Six Stones to Peggy: A Marvel Cinematic Universe Story

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Bucky was right, Steve Rogers mused, he was taking all the stupid with him.

But Bucky would understand. He always did.

Always would.

And Sam…

Well, maybe not so much.

But, in time, maybe.

Time.

He was sick of thinking about time. Talking about it. Scott Lang’s idea for the “Time Heist”—it still sounded so stupid—shouldn’t have worked, but Bruce and Tony figured it out. They brought everyone back. They beat Thanos.

They used time to do it.

Thanos had taken so much from the world, and from them. First, half the universe. After that, Nat. Tony.

He allowed a slight smile as he thought about Nat. 

Black Widow was the best of them, even though she never thought of herself that way. Most people looked at Steve Rogers and saw the perfect soldier with perfect manners and perfect teeth. She saw the flaws and challenged him to be an even better version of himself. 

The world owed as much to Nat as it owed anyone else. 

Thor had a hammer, Tony had a suit of armor, and Hulk had the strength to casually toss a house halfway around the world.

But Nat and Clint didn’t have any of those advantages. They survived through wits and courage, always dependent on a special bond forged in the battlefield. As much as Steve didn’t understand monsters and magic, he understood that type of bond. He shared it with Bucky and the Howling Commandos, and with Nat and Sam after the Sokovia Accords, when they traveled the world to stomp out the stubborn remnants of Hydra.

But Nat was gone now. A soul for a soul, as Clint explained it. She gave her soul to Vormir, and Vormir gave up the Soul Stone in return. He couldn’t imagine Clint’s pain; Hawkeye would’ve gladly given himself up so the world could go on with Natasha Romanoff at the helm.

She wasn’t the only fallen Avenger.

Steve remembered standing face-to-face with Tony—he thought of him only as “Stark” back then—on Fury’s Helicarrier, telling him he was just a “man in a suit.” He knew guys with none of Stark’s wealth or genius worth ten of him. He told him that, straight and true, like he always did. 

Steve thought himself a good judge of character, but his judgment lacked something back then. He hadn’t been out of the ice that long. They never really saw eye to eye on things, but fate brought them together and they managed to smooth things out, at least until Zemo broke them.

Bucky was always his weak point. What if they’d worked things out before Thanos? Would the Avengers have stood together to defeat him the first time?

In the end, Tony made the sacrifice play. He brought back the kid and everyone else, but he left his daughter and Pepper behind. Rhodey and Happy. The Avengers. Everyone else.

He was Iron Man.

Steve underestimated Tony because Tony overestimated himself. He was a “genius billionaire playboy philanthropist” who wore his feelings and vanity on his sleeve. Steve didn’t think to dig deeper, and he should have. 

The wizard guy—Strange—told him later that there was only one way to beat Thanos and bring everyone back. That one way, Steve realized, required Tony’s genius and his sacrifice. Strange knew it because he saw it—one of the many things Steve didn’t fully comprehend about the superpowered world he lived in—and Strange couldn’t say a damn thing to Tony because it could’ve meant defeat.

If Tony knew he had to die, maybe he would’ve hesitated to snap Thanos and his army away. That hesitation could’ve allowed Thanos to make his latest insane idea of “balancing” the universe a reality. If Tony knew he had to die, he wouldn’t have wanted to abandon the kid or leave Morgan.

In the end, Tony Stark had a heart.

And a family.

That was something Steve hadn’t had in a long, long time.

He had a chance to change that, to live the kind of life Tony talked about it.

A simple life.

Only a few tasks remained.

Time. 

Mind. 

Space. 

Reality. 

Power. 

Soul.

Six Stones to Peggy.

A guide to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for my poor brother

This post is for my brother, who has only a passing interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a son who really wants to see Avengers: Endgame.

He's only seen a handful of MCU movies, including the first Captain America, The Avengers, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Black Panther. 

Those of us who've seen all the MCU movies know how much impact Endgame can have. I can only imagine confusion from anyone who hasn't seen all the movies. This handy guide is intended to help my brother get the most out of his viewing of Endgame. It's a noble goal that's probably futile, but hey, I like to write stuff.

MCU vital statistics:

• The MCU spans 22 movies so far, if you count Endgame (the 23rd movie will be Spider-Man: Far from Home in July)
• There are three phases of the cinematic universe
• Phase I includes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and The Avengers
• Phase II includes Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Ant-Man
• Phase III includes Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2., Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnorak, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War; Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: Far from Home
• There are six Infinity Stones: Mind, Soul, Power, Space, Time, and Reality

Simplified plot summaries

Iron Man: Arms manufacturer and billionaire Tony Stark is wounded during a kidnapping attempt in the Middle East. He escapes by making a suit of armor and becomes obsessed with upgrading that armor to become a superhero. His best friend is James "Rhodey" Rhodes. He harbors a great deal of affection for his assistant, the put-upon Pepper Potts.

In this movie, he perfects the Iron Man armor and reveals to the world that he's a superhero, dramatically declaring, "I am Iron Man."

At the end of the credits, a man named Nick Fury approaches him about "The Avenger Initiative."

The Incredible Hulk: Dr. Bruce Banner can't contain the anger inside, which manifests itself as a green creature full of rage known as the Incredible Hulk. You know the story.

This mostly forgettable entry is notable for introducing us to General Thunderbolt Ross, who later becomes the Secretary of State in the MCU. 

Iron Man 2: The sequel is notable for introducing Natasha Romanoff, the spy/assassin better known as "Black Widow." Tony continues to upgrade his Iron Man armor and runs afoul of a villain named Whiplash and another weapons manufacturer named Justin Hammer. Ultimately, Iron Man wins the day and his friend, Rhodey, gets a suit of armor of his own and becomes "War Machine."

Pepper and Tony further enrich their relationship.

Thor: Thor is a prince of Asgard, a technologically advanced society based in Norse mythology. His hammer, Mjolnir, can only be wielded by someone who is worthy. He has a brother, the clever but unbalanced Loki, who is adopted and resents Thor's status as heir to Asgard. Their father is Odin.

After ticking off his father, Thor is banished to Earth without his powers and unable to wield his hammer. He falls in love with a woman named Jane Foster, becomes worthy of Mjolnir once more, and returns to Asgard to face Loki. Loki, who has plotted to gain the throne and prove himself worthy of being a king, loses their battle and drifts off into space.

Captain America: The First Avenger: Scrawny guy Steve Rogers keeps trying to enlist in the Army to fight in World War II even though he's physically weak. His best friend, Bucky Barnes, heads off for war. A doctor sees something in Steve and offers him a chance to become a candidate in the Super Soldier Program.

Steve takes the Super Soldier Serum, which turns him into a "peak human" with exceptional size, strength, and speed. He remains a "good man" at heart and never gives up. After the doctor dies, Steve tours the country as "Captain America" to raise money for the war effort.

He eventually makes it to Europe, rescues a bunch of soldiers (including Bucky), and fights a bad guy named Red Skull, the leader of a Nazi offshoot called HYDRA. His reunion with Bucky is short-lived however, and Bucky dies during an attack on a HYDRA convoy (he's not really dead, though).

Steve also falls in love with a British agent named Peggy Carter, but their story is cut short when Steve sacrifices himself by crashing a plane filled with explosives in the Arctic. 

He remains frozen for 70 years before he's revived and brought to the present day.

Also, there's a very important object known as the Tesseract, which is the Space Stone.

The Avengers: Thor's brother Loki comes to Earth with a scepter powered by the Mind Stone in order to steal the Tesseract. He's working for a being called Thanos to take over the Earth. Only the Avengers stand in his way.

The team includes Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Incredible Hulk. Also along for the ride are Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow, the spy introduced in the second Iron Man) and Clint Barton (Hawkeye, an expert archer). 

Captain America and Iron Man, in particular, have trouble connecting. Although I didn't mention it in the Captain America summary, Cap worked with Tony's father, Howard, who had a lot of respect for Cap. Tony has a strained relationship with his father, who died in a car crash in the 1990s.

The team doesn't work well together at first but eventually gets it together and defeats Loki. 

The Mind Stone is turned over to SHIELD while Thor takes Loki back to Asgard with the Tesseract/Space Stone.

Iron Man 3: Tony Stark defeats a villain called the Mandarin in a movie that's more of an action comedy than a superhero entry. Nothing major really happens that affects the overall MCU.

Thor: The Dark World: A Dark Elf lusts after the Aether, which is the Reality Stone. The Aether attaches itself to Thor's girlfriend, Jane Foster, who must be taken to Asgard in order to be cured.

Thor's mother, Frigga, is killed in the movie (important for Endgame). She's played by Rene Russo...Tom Berenger's girlfriend in Major League. 

After some interdimensional shenanigans, the Aether is removed from Jane Foster and taken to a safe place. Loki fakes his own death and assumes the identity of Odin.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Cap learns that SHIELD has been infiltrated by HYDRA for decades. He manages to stop HYDRA's plan to kill millions of people perceived as "threats" to HYDRA's new world order.

Cap also meets the Winter Soldier, HYDRA's top assassin, who turns out to be the not-so-dead Bucky Barnes. Bucky has been brainwashed for years and doesn't know who he is. They fight at the end but Bucky ultimately prevents Cap from drowning and then disappears into obscurity.

Guardians of the Galaxy: An idiot from Earth named Star-Lord teams up with a talking raccoon, a talking tree, a green alien woman, and a warrior who takes everything too literally. It's better than it sounds.

This movie is notable for introducing the Power Stone. Thanos makes an appearance here as well. He's the "father" of the green alien woman (Gamora) and her sister (Nebula). These relationships are very important for Infinity War and Endgame.

Avengers: Age of Ultron: This movie is notable for introducing Vision, an android powered by the Mind Stone, as well as Wanda Maximoff (the Scarlet Witch) and her brother Pietro (don't get too attached).

Strains appear in the relationship between Cap and Iron Man. Black Widow and Hulk have an ill-fated romance (important for Endgame). Iron Man creates an advanced AI named Ultron that tries to destroy the world and kills several people in a country called Sokovia.

And, very important to Endgame, we learn that Hawkeye (the archer) is a family man. Only Black Widow is aware of this.

The Incredible Hulk blasts off into space at the end.

Ant-Man: Thief Scott Lang finds a suit that allows him to shrink down to the size of an ant. He works with Hank Pym and his daughter, Hope Van Dyne, to stop a generic CEO-ish supervillain from misusing a similar shrinking suit. HYDRA goons are also involved.

Notably, Scott is a convicted thief who has a daughter named Cassie. She means everything in the world to him.

This movie is one you should probably see because it's a light-hearted comedy. It also introduces the concept of the Quantum Realm, a plane of existence where the rules of time and space work differently than they do in our world.

Captain America: Civil War: After the disaster in Age of Ultron, world governments want to hold the Avengers accountable with the Sokovia Accords. Iron Man wants everyone to sign up, but Cap refuses, creating a rift that splits the Avengers into factions.

Vision and Scarlet Witch have a romance. Bucky is framed for a bombing that kills the leader of Wakanda, whose son is the Black Panther. Hawkeye comes "out of retirement" to fight for Cap's side. Falcon recruits Ant-Man for Cap's side. Iron Man recruits a kid named Peter Parker (you know Spider-Man!) to help him.

• Team Cap: Cap, Bucky, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, and Ant-Man
• Team Iron Man: Iron Man, War Machine, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Black Widow, and Vision

In the end, Iron Man learns Bucky was framed for the bombing. However, he discovers that Bucky is responsible for killing his parents when HYDRA brainwashed him. Cap knew but didn't tell Iron Man, creating a rift that won't heal for years and leaves the Avengers splintered when Thanos puts his plans into action.

This movie does a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of character work leading up to Infinity War.

Doctor Strange: A brilliant but arrogant surgeon severely injures his hands and seeks help through "alternative therapy" (um, it's magic). He learns to become a sorcerer and stops a plot from the "Dark Dimension" to take over Earth.

Dr. Strange possesses the Time Stone, which grants kind of unspecific abilities regarding time. This means we've now encountered the Mind, Space (Tesseract), Reality (Aether), Power, and Time Stones, leaving only the Soul Stone undiscovered so far.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2: There are no more Infinity Stone shenanigans here, but we learn more about Star-Lord's background. All the Guardians are back, though Star-Lord and Gamora are in a relationship now (important for Infinity War and Endgame).

Also, Gamora and Nebula, the "daughters" of Thanos, start to repair their fractured relationship. There's a lot of entertaining stuff in this movie, but not much of it impacts the overall MCU.

Spider-Man: Homecoming: You've seen this one, so I won't go into too much detail. Just remember that Iron Man recruited Spider-Man, who is kind of a surrogate son to him. Spidey looks up to Iron Man and is eager to please.

Thor: Ragnorak: Thor and Loki learn they have a sister named Hela who's bent on taking over Asgard once their father, Odin, dies. Thor and Loki end up on a backwater world where Thor is forced to become a gladiator. He fights the Incredible Hulk, who ended up on the same planet after Age of Ultron.

They eventually escape and return to Asgard. However, Thor's home planet is destroyed and Hela is killed. Loki, because he's Loki, takes the Space Stone (Tesseract) from Asgard.

Thor takes the remaining Asgardians into space in order to find a new home. Unfortunately, they run into Thanos instead.

Black Panther: You've seen this one, so I'll keep it brief. Black Panther is an awesome hero with awesome allies. He's working to deprogram Cap's friend Bucky. This movie also gives us a compelling villain in Killmonger.

Avengers: Infinity War: You have to watch this one to understand anything about Endgame. Thanos collects all the Infinity Stones. He kills Loki and half of Thor's Asgardian survivors, acquiring the Space Stone (Tesseract) along the way. He already has the Power Stone.

He wants to collect all the Stones and embed them in his Infinity Gauntlet. He sees overpopulation and inadequate resources as an obstacle to the continuation of life in the universe and plans to snap half of all life out of existence. This dude is completely committed to the cause.

Thor joins up with Star-Lord and the Guardians of the Galaxy. They eventually split up; Thor goes to acquire a weapon that can kill Thanos while Star-Lord and his friends go to retrieve the Reality Stone (Aether). Star-Lord and his friends encounter Thanos, who already has the Reality Stone and kidnaps Gamora.

Thanos sacrifices Gamora to acquire the Soul Stone, the only Infinity Stone we haven't encountered yet. In order to earn that one, you must sacrifice something you love. This plays another major role in Endgame.

Dr. Strange refuses to give up the Time Stone and tells Iron Man he will do anything to keep it safe, even if it involves letting Iron Man or anyone else die. He eventually relents when Thanos is about to kill Iron Man, giving up the Time Stone in a surprising move that speaks to Iron Man's importance in the future.

Meantime, Cap, Black Panther, and their allies mount a furious defense in Wakanda, where they're trying to keep the Vision safe (he has the Mind Stone embedded in him). They face an onslaught from Thanos' army and hold them off for a bit.

Despite their efforts, Thanos kills Vision and gets the Mind Stone, giving him a complete set. Thor makes a timely appearance and almost kills Thanos. Still, the villain manages to snap his fingers, using his Infinity Gauntlet to harness the terrible powers of the collected Infinity Stones.

Half the universe dies as a result.

• Snapped Heroes: Bucky, Falcon, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Scarlet Witch, Star-Lord, Groot (talking tree), Drax (literal warrior guy)
• Unsnapped Heroes: Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Hulk, Thor, War Machine, Nebula (Thanos' other "daughter"), Rocket (talking raccoon)
• Dead Heroes: Loki, Gamora, Vision (all died before the Snap)

Ant-Man and the Wasp: As a whole, this movie is simply another fun Ant-Man caper filled with humor. The end credits scene, however, introduces us to the concept of "time vortexes" within the Quantum Realm. Ant-Man becomes trapped in the Quantum Realm after Thanos' Snap.

Captain Marvel: Notable for introducing Captain Marvel, who plays a small but important role in Endgame. She's a super-powerful hero originally from Earth who has spent the last couple decades patrolling in space. She's a friend of Nick Fury and inspires his idea for "The Avenger Initiative."

The MCU hits the Endgame...and what an (Avengers) Endgame it is!

NOTE: The following post contains massive spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. You've been warned!

I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I've seen every movie in the theater, most of them on opening weekend, most of them multiple times. I'm well versed in the mythology of the movies and love the characters inhabiting the expansive comic-book-inspired universe.

There have been ups and downs. While the first Iron Man is fantastic, The Incredible Hulk didn't grab me and Iron Man 2 was a disappointment. I've always liked the first Thor and Cap movies, and The Avengers remains one of the strongest entries in the series.

I enjoy much of Thor: The Dark World while acknowledging its shortcomings. Basically, other than The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2 (movies my wife and I skip during MCU rewatches), I'll sit and watch any MCU movie at any time.

I love Captain America. Iron Man. Thor. Black Widow. Hulk. And, yes, I love Hawkeye (some people think he's useless, but I firmly disagree). I concentrate on these original Avengers because they're the ones Avengers: Endgame is most interested in telling us about.

Infinity War left us on a down note, with half the universe snapped away in Thanos' insane plan to "balance the universe." It's hard to say his "heart's in the right place," but the guy's got his warped convictions, at the very least, making him a very compelling villain. But the weight of that act--with so many beloved characters fading into ash--was devastating.

We lost so many great characters, including Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Drax, Falcon, Groot, Bucky, Black Panther, etc. All gone in a snap with the entire rest of the universe. As a fan, it destroyed me to see them go; Cap had just gotten Bucky back, Iron Man had bonded with Spidey, Black Panther had fought so bravely to prevent Thanos and his forces from carrying out their plan.

And then they were all gone. The only feeling of hope we had came in the form of Nick Fury's space pager after the credits rolled.

That sense of loss and failure continues in the first act of Endgame. Our characters get one spark of hope when they discover Thanos' location and go to reverse the Snap. But then they learn Thanos, committed to the end, destroyed the Infinity Stones so no one could undo his work.

Five years pass, and the Avengers are essentially broken. As an audience, we're broken, too.

But then along comes Ant-Man, who may not be the smartest or strongest of the team but makes up for it in heart and much-needed optimism (along with his charmingly dorky "I'm just a regular guy along for the ride" demeanor). He's experienced a few hours in the Quantum Realm, which passed as years in the real world.

And he comes up with the idea for a "Time Heist" to recover Infinity Stones from different points in the past. Yes, the Avengers will travel through time in a mind-bending, heart-wrenching, thrilling, and often hilarious quest to set things right. It's a critical mission that will require tremendous sacrifice for our heroes but allows us fans to relive some of the greatest moments in MCU history.

With that setup out of the way, here are some of my thoughts on Avengers: Endgame.

Emotional payoffs. If you're invested in these characters, it's hard not to get choked up. The fates of Nat, Tony, and Steve are touching. Each deserves its own entry (and will get one shortly). We see Thor's fall into self-doubt and unworthiness, Clint's loss of his family and its cataclysmic effect on his inherent goodness, and Bruce's final acceptance of his two personalities.

You suck, Vormir. When Thanos sacrificed Gamora in Infinity War, it was one of the most powerful moments in the movie. It showed that while Thanos was a monster, he was truly committed to his cause and capable of love, no matter how warped the concept was for him. The alarm bells started ringing when Nat and Clint were dispatched to recover the Soul Stone because I knew one of them wasn't coming back.

I don't think anyone in the movie really knew how the Soul Stone worked, not even Nebula. The audience, however, did. I didn't want either one of them to go. For Clint, it would've meant making amends for his fall into reckless vigilantism. For Nat, it would've meant giving herself up for something greater and sacrificing the Avengers family she'd come to love. I like that they stepped back to discuss it and then fought with each other to make the sacrifice.

Also points to the movie series for giving us two characters who truly loved each other without making it a romantic connection. We'll never forget you, Nat. No, you're tearing up while writing this.

So that's why Dr. Strange gave up the Time Stone. Obviously, when Dr. Strange surrendered the Time Stone to Thanos to prevent him from killing Tony, it meant Tony had a major part to play in the "endgame." However, we didn't know it meant the Sorcerer Supreme knew it meant Tony had to die until this movie.

I mean, Dr. Strange could've simply turned over the Time Stone because he knew Tony was the only person who could figure out the quantum shenanigans required to undo the Snap. We know better now. Yes, the plan needed Tony to figure out the mechanics and build a new gauntlet, but it really needed him to steal the Infinity Stones from Thanos and snap away the Mad Titan's army.

It was the only way--and Strange knew it. More importantly, he knew he couldn't tell anyone, not even Tony.

The callbacks. My goodness, did this movie reward longtime fans of the series! Some of the cameos were jaw-droppers! Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford!). The Ancient One. De-aged Hank Pym and Howard Stark. Frigga. (Sort of) Jane Foster. Peggy Carter! Rumlow and Sitwell. Loki.

They were all fantastic.

Get a Bowflex, Thor. One thing that underwhelmed me during Endgame was the treatment of Thor. He was so great in Ragnorak and Infinity War, and I initially thought what they did to him in Endgame was a disservice to the character that simply made for some easy jokes.

Then I thought more about Thor and his character arc. He was a brash and bold warrior who needed to learn humility. He did that in the previous movies. He regained some swagger in Infinity War and, I believe, started to think he had everything figured out.

When the Avengers failed to defeat Thanos--and he had a chance to end it but didn't--Thor went dark. So dark, in fact, that he killed Thanos with little thought at the beginning of Endgame. Despite that, self-doubt sprang in, perhaps for the first time in his life. He felt unworthy of his weapons and his title. He felt himself a failure to his people and the entire universe.

When viewed from this perspective, the Lebowski act made a lot more sense. He lost himself and was so desperate to prove himself useful, even pleading with the others to let him wield the new gauntlet even though it was clear he wasn't ready for it. His conversation with his mother and his ability to still summon Mjolnir were vital moments in his development, helping him become the "old Thor" in some ways and the "new Thor" in others.

I'm still not completely sold on the look and the jokes, though.

Finally got that dance. Peggy Carter is one of the best characters in the entire MCU, and the movie series has made sure to keep her, if not front and center, then at least present. She had her own TV series and has made cameos in several movies, including both Cap sequels and the flashback in Ant-Man.

Her tragic romance with Steve is something not easily rectified. Cap spent 70 years on ice while Peggy moved on and had a family of her own. Even if they were soulmates, nothing could come of it.

However, when you add in some time travel and Infinity Stones, just about anything is possible. Cap gets the chance to grow old with the woman he loved--and to enjoy the kind of life he never thought he'd be able to experience.

Peggy--or at least a version of Peggy from a branched timeline, it's really not clear--gets to have the dance that fate denied her. It's poetic and cathartic. The next time I watch Captain America: The First Avenger, it should be interesting to see how Endgame gives new context to their relationship.

Tony makes the sacrifice play. Some of the original Avengers were going to die in this movie. It's the only way to give weight to the grand stakes of the MCU and close out story threads that started with Iron Man in 2008. The obvious choice was Captain America--almost too obvious.

Also obvious: Tony Stark. I thought either Tony or Steve would say goodbye in this movie, and in a way, they both did. Steve returned the Infinity Stones, lived a fulfilling life, and then returned as an old man to complete the mission. However, it was Tony whose act of sacrifice allowed for the ultimate victory against Thanos.

At the beginning of the movie, he was embittered after surviving his trip into space. He blamed Cap for fracturing the Avengers and weakening them against Thanos. He isolated himself from the team, built a family, and pretty much swore off further superheroics. He told his colleagues he wasn't interested in helping them even after Ant-Man returned.

But Tony's Tony--so the idea of mastering quantum mechanics won't go away. It's kind of like his obsession for upgrading Iron Man's armor. He cracks the code but tries to convince himself it won't matter. He talks to Pepper about it and realizes everyone who lost something in the Snap deserved the chance to have that back.

So, the crazy Time Heist works with a few unexpected miscues and the Avengers face down Thanos once again (Thanos from 2014, by the way). Thanos gets a remade gauntlet and snaps--only to discover Tony stole the Infinity Stones. We saw what two snaps did to the Thanos of 2018 and what one snap did to the Hulk--both super-strong beings.

Imagine what it would do to Tony Stark, a regular human being.

Yeah, Tony doesn't survive. He defiantly says, "I am Iron Man," snaps his fingers, and then dies, surviving just long enough for Rhodey, Peter Parker, and Pepper to say their goodbyes. Most affecting, to me anyway, was Pepper giving him reassurance that everyone would be all right and he was free to rest.

Tony Stark, the self-centered genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, gave up his life and everyone he loved to save the world.

The ultimate sacrifice play.

No, you're tearing up while writing this.

The secret MVP. Since Nebula survived the Snap and knew about Thanos and his plan, I thought she'd have a pretty big role in Endgame. I didn't think, however, she'd be one of the darn MVPs of the movie! Nebula, next to the original Avengers, is probably the biggest key in the whole thing.

She leads them to Thanos at the beginning, ends up being "entangled" with her past self in 2014 (allowing for a dual role), and convinces 2014 Gamora to switch sides. She did a lot of heavy lifting in this movie and showed a tremendous amount of growth from her one-note appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy. I was really impressed.

So many memorable moments. We lost Nat, Tony, and (effectively) Steve in this movie, so let's lighten the mood a little bit with some of my favorite moments from the film.

Hail Hydra. The elevator fight in Captain America: The Winter Soldier is one of the best action sequences in the whole 22-movie series. The callback on this scene, with future Steve stuck in an elevator with a bunch of traitorous SHIELD/Hydra agents, is terrific. Instead of getting into another fight, he utters, "Hail Hydra," and gets the Mind Stone.

Also points for Ant-Man pointing out that all the traitorous SHIELD/Hydra agents all looked like bad guys to him.

Two Caps. When the team returns to the Battle of New York, 2023 Cap faces off against 2012 Cap, who reminds him that he "can do this all day." I love 2023 Cap's reply, an exasperated "I know."

On your left. With all hope lost, Steve steels himself for a one-man confrontation against Thanos and his entire army because Captain America never gives up. It looks like he's about to make the big sacrifice when he hears Sam Wilson's voice over the radio.

"On your left" is another callback to The Winter Soldier, and it's so satisfying! Within a few seconds, the entire landscape of the battle against 2014 Thanos shifts to even odds. Black Panther appears. Spider-Man appears (the crowd at my screening went WILD over both of these). Falcon's back, Bucky, Wasp, the Guardians, Dr. Strange--all the snapped heroes come back and Cap knows the final battle won't be futile.

A Worthy Super Soldier. Captain America wields Mjolnir and conjures lightning. It's spectacular and pays off the "hammer party" scene from Avengers: Age of Ultron. Even better was Thor's excited shout of "I knew it!"

Taco buddies. In a brief, sweet moment, Professor Hulk gives Ant-Man a couple tacos after Ant-Man's were obliterated by a returning spacecraft.

Father and son. Tony's conversation with his father in the 1970s was another great moment. His excitement in telling his father that he "has a daughter" was emotional, even though Howard Stark didn't know the context. We did.

Lost love. The same 1970s scene brought Peggy Carter to the forefront; Steve gets a glimpse of her but doesn't say a word. The photo on her desk of Steve before the Super Soldier Serum speaks volumes (it's the same photo of him from the end of Captain America: The First Avenger).

An idiot sings on Morag. Going back to Morag for the Power Stone was a fun scene with Rhodey and Nebula. I loved how they showed Star-Lord singing to himself while recreating the opening from Guardians of the Galaxy.

Valkyrie, Korg, and Miek. Thank God they're alive!

Avengers, assemble! He said it. All is well.

I'm sure there are several moments I'm forgetting and I'll probably add to the list after a second viewing.

A few lingering questions/comments. Endgame is perfect as a crowd-pleasing coda to the first phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I do have a few questions and minor nitpicks. Let's go through a few of them.

Half the world is five years older. Due to the rules laid out in time travel, those killed in the Snap came back to 2023 without having aged while the rest of the world is five years older. This creates a lot of headaches, including the fact that Cassie Lang (and her mom and stepdad) is five years older while Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne are not. Also, since Peter Parker and Ned reunited at the end and appeared to be the same age, both were snapped while about half their classmates are five years older.

What about Coulson and the Agents of SHIELD? Look, we were never going to see Phil Coulson. Due to his death in the Agents of SHIELD TV show, he wouldn't have been around for the Snap. The decision to go back to the Battle of New York in 2012 meant a Coulson cameo wasn't possible because Coulson had died in Avengers before then.

Still, I would've liked a reference somewhere in there for Clark Gregg's character, who appeared in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and The Avengers. The movie world never acknowledged his return in the TV show, which is frustrating but understandable. I simply wanted someone in the movie to mention Fury's "one good eye" because he was there at the very beginning--and that beginning is ultimately what led to Endgame.

Where was the Nick Fury-Captain Marvel reunion? Introducing Captain Marvel so late in the MCU meant she couldn't have a major character arc in Endgame. That's fine--we got about as much of Carol as we could get and then she sort of disappeared "for reasons" before returning at the end. I get it.

I understand the movie is overstuffed and the ending reflects more on the legacy of Tony Stark and the Avengers than it does on Fury and Carol. However, those characters hadn't seen each other for more than two decades. Couldn't they have shared a hug or something?

Some missed cameos. This isn't a complaint at all, I swear! I will say I thought maybe we'd get a moment from Odin, Korath the Pursuer (they were right there on Morag!), Pietro Maximoff (the timelines chosen for the movie didn't allow for it--and with Scarlet Witch snapped, it wouldn't have had an impact on anyone except Hawkeye), Arnim Zola (the 1970s scene), or the Warriors Three and Lady Sif (seriously, where the heck is Sif?!).

Well, that's about all for Avengers: Endgame for now. It's an incredible movie, especially if you're invested in the 21 previous entries in the MCU. All the characters you love have big moments, there are huge payoffs for story beats that began in 2008, and it's immensely fun and satisfying.

Movies in the News: Body found in water

"Pentagon sources confirm a startling discovery tonight after a recovery team found the remains of a man lost decades ago...

"The remains belong to Captain America, an iconic hero lost in the waning days of World War Two when his plane crashed in the Arctic..."

"Sources close to the recovery mission revealed Captain America's real name as Steve Rogers, a Brooklyn-born soldier who was reportedly part of a special joint military program..."

Leap of Faith #6

It's not one of the most famous leaps in cinematic history, but I happen to like the image.

Captain America makes a super leap as fires burn around him.

We don't know what happened to Cap for a few tense moments, although we're pretty sure the hero makes it through. A Leap of Faith isn't the easiest thing to do. It's uncertain, heroic, foolish.

I'm taking a Leap of Faith of my own today, leaving my job after nearly nine years.

I have no idea what will happen next.

Superhero ABCs: The Finale

This is it. The final entry in my Superhero ABC's. It's been a long journey from the Avengers to X-Men...and for today's final explosive post, I give you the Y and Z to complete the superheroic alphabet.

Y is for Yellow.

Y was the most difficult letter to pin down for this entire "event." My options were very limited, and I considered doing something like "Young Justice," "youthfulness," or "Ymir" (frost giant from the Thor universe).

I didn't like any of those.

I ended up settling on "yellow." Trust me, it's not because I'm in love with Coldplay.

In the early days of Green Lantern (the Hal Jordan version), we learned that the hero had a certain weakness: his power ring would not work on anything yellow. This was a supremely stupid and, it seemed, arbitrary weakness. Okay, that's exactly what it was. It was such a stupid idea, in fact, that years later yellow was changed through the alchemy-like magic of retroactive continuity as being symbolic for fear. Still stupid, yes, but not quite as stupid. Sort of.

For my Superhero ABC's, yellow is the perfect representation of something many heroes have: a weakness. Many of our heroes have an Achilles heel. For Superman, it's Kryptonite (he's also vulnerable to magic). Martian Manhunter has an aversion to fire. Aquaman can't stay on land for too long. Batman's single-minded focus on stopping criminals can work against him (as it did in the "Knightfall" storyline when all of Arkham's inmates escaped; the Batman of the Nolanverse is often bruised and battered...with the character stating that "Batman has no limits"). Familial and personal relationships can also become weaknesses (which is the reason many heroes have secret identities).

And now for the grand finale...

Z is for Zeitgeist.

Superheroes and comic books capture the feel of an era. In the above picture, you see Captain America punching Hitler. Cap was a product of the rah-rah, "Go America!" era of World War II. He was consciously created to be a symbol of a greater, patriotic America.

The hero is a good illustration for this concept of zeitgeist. He began as pro-America propaganda, briefly became a Commie-smasher, abandoned his identity during the Watergate scandal (becoming Nomad, "man without a country"), confronted several prominent social and political themes in the 80s and 90s, and opposed the Superhuman Registration Act (itself a kind of stand in for a Patriot Act-era America).

Cap, of course, isn't the only hero to capture the essence of an era. Golden Age heroes harken back to a simpler, more black and white time. Silver Age heroes represent a goofier, more carefree era, while Bronze Age heroes tend to tackle darker subject matter and more complex sociopolitical themes. These are generalizations, of course, but they reflect the development of American society.

Previous Entries:

Z is for Zeitgeist
Y is for Yellow
X is for the X-Men
W is for Wolverine
V is for Villains
U is for Uniform
T is for The Tick
S is for Spider-Man
R is for Robin
Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABC's: Letter C

Thursday brings us to the letter C.

C is for Captain America!

I've always had a soft spot for Cap. It started way back in middle school, when the videogame "Captain America and the Avengers" came out. At the time, I had a paper route and saved my money so I could get the game for the Sega Genesis. I played through "Captain America and the Avengers" a lot. Actually, my brother and I were awesome at that game, with my brother as Iron Man and me as Captain America. I think we could beat that game without losing a single life.

So, I've always liked Captain America, a character who represents a favorite theme of science fiction: the man out of time. In the comics (and the movie adaptation previews this for the upcoming Avengers movie), Cap saves the world, falls from the sky, and gets frozen in ice. He's awakened decades later to find the world has changed more than he ever imagined. Most of his friends are gone; the ones who are still alive are advanced in age, and Cap has a sense of loneliness few can empathize with.

Before he was Captain America, he was simply Steve Rogers, a sickly kid who couldn't fight for his country even though he wanted to. He volunteers for an experiment, and with the power of the Super-Soldier Serum, scrawny Steve transforms into a perfectly-toned superhuman with enhanced strength and speed. He helps the Allies win World War II before stopping a doomsday plot and presumably dying. Steve Rogers isn't the type to give up so easily, and he remains in suspended animation until the day someone comes to find him.

A born leader, Captain America holds true to traditional American values and is the natural choice to serve as the eventual leader of the Avengers. Of course, he has to contend with other heroes who think they know a lot more and grapple with his own self doubts as a man out of time.

Oh, and the shield? AWESOME.

Tomorrow: Are you worthy of the Helm of Nabu?

Previous Entries:

B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter A

Day 1 of my Superhero ABC's starts, of course, with "A."

It's a very good place to start!

A is for The Avengers. Sorry for those of you expecting Aquaman.

Yes, yes. I know. Everyone's excited about the movie. We should be! After all, we get to see Thor, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Nick Fury, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and AGENT COULSON on the big screen together!

However, I'm not really writing about the Avengers here. I mean...I am, but I'm not. The group started in the 1960s when Marvel wanted to put some of its top-selling characters together. Since the original lineup (Iron Man, Ant-Man, Thor, Wasp, the Hulk, and eventually Cap), the makeup of the Avengers has changed too many times to count. I believe Wolverine and Spider-Man have joined the group from time to time.

For the purposes of my Superhero ABC's, the group represents a favorite trope of the comic book world: the superteam. We see this time and time again, although the two most famous groups are Marvel's Avengers and DC's Justice League. Each team boasts varied lineups based on storylines, current comics in circulation, and other factors.

From a fan's perspective, there's nothing better than taking popular heroes and throwing them together for a great, epic adventure. The Avengers and Justice League both feed this fantasy to see how the big egos and personalities will play off one another. Group members sometimes clash and disagree on the best course of action before their more heroic instincts kick in. At the end of the day, they usually save the planet together.

TOMORROW: "Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot..."

Studicus Selects 2011

A while back, I abandoned my longtime Blogger nickname "Studicus" to become "Matt Adams." The thinking, of course was to better promote my writing by no longer posting via a pseudonym. It was actually kind of a tough decision because some college pals and I started a collective blog in 2005 called The Flying Trapeezius.

Those days were fun!

In order to keep writing, I decided I had to leave TFT and all three of its readers and replace it with My Kingdom for a Novel and its three readers. Yet, a tradition is a tradition...and for every year except 2006, I made a "best of" list called "Studicus Selects."

So here we go!

(You can check out the Studicus Selects archives below. Scroll past the links for this year's picks)

Studicus Selects 2010
Studicus Selects 2009
Studicus Selects 2008
Studicus Selects 2007
Studicus Selects 2005

Best Tech Gadget: Amazon's Kindle. Really, it's not even close. The other gadget I purchased this year was a rather buggy Motorola Atrix 4G, so the Kindle wins by default. This is a great device. I understand it's a dedicated e-reader and things like the iPad and Kindle Fire are far superior pieces of tech that sparkle and shine and play pretty videos. However, the Kindle is simple to use and no one can match Amazon's content pipeline. From a reading standpoint, it doesn't hurt my eyes because there's no backlighting. From a writing standpoint, it's great because I can email my manuscripts to the device and read my works in progress without sitting in front of the computer for hours.

Most Awesome Blog Moment: Ernie Cline, author of the bestselling book Ready Player One agreed to do an interview that I could post along with my review for the book. I thought it was really neat for him to take the time out of his schedule to do that, especially since my blog is in its infancy. It should be a reminder to all writers: no matter how insignificant a blog/interview request may seem, even if you don't think it will reach many readers, you may as well do it. After all, you have to win this battle one fan at a time. You can read the review and interview with Ernie Cline here.

Most Satisfying Moment of the Year: Without a doubt, it was the email I received at 9:49 pm on July 19. I had submitted my novel I, Crimsonstreak to Candlemark & Gleam, a small press operating out of Vermont. It was kind of a Hail Mary because I didn't think anyone would be interested in the book. I was surprised, however, when I received an email saying C&G wanted to acquire the novel (after a few revisions, of course). It was a defining moment in my young writing career; a moment I'll always remember. The book is due out in May 2012. You can read more about the journey from first draft to contract here.

Best Early Anniversary Trip, Historical Category: In July, my wife and I took some vacation time and spent a week in Springfield, Illinois as an early fifth anniversary gift. I'm sure that's the very first place people think of when they think of a vacation spot. Anyway, we saw the Lincoln Museum and our 16th president's home. It was a fantastic trip (we even caught a showing of Captain America!) made even more fantastic thanks to cameos from traveling buddies Green Lantern and Superman.

Favorite Summer Movie: Without a doubt, Captain America. I loved it! The film was by far my favorite of the movies I saw this summer. Everything just seemed to "click" in this one. After a few cinematic disappointments (X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Green Lantern), it was great to see a movie come together so awesomely! I liked it so much, I blogged my 20 Favorite Cap Moments.

Most Irritating Earworm: As much as I loved Cap, "The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan" was stuck in my head for weeks.



But this category is a tie! I saw a video for Selena Gomez's opus "I Love You Like a Love Song." It is easily the most irritating song I've heard all year. And for a month, it wouldn't leave my head.

The fact that I know the words--ALL of them--makes me want to hurt myself.
Best Discovery, Xbox 360: I've thoroughly enjoyed the Marvel Pinball tables for Pinball FX. I really like the Wolverine and Spidey tables. Blade is a nice change of pace, but I'd like to punch the Iron Man table in the face. Seriously. It's an irritating table to play. Perhaps there exist pinball wizards who love it, but I'm not a big fan.

Biggest Letdown, Sports: The Butler Bulldogs made it to their second consecutive national championship game, but couldn't pull off the upset against UConn. The frustrating thing about the loss was the feeling that Butler just had an "off" day. UConn played well, no doubt, but Butler was atrocious from the field, putting on a shooting performance that was historic in its futility. It was heartbreaking to see a team that had accomplished so much have such a terrible game.

Biggest Letdown, Writing Career: After having three stories accepted in various anthologies, the publisher cancelled two out of the three anthos. This was disappointing because I loved those stories and was looking forward to seeing them in print. On the plus side, one anthology forged ahead and will get published soon. The editor of one of the cancelled books found another publisher, but it's going to be released much later than originally thought. Still, a release is better than no release.

Most Insane Undertaking, Reading Category: I heard such good things about the Game of Thrones series on HBO that I decided I'd read the books. I heard they were long and had seen the paperbacks in the bookstore, but nothing really prepared me for the size and scope of the books. I borrowed them via a Kindle library loan...and wow. I had just 21 days to finish a 1,000-page book. I'm a fast reader, but trying to "race" through a book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series wasn't one of my best ideas. You can read my review for A Game of Thrones here.

Most Insane Moments, Indiana Hoosiers and Indianapolis Colts Category: These are both probably too recent to include in a year-ender, but Christian Watford's shot that propelled IU over top-ranked Kentucky was one of the year's best sports moments.

I still have this on my DVR.
My hapless Colts also managed to get a win last night, prompting this strange scene in which Reggie Wayne and Dan Orlovsky tried to give each other the ball after they connected on a late touchdown to seal the team's second win.

In a season in which nothing has gone right, this was a nice moment.
That's my brief review of the year that was 2011. These are exciting days ahead on the blog. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of Empire State for my Kindle and will have an interview with author Adam Christopher soon. You can expect the "ABC's of Crimsonstreak," a series that will continue the legacy of my "ABC's of Writing" and "ABC's of Star Wars." I'm sure my publisher and I will have some awesome treats as the publication of I, Crimsonstreak draws closer.

And of course...we'll be watching for the return of Super-Manning!

I sure hope he's able to return. If he can't...you can expect lots of inconsolable crying and a terrible video montage set to "Wind Beneath My Wings."

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!

Top 20 Captain America Moments

Captain America: The First Avenger (henceforth known simply as Captain America or simply Cap) was my favorite movie of the summer.

Really, it wasn't even close, and I saw most of the big summer movies (with a few exceptions). I can't explain exactly why I love the character of Captain America so much, but I do. I guess it's that classic never-say-die American individualism the character embodies. He's a simpler hero from a seemingly simpler time; Stars and Stripes embodied. Oh...and my brother and I used to play the heck out of this Sega Genesis game:

I was almost always Captain America in this game. My brother almost always used Iron Man. Hawkeye and Vision were usually on the bench.
Casting Chris Evans was a masterstroke. I was skeptical at first ("They're casting the Human Torch as Cap!?"), but Evans was awesome. Square-jawed, principled, dogged pursuer of justice and right. Yeah, pretty much exactly what Captain America is all about. An underdog who fights for the little guy and always puts others in front of himself. And he throws a freaking shield.

Awesome.

I never did a formal review of Cap, but I'm sure it would rate very high on the Ray Liotta Quality Meter. Yeah, I'd imagine Field of Dreams level on that storied scale.

So, to celebrate the release of Captain America on Blu ray, I proudly present my Top 20 Cap Moments.

Red Skull & Raiders of the Lost Ark. Joe Johnston, the director of Cap, also served as a second unit director on a little movie called Raiders of the Lost Ark. So, he has a bit of experience with the World War II Era (his other little movie, The Rocketeer, also helped here). Sometimes, Cap almost feels like what Indiana Jones would be if he were a cape & cowl/tights & flight type of hero. I love this little nod to Raiders, where the always-reliable Hugo Weaving says, "And the Fuhrer digs in the desert for trinkets."

All day, baby. Pre-Cap Steve Rogers is a sickly, scrawny little guy with a bulldog's heart. When some jerk starts yelling over newsreels in the movie theater, Steve won't have any of it. After getting punched, he gets up. And again. And again. And again. "I can do this all day," he proclaims. You kinda believe him, until he finally goes down and gets rescued by his buddy Bucky Barnes.

Five times the embarrassment; five times the heart. Steve Rogers doesn't want to kill Nazis; he wants to go out there and fight for his country, which he believes is every man's right. But he's asthmatic, weak, and would be instant cannon fodder. Still, a certain undefinable greatness runs deep in his veins, something Dr. Abraham Erksine recognizes. He's not interested in Steve's 4-F status...but he is interested in the young man's drive to join up.

Room for Improvement. Tommy Lee Jones' Colonel Phillips walks among the trees while looking for the man who will become the ultimate super soldier. Yet, there's something wrong about the lineup. "General Patton says that wars are fought with weapons but won by men," Phillips says. "We are going to win this war because we have the best men." [disappointed look at scrawny Steve Rogers] "And because they're gonna get better."

Listen to the Boy! When a Hydra agent kills Dr. Erksine and tries to escape with the super soldier serum, the now-buff Steve Rogers chases after him. Eventually, the Hydra agent takes a kid hostage (how brave) and then throws him into the water (even braver!). Cap starts to rescue the kid, who assures him he can swim and implores him to chase after the bad guy!

The Star Spangled Man with a Plan. The movie's most charming sequence is when Steve, still not allowed to fight in the field because of the value of his genetic material, becomes part of a nationwide tour to sell war bonds. The song is memorable and eternally catchy. I dare you not to sing along:

Who’s strong and brave, here to save the American Way?
Who vows to fight like a man for what’s right night and day?

Who will campaign door-to-door for America,
Carry the flag shore to shore for America,
From Hoboken to Spokane,
The Star Spangled Man with a Plan!

We can’t ignore there’s a threat and a war we must win,
Who’ll hang a noose on the goose-stepping goons from Berlin?

Who will indeed lead the call for America,
Who’ll rise or fall, give his all for America,
Who’s here to prove that we can?
The Star Spangled Man with a Plan!

Stalwart and steady and true,
(see how this guy can shoot, we tell ya, there’s no substitute!)
Forceful and ready to defend the
Red, White, and Blue!

Who’ll give the Axis the sack, and is smart as a fox?
(far as an eagle will soar)
Who’s making Adolph afraid to step out of his box?
(He knows what we’re fighting for!)

Who [waked the giant that napped in] America?
We know it’s no-one but Captain America,
Who’ll finish what they began?
Who’ll kick the Krauts to Japan?

The Star Spangled Man with a Plan!
(Who’s strong and brave, here to save the American way?!)

Cap's Right Stuff. His first "mission" turns out to be a successful, and the triumphant Captain America struts to camp with the Howling Commandos in tow.

Captain America Throws His Mighty Shield! Cap doesn't throw his shield every five seconds in this movie, which is a good deal for everyone. The moments he does throw it are big ones. And. It. Looks. So. Good.

The Idea Men. After Peggy Carter gives Cap's new shield an unconventional lab test, both Cap and Howard Stark are speechless. I love their exchange in which they're too stunned to do anything except look at Carter as she walks away.

Steve Rogers: I had some ideas about the uniform.
Howard Stark: Whatever you want, pal.

Show a Lot of Things Happening at Once... After Captain America rescues the captured soldiers, Col. Phillips decides it's time to unleash America's new champion on Hydra. Thus, we get a superheroic montage of Cap & Company ransacking Hydra installations.

Stan the Man. Eventually, Cap snubs the congressman who turned him into a dancing monkey. When Steve skips out on a medal presentation, the congressman's lackey comes out instead of Captain America, prompting a confused (and always cameo-reliable) Stan Lee to comment, "I thought he'd be taller."

Consider the Gap Minded, if Anachronistically So. When Cap & Company go after Dr. Zola, the good Captain informs his team that the timing is very precise. Just a "ten-second window" he tells the guys. "Mind the gap," James Montgomery Falsworth replies.

Awkwardly Delicious. Tommy Lee Jones chews the scenery (and literally so in this scene) with the captured Dr. Zola. Love his delivery all the way through this one, but the line "that would be awkward" gets a laugh every time.

You're Right, Red Skull. Americans Are GREAT at This. "Arrogance is not a uniquely American trait, but you do it better than most." Really, the only person who could ever rival American arrogance would be a demonic, red-skulled "scientist."

But She Will! I love this nice, light moment before the movie's grand finale. After Peggy and Steve kiss, Cap looks at Col. Phillips. "I'm not kissing you!" he says.

Hero Down. A new life ahead of him, perhaps a lifetime of love. Yet, there's only one way for Captain America to save the world, and that means leaving everything behind...his friends, his country, and the woman of his dreams. He sacrifices everything to preserve them, as a true hero should.

Howard's Command. Howard Stark's search teams find the Cosmic Cube, but Howard Stark doesn't care. I love how this line ("Just keep looking") is delivered with both hope and bitter undertones; a searcher determined never to give up on Captain America.

As He Was Before, So He Shall Be. I thought this was a really nice touch. Instead of seeing a picture of Captain America decked out in his heroic gear, Peggy's last image is that of Steve Rogers, the man inside. I think that was an important choice.

Nap Time. Steve Rogers stumbles into Times Square, which probably looks like something from a B-movie serial to him. Yet, this is the real world now. "You've been asleep, Cap," a surprisingly empathetic Nick Fury says.

Check the Calendar. Confused, Steve's first thoughts turn to Peggy Carter and the dance that never was. Poignant, sad, and perfect.

Status Report

This is shaping up to be a very big week.

Today, of course, marks the start of National Novel Writing Month. I've never participated, and this year continues that trend. I plan to try next year because it sounds like a lot of fun.

It's simply not feasible this year. I'm elbow-deep in writing a sequel to I, Crimsonstreak. I hit another big milestone last night, reaching 70,000 words for that book. I'm thinking the first draft will be about 80,000 words...and that's just the main narrative. Like the first book, I plan to write a bunch of supplemental material to expand the universe. That will probably add another 15,000-20,000 words. I've also left some space in the main story for a few flashback vignettes, which I used to good effect in the first book. So the sequel will end up being a bit longer than the original. Of course, it's just a first draft, so I will have to do a lot of cutting, trimming, and expounding.

A few weeks ago, I decided I wanted to power through the George R.R. Martin fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire." I'm not much of a fantasy reader (I'm mostly a general sci-fi type), but A Game of Thrones (my review here) was very good. I'm about 400 pages into A Clash of Kings right now. I'll have to finish it quickly; the library has also made A Storm of Swords available after I put in a hold request. With a 21-day lending limit on the library ebooks, it takes a little dedication to get through those massive tomes.

Between books in "A Song of Ice and Fire," I finished Ready Player One by Ernie Cline. The book came out this summer to quite a bit of fanfare, and it's definitely merited. I emailed the author, who has agreed to do a quick email interview with me on the blog. So when I write up my review for Ready Player One, I'll have a "Take Five with Ernie Cline" to go along with it (side note: I put an interview request in with George R.R. Martin, but I'm not crossing my fingers on that one).

I'm also the proud owner of my favorite movie of the summer:

I haven't done a formal review of Captain America: The First Avenger, but I did recap the summer's other superhero movies here.