{"id":222225,"date":"2021-03-23T14:00:36","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T14:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gamerant.com\/mcu-continuity-worse-dceu\/"},"modified":"2021-03-23T14:00:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-23T14:00:36","slug":"the-mcus-continuity-issues-are-actually-worse-than-the-dceu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/2021\/03\/23\/the-mcus-continuity-issues-are-actually-worse-than-the-dceu\/","title":{"rendered":"The MCU’s Continuity Issues Are Actually Worse Than The DCEU"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

Continuity is a tricky thing. Have too little and it\u2019s pointless, have too much and it\u2019s constricting. Ever since Iron Man <\/em>(2008) ended with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)<\/a> telling Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) he was \u201cpart of a bigger universe,\u201d the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)<\/a> has altered the cinematic landscape through successfully introducing an interconnected \u201cshared universe\u201d and mega-franchises to the big screen. The validation of The Avengers\u2019 <\/em>(2012) success led to many imitators, including the upcoming \u201cMonsterVerse\u201d crossover Godzilla vs. Kong <\/em><\/a>and attempt of Marvel Comics\u2019 constant counterpart, DC Comics, with the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).<\/a><\/p>\n

Although undeniably appear in the MCU\u2019s wake and facing constant comparisons<\/a>, the DCEU can boast certain advantages from Marvel Movies, like an overall darker tone and more individualistic films. Plus, the DCEU actually has tighter continuity than the MCU. This seems strange, since the DCEU has long been labeled\u00a0a \u201cmess\u201d that will utilize a Flashpoint-style \u201creset\u201d of its universe, but on a technical level, the MCU has made more continuity mistakes. Admittedly, this primarily a product of the MCU\u2019s success. It has far more projects than the DCEU \u2013 23 to its 9 \u2013 and started longer ago, and the result of having bigger territory is that it\u2019s easier for continuity cracks to appear.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0WandaVision’s Retcons Are Extremely Comics Accurate<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

The MCU has done a fantastic job steadily expanding its universe, all collected in the overarching \u201cInfinity Saga.\u201d<\/a> But closer inspection reveals not every step was precisely engineered. For instance, Iron Man <\/em>has Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) discussing a new Governmental agency with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow)<\/a>, admitting that they\u2019re \u201cworking on\u201d the name, before revealing that it\u2019s S.H.I.E.L.D. However, films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier <\/em>(2014), Ant-Man <\/em>(2015) and Captain Marvel <\/em>(2019) all show that S.H.I.E.L.D. existed decades, at least, before Iron Man<\/em>.<\/p>\n

This demonstrates how \u201cPhase One\u201d MCU wasn\u2019t completely confident about how the movies would develop. S.H.I.E.L.D.\u2019s mention teased the MCU\u2019s future, but couldn\u2019t predict how it would reverberate into its past. A similar thing happened in Thor <\/em>(2011)<\/a>, which featured an Easter Egg of an Infinity Gauntlet in Odin\u2019s Vault. This becomes contradicted when Thanos (Josh Brolin) has his own, custom-made, Infinity Gauntlet. Although, Thor: Ragnar\u00f6k <\/em>(2017)<\/a> would retroactively \u201ccorrect\u201d this minor continuity error by Hela (Cate Blanchett) revealing Odin\u2019s version was \u201ca fake.\u201d<\/p>\n

MCU projects can\u2019t always predict where the overall story will take them. Another, more subjective, continuity shift is how Iron Man says he and Pepper Potts are \u201ctaking a break\u201d in Captain America: Civil War<\/em>.<\/a> But when he next appears in Spider-Man Homecoming <\/em>(2017), Tony and Pepper are back together, and Homecoming <\/em>even ends on them getting engaged. Again this is not exactly a \u201cmistake\u201d \u2013 it\u2019s very possible for Tony and Pepper to work out their issues between movies \u2013 but simply demonstrates how the MCU can often change course.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

However, Spider-Man: Homecoming <\/em><\/a>does feature the MCU\u2019s most concrete continuity errors. An opening scene shows the aftermath of The Avengers<\/em>, before a title-card flashes forward \u201ceight years later.\u201d But if the assumption is that (modern-day) MCU films take place in the year they\u2019re released, and The Avengers <\/em>happened in 2012, then Homecoming <\/em>occurs in 2020. This timeline would be fine, if strange, so long as it’s kept consistent, but other MCU films contradict this. Avengers: Infinity War <\/em>(2018) has Tony mention that The Avengers <\/em>happened \u201csix years ago,\u201d reaffirming that it takes place in 2018, even if it\u2019s set after Homecoming<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The rest of the MCU has essentially ignored Homecoming<\/em>\u2019s \u201ceight years later\u201d title-card. Even MCU director Joe Russo has commented<\/a> it was a \u201cvery incorrect eight years.\u201d Although the MCU\u2019s timeline becomes complicated again when you consider Avengers: Endgame <\/em>(2019)<\/a> takes place \u201cfive years\u201d after Infinity War<\/em>, meaning it and the MCU going forward are set in 2023.<\/p>\n

This internal timeline is easy to ignore<\/a>, but Homecoming <\/em>features more blatant continuity issues. It opens with an alternative viewpoint of Civil War <\/em>from Spider-Man\u2019s (Tom Holland) perspective, as he films a vlog. Therefore, we see him amidst the airport battle, including when Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) grows giant as a distraction behind him. Spider-Man mumbles to the camera how \u201che\u2019s big now, I gotta go,\u201d before taking off. However, this directly contradicts Civil War<\/em>, which featured Spider-Man shouting \u201choly s***!\u201d at him. It is possible that such \u201cerrors\u201d arise from Homecoming <\/em>being a co-production between Disney and Sony, and therefore subject to different processes and rigor than other MCU films. Although the likely answer is simply that each filmmaker thought their own Spider-Man reaction was funny.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

Another studio division was between Marvel Studios and Marvel TV,<\/a> with Kevin Feige reportedly having \u201cfrustrated\u201d relationships with Marvel Entertainment CEO Ike Perlmutter and Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb. So although properties like Marvel\u2019s Netflix shows<\/a> (Daredevil, Jessica Jones <\/em>etc.) and ABC\u2019s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. <\/em>nominally existed in the MCU, their overlap was minimized. Netflix\u2019s Defenders <\/em>shows make fleeting references to New York\u2019s destruction from The Avengers <\/em>and \u201cthe big blonde dude with the hammer,\u201d but not much else, while later MCU events were ignored by the Netflix shows (and vice-versa). The fact Luke Cage <\/em>and the MCU have double-booked actors, Alfre Woodard and Mahershala Ali<\/a>, further shows they should be considered separately.<\/p>\n

Things were slightly different with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.<\/em>, given how Phil Coulson originated in Iron Man <\/em><\/a>and the first few seasons made copious references to the Avengers and the wider MCU. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. <\/em>even featured MCU supporting characters like Nick Fury, Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), and Lady Sif (Jaime Alexander). Indeed, the show\u2019s entire status quo was radically altered \u2013 and drastically improved \u2013 by Captain America: The Winter Soldier <\/em>revealing that HYDRA had been secretly infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

However, it became clear such continuity was a one-way street. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. <\/em>could only play second-fiddle to the mainstream MCU, and would not impact the films. Gradually, the series became disconnected from MCU continuity, so that even though they namecheck Thanos<\/a> in the Season 5 finale, the show makes no mention of Infinity War<\/em>\u2019s events.<\/p>\n

Marvel\u2019s new Disney+ shows are far more connected to the MCU, dealing with major characters reacting to the aftermath of Endgame<\/em><\/a>. Such shows are considered \u201cmore\u201d canon, and therefore further erase Marvel TV. This becomes clear when, in WandaVision<\/em><\/a>, Agatha Harkness (Kathyrn Hahn) showcases \u201cthe Darkhold\u201d and its magical properties<\/a>. However, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. <\/em>also featured the Darkhold in its fourth\u00a0season, with Ghost Rider (Gabriel Luna) eventually taking it to Hell to \u201ckeep it safe.\u201d It is possible there are multiple Darkholds, or that Agatha somehow recovered it from Ghost Rider. But since the design and functionality are completely different it\u2019s safe to assume WandaVision <\/em>simply didn\u2019t consider Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.<\/em>\u2019s continuity and that Marvel TV is not considered canon.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

The DCEU has been accused of being \u201crushed,\u201d Following Man of Steel <\/em>(2013), which introduced Superman (Henry Cavil) as the \u201cfirst\u201d superhero in a relatively \u201crealistic\u201d world, Batman v Superman <\/em>(2016) radically expanded the DCEU by showing that Batman (Ben Affleck) has operated for years, and that Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) has existed since WW1. Diana\u2019s reclusive characterization in Batman v Superman <\/em>and Justice League <\/em>(2017) clashes against her open intervention in her solo films. Although Wonder Woman 1984 <\/em>(2020)<\/a> makes a point of Diana hiding her public existence, this is only half-heartedly done to fit with Batman v Superman<\/em>\u2019s explanation.<\/p>\n

But although the DCEU was somewhat compressed, it does not have the same continuity errors as the MCU. Ironically, since the DCEU is more fast-and-loose with details than the MCU, it can \u201cget away\u201d with much more. Cramming Justice League <\/em>(both versions)<\/a> with multiple first appearances might make it overstuffed, but also leaves less room for contradiction. Similarly, Birds of Prey <\/em>(2020)<\/a> makes minimal references to Suicide Squad <\/em>(2016), but Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie)<\/a> also doesn\u2019t contradict her previous DCEU appearance. The MCU invests more in continuity, and therefore faces more downsides, while the DCEU is more relaxed with telling stand-alone stories, and therefore faces fewer issues.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

This extends to DC featuring \u201cnon-canon\u201d films. Marvel has teased at the multiverse but not yet committed, but DC has wholeheartedly embraced it.<\/a> Both Joker <\/em>(2019) and Matt Reeve\u2019s upcoming The Batman <\/em><\/a>take place outside DCEU continuity, thereby allowing creative freedom<\/a> without immediate concerns of consistency or \u201cworld-building.\u201d And unlike Marvel TV’s half-hearted attempt to connect to the MCU, DC\u2019s TV shows can operate in their own separate timeline.<\/p>\n

So, the CW\u2019s bustling Arrowverse<\/a> can feature their own interpretation of mainstream characters, whilst also having its Flash (Grant Gustin) briefly meet the DCEU\u2019s Flash (Ezra Miller) during \u201cCrisis on Infinite Earths.\u201d By having DCEU properties explicitly exist in separate universes, they possess a clean break from dogged continuity, and do not have to maintain the same detailed consistency \u2013 and face the same associated issues \u2013 as the MCU.<\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0DCEU: How A New Superman Movie Can Differentiate Itself<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n

\\\"IT\u96fb\u8166\u88dc\u7fd2
\u7acb\u523b\u8a3b\u518a\u53ca\u5831\u540d\u96fb\u8166\u88dc\u7fd2\u8ab2\u7a0b\u5427!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/br>Find A Teacher Form:\r\n<\/br>https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/1vREBnX5n262umf4wU5U2pyTwvk9O-JrAgblA-wH9GFQ\/viewform?edit_requested=true#responses\r\n<\/br><\/br>Email:\r\n<\/br>public1989two@gmail.com






\r\nwww.itsec.hk<\/a>
\r\nwww.itsec.vip<\/a>
\r\nwww.itseceu.uk<\/a>
<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DC Films have a reputation for messy continuity, but closer inspections shows the MCU might have more flaws.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":940,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"The MCU's Continuity Issues Are Actually Worse Than The DCEU - ITTeacherITFreelance.hk","description":"DC Films have a reputation for messy continuity, but closer inspections shows the MCU might have more flaws."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[607],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222225"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/940"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222225"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":222226,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222225\/revisions\/222226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}