Hilde van den Berg
Staff Writer
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about superheroes? Superhuman powers? Saving the girl? Spandex? Perhaps you can come up with a few other things. More often than not, it seems like superheroes are associated with masculinity. In the movies of Marvel Universe this was the case until at least Iron Man 2, when they first introduced Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Speculation could lead to the idea that this is why there seemed to be little room for emotion in the superhero movies that Marvel produced. As one might suspect, and as Gender Studies students will know, emotions (especially ones that make someone seem vulnerable) are not usually associated with masculinity. Now here I am, wondering if there has been an increase in the display of emotions in Marvel superhero movies, over the last one or two years. More specifically, I want to focus on the “least masculine” emotions, those who make someone seem vulnerable (sadness, guilt, regret) instead of emotions that can possibly make someone stronger in the moment (anger).
To get an in-depth analysis I would have to start by examining the very first Iron Man movie (2008), but I doubt that anyone remembers what happened in that one. Therefore I’m going to start with The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). Although Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) backstory (the disappearance of his parents, being bullied in high school) would suggest that he struggles with a lot of negative emotions, it is not that visible. He keeps quiet, and doesn’t really make contact with his peers until he meets Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). It is interesting to see that only when he starts seeing her, he lets his emotions show. He’s tender, and the audience can observe a clear difference between “Spider-Man”, and “Peter Parker”, especially when he’s with her. Garfield’s expressive features helped a lot. He’s a master of expressions of hurt, especially during the scenes that feature death; there’s the vulnerability you see after the loss of a loved one. Although it’s brief, and soon replaced by the intent to avenge the deceased, the vulnerability is there.
Not too long after, Iron Man 3 ca
me out (Mid 2013). This movie caused a lot of discussion, particularly regarding the emotions that Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) was experiencing. More specifically, there was a debate about whether Stark’s panic attacks and sleeplessness indicated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Whether it was or wasn’t PTSD, as Dr. Andrea Letamendi said, “Iron Man 3marks the first time in the entire “Marvel Cinematic Universe” when we see a hero suffer undeniable instances of a significant mental disturbance”. This particular movie marked a display of emotion in Marvel movies as never seen before, showing that emotional trauma can happen to anyone, even a superhero. Although there was plenty of action in the movie, it felt as if a big chunk of it was dedicated to Stark’s struggle with his emotions and this potential mental illness. “The point is this: A brilliant, powerful, and tough guy can be vulnerable, scared, and confused” (Letamendi).
Especially in contrast to Iron Man 3, but also to The Amazing Spider-Man, there was a significant lack of emotion in Thor: The Dark World (2013). At least, there was a lack of emotion from the main character. If you look up reviews, it is not uncommon to read that the supporting roles, or even the antihero Loki (Tom Hiddleston) received more sympathy than Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Why could this be? Have superhero movies evolved from just beating up “bad guys”, to a point where the audience craves to see emotional pain and development in the characters? Are they tired of only seeing fighting, with a taste of romance at the end?
With this in mind, it might be interesting to look at Captain America: The Winter Soldier, too. Without spoiling the main plot, I can briefly say there were some very heavy emotional elements to Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) story in this instalment. These were not only caused by the appearance of the Winter Soldier, though. Early on in the movie, there is a very touching scene in which Steve visits a dear friend who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. His reaction to this also showcases how he is not just some an emotionless super soldier, but is ultimately affected by negative life events just as much as anyone else would be. There was, and still is, an enormous hype around this movie. Again, does the contemporary superhero audience crave to see emotional pain the characters? If so, what does that say about us?
Hilde van den Berg, class of 2016, is from Doetinchem, The Netherlands.
