AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Theory: Leading to Civil War

With the recent release of THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Trailer that’s caused the Internet to go ape shit crazy, theories and speculation have run rampant about everything from Robert Downey Jr‘s clothes to an unknown actresses. So I’ll also be indulging in a theory that looks beyond THE AVENGERS sequel, and discusses how the series of films can take a turn towards the Civil War event that is rumored to be the focus of CAPTAIN AMERICA 3.

We know that CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 will feature Robert Downey Jr, returning as Iron Man and that the story might be signaling towards the infamous comic book event known as Civil War. A quick background: In the Marvel Comics Universe, a storyline known as ‘Civil War’ was about the government wanting mutants, superheroes and other masked men to reveal themselves and Register their identities with the government working on their behalf. The heroes who refused would be fugitives. This divided the entire Marvel Universe in two, with Tony Stark representing the government and hunting down anyone who refused, while Captain America, himself a symbol for liberty, effectively becoming a fugitive by opposing the act.

Now the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t as heavily populated with super powered individuals as the Comics Universe is. So A Civil War that divides our heroes would only be a ‘war’ between more or less 12 people. That number is even less when you take into account that the members of former S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents such as Fury, Black Widow, Hawkeye & Maria Hill don’t have any powers, so it’s essentially like 6 people. So focusing on a mega comic event, which was successful duo to its affect on literally every hero and story within the Marvel Universe, as the source for a Cinematic adaptation that sees only a handful of heroes to begin with… doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Unless something drastic happens between AGE OF ULTRON and CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 that changes this status quo in the Cinematic Universe.

and that she blows…

A shot from the AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Trailer sees Scarlet Witch on her knees screaming in devastation. The reason is obviously unknown, but if you follow the comics, you know that Scarlet Witch getting pissed isn’t a good thing. Another quick background: ‘House Of M‘ was another Marvel comics event built up from when the Scarlet Witch started going insane after the loss of her twins, and literally changed reality, de-powering most of the mutants in the world, and reshaping the universe to compensate for her loss. Putting that into context with AGE OF ULTRON, it may be that the shot of devastation we see the Witch in here, may be due to her experiencing the death of her own brother Quicksilver. Joss Whedon did suggest that the sequel might see the death of an Avenger. If Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch switch sides during the movie, they would be Avengers, thereby making Quicksilver’s death in line with Whedon’s comments.

house of m Scarlet Witch…

Regardless of the reason, if Scarlet Witch is that upset, it may be possible that her grief or anger may cause her magic to change the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but in the opposite manner than the comics. In the MCU, Witch & Quicksilver aren’t mutants, but rather have been ‘given’ their powers by experiments done by Baron Von Strucker. So maybe the Scarlet Witch’s influx of powers unleashed on the world in a moment of complete loss of control may cause others to be imbibed with various powers similar to theirs.

This extreme change in the world, people with assorted powers, not knowing how to control them, running rampant, confused and destructive, may eventually lead to the type of Government involvement that creates the Registration Act, leading to Civil War during the events of CAPTAIN AMERICA 3. Not to mention having a plot device that now would allow Marvel to introduce more of its comics heroes into the Cinematic Universe by telling stories of the people affected by these powers.

Ta da! Now granted this is a lot of wild assumptions and connections based on, literally, one frame from the AGE OF ULTRON Trailer… And I am by no means an expert on Marvel’s Comics or Cinematic Universes, but… this is all we can do until the movie releases May 2015.

So share your thoughts & disagreements with me below and follow me on Twitter @theshahshahid for more rants.