. But Timely provided another service, what he called his “greatest invention” in the previous episode. Timley’s greatest invention is something that looks like a primitive version of Kang’s Multiversal Power Core from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He can attach this invention to the Throughput Multiplier and expand the rings of the Temporal Loom. This would allow the new branched timelines to filter through, and save the TVA, and all reality. However, it doesn’t quite work out that way.

When Victor Timely tries to head out and fix the loom, he turns into spaghetti. And the Temporal Loom, well, it overloads and explodes. We don’t know the full extent of what the Temporal Loom’s explosion means yet, but already there are major consequences in the world of Loki and the MCU.

In episode six of Loki, we see that seemingly due to the Temporal Loom’s explosion, every branch of reality is starting to turn into spaghetti and die. Every universe and thread of reality is literally shredding, and there’s nowhere to go. Thankfully, Loki seems to be able to turn back the clock and is trying to head to a time before the Temporal Loom’s complete meltdown. Whether or not he is able to remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, it looks like the Temporal Loom being able to do its job is key to keeping existence stable.

That’s the MCU. But does Loki‘s Temporal Loom have a precedent in the pages of Marvel Comics? Well, yes and no. But mostly, no. However, Loki season two’s Temporal Loom found inspiration in various parts of Marvel’s comics and actual myth.

Loki‘s Temporal Loom and Its Mythological Inspirations

In Greek mythology, there is a Loom of the Fates, which also exists in the Marvel Universe. In Norse mythology, that loom is the Loom of the Norns. (Marvel Comics combines these two mythologies together into one.) Essentially, in mythology, the three Fates weave this loom to shape the life and destiny of every being in creation. Thor destroyed the Loom of the Fates in Thor Vol. 2 #85 and broke the thread that holds the destiny of Asgardians, from which Those Who Sit Above in Shadow were absorbing energy. Those Who Sit Above were the silent beings who created the Asgardian Gods. So it’s fitting that a powerful loom that determines how the universe flows originated in Thor comics since the MCU’s Temporal Loom now appears in Loki, thus tying it to Thor’s mythos.

Spider-Man’s Loomworld

In the Spider-Man lore, there’s another powerful loom of sorts, reminiscent of Loki‘s temporal loom. The loom in this instance is a whole world itself, one that accesses all existence. There’s an entire Loomworld, where beings called the Inheritors could access the Web of Life and Destiny to travel across the multiverse and hunt down Spider-Totems. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse especially drew inspiration from this. They created the Loomworld of conquered realms from countless wars fought across realities. Eventually, several spider-people formed the Web-Warriors. They operated from Loomworld and used it as a focal point to protect the multiverse, which is similar to how the MCU’s TVA works.

Temporal Limbo, Chronopolis, and the Heart of Forever

In the comics, Kang did not create the TVA. There was a “He Who Remains,” but as far as we know, he’s not a Kang variant. However, the TVA has a lot in common with the realm of Limbo, a place outside of time historically ruled by Immortus, who was, of course, a Kang variant. Temporal Limbo was a timeless realm facilitating time travel to various points in history. Much like the MCU’s TVA, it existed outside the time stream. And time did not flow there the way it does everywhere else.

Limbo is also part of Chronicles, which has something very similar to the MCU’s TVA. At its heart is the most important component of the city, the Heart of Forever. It’s a trans-chronal engine that enabled Kang’s home to exist in every branch of the timestream simultaneously. While not exactly like the Temporal Loom in Loki, it has key similarities.

In the end, Loki‘s Temporal Loom is a hodgepodge of different elements from the pages of Marvel Comics—not to mention actual mythology itself. Ultimately, though, the Temporal Loom is a unique creation designed for the MCU. However, we’d hardly be surprised to see it retconned into the comics at some point.

Originally published on October 5, 2023.

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Heads will roll in Echo. And get bashed in. And explode. The first trailer for the upcoming MCU series Echo is full of violence, blood, and a whole lot of goodness. The trailer for this five-episode special event honestly looks amazing. Both Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk are delivering. This truly looks like an MCU series like none other, and we kind of love it. Take a look at Echo‘s first trailer below, if you dare.

We first met Echo in the Hawkeye series, which carried a very different tone. And we feel thrilled to see her coming into her own in this outing. It is incredible to see a Marvel show center on a deaf and Indigenous character and for it to have taken care to support this representation in front of and behind the camera.

A logline for the series revealed with the trailer shares more about the show, noting:

No bad deed goes unpunished on Jan. 10, 2024, when Marvel Studios’ “Echo” launches on Disney+ and Hulu. The five-episode streaming event spotlights Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy. All five episodes will stream on Jan. 10 on both platforms. They’ll be available on Hulu until April 9. This marks the first Marvel Studios series to drop all entirely bingeable episodes at once. 

The relationship between the MCU’s Kingpin and Echo is fraught, as we’ve seen before and see again in this trailer. But when the chips fall, will Echo end up as much a monster as her mentor? Only time will tell. At one point, rumor had it that Charlie Cox’s Daredevil would also appear on the Echo show. And though he is not mentioned in any official materials so far, we caught a brief glimpse of Daredevil in a montage of shots featured in Echo‘s trailer. Very exciting.

As the description of the series mentions, there are a few interesting aspects of Echo‘s release. Firstly, the series will run on both Hulu and Disney+, likely an homage to its grittier nature. Echo also has the distinction of being the MCU’s first series rated TV-MA. And, of course, all episodes of Echo will land at once. Disney+ has never shared a series in this format before, so it will be interesting to see how it impacts viewership. We can only hope that it helps.

All five episodes of Echo will be available to stream on January 10.

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One of the greatest unrequited loves in the whole of the MCU has been the one between Loki‘s Mobius and a jet ski. Loki‘s first season gave us glimpses of Mobius’ jet ski adoration. Despite living his whole remembered life in the confines of the TVA, where there are certainly no rivers, lakes, ponds, or jet skis, Mobius had a very specific dream. In episode two of Loki season one, Mobius has a magazine with jet skis on his desk and tells Loki that he keeps it because “they’re awesome.” Then Mobius proceeds to give a touching monologue about jet skis and how they’re the only perfect thing in history. He calls them “a beautiful union of form and function.” Sadly, Mobius confesses he’s never actually ridden a jet ski. A cruel twist of fate! But did Mobius finally get to ride a jet ski in season two of Loki?

Here’s what went down.

Mobius Gets to Ride a Jet Ski in Season Two of Loki… Sort Of!

In episode five of Loki season two, we finally get to see Mobius ride a jet ski. And just like he told Loki in season one, it looks like fun. Mobius has the time of his life during his jet ski montage. He’s feeling the wind in his hair, he’s experiencing the sting of mist slapping him in the face, he’s surfing the waves. And it’s all set to some incredible funky instrumentals. But then, record scratch. It turns out Mobius hasn’t actually taken a jet ski out onto the ocean; he’s sitting on a stationary version of the watercraft in Piranha Powersports, the store where he works.

So did Mobius actually get to ride a jet ski in Loki? Well, technically, he was riding on a jet ski, but the adventure was still only in his mind. In our book, this is not that dissimilar to when he imagined riding jet skis in the TVA, though, of course, it’s closer. We feel happy that Mobius gets to actually touch and feel a real jet ski, but we still need to see him fulfilling his dreams.

Loki Season Two Enhances Mobius’ Love of Jet Skis

The anticipation is only heightening, though. Although Loki season one teased Mobius’ jet ski love, in season two, we see how deep it runs. In episode six, after the Temporal Loom’s dramatic explosion, Loki time slips to a a 2022-branched timeline where he meets a version of Mobius called Don. And this Mobius is obsessed with jet skis. He sells them and hypes them up every chance he gets. Among other things, Mobius shares that “a personal watercraft is kind of a thinking man’s dirtbike” and even very earnestly tries to sell the branched timeline version of Hunter B-15 on the idea of buying one though she lives in New York City. (New Yorkers will truly appreciate the futility of this mission. But Mobius is right; a jet ski would be a thrilling way to commute… Although maybe not on the Hudson.) What a truly pure love. It warms our hearts.

Mobius even owns two jet skis which he refers to as “beauties,” and offers to sell one to Loki. He, wholeheartedly agrees, of course, when Loki repeats his own words back to him and calls them “a beautiful union of form and function.” It would break his heart to let one go. But, well, Mobius can’t ride two of them, after all. Sounds like an excellent setup to us for a full-force “Mobius rides a jet ski” scene in Loki or elsewhere in the MCU.

The MCU Needs to Show Us Mobius Living His Dream in Full

Even though the branched timeline’s Mobius may have ridden his jet skis on open water, we don’t see our version of Mobius do that very thing. But we hope that in time, he gets to see his whole wish come true.

Producer Kevin Wright notes of the scene, “We wanted to find a way to do it in an unexpected way… I mean, there’s been so much anticipation, and I think we could have just plopped him on a jet ski riding around a lake, and people would have been just as happy. Owen said something really funny, which was he compared it a little bit to an old TV romance — will they, won’t they? He’s like, well, the second you do it, the thing kind of is done. So he’s like, if we’re going to do it now, it’s got to be really fun and really unexpected.”

He further shares, “That was kind of the genesis of, well, what if we tease this out?… We know we can get some of that out there. He’s working at a dealership. Also, the fun of, it is in Cleveland, which is not known for its water sports. It’s the dream but not exactly the ideal version of it.”

We completely agree that in the scope of this episode, this version of the moment was the right way to go. Mobius took one step toward his dream of riding a jet ski. But there’s still a dream out there ready to be realized… And two empty jet skis waiting patiently in a garage.

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Most of the time, when original comic book artwork goes up for auction, it’s because it has great historical value. But occasionally, sometimes a piece of comic book art has historical value not necessarily for contributing anything great to the medium. Such is the case with this original uncolored piece of Captain America art from artist Rob Liefeld. Boing Boing reports this piece is going up for sale via Heritage Auctions. It’s currently going for north of $8,000. But what’s so special about this one promo image of Marvel’s Sentinel of Liberty? In a way, this one illustration of Cap, which you can see below, encapsulated an entire era of “extreme” ’90s comics.

So, a little background on this particular image, and why it sums up a whole decade of comics. In the early ’90s, artists like Rob Liefeld, Jim Lee, and Todd McFarlane became superstars for their work at Marvel Comics. Books like Spider-Man and X-Men, which showcased their art, sold better than ever before. But in 1992, they and several other artists left Marvel to form their own imprint, Image Comics. Although a success, the glut of comics led to a speculator boom. And eventually, that led to a cratering of the entire comic book industry in 1994. Marvel Comics was in such dire straits that it canceled almost every ongoing title that wasn’t Spidey or mutant related. The outlook for Marvel at the time was bleak.

So in 1996, Marvel came to their former superstar artists with an idea. They’d allow Image Comics, specifically Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld, to take over four of their once most famous series for one year. These series were Fantastic Four and Iron Man by Jim Lee’s Wildstorm Studios, and Avengers and Captain America by Rob Liefeld’s Extreme Studios. They named this publishing initiative Heroes Reborn, and fans were legit excited.

Marvel released an early example of what Captain America’s redesign from Liefeld would look like. Let’s just say that actual human proportions for Steve Rogers were not a concern. His manly chest was so ridiculously inflated that this one image seemed to sum up everything wrong with ’90s superhero media. And it became almost instantly infamous. Even Liefeld himself has poked fun at it in recent years. And this is exactly why this one piece of art is a true piece of comics history. Marvel would find a way to reboot their line in a better way in the 2000s, with the Ultimate line. But this one image really is the symbol of an era.

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Are the original Avengers returning? Is Doctor Doom set to replace Kang as the “Big Bad” of the Multiverse Saga? And just what the heck is going on with the Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali? Variety ran a story about the troubles Marvel Studios is having post-Avengers: Endgame, and in particular, post-pandemic. While Marvel has still had tremendous box office success, the glut of series and movies has made the MCU daunting for the casual fan. We’ll break down each of the big reveals from the Variety article, and what these reveals might mean for the future of the MCU as a whole. We should note, we’re focusing on what this means for future films and series here and not any behind-the-scenes drama.

Are the Original Avengers Making an MCU Comeback?

According to the report, there have been talks to bring back the original Avengers back for a film. This would include Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, both of whom were killed off in Avengers: Endgame. While the Variety pieces used the word “revive,” we would be shocked if they literally resurrected the versions who died. It’s far more likely we’ll meet their Multiversal variants in Avengers: Secret Wars, which would mean that they’d still be played by Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson.

Putting on our Nerdstradamus cap on, we think Avengers: Secret Wars, while loosely based on the 2015 comic, will at least feature a Battleworld made of various mashed-up realities and timelines. That puts every character, dead or alive, back on the table. So yes, that means the original Avengers are reunited—in a way. And also probably teamed up with the likes of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, and maybe Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. If they ever wanted a real “victory lap” film, likely before Secret Wars reboots everything, something like this might be the only way to come close to the success of Endgame. It’s not something even the most cynical person who grew up with Marvel films would ever miss. And we’d bet it was always the plan too.

Is the MCU Replacing Kang with Doctor Doom as the Multiverse Saga’s Main Villain?

And now, there’s the Kang problem. Between Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Loki, everything was gearing up to have Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror be the main villain of Phases 5 and 6. But then, all of Major’s personal and legal troubles began (which the Variety article details). It all leaves the MCU in a pickle. How do you make Avengers: The Kang Dynasty with possibly no Kang? The article suggests that at a recent Marvel Studios Palm Springs retreat, executives discussed backup plans, including pivoting to another comic book adversary, probably Doctor Doom.

Victor von Doom is one of Marvel’s greatest villains. Heck, he’s one of the entire comic book medium’s greatest villains. So a pivot toward the megalomaniacal ruler of Latveria makes sense. Also, as will all things MCU, the answers lie in the comics. In the 2015 Secret Wars series, Doom essentially steals the god-like power of the omnipotent Beyonder. It could be that Doom usurps Kang’s role and power in the story in a similar way. The Kang Dynasty could become The Doom Dynasty, and there’s ample Marvel Comics precedent for that. While the original report suggests the upcoming end of Loki forces Marvel to have Kang as the primary antagonist, we bet they have an out planned.

What Is Happening with the MCU Version of Blade?

So what about poor Blade? Things have certainly been contentious in the world of the Daywalker ever since SDCC 2019, when Feige announced Mahershala Ali as the iconic vampire hunter. The project has apparently gone through at least five writers, two directors, and one shutdown six weeks before production. Feige most recently hired Michael Green, screenwriter for Logan, to start from scratch. The hope is that Blade will now make it for a 2025 release date. The supposed budget may have come down to $100 million or so, way less than the standard MCU fare.

We think if that’s the case, it’s a wise move. Blade is a bloody, horror action franchise. Cleaning it up to be a PG-13 tentpole defeats the purpose. If Marvel Studios is releasing an R-rated Deadpool 3, why not do the same for Blade? Nobody wants to see a sanitized version of the character. We would not be shocked if going back to the drawing board for Blade means looking at what worked in the original Wesley Snipes films (well, at least the first two) and giving the Marvel vampire saga a modern spin. The report says Mahershala Ali almost walked away from the project, but we think Kevin Feige is too smart to let that happen.

The X-Men May Be the Focus Post Multiverse Saga in the MCU

The report also mentions Kevin Feige’s trump card is the acquisition of the X-Men library of characters from Fox. Although it is rumored that many of the original Fox-era mutant heroes are returning for Deadpool 3 and possibly Secret Wars alongside Hugh Jackman, we’re guessing this is a big swan song for those iterations of the characters. A reboot of X-Men is inevitable, and we agree Marvel Studios is likely to pivot to all things mutant post-Secret Wars. Feige knows the X-Men world has much unrealized potential. They can make government operative strike teams like X-Factor or mutants in a Doctor Who-style world like Excalibur. A mutant black ops team? There’s X-Force. While we doubt the Avengers brand is going away, we foresee a big pivot towards Marvel’s mutants.

Why We Shouldn’t Count Out the MCU Just Yet

Although the original report has a real “the sky is falling” approach, the truth is more complex. A “failure” for Marvel is a big success for anyone else. If The Flash made as much as Quantumania, they’d be popping champagne bottles over there. But for Marvel, compared to the peak of the Infinity Saga, it paled. Marvel’s biggest enemy is its own success. The first decade of the MCU, from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame was unprecedented in terms of success. We’re talking about a franchise of 23 films, all opening at #1 at the box office. All with Fresh Rotten Tomatoes scores. And all of which collectively made a staggering $25 billion. To expect that kind of wild success indefinitely is totally unrealistic. We’d suggest not writing off the MCU just yet. And even if it dies, what stays dead in comics forever? The answer: Nothing.

The post Are the Original Avengers Returning to the MCU? appeared first on Nerdist.

For over 60 years, the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man and its various other Marvel spinoffs have been home to some of the best superhero storytelling of all time. From the days of Stan Lee in the ’60s to today’s creators like Dan Slott, here are our picks for the 10 greatest creative team runs of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man of all time.

10. J.M. DeMatteis with Sal Buscema, Spectacular Spider-Man #178-203 (1991-1993)

Writer J.M. DeMatteis is perhaps most famous for his comedic take on DC’s Justice League, but he also wrote a relatively brief but fantastic run on The Spectacular Spider-Man, from issues #178-200. This was after he wrote the epic Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline in 1987. During his 26-issue run, which lasted from 1991 to 1993, he and artist Sal Buscema told one of the best stories ever involving Harry Osborn and his descent into becoming the Green Goblin, which culminated in issue #200 of Spectacular Spider-Man. It was one of the very few gimmick covers of the ‘90s that actually had a good story behind it. Add in the introduction of the villain Vermin, some X-Men, and this run deserves its status as one of the best.

9. Peter David with Rick Leonardi, Spider-Man 2099 #1-44 (1992-1997)

Peter David has defining runs on several iconic comic book characters, including the Hulk, X-Factor, and for DC, Aquaman. But he also had a pretty defining run for Spider-Man. It’s just the Spider-Man that wasn’t Peter Parker. In 1992, Marvel tasked David with creating a new, futuristic Spider-Man with Spider-Man 2099. This wall-crawler was Miguel O’Hara, the half-Mexican/half-Irish hero who was the first not Peter Parker ongoing character to be called Spider-Man in 30 years.

Together with artist Rick Leonardi, David inverted almost everything about Peter Parker’s Spidey. Miguel was wisecracking out of costume, totally mute as Spider-Man, and so on. His web shooters were organic and not mechanical (something Sam Raimi would later use). The run only lasted 46 issues and four years, but judging from the character’s renewed popularity thanks to Across the Spider-Verse, it’s fair to say David’s run had a long-lasting impact.

8. Todd McFarlane, Spider-Man #1-16, (1990-1991)

Todd McFarlane became an instant superstar in the comics world when he illustrated David Michelinie’s Amazing Spider-Man run in the late ‘80s. His versions of Spidey and Venom became iconic, so much so that Marvel gave him his own Spider-Man title to both draw and write—despite his inexperience as a writer at the time. So in 1990, McFarlane launched Spider-Man #1, which sold an incredible 2.5 million copies. Marvel would break that record a year later with a certain team of mutants.

McFarlane’s writing was a bit over the top, especially by modern standards, but his overall storytelling was undeniably entertaining. It was exactly what the audience craved at the time. His darker take on villains like the Lizard, Kraven, and Hobgoblin redefined the look of those characters. The crossovers with Wolverine and Ghost Rider were very ‘90s, but also very fun. This is one of the shorter runs on this list, but also one of the most iconic. McFarlane’s run only lasted 16 issues as he left Marvel in 1992 to form Image Comics, yet its impact was huge.

7. Dan Slott, with Humberto Ramos and Ryan Stegman, The Superior Spider-Man #1–33 (2013-2014)

Dan Slott has been one of the most prolific Spider-Man writers of the 21st century. But although he’s written plenty of iconic Peter Parker stories, his best Spider-Man run was actually about Otto Octavious, a.k.a Doctor Octopus. In Slott’s Superior Spider-Man series, Peter Parker’s body is taken over by the consciousness of Doc Ock, who takes over Peter’s life and decides he can be a better Spider-Man than his old enemy ever was. Although he does try to do the right thing as Spider-Man, more or less, he’s still arrogant and insufferable. Nevertheless, it was all fun as heck to read. The art by folks like Humberto Ramos, and Ryan Stegman was also always top-notch. Otto was Spidey for less than two years, but it was a memorable two years.

6. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, Spider-Man: Blue #1-6, (2002-2003)

In the late ‘90s, the creative team of Jeph Loeb and the late Tim Sale produced one of the greatest Batman stories of all time, The Long Halloween. A few years later, from 2002 to 2003, they re-teamed to tell a story about Peter Parker and his great lost love, Gwen Stacy. In the mini-series Spider-Man: Blue, Peter Parker recounts the events of Amazing Spider-Man #40-48. This modern retelling includes Sale’s incredible renditions of characters like Kraven, the Lizard, the Rhino, and the Green Goblin. And, of course, Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. Blue is only six issues long, but it still stands as one of the most heartfelt and beautifully written and illustrated Spider-Man stories of all time.

5. Gerry Conway with Gil Kane and John Romita, The Amazing Spider-Man #111-149 (1972-1975)

Following up the legendary run of Stan Lee, which lasted a decade, would have been an unenviable task for any writer. But Gerry Conway took big swings in his Amazing Spider-Man run, which lasted from 1972 to 1975. Conway’s stories were enhanced by some gorgeous art by Gil Kane and Spidey veteran John Romita. It was during Conway’s run that fans met the villainous Jackal and his cloning operation (this would matter a lot 20 years later).

Conway’s MJ became a more fully fleshed-out character. She wasn’t just the “out of his league” supermodel anymore. Oh, and Conway’s run also introduced the world to the Punisher. You may have heard of him. Most importantly though, Gerry Conway bucked all known comic book conventions at the time with one shocking act. He did this by killing off Peter Parker’s longtime girlfriend Gwen Stacy. The repercussions of this are still being felt in the Spider-Man titles today.

4. David Michelinie with Todd McFarlane, Erik Larsen, and Mark Bagley, Amazing Spider-Man 296-352, #359-388 (1987-1994)

In the late ‘80s, Spider-Man was still Marvel’s best-selling solo character, but some excitement had fallen away from Peter Parker. Then, writer David Michelinie took over writing duties in 1987. This was shortly after Peter Parker married MJ, and he focused on the high-stakes soap opera of their lives. During his seven-year run on Amazing Spider-Man (second longest-run after Stan Lee) he worked with some of Spidey’s best-ever artists. Names that became iconic, like Erik Larsen, Mark Bagley, and Todd MacFarlane. And together, they made comics magic. Highlights of his run include the introduction of villains Venom and Carnage. Luckily, he bailed from writing duties right before the infamous Clone Saga, so his run remains untainted.

3. J. Michael Straczynski with John Romita Jr., Mike Deodato, and Ron Garney, Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #500-545, Vol. 2 #30-58 (2001-2006)

At the same time Marvel was injecting new life into teenage Peter Parker in the Ultimate Spider-Man titles, the comics publisher had to figure out what to do with the adult Peter in the 616 universe. They brought in Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski, who made Peter a school teacher. He teaches at the very same place others bullied him as a kid, Midtown High School. Straczynski wrote adult Peter and MJ better than anyone in years and did so by adding a level of sophistication largely absent in the late ‘90s stories.

He also introduced lasting elements to the mythology like Morlun, a villain who hunts spider-totems across dimensions. That’s a huge influence on the Spider-Verse mythology in the animated films. Sadly, his run also revealed a sordid retcon of Gwen Stacy and Norman Osborn, but nobody’s perfect. The main artists for this run were Mike Deodato and John Romita Jr. The latter’s work on this run made him stand with his father as one of the definitive Spidey artists of all time. Straczynski’s run ended with the much-hated undoing of the Peter Parker and MJ marriage. However, that was an event Marvel editorial forced on him. We don’t hold it against him.

2. Brian Michael Bendis, with Mark Bagley, Stuart Immonen, Sara Pichelli, Chris Samnee, David Marquez, and Pepe Larraz, Ultimate Spider-Man #1-160, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1-27 (2000-2011)

During the late ‘90s, Marvel was in trouble creatively and financially. The company emerged out of bankruptcy in the early 2000s, knowing it had to take drastic measures to gain new readers. Marvel conceived the Ultimate line, which involved fresh modern takes on classic characters. Writer Brian Michael Bendis reintroduced Peter Parker and his supporting cast as 21st century teens in Ultimate Spider-Man. And from issue one, the dialogue and characterization were absolutely top-notch. The kids felt real in a way mainstream comics characters hadn’t in a long time.

The reinvented versions of Spidey’s villains often surpassed the originals as well, particularly Norman Osborn. Bendis and artist Mark Bagley did over 100 issues together. Actually surpassing Stan Lee’s run, Bendis continued the title with artists Stuart Immonen, David Lafuente, and Sara Pichelli, with whom he co-created Miles Morales, one of the biggest contributions to come from the Ultimate Spider-Man line. Between Peter Parker and then Miles, this run heavily influenced Spider-Man’s portrayal in other media. This run was an absolute game-changer, surpassed by only one other.

#1. Stan Lee with Steve Ditko, John Romita, John Buscema, and Gil Kane, Amazing Fantasy #15, Amazing Spider-Man #1-100 (1962-1971)

“With great power, comes great responsibility.” This was the only run that could have ever taken the top spot. While Stan Lee co-created almost all the most iconic Marvel Comics heroes, without a doubt his 100-issue run of The Amazing Spider-Man was his best work. With artists like Steve Ditko (Spidey’s co-creator) and later, John Romita, Lee introduced everything that forms the core of what Peter Parker is to this very day. Name a classic Peter Parker personality trait or trope, and chances are it came from Lee.

Lee’s stories introduced 90% of the most iconic Spider-Man villains, like Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Sandman, Mysterio, Kraven, and so many more, not to mention most of the most well-known members of Spidey’s supporting cast. Stan Lee’s run on Amazing Spider-Man lasted a full decade, and it remains the bible from which all following Spider-Man runs on this list pulled from. Simply put, no other Spider-Man run could likely ever take the top spot. Stan Lee and his collaborators broke the mold.

The post The 10 Greatest Spider-Man Comic Book Runs of All Time appeared first on Nerdist.

Welcome back to the TVA, Loki fans! Things continue to go from bad to worse for Loki as he and the rest of the group attempt to fix the time loom, but did their actions end up dooming the multiverse instead? Dan Casey dives in to break down what this spaghetti ruining episode and what it means for the rest of the season on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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When the Netflix Marvel shows moved to Disney+, fans hoped they might see some familiar faces incorporated into the MCU’s world. Although there were many good iterations of Marvel characters in the Netflix shows, one hero that fans particularly hoped would return for a solo show or movie was Charlie Cox’s Daredevil. Happily, Marvel Studios didn’t make us wait very long. At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, the studio announced that Daredevil would receive a new MCU series on Disney+, Daredevil: Born Again. Since that announcement, the series had some ups and downs, including an overhaul of its creative team. Here’s everything we know about Daredevil: Born Again.

Title

The title of the MCU Daredevil series will be Daredevil: Born Again. This is also the title of one of Daredevil‘s famous comic arcs.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Plot

We don’t yet know much about the exact plot of Daredevil: Born Again. But in the comics, Born Again is a very dark tale for Daredevil. In it, the man without fear faces down Kingpin, who manipulates Matt Murdock’s feelings for a struggling Karen Page in his attempts to destroy the hero. Whether this storyline will find its way into the MCU, we can’t say for sure. What we do know is that Daredevil: Born Again will have eighteen episodes, leaving a lot of room to explore the MCU version of the hero.

According to a report by Variety, Marvel is planning to overhaul the direction of Daredevil: Born Again. The publication shares that “Marvel Studios has recently parted ways with head writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman and is currently seeking new writers to revamp the show. Ord and Corman will still be credited as executive producers.” Additionally, Marvel has released the directors for the series episodes that have not yet already been filmed. Variety reveals that less than half of Daredevil‘s 18 episodes were filmed before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. And that “Some elements of the already shot material will be used going forward, but Marvel is looking to take the show in a new creative direction.”

Behind the Scenes

Originally Daredevil: Born Again was written and executive produced by Matt Corman and Chris Ord. According to Deadline, Clark Johnson was meant to direct two episodes. However, Variety recently reported that Corman and Ord were released from the show and Marvel is seeking new writers and directors for the series.

The Hollywood Reporter shared the superhero crime series has added Dario Scardapane as its showrunner. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead will direct the rest of the episodes for the first season. Scardapane has experience with The Punisher, while Benson and Moorhead directed episodes of Loki season two.

While Marvel will apparently retain some episodes and other material that was already filmed, Scardapane will add new episodes and new scenes. It’s unknown how many episodes season one will have.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Cast

So far, Charlie Cox, who, of course, returns as Daredevil, and Vincent D’Onofrio, who will play Kingpin, have signed onto the new series. In addition, reports indicate that Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Punisher in the MCU series. No other actors from the original Daredevil show have been confirmed to return.

Also joining Cox and D’Onofrio are Nikki M. James, Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva, and Sandrine Holt. Their roles remain unknown. In addition, the publication recently cited Carnival Row‘s Arty Froushan as part of the cast. Clark Johnson, in addition to directing, reportedly has a recurring role in the series.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Release Date

Daredevil: Born Again does not yet have a release date.

Originally published January 5, 2023.

The post DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN Gets Its New Creative Team appeared first on Nerdist.

Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan appears in a major role in season two of Loki. The Everything Everywhere All At Once and Indiana Jones actor just can’t get enough of stories about the multiverse, it seems. His name is Ouroboros, or O.B. for short. But how does Ke Huy Quan’s Loki character tie into the existing Marvel Comics lore? And how does Ouroboros relate to existing mythological roots in our own world? Here’s what we know so far about Ke Huy Quan’s Ouroboros and his role in Marvel’s Loki season two.

The Ouroboros in Folklore and Norse Mythology’s Jörmungandr

You’ve no doubt heard the turn of phrase “the snake eating its own tail.” Well, that particular iconography comes straight from ancient mythology. That snake consuming its own tail is actually called the Ouroboros, and is found in the mythologies of ancient Egypt and Greece. According to Britannica, “[The Ouroboros] represents a being that is continually devouring itself, and thus reborn from itself. A gnostic and alchemical symbol, Ouroboros expresses the unity of all things, material and spiritual, which never disappear but perpetually change form in an eternal cycle of destruction and re-creation.” The Ouroboros is a fitting mythological reference to invoke in the MCU’s Loki which is all about questions of the destruction, creation, and flow of timelines.

Although the character Ke Huy Quan plays on Loki season two has the name Ouroboros, he might also have ties to a more specific character from mythology, one that even more directly related to our titular God of Mischief. In Norse mythology, the snake that consumes its own tail, a.k.a an Ouroboros, goes by the name Jörmungandr. This Ouroboros is also known as the Midgard Serpent or the World Serpent. In the old Norse myths, Jörmungandr encircles the realm of Midgard, which is another name for Earth. He is the son of Loki and the giantess Angrboða. He’s also the brother of the great wolf Fenrir and Hel. During Ragnarök, a.k.a, the Twilight of the Gods, Thor kills him.

In the pages of Marvel Comics, the Midgard Serpent has played a big role in several Thor comics. He first appeared back in 1966 and reappeared again and again over the years to fight the God of Thunder. Although the Odinson slays the gigantic beast, Marvel resurrects him more than a few times, and the two battle all over again.

When it comes to a connection with Loki, the god of mischief does ride the Midgard Serpent at one point. But there is never any real indication that Marvel Comics’ version of this Ouroboros is in any way the literal child of Loki. Marvel writers often play fast and loose with Norse myths, changing many things outright. This is another example of that. It will be interesting to see, however, what Loki season two does with the mythological origins of Ouroboros as the show continues to remix and reference mythology.

Ke Huy Quan’s Loki Character O.B./Ouroboros and His Marvel Comics Connections

Ke Huy Quan’s Ouroboros might be an original creation for the MCU series, not based on a preexisting Marvel Comics character. However, his name does pop up in several comics from the past. And in different forms.

The only Marvel Ouroboros with ties to the TVA is a certain Mr. Orobourous, who made one appearance in a She-Hulk comic in 2005. Created by Dan Slott, Orobourous was a judge for the Time Variance Authority. In Marvel’s She-Hulk comic, Orobourous is spelled a bit differently than the traditional Ouroboros of mythology, but the reference seems to be the same. This character was also a clone of Mr. Paradox, who himself was a clone of several TVA bureaucrats. We already know the O.B. is not a judge in Loki, but it seems the creators took a shine to the name at least.

But She-Hulk‘s judge is not the only Ouroboros in Marvel lore. First, there was the Oculus Ouroboros, which was not a person in Marvel Comics, per se, but a conduit of elemental magic, that depicts a variation on the classic Ouroboros shape of a snake eating its tail by featuring a second snake. It first appears in Doctor Strange #92, back in 1993. The Sorcerer Supreme stops an attempt by Doctor Doom to gain access to its power.

An actual character using the name is Admiral Ouroboros. He made his first Marvel Comics appearance relatively recently in 2015’s Silver Surfer #11. He battled the former Herald of Galactus during an adventure where the Surfer became stuck in a time loop.

The most recent Marvel usage of the name Ouroboros appeared in 2022, in Marvel’s Contest of Champions. In this instance, Ouroboros is an organization in universe 517. This organization came together to oppose the rule of the Elders of the Universe across the reality called Battlerealm.

However, despite all these possible references, we think it’s unlikely that Loki’s O.B. is directly related to the previous Marvel concepts of Ouroboros. It’s far more likely the MCU’s Ouroboros is riffing on one or more of the mythological histories of the creature.

Ke Huy Quan’s O.B./Ouroboros in the MCU and Loki Season Two

The version of Ouroboros played by Ke Huy Quan in Loki is an integral part of the TVA. He’s just someone who rarely gets a visit from other TVA employees. He’s been toiling away, quite literally without sleeping, in the Repairs and Advancement department. O.B.’s office is stuffed in the TVA’s basement. It’s a sprawling mishmash of all kinds of mechanical parts and different inventions. Mobius takes Loki to help with his time-slipping problem. O.B., a nickname for Ouroboros we learn Loki gave to him when he time-slipped into the past, becomes invaluable in helping them. In episode two of Loki, O.B. gives Mobius and Loki the TVA Guidebook to help them.

Here’s How O.B. Connects to Victor Timely and Kang on Loki

In the fourth episode of Loki’s second season, “Heart of the TVA,” O.B. and Victor Timely meet at last. In fact, their meeting reveals an actual ouroboros of sorts for the pair. Timely was taken aback at meeting the man who wrote the TVA Handbook, the book that he received as a child, which inspired all his inventions and career. O.B., meanwhile, was having his own fanboy moment meeting Victor Timely. The man who inspired him to write the Handbook in the first place. As O.B. said, their meeting was “the snake eating its tail.”

Loki’s co-executive producer Kevin Wright said that O.B. is integral to the functioning of the Time Variance Authority. Even if we never saw or heard of Ouroboros in season one of the MCU show. Wright said, “His job is basically every piece of tech, every computer, everything that is running at the TVA… He either designed it, or he fixes it and keeps it running.” None of that sounds remotely like the Marvel Comics versions of Ouroboros. So far, it seems as if the MCU’s O.B. is tied far more to the mythological concept of the character than anything in the comics.

Hopefully, we’ll soon learn more secrets about Ke Huy Quan as O.B. when Loki season two continues on Disney+.

Originally published on October 2, 2023.

The post Who Is LOKI’s Ouroboros? Ke Huy Quan’s Character O.B. Ties Into Mythology and Marvel Comics appeared first on Nerdist.

In the latest chapter of Loki season two, we learned some pretty huge revelations about the relationship between former TVA judge Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and He Who Remains, a.k.a. Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), thanks to Miss Minutes. But what does it all mean, and how does it tie into some of the earliest Marvel comics? Buckle up, because the Ravonna and Kang romance is a very twisted affair.

Ravonna Renslayer and Kang Were Partners Before the Multiversal War

In episode four of Loki’s second season, Miss Minutes explains a crucial piece of Ravonna Renslayer’s history to her. Information she would not be happy to hear. She explains that Ravonna and He Who Remains were working together as partners during the Multiversal War and were likely romantic partners as well. At some point, he indicated she would lead with him in the aftermath. Together, they’d rule from the Citadel at the End of Time. But He Who Remains betrayed Ravonna. Remember when Victor Timely said he doesn’t work with partners? That seems to apply to He Who Remains as well. So he sends her back to the TVA and erases her memories along with the rest of its employees. As Miss Minutes explains to an angry Ravonna, she says “Maybe we don’t need him. Maybe we never did.” This leads Ravonna to attempt to take over the TVA herself, along with Miss Minutes.

The Complex Marvel Comics Love Story of Ravonna Renslayer and Kang the Conqueror

In the comics, Princess Ravonna Lexus Renslayer made her first appearance in Avengers #23, back in 1965. She and Kang have a rather complicated relationship, to say the least. She was the daughter of King Carelius, who ruled 40th century Earth. Kang tried to destroy any monarch who did not submit to him, like Ravonna’s father. But Kang fell in love with the stubborn and determined Princess Ravonna, and she also fell in love with him, admitting to it only before her death. In fact, she threw herself in front of a deadly blaster bolt meant for him, dying to save his life. But this was not the end of the Kang/Ravonna romance.

Another variant of Kang eventually plucked a version of Ravonna from the timeline moments before her death, while another Kang preserved her body in stasis, hoping to gain the power of Life (or Death) from the cosmic Grandmaster in a game. A Grandmaster who is far more powerful than his MCU played-by-Jeff Goldblum counterpart. He’d then use the Power of Life to revive her. Although he won the game, he chose the Power of Death to get revenge on the Avengers, instead of the Power of Life to revive Ravonna. Grandmaster revived Ravonna anyway, who was now furious and betrayed that Kang had chosen vengeance on his enemies over his love for her. The lovers were now mortal enemies.

In the Marvel Comics, Ravonna Renslayer Becomes the Terminatrix

Now hellbent on revenge, Ravonna eventually infiltrated the Council of Cross-Time Kangs. Not long after, she took on the very ’90s identity of the Terminatrix. She put Kang in stasis, much as he had done to her when she was presumed dead. She then fought a future variant of herself known as Revelation. After many time travel machinations and attempts at altering her own future, Ravonna and Kang were reunited. And she seemingly forgave him. Then, she literally stabbed him in the back. She went back in time to Timely, Wisconsin in 1903 to start things over with an earlier version of Victor Timely, hoping to rewrite their narrative.

He Who Remains Wiped Ravonna Renslayer’s Memories in the MCU

So how does all that comic lore inform Loki? Earlier in the season, we heard recordings of He Who Remains saying “Ravonna Renslayer, you are quite a marvel. I would be proud to lead with you. Thank you, for being on my team.” Now, we know these very words to her were spoken by He Who Remains after the Multiversal War. But He Who Remains betrayed her and sent her back to the TVA and enacted Protocol 42, which saw her and all the other TVA employees have their memories wiped. It’s also why Agent Mobius doesn’t remember He Who Remains. He wiped Mobius’ mind of all knowledge of him and replaced it with false memories of the Time Keepers. We’ll see how this anger and betrayal leads to a changed, and more dangerous, Ravonna Renslayer in the remainder of Loki’s second season. Maybe we’ll see the Terminatrix after all.

The post What Is Miss Minutes’ Secret About Ravonna Renslayer in LOKI? appeared first on Nerdist.

The Infinity Stones were the greatest movie MacGuffins of all time, in the forefront of the first 22 MCU films. Thanks to Thanos’ quest, even your grandma knows about these all-powerful gems, created at the dawn of time. Well, Thanos may have destroyed the stones in Endgame, but now you can own the next best thing. At San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, Marvel and East Continental Gems announced the launch of the official Infinity Collection of Gemstones. And now, the time has arrived to begin buying… If you have a Tony Stark-sized fortune at your disposal anyway. The set is valued at $25 million.

The real-life Infinity Gems will be on display in New York for a limited time at the ECG Concept showroom. Fans can purchase the Infinity Gems, but ECG will also have more affordable options available. They’ll reveal the Jarvis Series of gems which are 2-carats and start at $225 each. Other MCU-inspired collectibles at the store will include mini Infinity Gauntlet statues and an Eye of Agamotto.

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The Most Powerful Rocks in the Known Universe

Each of the Infinity Stones are remnants of singularities that predated the Universe. Of course, their values in the Marvel Universe cannot be imagined because of the powers each stone carries. But this collection is primed to become one of the most valuable Marvel collectible items. The six stones combined are over 150 carats and come with a total estimated value surpassing $25 million. In a statement, Paul Gitter, SVP, Marvel Consumer Products said the following.

Fans and collectors are a very important consumer for Marvel, since they truly live the Marvel lifestyle every day and are always seeking to connect with the brand in new and unique ways. We feel this authentic gemstone collection is cool and unexpected and extends the reach of the Marvel brand

Each of the Stones will be displayed in an exclusive Infinity Gauntlet customized to house these gems. Gentle Giant Ltd created the Gauntlet. They are the industry leader in the high-end collectible toys and consumer products sold throughout the world. Below is a description of each of the real-life stones and what they represent in the Marvel Universe:

The Time Stone

The Time Stone is a Colombian emerald that is rare and brilliant in color. Experts suggest they minded this stone at the turn of the century. Somewhere in a location that produces the most desirable emerald green. Documented by four prestigious gemology laboratories, this gem has no treatment, nearing 23 carats.

About the Time Stone in the Marvel Universe. This unique Marvel artifact is at the center of the Marvel Universe itself. The Time Stone has the ability to manipulate time, even in places beyond time.

The Space Stone

The Space Stone is a 30-carat sapphire from the island of Madagascar. Here is what we know about the Space Stone in the Marvel Universe. It allows its user to exist in any location, and move through different realities. Also, it allows one to warp or rearrange space, and teleport across planes regardless of the laws of physics or magical barriers. It even allows for omnipresence.

The Reality Stone

The Reality Stone is a 15-carat oval-shaped, natural ruby from Mozambique, Africa. In the Marvel Universe, things that would normally be impossible to realize are made possible with the Reality Stone. And on a universal scale. In other words, aside from the power to will anything in or out of existence, it can retroactively create alternate realities around those changes.

The Power Stone

The Power Stone is a 35-carat oval-shaped, natural amethyst. About the Power Stone in the Marvel Universe – The biggest mystery of all the Stones may be the Power Stone. The Power Stone allows its users to access and manipulate all forms of energy as well as enhance their own physical strength and durability. At full potential, the Power Stone can even grant omnipotence!

Notably, this jewel also boosts the effects of the five other Stones; it’s like a kind of key to start the engine of the Infinity Stones as a single collective force. The ultimate power behind the Power Stone—and why it sits at a place of honor on the Infinity Gauntlet—does not necessarily come from the Stone itself, but from how the Stone interacts with the others.

The Soul Stone

The Soul Stone is this cushion-shaped, spessartite, exceeding 35 carats. About the Soul Stone in the Marvel Universe – The first to appear of all the Stones, the Soul Stone served as inspiration for all the rest. It can manipulate the soul and essence of a person, control life and death, and contains a pocket dimension called the Soul World.

The Mind Stone

The Mind Stone is a high clarity, intense color rectangular brilliant cut yellow diamond, close to 35 carats. About the Mind Stone in the Marvel Universe – The Mind Stone allows its user to enhance their mind, awaken or heighten psionic abilities like telepathy and telekinesis, and—when combined with the Power Stone—even access all minds in existence concurrently. In the spirit of the Mind Stone, we’re taking a look at the minds responsible for some of the most significant Infinity Stone stories ever!

No word yet on if purchasing all the stones and getting a gauntlet to go with them will unlock the powers of the universe for its wearer. Maybe you can find out if you visit East Continental Gems’ showroom. Get all the details here.

Originally published on October 26, 2022.

The post The $25 Million Infinity Gem Collection Is Coming to New York appeared first on Nerdist.

What is canon and what is not to the MCU has been a topic of fervent fan debate for years. Is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which referenced the events of Avengers, actual MCU canon? What about the former Netflix shows like Daredevil, which also made mention of Avengers like Captain America and Thor? Well, we now have an answer to that question from the guy in charge, Kevin Feige. In his introduction to the book Marvel Studios: The Marvel Cinematic Universe—An Official Timeline, he wrote the following:

On the Multiverse note, we recognize that there are stories—movies and series—that are canonical to Marvel but that were created by different storytellers during different periods of Marvel’s history. The timeline presented in this book is specific to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline through Phase 4. But, as we move forward and dive deeper into the Multiverse Saga, you never know when timelines may crash or converge (hint, hint/spoiler alert).

FYI, our own Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe cowrote that book.

So, in short, everything utilizing Marvel characters, whether produced by Marvel Studios or not, is part of a branched timeline in the overall Marvel Multiverse. Some we already knew about. The original Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, and the Marc Webb Amazing Spider-Man films? No Way Home confirmed them as Multiverse canon. Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness confirmed Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, and Deadpool 3 is set to canonize Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Even if these are variants of the Fox X-Men films, it indicates all those movies are also Multiverse canon.

Also, with clips of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s respective Peter Parkers in Across the Spider-Verse, not to mention the appearance of Donald Glover in his MCU role as the Prowler in that film, those animated films also exist in the overall MCU Multiverse tapestry. Will movies like Ang Lee’s Hulk, Sony’s Ghost Rider films, and others get included in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Secret Wars? Well, Jennifer Garner as Elektra in Deadpool 3 suggests it’s all on the table now. Heck, why not Howard the Duck? Stranger things have happened.

Right now, the MCU is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time. By a lot too, with $29 billion dollars total. By contrast, the #2 slot goes to the Star Wars franchise, which is a distant second at $10 billion. But if the MCU now includes pre-Marvel Studios films? Oh man, then does that number ever go up. The mutant franchise at Fox adds $10 billion to that sum. The non-MCU Spider-Man films? About $8 billion total. Even the Fantastic Four films have collectively made $800 million. Throw in a couple of Blade films, we’re talking about a franchise that has made some $50 billion dollars. Easily the biggest success story in Hollywood history. And a record we’re likely never going to see surpassed in our lifetimes. In the meantime, we’re just excited to see Hugh Jackman take on Tobey Maguire while Deadpool just laughs at them both.

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Welcome back to the TVA, Loki fans! This week’s episode sees the return of a familiar face, but who exactly is Victor Timely? Dan Casey heads to the World’s Fair to find out whether this variant is friend or foe on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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Nick Fury assembled an impressive Avengers squad to protect the MCU. However, that version of Earth’s mightiest heroes is just one of an infinite number of super teams spread out across the multiverse. A few others are surely better, and a lot more are likely worse, but one stands out because of how it was built. And by that, we mean it’s built from little plastic bricks. Now those heroes are getting their very own special at Disney+, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red.

The film’s new Easter egg-filled trailer puts together an incredible lineup with a special member. It will have Marvel fans wondering when they’ll get to see such an X-citing unit in live-action.

The Collector is back! The LEGO Variant of the character is looking to add Marvel’s Avengers to his vast library of intergalactic goods. That’s a big problem on its own, but one they can manage. It’s a far bigger issue that will lead to the superheroes asking for help. Here’s the synopsis for LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red from Disney:

The Avengers gather to celebrate their latest victory, but their celebration is quickly interrupted by the mysterious disappearance of Black Widow’s father, Red Guardian. As the Avengers investigate, they discover that Red Guardian isn’t the only one missing when they meet a dangerous new foe quite unlike anything they’ve ever encountered before.

That new foe is Red Phantom. He’s why LEGO Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, two Captain Americas, the Incredible Hulk, and the Black Panther will reach out to a “quirky” Marvel counterpart. And oh, is he quirky. The LEGO Avengers will turn to a grumpy, self-healing, hot dog-loving Marvel legend who has yet to appear in the MCU: Wolverine.

Sorry Hulk, we know you really don’t want to deal with “that guy,” but he does have special skills. And also knives in his hands. Indestructible hand knives are always helpful, especially against plastic. Plus, with Wolverine joining the LEGO Avengers, it might push his MCU Variant to get in on the action sooner rather than later. We really want to see that happen. Wolverine makes every team better in every universe.

LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red stars: Laura Bailey, Trevor Devall, Steve Blum, Will Friedle, James Mathis III, Liam O’Brien, Laura Post, Bumper Robinson, Roger Craig Smith, Fred Tatasciore, Travis Willingham, Mick Wingert. It debuts on Disney+ on Friday, October 27. 2023.

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Lately, it feels like every major franchise is getting the Magic card treatment. Magic: The Gathering has collaborated with The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, Doctor Who, Fallout, and more to bring fans cards that speak to their favorite fictional worlds via their Universes Beyond arm. But now, it feels like the biggest collaboration yet has just been announced. Marvel and Magic: The Gathering will come together to bring Marvel’s greatest heroes, worlds, and more into the world of Magic cards. And although we don’t have any official card art, or really any details yet, we feel the excitement already.

A release shares that this Marvel and Magic collaboration is a “multi-year, multi-set deal.” So fans can look forward to many Marvel Magic cards in the future. The release further notes, “The first tentpole Magic set based on Marvel’s fan-favorite characters and epic stories will appear globally in 2025, with additional all-new exciting sets for multi-generational fans to collect and play.”

2025 feels like a long way off, but we guess there is a lot of Marvel to distill down into one set. We can already imagine the “Captain America’s Shield” card in our mind’s eye. But we hope there will be some deep cuts and Easter eggs we didn’t see coming in this upcoming Marvel Magic card sit. One thing is for sure, though, this collaboration will be beautiful. If Magic: The Gathering’s The Lord of the Rings cards were anything to judge by, then these Marvel sets will totally floor us. We can’t wait to see our favorite heroes reimagined in this whole new way.

“Trading cards have always been a part of Marvel’s DNA, so this collaboration takes that experience to a whole new level,” Dan Buckley, President of Marvel Comics and Franchise noted about this team-up. “With the depth that our storytelling and characters bring to the table, we can’t wait for fans to see how the Marvel Universe translates seamlessly into gameplay within these Magic: The Gathering products and sets for years to come.”

And so, the multiverse expands. There’s no official release date for the Marvel Magic card sets, but we’re sure we’ll get more looks and news about the collaboration way before 2025.

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In the third episode of Loki season two, Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief and agent Mobius travel to the 1893 World’s Fair, in an effort to find a variant of He Who Remains. In the World’s Fair pavilion for the country of Norway, they see wooden carvings of their ancient gods. There’s Odin, Thor… and Balder the Brave. In the MCU series, Loki scoffs at Balder’s inclusion in the pantheon, saying “nobody cares about Balder.” But whatever Loki says, in Marvel Comics, Balder is indeed a key member of Thor’s supporting cast who has been conspicuously absent from the MCU. With confirmation now that Balder exists in the MCU, we never know when he might appear in the flesh. But just who is Marvel’s Balder the Brave?

Here’s the comics history of Balder, why he wasn’t in the MCU until this Loki season two mention, and how Balder nearly made his MCU debut previously.

The Marvel Comics History of Balder the Brave

Long before his Loki appearance, Marvel Comics introduced Balder the Brave in one of the earliest Thor stories, 1962’s Journey into Mystery #85. This story was written and illustrated by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, who created Balder. This issue not only introduced Balder, but also Loki, Odin, Heimdall, and most of the other Asgardian gods. For years, Marvel Comics portrayed Balder as Thor’s trusted friend and battle companion, even though Balder was described him in Norse mythology as Thor’s brother. (We’ll get to that.) In Marvel’s comics, Thor and Balder trained together growing up, and no one was a fiercer ally to Thor.

The Marvel Powers of Balder the Brave

Like all of Marvel’s Asgardians, Balder’s abilities include heightened strength, speed, and invulnerability, but he also controls vast light powers. Only Thor was arguably a better warrior than Balder. In addition to the other powers, Balder can create powerful light blasts, manipulate light to appear invisible, and make clouds of mist. And just as Thor has his enchanted hammer in the Marvel universe, Balder has an enchanted sword Svraden, that allows him to teleport.

Because of Odin’s paranoia regarding Balder’s prophesied death triggering Ragnarok, he had his wife Frigga place an enchantment on him. One that would make him invulnerable to all harm, at least while in the Asgardian realm. The belief was that if they could not kill Balder, it would not trigger Ragnarok.

Balder the Brave’s One Weakness and Loki

Balder did have one very odd weakness, however. Balder the Brave remained vulnerable to, of all things, mistletoe. So often, his enemies laced arrows and other weapons with it hoping to do harm to the Asgardian warrior. Loki, of course, discovered this weakness in Balder, and sought to exploit it and kill Baldur, but was ultimately waylaid in his attempts.

We wonder if the MCU Loki has created a similar weak point for the MCU version of Balder. Loki exploiting Balder’s aversion to mistletoe sure would make for an interesting Loki Marvel Christmas special.

Is Marvel’s Balder Thor’s Best Friend or Thor’s Brother Like in Norse Mythology?

In the 616 universe of Marvel Comics, Marvel did not portray Balder as a Prince of Asgard like Thor or Loki. He believed himself to be a foundling child, taken in as a ward of the Asgardian court. And that was the official company line on Balder for many decades, Balder was Thor’s friend but not his brother. It wasn’t until Thor Vol. 3 #10 in 2008 that Marvel Comics continuity lined up more with Norse mythology with Balder.

Although Balder believed he was only Thor’s friend and a ward of the Asgardian court, he was, in fact, the first son of Odin and Frigga. Odin abandoned him out of fear because the King of Asgard had premonitions about how Balder’s death would cause Ragnarok, the end of all things. He later regretted that decision and took his child back into the court. But he kept his true parentage a secret.

Thor and Balder fought together in many, many battles. And Balder has died and returned to life several times (as have all the Marvel Asgardians). He’s been a stalwart member of Thor’s cast of characters since the earliest days. At the peak of Thor’s comics popularity, under the direction of writer/artist Walter Simonson, Balder the Brave even received his own Marvel mini-series. In more recent years, he’s even been the King of Asgard itself… at least for a brief time. So if he’s so crucial to the overall Thor mythos, why then no Balder the Brave in the MCU?

Does Balder the Brave Appear in the MCU? His Mysterious Absence, Detailed

When Marvel Studios introduced Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in 2011, they managed to introduce most of his most well-known comic book family and supporting cast. There was Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, of course, but also their parents, Odin and Frigga, Heimdall, the Warriors Three, and Lady Sif. But there was one big omission from the comics in the MCU, and that was Thor’s best friend (and sometimes brother) Balder the Brave. A major character from the earliest Thor comics, Balder previously went unmentioned and unseen in any MCU project. This has led many to believe Balder didn’t even exist in the MCU. But now, thanks to Balder’s mention on Loki, we know that’s not true. Balder the Brave has officially appeared in the MCU and he is even part of the main MCU continuity.

But why didn’t Balder the Brave appear in Marvel’s cinematic world until now? There’s never been a concrete answer for Balder’s MCU omission. However, one can guess that Kevin Feige thought another sibling would muddle the rivalry of Thor vs. Loki. Although the MCU could have made Balder just a good friend, the role of the loyal companions was essentially filled by the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. Perhaps the MCU thought of Balder as just superfluous? It’s unknown, but until the third episode of Loki season 2, Balder the Brave just didn’t exist in the MCU’s version of Asgard.

Daniel Craig Almost Played Balder in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

When Marvel Studios was developing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we almost got an MCU appearance of Balder the Brave at last. In fact, he was nearly played by James Bond himself, Daniel Craig. Craig was all set to play Balder as a member of the Illuminati on Earth 838. And that would have officially confirmed that the character existed in the greater Marvel multiverse. Elizabeth Olsen also confirmed in interviews that she saw the concept art of Craig as Thor‘s Balder the Brave. Everything was ready to go, until Craig dropped out due to concerns over the pandemic filming. But he was this close to appearing in the MCU.

A Balder Confirmation in the MCU’s Disney+ Series Loki Might Lead to His Arrival 

Even though evidence of Balder appeared before Loki in a branched timeline in the 19th century, he recognized Balder’s statue and knew exactly who he was. And since the Loki of the series is a variant that branched from the Sacred Timeline, it means Balder exists in the main MCU version of Asgard. But where is he? Balder certainly wasn’t on Asgard during the first three Thor movies and didn’t get a mention in Love and Thunder.

Given that we almost got Balder in Multiverse of Madness and his big name drop in Loki, it feels like Balder the Brave is gearing up for an MCU arrival at last.

The post LOKI Makes a Classic Thor Character MCU Canon appeared first on Nerdist.

Episode three of Loki season two on Disney+ introduced us to a variant of He Who Remains. As a child, this variant, Victor Timely, received a TVA instruction manual in the year 1868. This acquisition of future knowledge led him to become an inventor. In Loki, we meet adult Victor Timely at the Chicago 1893 World’s Fair, where he is presenting his rudimentary version of the Temporal Loom. Timley gets caught up in the time-traveling shenanigans of Loki and Mobius, who travel to his branched timeline to find him. But how is the MCU’s Victor Timely different from the one found in Marvel Comics? So far, the Victor Timely in Loki is a totally different character from his Marvel Comics counterpart—aside from both being variants of the despotic Kang the Conqueror.

Victor Timely, the Victorian Era Marvel Comics Kang Variant

In Marvel Comics, the Victor Timely variant of Kang the Conqueror first appeared in 1992’s Avengers Annual #21. Writer Peter Sanderson and artist Rich Yanizeski created him. In that issue, we learned this Kang variant traveled back to Wisconsin on January 1, 1901, the first day of the new century. Once there, he established the town of Timely. He named it after his newly assumed name, Victor Timely. This small town, with its quaint All-American Victorian feel, would serve as a 20th-century base for his future self. From this chronal vantage point, Timely would eventually evolve into the Prime Kang and make life miserable for the Avengers.

The relatively immortal Victor Timely became an industrialist, turning Timely into a boom town of industry. He became a business rival of people like Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. As the 20th century unfolded, Timely faked his death repeatedly. He would then assume the identity of his own son Victor Timely Jr., then Victor Timely III, and on and on. He introduced very advanced technology to unsuspecting scientists of the time. Timely was the man who introduced the concept of androids to Dr. Phineas Horton. The same man eventually created the first android Human Torch in 1939. The Torch, in the comics, would also become the basis for the synthezoid Avenger, the Vision.

Timely, Wisconsin and Kang’s City of Chronopolis

Timely, Wisconsin also became the hub from which Kang would create the city of Chronopolis. Existing outside normal time and space, Chronopolis would serve as a hub for Kang’s conquest of all known time periods. Various eras of history intersected in Chronopolis, only perceivable to Kang himself. It eventually bled into the realm of Limbo, which exists outside of time. It’s something very similar to how the Time Variance Authority functions on Loki.  

The MCU Victor Timely and How He Differs from Marvel Comics’ Version

The MCU Victor Timely on Loki does not seem to be a Kang from the future who has settled in the past. That is, unless they throw some last-minute twist at us. From what we can tell, Loki‘s Victor Timely was born in the 19th century when Ravonna Renslayer and Miss Minutes interfered in his life and created the version of Victor Timely we see in 1893. From all indications, it appears the MCU’s Victor Timely belongs to that time and that he isn’t a future Kang who went back in time. The main similarity between the comics and the MCU is that Victor Timely is an assumed name. We may never know what the true birth names of the Kangs really are.

The MCU Victor Timely may actually evolve into Kang during Loki‘s run and may even be the same version from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. But for now, Victor Timley’s ultimate MCU fate and future are some of the big questions the Loki series sets up. We’re interested in what we’ll learn about Timely going forward.

The post How LOKI Season 2 Reimagined Marvel Comics’ Victor Timely appeared first on Nerdist.

At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Marvel’ head honcho’s Kevin Feige announced the MCU’s wild Phase Five lineup and even a little bit of Phase Six. The slate will introduce all new characters and stories, but it will also revisits some of the characters we know and love too—characters like Carol Danvers. Brie Larson will reprise the role of the hero in the Captain Marvel sequel, officially known as The Marvels, and she’ll be joined by Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau.

But there may also be other surprise guests in the movie. The latest trailer for The Marvels teases that a Thor character may cameo in the film. In The Marvels trailer, we see the iconic Asgardian bifrost appear and Captain Marvel notes, “I called a friend.” Interestingly, the beginning of the trailer flashes back to the moment many of the MCU’s women joined forces, including Captain Marvel and a Thor character Valkyrie. Could Carol have called Valkyrie to assist her in whatever struggles take place during The Marvels? We’ll have to wait and see. But we’d certainly be happy if she did.

Here’s everything we know about The Marvels.

Title

The Captain Marvel sequel is titled The Marvels.

The Marvels’ Plot

We don’t quite know what Brie Larson’s intergalactic warrior will be dealing with in her next venture. She became a full-fledged Avenger after the Snap, but she’s served more as a cosmic independent contractor than as one of Earth’s regular protectors. She was busy keeping the entire universe safe, only returning to Earth to help defeat Thanos. But a synopsis for The Marvels, along with its latest trailer, reveals more about what we can expect from the movie. It shares:

In Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels,” Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.” 

Additionally, we know that, unlike the first Captain Marvel film, the sequel takes place in the present.

Behind the Scenes

Candyman‘s Nia DaCosta will direct The Marvels. This is a change from the first film; Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck directed that one. In January 2023, Marvel revealed the film’s slate of writers including DaCosta, Megan McDonnell (WandaVision), Zeb Wells (Amazing Spider-Man comic series), and Elissa Karasik (Loki). All of these people are obviously well-versed in the Marvel universe, so we can expect this film to fall in line with our MCU norms.

The Marvels‘ Cast

Brie Larson will return. But who’s joining her? Iman Vellani, who played Ms. Marvel in a Disney+ TV series, will appear in The Marvels. Teyonah Parris, who plays a grown-up Monica Rambeau in WandaVision, will reprise her role for the sequel. Nick Fury will return too.

According to Deadline, Velvet Buzzsaw actress Zawe Ashton will play the villain in the film. We don’t yet know which character she’ll play. Park Seo-joon has also joined The Marvels‘ cast.

The Marvels‘ Release Date

The Marvels is scheduled for release on November 10, 2023.

Originally published on January 23, 2021.

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Most characters in the MCU draw inspiration from those in the pages of Marvel’s comics. Sometimes, two characters are combined. But usually, it’s a character or characters with a long history, often going back decades. And then, there’s Prince Yan D’Aladna (Park Seo-joon), soon to star in The Marvels. Prince Yan is joining the MCU and making it to the big screen after only one Marvel Comics appearance in an issue of Captain Marvel. Here is everything you should know from Marvel’s comics about alien royalty Prince Yan D’Aladna and everything we know already about the version Park Seo-joon will play in The Marvels.

Prince Yan D’Aladna’s First Marvel Comics Appearance

In Marvel Comics, Prince Yan of Aladna’s first and so far only appearance happened in 2014’s Captain Marvel (Vol.8) issue #9. The issue has Carol Danvers, who had only recently become Captain Marvel, and her alien sidekick Tic journeying to the distant world Aladna to help a mutant rock star, Lila Cheney, who also happened to be a cosmic adventurer. Lila Cheney had the mutant power to teleport across the cosmos, which led her to many entanglements with the X-Men and Carol over the years. Now, Lila found herself trapped in an unwanted engagement with alien royalty, and needed her old friend Carol to bail her out. In Prince Yan’s world, everyone has to rhyme when they speak. Good times.

Prince Yan’s Connection to an X-Men Character

When she was a child, and her mutant powers first manifested, young Lila Cheney transported herself to Aladna and fell for the planet’s handsome prince. Lila was an Earth mutant of considerable power who once dated Xavier’s student Cannonball. In Prince Yan d’Aladna’s world, only women could choose their lifemates. Being from Earth, Lila didn’t realize that when she chose Prince Yan, it was a real commitment that would have to be honored. When she returned to Aladna as an adult, they forced Lila to marry Prince Yan, even though neither of them wanted that.

Prince Yan asked Captain Marvel to help him stop the ceremony by formally objecting. During the ceremony, Marlo of Sleen, who wished to rule Aladna, appeared, intending to defeat Lila in combat and marry Yan. Carol represented Lila in battle and won. Now officially betrothed to Yan, Captain Marvel offered him the right to choose whoever he wanted to marry. Hoping to avoid the possibility of Yan being denied the crown if he attempted not to marry, Tic volunteered to become Yan’s wife. Once he became king, Yan abolished this rule of Aladna.

What Are Prince Yan’s Powers?

As far as we know, Prince Yan D’Aladna doesn’t have any superpower, at least not in Marvel’s comics. However, like everyone on his home planet, Yan can always speak and carry on a full conversation totally in rhyme. Essentially, all of Aladna’s people speak musically. So, that’s kind of a power? We’ll have to see if Park Seo-joon’s MCU Prince Yan develops any other powers in The Marvels.

Is Prince Yan Captain Marvel’s Husband?

Although Carol Danvers won the right to marry Prince Yan, she decided not to. She allowed the Prince to choose his own consort. Or rather, the consort chose him. So no, Carol is not married to the Prince in the Marvel Comics and is, therefore, not secret alien royalty. However, that did not stop him from being flirty with her. It remains to be seen how the MCU relationship between Captain Marvel and Yan D’Aladna unrolls in The Marvels and if they end up entangled in some kind of marriage plotline.

Park Seo-joon as Prince Yan D’ Aladna in the MCU

We also don’t know yet how Park Seo-joon’s version of Prince Yan in The Marvels will differ from his comic book counterpart more globally. We don’t think Lila Cheney is in this movie, so that aspect of his comic book storyline probably won’t play out in the same way. And Prince Yan doesn’t have the Davie Bowie-esque lightning bolt image over his eye in the MCU. Park Seo-joon’s The Marvels character also definitely feels like a warrior prince in this film, something the 616 universe Prince Yan really wasn’t. Or didn’t seem to be.

We’ll learn more about Prince Yan d’Aladna, his relationship with Captain Marvel, and whether Park Seo-joon is actually playing him when The Marvels hits theaters on November 10.

The post Who Is Prince Yan D’Aladna, Park Seo-joon’s Rumored THE MARVELS’ Character? appeared first on Nerdist.

Welcome back to the TVA, Marvel fans! With Loki’s time-slipping under control, the god of mischief’s attention turns to more important issues about existential questions and the truth of the TVA. Dan Casey heads through a time door to take a closer look at whether the TVA could be the true villain of the series in today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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Carol Danvers joined the MCU in 2019 with her own standalone movie, but the powerful superhero won’t be the only “marvel” appearing in her sequel. Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau will star alongside the former pilot in The Marvels. How will these three come together? What moments in their past led them to a future working together? And will Nick Fury be a part of their story? Here’s everything you need to remember from Captain Marvel, WandaVision, Ms. Marvel, and Secret Invasion before The Marvels flies into theaters.

Who Are the MCU’s Marvels?

The Marvels will feature the trio of Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau. While they have shared specific superhero monikers at various times in Marvel Comics, each goes by a different name in the MCU. (One of which we know for sure thanks to official toys.)

Captain Marvel – Carol Danvers

Nick Fury paged Carol Danvers for help in Avengers: Infinity War before Brie Larson even made her MCU debut. Captain Marvel then revealed how the United States Air Force pilot became one of the most formidable cosmic beings in the universe. She gained incredible powers when an explosion of energy exposed her to the space stone inside the Tesseract. The Infinity Stone, along with an infusion of Kree blood, imbued her with super strength, speed, agility, durability, and more.

She also gained the ability to fly (including through space without a helmet), emit energy blasts, and generate intense heat. Once she unlocked her full potential Carol Danvers was strong enough to overwhelm Thanos. He needed the Power Stone to fight her.

The explosion that gave her powers also caused Carol to experience total memory loss. That made it possible for the Kree to manipulate their powerful new soldier, whom they called “Vers” thanks to her partially ruined military dog tag. Vers was loyal and dedicated, but she turned on the Kree after learning the truth about her past and mentor. Carol then became an ally to her former enemies the Skrulls. She and her new friend Nick Fury helped save the Skrulls before she left Earth again. Carol Danvers returned to her home world after the Snap and joined the Avengers, but she soon returned to space so she could help maintain order on other planets. Her many years away from Earth led to a rift between Carol and the daughter of her best friend, Maria Rambeau.

Carol Danvers last appeared in the MCU as a hologram during a Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings mid-credits scene.

Ms. Marvel – Kamala Khan

The Disney+ series Ms. Marvel introduced young Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan to the MCU. Jersey City’s biggest Avengers fan joined the superhero ranks herself after she accidentally unlocked innate powers while wearing a magical wrist bangle. Kamala’s special abilities, which include stretching her own body, let her both manipulate and generate light into physical matter (“hard light”) both big and small. She does that by accessing energy from the parallel Noor Dimension. That extra-dimensional world was her great grandmother’s original home.

Kamala Khan’s abilities do not come solely from the Noor Dimension. Other Noor people like her grandmother had been stuck on Earth for decades without being able to access their home dimension’s powers. In the show’s season one finale, Kamala’s best friend Bruno figured out why. He discovered Kamala is different because she has a strange genetic mutation. If there were any doubt what that meant for both Kamala and the MCU, part of the X-Men: The Animated Series theme song played during the scene. That all but confirmed Kamala as the MCU’s first official mutant.

Read more about the MCU’s superhero-loving superhero with Kamala Khan’s Powers In Ms. Marvel, Explained, as well as our piece Why Ms. Marvel’s X-Men Revelation Is Exciting.

Photon – Monica Rambeau

Monica Rambeau made her MCU debut in Captain Marvel, which took place in 1995. Akira Akbar played the young version of the character in the film. Teyonah Parris took over the role as the adult Monica on Disney+’s WandaVision, set in 2023. The show revealed Monica’s mother Maria had died after the Snap (which turned Monica to dust) and before the Blip. During Carol Danvers long absence, the former pilot Maria had established S.W.O.R.D. Her daughter ultimately followed in her mom’s footsteps by joining the government organization.

(A Variant of Maria appeared in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness as a member of the Illuminati. In that world Maria became Captain Marvel rather than Carol.)

On WandaVision Monica passed through the Scarlet Witch’s Hex—the magical barrier around Wanda’s false utopian sitcom city—multiple times. Each time she did it rewrote her body’s cells on a molecular level. Monica Rambeau’s third and final push into Westview ultimately turned her into a super powered being. The Hex tried to rip her apart, but Monica fought back by focusing on her past and her mother. When she emerged intact on the other side of the Hex she had super reflexes, energy absorption, and intangibility, which makes it so she can let objects pass through her. Monica also gained spectral vision that lets her see energy waves. Her eyes glow when she uses her powers.

In WandaVision‘s closing moments Nick Fury had a secret Skrull operative tell Monica he wanted the new superhero to join him on the S.A.B.E.R. station in outer space.

Dive deeper into Photon’s story with our explainers on Monica Rambeau’s Super Powers and our piece on Wandavision’s Mid-Credits Scene.

How Ms. Marvel’s Season One Finale Set Up The Marvels

The story of The Marvels began during a mid-credits scene in Ms. Marvel‘s season one finale. It began when Kamala’s bangle started glowing. Kamala then disappeared as someone crashed into her closet. It was Carol Danvers, whose hands were emanating the same cosmic glow as Kamala’s ancient artifact.

Why Is Kamala Khan’s Bangle So Important?

Kamala’s bangle is one of two we know exists. Ms. Marvel never fully explained where it came from or why it’s so important, other than the Noor wanted both and Kamala’s grandmother used magic to send it to Kamala. It also sends Kamala where she needs to go even if she doesn’t know why. That’s how she went to the past to save her family long before she was born.

We do know her grandmother found it in a temple that has connections to Shang-Chi’s magical Ten Rings (which very well might be of alien origin themselves). More importantly, the Noor ClanDestine outcasts found the bangle on a severed blue hand that looked a lot like a Kree body part. The bangle also shares many traits with Marvel Comics Nega-Bands, which could explain exactly what it is and why it switched Kamala and Carol’s places in the universe.

To learn more about Kamala’s bangle, her swap with Carol Danvers, and the Nega-Bands read Ms. Marvel Finale’s Mid-Credits Scene Explained.

Where in the MCU Timeline Does The Marvels Take Place?

The Marvels will take place after Ms. Marvel, which took place in the fall of 2025. The Captain Marvel sequel will also take place after Secret Invasion. That ended with Nick Fury returning to outer space aboard the S.A.B.E.R. ship. He’ll be working with his old friend and her two unexpected partners in the film. All three of them are stuck in a quantum entanglement together.

Trailers for The Marvels revealed Monica Rambeau not only took Fury up on the job offer at the end of WandaVision, she was also part of the switch that took place with Carol and Kamala. When that bangle began to glow Carol ended up in Kamala’s room, Kamala took Monica’s place in space, and Monica went to wherever Carol was at the moment. When one of them uses their powers it causes all three to swap places across the universe.

Not exactly a marvelous situation for the three of them. Especially Monica who doesn’t have much love left for her “aunt” Carol. But that’s exactly why their entanglement should make for an entertaining film when The Marvels go higher, further, and faster together on November 10.

Get ready for the MCU’s new team with Everything We Know About The Marvels. It explains why the film’s villain might already answer some of our biggest questions.

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The second episode of Loki season two introduced a reference to a very obscure character from the pages of Marvel Comics—the murderous and monstrous Zaniac. We actually learned in Loki season two’s second chapter that TVA Hunter X-05, played by Rafael Casal, actually was an actor who portrayed Zaniac in 1970s movies. It’s something he did when he escaped into the past of the Sacred Timeline. But who is this long-forgotten Marvel baddie? Here’s the comic book history of the killer called Zaniac.

In the comics, Zaniac was a villain who first appeared in Thor #319, back in 1982. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Keith Pollard, this wild villain remains a relatively obscure one from the God of Thunder’s pantheon of bad guys. While most of Thor’s main villains are other mythological beings, occasionally, he battled a more Earth-bound villain like Zaniac. Although, Zaniac’s powers came from otherworldly forces. So god or not, he was definitely more than a mere human.

Who Is Zaniac in Marvel Comics?

In the late 19th century, Dormammu, Lord of the Dark Dimension and mortal enemy of Doctor Strange, exiled an entity to Earth to possess a mortal human to be his agent of chaos. This being attached itself to a deformed and shunned man named Tom Malverne, a man harboring bitter resentment for the way the world treated him. With the power of this entity within him, Malverne went on a murderous rampage in 1888 London, where he butchered five women. He became the serial killer we know as Jack the Ripper. Once the person it possessed died, the entity continued to possess as the decades went on.

Also, this is the basic idea for the original Star Trek episode “Wolf in the Fold.”

Zaniac Fights Thor

This brings us to the modern day. A movie star by the name of Brad Wolfe was filming a slasher movie at the University of Chicago, which was where many early experiments for the Manhattan Project took place. While in costume as the film’s slasher villain, the Zaniac, Wolfe found himself trapped in a nuclear explosion. A pyrotechnics accident on set triggered residual radiation from the Manhattan Project experiments of the 1940s, causing this explosion. Wolfe gained incredible super strength and could create energy knives with a thought. Clad in the killer’s movie costume, he became the Zaniac.

The Entity drove Wolfe to madness; it also amplified Wolfe’s already inherent misogyny. He began to act out the movie’s plotlines. He kidnapped Shawna Lynde, a friend of Thor’s alter-ego Dr. Donald Blake. Thor saved Shawna from Zaniac, but Zaniac got away. He then attempted to act out the movie’s ending in real life, which involved murdering dozens of innocent women. Victims he called his “pretty pretties”. Luckily, Thor ended Zaniac’s plans. Zaniac only appeared a few more times, and Marvel killed him off in 1986’s Thor #372, a story where the Time Variance Authority appears.

How Zaniac Ties into Loki Season Two

In the second episode of Loki’s second season, we found outTVA hunter X-05, upon learning the truth about the Timekeepers, retreated into a new life on the Sacred Timeline, in the year 1977. He used the name Brad Wolfe, which might have been his true name. Much like the comics, this Brad Wolfe was a movie star. He played a character named Zaniac in a film of the same name. However, the similarities ended there with his comic counterpart. Zaniac was just an acting role for MCU Brad, not a being who possessed him. Loki eventually takes him back to the TVA as a prisoner. Will his Zaniac past come up again? Maybe when Marvel Studios does Wonder Man we’ll learn the superhero/actor is now starring in a modern reboot! We definitely think that would be a fun connection.

Originally published on July 31, 2023.

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In a perfect world we’d be waiting for a very specific movie this fall. We’d be waiting for the premiere of a followup to the 2022 MCU Halloween special Werewolf by Night. The creepy black-and-white tale of monster hunters and their prey remains one of the franchise’s best and most original post-Infinity Saga releases. But while we don’t live in a perfect world, it’s not all bad either. Disney+’s 2023 “Hallowstream” lineup will include the newly announced Werewolf by Night in Color, a special version debuting this October.

And it now this colorful rendition has a scary good trailer.

Hulu subscribers can now catch the original Werewolf by Night on the streamer. Disney added the special starring Gael García Bernal to the site as part of its “Huluween” collection. But customers of the Mouse House’s flagship streaming service will be getting a very different version on October 20.

Marvel Studios’ Werewolf By Night in Color will give viewers an opportunity to see the film in a whole new way. Disney is giving its spooky story a companion version that comes in “vibrant color.”

On Twitter X, director Michael Giacchino said they “spent a lot of time working on this color version” because they “wanted to pay homage to the incredible vibrant color in horror films like the ones Hammer made.” Giacchino said the result is “a whole new look for the film.”

Prior to this trailer we had only seen colorized images from the set thanks to the behind-the-scenes doc Director By Night.

Before we learned of this colorized version we were planning to rewatch the black-and-white original a couple times anyway. Now? We’re still going to do that, we’re just also going to enjoy Werewolf by Night in Color.

Hopefully next year we also have a second original movie to enjoy, too. That won’t make the world perfect, but like this special colorful version it will get us one lycanthrope step closer.

Originally published September 15, 2023.

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Loki‘s first season established the TVA as a place outside of normal time and space. He Who Remains and his servants didn’t age over eons inside the Machiavellian bureaucracy. Mobius wasn’t even sure exactly how long he’d been protecting the Sacred Timeline, since “time moves differently” at the TVA. Combined with Multiversal War, the Citadel at the End of Time, Variants, branches, and pruning it was a lot to make sense of. Now Loki‘s second season is showing we didn’t even know as much as we thought.

What exactly is going on with time at the Time Variance Authority? What does all this new information mean for the MCU’s multiverse? The TVA’s own past, present, and future? Here’s what every episode of Loki season two has revealed about how time does—and sometimes doesn’t—work in the strange world of the TVA.

Episode 1

Time Slipping

Time slipping is when someone is violently ripped through the past, present, and future. It’s supposed to be impossible inside the TVA, a place where magic doesn’t work and countless Infinity Stones are nothing more than colorful paper weights. O.B. and Mobius solved Loki’s time slipping problem by extracting a pruned Loki out of “every strand of time and space.”

The TVA’s Own Linear Timeline

Loki’s time slipping explained why Mobius didn’t recognize the God of Mischief at the end of season one. It also revealed the TVA still has its own self-contained timeline. The organization exists outside of normal time and space, but people in the TVA still live a linear timeline with a past, present, and future.

When Loki went into the past he went into the same TVA’s own past. That was a period when He Who Remains didn’t hide his identity from his workforce. When Loki went into the future it was the same TVA’s future. His travels through TVA time also made it possible for Loki to help save himself from time slipping. He told O.B. about his problems in the past, which made it so O.B. in the present had the Temporal Aura Extractor ready to go.

Mobius attached the Extractor to the most important device in the TVA, machine that weaves entire branches together.

Temporal Loom

The “heart” of the TVA is the Temporal Loom, a device that refines raw time into a “physical timeline.” The death of He Who Remains caused the Sacred Timeline to branch off. Those new strands then began to overload the Temporal Loom, which is not designed to handle that many strands at once.

Read More About Loki Season 2 Episode 1

• How Loki’s Season 2 Premiere Explains Season 1’s Ending
• Does Loki’s Season 2 Premiere Have A Post-Credits Scene?
• Loki’s Post-Credits Scene Ties Into A Classic Thor Comics Location
• Loki’s Temporal Loom: What Is It And What Are Its Marvel Comics Inspirations?
• Who Is Loki’s Ouroboros? Ke Huy Quan’s Character O.B. Ties Into Mythology And Marvel Comics

Episode 2

The Secret Brad Wolfe Life of Hunter X-5

The season premiere saw heavily armed TVA hunters under General Dox’s command go through a Timedoor. Episode two revealed their mission was to blow up all the new branches. One of the Hunters who went on that mission originally was X-5, but Mobius learned he’d abandoned his post entirely in the second episode, which took place immediately at the first within the TVA’s own timeline.

That’s not how much time had passed for X-5, though. He’d left the TVA to make a life for himself as a actor on the Sacred Timeline in 1977 London.

X-5, now known as famous Zaniac star Brad Wolfe, had much longer hair than he had in the first episode. Between his notoriety, success, and lengthy follicles it was clear he lived a long time on the Sacred Timeline even though very little time had passed for his former colleagues in the TVA. The same was true of Sylvie. Despite killing He Who Remains just days prior within the TVA’s own timeline, she’d already established a life on a new branch in 1982 Oklahoma.

Time Discrepancy Between the TVA and Normal Life

The implications of this time discrepancy between normal life and the TVA are terrifying. Someone could theoretically leave the TVA, live an entire life on a branch for many years, and then return to the TVA mere moments after they originally left it. What kind of damage could someone do to the Sacred Timeline if they could do what they wanted for decades before the TVA even knew they were gone?

We’ll have to wait for future episodes to find out. That’s also when we’ll learn whatever else it is we don’t already know about time in the TVA.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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In 2020, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, would spring to life from comic pages in her own original series starring Dominique Thorne. Ironheart will be part of Phase Five. While details about the series are still pretty scarce, Riri Williams’ comic history will provide its foundation. We finally met Riri “Ironheart” Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, an appearance that set the stage for diving into her story. Here’s everything you need to know about Ironheart. 

Title

The series title is Marvel Studios’ Ironheart. 

Ironheart‘s Plot

Ironheart will focus on Riri Williams, a brilliant Black girl inventor who creates a high-tech metal suit like Iron Man’s. As we discover in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri is a 19-year-old MIT student who is “running” a homework business. Oh, and she also builds a vibranium detection machine that puts her in the path of Namor, the leader of a underwater nation who is willing to kill her to protect his people. Of course, she’s alive and well at the end of the film and heading back to Massachusetts… for now. Right now, there are no solid details about the show. But it is possible that the show will bounce between her native Chicago and MIT, where MJ and Ned also happen to be.

Behind the Scenes 

Playwright, poet, and Snowpiercer writer Chinaka Hodge will lead the show’s writing team as a head writer. According to Deadline, Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes will direct the series. In addition, Proximity, Ryan Coogler’s production company, will serve as one of the show’s producers. Coogler is also onboard the series as an executive producer alongside Kevin Feige. Ironheart finished filming in November 2022.

Ironheart‘s Cast

Dominique Thorne will take on the leading role of Riri “Ironheart” Williams in the MCU. She will be joined by Anthony Ramos of Hamilton and In the Heights fame, who will play The Hood. This Is Us mainstay Lyric Ross will portray Riri’s best friend. In the comics, Riri’s BFF Natalie died way before she became an iron hero but lived on through N.A.T.A.L.I.E. This AI program takes her friend’s form and they work together much like Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S. did. It remains to be seen if this friend will be alive, appear in flashbacks, or operate as AI in the series. Or, perhaps it is not Natalie at all but rather a new character.

Other cast members include Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Zoe Terakes, Shakira Barrera, Jim Rash, Shea Couleé, Regan Aliyah, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón, and Cree Summer.

A new Marvel filing with the U.S. Copyright Office Public Records System also reveals that Sacha Baron Cohen will appear in Ironheart as “Mystery Man.” Very mysterious indeed.

Ironheart‘s Release Date

The Disney+ series doesn’t have a release date yet.

Originally published on March 1, 2022. 

The post Everything We Know About Marvel’s IRONHEART Disney+ Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Welcome back to the TVA, Marvel fans! The second season of Loki is finally here, and the premiere might have just changed everything we know about time travel in the MCU! Kyle Anderson breaks it all down in today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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The chaos of Loki‘s season two premiere began during season one’s finale. When Sylvie killed He Who Remains she upended both the Sacred Timeline and the entire TVA. And yet, the rogue Variant responsible for all that turmoil didn’t appear during season two’s debut until it was already over. A post-credits (more specifically a mid-credits) scene in Loki season two’s first episode revealed where Sylvie headed after leaving the Citadel at the End of Time. She went as far away from the royal court of Asgard as possible. At the very end of Loki’s first episode, Sylvie travels back to 1982 and visits a McDonald’s in a small Oklahoma community on a branch of reality that only exists because of her. This Loki season two, episode one post-credits scene location already had major ties to Marvel Comics. Now it’s home to one of the MCU’s most beautiful scenes.

What Happened in Loki‘s Season 2 Premiere Post-Credits Scene?

Sylvie ended Loki‘s first season in He Who Remains’ Citadel. At the time, she also had the dead TVA’s leader’s TemPad, which was how she opened up a Time Door to kick Loki through. Loki thinks that TemPad might have unique abilities (and he’s almost certainly right).

So what exactly did Loki‘s post-credits scene reveal to us? Well, in its only after-the-credits moment, the show’s season two debut shows us where Sylvie went next after the events of Loki season one. In it, we learn that Sylvie used a Time Door to go to Earth on a new branch that broke from the Sacred Timeline after she murdered He Who Remains. That place was Broxton, Oklahoma, in the year 1982. Her Loki armor would have stood out even in the 21st century, but she made for quite a spectacle when she walked into an ’80s-era American McDonald’s.

Sylvie had spent plenty of time on Earth before, but always under the worst circumstances. She successfully hid from the TVA inside apocalyptic events. Her best method of evasion involved mass casualties with no survivors. But in Loki season two’s post-credits scene, inside that normal McDonald’s, she saw peaceful Earthlings eating and laughing with friends. She then asked the young restaurant manager—who admirably did his job under strange circumstances—how “this works” so she could order food. When he asked her what non-rat and non-possum option she wanted to try, Sylvie smiled and said, “Everything.”

Why Did Sylvie Go to Broxton, Oklahoma on Loki?

Sylvie spent her whole life running from the TVA. The organization took her as a kid without ever telling her what her Nexus Event was. She spent decades fighting to survive, all while planning to bring down the TVA itself.

Once she seemingly did that by killing He Who Remains, she opted for a quiet, easy existence in a place that is the proverbial antithesis of an Asgardian god’s life. The place she sees in Loki‘s post-credits scene is also the antithesis of her own experiences. The TVA is a lifeless, emotionless bureaucracy of death where Variants and timelines are pruned to a Void where a monster eats them. The opposite of that is the quiet beauty and ease of a place like Broxton, Oklahoma on Earth in 1982, a time before cellphones and computers that never knew alien invaders.

Even that McDonald’s, a place totally unremarkable from any of the chain’s other locales, had a simple grace to it. A fast-food burger joint is as unpretentious as the TVA is arrogant. It’s a place designed for people to enjoy a simple pleasure that is so easy to take for granted.

But why Broxton specifically? Why an unincorporated community in Oklahoma’s Caddo County (a real place with less than 7,000 residents) versus the countless other similar locals on Earth? Because Broxton’s Marvel appearances aren’t just limited to Loki season two, episode one’s post-credits scene. Broxton was actually a major location in J. Michael Straczynski’s Thor comic series.

You can read more about Broxton’s Marvel Comics history and how it was briefly New Asgard in our own Eric Diaz’s deep dive.

What Was the Meaning of Loki Season 2’s Post-Credits Scene?

He Who Remains had Loki debating the merits of taking control of the TVA as a necessary evil. Sure, pruning Variants and entire branches might be awful, but isn’t the alternative worse? Aren’t some terrible sacrifices in the name of order better than all-out chaos?

It was easy for Loki to think that way because he never had to deal with being one of those sacrifices. But Sylvie had. She had her entire life stolen from her. She was a person with a home and a family, and the TVA took that away from her, just as it had to every Variant it pruned or stole to do its dirty work. A necessary evil is still evil, and it’s not even clear the TVA was necessary.

When Sylvie walked into that McDonald’s in Loki season two’s post-credits scene, she was finally free. No more running. No more TVA. And no more death. Instead, she found a simple life, the kind where you can sit down and eat a cheeseburger without worry. And while those people didn’t know it, they owed their entire existence to her, one brave individual who wanted nothing more than to let others live.

It was the culmination of Sylvie’s entire life. All that hard work fighting for survival and refusing to give in to evil led to a truly beautiful moment of hope and appreciation. And that was before she got to find out just how good Chicken McNuggets are.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Loki‘s first season ended with He Who Remains dead, the Sacred Timeline in chaos, and Mobius not knowing who Loki was. It seemed Sylvie’s decision to kill the TVA’s leader upended the entire multiverse and all of time itself. Even worse, it seemed Kang the Conqueror or one of his Variants had risen to power amid all the upheaval. But the show’s season two premiere revealed that’s not actually what happened. Loki didn’t end up in a new TVA under a different ruler; he ended up in the same exact TVA’s past. How? Why? When? From time slipping to Temporal Looms, here’s what the premiere of Loki‘s second season revealed about the God of Mischief’s struggle to save both himself and everyone.

What Happened at the End of Loki Season 1?

Loki‘s season one finale revealed He Who Remains, the secret head of the TVA, wanted Loki and Sylvie to replace him. Loki came to believe the Time Variance Authority was a necessary evil after hearing about the Multiversal War. However, Sylvie wanted to free the infinite universe from TVA control. After a lifetime of running from hunters and agents she refused to even discuss taking over the TVA. Instead, Sylvie killed He Who Remains after kicking Loki through a Time Door.

When He Who Remains died the Sacred Timeline went haywire. Mobius and Hunter B-15 watched as a monitor showed the neat, orderly stranding of the multiverse began branching off into total chaos.

Moments later Loki found Mobius and B-15 in a different part of the TVA. He warned them about all the terrible Variants who would now be coming. Except the two TVA employees didn’t know Loki at all. It was as though they’d never met. In the midst of their confusion Loki saw the TVA itself had undergone a transformation. It now featured giant statues of someone who looked like He Who Remains.

Why Was Loki Time Slipping?

Loki‘s season two premiere clarified what actually happened in the show’s season one finale. The murder of He Who Remains did not reset the TVA, time itself, or the multiverse. His death did not cause anything that dramatic. At least not yet. When Sylvie kicked Loki through the Time Door he went to the same TVA’s own past. That’s why Mobius and B-15 didn’t recognize him at the end of season one. That’s also why Loki saw those massive statues. Earlier in the TVA’s history He Who Remains did not hide his identity behind robot Time-Keepers. His face was once everywhere, including on the walls inside TVA offices and in Ozymandias-sized public idols.

Loki thinks he might have ended up in the past because Sylvie opened that Time Door with He Who Remain’s special TemPad. O.B. thinks the branching overloading the Temporal Loom might be responsible. It’s possible one, both, or neither contributed to Loki getting ripped across time in the TVA’s past, present, and future.

As painful as it was to watch, though, Loki’s involuntary journey through time also helped Loki save himself. And it also taught us more about He Who Remains and the TVA’s creation.

What Did Loki‘s Season 2 Premiere Reveal About the TVA’s Past?

Loki listened to an old recording while trapped in the TVA’s past. It featured He Who Remains speaking to Ravonna Renslayer. On the tape He Who Remains said, “For us. For all time.”

After she answered “always,” He Who Remains said, “Ravonna Renslayer, you are quite a marvel. I will be proud to lead with you. You made a difference in this war. Thank you for being on my team.”

During season one of Loki, Renslayer did not know about He Who Remains. Clearly, though, she once knew him quite well. She not only fought for He Who Remains in the Multiversal War, she was marked to co-lead the TVA with him. But at some point after that conversation He Who Remains wiped the memories of Renslayer and everyone else in the TVA.

Loki correctly recognized He Who Remains wiped TVA employees’ minds more than once. None of them remembered the prominent He Who Remains paraphernalia that once adorned the organization. Present day Casey also had no memory of how the floor got cracked despite being there when it happened. That blind spot in Casey’s memory shows least one mind wipe happened after Loki showed up in the past, which is why none of the TVA employees remembered meeting him then. And Mobius also did not fully remember visiting O.B. 400 years prior. (Though it’s unclear if Mobius’ confusion is the result of mind wipes, forgetting the details of a four century old encounter, mixing up similar memories, or a combination of all those things.)

It’s not clear how often or why He Who Remains erased everyone TVA workers’ memory more than once.

Who Is Orobourous and What Is the TVA’s Temporal Loom?

Ke Huy Quan’s Orobourous (O.B. for short) is the lone employee of the TVA’s Repairs & Advancements division. He also wrote the TVA guidebook and is an expert on the device currently holding all of time together.

Despite the Sacred Timeline’s countless branches that began to sprout with the death of He Who Remains, the entire multiverse has yet to collapse. That’s because the Temporal Loom is barely keeping the multiverse from exploding. O.B. called that device “the heart of the TVA.” It refines raw time into a “physical timeline.” It’s not constructed to weave together so many new branches, though, so it’s overloading. To keep the TVA itself safe from that possible blowup, O.B. needed to close the building’s blast doors. But first Loki needed access to the Temporal Loom to save himself.

How Did O.B. and Morbius Stop Loki’s Time Slipping?

Time slipping should be impossible in the TVA since time works differently there. It’s a place that is timeless, as people working inside those walls don’t age over eons. Yet, Loki‘s second season has revealed the TVA still has its own linear timeline with a past, present, and future.

Loki’s time slipping also provided him with a solution. It sent him to the past where he met O.B. During that meeting—which O.B. notably only remembered when confronted with its existence—the technician was able to build the Temporal Aura Extractor, a device that ultimately solved Loki’s problem.

At great personal cost to his own skin, Mobius attached the Extractor to the Temporal Loom. When someone or something then pruned Loki—violently ripping the god from “every strand of time and space”—it sent him out of time. The Extractor then pulled him back into the present and crashing into Mobius. That sent them both behind the safety of the blast doors before they closed.

Without the Extractor in place Loki would have been “lost to time forever.” Instead he’s in the present with Mobius, B-15, and the other TVA employees who do not want to prune branches anymore. They know pruning timelines kills billions of innocent people.

Not everyone at the TVA agrees with this new approach. Dox and her band of heavily armed Hunters headed through a Time Door on a mission. B-15 thinks they’ve accumulated too much fire power to only be going after Sylvie, but what exactly they have planned is unclear.

What is clear is that a lot of what we thought we knew at the end of Loki‘s first season was wrong. Clearly we don’t/didn’t/won’t slip into the past ourselves after seeing the show’s season two premiere.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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In the post-credits scene in the first episode of Loki season two, we finally find out what happened to Sylvie after her killing of He Who Remains. She actually went to a branched timeline, in the town of Broxton, Oklahoma in 1982. She wanders into a local McDonald’s establishment and sees the customers just living their ordinary lives. So she decides to stay there. But why would an Asgardian god want to live in a small town in the American Midwest? Well, there actually is a comic book precedent for Asgardians hanging out in this particular Oklahoma town, believe it or not.

Broxton, Oklahoma Was Home to Asgard in the Thor Comics of J. Michael Straczynski

Broxton first appeared in writer J. Michael Stracyinski’s celebrated run on Thor, which began in 2007. After the events of Ragnarok and the death of all the Asgardians, they are all ultimately reborn once more. Only this time, the Asgardians are mortals with no memory of their godly lives. Thor eventually awakens to his true self and recreates the City of Asgard close to the town of Broxton, OK, a mere few miles away.

For some months, the ordinary citizens of the town had to contend with ancient and powerful gods who were living among them. Asgard actually floated above the ground, making it even more off-putting to the nervous Broxton residents. Thor actually paid for the use of the land with Asgardian treasure, even if it took him some time to do so.

Lady Loki First Appeared During the Broxton Era of Thor

Interestingly enough, Loki during his time in Broxton took the form of a woman. It was the first time they portrayed Loki as female, at least for an extended time. Since Loki is the God of Mischief, when he was reborn he took the form that they originally intended for Lady Sif. But the truth is, in comics as well as actual Norse mythology, they have always described Loki as genderfluid. So the Lady Loki we met in Broxton was actually the same Loki as the one we’d always known in a different form. Unlike Sylvie, who is a variant from another timeline. But it’s fitting that a version of the Trickster God that’s a woman resides in Broxton in both the comics as well as the MCU.

The Sad End of Broxton in the Pages of Marvel Comics

Hopefully, MCU Broxton receives a better fate than the one in the pages of the comics. Obviously, a floating City of Asgard nearby placed a huge target on the small town. The often corrupt company Roxxon, a longtime enemy of the Thunder God’s, started “investing” in Broxton. Sadly, the town became wrecked as a result. It was their evil CEO’s plan to blame the Asgardians for what befell the town. When the Asgardians finally left, they allowed their Everlasting Fountain and Bountiful Tree to remain there. But the town was later totally destroyed when the God of Hammers annihilated it just to spite his nemesis, Thor. Ultimately, this poor small American town paid the price for its association with these higher beings.

The “ancient Asgardian god in a tiny American town” was the basis for the first Thor film back in 2011. Only there, they changed it to a New Mexico town instead of one in Oklahoma. Thor: Love and Thunder also played with the concept of Asgard coming to a small human town and integrating. Now, Broxton has arrived in live-action thanks to Loki. Hopefully, nothing terribly sinister happens to the poor Broxton in the MCU, as it did in the comic books. It seems like a nice chill town. And that McDonald’s that Sylvie pops in gives us all the retro vibes we love. And yes, there actually is a real town named Broxton in Oklahoma, near Caddo County. Hey, if Marvel can use real big cities like New York and Los Angeles, then why not real small towns?

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There was more than a little excitement when fans heard that Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan would join the cast of Loki season two. After all, the beloved Indiana Jones and The Goonies actor recently wowed audiences in Everything Everywhere All at Once and fully recaptured all of our hearts. But, in truth, we still don’t know too much about what Loki season two will entail, and that involves details about Ke Huy Quan’s character. Aside from a few glimpses of the actor in Loki‘s trailers, Quan’s role in the series has remained mysterious. But now, we know a little bit more about the character and about how Quan came to be involved in the show. Ke Huy Quan’s Loki character officially has a name and a job at the TVA. Meet OB.

Meet Loki‘s O.B.

Entertainment Weekly revealed the news of Quan’s character. It notes that OB is a “quirky repair guy” in Loki season two. And that OB inhabits the “deepest bowels of the TVA.” He “works in the repairs and advancement department, and his office is stuffed in the basement, a sprawling mishmash of gadgets and gizmos.”

Co-executive producer Kevin Wright shared more about the Loki character, noting that Ke Huy Quan’s OB has his hands in many parts of the TVA. Wright said, “His job is basically every piece of tech, every computer, every thing that is running at the TVA… He either designed it, or he fixes it and keeps it running.” As Barbie‘s Ken might conclude, OB’s job is technology.

We know from trailers that Loki and Mobius will come to seek OB’s help with Loki’s seemingly uncontrollable time-slipping. But whether OB will play a big role in the MCU show or the MCU going forward remains unknown. It’s also unclear if OB has any roots in Marvel Comics or is simply an original MCU character. IGN revealed that O.B.’s full name is Ouroboros. The Ouroboros, of course, is a mythological creature that represents the infinite nature of time. And the name is referenced a few times in Marvel’s history—but its direct analog is not yet clear. But given that Loki plays with mythology, time, and Marvel lore, there’s likely more to Ke Huy Quan’s Loki character than appears.

Ke Huy Quan Wanted to Nod to The Goonies in Loki

Loki‘s costume designer Christine Wada recently shared a little bit about dressing O.B. According to ComicBook, she shared that Ke Huy Quan wanted to give a nod to his The Goonies character Data in his Loki look. Wada shared, “It was really fun because he talked about, well, the first fittings, or maybe it was a phone call, he talked about patches because Data had patches and he was like, ‘What about patches? It’d be so fun.’ And it was really, but then it quickly just became OB. Now just he brings so much, I mean, you could put him in a paper bag and he would bring life to it.”

We love hearing about this Easter egg.

How Ke Huy Quan Became a Part of the MCU’s Loki

One thing is for sure, the MCU likely wouldn’t have cast Ke Huy Quan so specifically if the Loki role didn’t merit it. Wright shares, “I think Kevin Feige made a call maybe April 12, just to follow up and say, ‘Please, please do this.'” In an interview with Variety, Write expands on the story offering, “We pitched him the show and this character. We shared that introduction scene with him and maybe the full script. And then we called in the big guns that Monday; Kevin Feige got on the phone with him and said, “Ke, I know you read the script. I know you talked to the guys. We really think you should do this. I really want you to join the Marvel family.”

Everything Everywhere All at Once, of course, premiered in theaters on April 8. Entertainment Weekly notes that Marvel casting director Sarah Halley Finn initially suggested Quan for Loki based on an early screening she saw of the movie. Write shares that she told the Marvel team, “I think you guys should meet with him quick, because probably by Monday, he’s going to have a lot of offers for different things.” But it was an excellent offer for all because, as Wright concludes to Entertainment Weekly, “Ke is apparently already a giant Marvel fan and was a big fan of Loki season 1.” We love a happy ending.

We can’t wait to see more of Ke Huy Quan as OB when Loki season two releases on October 6. The series will stream on Disney+.

Originally published on September 11, 2023.

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High-end nerdy collections are all the rage. Not too long ago, Jimmy Choo collaborated with Sailor Moon to create a pair of $15,000 boots. And Loewe’s Studio Ghibli collections are always worth a second look (even if you can’t afford anything). Now, Christian Louboutin is getting into the game with one of the biggest nerdy properties of all, Marvel. Christian Louboutin and Marvel have announced a new global collection that highlights some of Marvel’s most iconic heroes and, of course, its shiniest piece of mythology, the Infinity Stones. Not only does the Christian Louboutin and Marvel team-up involve shoes, bags, hats, and more, but it also comes with its own Marvel comic. Who would have thought? Let’s take a look at this Marvelous collection below.

A release from Marvel shares that this Christian Louboutin collection is inspired by three Marvel entities:

The Infinity Stones, which immediately caught Christian Louboutin’s attention, are embedded with strass into two unique heels for men and women.

Namor, the first character ever appearing in a Marvel comic, is the inspiration for the reinvention of the Louboutin scales into an exclusive fish scale known as Spikes Namor. This reimagination of one of Christian Louboutin’s most iconic embellishment pays tribute to Namor’s underwater world.

Moon Knight’s mysterious black and silver suit influences Christian Louboutin’s most audacious styles within the collection.

We definitely see these Marvel characters and concepts popping up throughout the Louboutin line. And, although this collection is a little more conceptual and a little less literal than other collections we’ve seen, the spirit of Marvel and its comics definitely comes through.

Click To View Gallery

Of course, as with any high-end collaboration, a price tag is involved. But hey, it’s not $15,000, so that’s something. The shoes and boots in the Christian Louboutin x Marvel collection cost around $1,995.00 at their cheapest and $3,995.00 at their most expensive. We guess we’d better start putting in extra hours on our heroing. Or maybe Tony Stark wants to chip in to get us a pair.

For free, though, Marvel has put together a comic featuring Christian Louboutin himself. Does that cannonize the designer in Marvel lore? Maybe we’ll see him dress heroes in the next phase of the MCU. Marvel shares of The Loubiverse Explodes!, “The Infinity Stones play a vital role in this special-edition comic book – the story of a quest led by an Egyptian archaeologist Super Hero, based on the [Christian Louboutin] and his North African heritage… The comic book adventure takes place in Egypt and depicts the shoe and accessory collection itself, as well as numerous Marvel characters, including Black Widow, Shuri, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Avengers.”

 Louboutin notes, “There is something about the Marvel mythology, its chronology and recurring characters going through epic adventures, dramas, and intrigues, all spiced up with superpowers that really resonates with me!” And we guess the reverse is true because some items in the Louboutin Marvel collection have already sold out.

If a red sole is the last thing you need in your heroic look, you can check out the full collection, available now.

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The God of Mischief has been a central piece of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from the beginning, and with the second season of Loki finally here, we’re taking a closer look at everyone’s favorite trickster turned TVA agent. More specifically, his often mentioned but difficult to define, “Glorious Purpose”.

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The Disney+ Loki series is all about Loki, of course. His name is right there in the title. But for fans of the MCU, Loki was a departure from the Loki story they were used to seeing. For so long, Loki and Thor had incredibly interlinked MCU narratives . But in Loki, the trickster god has had to go it alone. Still, the presence of Thor hovers around the character and the expectations of fans. In many ways, it’s good to see Loki without Thor. But after a while, the natural question starts to bubble up. Will Loki and Thor have an MCU reunion? Well, it sounds like even though Thor and Loki might not reunite in the Disney+ series, the show is doing the hard work to get Loki to a place where he could be a meaningful part of a future reunion.

Speaking to Variety in the run-up to Loki season two, executive producer Kevin Wright discussed whether Loki would return to the world of the MCU at large. He offered, “That’s the hope. I don’t want to — yeah. I think the the sun shining on Loki and Thor once again has always been the priority of the story we’re telling. But for that meeting to really be fulfilling, we have to get Loki to a certain place emotionally. I think that’s been the goal of these two seasons.”

Cue the tears from many a Thor and Loki fan. In Avengers: Infinity War, Loki tells Thor, “I assure you, brother… the sun will shine on us again.” And although Loki met his death shortly after, the statement felt prophetic. And now, thanks to the Loki series, the door remains open for Thor and Loki to see one another again in the MCU. It’s interesting to hear that preparing for this reunion has been a subtle goal of the Loki series all along. And we hope we’ll get to see it culminate on our screens. Loki does have to meet his new niece, after all. Uncle Loki, it has a nice ring.

While such a thing could be saved for a movie, Wright also discussed the possibility of a Loki season three. He noted, “I think it’s open-ended. We certainly did not develop this season going, ‘We have to tee up Season 3’ — in the way that we did with Season 1, where there was a very specific, ‘Hey, we’re coming back.’ But I also think that where this show goes, there certainly can be many, many, many more stories told with Loki in the Loki world, and in other worlds connected to Loki, the character.”

Maybe, if we’re lucky enough to get a Loki season three, one of those stories can involve Thor. And hopefully, he’ll even be in his human form… Although we’d settle for Frog Thor in a pinch.

The post A Loki and Thor MCU Reunion Is a Hope of the LOKI Series appeared first on Nerdist.

The first season of Loki on Disney+ brought back Tom Hiddleston as the seemingly unkillable Asgardian God of Mischief. It was a huge success. The series introduced MCU fans to the Time Variance Authority, or TVA, who watch over the timeline of the known universe. Loki also formally introduced the concept of the Marvel Multiverse. We also got a perfect foil for Loki in the form of his variant Sylvie. Perhaps most importantly, it’s the only MCU series to get a second season (so far). But what wild adventures through the spacetime continuum will Loki’s second round include?

Here’s everything we know about Loki season two.

Loki Season Two’s Plot

The first season of Loki ended with Sylvie killing He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), thereby erupting the Sacred Timeline and unleashing the Multiverse in full. When Loki returned to the TVA, it was altered in the timeline, and no one remembered him. Not to mention, statues of He Who Remains (or one of his variants more likely) stood tall in the TVA’s halls.

The synopsis for Loki season two says:

Loki Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose.

We can see what will go down in Loki season two in this Disney+ trailer.

Behind the Scenes

Season one writers Michael Waldron and Eric Martin are coming back, with Martin now the head writer instead of Waldron, and Waldron serving as executive producer. One of the creatives from season one not returning is showrunner Kate Herron, according to a report from Deadline. Co-directing several episodes in season two, also according to Deadline, are Moon Knight’s Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Natalie Holt is also back as the series composer.

Loki Season Two’s Cast

Tom Hiddleston returns, of course, as the titular Loki. Also returning is Owen Wilson as Mobius, Sophia DiMartino as Sylvie, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer. Eugene Cordero as ever-present TVA employee Casey (he’ll play a series regular in season two), and Tara Strong as the voice of Miss Minutes will also come back. No word yet on Jonathan Majors as one of the Kang variants, although the giant statue of him at the end of season one suggests we will see him again.

Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) is in season two of Loki, but we don’t know details about his role yet. Additionally, Deadline reports that Game of Thrones‘ Kate Dickie will likely play the villain in Loki‘s second season.

Loki Season 2 Release Date

Loki season two will release on October 5, 2023 and 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET.

Originally published on August 24, 2022.

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For the better part of 60 years, Marvel Comics’ X-Men franchise has ruled the comic book store shelves. And in that time, the mutants sworn to protect a world that fears and hates them have had some legendary creator runs. We’re here to reveal our choices for the best of the best. Now, we should note, that these are just the flagship X-Men books. So, no spin-off teams. Also, unless it’s a writer/artist duo that collaborated on the entire run together, we’re classifying each run by writer primarily. For unknown reasons, writers defined the X-Men runs, with various artists contributing more often than not. Now, with all that out of the way, let’s rank the top 10 X-Men creator runs of all time.

10. Fabian Nicieza (X-Men, Vol. 2)

Writer Fabian Nicieza, the co-creator of Deadpool, had the unenviable task of following up writer Chris Claremont’s legendary 16-year run on the X-Men, which was no easy feat. To say he (and writer Scott Lobdell, who wrote Uncanny X-Men) had big shoes to fill is an understatement. But after a rocky start, Nicieza wrote the hell out of the main X-Men title. He really developed Psylocke into more than a gimmick character, truly developed Gambit, and wrote some of the best issues of the groundbreaking Age of Apocalypse storyline, not to mention, he was behind the moment Magneto ripped the adamantium off of Wolverine’s skeleton. His writing was also augmented by some incredible artwork from folks like Andy Kubert. You can’t write that many iconic X-Men moments in their history and not make it on this list.

Issues in Fabian Nicieza’s X-Men Comic Run:

X-Men (Vol.2) #12-45, Amazing X-Men #1-4, X-Men Forever #1-6

9. Brian Michael Bendis (All-New X-Men, Uncanny X-Men)

Writer Brian Michael Bendis wrote many celebrated Marvel contributions. His run on Ultimate Spider-Man is legendary, and he co-created Miles Morales, Jessica Jones, and more. Then there’s his New Avengers run, his time on Daredevil, and on and on. So, expectations were high when he finally came on board the X-Men in 2013 for All-New X-Men. And to be fair, for many, he didn’t meet those expectations. His run, which saw the teenage original five X-Men come to the present, was not without its faults. However, it had some big, noteworthy highlights.

For starters, Bendis made Kitty Pryde the primary mentor of the young, time-lost X-Men. Many of them were her mentors as adults (oh, timey-wimey headaches!), all of which yielded great storytelling moments. He wrote some great chemistry between the adult Emma Frost and the teen Jean Grey. And Bendis finally made it official, and had Iceman come out of the closet as a gay man. This after years of speculation. The art by the likes of Stuart Immonen and others was also consistently top-tier. So yes, the “teen X-Men in the past” thing went on for way too long. But the best parts of this run make it worthy of inclusion in a best X-Men runs list.

Issues in Brian Michael Bendis’ X-Men Comic Run:

All-New X-Men (Vol.1) #1-41, Uncanny X-Men (Vol.2) #1-35, (Vol.1) #600 (2012-2015)

8. Mark Millar (Ultimate X-Men)

In the early 2000s, Marvel Comics was just emerging from bankruptcy and was desperate to get new readers. Unlike DC Comics, they had never resorted to rebooting their universe. But with their new Ultimate line of comics, they created a new universe where younger, contemporary versions of their iconic characters start from scratch, all adjacent to the main universe. Marvel tasked writer Mark Millar, fresh from DC’s controversial superhero book The Authority, to reinvent the X-Men for the 21st century with Ultimate X-Men.

Although some of his choices were questionable (no one needed incest versions of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver), some were so exciting to read. Millar and his principal artists Adam Kubert and Chris Bachalo gave the X-Men’s classic stories a blockbuster movie makeover, showing the potential of what the mutants could be with a budget behind them. Eventually, this series ran out of steam, especially as other writers took over. Not least because they stopped having truly classic stories to reinvent. But Millar’s run remains a big, bombastic blast to read. Sometimes a slightly problematic blast, but a blast nevertheless.

Issues in Mark Millar’s X-Men Comic Run:

Ultimate X-Men (Vol. 1) #1-33 (2000-2003)

7. Mike Carey (X-Men, Vol. 2, X-Men: Legacy)

Although Mike Carey wrote the X-Men for five years, the longest outside of Chris Claremont’s, his run remains criminally underrated. While he used many iconic members like Wolverine and Cyclops, his best team during his years on the title had a very unusual roster—Iceman, Mystique, Rogue, Sabretooth, Cannonball, Cable, and new characters Lady Mastermind and Omega Sentinel. This oddball grouping of wild cards and ex-villains provided the X-Men with some much-needed uniqueness, smack in the middle of crossover event after crossover event.

Carey introduced the Children of the Vault, another advanced breed of humanity which continues to play a part in X-Men lore today. He finally gave Rogue control of her powers after decades, and when the title switched names to X-Men: Legacy, he used it to truly develop Charles Xavier into a multi-faceted character, after years of being either a saint or a monster. Carey’s run was accompanied by a bevy of talented artists, including Chris Bachalo, Humberto Ramos, and more. Hopefully, one day, more X-Men fans will recognize this run as one of the best. We sure think it is.

Issues in Mike Carey’s X-Men Comic Run:

X-Men (Vol.2) #188-207, X-Men: Legacy #208-260 (2006-2011)

6. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (X-Men, Vol. 1)

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were only on the original X-Men series for the first seventeen issues, from 1963-1965. Compared to Lee & Kirby’s run on Fantastic Four, Thor, and even Avengers, these first X-Men comics were certainly lacking. But without a doubt, they lay the groundwork for the entire future of the franchise in these still innovative first few years of Lee and Kirby’s run. Xavier’s School, the Magneto vs. Charles conflict, the love affair of Scott Summers and Jean Grey, the Sentinels. All Lee and Kirby concepts. Really, just the entire idea of Marvel mutants, period. It all started here. Other creators might have improved on the framework that Lee and Kirby created, but without a doubt, their run is where a large chunk of what makes the X-Men THE X-MEN came from.

Issues in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s X-Men Comic Run:

X-Men (Vol.1) #1-17 (1963-1965)

5. Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men, Vol.2)

When writer Joss Whedon came on board the X-Men titles with Astonishing X-Men, he wasn’t the problematic creator we know him as today (Or he likely was, we just didn’t know). Nor was he the director of the first two Avengers films. He was the guy who reinvented TV genre storytelling with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. But the inspiration for many of the characters on those shows was none other than the X-Men. Buffy Summers herself was based on Kitty Pryde, and her last name was a nod to Scott Summers, a.k.a. Cyclops. So Whedon on an X-Men series felt like a long time coming.

Whedon and artist John Cassaday did a full 25-issue run on Astonishing X-Men that followed up on Grant Morrison’s, incorporating elements of his run, like Cyclops and Emma Frost in a relationship, and the Xavier School expanded to dozens of students. However, they also made the X-Men into costumed superheroes once again, something Morrison stayed away from. Most importantly, the Whedon/Cassaday run put Kitty Pryde back in the spotlight after years of being a second-stringer, and gave the character one of her defining moments in the franchise. New villains like Danger, and Cassaday’s incredibly detailed pencils on every issue, also make this a truly top-notch run, and one that was hard to beat for several years after.

Issues in Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s X-Men Comic Run:

Astonishing X-Men (Vol.2) #1-24, Giant Size Astonishing X-Men #1 (2004-2008)

4. Jason Aaron (Wolverine and the X-Men, Vol. 1)

These days, Jason Aaron is thought of more for his extended run on Thor, or even his own series, Scalped. But his Wolverine and the X-Men series was a breath of fresh air during an era when the X-books were mostly deadly serious. After the (most recent) death of Jean Grey, Cyclops and Wolverine have an ideological schism, and split the team in two. Logan ends up being the headmaster of the newly named Jean Grey School. Characters like former students Kitty Pryde, Beast, and Iceman were now part of the faculty.

Aaron infused a ton of humor into the awkward nature of Wolverine trying to teach a bunch of teenage kids. All while also writing those same kids with genuine heart and pathos. Aaron wrote the first 42 issues, with artists like Chris Bachalo, Nick Bradshaw, Ramon Perez, and Pepe Larraz. Each of them gave the book a true visual panache. A second Wolverine and the X-Men series came from writer Christos Gage for another 12 issues. It ended when Wolverine died under Marvel mandate (he got better). But the Jason Aaron run remains the best version, and still one of the best X-Men runs overall.

Issues in Jason Aaron’s X-Men Comic Run:

X-Men: Schism #1-5, Wolverine & The X-Men (2011) 1-35, 38-42; Wolverine & The X-Men Annual (2011-2014)

3. Grant Morrison (New X-Men)

Grant Morrison took over the X-Men titles in 2001, following a full decade of other writers trying to emulate Chris Claremont’s style. Some pulled it off. But just as many did not. By the turn of the 21st century, the Jim Lee/X-Men: The Animated Series look and feel was just tired. Morrison, who’d already written groundbreaking runs for DC on JLA and Doom Patrol, decided to change the game for Marvel’s mutants. Their New X-Men run, with artists like Frank Quitely and Phil Jimenez, was the biggest change to the series since 1975.

Morrison’s New X-Men focused on Xavier’s students teaching at a much-expanded School for the Gifted. Mutants became trendy in Morrison’s world, but also an endangered species when the mutant nation of Genosha was obliterated. Morrison evolved Hank McCoy, a.k.a. the Beast into something even more animal-like yet smarter. They even dared to have Cyclops cheat on Jean Grey, and engage in a (psychic) affair with Emma Frost. Their character of Xorn, a Chinese mutant with a star for a brain, was more than we thought at first. Morrison finally evolved the mutants into something more than they’d been in years, more than just costumed heroes. Their three-year run pushed the envelope in ways few writers have ever dared to.

Issues in Grant Morrison’s X-Men Comic Run:

New X-Men #114-156, New X-Men Annual #1 (2001-2004)

2. Jonathan Hickman (House of X, Powers of X, X-Men, X-Men: Inferno)

With few exceptions, for decades, the X-Men were always a group of mutants fighting for a world that fears and hates them. They usually lived in a big mansion, where they trained in the use of their powers. Then, in 2019, Jonathan Hickman came in and blew that whole paradigm up. Starting in the mini-series House of X and Powers of X, the mutants of Earth, under the guidance of Professor X and Magneto, migrate to the living island nation of Krakoa (itself a mutant). There, they essentially become immortal gods on Earth. For the first time, they find themselves in a position of power within humanity, and not perpetual victims.

Hickman’s X-Men era (of which he wrote the main X-Men title and topped it off with the series X-Men: Inferno) introduced new concepts and ideas to the Marvel mutant universe with practically every new issue. Because of this, the franchise became more exciting than it had been in years. Hickman worked with many artists during this time, primarily Pepe Larraz and Leinil Francis Yu, all of which elevated it to one of the best-looking X-Men runs, along with one of the most innovative and fresh. It might have only lasted three years, but Hickman’s time on the X-Men franchise is one fans will still be talking about for decades to come.

Issues in Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men Comic Run:

House of X (#1-6), Powers of X (#1-6) X-Men (Vol.5) #1-20, Giant-Size X-Men: Jean Grey, Giant Size X-Men: Storm, Giant Size X-Men: Magneto, Giant Size X-Men: Fantomex, Giant Size X-Men: Nightcrawler, X-Men: Inferno #1-4 (2019-2022)

1. Chris Claremont (Uncanny X-Men, X-Men, Vol. 2, X-Treme X-Men)

Simply put, no one else, alive or dead, could have topped this list. Writer Chris Claremont might not have created the X-Men himself, or even the “All-New, All-Different X-Men,” which he inherited from Len Wein. But he wrote the book on them in every other sense of the word. His epic 16-year run on Uncanny X-Men from 1975 to 1991 saw Xavier’s students go from previously canceled and washed-up heroes to the stars of Marvel’s best-selling flagship series. Claremont worked with artistic titans during his tenure too. Creators like Dave Cockrum, John Byrne, Paul Smith, John Romita Jr., Marc Silvestri, and Jim Lee, to name but a few. To list Chris Claremont’s contributions to the X-Men universe would take us all day, so we’re just gonna lightly touch Claremont’s unique contributions to X-Men one at a time.

Ready? Here we go. The Shi’ar Empire. Magneto reframed as an anti-hero. Mystique. Rogue. The actual characterizations of Wolverine, Storm, and Nightcrawler. Jean Grey’s evolution from constant hostage to the all-powerful Phoenix. The creation of Kitty Pryde (with artist John Byrne). The Dark Phoenix Saga. Days of Future Past. The Mutant Massacre. Mister Sinister. Madelyne Pryor. The Brood. Gambit. All of this culminated in the legendary X-Men #1 in 1991, which sold 8 million copies. Chris Claremont’s later X-Men runs were not as beloved as his first, but who cares? He could have never written another issue again after 1991, and he’d still top this list. The X-Men simply would not be what they are today without him. Period.

Issues in Chris Claremont’s X-Men Comic Run:

Uncanny X-Men #94–279, 381–389, 444–473, Annual #3-14, X-Men (Vol.2) #1-3, (1975-1991) 100–109, 165, Annual 2000, X-Treme X-Men #1-46 (2000-2004) X-Men Forever #1-25, X-Men Forever 2 #1-16 (2009-2011)

The post The 10 Greatest X-Men Comic Book Runs of All Time, Ranked appeared first on Nerdist.

Since the moment DVDs first arrived on store shelves I’ve been the world’s biggest sucker for deleted scenes. Even when they aren’t very good they still offer fascinating insights into the making of shows and movies. Plus on rare occasions they’re actually great. Both things are true of deleted scenes from the new Blu-ray of Loki season one. They each show the God of Mischief in physical confrontations. That includes a delightful, angry meeting between Loki and Chris Hemsworth’s frog thunder god, Throg.

Disney has shared two bonus deleted scenes from its upcoming Blu-ray release of Loki‘s debut season. The first, titled “Loki’s Coronation,” comes from Mobius’ interrogation of the Asgardian prince, when the TVA agent showed Loki losing moments from the god’s past. During one attempt to name himself the future king, Loki’s brother Thor turned up unexpectedly as frog thor. (Well, not that unexpectedly. Loki had transformed Thor into an tiny amphibian.) A powerful frog punch to the face ended Loki’s almost-moment of triumphant.

It’s a great sequence that would have expanded Throg’s role on the show. He briefly appeared trapped in a jar underground during the first season. That was fun, but not as good as this unfinished scene.

A second deleted scene, “The Standoff,” doesn’t end much better for Odin’s mischievous boy. It starts with Loki holding Sylvie at knife point and ends with both Variants in TVA custody.

It’s a well-acted, emotional scene, but the omission ultimately makes sense. It would have really changed the powerful moment the two had right before this portion started.

Good. Bad. Terrible. Amazing. I don’t care. I just want more deleted scenes from every show and movie I like. And since I always want more Throg this is an especially good batch.

Loki season one is now available on both 4K UHD Blu-ray and standard Blu-ray.

The post LOKI Season 1 Deleted Scenes Show Chris Hemsworth’s Throg Punching Loki appeared first on Nerdist.

We officially have a trend. Loki season two has announced its release date will arrive earlier than planned. Loki has moved its second season release up by one day. It will now release on October 5 instead of October 6. But Loki season two’s release date move isn’t so much about releasing one day earlier. No, it’s about the time of release.

When Will Loki Season 2 Episodes Release? Here Is the New Time and Day They’ll Drop on Disney+

Joining Disney+’s Star Wars series Ahsoka, Loki season two will be released at Disney+’s newer, friendlier release time, 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET. And what a gift from the gods that is.

When we saw Ahsoka had shifted its release date by one day, so it too could air at 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET, we crossed our fingers that this would be the new normal for Disney+. And it seems like that’s exactly what will happen with Disney+ shows releasing from now on, on both the Marvel and Star Wars fronts. A release shares that “Marvel Studios’ Loki Season 2 launches exclusively on Disney+ at 6:00 P.M. PT on Thursday, October 5.  All subsequent episodes will also be available starting Thursdays at 6:00 P.M. PT.”

All we can say is that we will not miss late-night vigils to watch our favorite MCU and Star Wars shows.

Is This Earlier Release Time for Star Wars and Marvel Shows Now an Official Strategy?

We now have one Marvel and one Star Wars Disney+ show landing at the 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET release slot. So it does feel like this time could become the official drop time for Disney+ shows. However, Disney+ has still not officially confirmed that this will hold true for all its shows. For now, as with Ahsoka and Loki season two’s releases, announcements are being made on a case-by-case basis.

More About Loki Season Two

To celebrate Loki‘s new release date and time, Marvel Studios released a brand new featurette for the series’ second season. This new look at Loki takes us behind the scenes of the show, assures us that Loki and Mobius will reunite as we know them, and gives us a look at many hugs. The featurette also teases that Loki will really lean into his heroic side this time around.

Loki season two has now officially set its release date for October 5. As mentioned, the show will return at its new time, 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET.

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Fans of Marvel’s Mutants are eagerly anticipating the early 2024 arrival of X-Men ’97, the new Disney+ continuation of the classic ’90s X-Men: The Animated Series. The original show adapted many classic storylines from the pages of Uncanny X-Men over its run. At least, stories that were written up until that point. But since it went off the air in 1997, many new and seminal X-Men stories have been added to the canon in the Marvel Comics. And we think these would make for perfect animated episodes in the upcoming revival series. Here are our top picks for X-Men stories we’d love to see adapted next.

X-Men: Onslaught (1996)

Onslaught is not from a particularly creative high point for the X-Men titles. This story was mainly a function to remove the Avengers and Fantastic Four characters from the 616 Universe for a year in the Heroes Reborn event. But the basic premise would still be great for animated episodes. In the Fatal Attractions story a few years prior, Xavier had mind-wiped Magneto, in an attempt to put an end to his schemes once and for all. But a seed of Magneto’s mind lived on in Xavier, becoming the unstoppable and ridiculously huge psychic entity called Onslaught. This story is maybe too over the top and too ’90s for live-action, but would be perfect for the world of X-Men ’97.

X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills (1982)

This early ‘80s original graphic novel by Chris Claremont and artist Brent Anderson was the template for X2: X-Men United. But that film changed some key elements of the story, such as changing the villain William Stryker from a televangelist to a military general. The original story dealt more with the concept at the very core of the X-Men comics, which is how people use religion and politics to justify bigotry. It represents key X-Men writer Chris Claremont at his creative peak. Some elements of the story haven’t aged well. However, the core ideas would still work in the animated format. Plus, this might be the perfect excuse to bring in key characters from that story, like Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler. This storyline was a bit too mature for Saturday morning audiences, so it was never adapted then. But it’s perfect for today.

X-Men: Inferno (1988-1989)

Rumors persist that the clone of Jean Grey, Madelyne Pryor, is making her way into X-Men ’97. With Mister Sinister confirmed as one of the series’ main antagonists, it makes sense that Maddy would appear. After all, she was a creation of that pasty-skinned mad geneticist. If Madelyne does appear, then it would be an ideal time to adapt her most famous storyline, Inferno, for animation. In that 1988-1989 comics event, Madelyne, bitter her husband Cyclops left her for his resurrected lover Jean Grey (her genetic template), makes a deal with powerful demons to unleash Hell on Earth. X-Men vs. demons from Limbo might be a tad much for live-action, but for animation? It’s just perfect.

New X-Men: E is for Extinction

In the early 2000s, superstar writer Grant Morrison lent their genius to refreshing the X-Men franchise for the 21st century. And the first story out of the gate for them in what was called New X-Men was E for Extinction. That storyline saw the addition of Emma Frost to the Xavier School faculty. It also introduced one of the best modern X-villains, Cassandra Nova. Unlike many X-Men baddies, she actually presented a real threat, destroying the island nation of Genosha and murdering millions of mutants in one heinous act. And did we mention Cassandra is Xavier’s secret twin sister, whom he believed he killed in the womb? This is one story that we’d really love to see the animated series tackle.

X-Men: House of X and Powers of X

In 2019, writer Jonathan Hickman upended decades of mutant status quo in the series House of X and Powers of X. For once in their long publication history, mutantkind would be on top. He reintroduced the mutant island of Krakoa, a living island where Xavier and Magneto welcomed every mutant as a citizen. But Krakoa had secrets. Among them is the key to mutant immortality. This era raised the X-Men to the level of almost gods on Earth. Marvel Comics has done a version of this era as if it happened in the X-Men: The Animated Series world. And we think adapting that for the cartoon would be amazing. And it would really meld the classic ’90s X-Men with the storytelling daring of the modern Marvel Comics. Put Wolverine’s claw to our head? This is the one we want the most.

The post The Marvel Comics Stories We’d Love to See X-MEN ’97 Adapt appeared first on Nerdist.

The Mighty Avengers have been Marvel Comics’ premiere “all-star” collection of heroes for sixty years. And during that time, across the media of comics, animation, live-action film, and video games, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have had many different rosters. But which iteration of the Avengers has been the best across different media? Here are our picks for the ten best Avengers lineups over the past six decades.

10. Marvel’s Avengers Video Game Team

Video games haven’t delivered quite the same amount of incredible rosters for the Avengers as comics or film. And although the 2020 Square Enix/Crystal Dynamics game Marvel’s Avengers wasn’t the runaway hit that many were hoping for, the team in the game was still pretty great. It focused on the version of the Avengers we saw from their first live-action film, but added two very important members—Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), and Hawkeye (Kate Bishop). Eventually, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Black Panther (T’Challa), and the Winter Soldier became playable characters as well. The game never lived up to the roster they used. But credit where credit is due; this was a formidable team.

Members of Marvel’s Avengers Team

Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), Hawkeye (Clint Barton) Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Thor (Jane Foster), the Winter Soldier

9. The All-New, All-Different Avengers

In 2015, Marvel Comics infused a lot of new blood into the Avengers with the All-New, All-Different Avengers. Written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Adam Kubert and Mahmud Asrar, it featured some of the youngest members to ever serve on the main flagship team. While Tony Stark’s Iron Man remained in the lineup, this version had Jane Foster as Thor, Sam Wilson as Captain America, and the Vision. But it also contained teen heroes like Spider-Man Miles Morales, Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), and Nova (Sam Alexander). This team would be dissolved after just 15 issues, when the younger heroes forged their own team, the Champions. But for a brief time, they were a pretty memorable roster of Avengers.

Members of the All-New, All-Different Avengers Team

Iron Man (Tony Stark), Captain America (Sam Wilson), Thor (Jane Foster), Vision, Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Nova (Sam Alexander)

8. The West Coast Avengers

It took over 20 years from their debut, but the Avengers finally got their first official spin-off team in 1984 with the series West Coast Avengers. Hawkeye (Clint Barton) moved to Southern California, and started a new team with classic members. WCA added characters whom Marvel had long relegated to second-stringer status like Wonder Man (Simon Williams) and Tigra. But it also introduced new important additions like Mockingbird, Moon Knight, and the U.S. Agent. Eventually, this Avengers team decided to ditch the name, and became the atrociously named Force Works in the early ‘90s. But for several years, they were a top-tier Avengers team, with a pretty “all killer/no filler.”

Members of the West Coast Avengers

Hawkeye, Iron Man (James Rhodes, Tony Stark), Scarlet Witch, Vision, Hank Pym, Tigra, Wonder Man, Mockingbird, Moon Knight, Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter), U.S. Agent

7. The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Animated Team

The original animated Avengers: United They Stand series from 1999 left a lot to be desired. But Marvel got it right with their second attempt in 2010, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. This animated line-up featured a cast of core Avengers heroes that most fans might expect from the original comics. One inspired largely by the ’70s and ’80s rosters. But the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes team also expanded into an early 2000s New Avengers-inspired roster, featuring the likes of Spider-Man, Wolverine, War Machine, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. Although, there were some puzzling omissions (Hey, where’s Wanda?), this cartoon version of the team was ultimately a hard one to beat.

Members of Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, the Wasp, Ant-Man, Black Panther, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Hawkeye, Black Widow, Spider-Man, Wolverine, War Machine, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, the Thing

6. Roger Stern’s Mid-’80s Avengers

By the mid-’80s, Uncanny X-Men had overtaken Avengers and the Fantastic Four as Marvel Comics’ biggest-selling team book. Then, in an effort to compete, Avengers series writer Roger Stern got a little experimental. He introduced a new Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, to the team, quickly making her team leader. While stalwarts like Cap and Thor stayed, members like She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) and Wasp (Janet Van Dyne) got a big boost during this run, including a long stint with Wasp as team leader. And they propped long-missing members like Hercules and the Black Knight up, and even the “doesn’t play well with others” Namor joined the team. Of course, this roster had two of the worst members ever, Dr. Druid, and the eternally horny Eternal, Starfox. But no Avengers lineup is perfect.

Members of the Mid-’80s Avengers

Captain America, Thor, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) Hercules, Namor, Starfox, the Black Knight, Doctor Druid.

5. Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers Team

After the Scarlet Witch decimated her former team in Avengers: Disassembled, the group was in pieces. Sales hadn’t been great for the Avengers, and even previous writer Geoff Johns, who would create huge hits for rival DC, couldn’t really spruce up attention for the team. Enter superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Finch who expanded the Avengers into something fans had never seen. Captain America and Iron Man remained (Thor was dead at the time), but they finally added Marvel superstar characters like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Luke Cage to the roster at last. And long-abandoned heroine Spider-Woman became a member during this era as well. Sure, she was secretly a Skrull, but the real one joined eventually. This run also saw Clint Barton transition from Hawkeye to Ronin. This roster was such a hit with readers, New Avengers overtook X-Men in sales for the first time in decades.

Members of the New Avengers

Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Ronin, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Spider-Woman, Sentry, Echo

4. The Avengers: Age of Ultron Final Battle Roster

The Avengers from the original film are pretty iconic themselves, a mix of the original Stan Lee/Jack Kirby team, with a dash of 2000s alt-universe series The Ultimates. Who can forget their circular pre-battle shot in the first film? But the best MCU Avengers roster, for our money, came in film two, Avengers: Age of Ultron. They came together in what many consider the least loved Avengers sequel. But this roster not only had all the MCU founding members from the first film, but also new recruits War Machine, the Vision, Scarlet Witch, and (ever so briefly) Quicksilver. They all still make for the most formidable big-screen Avengers team, even if they only lasted for this one film. But as Vision said in Age of Ultron, “A thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts.”

Members of the Avengers: Age of Ultron Team

Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Vision

3. Steve Englehart’s 1970s/Early 1980s Avengers

From about 1975-1980, writer Steve Englehart created some of the most iconic stories to ever run in the pages of Avengers, showcasing what many believe solidified the team’s most popular roster for decades. During this era, which featured such iconic stories as “The Celestial Madonna” and “The Korvac Saga,” Englehart collaborated with an up-and-coming artist named George Perez, who would become the team’s most defining penciler, but also wrote the last ever Jack Kirby Avengers stories. This roster featured most of the original members (sans poor Hulk), as well as newer additions like Moondragon and Hellcat. Former X-Man Beast joined up and became besties with Wonder Man, a once-forgotten member. Even the Guardians of the Galaxy were made honorary members during this run. A truly GOATed iteration of Marvel’s most iconic heroes.

Members of the ’70s/’80s Avengers

Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Wasp, Yellowjacket, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Wonder Man, Beast, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Black Panther, Black Widow, Hellcat, Moondragon, Jocasta

2. Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers

In the wake of the enormous success of the MCU Avengers in 2012, Marvel relaunched the book with writer Jonathan Hickman. Not only did he use the complete roster from the film, but also heroes from the previous New Avengers run like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Spider-Woman. Plus, he added several new characters, and even a few former X-Men like Sunspot and Cannonball. This run was mind-blowing in its scope and imagination, introducing concepts like Avengers World. And Hickman found a role for each member of this super-sized team to play in the cosmic proceedings. Hickman’s team really was a “best of every era” roster. Together, they pushed the very concept of what the Avengers were meant to be within the Marvel Universe.

Members of Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers Team

Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Spider-Man, Shang-Chi, Wolverine, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Falcon, Wasp, Hank Pym, Hyperion, Captain Universe, Star Brand, Manifold, Abyss, Nightmask, Smasher, Ex Nihilo, Cannonball, Sunspot

1. Kurt Busiek’s ’90s “Heroes Return” Avengers Team

In 1996, Marvel gave several of their most iconic properties to the Image Comics founders Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld for one year, who wrote stories about them in a separate pocket universe. Then, one year later, they came back to the 616 universe, in a new #1 “Heroes Return” issue by writer Kurt Busiek and returning artist George Perez (and later, Alan Davis and Carlos Pacheco). Busiek’s team featured a truly classic roster. But he also added former New Warriors stars Firestar and Justice, along with newcomer Triathlon, adding a much-welcome rookie POV. Busiek’s four-year run on Avengers is still the gold standard, and his team lineup was pretty much perfect. It resulted in some of the best Avengers stories ever, with a collection of some of the best Marvel heroes to ever respond to the call “Avengers, Assemble!”

Members of Kurt Busiek’s Avengers Team

Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Wonder Man, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Firestar, Justice, Triathlon, Wasp, Hank Pym, She-Hulk, Quicksilver, Black Widow, Quasar, Jack of Hearts, Silverclaw.

The post The 10 Best Avengers Team Rosters Ever in Marvel History appeared first on Nerdist.

The MCU loves a yellow super suit. First, it gave Charlie Cox’s Daredevil his red and yellow outfit when he appeared on the Disney+ series, She-Hulk. And now, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have officially revealed what costume Wolverine will wear for his MCU debut. And no surprise, Deadpool 3 has opted to give Wolverine his bright yellow (and blue) suit, a costume pulled straight from the pages of Marvel Comics. Although Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine has appeared on our movie screens many times, his yellow comics-accurate suit has not made the live-action jump… Until now. But a bright yellow suit on this extra grumpy version of Wolverine in Deadpool 3 seems exactly appropriate.

You can check out the first-look image of Wolverine’s MCU costume from Deadpool 3 below. Then, take a minute to fully appreciate the incredible yellow-ness of this suit.

We bet we’re going to hear Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool refer to Jackman’s Wolverine as “Sunshine” at least once in the movie, thanks to this costume. And, the yellow and red suits for these heroes might lead to some ketchup and mustard jokes in Deadpool 3, much to Wolverine’s annoyance. But Wolverine had to eventually suit up in the comics’ yellow and blue X-Men costume in a Marvel movie.

The Marvel Comics Origins of Wolverine’s Classic Costume, the Yellow and Blue Suit

So how did we arrive at this Deadpool 3 look for Wolverine? Wolverine made his debut in The Incredible Hulk #181 in 1974, wearing his classic yellow and blue costume. The mask was slightly different at first. But by the time the Canadian mutant became a part of the X-Men in Giant Size-X-Men #1 the following year, the classic yellow and blue suit as we know it was introduced, with the larger Wolverine mask. That look stuck until 1980, when Logan received his brown and tan suit. The second Wolverine costume lasted a decade, but he went back to his yellow and blue for the X-Men: The Animated Series era in 1992. This is likely why Wolverine’s yellow suit is seen as THE costume for a generation.

If there’s a true direct from the comic books inspiration here, the Deadpool 3 costume looks the most like Wolverine’s in Astonishing X-Men, which ran from 2004-2008. The great John Cassaday designed that outfit. The biggest detail that doesn’t match up to the Astonishing X-Men look is that Wolverine now has sleeves instead of bare arms. Oh, and no mask that we can see yet. But we expect that’s coming. You simply can’t have a complete classic yellow Wolverine costume without the mask, right?

Deadpool 3 Brings Us This Iconic Look in Hugh Jackman’s Potentially Final Turn as Wolverine

Fans have long-clamored to see this classic-colored costume on the hero. And the MCU loves to deliver an Easter egg if it can. As mentioned, yellow might seem an odd color for the hero known for being a bit of a grump. But, although Wolverine has worn many different costumes in his long Marvel Comics’ career, his suits have more often than not included yellow in them. It seems like Hugh Jackman had to don the color as Wolverine at least once before he hung up his claws.

Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy shared more about Wolverine’s potential final turn on screen and bringing the yellow suit to life. He noted, “Like the rest of the world, I’ve waited two decades to see Wolverine in a whole movie with Deadpool, and I don’t know if this is our last shot at Wolverine on screen, so I was going to make goddamned sure we get the old yellow and blue just once, and that we get it right.”

And, in order to do that, Wolverine’s yellow costume went through “multiple, multiple, multiple iterations and fittings.” But Levy adds, “It also helps that I’m making this movie within the MCU, so I have access to an army of the nerdiest nerds available to a Marvel project.”

Could This Be Hugh Jackman’s Final Outing as Wolverine?

Before Deadpool 3 became a reality, Hugh Jackman said his Wolverine days had ended, and he would not play the character again. Of course, we can never say never, but those previous pronouncements make it likely the actor will be done with the role of Wolverine, yellow suit or otherwise, after the Deadpool movie. If this is indeed Hugh Jackman’s last time as the hero, then it’s fitting to end it on this classic note. Finally, we will see Wolverine, as we’ve come to know him, in the costume we most associate with the role.

Marvel Studios had slated Deadpool 3 to release on May 3, 2024. But we may see a shift in that release date depending on when the studios agree to fair compensation and support for their writers and actors.

Originally published on July 10, 2023.

The post DEADPOOL 3 Gives Wolverine His Marvel Comics-Accurate Yellow Suit in the MCU appeared first on Nerdist.

McDonald’s is celebrating its pop cultural history with a brand-new “As Featured In” Meal. This new meal option lets you order “fan-favorite menu items that have made iconic appearances throughout film, television, and music.” It’s a clever conceit because, as the trailer for this meal lays out, McDonald’s has had quite a history across some of our favorite movies, TV shows, and more. (Yes, the “As Featured In” meal has a trailer. It is kind of fitting.) Honestly, seeing all the instances of characters ordering at or working in a McDonald’s arranged into a nostalgic sort of montage does drive the point home. We don’t love product placement in our movies and shows, but McDonald’s has undoubtedly been around the block. And, of course, the trailer also features the latest entry into McDonald’s pop-culture oeuvre. This McDonald’s meal also treats us to new footage from Loki season two.

Sylvie, Loki, Mobius, and More Arrive In a McDonald’s In Season Two

Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie will have their big reunion in a McDonald’s. It’s another dramatic moment below the glow of golden arches. Of course, they aren’t the only Loki season two denizens snagging a treat at the fast food place. Owen Wilson’s Mobius is spotted treating a TVA prisoner, played by Rafael Casal, to a milkshake. We wouldn’t necessarily say we associate Loki and McDonald’s, but we’ll stay tuned to see if the god of mischief at least gets a Happy Meal toy made in his image in season two. In the meanwhile, we hope everyone enjoys their awkward encounters among the fries.

Additional Loki season two footage from McDonald’s shows a slightly longer version of the reunion scene. This time Mobius and Rafael Casal’s character are present and watching the two gaze meaningfully at one another. But all Mobius can think of is an apple pie.

Why is Sylvie in a McDonald’s in Season Two of Loki?

As to why Sylvie is in a McDonald’s in this Loki season two footage? Well, it might not be what you think. Loki‘s producer, Kevin Wright explains:

This character had been on a decades-long, maybe centuries-long revenge mission, and the classic trope of those stories is that it’s all-consuming and she’s not thinking about what comes next… Now she has this moment of opportunity – where is she going to go?

When we stayed in the view of character, this woman who went on the run as a child, had been running through time, a fugitive of time, living in apocalypses, never being able to relax or slow down, the novelty of walking into a 1980s McDonald’s looked appealing… You play a Little League game and go to McDonald’s. You go to a kid’s birthday party at McDonald’s. Someone like Sylvie would never have experienced that and would be really taken by that.

Additionally, Wright notes that it was Loki and not McDonald’s idea to add the ode to the resturant, “I was worried that McDonald’s would think we wanted to do something ironic or make fun of them. But we were selling an earnest story, a love letter to nostalgia through a character’s eyes who will see all of the novelty and joy of it.”

Sophia Di Martino who plays Sylvie in Loki adds of Sylvie’s Loki season two job “She’d probably be pretty hungry.”

New Loki Season Two Image Provided By McDonald’s

McDonald’s took to their social media to share our latest look at Loki season two. Sylvie continues to rock the McDonald’s uniform, making us feel like the fast food restaurant will have quite the sequence when the show returns.

What Is McDonald’s “As Featured In” Meal?

In addition to Loki, McDonald’s highlights its appearances in The Office, The Fifth Element, Seinfeld, Friends, Clueless, and more. The “As Featured In” meal lets you choose between the most often-cited McDonald’s pop-cultural elements, McNuggets, a Big Mac, and a Quarter Pounder with Cheese. It then adds fries and a soft drink and finishes with a special Loki season two Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce. It may not seem like much, but those McDonald’s sauces can create a frenzy.

In fact, act fast if you want one because otherwise, you might have to slip through time for a taste. Get an extra pack or two to enjoy when Loki season two releases on October 6.

Originally published on August 14, 2023.

The post McDonald’s Reveals LOKI Season 2 Footage in Cinematic Celebration appeared first on Nerdist.

Stealing scenes left and right on the Disney+ series Loki is Sylvie, an alternate timeline variant of the mischievous prince of Asgard. Sophia Di Martino deliciously plays the character deliciously in season one of Loki, and soon, in season two. But who is Loki‘s Sylvie in the comics? Is she the same person as Lady Loki? Turns out, not so much. In Marvel Comics, Sylvie is a totally different character from Loki Laufeydotter. Unlike in Loki, Sylvie is related to the adopted Asgardian Frost Giant, but not exactly another version of her. Marvel Comics’ Sylvie is also a relatively recent creation, debuting in 2009’s Dark Reign: Young Avengers mini-series. Here’s the rundown.

Marvel Comics’ Sylvie Becomes a New Enchantress

Marvel Comics

Originally hailing from Boxton, Oklahoma, Sylvie Lushton believed she was just an ordinary American girl. Until one day, the Asgardians who perished during Ragnarok reappeared in the skies over her small town, reborn. Shortly after the resurrected Asgardians arrive, Marvel Comics’ Sylvie discovered she suddenly had magical abilities, like teleportation. She could also cast many spells, including transmutation. Sylvie also had the standard flight, mental manipulation, and telekinesis powers. And she was proficient at creating forcefields and detecting others’ spells.

These powers were themselves all products of Loki’s magic. In fact, Loki would later suggest that Sylvie didn’t even exist at all until the moment she awoke with powers, and the God of Mischief totally fabricated her memories of an ordinary life. Loki was amusing herself by creating a mortal being that only suspects she’s an Asgardian. The Loki of this Marvel Comics era presented as a woman, which ties the concept of Lady Loki together with the creation of Sylvie. Sylvie also took on the name and general appearance of Amora, the Enchantress, a longtime Thor foe from Asgard. One who has yet to appear in the MCU.

Sylvie’s Short-Lived Avengers Career

Marvel Comics

Although the original Enchantress was a villain, Marvel Comics’ Sylvie became a hero. Well, she tried to. She went to New York and joined a team called the Young Masters. This was during the period in the Marvel Universe called “the Dark Reign.” During this time, Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, positioned himself and other villains as Earth’s great heroes. The Young Masters became Osborn’s counterparts to the Young Avengers. Despite being on a Marvel team already, Sylvie tried out for the Young Avengers and got in. But then, the truth came out. Sylvie was a creation of Loki’s sent to dismantle the Young Avengers’ magical defense systems from within, as a sort of trap. Soon after this revelation, the group kicked her out.

After the events of the Dark Reign, and her disastrous brief tenure with the Young Avengers, Sylvie wandered around the Marvel Comics’ universe looking for a purpose. Ultimately, Sylvie embraced her role as a bad guy. She joined the Hood’s version of the villainous Illuminati and also joined the Doom Maidens. She even joined up with a new version of the Masters of Evil. All of her adventures on different Marvel Comics villain teams ended when the real Enchantress, Amora, returned. Not too keen on someone infringing on her trademark, the real Enchantress subsequently banished Sylvie to one of the Ten Realms. And she remains lost there to this day.

Marvel Comics

The MCU’s Sylvie Appears on the Disney+ Series Loki

Sylvie Laufeydottir, born as Loki Laufeydottir, was a Princess of Asgard who caused a Nexus event as a child and escaped the wrath of the Time Variance Authority. On the Loki series, Sylvie spent the following years seeking revenge against the TVA, and their mysterious masters, Time-Keepers. However, the Loki we all know and love interrupted Sylvie’s big plan. Having been convinced of the TVA’s lies and manipulations, Sylvie and Loki teamed up together to fight them on the MCU Disney+ series. This is where we learned the Time-Keepers were phonies.

At the end of Loki season one, despite warnings from Loki, Sylvie goes on a rampage, killing He Who Remains, the true “man behind the curtain” of the TVA. Ultimately, Sylvie’s decision causes the Marvel Multiverse to explode in many comics and movies.

So, is the Sylvie from Loki tied into the Sylvie from Marvel’s comics? Right now, the name might just be an Easter egg for Marvel Comics fans. And the character from the series might just be a creation of the true Lady Loki, who remains offscreen. Only time will tell. No pun intended, of course.

Originally published on June 28, 2021.

Featured Image: Marvel Comics

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After meeting Echo—a skilled fighter and former member of the Tracksuit Mafia—in Hawkeye, fans wanted to see more of her. The MCU is telling a wider array of stories from different backgrounds in its latest offering. And that will continue with this character, who is Deaf and Native American. Now it’s time to focus on Maya Lopez, a.k.a. Echo’s, story in Echo, a series heading to Disney+.

Here’s everything we know about Echo so far. 

Title 

The title of this series is Echo (more formally Marvel’s Echo.) 

Echo’s Plot 

We don’t know a lot about the plot right now. But Marvel’s synopsis does give us a bit to work with: 

…the origin story of Echo revisits Maya Lopez, whose ruthless behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. She must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.

Behind the Scenes 

Several of the show’s creatives are Native American, including directors Sydney Freeland (Navajo tribe) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai tribe). Executive producers include Kevin Feige (obviously), Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Stephen Broussard, Richie Palmer, Marion Dayre, and Jason Gavin (Blackfeet tribe). Echo’s co-executive producers are Amy Rardin, Sydney Freeland, Christina King (Seminole tribe), and Jennifer Booth.

Echo’s Cast 

Alaqua Cox will return as Maya Lopez/Echo. The Echo TV show also stars Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, and Graham Greene in roles that aren’t clear yet. Zahn McClarnon will portray William Lopez, Echo’s father. And, we are getting some familiar MCU faces in the form of Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin respectively. 

Echo’s Release Date 

The Echo series received an official release date of November 29, 2023, but reportedly it will now release in January 2024. And, in an unusual move for the platform, all episodes of Echo will drop at one time. That means we can view the season all at once, which of course, we enjoy doing. Some series are better suited to this format. We just hope that’s the case for Echo and the reason behind this choice.

Originally published in 2021.

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Loki season two will soon arrive on Disney+. It promises us a romp through time as glitches and resets send our main characters in many different directions. But Loki isn’t the only Disney+ series dealing with shifting timelines. Disney+’s upcoming slate of MCU series is seeing a serious calendar shuffle. The result is that only Loki season two will arrive in the fall of 2023. All the other Disney+ MCU shows we planned on seeing soon are heading further down the line. And some of these series seem to have been removed from the calendar altogether.

The Hollywood Reporter shared this news about the shift in release date plans for Disney+ MCU shows. Here’s what was revealed.

Firstly, What If…? season two has shifted from its original early 2023 release to a Christmas 2023 release. Echo, which had a release date of November 29, 2023, appears to have moved to January 2024. All episodes will still drop at once, an unusual move for Disney+. X-Men ’97, meanwhile, originally planned to release in the fall of 2023, will arrive in early 2024. The Agatha series, which The Hollywood Reporter notes has yet another new name, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, will shift to the fall of 2024. In unfortunate news, Disney+ appears to have removed Ironheart from the schedule for now. The Disney+ series will focus on Riri Williams, a delightful inventor introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Daredevil: Born Again and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Wonder Man also do not have clear release windows at this time.

The latest Disney+ MCU series release date calendar shift is unsurprising, given that the studios continue to refuse to pay their actors and writers, forcing the WGA and SAG strikes to continue. In addition, although Disney+ shows seemed to be a highlight of Marvel Studios’ strategy for a while, it feels like they are now less in vogue. Still, some of these shows have been in the works for several years now. So, hopefully, they can come to light just as soon as those who made them receive the respect they deserve.

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Season one of Loki introduced the TVA to the MCU. That secret organization in charge of the Sacred Timeline wasn’t especially ethical. However, as He Who Remains warned, it really might have been a necessary evil. The latest Loki teaser trailer for the show’s upcoming second season features the God of Mischief trying to restore some semblance of order to the multiverse. Again. It seems he’s been working on this problem, repeatedly, for a long time since we last saw him.

The first season of Loki was among the MCU’s strangest installments. That was a big reason for its success. But everything we’ve seen of Loki season two so far, including this wild trailer, indicates we’re in for an even weirder storyline with even bigger ramifications for the entire franchise. When Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie killed the TVA’s original founder she did more than just murder the most powerful figure in the universe. She plunged time itself into anarchy. Now her Variant and former cohort, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, is trying to fix everything.

The worst things get for him, the more entertaining it will be for us. Getting dragged through time means visiting lots of interesting places. It also means Odin’s trickster son will get to show off more of his many powers, which the MCU has not always fully utilized.

Loki‘s second season also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Rafael Casal, Tara Strong, Kate Dickie, Liz Carr, Neil Ellice, Jonathan Majors, Ke Huy Quan, and Owen Wilson. Eric Martin serves as head writer. Directors Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Dan Deleeuw, and Kasra Farahani will all be in the the show’s big chair over its six episodes.

Season two of Marvel Studios’ Loki arrives at Disney+ on October 6. At least that’s the plan now. It’s possible someone screws up the timeline before that. Again.

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The Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is a character that who been around in the pages of Marvel Comics since the Silver Age. And in the last few years, the femme fatale super spy has become a pretty important character in the MCU, post-Infinity Saga. (The character played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus differs greatly from her comic book counterpart.) But learning about Valentina’s comics history might shed some light on what we can expect in the future from the MCU version of the super spy, whose allegiances are always suspect.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s Controversial Comic Origin Story

Created by artist Jim Steranko, the Contessa first appeared in a Nick Fury story in 1967’s Strange Tales #159. This was back in the days when S.H.I.E.L.D. still stood for Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-Enforcement Division. Valentina was a super spy who first popped up during a fight between Nick Fury and Captain America. Eventually, in the great James Bond 007 tradition of the moment, she and Nick Fury began a romantic relationship. One of their romantic encounters was so suggestive, clearly showing the couple were about to have sex, that the Comics Code Authority edited it out.

Ironically, the version used was even more suggestive. Marvel Comics art director John Romita Sr. redrew a telephone that had been taken off the hook for privacy. That image alone implied a sexual encounter. So they had to replace it thanks to Comics Code rules. In the last panel, they removed and replaced the image with a closeup of a drawing from earlier on the page. The image was that of a very phallic long-barreled gun in a holster. The sanitized version was accidentally more scandalous than the original one, and became infamous in comics history.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s Twisted Past

Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is actually her assumed name. The woman we know as Valentina is of Russian descent, and her parents were a part of the clandestine terror network called Leviathan. During the Cold War year, Leviathan gave her family the identities of the de Fontaines. Leviathan moved the newly named de Fontaines to Italy. There, they assumed the identity of resistance fighters against the Soviet Union. Eventually, Russian operatives kill Valentina’s parents and Leviathan later offers her a home in their organization.

Val soon takes on the persona of a European socialite. Having heard of her parents and their particular skills, S.H.I.E.L.D’s Dum Dum Dugan offers Val membership in the spy organization. Realizing she can spy on S.H.I.E.L.D. on behalf of Leviathan, Valentina accepts the offer. Becoming a valued agent, Val is present when S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury Sr. visits their training Academy for a sparring demonstration with Captain America. Val rushes to help Fury after an explosion momentarily stunned him. At first, the chauvinistic Nick Fury rejects Val’s help, but then she causally tosses him aside using her martial arts skills. This only makes Fury more interested in her and he promotes Val. She became a part of S.H.I.E.L.D’s Femme Force, where she often butted heads with Sharon Carter, better known as Agent 13.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and Nick Fury

Although loyal to Leviathan, Valentina simultaneously worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. all while romantically involved with director Nick Fury Sr., and then also worked for the terrorist organization Hydra. In fact, for a time, she became Madame Hydra herself. Working within both organizations, Val was effectively a triple agent. She gathered intel from the two rival operations, reporting her information to her Leviathan superiors. Fury eventually found out, and although betrayed, he never stopped loving Valentina.

The Contessa played a significant part in the Secret Invasion comics event. At first, it appeared that Val had returned after a long absence, but the Val we saw was actually a Skrull imposter sent to spy on Nick Fury and mine him for secrets. Fury realized that this particular Val was a fake and kills her. A different Skrull posing at Val very nearly kills Dum Dum Dugan. After they repelled the Skrull Invasion, they freed the real Contessa from captivity, learning that the Skrulls had stolen her identity for months.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the MCU

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is a very different character. There is no indication she ever worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. or had a romantic past with Nick Fury (although for all we know she did). We do know that she’s the director of the CIA in the MCU, as revealed in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And that she was once married to Everett Ross. We saw her first in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, recruiting John Walker as the U.S. Agent. And she was sending Yelena Bolova on a mission to kill Clint Barton at the end of Black Widow. We’ll see her again in the upcoming Thunderbolts film in a major role. Will she be as shady and untrustworthy in the MCU as she was in the comics? We’re thinking that’s very likely, but only time will tell.

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Enjoying a show on a streaming service is a dangerous mission in our current world. You’ll dig the first season and its awesome cliffhanger only to discover that there will not be a second season. Or, even worse, a streaming service pulls the plug on a show you love and removes it from the service altogether. This is why physical media will never go out of style. If you own a copy of your fave movie or series, no one can take it away unless they physically fight you first. While Disney+ probably won’t remove its MCU nor Star Wars shows any time soon, you can now own physical copies of Loki, WandaVision, and The Mandalorian on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. These will be the first Disney+ original series to get a physical release.

These collector’s editions from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm will have Steelbook packaging, exclusive concept art, and bonus features. Here are the titles and release dates for the Disney+ MCU and Star Wars series that will have physical copies available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. 

• Marvel Studios’ Loki: The Complete First Season: 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases on September 26, 2023
• Marvel Studios’ WandaVision: The Complete Series:4K UHD and Blu-ray releases on November 28, 2023
• Star Wars The Mandalorian: The Complete First Season: 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases on December 12, 2023
• Star Wars The Mandalorian: The Complete Second Season: 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases on December 12, 2023

Right now, there aren’t more details for what WandaVision and The Mandalorian will offer with their 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases, but here’s what the Loki release will include:

• Designing the TVA – Step into the incredible set of Loki Season 1 with Production Designer, Kasra Farahani, and Tom Hiddleston while getting a sneak peek into Season 2.
• The Official TVA Orientation Video – Miss Minutes explains the inner workings of the TVA timeline in her orientation video.
• Gag Reel – Take a look at some of the fun outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Loki Season 1.
• Deleted Scene: Loki’s Coronation – Mobius reviews some moments from Loki’s timeline, in which Frog Thor makes an appearance during Loki’s coronation.
• Deleted Scene: The Standoff – Loki holds Sylvie hostage against the TVA in a standoff.
• Assembled: The Making of Loki – Loki explores the series centering on the MCU’s chief mischief maker.

We can also check out the artwork for these lovely releases. It will certainly make you want to add them to any collection that you already have or want to build. And, if the day ever comes when Disney+ doesn’t have MCU or Star Wars content anymore, you will own these shows forever in their physical forms.

Click To View Gallery

All four of these 4K UHD and Blu-ray Disney+ releases will be available for preorder on August 28.

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Many MCU fans did a full franchise rewatch ahead of Avengers: Infinity War. That meant revisiting 18 movies, roughly ten years worth of Marvel Studios releases. Not an easy task, but far from an impossible one. That’s not the case anymore. As of this writing there have been 32 big screen entries in the series, with a whole lot more on the way. Wading through all of them again would take a whole lot of time. But do you even need to? If you’re not a completist, or simply want to/must cut back on your total viewing commitment, there are some you can omit on your next go-round. These are the nine MCU movies—including some of the best, most beloved in the series—you can now skip on a rewatch.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Right off the bat this list feels sacrilegious because we’re omitting the origin story for one of the MCU’s foundational characters. Plus, the movie is really good! But at this point there are few elements from Captain America: The First Avenger that still matter to the franchise’s future. And those do—like Bucky’s story—are explored in other entries. We gotta start somewhere, and the First Avenger is fittingly our first cut.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Captain America: The First Avenger: Anything you want. And you can do it all day.

Iron Man 3

I’m an Iron Man 3 convert, but before Extremis played a minor role on the very forgettable Secret Invasion, what long term impact did this film have on anything that happened after? It ends with Tony destroying all of his extra suits, which he completely rebuilds by Civil War. His entire Iron Man 3 character arc is entirely undone immediately. None of the villains stuck around for future entries, either. The only real long-term impact came from Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery. He returned for more comic relief in Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings, a movie we’re not sure Disney even remembers it made.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Iron Man 3: Read about why it should have been set at New Year’s Even instead of Christmas.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Forget being an Iron Man 3 convert. I am an Age of Ultron truther. The Avengers second film, arguably the one that most captures the feel of the team’s comic dynamic, is much better than it gets credit for. It also has the great James Spader as the titular sentient robot. But unless you just want to watch for pure enjoyment, the only thing you really need to remember from this film is what it means for Vision’s understanding of mankind. That gets covered in future films and shows.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Avengers: Age of Ultron: Watch the Seinfeld episode Spader guest-starred on. It’s still hilarious and only 22 minutes.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Baby Groot, we’re sorry. We love you. We also love seeing Nebula take her first real steps towards becoming a hero. In fact, we love all the Guardians, including Mary Poppins, y’all. But if we’re looking to trim some time from a lengthy rewatch schedule we can leave out the second Guardians film, even if it’s still really good. Infinity War, Endgame, and their Holiday Special give us everything we need to know ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Dance off, bro.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

If you’re angry seeing Tom Holland’s first solo outing included on this list, I don’t blame you. I personally think it’s the best of his three movies. So why is it on this list then? Because the character development Peter Parker undergoes in his next two installments are considerably more important. In Far From Home he has to deal with no longer having his mentor Tony around, and No Way Home marks the death of Aunt May. Everything important from this first film is also addressed in those films. And let’s face it, it’s not like we don’t spend too much time watching Spider-Man movies in general. There’s no shortage of friendly neighborhood Spider-people in our lives.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Spider-Man: Homecoming: Reach out and thank a teacher you definitely scarred as a kid.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

There’s an argument to be made the original Ant-Man is more skippable, especially because the sequel introduces both generations of the Wasp to the superhero franchise. But Scott Lang is still too important to the MCU to omit his origin story. It also matters more to the events of Quantumania than his second movie. And since he series’ third installment also covers all of the important stuff you need to know from Ant-Man and the Wasp, if you pass over it you’re not really missing anything other than meeting Ghost, who won’t seemingly appear again until Thunderbolts. See, you forgot about Ghost! And now you already remember everything you need to know about her.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Ant-Man and the Wasp: We’re not legally allowed to say try your hand at burgling, but we can say, “Try something new and exciting that might be a little dangerous.” Then get back to us in 3-5 years to tell us how it went.

Black Widow

Black Widow is a beautiful farewell to Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, an original MCU Avenger who sacrificed her life to save the entire universe. It also introduced Yelena and Red Guardian to the franchise, both of whom will return to the MCU soon. And yet, you don’t really need to watch this Infinity War prequel if you want to shorten your rewatch. It’s more a goodbye than another chapter in a story, and Yelena’s arc on Hawkeye covers her story.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Black Widow: Visit Budapest, but for pleasure not work.

Eternals

Remember anything that happened in Eternals? No? Me neither, which is weird because I remember going to the theater to see it. Did Disney use the Men in Black Neuralyzer on us collectively to erase it from out memories? The MCU itself certainly hasn’t done anything to remind us that movie existed. Until it does you can leave it off your rewatch list.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Eternals: Watch Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao’s Best Picture triumph Nomadland, a movie you won’t be able to forget.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Unlike Eternals we remember everything about Thor: Love and Thunder. Only by leaving it off our MCU rewatch can we start to remedy that.

What to Do with the Time You Save Skipping Thor: Love and Thunder: Watch Thor: Ragnarok a second time.

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