Eternals He spent much of the weekend fighting for his right to be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the shock of a bulk of negative early criticism to face, he now had to grapple with public opinion. And he did it halfway with a moderate box office success. It’s also a pop culture hit for something seemingly unimportant, but one that actually takes the films in the franchise to a new seat. Finally, a Marvel couple have on-screen sex.
For more than ten years, Marvel populated superhero cinema with the most varied tastes and origins. He also delved through them on issues of relevance and cultural and political interest; he even analyzed belonging and race, praised political commentary, reflected on gender differences.
From Hombre de Hierro and his veiled commentary on weapons, violence and redemption, even the power of Black panther. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has made a long journey through all kinds of topics, topics, points of view. But until now he had kept the question of sex far enough off the screen to be uncomfortable.
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Often accused of being naive, the movie version of Marvel’s great heroes has a complicated relationship with the sexuality of its characters. In addition, he has faced various controversies when showing the sexual orientation of several of them. Criticized for the shyness, ambiguity and poor maturity of its approach, Marvel has stepped on dangerous ground that it did not dare to cross until now. That, despite trying to do it in a more or less obvious way over the years.
But Marvel’s romantic relationships are often doomed to failure or chaste concluding scenes. Captain America and Peggy Carter went through three separate phases of the franchise, ending in an almost childlike dance scene. Iron Man and Pepper Potts played with risque phrases, obvious flirtations, until they became model husbands and fathers.
Spider-Man and MJ have done nothing but exchange a couple of on-screen kisses and fly through New York in the air. Hope Van Dyne and Scott Lang tried to show the adult version of the song, without always succeeding. Thor and Jane Foster, perhaps the most insubstantial couple in a long universe of misunderstandings, have often been accused of being distant and cold. Not to mention the very forced (atypical and linear) between Black Widow and Bruce Banner.
For their part, the closest ones and with a more evident physical relationship on the screen, usually have an unfortunate end. Wanda Maximoff and Vision appear to be destined to be separated by violent death. The same as Star-Lord and Gamora, who achieved the feat of exchanging a passionate kiss and not dying in the same movie. But Gamora ended up being killed by her father Thanos and it is still not very clear what will happen to the couple in the future.
The most recent of all, the surprising, inexplicable and strangely passionate between Loki and Sylvie, his female variant, also ended in a violent separation. As if that was not enough, the character also had to face that his discreet coming out of the closet, was criticized for his shyness. By the beginning of phase four, Marvel seemed to be faced with the same planning and vision problems that it has carried on for more than a decade.
The woman who decided to cross the line with sex at Marvel
The director of Eternals decided to create the right moment for two superheroes to have sex. At the same time, he resolved the thorny issue of the sexuality of the characters with a direct look at the subject. The film, which divided critics and sparked debates about its quality, plot and soundness, also had to face being the first to show sex. And not in a short scene, hinted or, as in the case of Hombre de Hierro, in a sequence destined to relate its surroundings.
It was of considerable importance to Zhao to make it clear that superheroes had reached a new level of maturity. And also, crossed a line that will allow in the future – or so the director hopes – an appropriate growth of the great characters of pop culture. In a interview to IndieWire, the director made it clear that from the beginning she had considered breaking the paradigm of the chaste superhero.
“I wanted to show two people who love each other, not only emotionally and intellectually but also physically. To have a sex scene that will be seen by many people who show their love, compassion and kindness, I think it is something really beautiful ”, explained the director.
Did. Eternals it partially abandons Marvel shyness and shows Sersi (Gemma Chan) and Ikaris (Richard Madden) having sex on screen. The scene, carefully choreographed and filmed with an artistic flair, leaves no room for doubt. And although in the end, the pair also go through what seems to be the inevitable destiny of love in Marvel, it opened the doors for something more. Sersi and Irakis are adults and also complex creatures that express their love and desire. Not just symbols or metaphors for something more elaborate.
Marvel, often accused of creating characters at opposite ends of the ethical line and undoubtedly asexual, took a step in a more human direction. Of course, it cannot be compared to the frenzied, volatile and gargantuan sexuality of the The Boys. Much less, with the conception of the tortuous, painful and dark love of DC. The sex scene in Eternals, is the open door to the perception of superheroes as sexual creatures. And also, as fallibles. A look that Zhao forced by turning the group of characters into fickle paradoxes that ended up facing each other.
On Hombre de Hierro, Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony ends up in bed with a journalist for no other reason than to show him as a playboy. In the most recent addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, sex is meaningful and almost poetic. A new dimension in the way of explaining and supporting the notion of the franchise’s on-screen growth.
A normal family, a close-up kiss and the big economic question
As if all of the above weren’t enough, Eternals also has the franchise’s first openly gay couple. And not one that is hinted at between plays of light and a phrase that could be cut to make the movie more profitable. Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) is married to Ben (Haaz Sleiman) and also has a son, Jack (Esai Daniel Cross). Family love was the way in which the superhero managed to recover from his deep disappointment against humanity.
Zhao, again, creates the conditions so that the scene and the subject are touched in a very visible way. The intimacy between the couple is clear on screen and is part of the superhero’s story. There’s even a kiss – chaste, quick, and emotional – but one that makes it clear that Marvel has moved in a new direction.
A curious effect in the same year that Marvel had to endure criticism for its fear to cross certain borders. Kate Herron had dealt with pressure from Disney to have the series Loki could express the fluid sex of the character; he did it in a carefully planned scene with plays of light and just a short sentence.
On the contrary, Zhao had absolute creative freedom. That, despite the fact that several Arab countries demanded that the film be edited to be screened in their markets. But Marvel not only refused, but made it clear that the step forward has consequences for the future. Has the time come when Marvel will bring greater emotional depth to its characters’ relationships? Beyond their marketable quality, Marvel begins to think of their figures as symbolic. And maybe Eternals It is the right look in an unknown direction and necessary for the franchise.