Discussion Post: Avengers Infinity War

[inkvoices]

So *takes a deep breath* it is time. THIS is your dedicated space for all things Avengers: Infinity War.

Bring your squee, meta, pics, all the things! As always, please note: UNTIL OTHERWISE STATED (AFTER THE MOVIE HAS BEEN RELEASED WORLDWIDE) THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE THIS FILM CAN BE DISCUSSED ON BE_COMPROMISED. You know the drill, spoilers are not fun.

A few rules:

1) Do understand that this post will be FULL of spoilers in the comments to this post. If you are absolutely against being spoiled then please avoid this post until you've seen the film. It's okay, you can post here whenever you watch the film and keep it active, so you won't be missing out. There is no end date to the squee.

2) Character bashing and ship wars are assassinable offences. We love differences in opinion and discussing all the things, but we also want to keep this bar a positive fandom space. If you think someone might be hurt by something you're about to say then either don't say it or find a better way of putting it. Please keep in mind that we are about the love.

3) Yes, even if we're all on edge wondering what the hell is going to happen to Nat, and where Clint is, and oh god is anyone going to die and Icannotcopewiththis - Ahem. Deep breaths and play nice :)

4) HAVE FUN!

Comments

[inkvoices]

Well. I've seen it and...I don't really know what to say yet, I just want to hug everyone. God. Me and my cinema buddy are normally chatting for hours after but instead we made lots of inarticulate sounds and hugges a lot. We're seeing it again tomorrow. I strongly recommend a support system for this one. Just. I can even.

I went in unable to cope, I left unable to cope. MY SITUATION HAS NOT IMPROVED.

[kiss_me_cassie]

I have not seen this, but I am spoiled because I can't handle NOT knowing the deathcount and being prepared. (I don't know all the details though!)

Anyhow, can I rec this heartbreaking post-IW ficlet from Tielan? Team related, and just a line or two on Clint and Nat, but wonderful nonetheless.

[gsparkle]

I... I don't even know how to talk about this movie yet. The review I gave to all my coworkers today was "it's CRAZY" and I don't have any other words for it yet! On the other hand, I really don't think I can see it again anytime soon. I saw someone compare the feeling to the night of the 2016 election--I know that's not entirely accurate because I'm positive much of what happened will be undone come Avengers 4, but I can really, really understand where that guy was coming from.

[crystallitanie]

So I had originally planned to watch this tonight, but due to RL complications I went yesterday night instead.

My feelings are mixed.

It's not that I didn't like it - I did, a lot. But it was very different from what I was expecting. Most Marvel movies share the same plot arch, more or less, where the main action scenes take place after the second half, with the first half serving as a build-up towards that point. Based on the Russos' work in Civil War, I was looking forward to that build-up. I was counting on that build-up. I was prepared to leave the cinema an emotional wreck thanks to that build-up.

Instead we got full gear action from the first scene, and the whole movie was basically that: action scenes with some dialogue in between. I loved it, don't get me wrong. But I missed the emotional part. The only scene that delivered this to me was Gamora's death.

I liked the shock value of killing off main characters from the very beginning, although this kind of extinguished the surprise element of the finale for me, because it showed me that they meant business here (if you kill Loki in the first scene, what are you gonna do for the finale? BOOM).

I did like the finale, and the fact that the only ones left standing are the original Avengers (five plus Clint) along with only three or four other characters from the MCU. I found it kind of poetic. But it failed to shock me, because it's pretty obvious that this will be reversed, if anything because there are new Spiderman/GotG movies planned for 2019/2020. So all in all, it left me in an awkward place: I know I'm supposed to feel sad, but I can't be, because it sure feels temporary.

I'm really looking forward to the second part next year. The more I think about it, the more I feel that IW1 is just the prelude, and that I should treat both movies as a package after IW2 comes out. It was like watching a TV episode with a really good cliffhanger.

Anyway, I'm watching this again with my sister on Wednesday. But I want to share with you my husband's comment as we were leaving the theater last night: "They basically told you in the trailer what would happen. In time, you'll know what it's like to lose... You just didn't believe them. You underestimated the purple bastard."


Also, I really, really missed Clint. (sighs)

[crazy4orcas]

I just got home from seeing it - and I'm still kinda reeling.

I just want to get this thought out there - I'm totally calling that the Cauldron of the Cosmos plays a big part in A4. Or is it IW2?

[alphaflyer]

So, I was kind of ready. Kind of. Losing Heimdall and Loki in, like, the first 5 minutes was good further preparation, so after that it came down to keeping score and looking for clues for "the way out" that Stephen Strange foresaw. Clearly Tony is key, or he would not have bargained his life for the Time Stone without so much as a whimper.

Some of the deaths were "earned" (Loki, Heimdall, Gamora, Vision). Reversing those will cost Marvel political capital - which they will no doubt be willing to pay if only for the sake of GOTG3. The melt-down ones strike me as most easily reversed, because they basically came down to a question of probability and rolling the dice in the course of a single cataclysmic event that can be undone.

So all this to say it felt like ... half a movie? I wasn't shattered or even speechless, but I sure as heck was impressed by the scale - not to mention all the stuff that you could NOT foresee from the trailers. I'll have to see it again and again (a) to catch all the Easter eggs and the dialogue I missed when the audience got noisy, and (b) just because.

One complaint: I did miss Clint - at least he got a couple honorary mentions, and (part of) a phone call. I could have done without the little smirk Natasha gives when Bruce shows up; I'd seen it in the trailer and had hoped it was for Clint... :( .

[crazy4orcas]

I've now seen Infinity War twice and am still kinda stunned.

I'm going to be making some predictions and want to say that I haven't read any of the comics related to Infinity War (I've only read some of the Black Widow ones), so I don't know what goes on from that.

I saw someone post somewhere that Thor is now the last of the Asgardians - but I swear he told Quill and crew that Thanos destroyed half his people. And that makes me think that he sent them away with Valkyrie to lead them. I don't know how that would have been accomplished - possibly the ship they escaped on (the Statesman) had an escape vessel?

I'm also thinking that the forge on Nidavellier will come back into play - and they'll be forging a second Infinity Gauntlet.

As I mentioned above - I'm calling the involvement of the Cauldron of the Cosmos. It was just too conveniently placed in this movie.

enigma731 has been speculating about Gamora and the SoulWorld from the end of the movie and she makes some good points. Baby Gamora looked awfully satisfied when Thanos showed up. Baby Gamora was really well cast too - I've seen a pic floating around of both her and Zoe in costume and it's adorable.

I want to know where Nakia was!

I'm also dying to know what's going with Clint and Scott - but especially Clint. Time to delve into post-Infinity War fic and see what people are thinking! I know tielan and andibeth82 have written fic already.

The whole theater for my first viewing erupted with a loud "NO!" when Fury was dusted - and then "Captain Marvel!" when that symbol came up.

I really wish Hill hadn't been dusted.

Peter Parker made me cry.

I have a feeling Tony won't survive the next movie - and it goes back to that whole "You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you." from the first Avengers.

I wanted more Shuri.

What's going on with Hulk? One fight with Thanos and he's calling it quits?

Does anyone know more about the axe Stormbreaker? And the scene where Thor shows up in Wakanda ranks right up there with my favorites.

And speaking of Stormbreaker - I'm torn between thinking that Thor uses Stormbreaker to go to Titan thus finding Tony and Nebula OR Nebula and Tony getting the Guardians' ship flying and heading back to Earth. I'm leaning on Stormbreaker though.

Added to my list of things I never knew I wanted - Bucky picking up Rocket and swinging him around while both are firing guns.

"She's not alone." - 'nuff said. Also right up there with my favorites.

I'm sure I'll think of more later. Thoughts anyone?

[crazy4orcas]

I'm also totally going to need to go back and brush up on the Infinity Stones - when/where/what/who was involved with each one.

[bettybackintheday]

After my second viewing, one (odd) thing really struck me. Do you think it’s possible they’ll dabble in alternate realities in IW2? What makes me wonder is 1) Tony and Pepper’s conversation in Central Park about his “totally lifelike dream” of her being pregnant and 2) Dr Strange’s mention of all the possible outcomes. Maybe we get to see a few options. Maybe we get to see one with Clint and Nat together. I know that’s way too much to hope, but anybody wanna take a stab at writing about that?? ;)

[crystallitanie]

So here's a slightly irrelevant trivia for your amusement.

The name Thanos probably derives from the ancient Greek name Thanatos, who was the God of Death. Thanatos literally means death, both in ancient and modern Greek.

So here's the funny part: in modern Greek, the name Thanos is a diminutive for the male name Athanassios, which means immortal. It's actually a pretty common name, like Mike or Kate. Everyone knows a Thanos. My godson is nicknamed Thanos.

So imagine in the theater, we've got a movie about a mad Titan who tries and succeeds to obliterate half the universe, and everyone on screen goes for two hours Thanos this and Thanos that and Thanos is going to screw us and the audience just can't relate and take this seriously, because they can't help but think about their office IT guy or their little cousin or their nice neighbor who occasionally pet-sits their cat.

[inkvoices]

OKAY. So I saw it twice and then had the weekend to muse on it, so some specifically Clint and Nat thoughts:

The answer to ‘where is Clint?’ being apparently ‘not in this film’ amused me actually. And also made me feel a bit...safe? That he wouldn't be messed with in this film, although who knows with that ending! Hopefully he’ll get decent screen time in Avengers 4. I mean, there's not a lot of people left alive so there's space…! Also my cinema buddy suggested maybe A4 will pull back to/or focus on the original 5 MCU Avengers since they're all still around. And I expect a GREAT DEAL of fanfic about where Clint has been and what he’s been up to, just sayin’ ;)

Nat gets some good moments. As much as I didn't like how they handled the Bruce/Nat ‘monster’ scene in AOU and never delivered on the Clint/Nat tone of Avengers, I like that they did acknowledge the AOU Bruce/Nat and didn't just sweep it under the carpet, even with everything else going on. Especially since the ending of AOU and Bruce being Hulk for so long is tied, to me at least, with Hulk feeling angry at Nat and wanting to protect Bruce from her.

(Essentially: she says she care for Bruce and then shoves him off a cliff because ‘she needs the other guy’ more. Because Nat’s character arc in AOU is deciding to be a hero and she thinks out of Bruce and Hulk,Hulk is the hero. Ouch. Although in IW Bruce is the one who does everything…)

Sam’s ‘this is awkward’ is PERFECT :)

Love her being protective of Wanda, the way Cap tosses that spear to her in Edinburgh, her fight scenes… Especially with Okoye and that girl power moment, that Wanda is ‘not alone’ and the three of them fight the female baddie. Also the ‘gross’ lol.

I am also amused that of the Avengers on the run following Civil War Cap has just ripped off his star and grown a beard, Sam’s gear is scuffed up but he's made no attempt to change himself, and Nat is there with a different outfit and blood hair and has made an effort. Boys, you're doing it wrong.

Although Clint and Scott are so undercover that everyone believes they're under house arrest, so… But I bet it’s just that nobody recognises Scott ;)

[crystallitanie]

OK, tonight I watched it again and I wonder if Bruce does not hulk out because Banner is needed in the next movie, and not the Hulk. Remember in Ragnarok, when he mentioned that he had stayed in Hulk-form for far too long, thus being in danger of this becoming permanent? I wonder if Strange traveled in the past and found a way to explain this to the Hulk, or maybe asked Loki to do some hocus pocus before Heimdall opened the Bifrost. If reversing the deaths involves physics, Banner with his seven PhDs will be essential to the plan.

Also, I'm now convinced that the original six will manage to reverse the deaths but sacrifice themselves, because I like to torture myself like that.

[kore]

I....did not like it. At all. If they were looking to make an anti-Moi movie, they kinda succeeded brilliantly. I liked a few little things here and there, like Okoye and Starbucks, Thor talking to Rocket, and a couple other moments, but it was too grim and joyless for me.

It also totally felt like half a movie with the cliffhanger where they snapped it in half. This made me hopeful, sorta, for the second half, especially if the Russos aren't lying in dropping hints and saying Clint has a much bigger part in it. I'm wondering if they're going to revisit the original Avengers movie, via time travel or otherwise, and if so, if we'll get more Clintasha. I hope we get more Nat & Steve friendship, too, that's one of my favourite things in the MCU. Just more Team Cap, really.

(I feel nostalgic for 2012, and 2014, too....)