Top 10 MCU Mistakes Marvel Wants You to Forget
Check out the voting page for this list and add your picks: WatchMojo.comsuggest/Top+10++Things+Marvel+Wants+You+To+Forget+About+The+MCU. Special thanks to our user ninou78 for suggesting this idea!
Script written by Garrett Alden
#10: Timeline / Continuity Problems
The Mad Max Timeline EXPLAINED
The MCU timeline and its continuity are actually pretty solid, for the most part, but it’s not totally without its issues. Some of these gaffes are minor. For example, Gamora is called the last of her species in “Guardians of the Galaxy” trailers and marketing, but in “Infinity War,” we find out only half her race was killed by Thanos. The most notable timeline contradiction is due to “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” It starts with a flashback set shortly after “The Avengers,” in 2012, then skips ahead 8 years, to 2020. Yet, if “Infinity War” corresponds with its year of release in 2018, how did Peter use the Iron Spider suit he wouldn’t see until 2 years later?
#9: The Timeline of the Infinity Gauntlet
Top 20 MCU MISTAKES Marvel Wants You To Forget
The Infinity Stones that are sought by Thanos have long been the focus for much of the MCU. However, this has caused many to overlook the Gauntlet that the Stones fit into, as well as its confusing history. An Infinity Gauntlet is first seen in Odin’s vault at Asgard, though this is later revealed to be a fake. Thanos first dons the glove in the post credits of “Age of Ultron,” yet in “Infinity War,” the Gauntlet’s maker, Eitri, king of the dwarfs, and Thor make comments that suggest the Gauntlet was created recently. So how could Odin have a copy of a one-of-a-kind object made near when he died?
#8: “The Incredible Hulk”
Top 10 Greatest Hulk MCU Moments
Just to clarify, we’re not talking about the character, the Hulk, but rather the only film in the MCU starring the Hulk in a lead role. Although it was one of the first films in the franchise, Marvel has been doing its best to distance itself from the movie. They rarely reference anything that happened in it in subsequent films, and only feature one returning character besides Bruce Banner. Part of this is due to copyright disputes with Universal, though the recasting of the titular role may also have something to do with Marvel distancing itself from the movie.
#7: The Ending of “Iron Man 3”
Top 10 Marvel Mistakes Spotted by Fans
The conclusion of the third installment in the “Iron Man” franchise sees Tony Stark overcome his hurdles, including his trauma following the events of “The Avengers.” In addition, he gets surgery to remove the shrapnel from his heart, removing the power core from his chest (we guess, just leaving a big hole there) and even blowing up all his Iron Man suits (which have to cost billions and don’t earn him any money). Yet, despite apparently retiring from the hero business, Tony returns in next “Avengers” movie, with no explanation or mention that Tony retired in the first place. This isn’t the last problem with “Iron Man 3,” either.
#6: Letting Great Directors Go
Marvel has a certain tone and style to its movies. While this does make its cinematic universe truly feel as if each film takes place in the same world, it also places a kind of creative straitjacket on the directors. Those who aren’t able to reconcile their vision with Marvel’s get the boot, no matter how talented they are. For instance, “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins almost directed the second “Thor” film and Edgar Wright left - or was was let go from, depending on your sources - “Ant-Man,” despite being attached to it for years. Then there’s the case of James Gunn’s firing from “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”…but that’s a whole other can of worms.
#5: “Thor: The Dark World”
Top 10 Things Marvel's Thor Gets Wrong About Norse Mythology
The second installment in the “Thor” franchise is definitely its weakest entry, as well as one of Marvel’s least beloved movies to date. Where to start? Maybe with its drab color palette and cringeworthy humor. Then there’s the uninteresting villain and poorly conveyed plot. All of this makes it pale in comparison to its origin story predecessor and its colorful and hilarious follow-up. “Thor: The Dark World” is not a bad film by any means, but it’s very middle of the road, which is why it made the middle of our list.
#4: Weak Female Movie Presence
The MCU has made great strides in world building across movies and TV shows and has delivered some excellent content nearly across the board. Yet it’s fallen somewhat flat in the area of representation, particularly with female-led films. The small screen has done well with TV shows starring women, like “Jessica Jones” and “Agent Carter.” But the big screen has been slow to match this success, or even attempt it. Although there are plenty of great female characters in the MCU, it has taken until 2019 to get a female starring superhero movie in “Captain Marvel.” 11 years is a long time to keep dropping a ball that much.
#3: Forgettable / Underdeveloped Villains
One of the most commonly cited complaints about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that its villains don’t leave much of an impression. While it has a few notables, like Killmonger, Thanos, or Loki, a great many of its movie villains are rather forgettable. Several are “dark” versions of their heroes or have generic motivations of conquest without any adequately described backstories. Even well-received movies like the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” can suffer from this. We’re not saying every villain needs an origin movie, but some buildup might be nice – and it’d be easier to get that if they weren’t killed off at the end of every movie!
#2: “Inhumans”
The MCU has had precious few outright flops across multiple media, but one of its biggest is definitely “Inhumans.” Originally envisioned as a film, “Inhumans” instead debuted as a TV series, though its first two episodes did indeed premiere on IMAX screens. It seemed like a good gimmick, but the big screen only made its flaws more noticeable. With little to no compelling characters or stories, shoddy effects, and ridiculous costumes, “Inhumans” is definitely one of Marvel’s low points in the last decade and one they’d probably rather the public forget about.
#1: The Mandarin Twist
Top 10 Worst Marvel Studios Decisions
We said we weren’t done with “Iron Man 3!” As the third instalment in the “Iron Man” franchise, fan expectations were high for the movie, and the appearance of Iron Man’s arch nemesis, the Mandarin, promised a great finale. However, many fans were disappointed to discover that the mastermind behind the film’s events was using an actor to pose as “the Mandarin,” turning the character into a joke. This would be comparable to the Joker being revealed to be a party clown instead of a criminal genius. Although Marvel released a short that implies that the actual Mandarin is still out there, it was too little too late.
