Fandom Snowflake Challenge Day 3 - Canon favorites

[stellahibernis]

Today's challenge is to share a favorite piece of canon and explain why I like it. I'll talk of two, one piece of canon that's also a major fandom for me, and another where I'm completely satisfied with the canon and don't need anything more.

First I'll go with the obvious one, which is the point where I got properly invested in MCU. I'd seen the previous movies, but it was Captain America: The First Avenger that dragged me in.

In the commentary track (which is very enjoyable btw) they say that it was absolutely crucial to get the early part of the movie right, that we needed to care about Steve Rogers before Captain America, and they did it really well. I was completely rooting for him from the start, but the moment that really did it for me was the flagpole scene. Before it we've already seen his heart and his determination, his will to do what he considers right and the lack of concern of the cost for himself, but that scene adds another dimension to him. It shows us that even when he's arguably more tired than everyone else, he's still thinking, still able to find a way to complete the task, and also his willingness to disregard orders when it's important. That was the moment when I decided he was my favorite and that I was completely hooked.

Moving forward in the movie, there are other great scenes, especially the one with Steve and Dr Erskine the night before the procedure discussing why Steve was chosen. It's the heart of the movie, heart of the whole concept of Captain America, and I love it a lot. Then, somewhat later came the "oh no, this'll be serious" realization for me, which was of course Steve going AWOL and later the "No, not without you" moment. I'm weak for depictions of people that are simply the most important people in each other's lives, regardless of the particulars of the relationship. At that point there was no getting out of it, and now here I am.

The other one is a book for which I haven't even looked if there is fandom, because I was just happy with it as it was; William Gibson's Zero History. I've read all of Gibson's books so far (and I'm impatiently waiting for Agency), and for me he found a new gear with what we call Blue Ant trilogy (I don't think it has an official trilogy name), of which Zero History is the last part. I like all three books a lot, but especially this one just hit me right in the center, with the character of Hollis Henry, with the ennui and seeking of purpose she's going through, with her friendship with Heidi, with the romance with Garreth, as well as the mystery plot and the mastery of the background concept. I've read it several times, always enjoying it, and I'm completely satisfied with it as is.

Comments

[mizface]

I totally agree with you about how well this film did getting us to care about Steve first, and showing what a strong person he is without the serum.

[stellahibernis]

Yes, exactly, Captain America by itself is just a facade, and the true meaning came because Steve was the one given the serum, and his subsequent actions that were completely in line with what kind of a person he was without it.

[toujours_nigel]

I loved that they did that, got us invested in Steve first, and the good man he is, before turning him into a super soldier. I wanna say that's the case for all the MCU heroes, but Tony or Thor or even later folk like Sam had already done some of what they were gonna continue in a new way. With Steve we get to start ground up.

[stellahibernis]

I think it was especially important with Steve because Captain America is such a concept, even for those like me who hadn't read the comics or didn't have any cultural immersion to it at all. And they really succeeded at it, and later too with CATWS building on the foundation of CATFA (of course, with the same writers). But they're also generally good at humanizing their heroes in MCU, which is something I do appreciate.

[spikedluv]

The flagpole scene was so good!! He thinks outside the box.

'Not without you' gets me every time.

[stellahibernis]

I'm definitely in the "please appreciate Steve for his brain, he's not all brawn" club.

And same, that moment goes right in the feels even when you know it's there.

[przed]

The flagpole scene is so good, and crucial to Steve's character. As is "Not without you." There are so many good moments in that film.

[stellahibernis]

It does such good character work, and I'm glad that it has gained appreciation, pre-CATWS release it was very underappreciated IMO.

[przed]

I have to admit, pre-CATWS, I didn't appreciate it quite as much as it deserves either. I'd gone into it with the preconception that, as a Canadian, Captain America wasn't for me, so the movie didn't stick. TWS opened my eyes to the possibilities of what the character could really be, so when I went back to TFA I saw so much that I'd missed the first time 'round.

Mind if I follow you? Not just because of today's Snowflake Challenge, but also because more Stucky on my reading list is always a good thing, and your recs look brilliant!

[stellahibernis]

I was kind of skeptical about it too, from Finnish point of view a character called Captain America certainly sounded suspicious, so you can imagine my surprise when he turned out to become my favorite:D And it's always fun to find new appreciation to things.

And go ahead, happy to have you! I always like to spread some good reading around. All my posts are public, I should actually put up the sticky post that says so, I'll do that as soon as I get my fic masterpost in order. Things are a bit under construction over here still:D

[przed]

My friends all think it's hilarious that Captain America has become my favourite. And when I started going into our favourite comic shop, the one where I've bought yaoi and indie comics for years, and picking up volumes of Cap back issues, the owner's reaction was, "well, I wasn't expecting that from you."

I've subscribed, and granted access to you. Though I pretty much do mostly public posts as well.

[silveradept]

There's a lot to like about Steve before he becomes the super soldier.

And after, too. But we spend a lot of time establishing that Steve is a good person first.

[stellahibernis]

I'm really glad they spent the time with Steve before the serum, because it allowed us to get to know him and really understand that what is important about Captain America came from Steve. The serum was just a tool to let him use his qualities to their fullest potential, and Erskine understood it too.

[dragonyphoenix]

The flagpole scene is an excellent one. That's my favorite of the Avenger movies.

[stellahibernis]

There are so many good scenes, I had to seriously restrict myself while writing the post, because I might have easily just listed two thirds of the movie:D

[chelseagirl]

I read the first two Blue Ant books as they came out, and the third is sitting on my shelves unread because by the time it was released, I was a little fuzzy on what had gone before. (Sometimes reading too quickly will do that.) You've inspired me to dig it out!

[stellahibernis]

Yes, do! And while it definitely ties to the two previous books, the trilogy is loose enough that you certainly don't need to remember perfectly what happened in them. In fact, I'd say Zero History works as a standalone too, the previous knowledge is the icing on the cake but not required.

[donutsweeper]

The flagpole scene was so great, I'm so glad they added it because it really shows how *clever* Steve is, something some of the later movies didn't really use as much as they could have, although I guess it comes into play in CA2 with Steve being probably the only one who noticed that storage bunker being built too close to the barracks and thus being important (and actually a SHIELD base).

[stellahibernis]

There are scenes where it is shown, but I definitely do wish they would have been more overt with it, because there's still a lot of "Steve is all brawn no brain" mentality lingering in fandom, that came from a fairly superficial reading of the Avengers, taking what Tony said to rile Steve up or Steve's sarcasm as a fact.

[the_megs]

Yes! I actually saw The Avengers before I watched CA:TFA and I liked Cap well enough, but when I saw that tiny brave Brooklyn shrimp standing up to bullies and throwing himself on grenades I immediately decided he was my favorite. And later in the bar when Bucky tells him he's following that little guy, not Captain America, I felt that in my soul.

I am a sucker for Steve and Bucky's relationship. Whether they're interpreted romantically or not their friendship is the strongest relationship in the MCU and they're absolutely the most important person to one another.

[stellahibernis]

I love the bar scene (look at my icon after all, I've had that for years now), and it's so important that it shows how much Bucky understands and respects Steve, not just now after the serum. And it's a great contrast to how he shouted out let's hear it for cap earlier, in the bar he reaffirms that he at least still remembers the Steve who was.

I really think one of the greatest parts of Steve and Bucky's relationship is that even if you choose to interpret it romantically (which, yes:D), it doesn't make them any more important to each other than they already were, it's just another aspect of it.