Mythology In Space: Part 4

I would like to propose the following contest for the best cinematic villain in the scifi/fantasy genre: DARTH VADER vs. LOKI.

From The Avengers (2012), directed by Joss Whedon.

They’re both from space, and they both have mad combat skills. From there, however, they diverge, sort of.

From Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), directed by Irvin Kershner.

Their weapons are impressive but different. Darth Vader has that classic light saber while Loki has (well, temporarily) a wicked-looking sceptre fitted with the Mind Stone in disguise.

From The Avengers (2012), directed by Joss Whedon.

Darth Vader has that telekinetic thing going with The Force, but Loki can use illusion of mythical dimensions. This more or less leaves us with something on the order of an unstoppable force aimed at an untouchable target.

Both characters have appealing nuance, a mixture of the honorable and the deplorable. In terms of origins, Loki, with his ambitions and father issues, has the better-written back story. His is also a more complete character study, but Darth Vader has the more iconic image (not to mention his voice and the sound of his breathing). His story arc is also complete while Loki’s is still unfolding.

And the winner is…

Credit: The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, which now owns the rights to both the Star Wars and the Marvel franchises. A number of military, political, and socio-economic implications can be drawn from this and applied to real life, but I will leave that to the imagination of my readers.

The Modern Pantheon: The Vision

The summer of 2015 was a good one for my little boy heart. Jurassic World and Ant Man actually exceeded my rather low expectations, and I enjoyed them thoroughly. Between these two, Avengers: Age Of Ultron (directed by Joss Whedon) was released, and this movie introduced a character with which I became fascinated: The Vision as played by the excellent Paul Bettany, whom I have enjoyed in other roles. The imagery associated with this superhero was compelling in a different way.  His observant, newborn quality, his frank sincerity, and his emotional detachment give him an unusual aura of resolve and undefined purpose.

The concepts behind who and what The Vision is, as well as the circumstances of his creation, are intriguing as is shown in the clip below:

Born of artificial intelligence programs (Ultron and ultimately Jarvis), synthetic biology, the efforts of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, and the electrical energy of Thor’s hammer acting on an Infinity Stone, he springs into being in an initially ominous way and then reveals himself as benign. Explaining himself to be neither Ultron nor Jarvis, he proclaims simply, “I am.” This and other cryptic quotations of scripture throughout the movie left me guessing at what the writers (Joss Whedon and Stan Lee) were trying to accomplish.

The Vision exudes purity and is more than the sum of his parts. Energized with unearthly, god-like power and incorporating scientific ingenuity as well, he is a hybrid being, a type of material and divine amphibian. It is within his nature to wield Thor’s hammer, something which only the worthy can do, and this puts him in the select company of Thor and Odin. The Mind Stone, a relic from the creation of the universe, is in his forehead, and this makes him a paradox, both new and ancient. Since the movies of the Disney Marvel franchise have already gone beyond the ideas of the original comics, we don’t fully understand who The Vision is and who he will become. I look forward to his further unveiling.