Spider-Man is the only MCU property that follows up on plot threads | Opinion

The Tom Holland Spider-Man films are some of the most profitable movies of all time, and the crown jewels of the Marvel Cinematic Universe despite always operating in a dubious place within it because of the shared-custody deal that Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures have with the character. But does that shared custody agreement make the movies better? Is there a reality that, having opposing voices in the room that have to come to agreement, makes for a better product?

Because the non-MCU Spider-Man-franchise movies are trash... but the MCU-movies without Spider-Man sure have a lot of trash in them. It's no doubt which is better solo, the MCU, but there are some problematic moments in that nonetheless.

The big thing I want to focus on is the odd reality that: Spider-Man is the only MCU movie series that follows up on plot threads.

Follow me here. At the end of Homecoming, Aunt May learns Spider-Man's secret identity, right? Did the next movie just do away with that or hand-wave it away? No, it built on it. It skipped some time, we don't see the immediate reaction, but we start the next movie with May knowing and helping Peter be Spider-Man. That movie ends with the world finding out his identity, the fallout of which is the entire plot of the third, wherein the solution is to make the world forget who Peter Parker is, the fallout of which is the entire plot of the as-time-of-writing-new fourth movie, Brand New Day.

They build off one another. To use an improv term, they "yes and" each other. They do what I teach in my classes a sequel should: they say: okay, no what? Not "how do we undo that," they treat the past as set in stone and and "okay, what now?" To the point that I wish a similar arc in the comics, One More Day, had been handled with half the care.

Let's compare that track record with the rest of the MCU. Thor: The Dark World ends with the shock reveal that Loki is not dead, and has in fact taken Odin's place on the throne. And being someone who paid attention, every time Thor showed up between his second and third movie and mentioned Odin I was like "ah but we know that's Loki, how does this fit in to his overall scheme? What's he planning?" Nothing. He's planning nothing. The next movie resolves this plot thread in a few seconds, and treats it like a bit of a joke. Taika Waititi didn't want to "yes and" the Dark World, so he just... didn't.

This isn't even the first time a Thor movie did this. The end-credits scene of Thor has Doctor Selvig meeting with Nick Fury and seeing the Cosmic Cube (Tesseract) to set up both the Avengers and Captain America: The First Avenger. But more importantly than the Cube, we see Loki in Selvig's reflection: alive after all. He regards the Cube and says "that's interesting," only for Selvig to repeat it in the same tone, implying that Loki is mentally controlling or possessing Selvig in some way. And this is paid off... not at all. Nothing comes of this, and the movies punish you for noticing. I went into Avengers assuming that the plot would revolve around Jane Foster trying to re-open the rainbow bridge to get Thor back, Selvig under Loki's controls sabotaging it, and bringing back a new threat the Avengers would have to defeat. I'm guessing they were worried that was too much homework to expect the audience to have done, so they went for the much easier "Loki just shows up."

Speaking of the Rainbow Bridge, remember when Thor ended and it was destroyed, and that that was the big emotional sacrifice of the first movie? Fixed between movies with barely a thought, and even though it was the only thing keeping Thor and Jane apart, he doesn't go see her... because?

Iron Man 2 ends with Tony not being accepted into the Avengers? Nevermind. Captain America: The First Avenger ends with Red Skull being teleported into space? Nevermind until a hasty cameo in Infinity War. Captain Marvel ends with needing to find a Skrull homeworld? Nevermind. The Marvels ends with Monica in another world? Nevermind. Eternals ends with Starfox introduced? And with Blade introduced? And with Kit Harrington as the Black Knight set up? Nevermind.

Shang-Chi ends with the Ten Rings being important? Quantumania with the Council of Kangs being the next big threat? The Marvels with Kamala recruiting Young Avengers? Nevermind, nermind, nevermind.

I'm telling you, only the team-up of Marvel and Sony force either studio to stay on track and actually pay off the things they set up.