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The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: Spider-ManThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. SPIDER-MAN Name: Peter Parker (Spider-Man) Created by: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko 1st Appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) Comic Book Origins: Almost identical to the many films we've seen involving Spider-Man, his comic book origins are basically what you've seen on screen, despite some slight differences. Peter Parker is a young high-school student who loves science and prefers his teachers rather than his classmates. On a field trip to General Techtronics Laboratories, Peter is watching a demonstration of radioactivity. A spider drops down through a radioactive beam and bites Peter. The spider immediately dies. Peter quickly feels sick and leaves the demonstration. Dizzy, he wanders into oncoming traffic, but jumps out of the way of an incoming car at the last second. Peter's alive, but he realizes he has jumped much further than anticipated. He then learns his new acquired abilities, such as super strength, climbing walls, speed, and Spidey-Sense. Parker then sees an ad for a wrestling event, promoting anyone to get in the ring to face off the big bad wrestler. Parker runs home and puts on his hoodie and mask and easily defeats the wrestler, which is when a TV producer notices him and signs him up to be a big star. Backstage one night, Peter allows a thief to get away with stolen goods, only to find out later that same thief has robbed and killed his Uncle Ben -- which is where Parker/Spider-Man first learns that with great powers comes great responsibility. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Captain America: Civil War (May 6th, 2016 - Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo) - There have been five Spider-Man films total, before the iconic character was introduced into the actual Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a total of three different actors portraying the web-slinger. Luckily, Sony decided to join the big team and allowed Spidey to unite with the Avengers. Since we've seen the Spider-Man origin so many times, we first see Peter Parker already fighting crime in his suit that he made. In Civil War, Tony Stark finds this high-school kid named Peter Parker and gives him a Stark-approved Spidey Suit and asks him to help out in Civil War against the other Avengers. The actor Tom Holland is by far the best performance thus far for the character, as he perfectly handles the action and teen angst and humor that Parker should emote. So, in the MCU, we first see Spider-Man in big action alongside everyone else, which is quite the entertaining spectacle. Best Scene Thus Far: There are so many delightful and funny scenes with this MCU version of Spider-Man, but perhaps the best one comes at the beginning of Spider-Man: Homecoming, which just tells you everything about the character you need to know. Right after the opening title of the film, we see another title card that reads "A Film by Peter Parker", which then shows cellphone footage taken by Parker as he traveled to fight in Civil War with his commentary over all of it. It's super funny, childlike, and shows his capabilities. It's a great scene that showcases all the aspects and intricacies of his character. What To Expect from Infinity War: As of right now, Marvel has planned a sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming, which is set to release in July of 2019. I think it's safe to say that Spider-Man will be around to web-sling again. That being said, in the Avengers: Infinity War trailer, we see a very sad Iron Man holding Spider-Man's bloodied. Is he dead? Unconscious? Just badly beaten? Who knows what will happen, but I do imagine that Spider-Man will give it his all to save the day. Perhaps Wakanda or Stark will heal Parker after because there will be more films to come with him. Future MCU Appearances: Again, there are more films on their way featuring Spider-Man. I think the next standalone film will feature Parker fighting against either Shocker or Scorpion/Venom, because they are referenced to in the post-credit sequence of Spider-Man: Homecoming. If this is the case, Spider-Man has his work cut out for him. As far as other Avenger movies go, I would say Parker wouldn't be a leader of any sorts, but will have some of the most entertaining scenes out of anyone for sure. That, and I believe his relationship with Stark will grow even more into a father/son type. In Conclusion: We've seen quite a few Spider-Man films since the early 2000s with multiple actors. Some of them were good and some of them were downright awful. (Looking at you, part III). Fortunately, now we have Spidey where he belongs -- in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fighting alongside the Avengers. He is the youngest of the Avengers, but he can hold his own when he needs to. I have a feeling that Parker/Spidey will be down and out when he faces Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, but that doesn't mean he will be gone for good. I expect to see a lot more of Holland in the Spidey suit in the coming years.``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Fri Apr 20, 2018 at 12:04 PM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: Ant-ManThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. ANT-MAN Name: Ant-Man (Scott Lang) Created by: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Larry Lieber 1st Appearance: Tales To Astonish #27 (January 1962) Comic Book Origins: In the comics, we didn't meet Scott Lang until much later in the series. However, in Ant-Man's first appearance, where he isn't a superhero at all or even called Ant-Man, Hank Pym is a biophysicist who is mocked by his peers for his thinking outside the box. In the lab, Pym successfully shrinks a chair down to doll size and then brings it back to normal human size with a serum he has created. He then decides to use the serum on himself to see if he can shrink himself, which of course he does. Pym is now ant-sized, but he forgot that he left the serum to turn him larger on the window, which would be impossible for him to get to in his current state. The small Pym ends up outside and walks into an ant-pile, where a ton of the ants start to attack him, with the exception of one ant who tries to help and save him. Pym starts a fire in the ant-hill and escapes with the friendly ant. After reverting back to normal size, Pym pours the serum down the drain in hopes that it will cause nobody harm. We all know that's not the case. As far as Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), he didn't appear in the comic books until 1979 in Avengers #181, where he was just a technician at the Avenger's compound fixing something. It wasn't until later that year that we got Lang's backstory and first appearance as actual Ant-Man. This is where we find out he was a reformed non-violent burglar, who goes back to crime in order to pay for his daughter's heart surgery. In the comics, he is on Iron Man's side and not Captain America's side like we saw in Captain America: Civil War, as Lang worked at Stark Industries. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Ant-Man (July 17, 2015 - Directed by Peyton Reed) - Originally to be made by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish (Baby Driver, Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim, Attack the Block), Marvel and Wright didn't see eye to eye and they got Peyton Reed instead to direct the film, which his only claim to fame was directing the cheerleading movie Bring It On. I still don't get this decision, but we can all agree that Ant-Man was quite good, but far from the best in the MCU, despite Paul Rudd being amazing in the role. We see Lang in his criminal career end up in the Ant-Man suit, trying to be a better father while fighting the bad guys. It's a solid and very funny MCU film. We next see him in Civil War, aligning himself with Captain America. Best Scene Thus Far: Every scene with Paul Rudd is the best scene in the world. However, when it comes to the MCU, perhaps his best scene is the big showdown in Captain America: Civil War at the airport. This scene was perfect, as it showcased Ant-Man with all of his suit powers, enabling him to penetrate Iron-Man's super suit from the inside, as well as turn into a giant Ant-Man, which will later be termed Giant-Man. Not only is the physical aspect cool, but Rudd as Lang is hilarious. It's very entertaining and was one of the biggest surprises in the film. What To Expect from Infinity War: We really haven't seen any marketing material for Ant-Man in Avengers: Infinity War. He's not featured in the posters really, besides a costume hanging up with other superhero costumes, and he's not featured in the trailers, either. This is a Hawkeye situation here, but what is different with Ant-Man is that Ant-Man has his sequel movie coming out just a couple of months after Avengers: Infinity War. I do believe Ant-Man will be in Infinity War, but his part might be minuscule (zing!). It might even be a post-credit sequence where we see Ant-Man, in preparation for his next movie with the Wasp. If that's not the case, I'm sure we will see him both small and large for a quick scene in the battle against Thanos, before not seeing him again. Needless to say, he isn't going to perish this year. Future MCU Appearances: There will be an Ant-Man sequel just a couple of months after Infinity War, so we will for sure see him there, as well as perhaps a much bigger role in the 2nd part of this Avengers film next year. With Ant-Man and the Wasp, along with Lang becoming Giant-Man as well, I expect to see a few more films centered on this character, as well as cameo appearances in the rest of the MCU. He's sticking around, for sure. In Conclusion: Paul Rudd has brought a ton of life and humor into this role. Ant-Man is a great character that deserves to have more stories in the MCU with him saving the world and fighting the evil bad guys. So far, we haven't seen him very sure of himself with his super suit. Hopefully, in the future, we get to see him own his ability and not be afraid of it. I don't think Ant-Man will play a giant role in Avengers: Infinity War, but he'll for sure show up somehow and help out, if not to only showcase what's in store for his sequel film. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Fri Apr 20, 2018 at 11:20 AM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: Scarlet WitchThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. SCARLET WITCH Name: Scarlet Witch (Wanda Marya Maximoff) Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby 1st Appearance: The X-Men #4 (March 1964) Comic Book Origins: Scarlet Witch wasn't originally part of the Avengers, but rather the X-Men in the comic books. Her first appearance was one of the first X-Men issues where the original team of X-Men were training and learning from Professor Xavier. Meanwhile, Scarlet Witch was part of another team of mutants dubbed The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, led by Magneto. In certain storylines, Scarlet Witch and her brother Quicksilver were actually the children of Magneto, which we've seen partly in some of the recent X-Men movies, however this is not mentioned or discussed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Fox still controls the X-Verse films (though this will likely change as Disney is in the process of acquiring Fox). With X-Men #4 though, The Brotherhood is having dinner when another mutant makes a pass at Scarlet Witch, which she refutes. This mutant then threatens her, only to have her brother Quicksilver protect her. Later on, the twins tell Magneto they don't want to be part of his team anymore, to which he says they owe him a life debt for saving them years earlier. Magneto then heads with his Brotherhood to South America to take over a small village when the X-Men show up to stop them. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch end up saving the town by disarming Magneto's bomb and saving Professor Xavier's life in the process. In other versions, the siblings were kidnapped and genetic experiments were performed on them, too, but that's not really the case here. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014 - Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo) - Scarlet Witch's first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was actually a post-credit sequence in The Winter Soldier, where Baron Wolfgang von Strucker has Loki's scepter at Hydra along with two young siblings that have superpowers, being super-speed and telekinesis (Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver). However, it's not until Age of Ultron, where we actually see Scarlet Witch in live-action, played perfectly by Elisabeth Olsen. At first, Scarlet and her brother are helping Ultron defeat the Avengers, but they end up joining the Avengers to defeat Ultron. Best Scene Thus Far: Scarlet Witch hasn't had a ton of screen time compared to other Avengers, but her scenes are always excellent. I believe her best scene is in Avengers: Age of Ultron, when she realizes she can control her telekinetic powers and walks out of that war-torn building in slow motion and begins destroying all of Ultron's mechanical minions with ease. It's such a cool and satisfying scene after we've seen Scarlet have trouble controlling her powers. Not to mention her last encounter with Ultron, where she rips out his mechanical power-source/heart, is simply fantastic. What To Expect from Infinity War: So we know that Vision and Scarlet Witch are basically dating and in the comic books, they end up married with children. That being said, and with Vision holding the Mind Stone (the one thing that Thanos wants to complete his gauntlet), Scarlet Witch might sacrifice herself in some way to save him, while using her powers to battle Thanos' army. Also, we saw her brother Quicksilver die in Age of Ultron, however, it was discussed that there was a certain experiment that could regenerate people back to life. Since Elisabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor Johnson signed a multi-picture deal for the MCU, I also expect Quicksilver to make a surprise appearance alongside his sister. With Scarlet's amazing telekinetic powers, she will be crucial to defeating Thanos and keeping the Mind Stone somewhat safe until all is lost. Future MCU Appearances: So far, it's been revealed that there are no plans for a Scarlet Witch standalone film since Fox has the rights to the X-Men characters. It's all really difficult to see where everyone will end up depending on the whole Fox merger. Where Scarlet Witch is concerned, I'd like to see her still helping out in a major way in upcoming movies, but it looks like for now that after the Infinity War two-part movie is done, she might not have a big role in upcoming MCU films. In Conclusion: Scarlet Witch is crucial to the whole Avengers family. She is the only one with telekinetic powers and could be the only person who could literally defeat Thanos. Elisabeth Olsen plays her perfectly as she has had to endure the loss of her brother Quicksilver, having no parents, struggling to control and contain her powers, as well as working with the evil Ultron at one point in time. She's had a rough life for sure, but she has overcome everything to be the superhero she is today. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Fri Apr 20, 2018 at 11:02 AM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: VisionThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. VISION Name: Vision (The Vision) Created by: Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Steve Buscema 1st Appearance: The Avengers #57 (October 1968) Comic Book Origins: The Vision's origin is a tricky one. Avengers issue #57 from 1968 is indeed his first appearance. However, Vision was based on an earlier hero of the same name from 1940. Joe Simon and Jack Kirby debuted The Vision in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 back in November of 1940, which was the Golden Age of Comics. He was a sort of inter-planetary guardian or police officer of sorts. Almost 30 years later, Stan Lee wanted to add a new Avenger, which turned into their revamped version of The Vision, who is an android that helps out the superhero team. In the comics, the big bad villain Ultron creates Vision in order to destroy his creator, Hank Pym of Ant-Man fame. It wasn't Tony Stark, like in the films. In Avengers #57, Vision enters the Avengers HQ and collapses. When he awakens, he attacks the Avengers under Ultron's mind control, but stops and tells the Avengers where Ultron is hiding out. At the end, Vision stands up to Ultron and defeats him, saving the day and the Avengers, thus joining the team. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015 - Directed by Joss Whedon) - Ultron is trying to create the perfect host for himself in human body form with vibranium as skin, so Ultron can destroy the Avengers and the world. Luckily, the Avengers get to this first where Tony Stark downloads J.A.R.V.I.S. into this host, becoming the light and good of humanity and the world. Meanwhile, Ultron is left in his iron suit. When the Avengers head to Sokovia to fight Ultron, it's Vision who ultimately defeats him. Best Scene Thus Far: There are some great fight scenes with Vision for sure, and Vision can pick up Thor's hammer with great ease. However, I believe his best thus far comes in a 3-minute scene from Captain America: Cvil War, where we are basically treated to a cooking show with Vision as he tries to flirt with Scarlet Witch. It is so sincere, yet super funny. First, we see Vision cooking a feast, as all the spices and food are laid out. Yet he doesn't quite know how to cook things for his secret crush. When Scarlet Witch comes over, he has to think of a way to flirt with her, where he says, "Nobody dislikes you". She responds with an awkward, "Thanks". It's perfect comedic timing and delivery, where we can all relate to something awkward we've said to someone we like. This also shows Vision's almost human side and vulnerability. He then goes on to discuss the Mind Stone in his forehead and how he wishes to understand it and why it's a part of him. He knows it powered Loki's scepter and gave Scarlet Witch her powers, but he wants to know more about it. Of course, this comes to a literal head in Avengers: Infinity War, and furthers the romantic relationship with Vision and Scarlet Witch. What To Expect from Infinity War: So Thanos basically has all of the Infinity Stones to take over and rule the entire universe, minus one of them. This stone is known as the Mind Stone and is very powerful. Whoever owns it can control other people's actions and thoughts, as well as other objects. At first, Thanos had the stone, but gave it to Loki to conquer Earth. Of course, that failed and it went over to S.H.I.E.L.D. It gave life to Vision as well, which is where it currently is, as it's stuck in his forehead. In the trailer for Infinity War, we actually see Thanos holding Vision by the head, looking to take the last stone out, which could kill Vision. Again, going by what we see in the trailer, it looks like Vision is going to die, but I don't think that's the case because Vision and Scarlet Witch end up together in the end, having twins in the comic books. I expect to see Vision dead or close to dying, but somehow, his power stuns Thanos at some point, even after Thanos takes the Mind Stone. Needless to say, Vision has a hefty role for this Infinity War film. Future MCU Appearances: I fully expect Vision to be a key factor in defeating Thanos and other characters coming up in the MCU. His alliance and abilities when combined with Thor are unstoppable. I doubt we will get a spinoff film of Vision alone, but it will be nice to see more of him and his relationship with Scarlet Witch in the future. Plus in the comics, Vision was created in the Ant-Man universe, so I expect to see him at some point in the Ant-Man and the Wasp film. In Conclusion: Vision is such a different character than the rest because he is not human. He was created by the supervillain Ultron, but ultimately became good thanks to Tony Stark. His body is vibranium, he houses the Mind Stone in his forehead, and has super strength and is incredibly intelligent. In the films, it's great to see him have a fun human side when he tries to flirt and be funny with the other Avengers as he is perfectly played by Paul Bettany, who also voiced J.A.R.V.I.S. It was only fitting to have him play Vision in the MCU as well. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Fri Apr 20, 2018 at 10:33 AM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: Guardians of the GalaxyThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Name: The Guardians of the Galaxy (Peter Quill aka Star Lord, Drax, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Nebula) Created by: Stan Lee, Arnold Drake, Roy Thomas 1st Appearance: Marvel Super-Heroes #18 (January 1969) Comic Book Origins: The origins of The Guardians of the Galaxy are very different than in the comic books, which was why we all thought it was super strange that a movie about Guardians of the Galaxy was being made, given it's publication history and non-mainstream attention. Interestingly enough, none of the characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe are part of the Guardians of the Galaxy in their first comic book appearance, besides everyone's favorite Mary Poppins - Yondu. That's right, there is no Groot, Star Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, or Nebula in the original team. In Marvel Super-Heroes, a superhero named Charlie-27 realizes that his home planet of Jupiter has been overrun by the Badoon, an evil alien race similar to lizard people. This is where Charlie-27 realizes he needs help and sets out to find other superheroes. He runs into a few, including Yondu and, after a few hiccups, these superheroes form the Guardians of the Galaxy and defeat the Badoon. However, they are not really seen for another few years in comic book form. While most of the MCU characters have been around for a long time, they all didn't come together until quite recently, as few as just ten years or so ago, which is when Star Lord took over as team leader. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy (August 4, 2014 - Directed by James Gunn) - Everyone in the Guardians of the Galaxy made their first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in their own first film. We see Peter Quill aka Star Lord as sort of a Han Solo type of character, running missions and gathering objects for Yondu and others. He crosses paths with Rocket and Groot, but they are all taken prisoner for their criminal ways when they meet Drax and Gamora. They form an unlikely friendship when they realize Thanos is set on destroying the entire universe. Every character here has their own backstory, issues, and perfect comedic timing and has become some of the best entertainment in the MCU. Best Scene Thus Far: I mean, how do you pick just one? I'd like to say the entirety of both Guardians of the Galaxy movies, because they are in fact both amazingly funny, endearing, emotional, and perfectly executed. From Groot's dancing to the prison escape sequence to the opening space battle in Vol. 2, there is no shortage of great scenes. If I was tied down and tortured to pick one scene though, it would have to be a scene toward the end of the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, where Groot saves everyone and sacrifices himself for the whole team. In the scene, we see that, after the Guardians save the planet, their lives are about to end. They all accept it and come together as one when Groot wraps his branches around everyone, showcasing a beautiful and serene forest with fireflies so they don't witness the destruction outside. Everybody survives except for Groot (although, per James Gunn, another Groot is reborn as a twig and must grow up from a kid to an adult again). This scene is so emotional that I still get choked up watching it many times after. It's such an amazing scene that features everyone at both their happiest and saddest moments. What To Expect from Infinity War: With so many characters, this might get a bit detailed, so stick with me. In this MCU version of Guardians of the Galaxy, we actually have the two kids of Thanos in this group -- Gamora and Nebula. With this information, they will be key to Thanos' success or failure. Gamora and Nebula both have a bone to pick with their father. Gamora wants to see him dead while Nebula wants to be in his good graces again partly, but also wants to be able to take over the universe herself while destroying him. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, we slowly see Gamora and Nebula repairing their broken sisterhood, which might see them team up against their father Thanos. With the huge success of Guardians of the Galaxy and their upcoming 3rd film, I don't see any of them dying off, unless there is an alternate timeline/time travel device that is conceived up. Expect to see flashbacks of Gamora and Nebula as young sisters with Thanos showing them the ropes. Drax the Destroyer, on the other hand, might have a bigger bone to pick with Thanos, who is responsible for killing his whole family and he vows to kill Thanos himself. Again, I don't see Drax dying because I can't imagine a Guardians of the Galaxy film without his dry wit, but if anyone were to be killed off, it will be Drax, so he can be with his family again, while serving a major blow/strike to Thanos in some form or fashion. That being said, I think Drax will be around to laugh at another day with his new girlfriend Mantis. Rocket and Groot, I believe, will have some great moments, but will serve as the big comic relief. Rocket and Groot are like the puppy dogs of the MCU and there is no way they are killing everyone's favorite puppy dogs of this group. I expect Groot to have some great teen angst this time, but come thru to help save the day at some point, while Rocket will hate everything, but create some sort of technology with Stark and Shuri to help defeat Thanos. Sure, they could kill off Groot again, but I imagine teen angst Groot will be a central focus in the third film. Peter Quill / Star Lord will no doubt play a big part in Avengers: Infinity War. In the trailer, we see him and his Guardians cross paths with Thor, which will probably bring them all to the forefront to battle Thanos somewhere. Star Lord is definitely not dying here. With the third film already in development, there is no way they are killing off one of the most popular and well-liked characters. Again, if they go that route, expect an alternate timeline of things. I expect Peter Quill to have some great one-liners with each Avenger and perhaps having a good time back on Earth. Rest-assured, the Guardians of the Galaxy will live to see another day. Future MCU Appearances: Marvel has already announced a third Guardians of the Galaxy film to be released in 2020 so we will definitely see them in that as well as the second part of this Avengers film. I doubt we will see them in the next Spider-Man film, but we could see them pop up in the Captain Marvel movie that is coming out. I also doubt we will be seeing the Guardians in the upcoming Ant-Man and Wasp movie. That being said, don't expect any standalone movies of particular characters, although you can expect many more Guardians sequels if the cast and crew decide to stay together. In Conclusion: The members of the Guardians of the Galaxy are definitely the fan favorites. Being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we've been waiting patiently for them to fight alongside the Avengers for some time, and we finally get that payoff. I don't see anyone being killed off, but I do expect them to put up the good fight, have some vital moments in defeating Thanos, since his kids are on this team, as well as providing most of the comedic bits in the film. With excellent performances and their unique style and delivery, these Guardians will be a much welcomed and much needed force for this and future films. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Fri Apr 20, 2018 at 09:03 AM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: Captain AmericaThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. CAPTAIN AMERICA Name: Steve Rogers (Captain America) Created by: Joe Simon and Jack Kirby 1st Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941) Comic Book Origins: Back in early WWII, we got to meet Steve Rogers/Captain America in his first issue, where some US government officials are meeting in a secret location that has been turned into a science lab. In this lab, a scientist says he can create an army of super soldiers with a new serum to help the US win the war. He injects the serum into a frail man, who then turns into a big musclebound super-human. Right after this, the scientist and government officials are attacked by an undercover spy where the lab and serum are destroyed. However, Captain America makes it out alive and, while fighting the bad guys, crosses paths with a young Bucky Barnes, who witnesses Steve Rogers as Captain America, forcing Cap to take on Bucky as his partner. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22nd, 2011 - Directed by Joe Johnston) - Before we get into The First Avenger, I have to mention that we first hear about and see Captain America in 2008's The Incredible Hulk movie where Edward Norton played Bruce Banner/Hulk. There is talk about the super soldier serum throughout the film and it's even injected into the major foe of the movie. In an alternate opening to the movie, Hulk goes to the Arctic to kill himself and as the scene ends, you can see Captain America frozen in the ice under Banner. Neglecting that aspect, though, the first time we see Chris Evans as Captain America is in his own film from 2011, where he is a very short and scrawny guy who, like in the movie Rudy, has a ton of heart but can't hack it physically on any level. All Rogers wants to do is join the army and fight for his country alongside his best friend, Bucky Barnes. When Rogers is permanently unable to join the army, a scientist takes notice of his bravery and heart and allows him to be part of this top secret experiment for super soldiers. This is where Rogers transforms into Captain America and fights the good fight. Best Scene Thus Far: There are quite a few great scenes of Captain America throughout the films, but perhaps the best one takes place in Captain America: The Winter Soldier where Captain enters an elevator and has one of the best fight scenes in all of the MCU. The scene starts off with Captain America entering a glass elevator, which is going to a high floor, when suspicious looking men enter the elevator. This happens three times as the elevator goes from just being occupied by Captain to being full of dozens of armed men. In this small space, a giant fight breaks out as Captain America uses his super abilities and even his shield in different ways to destroy everyone. It's perfectly choreographed and shot, and shows just how calm and collected Cap can be -- while being able to instantly turn it off and become a deadly weapon. What To Expect from Infinity War: In Captain America: Civil War, we see Captain losing control of his team. It's not a good place to be when he has to face Thanos. At the end of Black Panther, too, we see Bucky Barnes in Wakanda as Shuri wakes him up. Remember that, in Civil War, Black Panther promised Cap he'd take care of Bucky and heal him, which it looks like Shuri did. In the trailer for Infinity War, we see Bucky, Captain, Hulk, Black Panther, and Black Widow leading the charge in a big battle against Thanos and his minions. My guess is that Captain America, Hulk, and Bucky are on the run from the US government and are hidden in Wakanda for the time being. Captain America takes charge of the team once again to fight Thanos, but it might be at a perilous cost. In Vol. 3 of the Captain America storyline in comic book form, Captain America is killed and Bucky Barnes takes over in his steed. I expect Captain America to give himself up to Thanos in order to save others, meaning that it's highly possible Captain America might be killed off in this first film. Future MCU Appearances: As of now, there are no plans for a 4th Captain America film, at least not with Chris Evans. I'm sure we will see him in some capacity in the second part to this upcoming Avengers film, but unless the planets align, I think Captain America will be taken over by Bucky Barnes at least for a while until they find a way to clone or bring back Steve Rogers. In Conclusion: Steve Rogers/Captain America has always been the rock behind the Avengers. He's the leader and the one you can always count on. He's also been around the longest, too. I think Captain America will pay the ultimate price coming up with Avengers: Infinity War. It's going to be an emotional time for Marvel fans everywhere. Chris Evans has succeeded in playing this straight-laced father figure to the group perfectly, which I hope he gets to do so in many more future MCU films, because I'm not ready for this character to go away yet. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Thu Apr 19, 2018 at 06:54 PM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: HawkeyeThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. HAWKEYE Name: Clinton Francis Barton (Hawkeye) Created by: Stan Lee and Don Heck 1st Appearance: Tales of Suspense #57 (September 1964) Comic Book Origins: Once again, we have a completely different origin and first appearance than what we've seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the comics, Happy Hogan wants to date Pepper Pots, but somehow Tony Stark ends up taking her out to Coney Island where a skilled marksman/archer is performing. Suddenly, a rollercoaster becomes super unstable mid-ride, putting all the passengers in danger. Stark steps away and dons the Iron Man suit and saves the day, having people cheer him on and not the archer/marksman. This marksman then goes home, creates some powerful arrows and a costume and dubs himself Hawkeye. Yes, that's his origin in the comic books. Soon, Hawkeye tries to stop some criminals on the street and crosses paths with Black Widow, where they both end up fighting Iron Man. Of course, Hawkeye loses, but escapes, meaning that Hawkeye was originally a foe. It wasn't until several months later in Avengers #16 where he became a member of the Avengers team. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Thor (May 6, 2011 - Directed by Kenneth Branagh) - If we are getting technical here, Hawkeye's first appearance in the MCU was in the first Thor film. He is uncredited and is not called Hawkeye in the film. That being said, it's clearly Jeremy Renner who doesn't grab a big gun, but rather a sophisticated bow and arrow to stop Thor from escaping the government prison. It's all we really see of him there. It's not until Avengers where we see Hawkeye speak and actually use his many talents and super-arrows to take out enemies. Best Scene Thus Far: The best scene with Hawkeye is perhaps the best scene in all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was Joss Whedon's way of having fun with the material in Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. It's the perfect motto and scene to describe all of the Marvel films to date. In the scene, Hawkeye is fighting the villains along with Scarlet Witch, where the two get a breather in a quiet house away from danger for a single minute. This is where Hawkeye lets her and every fan know what he thinks of the movies. He says, "The city is flying, we're fighting an army of robots, and I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes sense." It was breaking the fourth wall down before there was Deadpool and it worked on so many levels and gave us a reason to love and follow Hawkeye. He is smarter and funnier than he lets on. What To Expect from Infinity War: The very big question that everyone has been asking about Avengers: Infinity War is not spoilers or about the biggest superheroes in the story. No, it's about Hawkeye. A lot of people seem to think that Hawkeye is going to come to a quick end at some point during the film, since he is the most expendable. Interestingly enough, Hawkeye has been left out of virtually all of the promotional material for the film so far. He's not seen in any of the posters, artwork, or even any of the trailers for the film. Yes, that is correct. Hawkeye is not featured in anything pertaining to Avengers: Infinity War, which has a ton of fans questioning his whereabouts or even if he'll be showing up on screen. Very recently, the filmmakers have said that Hawkeye will be a part of the film, but they haven't divulged to what degree. What they have hinted at is that Hawkeye's story is the long con and not the short con, meaning he will have some vital role to play. My guess is that he will not be dead or killed off at all, but rather save the day at the last minute with an arrow -- bet the farm on that one. Future MCU Appearances: As of right now, Hawkeye does not have any stand-alone movies in the works as the studio and fans think he is a lower-tier hero in this whole universe. That being said, given what happens with Hawkeye in the next two Avengers films and how well the audience reacts to him will most likely determine if he gets a stand-alone film or not. One thing is for sure, though. If we are to get a Black Widow standalone film, I'm willing to bet we see Hawkeye in there somewhere. In Conclusion: Even though Hawkeye is one of the original Avengers, being around since the first Thor film, he is the least popular and therefore the most expendable one as it looks right now. However, it says something big that Hawkeye is not on any of the promotional artwork, posters or trailers, meaning he's going to play some kind of vital role. Think Superman in the Justice League movie. Remember, Kal-El wasn't featured in any of the trailers or posters for that movie, either, but he served an important role in the film. I think Hawkeye, the underdog of the Avengers, will truly save the day somehow. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Thu Apr 19, 2018 at 05:19 PM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: ThorThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. THOR Name: Thor Odinson (Thor) Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby 1st Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #83 (August 1962) Comic Book Origins: Thor's comic book origin is far different from what we've seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We meet Thor in Journey Into Mystery #83, or shall I say, we meet Dr. Donald Blake, a doctor from the United States who travels to Norway on vacation. While the good Doctor is in Norway, some locals talk about a ship landing with aliens nearby. While most disregard this, Blake checks it out, but is spotted by these aliens. Blake runs into a cave, only to find the back way out is blocked by a giant boulder. He then discovers a secret door with a walking stick and tries to move the boulder with the stick. After it doesn't budge, he hits the boulder with the walking stick and "BAM" the walking stick turns into the Hammer and Blake is turned into The Mighty Thor. Now you see how different his comic book origin really was from the movies. It is said that Thor's father Odin, made Thor give up his hammer and surrender his mind and memories on Asgard. Odin also chose Blake as the body for his son Thor's mind. I know, this is getting weird and would probably not have made for a good adaptation into film. So, that's the case and with Blake now Thor, he fights the aliens after a big battle on Earth and saves the day. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Thor (May 6th, 2011 - Directed by Kenneth Branagh) - In the post-credit sequence of Iron Man 2, Agent Coulson informs us that a giant hammer has been found in New Mexico. Next thing you know, we have our first Thor movie. Taking some small cues from the comic book, we first see Thor about to inherit the throne on Asgard, but he defies his father Odin to attack the Frost Giants, which he unsuccessfully does while almost getting Asgard destroyed. His father Odin steps in and strips him of his hammer and sends him to Earth as a mortal man, rather than the god he is. While there, Thor learns to not be selfish, arrogant, the meaning of true friendship, and the value of life. Of course, he meets Natalie Portman on Earth and saves the world, which leads him to become an integral part of the Avengers. Best Scene Thus Far: In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor is usually void of humor and plays things with very little dry wit. This is unfortunate because Chris Hemsworth has amazing comedic timing and is quite funny. Thankfully, we got a movie like Thor: Ragnarok where director Taika Waititi gave us a whole new look and personality for Thor. The best scene with Thor so far comes from Ragnarok and is a heartfelt, yet very funny scene. Of course, I'm talking about the "Get Help" scene where Thor and his brother Loki are traveling up an elevator, trying to escape from Jeff Goldblum on the planet Sakaar. The two brothers have a heart-to-heart talk about their relationship growing up and how their future relationship may be affected. Even though they both don't show it, they truly love each other. It's very endearing. However, in a plan to escape, Thor suggests they do "Get Help", which is a scenario that Loki hates. The reason being is that Thor carries Loki as if he were injured, yelling "Get Help, my brother is dying". This throws the enemies off while Thor launches Loki at the enemies. It's super funny as Thor laughs and Loki gets up embarrassed. It's perfect sibling rivalry and fun. Side note: that scene was completely improv'd by Chris Hemsworth who had the whole idea. What To Expect from Infinity War: At the end of Thor: Ragnarok, Thor and Loki encounter a giant ship, which is perhaps a ship from Thanos. We just don't know yet. However, in the Avengers: Infinity War trailer, we see Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy cross paths, so I'm thinking Star Lord and Thor team up somehow in the fight against Thanos. Also, it has been said in interviews that Thor has the most screen-time of any other hero in Infinity War, which more or less makes sense. From the early MCU films, we saw Loki give the cosmic cube to Thanos, which will most likely come into play in Infinity War. Thor might sacrifice himself for his brother or the other way around. Either way, Thor is going to be a major part in this film as he tries to help his friends fight the war on Thanos. Future MCU Appearances: Like with most of the other actors in the Avengers, Chris Hemsworth's contract is up. We haven't heard of anything about resigning on for more films. However, due to the success of Ragnarok, it would be difficult not to right now. There is a lot more to tell with the Thor story and I think rebuilding Asgard somewhere as well as teaming up with either the Guardians or Dr. Strange would make for an amazing film. Plus, we need the Planet Hulk storyline. I imagine we will get more standalone Thor films in the coming years with Hemsworth at the helm. In Conclusion: Chris Hemsworth has perfectly owned the character Thor since the first film. He was born to play this character and plays him with such grace and strength all at the same time. He also brings the added humor to the role. I think Thor is one of those Shakespearean characters that has been modernized for these films in the best ways possible. after Ragnarok, Thor can do anything and I think his powers and relationship with Loki will all come to a head in Avengers: Infinity War. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Thu Apr 19, 2018 at 04:14 PM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: Black WidowThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. BLACK WIDOW Name: Natalia "Natasha" Alianovna Romanova (Black Widow) Created by: Stan Lee and Don Heck 1st Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964) Comic Book Origins: Black Widow had a completely different introduction in comic book form than she did in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her first appearance was back in 1964 where she and her partner Boris were in Russia. Meanwhile in the United States, Tony Stark was working on a new laser beam invention with a professor named Anton Vanko who, in the film Iron Man 2, was Whiplash. Nikita Khrushchev learns about this invention and decides to send his two spies, Boris and Black Widow, to kill Stark and take his invention. Black Widow introduces herself as Madame Natasha, where Stark finds her beautiful and takes her out on a date. Meanwhile, Boris sneaks into the lab and beings to destroy everything, kill people, and takes the laser invention. Stark is alerted and heads to the lab with Black Widow. Of course Stark saves the day, but with some lives lost. Black Widow escapes and is on the run when Stark learns of her true identity and feels pity for her. Needless to say, Black Widow doesn't do a whole lot in her first appearance. It wasn't until six years later, in Amazing Spider-Man #86, where Black Widow had her first appearance in the tight black costume and short red hair like we've seen in the movies, along with her skilled fighting style. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: Iron Man 2 (May 10, 2010 - Directed by: Jon Favreau) - At the beginning of Iron Man 2, we see Tony Stark's machine, the one that keeps him alive, running low on power, which will cause him to die soon. In a panic, he places Pepper Potts in charge of Stark Industries and Natalie Rushman as his personal assistant. Little does Stark know that Rushman is actually Natasha/Black Widow. After Stark goes on an all-night liquor bender, along with a fight with his best pal (who later becomes War Machine), Nick Fury calls Stark into headquarters and introduces him to Rushman, learning that she is actually the Black Widow. There is a great scene where Black Widow (Scarlett Johnasson) shows her fighting skills towards Happy Hogan and Stark, where she immediately joins the Avengers team. Best Scene Thus Far: There are so many great scenes with Black Widow throughout all the films.That scene where she's tied to the chair, but escapes while fighting an army of bad guys is one of them, but that's not her best scene yet. Nor is the fight scene between her and Hawkeye, which of course is outstanding, but it's not at the top of the list. Her best scene thus far comes in The Avengers movie when Loki has been captured and imprisoned on the heli-carrier. Black Widow comes up to Loki to gauge some information from him, only to have Loki talk down to her. We see Black Widow start to cry and become upset, which has Loki divulge his true evil plan, which involves the Hulk. Immediately, Black Widow straightens up as her crying and tears were all fake and a ploy to find out what Loki was up to. The ultimate trickster was indeed tricked in the best of ways, which showed just how powerful and amazing Black Widow is, given the fact that she doesn't have any real powers or a super-suit. What To Expect from Infinity War: From what we've seen in the past couple of films as well as the upcoming trailers, it looks like Black Widow ends up in Wakanda, possibly on the run from the government and helping Bucky and Captain America fight terrorism. We'll probably see her get some new tech from Wakanda as well, which should be quite interesting. I also expect a good reunion with Hulk to perhaps further their romance. I don't see Black Widow dying here either as she is perhaps the most level-headed person of the group. I do think she'll have some amazing fight scenes, as well as talking down Hulk at the appropriate times. Future MCU Appearances: It's been confirmed that Black Widow/ Scarlett Johansson will finally receive her long overdue solo film in the MCU. We don't yet know if it will be a prequel with her as Russian spy or take place somewhere in the MCU current timeframe. I do expect her to be a major character through the next few films though, especially with any Iron Man, Hulk, and Captain America-centric movies. In Conclusion: Again, Natasha/Black Widow is the most level-headed person in the Avengers. She tends to solve problems with her own mind rather than fists or super-powers, which gives her a unique advantage over enemies and even her colleagues. Scarlett Johansson has played Black Widow perfectly in each film, showcasing her physical talent as well as her emotional cues to side with the big green Hulk. At the end of the day, I think Black Widow will outlast everyone in the Avengers. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Thu Apr 19, 2018 at 03:09 PM PDT by: -
The Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide: The Incredible HulkThis is a big time, perhaps the biggest time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- as Thanos sets out to destroy not only the Avengers, but also life throughout the universe including Earth. That being said, there are many different superheroes that will be featured in Avengers: Infinity War, along with their complex storylines all coming to a head in this film. It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? How can one movie contain all of our beloved superheroes? [Teaser]Welcome one and all to High-Def Digest's Ultimate Avengers: Infinity War Character Guide, a fun new article series where we take look back at all the great characters we're going to see in part one of Marvel's most epic cinematic universe crossover adventure to date. [/Teaser] Hopefully, this character guide will help you going into Avengers: Infinity War. You'll be able to learn about each character's comic book origin, their MCU origin, the best scene thus far with each character, and what to expect from each superhero in Infinity War -- as well as future MCU movies, and more. THE INCREDIBLE HULK Name: Bruce Banner (Hulk) Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby 1st Appearance: The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962) Comic Book Origins: Dr. Bruce Banner is leading a new experiment for the US Army with the Gamma Bomb. Dr. Banner is very cautious and wants to perfect it before testing it. General Ross is insistent that the bomb be ready immediately, while his daughter Betty tries to calm Dr. Banner down. Upon the first detonation, Dr. Banner notices a college student driving into the blast radius and he runs out to save the student. Upon pushing this student out of the way in time, Dr. Banner is consumed by the Gamma blast, where his scrawny fragile physique begins to change. After this, General Ross and the US Army, along with some evil villains, make it their priority to capture Dr. Banner. Whenever Bruce gets angry, he turns into The Hulk which, in the first few comic issues, was gray in color (shortly after that he changed to completely green). Fun Fact: Stan Lee stated that Hulk was originally gray in color due to the inexpensive ink to print in that color, but when Marvel had more money, he was changed to the color green because there were no other superheroes who were that color. Marvel Cinematic Universe 1st Appearance: The Incredible Hulk (June 13th, 2008 - Directed by Louis Leterrier) - It's tough to talk about Hulk's first appearance, since there have been a few movies featuring the Hulk with different actors. In 2003, we saw the film Hulk, which was directed by Ang Lee (Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain) and starred Eric Bana as Bruce Banner, as well as Sam Elliott, Jennifer Connelly, and Nick Nolte. This was in no way affiliated with the current MCU and was met with mixed reactions. Cut to 2008, the same year as Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, starring Ed Norton and was directed by the guy who made the Transporter movies, Louis Leterrier. In this film, Dr. Banner and General Ross are working together on an experiment with Gamma Rays, similar to the super soldier serum from the Captain America films. Things go wrong and Dr. Banner is engulfed in the Gamma Rays. He is now on the run from the US military and the evil General Ross. Through some fight scenes and character moments, Dr. Banner ends up in Columbia, where Tony Stark meets him and tells him he is putting a team together. Somewhere in the mix, Marvel didn't enjoy working with Ed Norton, which isn't a surprise due to the many complaints of what a pain in the ass he is, so Marvel fired Norton and hired Mark Ruffalo for the Bruce Banner/Hulk role in the rest of the films. Ruffalo brought a kinder and more sincere attitude to the character than Norton ever did and has performed a cavalcade of emotions throughout each MCU film where Hulk is featured. Best Scene Thus Far: Whenever Hulk is on screen, everyone stops what they are doing and they pay attention because he is so much fun to watch. There are two big scenes that come to mind here, making this a Hulk-sized section. Both scenes happen to come from the first Avengers movie. One of them is the scene where Hulk comes face to face with Loki, where the evil Loki starts to yell at Hulk like he is some lost puppy dog, only for Hulk to smash Loki into oblivion. It was a super suspenseful scene that ended in a super funny bit where we finally got to see Hulk unleash his fury onto someone. The other scene in question comes again in the Avengers film where Dr. Banner shows up to help Iron Man battle the giant alien coming in from the sky and he reveals to Stark his secret -- he's always angry. It's such a sentimental and perfectly executed moment that shows the underbelly and pain in Banner as he quickly transforms into the Hulk and begins his reign of terror on the villains. It's fantastic. What To Expect from Infinity War: In Thor: Ragnarok, Dr. Banner tells Thor that since he has been Hulk for so long, that if he changes back to Hulk again, he might never get back to being Dr. Banner and, of course, he transforms at the end of that film back to the Hulk. Going into Infinity War, that question is still in play, however, due to the trailer, we see Dr. Banner in human form at Dr. Strange's place -- then we see the Hulk charging the bad guys with the rest of the Avengers. I'm willing to bet that some form of Stark and Wakandan technology, along with some magic from Dr. Strange, has allowed Dr. Banner to go back and forth easily from the Hulk. I do think Banner/Hulk will play bigger parts in the upcoming film than in the past as he will be key in defeating Thanos and his minions. In fact, there is a scene in the trailer for Infinity War that I think Stark puts Dr. Banner in the Hulk Buster suit only to have it overrun by the villains -- which is where Hulk will emerge and defeat everyone. Future MCU Appearances: There is no plan for a stand-alone Hulk film in the future. The reason being is that Universal still holds the rights to Hulk and does not play well with others. They do not want to sell nor co-produce a Hulk stand-alone movie with Marvel. However, we will continue to see Hulk in other MCU movies, as Kevin Feige stated that starting with Thor: Ragnarok, Hulk is going to have a big trilogy story arc, the second part coming with Infinity War. I bet we will see a Planet Hulk storyline before too long. In Conclusion: The Incredible Hulk is the big fan-favorite of the MCU for sure. Mark Ruffalo has brought that character to life in each film and I always look forward to seeing the big green machine on screen. I do believe we will be getting a big story arc with Dr. Banner with the next two films and I do believe he will play an integral part in Infinity War, as well as having some of the best scenes, too. ``` If you'd like to read about more Avengers: Infinity Wars characters, check out our other guides in this series (organized by MCU order of appearance): Iron Man Hulk Black Widow Thor Hawkeye Captain America Guardians of the Galaxy Vision Scarlet Witch Ant-Man Spider-Man Black Panther Doctor Strange ThanosPosted Thu Apr 19, 2018 at 02:13 PM PDT by:
