~Matt Key
Okay. We’ve all seen the newest Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer now, yes? If you haven’t seen it… A. What the hell are you doing wrong with life and B. watch it below. Please. It will wash over you like the healing touch of the Lord’s breath.
First of all, can we all acknowledge how well Marvel has played this whole trailer game? The first trailer got us all excited, introduced us to Ultron and what threat he brings to the team; the second trailer gave us a little new footage, a couple new sound bites and kept us excited — but this? This trailer puts the cards on the table. This is the ace the dealer was held until the end. This is the haymaker that we didn’t even know was coming.
Excited.
Still excited.
WHY IS IT ONLY MARCH!? BE MAY ALREADY!
All that being said, well played Marvel. WELL PLAYED.
Alright, so thoughts that we can glean from this trailer.
1. ULTRON IS JUST FOLLOWING HIS DESIGN DIRECTIVES… TO THE EXTREME!
It seems obvious, but it’s great to get the soundbite confirming that THIS is Ultron’s ultimate goal.
Ultron says, “I was made to save the world. People would look to the sky and hope. I’ll take that from them first. There’s only one path to peace. Their extinction.”
This follows directly in line with the comics as Ultron was initially built by Hank Pym for this purpose — helping to keep the world safe. But once he gains sentience, much like the AI in the Matrix, it sees humanity as a virus damaging the world more than anything else.
What makes the villain so sinister is the joy he seems to take in generating this extinction, desiring to take away their hope. And, obviously, when Ultron says he’s going to start by taking away humanity’s hope, he’s talking about The Avengers.
2. STARK ADMITS HE’S BEHIND THE ULTRON PROGRAM.
It’s been speculated that Stark and Banner, The Science Bros., were behind the Ultron program, but here we have Stark telling Bruce about the program, describing it as “a suit of armor around the world,” then going on to admit that “he created something terrible,” with Banner finishing his thought, “Artificial Intelligence.”
Not answered are if Pym had any original designs that influenced Stark or if he cannibalized Chitauri tech as was rumored a couple months ago.
3. CIVIL WAR IS ALREADY BEING SET UP
We hear Captain America say “”I’m sick of watching people pay for our mistakes.” This is immediately followed by Tony Stark saying, “Isn’t why we fight so we can end the fight and go home?” Then Black Widow says, “Well, you amazingly failed.”
Though these soundbites are all taken out of context and mashed together for the trailer, it creates a sort of thematic dialogue that gives us a look at the struggle our little Avenging family will have to endure and overcome in order to beat Ultron. As we all know, Civil War is the next movie following Ant-Man, so though they eventually somehow defeat Ultron, the team will still split along these lines: Unilateral control and pre-emptive measures to “end the fight” (Stark) versus public oversight, transparency and accountability so no one else has to “pay for our mistakes” (Rogers).
And though it’s not confirmed, it seems that Black Widow is on Captain America’s side.
4. STARK GETS LOKI’S STAFF
Not sure what this leads to, but it seems important. It’s already been speculated that his staff contains either the Mind Gem or the Soul Gem since it could take over everyone’s mind in the first Avengers film, so does Stark somehow figure out how to use this to eventually build The Vision? To infuse some humanity into his Ultron Program?
It’s also been speculated that they get this early on after they retrieve the two Maximoff kids from that Hydra stronghold, which is then stolen by Ultron from Avengers tower. If this should prove true, does Ultron use it to bend the Maximoff siblings to his will? Or does Ultron recognize the danger of humanity but also it’s beauty, and therefore desire to create a perfect being of his own using this staff?
5. THE MAXIMOFFS PLAY BOTH SIDES.
We know that the Maximoffs are rescued from Hydra at the very beginning of the film (at least that’s what we’ve been told). This would, it can be imagined, curry favor with the powerful Miracles. This all happens, presumably, before Ultron is created, which would seem to happen later in the film.
That being said, we’ve got this shot of the Maximoffs standing with Ultron …
and this shot of the Scarlet Witch fighting alongside the Avengers.
So, at some point, the twins fight on both sides. Presumably, they leave the film as good guys, but — maybe not?
6. ULTRON USES THE MAXIMOFFS AS DOUBLE AGENTS
Go with me on this.
In the trailer, Ultron says, “We can tear them apart. From the inside.” This is paired with a visual of him with the twins and we then see Scarlet Witch bewitching Black Widow and …
Quicksilver punching Captain America.
But, as stated above, they’ve been rescued by the Avengers (presumably), so perhaps Ultron takes them and then sends them back somehow to turn the Avengers on each other to “tear them apart from the inside.”
7. FIRST LOOK AT THE VISION!
Finally, after all of this, we get our very first look at The Vision! It’s just his solar gem charging and opening his eyes, but it was enough to dole our more nerd orgasms today than the Katy Perry Sharks ever did.
There’s some online speculation that gem on Vision’s forehead is somehow related to the Infinity Stones that we’ve know are leading to the Infinity Gauntlet. Unless it’s somehow related to Loki’s staff, it seems unlikely that this what this is, but it’s entirely possible that Thanos will want to rip off Vision’s head when they finally meet.
8. ULTRON’S IMMINENT NEED FOR A BODY UPGRADE
Captain America’s Vibranium Shield is able to wedge into Ultron’s body at this point in the film. Does this help make Ultron aware of how desperately he needs to secure some Vibranium for himself? Is this shot soon after he’s attacked Avengers Tower, stolen Loki’s Staff and the Maximoff twins and is now on the run? Seems like a safe bet.
9. ALSO, AVENGERS TOWER
Not really a thought, just… come on, you know you’ve been excited to see that since the first Avengers film when the “A” in Stark was left hanging…
10. ALSO, THIS SHOT
There’s nothing that can be said about this shot except… WHY ISN’T IT MAY???
It seems like we get this early on when they’re storming the Hydra stronghold and fighting as a family. This is them at their best, the film will tear them down at to their worst.
What’s that, you want it as a GIF?
Done.
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He has two cats and knows all things about Doctor Strange but little else.
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That last shot is the best shot ever in the history of mankind. This is true fact