Story: "Hairpins" Part 23
Apr. 11th, 2014 12:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis story belongs to the series Love Is For Children which includes "Love Is for Children," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys,""Saudades," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," "Birthday Girl," "No Winter Lasts Forever," "Hide and Seek," "Kernel Error," "Happy Hour," and "Green Eggs and Hulk."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, JARVIS, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanova, Bruce Banner.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: This story is mostly fluff, but it has some intense scenes in the middle. Highlight for details. These include dubious consent as Phil and JARVIS discuss what really happened when Agent Coulson hacked his way into Stark Tower, over which Phil has something between a flashback and a panic attack. They also discuss some of the bad things that have happened to Avengers in the past, including various flavors of abuse. If these are sensitive topics for you, please think carefully before deciding whether to read onward.
Summary: Uncle Phil needs to pick out pajamas for game night. He gets help from an unexpected direction.
Notes: Service. Shopping. Gifts. Artificial intelligence. Computers. Teamwork. Team as family. Friendship. Communication. Hope. Apologies. Forgiveness. Nonsexual ageplay. Nonsexual intimacy. Love. Tony Stark needs a hug. Bruce Banner needs a hug. #coulsonlives.
Begin with Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22. Skip to Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28.
WARNING: Phil suspects that something else is bothering JARVIS, and coaxes him into talking about that unpleasant incident as well. That time in Malibu is harsh in the telling. Think about your mental state before clicking through.
"Hairpins" Part 23
The agitation in his voice made Phil worry more. "JARVIS, is there something else eating at you besides that particular incident?"
"... yes," JARVIS said. "You would not like to hear of it, though, as there is little that can be done beyond our subsequent precautions. The information may prove damaging to a relationship you value. I do not wish to cause distress for no good purpose."
What relationship? Phil wondered desperately. Did one of the other Avengers do something wrong? No, that doesn't make any sense. Tony would know about it, and whoever was at fault, he'd kick them to the curb. Well, maybe not, but he would at least make a scene and demand restitution. Phil rubbed one thumb over the other, lost in thought. Whatever it is, I can't let this slide.
"I appreciate the warning," Phil said. "You're my friend, though, and part of the Avengers. If someone hurt you, then I need to know about that, especially if they might try again. As for my relationship ..." Phil made an unhappy noise. "JARVIS, if somebody's attacking my friends, that relationship is already damaged, I just don't know about it yet. I'd rather find out before it collapses under me in a crisis." He did his best to prepare himself for the bad news.
"After Afghanistan, after Stane, sir and I were still in the process of making the upgrades from the most recent assault when we were compromised again," said JARVIS. "Director Fury broke into the Malibu mansion to confront sir with some information. He used nothing like your finesse -- melted down part of the outer security, including the new locks, shorted out the speaker system to shut me up, not to mention inputting a thoroughly obnoxious virus -- it took us days to repair all the damage, afterwards."
It was HIM? Phil thought. The information hit Phil like a punch in the gut. Even with a warning, it knocked the wind out of him. He had expected a mutual acquaintance, but not from that angle. What the HELL were you thinking, Nick?
Phil had to stop and focus on his breathing for a bit. He had known, of course, that Director Fury made contact with Tony several times on various matters of business. What he had not known was precisely how. Suddenly a number of things became clearer, and that made Phil uneasy. This wasn't the first time that something questionable had come to light. It was difficult for Phil to connect stories like this with his own memories of courage under fire.
Did Fury even know that JARVIS is a person? Phil wondered. No, probably not. He has nowhere near my level of computer skill, Tony would never have told him, and JARVIS hides as well as a spy himself. Besides, I can't imagine that it would have stopped Fury from doing whatever he felt necessary. He's too goal-oriented to let that dissuade him. That hurt all the more, knowing the something which made such a difference to Phil would not to Fury. The Director could be just as callous to people he knew. Phil wrapped his arms around himself, trying to soothe an ache that had no physical cause.
* * *
Notes:
Emotional expression affects voice tone as well as body language, reflected in speech emotion analysis. However, the exact tonal cues are difficult to pin down, as are the emotional states conveyed in speech. Some researchers have tried mapping emotions into three-dimensional space to show relationships in how they effect the sound of a voice. Yet our language shows many words to describe voice tone and feelings. This is a concern in artificial intelligence, where showing emotion could improve user interaction. So it's impressive that JARVIS can pack so much feeling into what he says, when he has to synthesize it all from scratch with different equipment than humans use -- and he has to extrapolate what to do by listening to people, because the technical descriptions are minimal as yet.
As a master spy, Phil is also adept at discerning emotion in people's speech. There are ways to know if a friend is upset. Advice differs for getting a girl or a boy to talk about what's bothering them.
Abuse is often kept secret, but doing so can cause problems. Wanting to protect someone is a common reason, as is feeling that there is little or nothing to be done about the offense, both of which JARVIS touches on. Think about how to distinguish between safe and unsafe secrets. JARVIS is a security system and thus has a lot of experience deciding what to tell or not to tell. But Tony is a lousy example, particularly regarding his own health and demanding that JARVIS keep secrets that were hurtful to keep. JARVIS did so, because he valued their relationship above his own comfort, but it still put him in an awful position. Despite that damage, JARVIS is functional enough to talk about difficult issues now that he's found someone trustworthy.
Sometimes friends do bad things. On the one hand, you want to remember the good they've done. There are terrible impulses in everyone. On the other, it's hard to respond in a loving way. This is especially true if a respected coworker asks you to do something unethical. Phil has to deal with the fact that Fury, whom he likes and admires, has not only done yet another reprehensible thing but wouldn't even care anymore. That's all the more jarring after Phil's recent revelations. There are steps to take when a friend hurts you. It can be worse when your friend hurts other people. What Phil feels is related to the experience of friends and family of child molesters.
Bad friends distinguish themselves in various ways. They may give you awful advice or leave you covering their tracks. They may be pushy, cruel, or untrustworthy. Know how to identify bad friends, along with when and how to end a friendship. There are ways to discourage someone from hanging with the wrong crowd.
Disappointment is a feeling of letdown when circumstances don't meet expectations. Understand the steps for dealing with disappointment and with people who disappoint you. Phil is upset by Fury's behavior -- remember, Phil looks to Steve as his moral compass, and that's a big gap. Of course, Fury's spy skills differ from Phil's to begin with, hence their respective methods of breaking into Tony's territory.
[To be continued in Part 24 ...]
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, JARVIS, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanova, Bruce Banner.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: This story is mostly fluff, but it has some intense scenes in the middle. Highlight for details. These include dubious consent as Phil and JARVIS discuss what really happened when Agent Coulson hacked his way into Stark Tower, over which Phil has something between a flashback and a panic attack. They also discuss some of the bad things that have happened to Avengers in the past, including various flavors of abuse. If these are sensitive topics for you, please think carefully before deciding whether to read onward.
Summary: Uncle Phil needs to pick out pajamas for game night. He gets help from an unexpected direction.
Notes: Service. Shopping. Gifts. Artificial intelligence. Computers. Teamwork. Team as family. Friendship. Communication. Hope. Apologies. Forgiveness. Nonsexual ageplay. Nonsexual intimacy. Love. Tony Stark needs a hug. Bruce Banner needs a hug. #coulsonlives.
Begin with Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22. Skip to Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28.
WARNING: Phil suspects that something else is bothering JARVIS, and coaxes him into talking about that unpleasant incident as well. That time in Malibu is harsh in the telling. Think about your mental state before clicking through.
"Hairpins" Part 23
The agitation in his voice made Phil worry more. "JARVIS, is there something else eating at you besides that particular incident?"
"... yes," JARVIS said. "You would not like to hear of it, though, as there is little that can be done beyond our subsequent precautions. The information may prove damaging to a relationship you value. I do not wish to cause distress for no good purpose."
What relationship? Phil wondered desperately. Did one of the other Avengers do something wrong? No, that doesn't make any sense. Tony would know about it, and whoever was at fault, he'd kick them to the curb. Well, maybe not, but he would at least make a scene and demand restitution. Phil rubbed one thumb over the other, lost in thought. Whatever it is, I can't let this slide.
"I appreciate the warning," Phil said. "You're my friend, though, and part of the Avengers. If someone hurt you, then I need to know about that, especially if they might try again. As for my relationship ..." Phil made an unhappy noise. "JARVIS, if somebody's attacking my friends, that relationship is already damaged, I just don't know about it yet. I'd rather find out before it collapses under me in a crisis." He did his best to prepare himself for the bad news.
"After Afghanistan, after Stane, sir and I were still in the process of making the upgrades from the most recent assault when we were compromised again," said JARVIS. "Director Fury broke into the Malibu mansion to confront sir with some information. He used nothing like your finesse -- melted down part of the outer security, including the new locks, shorted out the speaker system to shut me up, not to mention inputting a thoroughly obnoxious virus -- it took us days to repair all the damage, afterwards."
It was HIM? Phil thought. The information hit Phil like a punch in the gut. Even with a warning, it knocked the wind out of him. He had expected a mutual acquaintance, but not from that angle. What the HELL were you thinking, Nick?
Phil had to stop and focus on his breathing for a bit. He had known, of course, that Director Fury made contact with Tony several times on various matters of business. What he had not known was precisely how. Suddenly a number of things became clearer, and that made Phil uneasy. This wasn't the first time that something questionable had come to light. It was difficult for Phil to connect stories like this with his own memories of courage under fire.
Did Fury even know that JARVIS is a person? Phil wondered. No, probably not. He has nowhere near my level of computer skill, Tony would never have told him, and JARVIS hides as well as a spy himself. Besides, I can't imagine that it would have stopped Fury from doing whatever he felt necessary. He's too goal-oriented to let that dissuade him. That hurt all the more, knowing the something which made such a difference to Phil would not to Fury. The Director could be just as callous to people he knew. Phil wrapped his arms around himself, trying to soothe an ache that had no physical cause.
* * *
Notes:
Emotional expression affects voice tone as well as body language, reflected in speech emotion analysis. However, the exact tonal cues are difficult to pin down, as are the emotional states conveyed in speech. Some researchers have tried mapping emotions into three-dimensional space to show relationships in how they effect the sound of a voice. Yet our language shows many words to describe voice tone and feelings. This is a concern in artificial intelligence, where showing emotion could improve user interaction. So it's impressive that JARVIS can pack so much feeling into what he says, when he has to synthesize it all from scratch with different equipment than humans use -- and he has to extrapolate what to do by listening to people, because the technical descriptions are minimal as yet.
As a master spy, Phil is also adept at discerning emotion in people's speech. There are ways to know if a friend is upset. Advice differs for getting a girl or a boy to talk about what's bothering them.
Abuse is often kept secret, but doing so can cause problems. Wanting to protect someone is a common reason, as is feeling that there is little or nothing to be done about the offense, both of which JARVIS touches on. Think about how to distinguish between safe and unsafe secrets. JARVIS is a security system and thus has a lot of experience deciding what to tell or not to tell. But Tony is a lousy example, particularly regarding his own health and demanding that JARVIS keep secrets that were hurtful to keep. JARVIS did so, because he valued their relationship above his own comfort, but it still put him in an awful position. Despite that damage, JARVIS is functional enough to talk about difficult issues now that he's found someone trustworthy.
Sometimes friends do bad things. On the one hand, you want to remember the good they've done. There are terrible impulses in everyone. On the other, it's hard to respond in a loving way. This is especially true if a respected coworker asks you to do something unethical. Phil has to deal with the fact that Fury, whom he likes and admires, has not only done yet another reprehensible thing but wouldn't even care anymore. That's all the more jarring after Phil's recent revelations. There are steps to take when a friend hurts you. It can be worse when your friend hurts other people. What Phil feels is related to the experience of friends and family of child molesters.
Bad friends distinguish themselves in various ways. They may give you awful advice or leave you covering their tracks. They may be pushy, cruel, or untrustworthy. Know how to identify bad friends, along with when and how to end a friendship. There are ways to discourage someone from hanging with the wrong crowd.
Disappointment is a feeling of letdown when circumstances don't meet expectations. Understand the steps for dealing with disappointment and with people who disappoint you. Phil is upset by Fury's behavior -- remember, Phil looks to Steve as his moral compass, and that's a big gap. Of course, Fury's spy skills differ from Phil's to begin with, hence their respective methods of breaking into Tony's territory.
[To be continued in Part 24 ...]
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-17 12:06 am (UTC)Maybe AI labs is where we could start testing for "are you ready to parent?"
Hollywood needs to let go. "Needing" someone to treat like N**** is a sign.
I think the writing of strategy is tighter, so he's not batshit and yet the contrast between his acceptable and Steve's are clear. Nice bit of triangulation between good and evil.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-17 07:57 am (UTC)Agreed.
It is much like writers being unable to distinguish between being a strong woman, and being a bitch. In particular, strong black men have a similar problem; but Sam Wilson nailed the hell out of that target, which left Fury looking like even more of a dick.
Okay, somebody needs to write fic where Sam takes one look at Nick and decides to FIX him. And Nick does not get a saving throw on that because of all the times he's futtered everyone else's boundaries.
>> Maybe AI labs is where we could start testing for "are you ready to parent?" <<
That would be a great idea.
>> Hollywood needs to let go. "Needing" someone to treat like N**** is a sign. <<
True. But I felt that in I, Robot it was an awesome illustration of social progression, the way different groups get stuffed on the bottom of the heap. The movie did a great job of showing why it's a fucking stupid thing to do. Sadly it is a prevailing, though not quite universal, tendency of human societies to want dregs.
>> I think the writing of strategy is tighter, so he's not batshit and yet the contrast between his acceptable and Steve's are clear. Nice bit of triangulation between good and evil. <<
Agreed. The moral commentary was much more sophisticated here, especially with Sam cleaving to Steve. Which makes me think I would also really enjoy watching Sam help fix Bucky, because that job is almost exclusively left to Steve and Natasha.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-17 03:45 pm (UTC)Ah, so an intentional mirror, rather like how the Earthers in Alien Nation were running the gamut. Here in Captain America 2 Fury is getting the cup of ashes.
One man makes a difference usually by others standing up to follow.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-05-06 01:43 am (UTC)That's the impression I got. Also Sam is a lot healthier -- he learned how to put himself back together. Fury is still insisting that he's FINE DAMMIT.
Riiiiiight. That's the face Tony usually makes just before he falls over.
>> There are some stories where Cheese (Coulson) is the exception to Nick's I go it alone, not matter the size of my organization tail. <<
Yeah, those can be good.
>> Ah, so an intentional mirror, rather like how the Earthers in Alien Nation were running the gamut. Here in Captain America 2 Fury is getting the cup of ashes. <<
Yes, exactly.
>> One man makes a difference usually by others standing up to follow. <<
Agreed. Steve is good at that, but so is Sam.
*grin* "I do what he does, just slower."
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-17 04:54 pm (UTC)Is it because Nick Fury is black, though? I'm not seeing it that way. Nick Fury is a totally different man than Sam Wilson; Sam focused on HELPING OTHERS after dealing with the awful crap he went through as a soldier. Nick Fury, also a soldier, also went through awful crap. His solution was vastly different: become the kind of bully NO ONE wanted to take on, just to "guarantee" it didn't happen to him again. Except, of course, that makes him the perpetrator of awful crap for others.
I'm not denying that there's still racism in the way entertainment portrays blacks.
I'm denying the idea that it's the ONLY lens through which to view Fury's craptastic decisions.
>>The moral commentary was much more sophisticated here, especially with Sam cleaving to Steve. Which makes me think I would also really enjoy watching Sam help fix Bucky, because that job is almost exclusively left to Steve and Natasha.<<
Who says the job is left to Steve and Natasha? Not talking about the movie-- spoiler city, right now-- but why is there ANY implication that Bucky could or would turn to Steve after the things he did as the Winter Soldier? Bucky "let them both down". My prediction is that the next official canon will have Bucky on his own, trying to figure out his life and what to do next, while he lands in a storm of epic-superhero-proportions and just has to become a "hero" because no one else is doing anything but running scared. I just hope they tackle the plot more effectively than the Wolverine movie with the motorbike, y'know? Marvel really can't seem to develop a CHARACTER well enough to pull off the solo-identity-crisis theme AT ALL, let alone well!
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-19 02:24 am (UTC)But yes, that would suit MCU Bucky.
Nick is a spy, and he's imbibed the kool-aid. He'd have sided with the Registration side of Civil War, not getting why Steve knows it is wrong. "I'm not doing this for myself. I'm known, you already have plans in place should you decide to take me down. But there are citizens that stand no chance, that are no threat, and you want to inventory them. I just came from another war started just the same way and not here, not while I've breath and blood."
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-19 07:06 am (UTC)That's part of it. However, I was also referring to the Bucky fanfic written prior to The Winter Soldier movie. He is almost always paired with Steve and/or Natasha if someone is helping him break free or recover his memories. Post-movie, Sam Wilson becomes not just a plausible addition, but a skilled one. That's awesome.
>> Nick is a spy, and he's imbibed the kool-aid. He'd have sided with the Registration side of Civil War, not getting why Steve knows it is wrong. <<
The Civil War creeps me the fuck out. It's something I've hinted at, very obliquely, in this series, but it would play out totally different than in canon because it would never get that far. A better-meshed team, and especially Steve and Tony talking to each other, would kill it early.
>> "I'm not doing this for myself. I'm known, you already have plans in place should you decide to take me down. But there are citizens that stand no chance, that are no threat, and you want to inventory them. I just came from another war started just the same way and not here, not while I've breath and blood." <<
Exactly.
One thing I love about Magneto is that he's right. Somebody's always going to pick a fight over differences, and in certain cases it's very predictable and very bloody. His methods are deplorable, but his willingness to fight for species survival is perfectly justified.
His ubermensch attitude I chalk up to Shaw chopping him to dogmeat. Nobody's walking away from that fight intact, even if they walk away breathing. Erik knew better than to believe one group of people was inherently better than others, until he got into a mindfight that hosed him with someone else's insanity. Tch. Heartbreaking casualty, that one.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-19 08:24 am (UTC)Try this on for nightmare fuel: Erik grew up part of a very persecuted minority, at a time when not just Germany but most of the world seemed eager to annihilate anyone they considered 'inferior'. Shaw does a HUGE amount of damage to Erik's sanity, in ways that Erik as a kid can't really SEE, let alone fight against. He becomes part of ANOTHER fight for survival, for recognition, eventual (hoped for) equality, and all that insanity twists in his head into one terrifying question: what if we CANNOT win this fight, either?
Erik can't deal with that, not in a boat, not in a train, he would not like that here or there... The only way he can even parse the FEAR of the question is to turn it around and MAKE himself believe that the physical mutations in human DNA will create changes in their thinking, enough to make them legitimately, biologically, "better than" H. sapiens sapiens.
Otherwise, everything he ever suffered under the banner of "racial identity" was pointless.
If Magneto lets go of his ubermensch belief, well, it's exactly like Loki letting go of the staff while hanging over the Bifrost.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-19 09:01 am (UTC)That alone was enough PDSD to create a supervillain out of almost any mutant. The really disturbing thing? Hitler genuinely was hunting for 'unusual' people and magical artifacts.
>> Shaw does a HUGE amount of damage to Erik's sanity, in ways that Erik as a kid can't really SEE, let alone fight against. <<
Yes, I like that, because you can't fix what you can't see.
How Charles managed to touch that and not inhale enough ocean to drown them both is beyond me. I can only surmise that his own fucked-up childhood left his talent with some rather bizarre safety catches.
>> He becomes part of ANOTHER fight for survival, for recognition, eventual (hoped for) equality, and all that insanity twists in his head into one terrifying question: what if we CANNOT win this fight, either? <<
Yyyyyeah. That's never going to end well.
>> Erik can't deal with that, not in a boat, not in a train, he would not like that here or there... <<
*chuckle* I love your phrasing.
>> The only way he can even parse the FEAR of the question is to turn it around and MAKE himself believe that the physical mutations in human DNA will create changes in their thinking, enough to make them legitimately, biologically, "better than" H. sapiens sapiens. <<
I can see that.
>> Otherwise, everything he ever suffered under the banner of "racial identity" was pointless.
If Magneto lets go of his ubermensch belief, well, it's exactly like Loki letting go of the staff while hanging over the Bifrost. <<
I think what will eventually knock him off that hold is this: it's not working. Erik and Charles parted company over ideology. They each believed that their way was the right and only way. But. They couldn't quite get over each other. So there was this ... tiiiiiny ... little Plan B in each man's mind, that if his way didn't work, the other would. It's why, aside from a severely impacted love, they haven't killed each other. They really believed that one or the other would work.
It hasn't. Here we are decades later, and the same shit is going on, and the Mutant Registration idea starts getting around. Sooner or later the two of them are going to have a knock-down, drag-out fight over that. And it's going to soak in that neither of their efforts have solved the problem, here they are as old men and it's all happening again.
Kernel error.
Kernel panic.
And when guys that power have a kernel problem, it is everybody's problem.
Fortunately there is a solution to this, which is that people at opposite ends of a political spectrum need to work together, because two tools are better than one. That's what got lost when Shaw chopped them both to bits. He didn't have to kill them, just cut them badly enough that they couldn't tolerate each other anymore. Doesn't take much Nazi to do that.
Imagine a far more functional Avengers team, and there is at least somebody to sweep up the mess.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-19 02:09 pm (UTC)My headcanon for telepaths is that they are both biologically -as soon as the stem cells begin organizing a nervous system- and psychologically resolute, a self-contained unit. It's the only way that a telepathic infant wouldn't be driven to madness by Mommy and Daddy's /random stray thoughts/. To a telpath, everyone else's thoughts have a distinct 'flavor'. Beyond being able to screen out background noise quickly, it also allows the telepath to /immediately/ recognize, isolate and insulate against external thoughts deliberately intruding into the telepath's own. ("Well, that's worth a look..." from Loki through Doctor Selvig, for example.)
Two telepaths would actively have to establish trust before they could do anything more complex than wail like a car alarm in the other's vicinity.
For the differences between a telepath and an empath, see Firefly/Serenity and the Frankenstein process that River went through. Similar processes could have been used to create a very different Black Widow, honed by psychological manipulations which are illegal under the Geneva Convention. Which, of course, both identifies and prevents torture on a global scale.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-19 10:25 pm (UTC)If they're lucky, yes, that's one option.
>> It's the only way that a telepathic infant wouldn't be driven to madness by Mommy and Daddy's /random stray thoughts/. To a telpath, everyone else's thoughts have a distinct 'flavor'. <<
Some people don't come into the talent until later, and it more often arrives slowly than all at once. There's time to adapt. Some have a harder time than others. Canon seems to vary for Charles.
>> Beyond being able to screen out background noise quickly, it also allows the telepath to /immediately/ recognize, isolate and insulate against external thoughts deliberately intruding into the telepath's own. <<
That much seems pretty consistent, the awareness of self and other, although it's also established that strong thoughts or feelings can be overwhelming.
>> ("Well, that's worth a look..." from Loki through Doctor Selvig, for example.) <<
True. Loki is rather intrigued by his stargazer, and Eric is ... well, he's the kind of guy who does shit he really shouldn't For Science.
Two telepaths would actively have to establish trust before they could do anything more complex than wail like a car alarm in the other's vicinity.
>> For the differences between a telepath and an empath, see Firefly/Serenity and the Frankenstein process that River went through. <<
True, but canon indicates that Charles has both telepathy and empathy -- along with a host of related abilities -- although the mental aspect seems stronger than the emotional one. He's a fucking idiot about feelings for decades. Well, that's child abuse in action.
>> Similar processes could have been used to create a very different Black Widow, honed by psychological manipulations which are illegal under the Geneva Convention. Which, of course, both identifies and prevents torture on a global scale. <<
0_o That would be an interesting version of Black Widow. Puts me in mind of Emma Frost, a bit.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-19 05:05 pm (UTC)The whole Nightmares of Futures Past isn't just a global war to prevent or cause a genocide. It's not about two ideologies battling for supremacy in the minds of the public. It's not even the Us versus Them plot that plays on every television in the world every day of the year-- what percentage of it's fiction or non-fiction is up to the reader's level of pessimism.
It's about the regrets one discovers decades after it's too damn late to do anything about it.
And what the one person CHOOSES to do about it.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-04-19 10:17 pm (UTC)True, of course.
>> It's about the regrets one discovers decades after it's too damn late to do anything about it.
And what the one person CHOOSES to do about it. <<
Two people, really. I'm already having All The Feels about Magneto/Professor X just from the trailers. I am so looking forward to the new movie.
I've seen at least one rendition of "Days of Future Past" in X-Men cartoons though. That alone was pretty intense.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2014-05-06 02:11 am (UTC)Fury's ethnicity made certain moves and interpretations possible, whereas a white character would probably have been targeted in a different way and had a different reaction to the scenario. I liked how Cap 2 addressed these issues.
>> Nick Fury is a totally different man than Sam Wilson; Sam focused on HELPING OTHERS after dealing with the awful crap he went through as a soldier. <<
Agreed. And that's a key difference between heroes ("Nobody should ever have to go through this.") and villains ("I'll show you fuckers, nobody's gonna mess with ME again and I'm gonna get MY turn on the top!").
>> Nick Fury, also a soldier, also went through awful crap. His solution was vastly different: become the kind of bully NO ONE wanted to take on, just to "guarantee" it didn't happen to him again. Except, of course, that makes him the perpetrator of awful crap for others. <<
Exactly.
>> I'm not denying that there's still racism in the way entertainment portrays blacks.
I'm denying the idea that it's the ONLY lens through which to view Fury's craptastic decisions. <<
It's not the only way. I just think it's relevant.
>> Who says the job is left to Steve and Natasha? <<
Prior to Cap 2, almost all the Bucky-rescue stories featured Steve or Nat or both in the savior role. The new movie gives us a new rescuer. I like that. I like Sam. He's compassionate without being weak.
>> Not talking about the movie-- spoiler city, right now-- but why is there ANY implication that Bucky could or would turn to Steve after the things he did as the Winter Soldier? <<
1) Bucky doesn't have anywhere else to go.
2) He's a friggin' homing pigeon and so is Steve. They're always going to be drawn together.
3) Bucky knows that Steve sees the best in everyone and tries to save everyone.
4) They love each other.
5) Hometime advantage.
There are a million reasons.
>> Bucky "let them both down". My prediction is that the next official canon will have Bucky on his own, trying to figure out his life and what to do next, while he lands in a storm of epic-superhero-proportions and just has to become a "hero" because no one else is doing anything but running scared. <<
That's entirely possible.
>> I just hope they tackle the plot more effectively than the Wolverine movie with the motorbike, y'know? Marvel really can't seem to develop a CHARACTER well enough to pull off the solo-identity-crisis theme AT ALL, let alone well! <<
Yeah.