Superhero Day 2021: Marvel edition

It is Superhero Day! Now, we love our Avengers and Marvel heroes so we are dedicating our Superhero Day post to them: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Why not DC? Because Marvel has a far more fleshed out, lived in universe (and I, Emma, am not even sure Niamh likes DC all that much) but Marvel is also a common superhero franchise we both enjoy. So whether you’ve been around since the Human Torch and the Sub Mariner appeared on the first issue of the comics, since Captain America socked Adolf on the jaw on the front cover of his first issue (featuring his “young ally, Bucky”) or since the now iconic reveal of Tony Stark’s secret identity in 2008 with the iconic line “I am Iron Man”, you’re more than welcome to join us here and enjoy what we love about our superheroes.

So, let’s get to chatting about our favourite heroes and all things Marvel to celebrate today.

Which superhero is your favourite (you can NOT pick more than one) and why?

E: Captain America, hands down, every day of the week. In my mind, Cap represents loyalty and reckless bravery in the face of bullies and tyrants. Does he do stupid things sometimes? Hell yes! Does he stand up for his friends and allies? To the point that it puts him in harm’s way. But Cap is a super soldier who, when it came to choosing a weapon, decided to take up a shield. Cap is a man who will try to talk his enemies down if he can before starting a fight. When he got his new lease on life, Steve Rogers did all he could to protect people who needed his help even if he did feel like a performing monkey. He will always choose to protect and defend. Plus, even though he was seen as a government propaganda icon, almost everything Cap did pissed off the government somehow, I love his petty ass for it! And, speaking of asses, it doesn’t hurt that that is America’s Ass.

N: The Incredible Hulk. For anyone who doesn’t talk to me regularly, I refer to the Hulk as my misunderstood pumpkin. Does he have major anger issues? Sure but the Hulk reminds us that we must never judge a book by its cover to truly understand someone. Similarly between the movies and comic books, I would argue that Banner and the Hulk have the most character development which ends up with the epic result of Professor Hulk. The Banner persona of his character resonates with me as he is a person who relies on his brain a bit too much during defining situations. He looks out for his friends and those he cares about all the while being truly terrified of his true potential. He prefers to stay in an area he can control and knows. The Hulk side shows us a range of personas from being all about smashing things and being angry to slowly changing into something more at times. The Hulk will always be my favourite because he reminds me of the personal journey we all go through to find ourselves in this world. He is just a big green guy who can be terrifying when he needs to be while having his softer moments too. Eventually when all aspects of each persona come together and works together it creates the best version of the person they can be.

Favourite MCU Movie?

E: Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

N: Thor Ragnarok.

Which superhero best represents you?

E: Honestly, I’m finding this one hard to answer. Heroes all have these standout qualities and beliefs that make them heroes and I don’t really see a hero who is like me.

N: You all have permission to laugh…. I am toddler Groot! I’ve been saying this ever since Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 came out. If you know you know!

Emma, what superhero best represents Niamh?

So Niamh is convinced she’s toddler Groot but, honestly, after all that I’ve seen of the MCU, I disagree. If Niamh is anyone of the Avengers, she is Wanda ‘The Scarlet Witch’ Maximoff. Kind of like Wanda, Niamh’s superpower is her emotions. She cares….a lot. And about a lot of people. She never seems to mind if you hurt her but hurt her family or the people she cares about and she will most definitely make you regret it. Sound familiar? She’s essentially a mentally stable Wanda Maximoff and that’s scary! People think “oh Niamh’s fine, she won’t do anything” and then they piss her off. It is at these moments that you run for your life (or, if you’re me, laugh at people because I’m not in trouble for a change). Niamh is stronger than anyone thinks. People sometimes underestimate her in the beginning because she is nice and kind but, in the end, she can and will squash you flat if she feels inclined so she is definitely the strongest Avenger.

Niamh, what superhero best represents Emma?

I’d like to start by saying that this was the hardest question of this entire blog post for me. Not because I can’t think of anybody to compare Emma to, it’s because of how difficult it is to choose just one person. She’s probably the best definition of what the Avengers stand for. She’s the best traits from each of the Avengers but after thoughtful deliberation, countless hours looking over each character (discounting the two that she thought she would be compared to, Hawkeye and Rocket); I finally made a decision…. She is Black Widow: Natasha Romanoff. Anyone who knows Emma knows that she is a calm, collected, intelligent individual who never backs down from a fight. She is a person who takes no bullshit and is bluntly honest when you need her to be. Emma also has Natasha’s mindset of being calculating, observing and dealing with facts rather than relying on her emotions on important situations for herself and others. She rarely lets her guard down until she gets to know you but that results in her choosing you to be a part of her Ohana and honestly it is the best thing to be a part of. Once that happens, you have a friend who is incredibly loyal, who is ready to fight with you to the death, slay your enemies and helps you carry out insane ideas just to have an adventure.

What superhero duo represents us best?

E: Steve and Bucky. Niamh is Steve, if that wasn’t already obvious. Their names even rhyme. Niamh is the responsible adult person; the leader and the organiser. I am exactly none of these things. When I was younger, I was outgoing and chatty; now, I tend to be quiet, reserved and watch situations carefully. Niamh doesn’t get into fights but, if she needs to be rescued from a situation, it’s my job to do that. We’ve been friends for so long that we know each other spectacularly well so we might as well have been friends for 80 years now. We know each other (how we think, how we work, how we may act in given situations, habits and quirks) and we play to one another’s strength. Teamwork makes the dream work when it comes to fighting Iron Man or running a blog.

N: I honestly love Emma’s reasonings behind us being represented by Steve and Bucky but I’m going to throw out another iconic duo! For me, it has to be Black Widow and Hawkeye. Despite not being 100% represented in the films, it is clear to see that Natasha and Clint have one of the closest friendships in the MCU. No romantic feelings here so heads out of the gutter please but, despite Emma being able to represent both sides of these characters, Nat and Clint are truly us when you dive deeper into our personalities and traits. Be it the never ending loyalty, the protectiveness or working together through everything (even when we don’t agree on things or are not as passionate about subjects as the other – Historical Linguistics I’m looking at you). We have also been through a lot separately but, when we came together as friends not once but twice, we have gone through a lot of shizz and helped the other through a lot too. We know each other inside out, we can anticipate the others’ next move even when the other doesn’t even know we are heading in that direction. We always have each other’s back, inside jokes, an outstanding friendship and let’s be real we both kill it in black.

If you could visit one superhero place, which would you visit?

E: Get in losers, we’re going to the Avengers Compound before it got blown up! Could you imagine the kind of heroes you’d meet there and the equipment and technology you would see! I would be in heaven.

N: While for me it is a trip to The Playground, before it got burnt down of course! I’m a big fan of S.H.I.E.L.D. If we happen to get separated, just look for me in the lab with Fitz & Simmons.

Whose superpowers/abilities would you borrow?

E: Tony Stark. I’d borrow his intelligence mostly. I’d just have a field day with all the tech I could create and use. Plus, Iron Man can fly.

N: Spider Man’s! Could you imagine the freedom and thrill rush while exploring your surroundings by swinging through the air?

Team Cap or Team Iron Man?

E: First and foremost, they’re both wrong but I’d choose Team Cap. Should heroes be held accountable for things they mess up/destroy? Yes. Should heroes’ actions be controlled? Not by politicians and governments who 1) love red tape and bureaucracy and 2) could and would use heroes’ assistance as leverage to benefit their interests and the interests of their own country. If they did, countries could hold millions of innocent lives hostage until the nation under attack complied.

N: Agreeing with Em 100% on this one. I will forever and always be a part of Team Cap! Em also has the reasons summed up perfectly so, please, see above!

Least favourite MCU character.

E: Thaddeus Ross – you just know that SOB is up to something on the Raft. I’m watching him!

N: The most recent is Tyler Hayward. He just irked me from the very first episode of WandaVision he appeared in.

Favourite quote from a superhero and why?

E: “Cause I’m with you ’til the end of the line.” – This quote has stuck with me through all of the MCU. It shows Steve Rogers’ loyalty and belief in the good in people even when they’re not themselves. It’s a callback to a friendship that is literally timeless and what I aim for in the friendships I make. It’s the unswerving loyalty for me.

N:”You never know. You hope for the best and make do with what you get.” – I honestly think this quote can be adapted to any situation in life. So just go for it – the job, that relationship or that new experience. You never know what might happen or what might work out or what might fail but you hope for the best and work with the outcome you are given.