A while back, I wrote about how I was getting off the Marvel Cinematic Universe hype train, and don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely still off that train. In fact, I’m currently sitting in the station right now, reading a newspaper and just waiting for my Uber to get here. But here’s the interesting thing. Even though I’m no longer a capital S SUPERFAN of the company's shared universe -- or the Disney+ Marvel shows -- I actually think I like it again. And it’s not like the MCU has changed, as Phase 4 had a lot of issues, and Phase 5, which has upcoming movies and shows, hasn’t been all that great so far, either. And it doesn't look like it’s going to blow me away down the line.
That said, I’ve now come to the conclusion that it doesn’t necessarily have to. In other words, the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t changed. I have. And there are five reasons why I think that change has made me like the franchise all over again.
I Was Getting Pretty Tired Of Feeling Like I Had To Watch Everything That Came Out
Let me tell you. Being a superhero fan during 2022 was exhausting, especially if you tend to see both Marvel and DC movies (which we've ranked). However, it was especially tiring if you followed the sprawling MCU. Three live-action shows were released: Moon Knight (which I both loved and disliked), Ms. Marvel (which was fine) and She-Hulk, which was a great MCU show, in my opinion.
However, even though I was kind of mixed on Phase 4, I was somewhat angry that I felt like I had to watch everything Marvel Studios was producing. Actually, let me walk that back a bit. It angered me that I felt like I had to watch everything, but I was simultaneously that I felt like I didn’t need to. Do you get what I mean?
For example, during the pre-Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame years, it felt like every movie was a vital element in the lead-up to a major confrontation. But then after Endgame, the series felt a bit aimless. So I was miffed over feeling like I had to watch everything but that the story wasn’t really leading me anywhere. It was like, all these new characters were getting introduced, and I couldn’t tell if they would fit into the larger narrative or if their status was going to be in limbo down the line.
But then, I read an article from CinemaBlend’s own Dirk Libbey about one thing he loved about Marvel’s Phase 4, and it put things into perspective for me: “Phase Four of the MCU doesn’t need to be about anything.” And you know what? That’s actually kind of liberating when you think about it! After over a decade of following this cinematic universe to its big climax, it’s kind of nice that I don’t have to watch any of these movies anymore but can just pick and choose what I want to see.
Now that I look back at the fourth phase, I’m keeping that in mind, especially as we move even deeper into this current one. I know the narratives are building up to Kang. (I mean, they were at least before Jonathan Majors’ legal issues). Yet I don’t even care anymore. I now view these projects on a case-by-case basis, which brings me to my next point.
Now That I Don’t Really Care About What’s Coming Next, I Can Just Appreciate What I’m Currently Watching
I’m really liking Loki Season 2 so far, and I think it’s because I’m just enjoying it for the moment and not thinking about how it connects to any sort of larger narrative. I remember when the first season premiered, and one of my students (I’m a teacher, by the way) kept saying that we’d see Kang by the end of the season. At the time, I just blew it off like, 'Whatever, dude. I’ll believe it when I see it,' but lo and behold, my student was right.
Here’s the thing about that, though. All of our conversations about the show revolved around whether Kang would or wouldn’t appear toward the end of the season. So instead of actually focusing on each individual episode, we were always anticipating the end of the season, which is one reason why I think the MCU feels like it’s faltered as of late, especially since these shows have mostly ended on such low notes (For example, the last episode of Secret Invasion, “Home” earned a laughably bad 7% on Rotten Tomatoes.)
I didn’t even bother to watch Secret Invasion beyond the first episode (a fact I’ll get into next). It just goes to show that a lot of people have been following the MCU to learn about what comes next. Now that I don’t care what comes next, I can just enjoy what I’m watching in the moment, which is a relief to be sure.
I Also Feel No Guilt Whatsoever If I Stop Watching Something Because I’m Not Feeling It
As I just mentioned, I watched one episode of Secret Invasion and quickly dropped out. It's a shame, too, since I was initially looking forward to it. But unlike in the past where I would have just suffered until the end like I did with What If…?, I bailed immediately and have no regrets whatsoever. (I mean, how can I now that I know how the series ended?)
I think this is why I like the MCU again, though. I don’t feel the need to sit through something I find awful. I got about halfway through Thor: Love and Thunder before I shut it off. I was also maybe a third of the way through Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania before I thought, 'Naw, I’m done.' And it's a good thing I can watch these movies on Disney+ because, if I'd paid money to see them in a theater, I honestly wouldn't be be as charitable as I am now.
Honestly, it’s the fact that I now feel like I can choose what I want to watch or not that has kind of brought me back into the fold. Though I’ve been enjoying Loki Season 2, if it starts to feel like it’s turning to crap, I won’t feel bad if I stop watching it. For the first time in a long time, it feels like the MCU doesn’t own me, but I own it. And if that’s not power, then I don’t know what is.
With A Show Like Daredevil: Born Again Being Revamped, I Like That Marvel Seems To Be Putting Thought Into The Work
I’m going to be real with you. I think I forced myself to like Moon Knight. You see, the titular hero is my favorite Marvel character, and I think a part of me was just happy to see that the show featured his dissociative identity disorder (DID) to a certain extent. I also like that fans saw all three personas of the character with Marc Spector, Steven Grant and Jake Lockley (at the end).
But the rest of the show? Well, it was a huge disappointment. The protagonist is a street fighter, and his struggles with his disorder often make the character wonder if he even is Moon Knight. In a lot of ways, I think the show MCU’d the character way too much, and I kind of wish that he had gotten the Netflix treatment like Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher (Iron Fist, who?).
More recently, it's been reported that Daredevil: Born Again is starting from scratch, because studio head honcho Kevin Feige wasn’t impressed with what he was seeing. I think that's a step in the right direction, because the writing is on the wall -- the MCU can’t keep putting out mediocre material anymore.
Hopefully, Born Again will feel more like the original Netflix show and not like the Marvel content that's been released as of late.
In The End, I’m Just Enjoying Being A Casual Fan Rather Than A Hardcore One
Admittedly. it’s embarrassing just how much time I’ve wasted online over the years arguing with Synderverse fans about how much better I thought the MCU was. I’ll tell you, being a hardcore fan (of anything, really) is so stressful. And for what? Why the heck was I willing to go to bat for the franchise time and time again when in actuality, it's completely meaningless?
I've changed my ways, though. I like the MCU now. It's in a good place, and I think that’s just great. Being a casual fan feels good after being such a die-hard one for so many years. So now, I’ll watch the superhero offerings on my own terms. In that way, I can embrace the franchise again. Because hey, that’s better than me abandoning it altogether, isn’t it?
Of course, if you want to check out new Marvel Cinematic Universe content or revisit much of what you've already seen, grab a Disney+ subscription and stream away (at your leisure).
