While this was too bombastic like the rest of the finales, relying a bit too much on spectacle, at the heart of this episode was a lovely message about individuality and the worth of a single life serving as a mostly satisfying end to what has been a very weird and often uneven series.
This episode started off strong with a flashback of our Watcher when he was only a disciple known as Uatu. He displayed a lovely sense of innocence, and the questions he asked the Eminence were very telling. While he was chosen to become a Watcher because he does not fear sacrifice, the Eminence couldn’t understand the humanity behind every question Uatu asked. What was even more telling was the Eminence saying that “What If” was an irrelevant question.
It then shifts to the actual trial of Uatu The Watcher, where verbal barbs are thrown back and forth as the Order of Watchers accuses Uatu of crimes against the multiverse. The idea being of course that a Watcher has to observe and record, but never interfere. Where have I heard that before? Anyway, the counter to that argument is that watching countless universes with so much potential wither and die on the vine is far more of a crime than a single nudge of correction.
The sheer hypocrisy and double standard was staggering, and formed the basis for the entire final fight. The messaging really was on point; unfortunately, the rest of the episode was mostly just a pew pew light show. Byrdie, Kahhori and Storm show up to save their friends, arriving just in time as Ultron distracts the order. Can I take a moment to recognize the wonderful balance of having Ultron being a force of good and sacrifice here? A being who decimated an entire universe given enough time to reflect on his own actions, grew a freaking conscience. That’s just a lovely thought, that in the end we’re all inherently good.
Once the fighting commences with the Watcher elevating Captain Carter and her team to the power level of Watchers, it goes from pew pew to literally planet shattering universe bending absurdity. Until the Eminence finally takes off his gloves and attempts to wipe the good guys all from the entirety of the multiverse. Think about that for a second, it would have some rather far reaching consequences because if there is no Peggy, there’s no Captain America and the supposed sacred timeline would be shattered. I won’t even get into the idea of Storm being erased from existence, because yikes.
Bits:
Most of these have comic counterparts, I won’t go into those details. Here is a breakdown of all the alternate hero art at the end of the episode:
Six-armed Spider-man
Samurai Ghost Rider/Ghost Ronin
Riri Williams - Punisher Ironheart
Bride Gamora/Witch Gamora
Moon Knight Blade
Wolverine Thanos/Thanosverine (not my name for him)
Kingo Iron Man
Wasp Ms Marvel
Sorcerer Maestro Hulk (this is an older evil version of Hulk with magic)
Scarlet Duck
Demon Hawkeye
Jubilee Silver Surfer
Skrull Captain America
Dane Whitman and Sersi - 1920’s era
Deadpool (but with a crap load of guns strapped to his back)
Young Hela with Thor's Hammer
Star Lord and the Ten Rings
Lady Loki
White Witch Wanda
Quotes:
Eminence: “You make no judgments. Only observations.”
Uatu: “Then what is the point of just watching?”
Eminence: “Well, only with time can a watcher begin to understand that for themselves. If I am certain of one thing, it is that your conclusion will not disappoint.”
Uatu: “He sacrificed his own soul to resurrect the home he destroyed.”
Eminence: “It is unnatural.”
Uatu: “It is a miracle that continues to birth new branches of reality for us to watch over. Surely you can see, for a garden to thrive, it must be cultivated. So its trees grow higher and its flowers bloom brighter, and… and pests that threaten to destroy it all are weeded out.”
Eminence: “It is a convenient argument, but one that does not explain your intervention to save Riri Williams.”
Uatu: “That was one time out of trillions.”
Eminence: “Or Kwai Jun-Fan, Reed Richards, Nick Fury, some girl named Madisynn with two Ns and one Y.”
Uatu: “Well…”
(Suddenly Madisynn makes way more sense)
The Executioner: “You really think it worth it, Watcher? Jeopardizing the Fifth Dimension for these insignificant beings whose lives in the grand scheme of the Multiverse matter not.”
Uatu: “But they matter, to me.”
Uatu: “No, no, it’s…”
Captain Carter: “Ultron? You’re alive!”
Uatu: “What? He’s with you?”
Captain Carter: “Congratulations. Now you know what surprise feels like.”
Uatu: “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Eminence: “It is a sunrise.”
Uatu: “What something is, is not the same as what it means. But to understand that, you will need to do more than simply watch. You must learn to see.”
Uatu: “Someone somewhere is always watching. And ever since her sacrifice, for the first time in all time, it feels like someone is watching over me.”
Uatu: “What if you’re wrong about me?”
Eminence: “Well… 'What if' is an irrelevant question.”
Was this a good ending? A bit uneven, but yes. I am left feeling like this could’ve run for another three seasons, but if the Multiverse Saga is coming to an end, maybe now is the right time to say goodbye. The format for this series has always been a bit off, with episodes running too short to fully explore the ideas, but there was more than enough good here to miss.
3 out of 4 Heroes elevated to gods
Samantha M. Quinn spends most of her time in front of a computer typing away at one thing or another; when she has free time, she enjoys pretty much anything science fiction or fantasy-related.
I finished the episode mostly satisfied, but a little wistful. This really was a show that theoretically could have continued indefinitely, but they never quite ironed out all of the kinks. There was almost always too much story and not enough time.
ReplyDeleteBut there were a lot of things that were rather beautiful, like Uatu commenting on the beauty of a sunrise, or how the people he saved mattered to him. And the idea of 'What If' being an irrelevant question did make me chuckle, even if it did kinda highlight the fact that this show maybe was completely irrelevant to anything in the end. And maybe that isn't a bad thing, but it did make me sad.
Also sad that Peggy sacrificed herself. I guess she'll never find her Steve to have a happy ending. She deserved to be able to rest. Still, if she had to go out, this was the way to do it.