One of the dumbest conceits about superhero comics is the concept of keeping dangerous items and weapons confiscated from super-villains in the headquarters of the superheroes. How nice of the heroes to keep all the goodies in one place, right? Here’s what happens when Thanos comes calling for the Infinity Stones. Meet me after the jump for my thoughts on the newest episode of “Marvel’s Avengers Assemble” – “Widow’s Run.”
Safe?
We open on a Skype call between the Avengers a and the Guardians of the Galaxy. The Avengers are currently holding four of the Infinity Stones in a vault in their headquarters. The Guardians think it’s a dumb idea and they’d like to take them… presumably so they can make a target of their own headquarters, I suppose. Their logic is good but their solution is faulty. What will they do when Thanos comes?
The rational thing to do would be to split them up. There are four in possession? Keep one at Avengers Tower, give another to the Guardians, give one to S.H.I.E.L.D., and one to Asgard. That seems fair, right? And it seems to me that having them together is just an all around bad idea anyway. Are those voices Tony is hearing coming from the Stones themselves?
The Black Widow
Often in this forum I have talked about the “Avengers Assemble” series’ criminal underuse and misguided interpretation of the team’s only female member, the Black Widow. Sometimes they make up for it. The ease with which she breaks into the vault where the Stones are held is wonderful, and how the character should be used more often.
The Widow has so much potential if used properly. We’re going by the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity so much of her past as Iron Man’s former enemy, partner to both Hawkeye and Daredevil, Avengers leader, and the like are all out the window, but her past as both a S.H.I.E.L.D. and double agent are intact, as are her knowledge and skills – use them!
Seduction
The Stones as I mentioned do have a seductive charm, voices that reach out to those in their proximity, offering power and wealth. Stark was victim to it, as was Heimdall, when Widow and Thor took them to Asgard, as I suggested. Widow claims her S.H.I.E.L.D. training can temporarily hold the voices, but what about Thor? As he is often shown as the dimmest of the Avengers in this animated version, shouldn’t he be easy prey?
And honestly I am starting to wonder about Black Widow. She has the Stones in her backpack the whole time, yet Heimdall, an Asgardian is corrupted at first touch? If this is S.H.I.E.L.D. training at work with the Widow, then hells yes, give the Stones to S.H.I.E.L.D. Obviously they can handle them.
Over-Promotion
The Guardians of the Galaxy arrive on Earth, to get the Stones, already apparently in their thrall from a distance, but it’s obvious that the point is yet another confrontation with the Avengers. Seriously, how many times have we seen these two teams fight on “Avengers Assemble”? Once? Twice? Three times? And how many times on sister series “Ultimate Spider-Man” and “Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.“?
Yes, we all know there’s a Guardians of the Galaxy animated series coming, and yes, we see the new designs here that are closer to what we saw in their movie, but come on, isn’t the movie itself, one of the biggest of the last year, enough promotion?? We have reached the saturation point, folks, by the time the animated series does come around we will all be sick of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Doc and Dormammu
Speaking of a coherent Marvel Animated Universe. I was surprised when the Avengers came to Doctor Strange’s door, that they knew him, and that they also know Dormammu. I was disappointed that it was long hair hipster Strange however. Perhaps when Benedict Cumberbatch portrays the Sorcerer Supreme he will bring some dignity back to the character.
The skirmish of Doc and the Avengers against Dormammu and the Mindless Ones was fun. I did dislike Falcon fighting like Wolverine with his wing tips and Doctor Strange pulling a Ghost Rider swinging that chain around however. And I really really disliked Black Widow doing her Dark Phoenix thing. I think I might even have hated it more than Thanos dropping by with his Infinity Gauntlet.
Good Stuff
While I didn’t dig how some of the fighting was done, I did like the group of heroes ganging up on the giant foe, like with Galactus and Terminus back in the 1980s. The best lines of the entire episode are easily the following. Thor to Hulk: “Don’t make me hurt you.” Hulk in reply: “Don’t make me laugh.” I also liked Hawkeye’s mention of Dimension Z from recent Captain America comics. At last, is someone working on this show who has actually read a Marvel comic?
Next: Thanos Triumphant!
