WIRED’s Peter Rubin spoke with Chris Robichaud, Senior Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, to find out about deontology, consequentialism and more.
How do Iron Man and Captain America differ as leaders? What makes the Avengers different from the Guardians of the Galaxy? And what moral philosophy does Thanos embody?
Check out Chris Robichaud’s free online class, “Power and Responsibility: Doing Philosophy with Superheroes”
Please do not come here if you haven’t seen the film. It is an epic conclusion 11 years in the making. Regardless of how much you like superhero movies, it is a huge milestone that will likely never be replicated or surpassed.
After the film yesterday I had such good discussion with random strangers about the plot and questions and awesome moments while the credits were rolling, however as soon as we stepped into the lobby we had to put it all on hold to avoid ruining the experience for others waiting in line.
So, I decided to create this post for discussion of the plot and spoilers. Did you have questions about what happened? Do you want to geek out over something? Go wild. This is a spoiler filled zone! So don’t scroll down to the comments unless you have seen the film or are otherwise okay with the story being spoiled.
As if you thought I could have an in depth discussion of Infinity War without revealing plot information. Obviously, if you haven’t seen this film you either don’t want to or haven’t found the time. In either case, you need to sort out your priorities. Just kidding, don’t get so bent out of shape!
While we wait for the uninitiated to click elsewhere (Perhaps to this list of my other highly anticipated Summer movies) let me set the stage on the magnitude of this epic film. The now expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe had an auspicious beginning with a 2nd rate hero that hardly anyone knew and a team with a lot of faith. Kevin Feige (now the President of Marvel Studios) said in a 2017 interview with Vanity Fair, “Marvel didn’t have money on the line. They would have lost the film rights to some of the characters, but it was sort of a great experiment. People forget Iron Man was an independent movie.”
It was an ambitious beginning for this brand new production company with zero credits under their belt. They brought on the teams and the talent they needed to make the two superhero movies that they envisioned, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. At that point there was no plan for a 22 movie story arc and an expanded cinematic and television universe. They didn’t even have a follow-up in the works for 2009.
Someone asked at the 2007 Comic-Con, when the fans got their first look at Iron Man, if Avengers was possible and I think they got a chuckle and said that they were focused on making the best Iron Man movie and if they succeeded in that goal then it could open doors for them to make other films. They were blown away by the response of the fans and immediately began actively working towards this unification of all things Marvel and 4 years later we saw the Avengers take stage.
So now, 10 years later as we have seen 3 Iron Man movies, 3 Thor movies, 3 Captain America movies, 2 Avengers movies, 2 Guardians of the Galaxy movies (who could have predicted that), and stand alone films for the likes of The Incredible Hulk, Ant-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and a deal with Sony that gave us Spider-Man in this universe as well. This is an historic film-making achievement. Never in my wildest dreams as a kid did I imagine that my 35 year old self would get to geek out at the movies at least twice a year thanks to these good people.
With all of this time and dedication over 10 years, the Russo brothers were able to step immediately into the story with over 25 established characters, histories, and motivations. I honestly can’t imagine watching this film without the knowledge that I currently possess. I’m sure that there is someone out there for whom this is their Marvel initiation. If so, I’d love to hear from you to see how confused you were and if you were still able to enjoy the movie.
Alright, last warning! Shove off if you haven’t seen it. It’s time for the adults to talk now.
In a nutshell, Thanos is collecting the 6 Infinity Stones from across the cosmos with the ultimate goal of snapping his fingers and wiping out half of all sentient life everywhere. All of our heroes (except Ant-Man and Hawkeye) team up to attempt to stop to his plan. This means that our intergalactic band of miscreants meets the God of Thunder, Tony Stark’s mind is opened to a world of mystical arts that he had never experienced, and the scrawny patriot from Brooklyn gets to fight alongside a talking tree. It is truly a thing to behold.
I think the best way to break down everything that we saw would be character by character, seeing how things unfold through their eyes and with their motivations. That way you can see that there are very few plot holes and that everything flows in an incredibly natural way. I’m not going to do that here. But I recently posted this kind of walk through from Thanos’ perspective.
Instead, I want to look at the big themes of the film and some key lines of dialogue and draw them out into some biblical lessons and parallels.
Throughout the film we get several examples of characters who make sacrifices for the accomplishment of their goal. When Vision learns that Thanos is coming for the Mind Stone embedded in his forehead, he explains to Cap and the others the idea that Scarlet Witch may be able to use her powers to destroy it.
In true Android/Vulcan fashion he believes that it would be the most logical action to prevent Thanos from capturing all 6 Infinity Stones. They immediately dismiss that plan because it would mean that Vision would most likely have to sacrifice himself, since his life force is so intrinsically tied to the stone. The Captain tells Vision, “We don’t trade lives,” to which Vision counters by referring to Cap’s own story of sacrifice to protect millions.
We see Captain’s own words come back to him in the final fight in Wakanda. Captain America tells Vision to run away to safety as he battles Cull Obsidian. Ignoring his advice, Vision instead saves him. When Cap says, “I told you to get out of here,” Vision replies “We don’t trade lives, Captain.” This stood out to me because the idea of trading lives, or at least offering to make that sacrifice is the stuff that real heroes are made of.
As Christians, we know that the only true way to salvation is through the trading of lives. That is what Jesus did for us on the cross. When we see a superhero who is willing to lay down his life to save countless others we see them as an example of Christ.
The idea of sacrifice is not limited to the heroes. Even Thanos, when seeking to gain possession of the Soul Stone, learns that the price of the stone is the soul of a loved one. With this choice, Thanos becomes an Anti-Christ. He is willing to save the world, but only through the sacrifice of others, while Jesus is willing to lay down his own life.
Thanos tells young Gamora after his snap that it cost him everything to accomplish his sick plan of “saving the world”. However, Thanos’ sacrifice led him to seek ultimate power by assuming the form of a God while Christ, who is God, emptied himself and took the form of a servant.
The reason that Logan probably resonated with me so much is because his sacrifice seems so Christlike. In Todd Miles’s book on heresy, Superheroes Can’t Save You, he says:
“Superheroes represent mankind’s best efforts to create saviors, demigods made in our own image, beings who are able to rescue us from the horrors the face us all as humans. The thing is, our best attempts to create such heroes fall desperately short for what we actually need… Superman would not be able to rescue us from our greatest problems, and he certainly would not be able to rescue us from the wrath of God. He is not super enough, not human enough, not compassionate enough, and not divine in any way. He just does not measure up to the one who is more than enough of all those things, Jesus. Superman is not Jesus, and he never will be.”
Some people have complained about the ending because they feel like they know that the snap is going to be undone in the next movie. However, any postulating about the next film shouldn’t take away from the real consequences and trauma that we see in this film. Obviously, my mind was reeling with possibilities as the credits rolled, but that doesn’t take way from the fact that I was wrecked just minutes earlier.
I’ve heard of people sobbing and upset for days if they have a particularly strong connection to a particular character. Especially with some of the most shocking deaths being from two of the newest heroes. Usually, when you walk into a “superhero” movie, you often expect to come away feeling unscathed. We like our heroes to be bulletproof, but with this and other recent movies like Logan we see the fragile humanity of our heroes.
I’m of the belief that mourning and weeping is actually a very healthy place to be. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, since that is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart.” Although Infinity War is very funny, that only makes you fall harder when it comes time to mourn.
Flippancy over death is one of my biggest pet peeves with action films and video games. When an office building full of people crumbles during an alien attack and instead of somber reflection we are presented with a joke, it cheapens death. On the other hand, Infinity War portrays death as a real problem. In this sense, the film can be helpful in raising discussions about our very real mortality and the need for a Savior (a Hero, if you will) who can defeat death once and for all.
The Russo brothers were brave to end Infinity War the way they did. It doesn’t end with all of the story lines neatly tied up in a satisfactory conclusion. Instead, it leaves us wanting more, wondering what happens next. Things are not right with the world and we know from a sense of innate justice and years of conditioning that the wrongs must be righted.
Any kind of real Marvel fan will know that there will be a next installment. We already have dates on the calendar for Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel and even the conclusion to Infinity War in what we now know as just Avengers 4. It looks like it will be the Return of the Jedi to this The Empire Strikes Back. This puts fans in an interesting place. We are forced to accept the shattered landscape of this superhero world all while holding onto the hope that there is a day coming when all wrongs will be made right.
Christians know this feeling all to well. We live in the wilderness awaiting the culmination of the promise of the gospel. All around us, it can seem like evil is winning and Satan is laughing. But there is great hope even in the midst of the darkness because the Bible says that just as Christ ascended into heaven, he will come again in glory and all of creation will breathe a sigh of relief as our longings are satisfied. It’s vastly different in terms of magnitude, but this tension can be felt in stories like Infinity War which leaves the audience looking for consolation in a future hope.
What about you? Did you pull any nuggets of wisdom from Avengers: Infinity War? What do you think about my ideas? How did you like the movie? Do you want me to stop asking questions? Then leave me a comment below or hit me up on social media. As always, I’ll see you at the movies.
I found myself trying to tell someone what Avengers: Infinity War was all about but with so many great characters that we have grown to know and love I can’t just sum it up in a couple of tight sentences. So I’m going to go scene by scene with the characters as we meet them in the film and take you through the character’s actions and motivations.
Let’s start with the big bad. I feel like this is really Thanos’ movie. He is given humanity and realistic motivations. He’s not just some impersonal CGI creation bent on world domination. We come to feel for him and even empathize with him at times. We’ve seen him a couple of times in the previous movies but really haven’t had an opportunity to learn much about him besides the fact that he makes lots of people nervous and that he is Gamora’s dad and killed Drax’s wife and daughter.
I don’t know why people get so upset about my plan. I am trying to make sure that there are enough resources to go around. All of these mouths to feed are taking a toll on our universe. It can’t be allowed to continue unchecked. My plan will eliminate poverty, hunger, war, and so much more. I’m not looking for supreme power or domination, I just want to rest and let the universe thank me for their newfound peace and prosperity.
It is an unfortunate consequence that half of all life must be eliminated for my plan to work, but you know what they say about making omelettes and breaking eggs. When I get all of the Infinity Stones, I will be able to take care of this problem instantly. They won’t feel a thing, it will be as if they never even existed.
I’ve sent several other people to try and collect these stones for me and they continue to fail me. I’m finally just taking matters into my own hands. First, I went over to Zandar and got the Power Stone from the puny Nova Corps. Then I planned to go to Asgard but when I showed up, the planet had just exploded and I got the drop on them. I had heard about this God of Thunder and I was surprised how easily he was subdued.
His slimy brother Loki failed me before and I wasn’t about to trust him again. He had some kind of failed science experiment sucker punch me. He wasn’t much of a Hulk if you ask me. That creepy orange-eyed guy used some kind of magic to make the green guy disappear, so I killed him. Finally, that liar Loki fessed up that he had the Space Stone. I took it from him to add to my collection and then after he tried to sweet talk and stab me, I killed him and left his brother for dead while I told my children to fetch the two stones from Earth while I went to Knowhere to get another stone.
After easily getting the Reality Stone from this freaky guy they call the Collector, I decided to use it to set a trap for my daughter, Gamora. She knows where the Soul Stone is located, it is the one that I still haven’t found, so I need her to tell me. I knew that as soon as she heard that I was collecting the stones she would come looking for me. I might not have been the dad of the year, but I taught her to be an amazingly strong and powerful warrior and even though she hates me and wants to kill me, I’m proud of her and want her with me.
My trap works perfectly and Gamora shows up. They think they are getting the drop on me and I let her think that she killed me. As if it would be that easy. She also brought along her boyfriend who calls himself Starman or something like that, he’s very confident and it seems like she genuinely cares for him. After I pulled back the curtain to let them know that I had fooled them, she revealed that she trusted him to kill her if it got to this point. I wanted to see what the boyfriend would do, and after a little prodding, he finally pulled the trigger. I used my cool new stone to make bubbles come out of the blaster. I love bubbles. Starman seems like a good guy. I hope he doesn’t vanish once I snap my fingers.
I take Gamora back to my ship and remind her how I chose her out of all the people on her planet to be my child. How I turned her burned out husk of a planet into a paradise. I asked her to join me in my plan but she is holding onto a big grudge about her childhood. She’s refused to tell me where the Soul Stone is located, so I took her in to visit her sister who was foolish enough to sneak onto my ship. I thought that Gamora hated me, but Nebula almost killed me so I have her trapped here. Nebula’s video recorders already confirmed my suspicion that Gamora has the information that I need.
I’m done with Nebula and should have killed her for betraying me with that traitor Ronan. But I’m hoping that I can use Gamora’s sympathy for my advantage. I only have to turn the screws on Nebula for a few moments before Gamora caves and tells me that she found out that the Soul Stone is hidden on Formir. It’s not going to take my children long to retrieve the stones from those weaklings on Earth, so I take Gamora with me to Formir so she can show me where the stone is located.
When we get to the mountain where Gamora says the stone is located, we meet a mysteriously cloaked man who has a red head. He’s not a ginger, his skin and whole head is bright red. I’m not sure if that happened when he got rejected by the stone or what, but he tells us that he’s cursed to guard the Soul Stone but can never wear it himself. To get the stone I have to sacrifice something I really love…
This is hard. There is only one beautiful little girl that comes to my mind. I wanted to train her to rule by my side and to eventually take my place, but I can’t let some pesky emotions get in the way of my goal. She fought me and will probably never forgive me, but with a tear in my eye I throw her off the cliff and as she careens towards the rocks below, I blink and find myself lying in a pool at the base of the mountain. I open my hand and the Soul Stone is in my grasp.
I told my Children that I would meet them back on Titan to get the other two stones from Earth. When I arrived, the place was deserted and I met a wizard from Earth who apparently crashed Ebony Maw’s spaceship there. Pretty soon, I realize that this is a trap and there are half a dozen people fighting me all at once trying to get my glove off. Everything is a blur, but a remember that the wizard was with the boyfriend, the genius in the suit of armor, the obnoxious kid in the red and blue outfit, a creepy looking girl with antennae, and some shirtless guy who screamed a lot.
At one point they actually got me pinned down after I pulled a moon out of orbit and sent it crashing onto the planet. I expected that to kill all of these annoyances but they worked well as a team and the creepy girl was able to jump on top of me and tried to put me to sleep. I remember taking that moment to remember Gamora and her sweet face. Maybe I should have taken a few minutes to breathe and mourn before I came here. She was so innocent when I met her all those years ago. I taught her everything I knew and all of these emotions came crashing down as they were forcing me to rest.
I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear the boyfriend asking about Gamora. I could hear that he cared for her and was just as upset as I am. If he hadn’t gotten so angry, they would have probably gotten the gauntlet. I don’t know what might have happened then, but the creepy girl broke her sleeper hold on me for a second and I was able to break free again. And somehow, Nebula was there! How the hell did she get off my ship? I wish it could have been her instead of Gamora.
After their sneak attack failed, they all took turns fighting me but I was able to fight them off and I stabbed the man in the metal suit with a sword that he was fighting me with. As he was dying in front of me, the wizard offered me a deal. He gave me the Time Stone and made me promise not to kill him. I figured he would die pretty soon anyway so I took the stone and used the Space Stone to go to Earth to find out what is taking so long with the other stone.
I arrive on earth to find that Proxima and Corvus have come up against a battle in Wakanda. I’ve heard about this place and their amazing technology. I had even wondered if the Soul Stone might be located there, but their fighters have actually managed to not only kill my Children but have been able to fend off my Outriders as well.
All of the warriors begin attacking me right out of the gate. There were several versions of the metal armor of Tony Stark’s that I fought on Titan, a man in a cat costume, a woman with bright white hair, a mutant raccoon and a living tree. I never knew Earth was such a colorful place, and I have to hand it to those humans, they are stronger than I thought, one of the fighters got in a couple punches and even held me off for a moment before I knocked him out cold.
My goal was to get to the android who has the Mind Stone embedded in his forehead. When I got to him, his girlfriend was attacking the stone and fighting me off all at once. Her ferocity reminds me of Gamora. As she destroys the stone and he is decimated along with it, she collapses to the ground in tears. I confess to her that today has been a difficult one but that time heals all wounds. Using the Time Stone, I rewind until the Mind Stone is back in one piece. Shocked, his girlfriend stares on in horror as I pluck the stone from his forehead and cast his faded out husk into the dust.
Finally, they are all mine. Power, Space, Reality, Soul, Time, and Mind. But before I can do anything, that irritating God of Thunder is back. Somehow he survived and he’s got a very large ax headed my way.
AAARGH!!
Thor has shoved this ax right into my body and now he is seething about the death of his brother and is pushing the ax deeper still. But I realize that I still have control of my hand. I say, “You should have aimed for the head,” before I snap my fingers.
For a moment, I see my daughter in a lonesome place where the sun is setting. She asks if I did it and I confirm that it is finished. She asks what it cost, and I explain as I choke back a tear that it cost everything. Thor asks what I did and I open up a portal and go home.
I have accomplished what I set out to do. As the sun sets, I sit on my front steps. The gauntlet looks terrible like the power it took to carry out my command has permanently damaged it. I take a deep breath and rest knowing that my plan is being carried out and that soon the cries of a thankful universe will be lifted up. You are welcome, my Children. You are welcome.
Did I miss anything? How did this movie make you feel about Thanos? I think it was a great accomplishment on the part of the Artists, Josh Brolin, and the writers to bring this Eternal to life and make him someone that we can shed a tear for. Which character’s journey would you like to hear next? I’m hoping to do at least 12 of the main characters. Maybe I’ll release one every month to keep the story fresh in my mind until we get the next chapter in the saga in 2019.
It is so hard to distinguish between the best movies of the year and the ones that I like to watch repeatedly. Sometimes they are one and the same. I absolutely loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but I have a feeling that my enjoyment of the movie is more about my personal connection than the actual worth of the film.
There are also several very good films that I consider extremely worthy of being considered the best of the year, such as; Lincoln, Life of Pi, The Master, and Silver Linings Playbook. They are honorable mentions, but unfortunately I had to cut it down to three.
Director James Wan, who will be helming his very own superhero flick with the DC Extended Universe’s Aquaman, recently opened up to Collider and answered that very question, saying:
I think a big part of it is because we’re finally at the point where we can actually tell these larger than life stories and have the technology to make them work. That’s one factor, that we can create these whizz-bang visuals to go with the story and ultimately superheroes say a lot about the society we grow up in. Pretty much all the good superheroes have some kind of social commentary about why they are who they are. It teaches values and so it’s a very important thing. On one hand it works on a surface level because it’s super incredible to watch from a visual feast standpoint but on another level it works on a very human level it works on a very human, emotional level and I think it makes it fun for us. Let me pose you a question. Do you think people are having superhero fatigue?
James Wan’s statement offers some answers and as well as an important question, while also erasing any trace of doubt as to whether or not he’ll be able to make Aquaman a successful superhero flick. He just gets it.
To start, James Wan cites our current technology as what is causing this superhero renaissance. This seems to make a great deal of sense. Sure, comic fans would have liked to see Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman together kicking some ass years ago, but the visual effects might not have allowed the action sequences to be what they should have been. We certainly got some questionable Batman flicks in the 90’s, with the Dark Knight becoming campy and with less intense fight scenes. We’re in a point where action sequences become some of the highlights of superhero movies, with amazing and extensive scenes like Captain America: Civil War‘s airport battle and Batman v Superman‘s heroic beatdown truly wowing audiences.
Additionally, James Wan notes that there is something essentially moral about superhero movies. These heroes fight for what is right, we all inherently want the good guys to win and for villains to get their comeuppance. Sorry Suicide Squad.
But the Conjuring and Aquaman director ended this statement on an important question. Are we facing superhero fatigue? With so many heroes dominating both the small and big screen, it definitely has the potential to become a bit saturated and stale. The MCU might be untouchable, but it’s entirely possible that other studios may suffer in the future due to overcrowding. Only time will tell.
Wan’s Aquaman will be released on July 27, 2018.
Source: Cinema Blend
