3 Marvel Characters Reduced To Comic Relief In The MCU, According to Reddit
Many characters from original books or comics have been changed for the worse in a subsequent film adaptation, some of them transformed from deep and complicated personalities to simple and comical ones. And the MCU is certainly no exception.
It's been almost 20 years since Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy was released, but fans are still furious with how their beloved hero Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) has changed from a proud warrior to a comical simpleton. Fans have even coined the term "Gimli'd" to describe the previously great character reduced to the basics of mere comic presence.
Here are 3 Marvel characters that got Gimli'd in the MCU:
Thor
The mighty Asgardian (Chris Hemsworth ) was introduced into the MCU as a proud but somewhat naive god, trying to understand the alien world of ordinary people. Possessing unlimited strength and undoubted nobility, Thor was seen in the first two solo films, as well as in 'Avengers', as a purely chivalrous character. In 'Ragnarok' and other later films with the god of thunder this situation has changed dramatically.
Thor became a comic character in the greatest sense of the word, constantly ending up being a laughing stock for heroes and villains alike. While still being strong and capable of defeating legions of bad guys, Hemsworth's character has lost what made his image of Thor sincere: seriousness. Some fans still defend his new identity, saying it benefits his character arc, while others berate Marvel Studios for ruining their beloved god.
Drax
Dave Bautista 's character is pretty far from his comic book persona. In the original Marvel comics, Drax was considered one of the toughest fighters in the world, at one point even killing Thanos. In the MCU, however, Drax's role has been reduced to that of a simple hilarious guy who jokes about everything he sees, while everyone else laughs at him.
The first Guardians of the Galaxy painted Drax as a capable warrior with a certain naïveté, but the sequel changed things dramatically, turning Bautista's character into a total goofball. But was it for the worse? Many Marvel fans claim that the new Drax was much more soulful than the old one, and that he was finally able to take his own unique place in the universe.
Bruce Banner (Hulk)
Marc Ruffalo's wonderful turn in the first 'Avengers' made him a fan-favourite character almost instantly. A great script, highlighting Banner's constant struggle with his exuberant second personality made his story arc a blast to follow. Fans were excited to learn more about the character, but Marvel Studios decided to ditch actor's effort in favor of his comedic presence.
Over the past 5 years, Ruffalo's portrayal of the damned scientist has degraded from Banner's tender moments in the first two Avengers movies to mere background presence with some questionable jokes here and there. Fans are clearly infuriated by this turn of events, lamenting the huge missed potential of a gloriously divisive character in the original comics.