The wait is over!

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens today.

That means this is the last post in the Avengers Assemble series. In case you’re not going to see Ultron till tonight and have time to catch up on anything you missed, here are the previous posts:

• Will Avengers: Age of Ultron Live Up to Expectations?
• What the Avengers Teach Us About Teamwork

It’s also Fantasy Friday. You might be thinking, “How are you going to combine fantasy and the Avengers?”

I’d like to think it’s because of my creative genius, but in reality, I have Marvel to thank for that. They’re brilliant. They have everything covered, including fantasy.

Here’s how.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Aka the MCU, this is the fictitious world where the Marvel comics and movies take place—but wait, is it fictitious?

Our earth is part of the MCU. Goodness knows that we’ve seen New York City almost destroyed in enough movies.

The MCU combines reality with science fiction and fantasy—yes, even on Avengers week, Friday has to include something about fantasy—to create something both extraordinary and unique. When I said brilliance, this is what I meant.

1. Reality

Or put another way, life as we know it, taking place in our universe without the imaginative elements brought by science fiction or fantasy. Everyday life with everyday settings.

Not only does this help to ground the stories in reality, it gives us a deeper connection point to the events and characters. With the exception of Thor, the Avengers are all people we can relate to on some level. They’re not knights in a distant kingdom or furry-footed hobbits.

• Captain America is from Brooklyn.
• Dr. Banner is a scientist.
• Tony Stark is a narcissistic billionaire.

The places where most of the action takes place are also familiar.  Some might argue that takes away the sense of wonder we want from fantasy and science fiction, but I think it adds to it because it brings the stories closer to home. Sure, we love to read about Narnia, but deep down, we know it’s a mythical place we’ll never get to visit.

New York and London, on the other hand, are tangible places. Imagine them swarming with aliens and superheroes. Even though we know its fiction, that familiarity breaks down the barriers and puts the question at the back of our minds, “What if this could actually happen?”

In a sense, the fantasy becomes a possible reality because it’s happening in our world.

In this case, reality is the foundation that keeps us grounded in the fantastic—and sometimes unbelievable—stories that take place.

2. Science Fiction

This is where things get wild.

• Aliens
• Humans with superpowers
• High-tech robotic suits that also double as a digital friend
• A freakin’ Hulk, for Pete’s sake

What more could a sci-fi geek ask for?

Yes, it’s unbelievable to an extent, but if you consider it long enough, what story isn’t? What matters is that the story is compelling enough to make readers—or viewers—suspend their disbelief and accept it as true.

Not all my friends are Marvel fans and that’s fine—they will eventually repent of their sins. For me, though, Marvel hits all the right notes on that score.

• Who cares that Captain America had no right surviving that plane crash? We want to see him save that group of people.
• Who cares if Hulk is nothing but a brutish green monster that smashes things? That’s awesome!

This is the biggest—and strongest—aspect of the MCU. Without it, the MCU would be as bland as a party without Tony Stark’s wisecracks.

3. Fantasy

This is the element of the MCU that takes it to the next level. Science fiction overlaps with reality because it takes place in our universe. Alone, that’s cool but not spectacular. Add in the Nine Realms, demi-gods, and magic, however, and the MCU rises to the level of awesome.

Like with science fiction, fantasy that enters our world makes it more believable. We stop seeing the unbelievable parts and instead focus on what’s familiar.

The addition of Thor, Loki, Asgard, and magic adds another dimension to the stories and the characters. There’s no limit to the things that can happen when you throw fantasy elements into an already whirring blender of amazingness.

And let’s face it—magic versus high-tech superpowers is awesome. Who would win a battle between Hulk and Thor?

There You Have It

The brilliance of the MCU is that it manages to combine reality, science fiction, and fantasy into a world where anything can happen and the possibilities are endless.

Entertainment at its best.

What is your favorite aspect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? I would love to hear your thoughts…

After I see Avengers: Age of Ultron, of course. Gotta keep the priorities straight. *wink wink*