What Marvel Means to Me

As I drove home from opening night of Avengers: Endgame, tears still in my eyes, I thought about the past 11 years and how much has changed due to this franchise. The landscape of the entertainment industry is what it is now largely due to what Marvel has accomplished. These films created a cultural phenomenon we’ve never seen before, and as that culture continues to grow, there’s a lot to dissect here.

I won’t talk about my Endgame thoughts here, as I truly want the experience to be personal for all who see it, but I wanted to write this because I was reminded tonight of the community that comes together for an event like this. Our IMAX theater had two people dressed up like Spider-Man, a couple Captain America’s, and countless Marvel themed shirts, jackets, hats, and more. Everyone is talking about who’s going to kill Thanos, or who’s going to die, or who we want to see have the most triumphant return. A lot of people tend to forget that the core fanbase isn’t just here for the action scenes and the jokes. We stay around because these are characters that we love, relate to, and often strive to be like.

These movies translated and built on the already established characters from the comics, bringing the fictional heroes much closer to the real world. They embody so much of our successes and our failures, and that’s not by accident in the slightest. Tony Stark is a genius who is often so caught up in what he wants that he fails to see what everyone else needs. Steve Rogers is such a strong and optimistic believer in classic American values that he can barely find room for any other ideas. Thor, a charismatic and powerful god, is mostly looking out for nobody but himself.

All of the heroes learn to move around their shortcomings, of course, but these faults are always something relatable. We all know a snarky, smart guy who thinks he knows best, or a staunch rule-follower who has trouble thinking differently, or a strong meathead who can’t bear the thought of doing anything for someone else’s benefit. But none of them are the villains here, just as they aren’t in real life. These people can still work in teams, or by themselves, to solve problems by overcoming their weaknesses and using their strengths together. It’s not a message of fantasy.

On a macro, jaded scale, Marvel means several million boatloads of money for Disney, but when you look at the incredible community and social movement that has been a part of these movies, there is so much more to be found. Black Panther brought a true black hero to the theater and Captain Marvel doubled down on previous groundwork to give the most powerful hero in the universe her due diligence. With so many more movies to go, there is ample room for even more representation and empowerment in the worldwide phenomenon of Marvel.

These characters and their stories have meant so much to me personally over their time in the limelight. They brought me joy of course, but they made me feel part of a greater whole while forming close connections with friends around me at the same time. I know I’m not the only one in that boat. It felt incredible to watch the end of an era with dozens of like-minded fans and a great group of friends tonight. I don’t think things will ever be the same for the Marvel cinematic universe, and there’s no reason why it should be. As long as I don’t lose that amazing feeling, I’ll continue to assemble with everyone else who feels like they’re part of the team.