Yondu Stole Christmas?

Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas special follows the same troupes that we enjoy from previous movies but is not memorable. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed what I watched, and it helped me realize that I have forgotten a lot from the previous volumes like Mantis being Peter's sister. Even though I enjoyed that this movie focuses more on two of the funniest characters Mantis and Drax there was nothing special stood out to me like some of the better Marvel movies.

The story starts off with a flash back of Peter in his youth wanting to celebrate Christmas. Yondu, being the grinch, stole his Christmas. Then the special transition to the present to Mantis hearing this story and wants to give her brother his best Christmas ever by bring him his hero; Kevin Bacon. Drax comes along with her as the kidnap Kevin Bacon for Quill.

Comedy:

Like all Guardians of the Galaxy the comedy of the movie is a highlight. I enjoyed Mantis and Drax dynamics. Watching them is like playing with your favorite sibling. You know that they are going to get into trouble, and they are going to enjoy every minute of it until they are caught.

When Drax and Mantis fly to earth everyone is staring at them and Mantis gets upset that Drax did not turn on the cloaking device on the ship that she told him to do. I think I enjoyed this scene because it showed that their relationship is not romantic, but more of a sibling relationship with one being serious while the other one is enjoying pushing buttons.

The best comedic moment was after they captured Kevin Bacon; Mantis and Drax find out that Kevin Bacon is not the hero Quill made him out to be, he has the most abdominal job being an actor. When they find this out, they are disgusted with him, and brain wash him to be the hero that Quill described him as.

Music:

There were a couple of Christmas songs that were made for the special. I liked the first song called “I Don’t Know What Christmas Is” because it’s an interpretation of what skeptical people would deduce if they heard about Santa Claus for the first time. 

He’s a master burglar

A pro at pickin’ locks

If you don’t leave milk and cookies out

He will put dung in your socks

The other song that was sung by Kevin Bacon called “Here it is Christmas time” and it was not as clever as the previous song. It is a more serious song, but it felt out of place due to the comedic nature that this series brings. It’s like taking Netflix’s Daredevil series which has a serious tone and making it into a comedy . . . .

Plot:

The plot of the movie is nothing special. I believe the producers intended it to be this way so nothing substantial is missed if people chose to skip it and watch the the 3rd volume that is coming out next year.

Like I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the plot of the movie is Mantis wanting to give Peter Quill a special Christmas. She thinks that Peter would reject her if she told him her secret about being his sibling. So, she sets off to bring him Kevin Bacon for Christmas.

All in all, this was a not a special special. There was one good song and a couple of good laughs, but it is not the best that guardians of the galaxy have shown us. If you have an hour to waste and you want to watch something new, then give this a shot or watch a new show. Watching this made me excited for the next volume to come out next year because I know that it is going to be better than this.

People Will Argue About This She-Hulk Review

The internet will argue over anything. How many times have I seen arguments on Facebook or Reddit about Star Wars, Fantastic Beasts, Rings of Power, or MCU movies? Don’t get me wrong, you can dislike the Star Wars sequels, Thor: Love and Thunder, or whatever you want. But when I see comments come up like “This show is trash” or “I’d never watch garbage like this” I want to scroll right past. Let’s have some articulate discussion, instead of toxic insults.

All of this came to mind repeatedly with the first season of She-Hulk, which recently concluded. Let’s be clear, She-Hulk isn’t for everyone. That’s fine. But I enjoyed it. If it isn’t for you, I respect that and I’d love to discuss what you think it lacks. In my opinion, She-Hulk’s nature as a legal comedy diverged from Marvel’s norm in a way that many fans didn’t like. And that’s okay. That’s the great thing about all the content Marvel is putting out! There’s something for everyone!

Now to get into actually talking about She-Hulk:

I mentioned before in my review of Love and Thunder that Marvel is trying out many different genres these days, horrors (like Multiverse of Madness and Werewolf at Night), romcom (like Love and Thunder), animated shorts (like I Am Groot), and teen drama (like Ms. Marvel) to name a few. She-Hulk is just the latest in their experiments. That’s great! Marvel has a long history at this point of making superhero action movies with comedic timing. That format (which was called out in the She-Hulk finale) served the MCU for a time. Now they have the ability and the money to take some risks and try new stuff. Again, this is great! Superhero action movies don’t strike everyone the same way. Now with a variety of mediums, Marvel Studios can attract a wider variety of fans. Put that in your algorithm, K.E.V.I.N.

Jen Walters has the wit, sass, and comedic timing to strike my funny bone almost every time. And her fourth-wall-breaking has given her the opportunity to say things fans have been saying for years. You know what that means? It means Marvel is listening to us! How wonderful is it to have a studio that cares about its fans!

With its tone, and with Jen’s job as a superhero lawyer, we were given the opportunity to glimpse heroes new and old. Despite what Jen said early in the season, it kind of was THAT kind of show that embraced a cameo-of-the-week gimmick. Returning we got to see Bruce/Hulk, Emil/Abomination, Wong, and the long-awaited Matt/Daredevil. After seeing Doctor Strange and Daredevil, it was refreshing to see Wong and Matt in less serious settings. And despite what some haters think, I loved seeing the chemistry between Jen with Matt; they’re a cute couple.

Now this wouldn’t be a very thorough review if I didn’t address some issues I had with the show. Let’s start with the end. What was up with that finale? I have no issue with She-Hulk smashing her way through Disney Plus and confronting K.E.V.I.N. Actually, I thought it was a creative way to progress the story. And it really did fit Jen’s character more than smashing through a superhero smackdown. However, I’ll take issue with how the story progressed after Jen visited Marvel Studios. I expected the show to “rewind” and start the lodge scene again with Jen’s changes. Instead, it just cut away and left the scenes disjointed. I felt like I'd missed a scene. I honestly wasn’t sure how to process the story with the sudden adjustments. That being said, I liked having Daredevil and Hulk back for a moment. (Also, Hulk has a kid?!?!?!)

My other complaint: the bad guys were vastly underutilized. Todd as the big bad? I get that he wanted to steal Jen’s powers, but it just seemed like a complete 180 from him being a She-Hulk superfan. And then there was Josh. Honestly, with how tricky and manipulative he ended up being, I think he would have fit better as the big bad. It would have even given Jen the chance for justice when she ended up suing Intelligencia in the finale. Finally, there was Titania. She was teased as if she were going to be the big bad, but obviously that was a red herring. That being said, I loved her rival-chemistry with Jen/She-Hulk. I just have one annoying question: what was she doing at Emil’s lodge in the finale? How did she end up in the mountains (where she should have had minimal cell coverage by the way) crashing into the lodge and then livestreaming the arrest of Todd and Intelligencia? Just more questions I have about the finale, I suppose.

Overall, I liked She-Hulk, but it’s okay if you didn’t. Invitation still stands, let’s have a discussion about the show so I can understand better why it disappointed you. And to those who just want to trash the show, She-Hulk already lawyered her way to calling you out in the finale.

I Am Groot - Marvel's Bugs Bunny

Marvel's MCU has certainly been dipping their toes into new genres lately. Multiverse of Madness gave us horror, What If... gave us animated, and Eternals gave us absolute gibbering nonsense, so it's no surprise to see their next foray into animated shorts featuring everyone's favorite Marvel cutie-Groot.

I Am Groot

I Am Groot is currently streaming on Disney+, with each episode lasting about five minutes and leaving you wanting more. The shorts presumably take place between Guardians of the Galaxy one and two, after Groot was repotted by Rocket but before he became a foul mouthed surely teenager. But unlike everything else in this oversized franchise, canon isn't something we're really worrying about here since all the shorts feature are the antics of a tiny tree man trying to navigate the big ol' galaxy. 

I Am Groot

Plot-wise the shorts are simple: Groot is exploring when he runs into a problem and tries to explore or solve the problem in adorably funny ways. Being in baby mode Groot's combat skills aren't what they were in the first Guardians so he usually has to rely on dumb luck and perseverance to get out of his latest shannegains. The animation is top-notch, with the Disney/Marvel animators bringing their A-game to the table. It's easy to blend Groot into an animated world since he himself is animated but the artists manage to also make the world look real to us, so if in a future episode Chris Pratt were to wander in he would look just as in place as Groot himself. 

I Am Groot

The I Am Groot shorts are delightful in their sheer simplicity. In the age where every superhero movie and TV show is surrounded with casting calls, decisions, costumes, Easter eggs, canon questions, cameos, post-credit scenes and problematic actors running from the police while the press try to figure out how pronouns work, it's nice of Marvel to bring something out that says "We're going on a few delightful adventures with this cute little tree man and you're free to join us if you want" and I am here for it and I hope you are too. 

-JOE

Ms. Marvel Amazing?

 

I was hesitant to watch Ms. Marvel because I was getting tired of watching Marvel shows/movies since finishing Spiderman No Way Home, however I was surprised how much I enjoyed this show. In my opinion this is the best Marvel show that I have seen on Disney+.

If you are debating if you should watch this show I understand. It doesn’t seem intriguing as some of the other marvel products but let me give you a list of reasons why you should watch it.

1. The cast is mostly Pakistanis playing Pakistanis.
2. This is the first marvel superhero that is Pakistani.
3. The main character has an imagination that is realistic for a teenager.
   
4. The show centers around family relations, family history, and community.
5. The story is about redemption and forgiveness.

Cons:

Even though I'm not a part of the culture, the one thing that I was mostly worried about was the betrayal of Islamic beliefs in the show especially after watching the first two episodes. In the second episode Kamala goes to church and hints how the church treats women poorly. This is a BIG mistake on Disney’s part. This is the first superhero that has Muslim beliefs and, in my opinion, Disney should be respectful of that. Instead of trying to change the Muslim religion, Disney needs to focus on changing the viewers perspective of the Islamic religion and help us learn more about it even though this is a fictional story. That scene almost made me quite watching the show; I am glad that I didn’t because Ms. Marvel redeems its religious integrity especially when the leader goes out of his way to protect those who are not part of his congregation. This is my only complaint about the show.

Pros:

The family dynamics are perfect. I believe this is the first Disney superhero that doesn’t have a tragic backstory. All her family members are alive and supportive. The older brother, Amir, was the highlight of the show for me. I believed they were siblings because of how well they bother each other yet care for the other. My favorite scene happened in the last episode when Kamala is at the school planning to protect her friend Amir shows up out of nowhere even though the school is locked to help Kamala because their mom told him to do so. I was laughing at that scene. I also enjoyed Yusuf as well. He is not tech-savvy and it played well for the big reveal when Kamala tells her family that she is Ms. Marvel. I don’t want to spoil this funny scene, but it made me feel that they are a typical family. Finally, we have Muneeba, the mother. Kamala and Muneeba didn’t have a great relationship at the beginning of the show but as the story progresses the respect each other grows. I admire that Muneeba supports her daughter to being a hero even though she may worry about her safety.

Since this takes place in high school there must be stereotypical drama between the popular kid and the protagonist, right? Well in this show they did it with a twist and it was brilliant. Zoe is the popular girl who used to be friends with Kamala, but as they grew up they stopped hanging out and their priorities differ but they never became enemies. They still have similar passions (being fans of Captain Marvel) but they are just distant with each other. I liked that Zoe figures out Kamala’s secret and keeps it from the antagonist--- the department of damage and control (who are trying to capture Kamala). Zoe becomes a fan of Ms. Marvel and does what she can to help her out the best way that she can even if she has to put herself in danger.  

I have explained some of my favorite scenes but there is one more that I really liked that I want to share in this post. The antagonists were the Department of Damage Control and they are after mutants like Kamala (I think it is hinting towards an X-Men reference? If so, I'm for it!) and at the climax of the final episode they were close to capturing her, but the Pakistan community joined together with the police to protect Ms. Marvel. Instead of a message about them vs. us, this scene showed that we can stand united. I believe this message is necessary for today and a delight to have.

The Problem with Love and Thunder

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

When I went to see Thor: Love and Thunder, I didn't really know what to expect. We’ve known for three years that Jane Foster would return wielding Mjolnir. Other than that, I mostly went in blind (even with seeing the trailers beforehand). Like many movies and shows nowadays, Love and Thunder came under criticism right from the start (always gotta complain about something). But overall I actually enjoyed it. Before I get to that though, let’s start with the problem….

Like I said before, I didn’t know what to expect going into Love and Thunder. For that reason, I was pleasantly surprised. I think it all comes down to expectations. If you go in expecting a serious superhero movie about Thor’s life after Endgame, you’ll be disappointed. If you go in realizing it’s a superhero rom-com, it’s much more enjoyable. It’s just what Marvel has been doing, trying their hands at other genres: superhero kung fu (Shang Chi), superhero horror (Multiverse of Madness), and superhero comedy (upcoming She-Hulk). It’s a gamble, but they have the money to take some risks. So if a superhero romantic comedy (with a sprinkling of tragedy) isn’t your thing, you won’t like Love and Thunder. And that’s okay. We all have different tastes.

As far as actual problems with the movie, I had a hard time jumping around. Sure, that’s the nature of the Bifrost, but we went from planet to planet repeatedly through the movie. Not really spending much time in any particular place. It was a bit jarring to go from New Asgard to the shadows to the god council. Just a lot going on.

Speaking of lots going on, there were so many moving parts, especially in regards to characters. We had the core four characters: Thor, Jane, Valkyrie, and Korg. But then we had the Guardians of the Galaxy, a number of Asgardians to keep track of, and the random gods when they went to see Zeus. A handful of Asgardians I can understand… but the gods were a bit underwhelming to me. I don’t feel like Zeus’s lightning really made much of an impact in the final battle (it was more about Mjolnir and Stormbreaker again)... so we ended up with screen time of random gods that we’ll never see again. In some ways I feel like the only point of introducing the gods was to reveal Hercules in the credit scene.

Now for the good stuff. First and foremost, Jane Foster. When Natalie Portman didn’t return to MCU after Dark World, we all assumed she was done. The throwaway line in Ragnarok about their breakup was all we were going to get. Only a couple months after her cameo in Endgame, we learned she’d be returning for this movie. Her story in this movie was probably my favorite part. It gave us some history on where she’s been, it gave us more Darcy (who I love), and it gave us a definitive ending… with Jane succumbing to her cancer and entering Valhalla, we have a happy, albeit tragic, end to her story. 

The music for this movie was great too. The soundtrack has a Guardians of the Galaxy feel, as it used classic rock (including four popular songs by Guns N’ Roses) and a good handful of others, underscoring the epic moments of the movie. I grew up in the wrong decade to regularly familiarize myself with Guns N’ Roses, but this movie sold me on some of their songs. 

I also loved the villain. Gorr was so devious, but he wasn't meant to be evil, per se. Just hurt. A grieving father who had spent time worshipping gods who didn't care. I mean, how many of us have prayed and had those prayers seemingly go unanswered? It's easy to get discouraged and doubting... especially if the god in question tells you (Gorr) that you don't matter to him. Tragic and heartbreaking. And then to get his daughter back, only to die from the curse. It was awful.

In the end, the movie was cute. Not every Marvel movie is going to be a mind-blowing blockbuster. If each Marvel movie and each Thor movie is just trying to outdo the last, it’s not sustainable. And like I mentioned before, Marvel is trying some new stuff. Some of it is working (like Shang Chi) and some of it isn’t. In the end, I maintain that this is a romantic comedy and I recommend you into it with the appropriate expectations. 

She-Hulk Binge List

We’re in the final stretch waiting for She-Hulk to premiere. She might be a newcomer on the scene, but we already know her cousin: Bruce Banner. And with Bruce/Hulk set to return, alongside his foe Blonsky/Abomination, maybe it’s time to rewatch some of their adventures.

The Incredible Hulk (1 hour 52 min)

Before we had Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, the Hulk’s alter-ego was played by Edward Norton. Despite the different actors, this movie is still MCU canon. And it’s better than its critics say. This is where we get our first glimpse at Bruce and his arch-enemy the Abomination. Also, this movie introduced General Ross and I wouldn’t be surprised if he appears in She-Hulk.

The Avengers (2 hours 23 min)

Enter Mark Ruffalo as our new Bruce Banner. This is his first adventure alongside SHIELD and the Avengers. He seems to have his anger under control (to some extent) as he and the others stop Loki and the Chitauri from taking over Planet Earth. It’s also when Bruce can finally stop running from the authorities it seems.

Iron Man 3 (2 hours 10 min)

This movie is all about Tony Stark and his issues after the Battle of New York. Honestly, we don’t even see Bruce Banner until the credits scene. All the same, this comical scene is often forgotten (even by me). Probably due to the fact that lots of fans dislike Iron Man 3. I still like it though, despite what haters say.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2 hours 21 min)

Hulk and Banner come back into the picture as they seemingly take down the last of Hydra (unless you still consider Agents of SHIELD canon--which I do). But in the course of it, the Maximoff twins mess them up emotionally. This movie also introduced the brief romance (if you can call it that) between Banner and Black Widow. Could have done without that, but whatever.

Thor: Ragnarok (2 hours 10 min)

When Banner/Hulk went missing on Earth, he was stranded on Sakaar for a few years. With the Hulk in charge almost the whole time. It wasn’t until Thor arrived that Bruce came back. This movie showed a more intelligent side to the Hulk. Instead of just growling and yelling “Smash” the titan was able to carry on conversations.

Avengers: Infinity War (2 hours 29 min)

Still traveling with the Asgardians, Bruce/Hulk was caught in the middle of Thanos’s massacre. Sent to Earth to warn everyone, Bruce was around when the mad titan’s forces began attacking. Unfortunately, and for reasons not really explained, the Hulk wouldn’t come out to fight, so Bruce was left to battle in the Hulkbuster suit instead.

Captain Marvel (2 hours 4 min)

Another movie where Bruce doesn’t appear until the credits. All the same, I think this movie is still worth watching. I honestly don’t know why people hate it so much. But after Carol’s story from 1996 is shown, we get a flashforward to the present day when the Avengers are assessing the post-Snap damage. This is where Bruce, Natasha, and the others finally meet Carol Danvers.

Avengers: Endgame (3 hours 2 min)

After a brief stop in the present day, the story fast-forwards five years and all of a sudden we have a Bruce/Hulk mashup, sometimes known as Professor Hulk or Smart Hulk. I still don’t know what I think of this version of Hulk, but that’s okay. After Bruce is able to snap Thanos’s victims back to life, the big battle ensues. It’s because of Tony’s sacrifice they’re able to win in the end… but it’s not happily ever after.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2 hours 12 min)

Bruce doesn’t appear until the credits (again) but the Abomination shows up in the fight club with Wong. Blonsky hadn’t even been mentioned since he was said to be in custody seven years prior in the SHIELD episode “T.R.A.C.K.S.” But here he’s free and fighting Wong for cash. Later on, during the credits, we see Bruce analyzing the Ten Rings. But he’s human again. No more Professor Hulk.

There’s a lot to unpack with She-Hulk. Why is Bruce human again? How did Blonsky get free? Maybe we’ll finally get word on where Betty Ross is after all these years. Regardless, I’m looking forward to another awesome MCU series!

Thor Binge List

Another month, another Marvel countdown. This time we’re looking forward to the fourth Thor movie: Love and Thunder. If you haven’t watched them recently, I recommend looking back through some of the major movies leading up to Thor’s new adventure

Thor

Though some scenes from Loki might dispute this, the first Thor movie was our hero’s first adventure to Midgard. It’s definitely the first time he met Jane Foster and SHIELD. And thus began his association with humans as a superhero during his banishment to Earth. Unfortunately this association was cut short when he was forced to destroy the rainbow bridge. 

The Avengers 

As Loki schemed his way to Earth during the Thor credits scene and into the beginning of this movie, Thor had to find a way back to Earth to stop his adopted brother. After a brief skirmish with the fledgling Avengers, Thor teamed up with our heroes to save New York (and Earth) from Loki and the Chitauri. And with that, Thor returned to Asgard with Loki in custody. 

Thor: The Dark World 

This might be the Marvel movie that gets the most flack. That being said, I still enjoy Dark World. And, as we’re being reintroduced to Jane Foster next month, we should look at her last appearance (her cameo in Endgame doesn’t count). We left Jane Foster locking lips with Thor after defeating the Dark Elves. We thought we’d see more of Jane and Thor’s relationship, but that was not to be.

Guardians of the Galaxy 1-2 

Since the Guardians are set to appear in Love and Thunder, we’ve gotta revisit their beginnings in these two movies. As a hodge-podge group of fugitives just out to get some cash, we ended up seeing these heroes-to-be join forces to save Xandar from Ronin and the Power Stone. Being exonerated for their heroics, the Guardians of the Galaxy basically became heroes for hire. After getting into some trouble with the Sovereigns, they were rescued by Ego, Star-Lord’s father… only to end up fighting him as well. That’s just par for the course with them. 

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Back on Earth to help the Avengers (and probably to visit Jane), Thor raided a Hydra base (thanks for that intel, Agents of SHIELD) and, as they celebrated, Tony created Ultron. Facepalm. But it is what it is. In the process of fighting Ultron, Thor gets inadvertently sent chasing after Infinity Stones. Which leads us to the next movie…

Thor: Ragnarok

A complete change in tone compared to the first two Thor movies, but we got the God of Thunder teaming up with his brother, Bruce Banner/Hulk, and Valkyrie to escape a gladiator planet and save Asgard from Hela, Thor’s long lost sister and Goddess of Death. But instead of saving Asgard, Thor evacuated his people and destroyed his home. So all was good… until Thanos’s ship showed up.

Avengers: Infinity War

With the Asgardians’ ship half massacred, Bruce Banner was sent back to Earth to prepare the Avengers for Thanos’s arrival. Meanwhile Thor was found by the Guardians of the Galaxy. As both groups tried to beat Thanos to the Infinity Stones, battles occurred on multiple fronts. Unfortunately, even as Thor, Rocket, and Groot joined the fray in Wakanda, the Avengers on Earth and on Titan were unable to stop Thanos. And there went half the universe…

Avengers: Endgame

With Thor depressed and drunk most of the missing five years, it was a struggle dragging him out of retirement (if you can call it that) to help undo the Snap. Having found some closure with his mother’s death during the Time Heist, Thor was one of the leading forces as the Avengers took down the Mad Titan. Later, after Tony’s funeral, Thor left Valkyrie in charge of New Asgard. And off he went with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

And with the finale of Phase 3, you’re caught up for Love and Thunder. If you want further viewing, maybe check out Lady Sif’s other appearances in Agents of SHIELD (episodes 1x15 and 2x12) and Loki (episode 4). There have also been rumors about Loki 2.0 showing up, so now could be a good time to rewatch Loki on Disney Plus.

The Magic of Memory

Amnesia is an old trope in fiction, all the way back when Fred Flintstone was clocked over the head with a frying pan and suffered a football player level concussion. While getting hit in the head and forgetting is usually done for a laugh, when magic is involved the amnesia trope takes a more serious tone. The exploration of memory loss turns from a well timed joke to a timeless message about loss and the space a person makes when they're no longer there. 

Trigger warning: Suicide

"Better if I was Never Born"

Modern fiction sees the first incident of magical amnesia in It's a Wonderful Life when Clarence shows a suicidal George Bailey what the world would be like if he was never born. Not exactly a memory spell but it may as well be. We see that without George Bailey, nobody is happy. His wife is an old maid (kinda sexist I know but this was 1946), his mother takes in boarders since her only son is now dead because nobody saved him from the ice when he was a kid. With nobody recognizing George he is lost, begging Clarence to let him live again so that he could be part of the world full of people he loves. The message is that no matter how hard life is the world is always better with you in it, which is a message that is still true today. The memory loss emphasizes the point in the most direct way it could come across. 

(Side note: I once had to write a 13 page dissertation about how Potter in It's a Wonderful Life was the good guy. It was fun to defend the villain but after watching that movie so many times over the course of a month I couldn't watch it for a couple years after, despite it being one of the few Christmas movies I actually like)

The Curse to End All Curses

If you haven't watched Once Upon A Time, frankly I don't blame you because it is a wild trip and may not be for everyone, but I liked it. Anyway, the first season centers around this curse the Evil Queen casts on the Enchanted Forest that's supposed to tear everyone away from their happily ever afters. What the curse does is transports everyone to a little town in Maine and makes them all forget their pasts, giving them fake identities and making them all shadows of their former selves. We go back and fourth between the little Maine town and the magical land before getting to know these characters in both states, watching how Snow White was a strong willed rebel and Prince Charming was a knight errant only to see Snow as a meek teacher afraid to voice her own opinion and Charming as a two-timing jerk. It's up to our main characters Emma and Henry to remind everyone who they really are. The interesting message here is just how close to the Gospel the entire affair is (Minus Rumpelstiltskin and the entire Disney vault being involved). It talks about being something before, something magnificent and beautiful, and remembering that person in the now, trying to identify with the parts that are magical and special. In this sense Emma and Henry are essentially missionaries without nametags. Obviously a powerful message if it's taught by missionaries all over the world, just without Snow White et al. 

Obliviate

No, I'm not talking about Gilderoy Lockheart. 

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows Part 1 starts with tears when we see Hermione casting the memory charm on her own parents, erasing her from their memories. We see the baby pictures on the mantle disappear and their eyes glazing over as the spell takes over. Hermione knows that the best way to keep her parents safe is to erase herself from their memories in case the Death Eaters show up and start asking questions. While the memory charms are touchy in the Harry Potter universe (the muggle guy in Crimes of Grindlewald just kind of shrugged it off with the help of his manipulative girlfriend), this scene is still heartbreaking to think that Hermione will probably never be able to see her family again, choosing their safety over her own needs. This theme will come up again later and while it's heartbreaking it does counteract the message from It's a Wonderful Life so it should be read cautiously. 

Tegrof

For the non-comic book readers let me give you a quick synopsis on the comic Identity Crisis. A murder mystery leads to the discovery that a small group within the Justice League has been going to villains who find out the identities of super heroes and erasing their minds with Zatanna's magic. Batman walked in on the heroes and tried to stop them only for Zatanna to freeze him and erase his memory of them being caught. The question behind this is if you have the power to erase memories to protect others, do you? And what if someone disagrees, do you have the right to erase their memories too? The implications of the memory wipes escalates in the comics to Batman becoming paranoid after finding out he's been manipulated, Catwoman finding out that Zatanna got to her to make her a good guy and questioning everything she believes about herself, and a dangerous villain trying to take vengeance on the league for not only altering his memories but partially lobotomizing him in the first place. The story brings up questions of accountability, manipulation and is a person who they are supposed to be if part of who they are is missing. 

Under Your Spell

Along with Zatanna messing with memories to protect heroes identities, we have Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer messing with memories to protect her relationship. By the later seasons Willow has become a full-fledged witch, and has started using her magic in unsafe ways. On one of her first dalliances she accidentally erases the entire Scooby gang's memories and we get a funny episode of nobody knowing who they are. We get the serious stuff when it's revealed that Willow's been erasing her girlfriend Tara's memories of them fighting, thus manipulating Tara into staying with her even though she's abusing magic. The theme here goes into gaslighting in relationships, lying and manipulation to keep a person with you. When Tara finds out she breaks up with Willow, making Willow's plan backfire in the end. 

Peter Who? 

More recent memory mishaps happen in Spider-Man: No Way Home where Dr. Strange agrees to help Spider-Man erase his secret identity from everyone's memories, thus letting his friends and family go back to having a normal life. After the spell fails and some multiverse shenanigans happen Dr. Strange casts the spell again, this time making it so everyone forgets who Peter Parker is. This plays out a lot like the It's a Wonderful Life lesson, except Peter decides that it's best if the world did forget about him and just know him as Spider-Man. He believes he can then let his friends have a normal life and that they can't be hurt by getting in the way of his heroism. The message here is that maybe it is better that they don't know Peter Parker is Spider-Man, which implies that it's better for Peter to disappear than be part of the world. See the issue here? 

The point of all the memory plotlines is that we are who we are because of our memories. When we lose parts of our memories we lose parts of who we are, so those parts, even if painful, are still worth having because they forge us to be better. Our relationships are made up of memories as well, when you see a friend on the street you're not excited to see them for no reason, it's because you remember how much you love them and how much fun they are to be around. When that person is gone, there's a hole left behind that can't be refilled without them. 

So when it comes to memory remember this: people would rather remember a life with you in it than without, and the only way to move forward is to make new memories both good and bad, because to not make new memories at all is just as bad as forgetting altogether. 

Also remember that really every mechanic in the Harry Potter universe is unstable and will never make sense. 

-JOE