MCU Phase 4 is All About Redemption We Didn't Actually Need
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always been about second chances, character growth, and redemption arcs.
The trend started with Tony Stark, a former warmonger, who decided to spend his time and money saving lives and making the universe a little bit better. The same could be said for the egotistical Doctor Strange, the cat burglar Ant-Man, and the former Russian murder machine Black Widow.
But since the events of Endgame, it seems every movie in Phase 4 is about glorious redemption. Just about every hero in the past two years of films has been given a redemption arc, to the point where it's becoming a little bit stale.
Compare the original Avengers to where we stand today
In 2012, Thor, Tony Stark, and Black Widow all had nice redemption arcs, while the other half of the Avengers were already pretty pure heroes – or, in Banner's case, at least a good guy who's trying his best. It was evenly balanced, which meant the redemption arcs we'd seen meant that much more.
Nearing the end of Phase 4, there's an overabundance of character arcs, both by newly introduced characters and established Avengers who'd already gone through their growth stage. Because of this oversaturation, each new "redemption" story means just a little bit less after seeing it five times every year.
Thor's redemption arc in Love and Thunder is a great example of how too much redemption isn't a good thing. We already saw Thor come to terms with what it truly means to be a leader in 2011's Thor, then give up the throne to be a universal hero in Ragnarök. In Phase 4's Love and Thunder, he's already developed and regressed a few times over a decade. But the creators still felt the need to give him a redemption arc after hitting rock bottom in Endgame. It's no longer interesting to see him grow; we thought he'd already found that redemption.
As a counterpoint, Hawkeye 's redemption arc in Phase 4 is far more interesting. In his 2021 Disney+ show, he's finally back with his family after five years apart during Endgame. He committed a lot of sins in his grief and must atone for the people he'd hurt in a really grounded, emotional story as he passes the Hawkeye mantle to Kate Bishop.
If it were just a handful of instances, these redemption arcs could really mean a lot to viewers. But we also have:
- Banner learning to balance himself and the Hulk in She-Hulk;
- Kraglin joining the Guardians of the Galaxy to finally do some good;
- Yelena following in Nat's footsteps and letting go of her past;
- Zemo and Loki both going from heroes to sort-of-good-guys;
- Scarlet Witch letting the fantasy of her children go and destroying the Darkhold, just to name a few.
Redemption arcs and superheroes are a natural fit and, when done properly, very inspiring. But when they're overdone and oversaturated – as they've been in Phase 4 – all meaning starts to get lost and the heart behind it is gone.