How The Avengers Saga Subtext Was About The Rise of The Global South,DEI and the West's Inability To Put the Wokeness Genie Back in the Proverbial Time (in a) Bottle!
If Wikipedia is to be believed "The white savior paradigm such as the rise and heroic saga of Captain America and Ironman in the marvel Avengers series is a cinematic trope in which white central characters rescues non-white (often less prominent) characters from unfortunate circumstances. This recurs in an array of genres in American cinema, wherein a white protagonist is portrayed as a messianic father figure (ie Iron man to Peter Parker and the 1940's generation Captain America reflecting on the modern world) who often gains some insight or introspection in the course of rescuing non-white, oppressed, (this includes feminine paradigms such as the female hurt or emotionally abused by men usually father figures) (Black Widow,Scarlet Witch,Gamora,Captain Marvel) characters (or occasionally non-human alien races that substitute as non-white civilizations) from their plight.
The portrayal of the white savior in cinema serves as a narrative device reflecting on the dynamics of race and ethnicity. It often depicts white individuals as inherently possessing moral virtues that are lacking in non-white counterparts. This archetype typically features a character who feels disconnected from their own community until they take on the role of a racial leader, intervening to rescue marginalized groups from hardship. Such stories have been criticized as self-indulgent fantasies, serving as a form of psychological compensation for benefiting from systems that uphold privilege by limiting access to resources for others to compete fairly.
Stark died on the battlefield surrounded by Peter Parker (Gen Z), Rhodey (Black Man), and Pepper Potts (Liberated Woman) in the most heartbreaking moment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. Essentilly the father figure is telling the society as a whole my patriarchal savior sacrifice is over you have to save yourselves! This is essentually the rise of a dynamic of inclusion. We are all the heroes of our own narratives we all have a part in saving and protecting our world we must rely on each other because what faces us is an existential threat! (Sound familiar?)
The Final Sacrifice. As the cosmic gems melted into his armored glove, Tony Stark snapped his own fingers, turning Thanos (Josh Brolin) and his legion to wisps of ash. And what is the result? WOKENESS! The woke sequels from this passing of the baton has hit the zeitgeist of fanboy racism and it hurts them physically to imagine a world of expanded universes where whiteness holds no special value only the content of a person or aliens character thus the access of Peter Quill as a tragic figure seeking the love of his universe Gamora who has forgotten what him and the love they shared. “The Marvels” and “Captain Marvel” star Oscar winner Brie Larson, has faced sexist attacks for comments she has made pushing for diversity in Hollywood and film.
Complaints about the film The Marvels, labeled as "wokeness" a term utilized derogatorily by some who oppose the widespread access to historical facts and truth, have been ongoing since the release of the movie's initial trailer. These criticisms appear to be centered around the significant roles played by women, particularly women of color such as Iman Vellani, Teyonah Parris, and Nawe Ashton, as well as the comparatively lesser focus on the male characters in the storyline. Despite its underwhelming box office performance, these concerns persist among certain audiences. But declining demographics among audiences that are less diverse necessitates creation of content that speaks to the largest market which is BIPOC youth.
In a recent interview with Variety, Nia DaCosta, the director of The Marvels, discussed the labeling of her superhero film as 'woke' by certain audience members. DaCosta acknowledged the negative aspects of fan culture but emphasized her preference for focusing on positivity by adopting what could be termed a "No Zaddy Allowed" approach.
“There are pockets where you go because you’re like, ’I’m a super fan. I want to exist in the space of just adoration — which includes civilized critique. Then there are pockets that are really virulent and violent and racist — and sexist and homophobic and all those awful things. And I choose the side of the light. That’s the part of fandom I’m most attracted to.”
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