The document discusses views on masculinity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It notes Tony Stark's character arc from egotistical to monogamous and questions whether Pepper Potts is his sidekick. It also questions Steve Rogers' lack of character development and physical training prior to becoming Captain America. Finally, it critiques the lack of meaningful dialogue for some male characters in the MCU.

1. Masculinity in the MCU
some views; including mine

2. Character arc- Egomaniacal jerk to monogamous ego maniac; has a sidekick
but no flying monkeys; unless Pepper Pot is one?
https://www.fatherly.com/play/remember-when-tony-stark-was-a-garbage-
person-why-iron-man-2-still-matters/

3. This is their choice- no
stinking parachute when the
script calls for no parachute.
https://www.jstor.org/stable
/10.7312/mcsw18624
Rather crash a jet than date a
strong woman
This is my choice

4. Steve Rogers takes books
to camp but is never
shown reading them. He
tries to join the Army
multiple times in different
places but never tries to
get into better physical
shape or learn self-
defense before joining.
Steve Rogers is
transformed to a
taller, heavier man,
but is still wearing
the same pants that
still fit (magic fabric)
In her 1983 book "Sudden
Death," Rita Mae Brown, the
mystery novelist attributes the
quote to a fictional "Jane
Fulton," writing,
"Unfortunately, Susan didn't
remember what Jane Fulton
once said. 'Insanity is doing
the same thing over and over
again, but expecting different
results.'"
https://www.businessinsider.c
om/misattributed-quotes-
2013-10

5. Steve Rogers generates so little respect before and after his transformation
that the Howling Commandos all come from Bucky’s unit. All of the
diversity is in Bucky’s unit.
https://www.slashfilm.com/the-fragile-masculinity-of-the-mcu/

6. Jealous? Writers only gave Steve Rogers physical comedy when he was
acting as Loki pretending to be Steve Rogers, but he also has to mock
himself (Captain America)– “I can feel the rightoeusness surging”

7. In endgame, there is a riff about Steve Roger’s ass being America’s
ass. Double entendre? If the ass exists at all it probably belongs to the
body double. If the writers can’t be bothered to write smart dialogue
that the international audience can understand why don’t they just
give the roles to body doubles or weight lifters or men who are
naturally big all of the time?
On your left Avengers assemble
Don’t do anything stupid…
"It was like just
reading the
script of the
Avengers
movie. Cause
that's why you
go to a Marvel
movie — for
the dialogue.“
April 29, 2019
Put that hammer down

8. Good casting, good role, good tribute to abused veterans,
good movie. Bucky hasn’t had a good hair day since.

9. These goats get more meaningful dialogue in Infinity War than
Steve Rogers and Bucky put together
https://www.polygon.com/2018/2/22/17039964/black-
panther-superheroes-masculinity-t-challa-marvel-mcu

10. In my opinion, Bill Bixby did a better job.
https://mashable.com/article/bruce-banner-hulk-endgame-sex-theory/
https://celebrity.nine.com.au/2017/10/24/13/09/mark-ruffalo-thor-ragnarok-
the-hulk-interview

11. Thanos
https://themiddlespaces.com/2019/04/02/despite-the-genocide/
Thanos the hegemonic
Malthusian gives Hulk and
possibly Banner
performance anxiety leading
him to embrace the
combined personality of
Prof. Hulk

12. https://medium.com/@cbrucewillis/dr-
strange-spiderman-homecoming-mcu-
mini-feminist-reviews-37babf94de4d
I’m not super excited to have the black
male character as the inflexible one
going forward

13. https://geeks.media/healthy-masculinity-and-toxic-masculinity-in-wakanda-
an-intersectional-afrofuturist-perspective

14. Truest line in movie history – “what a bunch of a-holes
“(excluding Groot and Rocket). Sorry - maybe I am too old
to get the joke.

15. More father issues than Hamlet

16. James T Kirk without the training of the Starfleet Academy and the lack of training
shows. Apparently a great guy IRL.
https://nerdist.com/article/avengers-infinity-war-male-ego-2/

17. Starlord learns from and appreciates the complex galaxy he lives in
https://comicsverse.com/infinity-war-quill-toxic-masculinity/
Maybe this is an inside joke? The
inexplicable success of ‘Footloose’
and Kevin Bacon being 6 degrees of
freedom from most actors
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_De
grees_of_Kevin_Bacon as a parallel
to the success of the MCU in
outcompeting more thoughtful
movies

18. Rocket discusses strategy with Thor and sounds more intelligent. Choose
an explanation from those given below:
A. The writers, producers and other non-muscled guys are jealous of the
guys with muscles
B. American prejudice against heroes from other cultures; but they can
somehow write the role of no-muscles villain Loki correctly
C. Chris H’s Aussie background constrains his range as an actor.

19. One of these scenes is just like the other
Dumbledore ‘s surprise
entrance behind train to
pick up Harry
Steve Rogers late surprise
movie entrance behind
train in Infinity War,
shares weapon and fight
sequence with Black
Widow

20. Captain America becomes worthy of picking up Mjolnir because the writers made
Thor less worthy. Thor embraces Valkyrie’s coping mechanisms (alcohol) plus video
games (US Capitalism win)
https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&htt
psredir=1&article=1013&context=brantford_sjce

21. So we get to go home!"
"I don't know. Family,
stability... The guy
who wanted all that
went in the ice 75
years ago. I think
someone else came
out.“…Steve Rogers:
BW- Did you do
anything fun Saturday
night?
SR- Well, all the guys
from my barbershop
quartet are dead, so
No, not really..
I had a date

22. Sometimes patience is the key
to victory. Sometimes it leads to
very little; seems like it's not
worth it. And you wonder... why
you waited so long for
something so disappointing
Sam- What makes you
happy? Steve Rogers: I
don't know.
Maybe that strong woman was less scary than this current world; or maybe he
needed 70+ years to learn how to live with a strong wife-
Give the writers full
credit for these lines

23. So we get to go home!“
https://medium.com/swish/avengers-endgame-is-a-
culmination-of-what-it-means-to-be-a-man-in-the-marvel-
cinematic-universe-1e9feb10690a
Are you ready for our dance?
I’m happy about this ending and I admit I did not
think Steve Rogers was man enough to go back to
Peggy. I thought the MCU might make a joke
sequence in which Rocket would bring Peggy into
the future by accident while dragging Bucky back
in order to steal his metal arm.

24. MCU’s qualifications to depict masculinity roles
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=avengers.htm
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/reviews/article-the-
hulking-unstoppable-avengers-endgame-is-genius-but-of-an-evil/
Me (the irony of being drawn into the MCU by Chris Evans):
Saw a silver surfer movie with cousins and did not like the Chris
Evans –dude role. Read that Chris Evans was playing Captain America
– what?? Went to read Wikipedia on Captain America. Saw Iron Man
along the way – meh. I saw Captain America First Avenger in 2017,
can’t remember why. Kudos to Chris Evans. Then I watched Winter
Soldier – good movie. Civil War – not so great. Saw Age of Ultron –
OK. Saw Spiderman Homecoming – good. Saw Ragnarok – funny.
Saw Dr. Strange – OK. Saw Black Panther – good. Saw Avengers 2012-
passable. Found Guardians of the Galaxy and earlier Thor movies
unwatchable.

25. Nerd jobs aligned to the MCU