Marvel : Whimsieville

Feb 14 2021

OUR FAVORITE VALENTINES

Well, today is Valentine’s Day, and this year it’s a bit different than it’s always been in the past. Our People are not going out to their customary Valentine’s Day Dinner, due to a human problem called a Virus, and since they are working from home these days, Mr. Russ has not sent Miss Chrissy any flowers at her office as he often does. They have both agreed to have a quieter Valentine’s Day this year as they patiently wait for their Vaccines, which should begin within the next several weeks. Of course, we Whimsies don’t have to worry about any of this, because we are not People, we are Whimsies! But we feel bad for them, so we have decided to brighten their Valentine’s Day by making a quick overview of who our favorite Valentines are at the moment.

As Whimsies, rather than People, of course we are not likely to ever really fall in love or get married or anything like that. But that certainly hasn’t prevented us from looking at what’s out there! And each of us has a very different idea about who we would choose as a Valentine….if only we could.

VISION

So, since I’m writing this, I’ll go first! And as you can probably guess, my Valentine comes from the world of Marvel Comics. Or, more specifically, from what is familiarly known as The MCU—the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Over the last several weeks, we have all anxiously been setting our alarm clocks just a little bit early every Friday morning so that we can get up and watch the latest episode of WandaVision on Disney Plus almost as soon as it comes out. (Of course, we could get up at 2AM in the morning to see it at the first possible moment, but that would be a little crazy, don’t you think? And I have certainly never done that! Well…I haven’t done it every week. Maybe once. Or twice. Oaky, three times, but I did it very quietly and didn’t wake anyone else up, and then of course I sat very still and quiet and did not spoil anything for the others once we were all huddled around the TV together, just a few hours later.)

The show is so much fun, and there are so many good things to say about it, and so much to discuss about what might really be happening, but one thing for sure there is no need to discuss is the fact that Vision is…well, he is a vision! He is fabulous! He is so good-looking and so kind and nice and fun, whether he’s being himself as the red-faced synthezoid he really is, or disguising himself as a simple human being for the sake of his unsuspecting neighbors.

The last several episodes have had some dark moments, but in the beginning there were quite a few opportunities for Vision to be cute and adorable—like here, when he got “drunk” on chewing gum gumming up his gears and caused all kinds of havoc during the Magic Show. Oh, that was so funny!

And then there’s this: I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this before, but I love the look of a man wearing suspenders, but when Vision does that in the 1980’s episode, my heart is all aflutter!

Well, I could go on and on about Vision, but the others are waiting to have their chance as well, so let’s move along and see who Tessie chooses as her Valentine.

COLIN BRIDGERTON
WandaVision is not the only shows we’ve been watching on TV lately, as we wait out this Virus, and the cold weather. (Well, it is February after all, and an ice storm is expected tonight!) One of the other other shows we like to watch is the “period drama” on Netflix called Bridgerton. Over the last year or so Miss Chrissy has gotten us all into reading the novels of Jane Austen, and ever since, we have all grown to be very big fans of “period dramas.” Bridgerton is one of the most colorful and entertaining we have yet seen on the TV, with great costumes, lovely music, and SO MUCH DRAMA! We have only seen five of the eight episodes so far, but there is enough drama in those first five episodes to float a whole boatful of Jane Austen novels!

Of course, we all have our favorite characters, but Tessie has become enamored of the younger Bridgerton brother, Colin. First of all, he is rather good-looking, don’t you think? But even more compelling (at least to Tessie, to hear her tell it) is the whole storyline about Colin and his chubby red-headed neighbor Penelope, who really has a crush on him. He is very friendly and neighborly towards her, calling her “Pen,” but so far there does not seem to be any romantic interest. On his side, anyway. Poor Penelope however is pining away for him, but secretly, and the fact that her pregnant house-guest is now trying to lure Colin into a hasty marriage so that her baby can have a real father, and scandal can be avoided—well! Did I mention…DRAMA???

As I said, we are only through the first five episodes, so there is no telling how this will all turn out, but Tessie is most assuredly rooting for Penelope to win Colin’s heart in the end. I wonder if perhaps Tessie sees us Whimsies as a kind of “chubby red-heads” in a world of slender beauties, and so strongly identifies with poor Penelope’s predicament? There’s nothing wrong with wanting the underdog to win. Especially if what you are winning is the love and affection of a fine fellow like Colin Bridgerton!

SANTA CLAUS
Okay, by that heading, you know where we are going next. Yes, Tootsie is still head-over-heels in love with Santa Claus, even though the Christmas season has been over for at least a month now! Really, more like six weeks. But Tootsie’s devotion to Santa Claus continues. She has as least finally decided to wear jammies other than those depicting the image of her favorite jolly old St. Nick, but she still keeps thinking and talking about him, and counting down the days until next Christmas, when she hopes to tiptoe out to living room in the middle of the night and serve him the traditional milk and cookies.

Now, this may seem like an extreme obsession on Tootsie’s part, and to tell you the truth, I’m sure it is in part being kept alive by a very special couple of movies we have watched on Netflix called The Christmas Chronicles. A few years back, there was The Christmas Chronicles, and then this past year we were treated to The Christmas Chronicles 2, a sequel that took us back to the North Pole and showed us much more about how Santa and Mrs. Claus live and work and manage all those elves. Yes, it was fascinating, I have to admit, and there was some real peril, which was overcome, in large part due to Santa himself being brave and quick-thinking. But to hear Tootsie tell it, the very best thing about Santa is how fun and funny he is, and how entertaining when he decides to break into song. And well, honestly, I can’t disagree with her.

MR. PRESIDENT
Finally we come to Tillie’s favorite Valentine this year, and though we have met him through the TV, unlike the others mentioned above, he is very much in the real world. After several distressing years, Miss Chrissy and Mr. Russ were delighted to find that the country is getting a brand-new President, and they couldn’t be happier, and frankly, neither could we. Tillie has been making a study of the new President, and has become so enamored of him because, in her words, he is obviously a truly decent and honest person, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! But even moreso, Tillie really likes to see how the President and the new First Lady seem to be so much a couple, so much a team, so much in love and “on the same page.” Why, very often you will even see them holding hands! Even though they are "old" people who have been together a long time, they still seem to care a great deal about each other.

As I mentioned earlier, we Whimsies don't harbor any illusions that we might someday meet any of our Valentines (well, except for Tootsie, that is…) or ever get to actually know them, we just like to see and know about people (real or imagined) who are good people, and fun people, and full of life. It warms our little Whimsie hearts. And for that reason, Tillie says, she is more than happy to share her Valentine, Mr. President, with the First Lady, whom he loves so much.

Because sharing and caring is, after all, what Valentine's Day is all about.

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Categories: Marvel, My Favorite Boyfriend

Jun 5 2020

A MARVELOUS COFFEE TABLE BOOK

By Trixie 0 comments (comments closed)

At probably the biggest intersection in Whimsieville, we have what is known as Coffee Table. It mainly serves as an eatery for Miss Chrissy and Mr. Russ, as it sits just opposite the biggest Movie Theater in town, but on occasion Coffee Table also functions as a Library.

“Coffee Table Book” is a phrase you may have heard before, and though here in Whimsieville books do not usually sit on top of Coffee Table, there is one very specific book I personally adore that spends most of its time on the bottom shelf. (Take a look at the picture below, you can just see it there, right next to Barnabus Collins’ coffin. Don’t ask. That’s a whole ’nother story, and I might tell you about it someday.)

From this picture (which, if the internet is working the way it should, is now on the left), you may not be able to tell what my favorite book is all about, so give me just a moment here…I’ll scurry on up to Coffee Table, reach underneath… grab the book, pull it up on to the… top…Jeez! This thing weighs a TON! Whew! Okay, now you can see it! And you can clearly see that the title of the book is The Art of Marvel Studios.

This is a book all about the superheroes I love so much! So you can imagine how many times when I am moseying by Coffee Table, I like to get my exercise by lugging this book off the bottom shelf and setting myself up for a good Look.

I say “Look” instead of “Read,” because the whole point of a good “Coffee Table Book” is that it is something that LOOKS great, with lots of fabulous photos or artwork. It’s not really the kind of book where you have to do a lot of actual reading, it’s more about skimming through and enjoying the artwork. I think originally the idea was that you would get yourself a nice big cup of delicious coffee (if you like that sort of thing…), sit back on a sunny Saturday afternoon, or cold Winter’s evening, when going outside simply isn’t in the cards, and relax and simply let yourself get lost in the pages, transported to another world.

Well, I don’t particularly like coffee (I much more prefer to sneak a sip of Mr. Russ’ cream soda whenever he is not looking! Shhh…don’t tell him!) But it doesn’t matter what I like to drink, because I would never want to drink (or eat) anything while looking at such a beautiful Coffee Table Book! I would be much too afraid of ruining the glossy pages of these gorgeous books.

And here I say “books,” because as you can see, the “book” called The Art of Marvel Studios is in reality a collection of four different books, each one showcasing a different Marvel superhero. (Though, strangely, Iron Man has two books, when Thor has only one, which I don’t really understand, because…really??? WHY???)

The Thor book is of course my favorite, because (as everyone knows…) Thor is my favorite of all the superheroes. And in this book, not only do we have a lot of great pictures of Thor, but we also see a lot of Asgard, which is so mystical and picturesque, but perhaps best of all, we also get to meet all of Thor’s friends.

To tell you the truth, my very favorite pages in this book are not so much about Thor himself, but actually about one very special lady: Sif, the girl warrior who sometimes fights beside him. As you can see here, Sif has some pretty cool outfits! Don’t you think? Very shiny!

Of course, these picture are just an artist’s idea of what Sif might look like, with her long, dark beautiful hair. We happen to know what Sif really looks like, because a while back she showed up on one of our very favorite TV shows, *Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, and you might recall, we talked about her when we saw her on that show.

But I don’t want to spend all my time here talking about Sif and Thor and Asgard. Despite the fact that Iron Man is unfairly represented in two of the four books, I do have to mention that most of what we see of him and his world in those two books is actually pretty cool. Miss Chrissy tells me that Iron Man is actually her favorite of all the Avengers, but if you ask me, I think it’s because she mostly likes his alter-ego,Tony Stark, because he’s both so funny and so sexy.

Mr. Russ prefers Captain America, and my fellow Whimsies…well, they all just say they like Thor best of all, I think mostly because they know that I like Thor best of all, and they don’t want to get me started on outlining my long list of all the reasons why Thor is the best Avenger ever. (And by the way, Miss Chrissy…Thor…ALSO very funny and very sexy!)

Anyway, there you have it. A Marvelous Coffee Table Book right here in Whimsieville. I can’t wait until Miss Chrissy and Mr. Russ make another trip to Barnes and Noble! Who knows what they might come up with next?

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Categories: Book Reviews, Groovy Things, Marvel

Feb 28 2016

MY FAVORITE BOYFRIEND IS…JARVELOUS!

By Tillie 0 comments (comments closed)

hat2 jarviswelldressed As you know, we Whimsies are big fans of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, and even though we no longer sit down here and have a weekly roundtable discussion about it, we still watch and enjoy the show. What you may not know is that some of us in Whimsieville are even more entranced by SHIELD’s sister show, Agent Carter. And some of us (like me) are most entranced by that show’s pivotal character, Howard Stark’s butler, Edwin Jarvis (as portrayed by British actor James D’Arcy).

Ah, Jarvis! Where do I begin? Okay, how about this? Let’s start with…he’s so good-looking, in a classic, old-fashioned clean-cut sort of way. Trixie may prefer the muscle-bound Thor with all his long crazy hair, and Tessie is partial to the sometimes unkempt Fall Out Boy Patrick Stump in his hats and tee shirts, but for me, the vision of Jarvis in a 1940’s suit, vest and tie, with a handkerchief neatly folded in the breast pocket, topped by a clean shaven jaw and every hair in place, is just the thing to set my heart aflutter.

Now, as if that wasn’t enough, how about a man that makes you laugh? You know how you’re always hearing that a woman wants a man with a good sense of humor? Well, I don’t know if Jarvis necessarily has a “sense of humor,” (if he does, it’s very dry) but he does provide a good deal of humor. And most of it is in his language.

Let’s start with the accent. Trixie is not the only one who loves a British accent, thank you very much! And Jarvis’ speech is the epitome of proper enunciation. He uses his calm and soothing voice to deliver important information, unintentionally melding humor into his extensive vocabulary. Take a listen:

Now, what could be funnier than that? Well, how about this—Jarvis attempting to impersonate an American police officer:

Oh, that Jarvis! He’s always making me laugh! isn’t he simply…jarvelous??

But it’s not just what he says, he can do physical comedy as well. Watch him here trying to take on Peggy:

Haha! And of course nobody can beat Peggy. Except here he does, and at the end of this clip, who should walk in but…his wife! And she doesn’t seem to have any problem with her husband lying on top of the attractive Agent Carter.

Which leads to my next point. The next thing I love so much about Jarvis is his relationship with his wife, Ana. First of all, she’s so cute! Isn’t she? And they just go so well together. I can’t quite figure them out, they are like no other couple I have ever seen before, either on TV, in movies, or in real life. She apparently loves him and trusts him completely, and for his part, he is obviously completely devoted to her.

But then that’s no surprise, because if there’s one word you could use to describe Jarvis’ character it’s that exactly: devoted. As a butler, he is completely devoted to his employer, Howard Stark. Stark could trust him with any secret. As Peggy’s partner in espionage, Jarvis is the picture of reliability. He will do anything to help her. And for his wife…well, here we pull out all the stops. Jarvis is so devoted to Ana that when she is shot by the villainess, even though it turns out she’s going to live and be okay, Jarvis can think of nothing but revenge.

In fact, he is so intent upon revenge, that in a very un-Jarvis-like moment, he hauls off and SHOOTS Whitney Frost… in cold blood! Unexpected. Of course (unfortunately) she’s imbued with supernatural powers, so she doesn’t actually die, but I must tell you, it was a shocking moment for all of us here in Whimsieville.

So shocking, in fact, that Miss Chrissy fears that as we near the final episode of this season of Agent Carter (a season, which, we are afraid, may be the last, as the star Hayley Atwell has apparently been offered another show—good for her! But bad for us Agent Carter fans….) the “powers that be” may decide that Jarvis has to die. Oh no! May it never be! Has that one moment of passionate indiscretion branded him as irredeemable? I certainly hope not!

And that’s why I’m writing this now, instead of after this coming Tuesday, when the season will be over. I want this to be my tribute to the wonders of Jarvis, not his obituary. If the next few days ends in his obituary, I will cry and cry. As will the rest of us here in Whimsieville. But, there is one ray of hope…

Mr. Russ, who knows Marvel comics much better than Miss Chrissy or the rest of us do (except perhaps for Trixie) insists that the “powers that be” are NOT going to kill Jarvis. Mr. Russ insists that Jarvis must live on to become a part of Tony Stark’s life, to serve him when he is an Avenger, and to provide the inspiration for the brilliant Mr. Stark’s even more brilliant computer, J.A.R.V.I.S.

So, we will cling to the hope that this coming Tuesday will not spell the end for our most devoted and loyal friend, Edwin Jarvis. We will all be glued to the television, and no matter how it all turns out, even if there are no further seasons of Agent Carter, though we will all be sad (because frankly, this is just about the best thing we’ve ever seen on TV), we will take consolation in the fact that Jarvis will always live on, in the comics, in our memories, in our hearts…and in re-runs!

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Categories: Marvel, My Favorite Boyfriend

Dec 12 2014

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF SHIELD ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION #23: GOOD, BAD AND I WONDER…

By Chrissy 0 comments (comments closed)

The Whimsies have been enjoying the second season of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, they just haven’t been talking about it a whole lot. I asked, and they said there was just too much to think about, and they weren’t really sure what they felt about everything that was happening on the show. After the final episode of the “Fall Season,” they were exceptionally quiet about it for several days. But several more days have passed now, and in typical Whimsie fashion, it turns out they have MUCH to say about their favorite TV show. I happened to be passing by when I heard this conversation:

TILLIE. So, girls!

TRIXIE. So…what?

TILLIE. So, what do you think?

TRIXIE. What do we think about what? You know we already have all kinds of ideas going through our heads on a constant basis. You have to be a little more specific, Till!

TILLIE. What do you think about SHIELD?

TESSIE. (throwing up her hands) Aaaargh! I was afraid you were going to ask that!

TRIXIE. Me too!

TILLIE. Why afraid?

TESSIE. Because I don’t know WHAT to think! My mind is all a-jumble!

TILLIE. Well, me too. But I’m starting to sort out my thoughts and feelings about it, and I think I’ve figured out a way we can all talk about it.

TRIXIE. Leave it to you, Till! You’re so smart, you always figure things out. What do you want to talk about?

TILLIE. Well, we all know that this is our favorite show, but some things that have happened are good, and some things that have happened are bad.

TRIXIE. Yeah! But even more than all that, there are still so many questions!

TILLIE. Exactly! So this is what I propose: let’s talk first about what was good, then about what was bad, and then let’s see what kind of questions we have.

TESSIE. Great idea! And you know what? It may even be that as we talk we can answer each other’s questions! I’m game!

TRIXIE. Me too! Shoot!

TILLIE. Okay, then. Let’s start with what was good. What did you like most about this season?

TRIXIE. Ooh! Ooh! I can answer that one right away! I LOVE that they brought in Mockingbird!

TILLIE. Mocikingbird? Who’s that?

TRIXIE. You know, the new Agent. Bobbi.

TILLIE. Oh yeah! The tall blonde! Very pretty…

TRIXIE. Yeah! But most of all…she can kick BUTT, can’t she!

TILLIE. I agree. She’s one tough chick.

TESSIE. What? Like this show doesn’t already have enough tough chicks?

TRIXIE. (laughing) Yeah! They do! May, of course, and now Skye’s getting pretty tough herself, isn’t she? But it never hurts to have some more tough chicks.

TESSIE. I like their new headquarters. The place that’s all brick. It’s so HUGE!! It was really getting kind of cramped on “The Bus.”

TILLIE. Yeah, but I still love “The Bus.”

TRIXIE. Me too. But I see where Tess is going with this. They have so many new people, they needed more space. Especially Coulson needed room for drawing all those symbols.

TILLIE. But oh!! Don’t forget the best part! The “jail.”

TESSIE. With the invisible wall! How cool is that?

TRIXIE. Yeah. It was kind of funny to see Ward down there, like he’s free…but then he’s really not.

TILLIE. Ward! Don’t get me started on Ward! I have plenty to say about Ward!

TESSIE. So, is that what you think is “good” about the show? Ward?

TILLIE. Well…in a way…yeah. I mean, you have to admit, he’s a much more interesting character, now that he’s a bad guy. But let’s not go there yet. First, let’s talk about the REAL bad guys!

TRIXIE. You mean Hydra.

TILLIE. Yes! They are BAD. They are EVIL, aren’t they? They’re just plain…scary. And their leader—who thankfully was killed in the last episode—that Whitehead guy, he was just plain…creepy!! Brrrr! Didn’t like him at all. Glad he got killed.

TESSIE. So, wait. That’s what you think was “good” about the show? That the bad guys are bad?

TILLIE. Yes! Absolutely! Last season we just sort of floundered around, introducing everyone, getting the lay of the land, and then of course there was Garrett, but we didn’t know he was the bad guy until very late in the season. I mean, there was the idea of the Clairvoyant, right? But that was only one person. This is a whole organization!

TRIXIE. Right! And even though that Whitehead got killed, you know what they say? Cut off the head, and two will spring up in its place!

TESSIE. Don’t talk about it! I can’t imagine it! It’s too scary!

TRIXIE. Hey, Tess. That’s the way it is. The Marvel Universe is not always a nice place.

TILLIE. Well, I don’t mind if it’s not nice. It IS a drama, after all. And there’s no drama without conflict. But there’s one thing that really irks me.

TESSIE. Ooh! Are we now moving to what what we don’t like about the show?

TILLIE. Yes, and here’s what I don’t like: I don’t like it when characters do STUPID things to move the drama along.

TRIXIE. Nobody likes that, Till! But what are you thinking about?

TILLIE. Well, we were just talking about Ward being in that prison that looks like it has no wall, and that was kind of creepy, thinking that a maniac like him could get out. But then a decision is made to let him out, and when they do, of course he escapes!

TRIXIE. Of course! He’s Ward! He’s a trained professional!

TILLIE. Exactly! You know that, and I know that, but apparently Agent Coulson completely forgot that, because he lets Ward go with only two guards guarding him. When I saw that, I started asking myself, “What the heck is going on here? Am I missing something here? Does Coulson WANT him to escape?”

TESSIE. I know what you mean. I was thinking the same thing. I was thinking, why don’t they drug him first, knock him out? Unconscious! That’s the only way you should be transporting a prisoner as dangerous as Ward.

TRIXIE. I agree. Epic fail on the part of the writers. It didn’t make sense at all. I didn’t like that either.

TESSIE. Okay, but wait, Trix. You can’t take the same thing as Tillie just said. You have to come up with something on your own. What else didn’t you like?

TRIXIE. (silent, thinking…)

TILLIE. Trix…?

TRIXIE. (still thinking…)

TESSIE. Hmmm….? Nothing….?

TRIXIE. No, wait.

(They wait. Then…)

TESSIE. Well, if you don’t have anything—

TRIXIE. Skye’s hair.

TESSIE. What?

TRIXIE. Skye’s new hairstyle. I don’t like it.

(TILLIE and TESSIE look at each other. Then…)

TILLIE. That’s it?

TRIXIE. Yeah, that’s it. I don’t like her new hairstyle.

TILLIE. Really! Are you kidding? It’s so cute!

TRIXIE. No it’s not.

TILLIE. But she looks so much better!

TRIXIE. No she doesn’t.

TILLIE. (rolling her eyes) Pfft! Well, there’s no accounting for taste…

TESSIE. (suddenly, seeing that an argument is about to break out regarding Skye’s hairstyle) Well, you know what I don’t like? What they did to Tripp in the end.

TILLIE and TRIXIE. (together) OOOOOHHHH!

TESSIE. It’s not fair! I mean, it looks like he’s dead, doesn’t it? How could they go and kill him? I was just getting to like him quite a bit, and then this…

TILLIE. Well, you know how it is. We’ve talked about this before, and in fact, in the last episode, our new character, Hunter, even said something about it. Remember when he said, “Join SHIELD. Travel to new and exciting places. Meet new people. And kill them.” Well, that’s kind if Joss Whedon all over, isn’t it?

TRIXIE. Yeah. We meet new and exciting people, and just as we get to like them… he kills them!

TESSIE. (under her breath) Joss Whedon must pay for this…

TILLIE. And now only that, but what about Mac?

TRIXIE and TESSIE. (together) OOOOOHHHH!

TILLIE. Yeah, I was just getting to like him too, and now what’s happening?

TRIXIE. Well, wait. He actually might be okay. In the end, it looked like maybe his eyes were going back to normal.

TESSIE. I hope so! I like him too! And not only that, but Fitz likes him! He and Fitz have become good friends, and poor Fitz, he really needs a friend now.

TRIXIE. Yeah, things are not so good for him now. I mean, at least he’s alive, but…but… what a shame that all his great brain power is there, but he can’t really access it.

TESSIE. And not only that! What about Simmons! He and Simmons can barely talk to each other now! It’s very awkward, and I don’t know how we’re going to get past it.

TILLIE. I see lots of development in the future for Fitz and Simmons, though maybe not with each other.

TESSIE. But speaking of Simmons, I thought the best episode was when she was working undercover for Hydra. I really liked the way that episode started. And then I liked the way it ended. Because you didn’t know at first if she had really gone over to Hydra, and then when Coulson shows up at her apartment, you had no idea what might happen next, but then you find out everything is okay, and she’s just working undercover, but then it got scary, because she got called up to the boss’ office, and she’s a terrible liar, and I thought she was going to be found out.

TRIXIE. That episode was a real roller coaster ride! But my favorite part was when she was walking down the hall at the end—no, running down the hall—trying to escape, and then here comes Mockingbird, only at that point you don’t know it’s Mockingbird, you think she’s really a Hydra agent, and you think she’s going to capture Simons, if not KILL her, but then she pulls out those battles staves—and when I saw that, I said “OMG! It’s Mockingbird!”

TESSIE. Well, Trix, you have the benefit of a lot of Marvel Comics knowledge that we don’t have. I’m still not really sure about all this Mockingbird stuff you’re talking about. I was just so glad when we found out that Bobbi was there to help Simmons, not to capture her, and for me the best part of that episode when she finally got back “home,” got to their underground headquarters, and from that point on you knew she was going to be all right. Even if she and Fitz are not all right together, at least she’s SAFE.

TILLIE. That was a good moment. That was a good episode. But you know the one I really enjoyed? I liked the one where the writing was on the back of the painting, and Coulson and May had to go undercover at the party, and they were dancing.

TESSIE. OMG! That was hysterical! Yeah, that was my favorite episode TOO!

TILLIE. Okay, listen. I think we could probably talk about SHIELD all day. But let’s not forget we have some shopping lists to prepare for Miss Chrissy so she can go to the store and buy everything she needs to make those Christmas Eve treats!

TRIXIE. Oh yeah! We have to get that list done! Let’s do that now!

TILLIE. Okay, but one more thing. We never got to our questions! I mean, I’m sure both of you have questions, just like I do.

TESSIE. Absolutely!

TILLIE. So let’s just ask our questions, and then we can think about them, and maybe later we can come back and see if we can figure anything out. Who wants to go first?

TRIXIE. Well, Tessie should go first, because we all know what her question is.

TESSIE. We do?

TRIXIE. Yes, of course! You want to know about Fitz! You want to know if he’s going to be okay, and if he gets his smarts back, and if he and Simmons can be friends again.

TESSIE. Well…

TRIXIE. Am I right? Or am I right?

TESSIE. Well, of course you’re right! I was so worried about him at the end of the first season, so it’s good to see he’s still alive, and can do some of the things he used to do. I keep hoping maybe there will be some supernatural cure that will send positive energy, or oxygen, or something like that, back into his brain so he can be totally smart again.

TILLIE. And you’re hoping Simmons will fall in love with him!

TESSIE. (sighing) Well…that would be nice too. But I think that’s less likely to happen.

TRIXIE. Yeah, we thought they were building up something between Simmons and Tripp, but now it looks like he’s totally been…I don’t know…dusted, turned to ash—

TESSIE. Oh, don’t talk about it! I wonder about that too. I wonder if they will somehow bring him back. Oh, I hope so!

TILLIE. Well, don’t waste too much time hoping for things with this show. Because you never know what you’re going to get. Case in point: my “I wonder.” I wonder what the heck is going on with Ward. I wonder if he’s now a good guy or a bad guy.

TESSIE. Well, of course he’s a bad guy! He’s killed people! Innocent people! Lots of them. Including his brother!

TILLIE. Funny you mention that, because that whole thing with his brother, I’m thinking, “Ah ha! At last we’re going to find out the truth about Ward and his brother!” But when it was all over, I didn’t know what to believe.

TRIXIE. That’s what they want. They want to keep you guessing! Ward is a bad guy, but it’s possible he does some bad things for good reasons.

TILLIE. What’s his agenda?

TESSIE. Skye. He’s all about Skye. I thin that’s it. He’s obsessed.

TRIXIE. And that’s what I want to talk about. What about Skye? What happens with her now? So she’s met her father, and she’s done this thing with the obelisk, and now it seems she’s been maybe changed somehow, but we don’t yet know how.

TILLIE. I liked that at the very end. Something really big just happened to her, but all we could see in her face was how sad she was about Tripp dying. It was just…too, too much, know what I mean?

TRIXIE. It was so emotional!! And not only that, but she met her father, and I guess you guys don’t know, but I think I know who he really is, and that means I think I know who Skye really is—

TILLIE. You mean…Daisy? Was that what he called her?

TRIXIE. Yes, and that could mean A LOT! But I guess we won’t know until next season, which I think starts in March, after the Peggy Carter show.

TESSIE. Oh, the Peggy Carter show! I can’t wait to see that!

TRIXIE. Yeah! Talk about strong female characters!

TESSIE. And she likes hats! Just like we do!

TILLIE. Okay, that’s enough! We’ve talked about SHIELD for too long already! We need to stop and go make that Christmas Baking Shopping List!

TRIXIE. (scurrying off) You guys go ahead! I’ve got to go talk to Russ!

TESSIE. (confused) Russ? Who’s Russ?

TRIXIE. (stopping suddenly) The Man! Russ is The Man, and he likes Marvel Comics as much as I do!

TESSIE. The Man’s name is Russ?

TRIXIE. Don’t be silly, Tess! We hear Miss Chrissy call him that all the time.

TILLIE. Well,no…actually, mostly she calls him “Hon,” or “Sweetie…”

TRIXIE. Sure. But his name is Russ. Everybody has a name, right? His name is Russ, and he knows almost as much about Marvel as I do. We have lots of good talks about comics all the time. I’ll bet he’s got some ideas about Daisy. I’ve got to go ask him what he thinks—

And so as Trixie goes scurrying off for an in-depth conversation about Marvel Comics with the only person in Whimsieville who knows just as much about Marvel Comics as she does, Tillie and Tessie find a pen and a piece of paper and start making up that shopping list: flour, sugar, butter, walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, more butter, more sugar, eggs, butter, multi-colored sprinkles, chocolate, butter, etc., etc., etc….

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Categories: Marvel

May 14 2014

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF SHIELD ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION #22: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE

By Chrissy 0 comments (comments closed)

At certain points during this final episode of the first season of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, I became concerned the Whimsies might once again be stunned into speechlessness by some horrible turn of a plot point. It was rough going for a while there, but in the end, it turned out relatively well. And here’s what the Whimsies had to say about it:

TILLIE. So, girls! Did we have any cliffhangers?

TESSIE. Only one, really. But it’s the only one I care about. What’s going to happen to Fitz?

TRIXIE. Yeah. It’s most unfortunate. He didn’t have any air going to his brain for a long time. That can’t be good.

TILLIE. But it could have been worse. At least he’s alive! And so is Simmons.

TESSIE. He saved her life! And he told her he loves her!

TRIXIE. OMG!! Can you believe it?

TESSIE. Yeah, but what does it matter now, because we have no idea what he’s going to be like when we see him next. Is he going to be…like…a mindless, stupid person? I don’t think he’ll ever be as smart again! Oh!! I can’t bear to think about it!

TILLIE. Well, don’t get yourself all in a tizzy, Tessie. We don’t know yet. One thing we can feel pretty sure of, if they didn’t kill him off yet, they probably won’t kill him off any time soon. I think he’ll still be around…but for what purpose…?

TESSIE. Oh! It’s too sad! I don’t even want to talk about it.

TRIXIE. Okay then, can we talk about something else? How about Nick Fury?

TILLIE. Yeah! How about him?? He swoops in and saves the day!

TRIXIE. And Coulson gets to have a word or two with him.

TILLIE. AND Nick Fury basically tells him he’s an Avenger, and gives him the kings to the kingdom! He’s the new head of SHIELD!

TRIXIE. Well, what little there is left of it…

TILLIE. I’m glad. Coulson deserves it. He’s proven his worth. He’s a good leader.

TESSIE. Agreed! But what’s with that guy, the one we saw before? The one that got killed. Now there’s another? Is that his…twin brother?

TRIXIE. Maybe. Or maybe a Life Model Decoy.

TILLIE. Oh yeah! You were telling us about those! Do you think he really is?

TRIXIE. Possible. Though I think I remember Eric Koenig saying he was playing video games with his brother. So maybe that IS his brother, his twin.

TESSIE. Well, he certainly has that same fascination with lanyards, doesn’t he?

TILLIE. I like him. I hope they let this one stick around.

TESSIE. Well, at least it doesn’t look like Ward is going to be around to MURDER this one! So maybe he’s got a fighting chance.

TILLIE. Yeah! Talking about Ward, what do you think?

TRIXIE. He and May sure had one knock-down drag-out fight. It was awesome!

TESSIE. He had it coming…

TRIXIE. I especially liked when she nailed his feet to the floor.

TILLIE. You would, Trix.

TESSIE. It was a good fight! But I still don’t know if it trumps Coulson’s fight with Garrett.

TILLIE. You mean Coulson and Nick Fury’s fight with Coulson? When Nick Fury brings out that big alien gun and Coulson says “I know what this is for” and…WHAM!!!

TRIXIE. Yeah, but the better “WHAM!!!” was at the end, when Garret comes back from the dead, and puts himself in that chair, and is starting to become some sort of super-villain, and he’s gloating about it, and all of the sudden….WHAM!!! There’s Coulson again. And Garrett explodes. And that’s the end of that.

TESSIE. And Ward is getting carted off to prison, I guess. Where I hope he’ll rot forever, for what he did to Fitz.

TILLIE. Oh no! I hope he doesn’t rot! I hope he gets out, and tries to cause our agents some more trouble, and they get the chance for some revenge! Some payback!

TRIXIE. Maybe May should finish what she started.

TILLIE. But boy… that Ward, he sure did look beat, didn’t he?

TESSIE. Yeah! That was one of the best parts.

TILLIE. But before that, he seemed really…conflicted. I kept feeling like they were trying to show us that he’s not really a bad guy, he’s just been confused and abused by Garrett.

TESSIE. Confused, abused, lashmoozed! Who cares! He’s shot innocent SHIELD agents IN THE BACK!! He threw Fitz and Simmons into the sea. He’s saying, “Oh yes, I DO care about you…that’s my weakness…” Who cares??? He deserves everything he gets from this point forward!

TILLIE. And speaking of ‘this point forward,’ what do you all see for the future? For next season?

TRIXIE. Well, I liked that bit at the end, where Raina brings Skye’s picture to somebody, we don’t see who it is, but I guess it’s Skye’s father, and I guess he’s a monster….

TILLIE. I see that being a big story in season two, finding out about Skye’s parents—if they really are monsters.

TRIXIE. And finding out what Raina is…really. Finding out what she ‘will become.’

TESSIE. And what about Deathlok? He’s been released from the bad guys. Now he can be a good guy.

TRIXIE. Yeah. I guess he’ll always be out there. Who knows when we’ll see him again. IF we’ll see him again.

TILLIE. Who knows if we’ll see Nick Fury again?

TESSIE. Who knows if we’ll see Fitz again? Who knows a lot of stuff, right?

TRIXIE. And Garrett writing all that strange stuff, and then Coulson writes it too. Was is all that?

TESSIE. You mean you don’t know?

TRIXIE. No! How would I know?

TESSIE. Well, you’ve read all those comic books.

TRIXIE. Yeah, but if there’s ever been something like that, I must have missed that issue.

TILLIE. We can guess it’s something alien.

TESSIE. OR, Coulson is losing his mind. Just like Garrett did.

TRIXIE. Oh! Garrett! Don’t even talk about Garrett! I am SO glad he exploded!

TILLIE. I’m so glad everybody’s okay. Well, except for Fitz. But at least he’s alive.

TRIXIE. I think they’ve left us in pretty good shape for the next season. No really steep cliffhangers, and just enough reason to come back and find out what happens next.

TILLIE. Hey, girls, it’s been a fun ride so far, hasn’t it?

TESSIE. (uncertainly) Mostly.

TRIXIE. Yeah, mostly. There were some bumps along the way. But this last episode was okay. Kind of put us back on track.

TILLIE. Looking forward to more?

TESSIE. Definitely! But we’ve got such a long time to wait until the Fall!

TRIXIE. But we have lots of other stuff to watch and do in the meantime. Let’s get caught up with the rest of our Marvel movies while we’re waiting!

TILLIE. But we’ve already seen them all! Well, all the ones that have been put on disc.

TRIXIE. But we haven’t watched them all TWICE.

TESSIE. How true…how true…

TRIXIE. So, we should make a point of doing that, don’t you think?

TESSIE. But there’s lots of other stuff on the shelves we haven’t watched yet. What about all that?

TILLIE. I think we need a plan. For the whole summer. I think we need to make a list.

TRIXIE. We each need to make a list, then we’ll compare our lists and combine them.

TILLIE. Great idea, Trix!

TESSIE. Yeah! Great idea!

TRIXIE. (running off) I’ll get paper!

TESSIE. (running off) I’ll get some pens!

TILLIE. Ooh! Ooh! Can you get me the one with the purple ink?

TRIXIE. (from across the room) I want red!

Well, that was how the final Marvel Agents of SHIELD for Season One ended, with the three Whimsies making plans for future entertainments. I was so glad to see they did not end the season on a sour note. Despite certain uncertainties, they are all managing to stay upbeat and hopeful for when their favorite TV show starts up again in the Fall. See you around the Round Table then!

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