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Three Threads: A Philosophical Dialogue on Modern Social Issues through Marvel Films

Dennis Harmon II, Akiyo Yoshida, and Masayo Aihara

北陸大学紀要 第48号（2020年３月）抜刷 北陸大学紀要 第 48 号（2019） pp.115～135 〔原著論文〕 Three Threads: A Philosophical Dialogue on

Modern Social Issues through Marvel Films

Dennis Harmon II*, Akiyo Yoshida*, and Masayo Aihara**

Received November 5,2019 Accepted Decmber 17,2019

Abstract

The role of modern cinema in our daily lives necessitates critical review and theory. Cumulatively, billions of dollars are spent within the industry and paid by viewers for the consumption of a view this new generation of hero genre films that seem to have captured the attention of people worldwide. Such focused commercial attention gives film studios immense power in projecting their viewpoints and concepts across a spectrum of political and social issues behind the mask of a superhero film. Often these notions reproduce the dominant social and structure order providing a basis and continuance of the status quo. In this paper, we explore two Marvel Studios films and their approach to major social and political themes: political power, gender, colonial legacy, and race.

1. Introduction

For better or worse, global cinema over the last decade has shifted into a steady stream of comic based, superhero films. Companies such as Disney, Warner Brothers, and Sony have leaned heavily on these materials to produce money-making entertainment for the masses. It is no surprise across this trajectory, that among the top ten highest grossing films of all time are all four Avengers films and at the eleventh ranked film is Black Panther (Box Office Mojo 2019). These movies perform well globally attracting massive audiences and fan bases. As a result of their global

*北陸大学国際コミュニケーション学部 Faculty of International Communication, Hokuriku University **北陸大学学外講師 Faculty Extramural, Hokuriku University

1

1（115） popularity and following there is little question of the importance of discussing these feminism respectively. films and their portrayal of social and political issues. Johnson (2012) and Rauscher Despite these commonalities there are some differences between Black (2010) have demonstrated that Marvel comics have historically referenced social reality Panther and Captain Marvel in the frame of justice. Here we should consider the in their story telling to generate more compelling and contextual conflicts, and this has feminist aspects of critical theory and posit the question: “what is justice?” Where Black clearly transferred into their cinematic universe to some degree. The purpose of this Panther attempts to represent the concept of justice as the holistic representation of paper is to open a dialogue on two recent and popular Marvel films Black Panther the film, Captain Marvel perhaps represents a more poetic justice in the sense of the (2018) and Captain Marvel (2019) and explore these narratives for clues into modern story’s progression. If we examine Black Panther on its surface it represents a ideological structures. Prior to this discussion, we will discuss the general ideological postmodern interpretation of the value of doubt and absolute justice, it is a critique of constructs of the hero genre in film. the traditionalist forms of justice though it seems to not reach its potential due to the patriarchal structure of society and the retrospective homage to modernistic norms. 2. Heroes and Social Issues Thus, the film moves toward a more utopian view at the end, though as we mentioned before: nothing of merit changes and the existing world order stands. On the other side, Along with weaving historical and contemporary social issues into their comics and Captain Marvel, attempts to produce a possibility of a post-phallogocentric society, now film, Marvel and DC alike have strived for moviesque realism to ground their films though we will need to explore these concepts further below. To do this we will analyze into the contemporary world. The issue with realism is that it quickly devolves into the films from three philosophical viewpoints and synthesize our thoughts into a brief ideology as Jameson (2013) discussed, “[i]f it is social truth or knowledge we want from discussion. realism, we will soon find that what we get is ideology” (p. 6). Muñoz-González (2017) pointed toward the pivot of Marvel to these more self-conscious films saying, “The 3. Analyzing Black Panther Marvel Cinematic Universe has started following a more traditional logic, but the recent stories, criticizing, for instance, military solutions typical of American foreign Black Panther (2018) reached the rankings of an international blockbuster. The film policy” (p. 66). Again, this pivot to realism and contemporary social issues is firmly grossed over a billion USD. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther tells the story of constructed in the existing ideological edifice, reproducing the current political and the protagonist T’Challa who has returned home to the fictional African nation of socioeconomic interests of those that fund them. Along with Muñoz-González (2017) Wakanda to assume his place on the throne following the death of his father. During multiple studies (McAllister, Swell, & Gordon, 2001; Moore, 2003; Hugues, 2006) have this film, viewers are introduced to his home as a hidden technological utopia based on all found that the role of the superhero in film occurs within “a clear ideology” and this tribal and feudal values of an African state that avoided colonialism. The MacGuffin１ operates to defend a Gramscian hegemonic order (p. 66). Here, we see superheroes for deployed in this film is “vibranium”, a type of alloy delivered by meteorite that has what they are, agents of what Jameson (1981) coined as the Political Unconscious, allowed Wakanda to surpass other nations in technological innovation. The core story devices that are used with narrative flourish to reproduce the existing order. Despite of the film revolves around T’Challa’s authority for the throne being tested by a rival these hegemonic values and the overarching goal of reproducing existing socio-political and cousin, Eric Killmonger, who was raised outside of Wakanda but has a claim to the power, discussing these films provides a space for the critique of the existing ideological throne via the legacy of his father. structures as well as provides readers with insights into political and philosophical constructs with examples that are both approachable to readers of any level and for 3.1. Lacanian Symbolic Order in the movie Black Panther pushing dialogue further on contemporary issues. To that aim, we will discuss Black Panther (2018) and Captain Marvel (2019), addressing the political concepts that are In this narrative, the lack of the Father-Son relationship and the absence of the Other presented in the films: colonial legacy (history of slavery and exploitation of Africa) and can be mentioned. There is a general implied unity among all the tribes of Wakanda.

2 3 2（116） 3（117） popularity and following there is little question of the importance of discussing these feminism respectively. films and their portrayal of social and political issues. Johnson (2012) and Rauscher Despite these commonalities there are some differences between Black (2010) have demonstrated that Marvel comics have historically referenced social reality Panther and Captain Marvel in the frame of justice. Here we should consider the in their story telling to generate more compelling and contextual conflicts, and this has feminist aspects of critical theory and posit the question: “what is justice?” Where Black clearly transferred into their cinematic universe to some degree. The purpose of this Panther attempts to represent the concept of justice as the holistic representation of paper is to open a dialogue on two recent and popular Marvel films Black Panther the film, Captain Marvel perhaps represents a more poetic justice in the sense of the (2018) and Captain Marvel (2019) and explore these narratives for clues into modern story’s progression. If we examine Black Panther on its surface it represents a ideological structures. Prior to this discussion, we will discuss the general ideological postmodern interpretation of the value of doubt and absolute justice, it is a critique of constructs of the hero genre in film. the traditionalist forms of justice though it seems to not reach its potential due to the patriarchal structure of society and the retrospective homage to modernistic norms. 2. Heroes and Social Issues Thus, the film moves toward a more utopian view at the end, though as we mentioned before: nothing of merit changes and the existing world order stands. On the other side, Along with weaving historical and contemporary social issues into their comics and Captain Marvel, attempts to produce a possibility of a post-phallogocentric society, now film, Marvel and DC alike have strived for moviesque realism to ground their films though we will need to explore these concepts further below. To do this we will analyze into the contemporary world. The issue with realism is that it quickly devolves into the films from three philosophical viewpoints and synthesize our thoughts into a brief ideology as Jameson (2013) discussed, “[i]f it is social truth or knowledge we want from discussion. realism, we will soon find that what we get is ideology” (p. 6). Muñoz-González (2017) pointed toward the pivot of Marvel to these more self-conscious films saying, “The 3. Analyzing Black Panther Marvel Cinematic Universe has started following a more traditional logic, but the recent stories, criticizing, for instance, military solutions typical of American foreign Black Panther (2018) reached the rankings of an international blockbuster. The film policy” (p. 66). Again, this pivot to realism and contemporary social issues is firmly grossed over a billion USD. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther tells the story of constructed in the existing ideological edifice, reproducing the current political and the protagonist T’Challa who has returned home to the fictional African nation of socioeconomic interests of those that fund them. Along with Muñoz-González (2017) Wakanda to assume his place on the throne following the death of his father. During multiple studies (McAllister, Swell, & Gordon, 2001; Moore, 2003; Hugues, 2006) have this film, viewers are introduced to his home as a hidden technological utopia based on all found that the role of the superhero in film occurs within “a clear ideology” and this tribal and feudal values of an African state that avoided colonialism. The MacGuffin１ operates to defend a Gramscian hegemonic order (p. 66). Here, we see superheroes for deployed in this film is “vibranium”, a type of alloy delivered by meteorite that has what they are, agents of what Jameson (1981) coined as the Political Unconscious, allowed Wakanda to surpass other nations in technological innovation. The core story devices that are used with narrative flourish to reproduce the existing order. Despite of the film revolves around T’Challa’s authority for the throne being tested by a rival these hegemonic values and the overarching goal of reproducing existing socio-political and cousin, Eric Killmonger, who was raised outside of Wakanda but has a claim to the power, discussing these films provides a space for the critique of the existing ideological throne via the legacy of his father. structures as well as provides readers with insights into political and philosophical constructs with examples that are both approachable to readers of any level and for 3.1. Lacanian Symbolic Order in the movie Black Panther pushing dialogue further on contemporary issues. To that aim, we will discuss Black Panther (2018) and Captain Marvel (2019), addressing the political concepts that are In this narrative, the lack of the Father-Son relationship and the absence of the Other presented in the films: colonial legacy (history of slavery and exploitation of Africa) and can be mentioned. There is a general implied unity among all the tribes of Wakanda.

2 3 2（116） 3（117） Even though the Jabari Tribe lives outside of the nation of Wakanda and act as an early liberation and a noble villainy that brings with it a multitude of challenges and antagonist, all the personalities are ultimately involved in Wakanda’s; they are questions. The core question being if viewers should view Killmonger as the sort of harmonious under the King of Wakanda. This allows for Wakanda’s Kingdom to be tragic villain with an agenda we should be sympathetic to no matter how misguided his interpreted through the Symbolic Order of Lacan. Like the Oedipus Complex, aims are perceived to be. This is reinforced by the fact that his death in the film follows Wakanda’s King, T’Challa, must win the crown through ritual combat; this is the the model of a heroic death and does force change, though this change is not the change Kingdom where the Nom du Père (the name of the father), regulates order. that he sought (Merrill, 2019: 16). In fact, if we examine Killmonger’s motivations and In Wakanda and the film in general, justice exists only in the Symbolic; this is the outcome following his revolutionary act we can say ultimately that very opposite of due to the father’s symbolic order serving to regulate desire of the Oedipus Complex his desire occurred; Wakanda opened and joined the existing order under the approving and to deprive the “primitive mother” from their son. Therefore, the core concept of The gaze of the Ross character. Black Panther rests on the question of justice (“what is justice?”) thanks to its male- dominated Symbolic System. As a result of this regulation, it is natural that the end of 3.2.1 A Lacanian Triad of Subjects this movie is both peaceful and utopian, because the terror (possibility to destroy the symbolic order) is already rejected and regulated by the ritual passage of the Oedipus How could T’Challa fall so quickly to the same global capitalist order that Complex. exploits Africa and results in the oppression of the descendants of Africans in places The Kingdom of Wakanda is dominated by the Symbolic Order; organized and like the United States through the political structures that resulted from the legacy of harmonious, there is nothing to threaten the Symbolic Order because the son of the slavery? Here we must turn to Lacan’s construct of the duped and the non-duped who father is already “castrated”. Therefore, the end of story is peaceful. This is the ultimate err, and further elaborate upon it using Gilmore’s (2018) third construct the non-duped metaphysical trick, the desire to escape ideology is already foiled by the Symbolic Order, who do not err (p. 70). This trinity describe three main characters in the Wakanda the results of leadership and structure are a priori established through the patriarchal universe, and thus we can place Agent Ross into the category of big Other, as the construct and symbolic castration of T’Challa who like his honor guards are bound by existing representative of the world order beyond Wakanda. the Nom du Père, symbolized in the throne, the flower that gives him his power, and According to Gilmore (2019) the duped are subjects who do not understand or the weight of tradition. perceive ideology. They proceed through life with the belief of control over their circumstances and proceed to shop, study, buy, and love without any critical view of 3.2 A Lacanian Triad of Ideological Foolishness their conditions or the conditions of others (p. 70). The duped exist within and work through the existing ideological order like a fish in water. The explicit knowledge of the Merrill (2019) perfectly describes the ideological frontier of Black Panther as a film existence for ideology for the duped is absent, they move through their respective lives that embodies a sort of transition in political discourse towards an ideologically without a critical or theoretical concept of society. They find themselves unaware of the approved and reinforced form of political correctness and identity politics without any fallibility of the big other (the law; existing order). The other two branches of knowledge revolutionary or political desire to transform society. Her critique centers on the are the non-duped- one who errs and another who does not. The non-duped-err is, relationship of the lone non-black protagonist, Agent Ross, in the film and his role. Ross according to Žižek (1990), is a subject aware of the ideological framework of society. is a CIA agent that ultimately works with T’Challa to defeat the challenge of This subject has read theory and can see the fallibility of the big Other, but they fail to Killmonger and to protect the existing global order. In this relationship and the realize the absence of the big Other instead replacing them with another entity. ultimate defeat of Killmonger by the combined efforts of T’Challa, his allies, and the Žižek (1990) described the phenomena of the non-duped err using Robert United States intelligence apparatus we can begin to see the ideological lines drawn Heinlein’s short story “They” (p. 11). The hero of the story is locked in an asylum and and what the film represents. However, in the mirror stands Killmonger as an agent of left to believe that the world beyond was a construct run by them. In the story he is left

4 5 4（118） 5（119） Even though the Jabari Tribe lives outside of the nation of Wakanda and act as an early liberation and a noble villainy that brings with it a multitude of challenges and antagonist, all the personalities are ultimately involved in Wakanda’s; they are questions. The core question being if viewers should view Killmonger as the sort of harmonious under the King of Wakanda. This allows for Wakanda’s Kingdom to be tragic villain with an agenda we should be sympathetic to no matter how misguided his interpreted through the Symbolic Order of Lacan. Like the Oedipus Complex, aims are perceived to be. This is reinforced by the fact that his death in the film follows Wakanda’s King, T’Challa, must win the crown through ritual combat; this is the the model of a heroic death and does force change, though this change is not the change Kingdom where the Nom du Père (the name of the father), regulates order. that he sought (Merrill, 2019: 16). In fact, if we examine Killmonger’s motivations and In Wakanda and the film in general, justice exists only in the Symbolic; this is the outcome following his revolutionary act we can say ultimately that very opposite of due to the father’s symbolic order serving to regulate desire of the Oedipus Complex his desire occurred; Wakanda opened and joined the existing order under the approving and to deprive the “primitive mother” from their son. Therefore, the core concept of The gaze of the Ross character. Black Panther rests on the question of justice (“what is justice?”) thanks to its male- dominated Symbolic System. As a result of this regulation, it is natural that the end of 3.2.1 A Lacanian Triad of Subjects this movie is both peaceful and utopian, because the terror (possibility to destroy the symbolic order) is already rejected and regulated by the ritual passage of the Oedipus How could T’Challa fall so quickly to the same global capitalist order that Complex. exploits Africa and results in the oppression of the descendants of Africans in places The Kingdom of Wakanda is dominated by the Symbolic Order; organized and like the United States through the political structures that resulted from the legacy of harmonious, there is nothing to threaten the Symbolic Order because the son of the slavery? Here we must turn to Lacan’s construct of the duped and the non-duped who father is already “castrated”. Therefore, the end of story is peaceful. This is the ultimate err, and further elaborate upon it using Gilmore’s (2018) third construct the non-duped metaphysical trick, the desire to escape ideology is already foiled by the Symbolic Order, who do not err (p. 70). This trinity describe three main characters in the Wakanda the results of leadership and structure are a priori established through the patriarchal universe, and thus we can place Agent Ross into the category of big Other, as the construct and symbolic castration of T’Challa who like his honor guards are bound by existing representative of the world order beyond Wakanda. the Nom du Père, symbolized in the throne, the flower that gives him his power, and According to Gilmore (2019) the duped are subjects who do not understand or the weight of tradition. perceive ideology. They proceed through life with the belief of control over their circumstances and proceed to shop, study, buy, and love without any critical view of 3.2 A Lacanian Triad of Ideological Foolishness their conditions or the conditions of others (p. 70). The duped exist within and work through the existing ideological order like a fish in water. The explicit knowledge of the Merrill (2019) perfectly describes the ideological frontier of Black Panther as a film existence for ideology for the duped is absent, they move through their respective lives that embodies a sort of transition in political discourse towards an ideologically without a critical or theoretical concept of society. They find themselves unaware of the approved and reinforced form of political correctness and identity politics without any fallibility of the big other (the law; existing order). The other two branches of knowledge revolutionary or political desire to transform society. Her critique centers on the are the non-duped- one who errs and another who does not. The non-duped-err is, relationship of the lone non-black protagonist, Agent Ross, in the film and his role. Ross according to Žižek (1990), is a subject aware of the ideological framework of society. is a CIA agent that ultimately works with T’Challa to defeat the challenge of This subject has read theory and can see the fallibility of the big Other, but they fail to Killmonger and to protect the existing global order. In this relationship and the realize the absence of the big Other instead replacing them with another entity. ultimate defeat of Killmonger by the combined efforts of T’Challa, his allies, and the Žižek (1990) described the phenomena of the non-duped err using Robert United States intelligence apparatus we can begin to see the ideological lines drawn Heinlein’s short story “They” (p. 11). The hero of the story is locked in an asylum and and what the film represents. However, in the mirror stands Killmonger as an agent of left to believe that the world beyond was a construct run by them. In the story he is left

4 5 4（118） 5（119） to try to observe his own world view with that of the narrative being projected to him by his psychiatrist, wife, and friends. During the story the hero recalls a continuity gap Gilmore (2018) simply defined the roles as followed: duped pursue their desire, the non- in the reality from memory, where there was an indiscretion on how the world was duped who err renounce these desires due to their understanding of the ideological staged revealing his own worldview was in fact correct (pp. 11-12). In more modern construct, and the non-duped who do not err embrace desire as a type of drive and never approaches the two versions of Total Recall (1990, 2012) seem to follow this sort of reach the end which results in an endlessly circular act that brings jouissance (joy) (p. deception, here the subject is convinced their reality is fake, and their memories are 74). false. This leads to the implication of the Other organizing the agenda behind the reality, or as Lacan and Žižek would refer to as the psychotic universe. Here, the non- 3.2.2 The Three Subjects of Black Panther duped err suffer much like the psychotic, in that they feel they have figured out the truth behind the universe, but in reality it is directed by another Other, a them, a The three subjects of this film that occupy the duped, non-duped who err, and creature in the closet, the figure their significant other is having an affair with. The the non-duped who do not err are T’Challa, Erik Killmonger, and Shuri respectively. ultimate weakness of the non-duped err as Žižek (1990) claimed is, “his mistake lies…in Briefly, T’Challa was born of privilege, trained and sheltered from birth to assume his his being too easy of belief and supposing the existence of a hidden agency manipulating role as successor to his father, the king. Throughout the film he demonstrates his own this deception, trying to dupe him into accepting that…” (p. 12). In other words, the lack of understanding showing little reverence or sympathy for those suffered at the non-duped err, errs by creating another layer of symbolism or order to replace what hands of the arms smuggler Klaw. Ultimately, he assumes the throne and pursues a they are critiquing, they see the ideological structures but fail to realize they are still status quo approach while trying to pursue a romance with Nakia. He keeps his interest a subject to that ideology. As Gilmore (2018) said, “The consequence is that they are to the continued isolation of his state, and the continued exploitation of vibranium, one alienated from the symbolic network, and also from themselves” (p. 71). The third of the MacGuffins that move the plot of the film forward and serves as a major source concept, the non-duped who do not err avoids this final symbolic error of perceiving of its conflict. Further, this duped subject reveals his inability to understand the global they exist outside of the ideological structure. struggle, he seemingly pushes off Killmonger’s desire. Even after he decides that The non-duped who do not err requires the subject to produce something, change was needed his change was to put absolute trust in the CIA agent Ross, open follow a belief, pursue a passion to the end through what Žižek (1992a) called, “the Wakanda to some extent participating in the global hegemonic order while hosting transferential fiction” (p. 10). Gilmore (2018) described these subjects as, “the homes for troubled children. Ultimately, he takes a center-liberal stake and does not aficionados” (p. 72). To fully understand the non-duped who do not err, Gilmore (2018) begin to address the symptoms of oppression Killmonger described. turned to Lacan and Žižek’s work in the difference between desire and drive (p. 72). The antagonist of the film, Erik Killmonger, represents the non-duped err, his Žižek (1999) described the difference between desire and drive: father was killed in Oakland, California while being on a mission from Wakanda. His father was helping arm black resistance movements and get weapons to liberation Desire is defined by this ce n’est pas ça: that is, its most elementary and efforts. Killmonger represents the subject who is aware of the ideological boundaries of ultimate aim is to sustain itself as desire, in its state of non-satisfaction. Drive Wakanda and the global order. He ignores his own joy and proceeds to train himself on the other hand, stands for the paradoxical possibility that the subject, within the system for the sole purpose of returning to Wakanda to weaponize vibranium forever prevented from achieving his Goal (and thus fully satisfying his desire), and to bring about a global revolution. His character demonstrates his commitment for can nevertheless find satisfaction in the very circular movement of repeatedly his cause (his new big Other) going as far to sacrifice cohorts and the killing of Klaw to missing its object, of circulating around it: the gap constitutive of desire is thus win favor upon his return to Wakanda. Killmonger represents the perfect psychotic closed, the self-enclosed loop of a circular repetitive movement replaces subject though as a viewer his motivations might seem just, however they fail to reach infinite striving. (pp. 359-360) a protagonist position because of his methods.

6 7 6（120） 7（121） to try to observe his own world view with that of the narrative being projected to him by his psychiatrist, wife, and friends. During the story the hero recalls a continuity gap Gilmore (2018) simply defined the roles as followed: duped pursue their desire, the non- in the reality from memory, where there was an indiscretion on how the world was duped who err renounce these desires due to their understanding of the ideological staged revealing his own worldview was in fact correct (pp. 11-12). In more modern construct, and the non-duped who do not err embrace desire as a type of drive and never approaches the two versions of Total Recall (1990, 2012) seem to follow this sort of reach the end which results in an endlessly circular act that brings jouissance (joy) (p. deception, here the subject is convinced their reality is fake, and their memories are 74). false. This leads to the implication of the Other organizing the agenda behind the reality, or as Lacan and Žižek would refer to as the psychotic universe. Here, the non- 3.2.2 The Three Subjects of Black Panther duped err suffer much like the psychotic, in that they feel they have figured out the truth behind the universe, but in reality it is directed by another Other, a them, a The three subjects of this film that occupy the duped, non-duped who err, and creature in the closet, the figure their significant other is having an affair with. The the non-duped who do not err are T’Challa, Erik Killmonger, and Shuri respectively. ultimate weakness of the non-duped err as Žižek (1990) claimed is, “his mistake lies…in Briefly, T’Challa was born of privilege, trained and sheltered from birth to assume his his being too easy of belief and supposing the existence of a hidden agency manipulating role as successor to his father, the king. Throughout the film he demonstrates his own this deception, trying to dupe him into accepting that…” (p. 12). In other words, the lack of understanding showing little reverence or sympathy for those suffered at the non-duped err, errs by creating another layer of symbolism or order to replace what hands of the arms smuggler Klaw. Ultimately, he assumes the throne and pursues a they are critiquing, they see the ideological structures but fail to realize they are still status quo approach while trying to pursue a romance with Nakia. He keeps his interest a subject to that ideology. As Gilmore (2018) said, “The consequence is that they are to the continued isolation of his state, and the continued exploitation of vibranium, one alienated from the symbolic network, and also from themselves” (p. 71). The third of the MacGuffins that move the plot of the film forward and serves as a major source concept, the non-duped who do not err avoids this final symbolic error of perceiving of its conflict. Further, this duped subject reveals his inability to understand the global they exist outside of the ideological structure. struggle, he seemingly pushes off Killmonger’s desire. Even after he decides that The non-duped who do not err requires the subject to produce something, change was needed his change was to put absolute trust in the CIA agent Ross, open follow a belief, pursue a passion to the end through what Žižek (1992a) called, “the Wakanda to some extent participating in the global hegemonic order while hosting transferential fiction” (p. 10). Gilmore (2018) described these subjects as, “the homes for troubled children. Ultimately, he takes a center-liberal stake and does not aficionados” (p. 72). To fully understand the non-duped who do not err, Gilmore (2018) begin to address the symptoms of oppression Killmonger described. turned to Lacan and Žižek’s work in the difference between desire and drive (p. 72). The antagonist of the film, Erik Killmonger, represents the non-duped err, his Žižek (1999) described the difference between desire and drive: father was killed in Oakland, California while being on a mission from Wakanda. His father was helping arm black resistance movements and get weapons to liberation Desire is defined by this ce n’est pas ça: that is, its most elementary and efforts. Killmonger represents the subject who is aware of the ideological boundaries of ultimate aim is to sustain itself as desire, in its state of non-satisfaction. Drive Wakanda and the global order. He ignores his own joy and proceeds to train himself on the other hand, stands for the paradoxical possibility that the subject, within the system for the sole purpose of returning to Wakanda to weaponize vibranium forever prevented from achieving his Goal (and thus fully satisfying his desire), and to bring about a global revolution. His character demonstrates his commitment for can nevertheless find satisfaction in the very circular movement of repeatedly his cause (his new big Other) going as far to sacrifice cohorts and the killing of Klaw to missing its object, of circulating around it: the gap constitutive of desire is thus win favor upon his return to Wakanda. Killmonger represents the perfect psychotic closed, the self-enclosed loop of a circular repetitive movement replaces subject though as a viewer his motivations might seem just, however they fail to reach infinite striving. (pp. 359-360) a protagonist position because of his methods.

6 7 6（120） 7（121） The non-duped who does not err, Shuri, is the scientist and researcher. Her Border tribe, the River tribe, the Mining tribe, and the Jabari. When the new king work centers around vibranium and her motivations are built on the betterment of the T’Challa is being crowned following traditional procedure and ritual, none of the tribes technology T’Challa, her brother, uses and in ways to continue to improve society. Her make an objection to the crowning except the Jabari, who profess their distrust in the joy is within her work, and throughout the film she jokes and gestures to her own royal family’s management of the country’s technological assets. This episode operates recognition of the ideological systems. A prime example was her joke to challenge her to show that in Wakanda there is no conflict among the domestic commerce and brother to the throne casting doubt on the system itself, and then later at the end of industries but there is a potential conflict over the country’s technology administration. the film showing her own disappointment for her brother’s decision on what Wakanda In fact, reforming Wakanda’s technology administration policy is what the main should do after the Killmonger ordeal. Shuri represents the only real hope for Wakanda, antagonist of this film, Erik Killmonger, tries—and partly succeeds—to do. her expertise and position provide her this opportunity, however, the hegemonic and The confrontation between T’Challa and Killmonger had originated with their patriarchal authority in place ultimately limit her to the realm of vibranium aficionado. fathers. However, on being apprised of his father’s sin of fratricide and abandonment of a nephew (the child Erik), T’Challa comes to doubt the legitimacy of his country’s 3.3 Ethical Non-ambiguity of Black Panther long-succeeded policy of isolationism. Here, the question of the state’s policy is linked to the problem of families. Moreover, the family issue is expanded into the race issue One of the requirements for contemporary blockbuster superhero movies is that the in Killmonger’s and his father’s commitment to empowerment of the oppressed blacks narrative be “realistic” in terms of ethics as well. The audience are no longer satisfied of the world, a commitment noble enough to problematize the antagonism between the at watching good guys (and their community) being threatened by bad guys, good ones film’s hero and his adversary. At several points, T’Challa and his father look less heroic eventually beating bad ones, peace and order restored. According to Noël Carroll (2013), compared to their opponents who show selfless and resolute dedication to the the most common way to call forth the audience’s sympathy for the protagonist in brotherhood of blacks. Žižek (2018) calls Killmonger the true hero of the film, and sees popular fiction is to mobilize the audience’s moral approbation. Therefore, “[i]t is no his dying scene as a sign of aberration from superhero-movie formula: accident that the protagonists in popular fictions are good guys. Good guys are precisely what are likely to engender a pro-attitude from heterogeneous audiences of otherwise The strong ethical impact of Killmonger’s last words immediately ruin the idea varied and often conflicting interests and loyalties” (p. 53). However, after the that he is a simple villain. What then follows is a scene of extraordinary liberalization of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1966 and the impact of New warmth: the dying Killmonger sits down at the edge of a mountain precipice Hollywood movement, film audience’s sympathy seems to have been redirected to more observing the beautiful Wakanda sunset, and T’Challa, who has just defeated nuanced characters and situations.２ This can be one reason that a straight virtue- him, silently sits at his side. There is no hatred here, just two basically good rewarded-and-vice-punished type of story has become out of date and we witness in men with a different political view sharing their last moments after the battle many popular superhero movies today the good/bad or the virtue/vice dichotomy is over. It’s a scene unimaginable in a standard action movie that culminates deconstructed. Nonetheless, it does not necessarily result in ethical ambiguity, as in in the vicious destruction of the enemy. the case of Black Panther. In the early part of the film, the fictional state of Wakanda—which had been Indeed, T’Challa sits by his dying cousin like a true brother should. The tenderness introduced as an obscure UN-member country in Africa, when the prince and would-be and serenity of the scene does not hint any destructive motive on the part of the victor. king T’Challa made his first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the final Yet, everything that Killmonger has stood for is either purloined or nullified by scenes in Captain America: Civil War (2016)—is revealed to be a hidden utopia, where T’Challa’s act of opening the country to the world. This may be a destruction more uncontaminated nature and advanced technology, tradition and modernity are complete than physical destruction of the foe. auspiciously harmonized. The country houses five tribes: the Merchant tribe, the The conclusion of this film not only shows the hero’s final compliance with the

8 9 8（122） 9（123） The non-duped who does not err, Shuri, is the scientist and researcher. Her Border tribe, the River tribe, the Mining tribe, and the Jabari. When the new king work centers around vibranium and her motivations are built on the betterment of the T’Challa is being crowned following traditional procedure and ritual, none of the tribes technology T’Challa, her brother, uses and in ways to continue to improve society. Her make an objection to the crowning except the Jabari, who profess their distrust in the joy is within her work, and throughout the film she jokes and gestures to her own royal family’s management of the country’s technological assets. This episode operates recognition of the ideological systems. A prime example was her joke to challenge her to show that in Wakanda there is no conflict among the domestic commerce and brother to the throne casting doubt on the system itself, and then later at the end of industries but there is a potential conflict over the country’s technology administration. the film showing her own disappointment for her brother’s decision on what Wakanda In fact, reforming Wakanda’s technology administration policy is what the main should do after the Killmonger ordeal. Shuri represents the only real hope for Wakanda, antagonist of this film, Erik Killmonger, tries—and partly succeeds—to do. her expertise and position provide her this opportunity, however, the hegemonic and The confrontation between T’Challa and Killmonger had originated with their patriarchal authority in place ultimately limit her to the realm of vibranium aficionado. fathers. However, on being apprised of his father’s sin of fratricide and abandonment of a nephew (the child Erik), T’Challa comes to doubt the legitimacy of his country’s 3.3 Ethical Non-ambiguity of Black Panther long-succeeded policy of isolationism. Here, the question of the state’s policy is linked to the problem of families. Moreover, the family issue is expanded into the race issue One of the requirements for contemporary blockbuster superhero movies is that the in Killmonger’s and his father’s commitment to empowerment of the oppressed blacks narrative be “realistic” in terms of ethics as well. The audience are no longer satisfied of the world, a commitment noble enough to problematize the antagonism between the at watching good guys (and their community) being threatened by bad guys, good ones film’s hero and his adversary. At several points, T’Challa and his father look less heroic eventually beating bad ones, peace and order restored. According to Noël Carroll (2013), compared to their opponents who show selfless and resolute dedication to the the most common way to call forth the audience’s sympathy for the protagonist in brotherhood of blacks. Žižek (2018) calls Killmonger the true hero of the film, and sees popular fiction is to mobilize the audience’s moral approbation. Therefore, “[i]t is no his dying scene as a sign of aberration from superhero-movie formula: accident that the protagonists in popular fictions are good guys. Good guys are precisely what are likely to engender a pro-attitude from heterogeneous audiences of otherwise The strong ethical impact of Killmonger’s last words immediately ruin the idea varied and often conflicting interests and loyalties” (p. 53). However, after the that he is a simple villain. What then follows is a scene of extraordinary liberalization of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1966 and the impact of New warmth: the dying Killmonger sits down at the edge of a mountain precipice Hollywood movement, film audience’s sympathy seems to have been redirected to more observing the beautiful Wakanda sunset, and T’Challa, who has just defeated nuanced characters and situations.２ This can be one reason that a straight virtue- him, silently sits at his side. There is no hatred here, just two basically good rewarded-and-vice-punished type of story has become out of date and we witness in men with a different political view sharing their last moments after the battle many popular superhero movies today the good/bad or the virtue/vice dichotomy is over. It’s a scene unimaginable in a standard action movie that culminates deconstructed. Nonetheless, it does not necessarily result in ethical ambiguity, as in in the vicious destruction of the enemy. the case of Black Panther. In the early part of the film, the fictional state of Wakanda—which had been Indeed, T’Challa sits by his dying cousin like a true brother should. The tenderness introduced as an obscure UN-member country in Africa, when the prince and would-be and serenity of the scene does not hint any destructive motive on the part of the victor. king T’Challa made his first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the final Yet, everything that Killmonger has stood for is either purloined or nullified by scenes in Captain America: Civil War (2016)—is revealed to be a hidden utopia, where T’Challa’s act of opening the country to the world. This may be a destruction more uncontaminated nature and advanced technology, tradition and modernity are complete than physical destruction of the foe. auspiciously harmonized. The country houses five tribes: the Merchant tribe, the The conclusion of this film not only shows the hero’s final compliance with the

8 9 8（122） 9（123） hegemonic global order but implies several other things. First is that the bond with the true potential of her power. The film also reflects on the ideological nature of one’s kinship and hereditary values lose their significance under the order. If Agent conflicts in general, as one of the greater twists in the film is the true juxtaposition of Ross is the disguised father-figure (the Big Other) for the hero in this film as Merrill sides between the Kree and Skrull, ultimately finding the Skrull not to be the (2019) argues, T’Challa’s act can be read as discarding of his biological father and instigators of the conflict, revealing the Kree as the antagonists. ancestors in favor of a new Father who represents a more commendable, more universal virtue. Ideology is thicker than blood. Second is that race-oriented commitment must 4.1 The Real and Julia Kristeva’s abjection in the movie Captain Marvel deemed illegitimate under the order. Helping a particular race by providing them with force is not a virtuous act; helping the world by sharing power is virtuous. Thus, by In Captain Marvel, Yon-Rogg and the Kree Empire are representative of Nom du Père depriving Killmonger of a chance to share the honor of virtue, the film effectively which forces subjects to enter the Lacanian Symbolic Order. Carol has great and neutralizes his devotion to a noble cause. It also compromises the legacy of black uncontrolled power which threatens their empire; therefore, they must domesticate her superhero films—which, according to a study by Tyree and Jacobs (2014), have tended ability and Carol herself for the purposes of serving the Kree Empire. At first, Carol to “document the strong racial undertones of American culture and the plight of Black also wanted to be a great Starforce solider. At this stage, Carol did not enter the men who live in underprivileged, underserved, crime-ridden neighborhoods in America” Symbolic Order yet; that means, she is on a step before entering the male-dominated (p.20)—and along with it, the whole history of racial resistance. Thirdly, the prospect society. of T’Challa’s matrimony to Nakia, who has from the beginning insisted that Wakanda In this movie, according to Lacanian theory, Carol is between the Real and the should help alleviate the sufferings in the world, makes a testimony to T’Challa’s Symbolic Order. As the nightmare of Dr. Lawson shows, she has just been missing her double commitments to the universal brotherhood and to the responsibility as the king “mother” (Dr. Lawson) who was the source of her jouissance. For Carol to enter into the of a state, which is to beget a heir by the queen. Symbolic order (Become the greatest Starforce soldier, and become fully part of the The third point particularly makes our hero look like kind of a moral juggler Kree Empire), she has to give up her “mother’s” jouissance. The missing of jouissance who in effect betrays his kin but at the same time eludes a disgrace of being a traitor is the psychological pain gained by developing/learning language, that is to say, to enter by carrying out the most conspicuous duties. The film is explicit about what are good into “normal” society. The “Supreme Intelligence”, the artificial intelligence that rules duties and what are not. Contributing to the existing global order, not threatening it, the Kree, tries to control Carol and her power and to convince her to abandon her is the Good that only its doer is qualified to be the hero. “mother’s” jouissance. However, she continues to seek her memory and her “imaginative” mother, Dr. Lawson. Notwithstanding Yon-Rogg’s training and the invasion of the 4. Analyzing Captain Marvel Supreme Intelligence into her conscious, Carol removes the Kree implant that was suppressing her powers, allowing her to reach her full potential. This scene could be Captain Marvel (2019) was released to a similar fanfare as Black Panther, breaking interpreted as her intention of “refusing” entrance into the Symbolic Order. box office expectation of many and collecting over a billion USD during its worldwide distribution. The film is the first Marvel film to cast a female superhero lead and 4.1.1. Captain Marvel as an aspect of “Abjection” of Julia Kristeva follows the story of Carol Danvers, a U.S. Air Force pilot that finds herself as an extraterrestrial fighter for an alien race known as the Kree. She works for a special In Powers of Horror , Julia Kristeva (1982), a French philosopher, literary battle group participating in an intergalactic conflict between the Kree and Skrulls. critic and inventor of the notion abjection, described that abjection preserves what Believing she is Kree, she only discovers her human origins while chasing a group of existed in the archaism of pre-objectual relationship, in the immemorial violence with Kree that flee to the planet Earth to hide. Carol finds herself rediscovering her past, a which a body becomes separated from another body in order to be. Everything against past manipulated by the Kree, and through uncovering her true origins also discovers the Symbolic (social) order, like fear, confusion, terror, chaos, anger, desire of incest,

10 11 10（124） 11（125） hegemonic global order but implies several other things. First is that the bond with the true potential of her power. The film also reflects on the ideological nature of one’s kinship and hereditary values lose their significance under the order. If Agent conflicts in general, as one of the greater twists in the film is the true juxtaposition of Ross is the disguised father-figure (the Big Other) for the hero in this film as Merrill sides between the Kree and Skrull, ultimately finding the Skrull not to be the (2019) argues, T’Challa’s act can be read as discarding of his biological father and instigators of the conflict, revealing the Kree as the antagonists. ancestors in favor of a new Father who represents a more commendable, more universal virtue. Ideology is thicker than blood. Second is that race-oriented commitment must 4.1 The Real and Julia Kristeva’s abjection in the movie Captain Marvel deemed illegitimate under the order. Helping a particular race by providing them with force is not a virtuous act; helping the world by sharing power is virtuous. Thus, by In Captain Marvel, Yon-Rogg and the Kree Empire are representative of Nom du Père depriving Killmonger of a chance to share the honor of virtue, the film effectively which forces subjects to enter the Lacanian Symbolic Order. Carol has great and neutralizes his devotion to a noble cause. It also compromises the legacy of black uncontrolled power which threatens their empire; therefore, they must domesticate her superhero films—which, according to a study by Tyree and Jacobs (2014), have tended ability and Carol herself for the purposes of serving the Kree Empire. At first, Carol to “document the strong racial undertones of American culture and the plight of Black also wanted to be a great Starforce solider. At this stage, Carol did not enter the men who live in underprivileged, underserved, crime-ridden neighborhoods in America” Symbolic Order yet; that means, she is on a step before entering the male-dominated (p.20)—and along with it, the whole history of racial resistance. Thirdly, the prospect society. of T’Challa’s matrimony to Nakia, who has from the beginning insisted that Wakanda In this movie, according to Lacanian theory, Carol is between the Real and the should help alleviate the sufferings in the world, makes a testimony to T’Challa’s Symbolic Order. As the nightmare of Dr. Lawson shows, she has just been missing her double commitments to the universal brotherhood and to the responsibility as the king “mother” (Dr. Lawson) who was the source of her jouissance. For Carol to enter into the of a state, which is to beget a heir by the queen. Symbolic order (Become the greatest Starforce soldier, and become fully part of the The third point particularly makes our hero look like kind of a moral juggler Kree Empire), she has to give up her “mother’s” jouissance. The missing of jouissance who in effect betrays his kin but at the same time eludes a disgrace of being a traitor is the psychological pain gained by developing/learning language, that is to say, to enter by carrying out the most conspicuous duties. The film is explicit about what are good into “normal” society. The “Supreme Intelligence”, the artificial intelligence that rules duties and what are not. Contributing to the existing global order, not threatening it, the Kree, tries to control Carol and her power and to convince her to abandon her is the Good that only its doer is qualified to be the hero. “mother’s” jouissance. However, she continues to seek her memory and her “imaginative” mother, Dr. Lawson. Notwithstanding Yon-Rogg’s training and the invasion of the 4. Analyzing Captain Marvel Supreme Intelligence into her conscious, Carol removes the Kree implant that was suppressing her powers, allowing her to reach her full potential. This scene could be Captain Marvel (2019) was released to a similar fanfare as Black Panther, breaking interpreted as her intention of “refusing” entrance into the Symbolic Order. box office expectation of many and collecting over a billion USD during its worldwide distribution. The film is the first Marvel film to cast a female superhero lead and 4.1.1. Captain Marvel as an aspect of “Abjection” of Julia Kristeva follows the story of Carol Danvers, a U.S. Air Force pilot that finds herself as an extraterrestrial fighter for an alien race known as the Kree. She works for a special In Powers of Horror , Julia Kristeva (1982), a French philosopher, literary battle group participating in an intergalactic conflict between the Kree and Skrulls. critic and inventor of the notion abjection, described that abjection preserves what Believing she is Kree, she only discovers her human origins while chasing a group of existed in the archaism of pre-objectual relationship, in the immemorial violence with Kree that flee to the planet Earth to hide. Carol finds herself rediscovering her past, a which a body becomes separated from another body in order to be. Everything against past manipulated by the Kree, and through uncovering her true origins also discovers the Symbolic (social) order, like fear, confusion, terror, chaos, anger, desire of incest,

10 11 10（124） 11（125） etc. is all contained in this abjection. The concept of abjection comes from all the relationship and Carol’s uncontrolled and wild power; a symbol of men’s fear against memories about separation from the “primitive mother”. With this mother, we were all women and the “abjection” present in Captain Marvel. satisfied and peaceful like a baby in its mother’s arms. The absence of the Father provides the space for the women’s relationship However, we must be separated from this satisfying situation to join society at between Carol, Dr. Lawson, Maria, and Monica. These relationships threaten the order large. We learn language to “overcome” the Oedipus Complex, and regulate all the of male-dominated society. In the movie, Captain Marvel, Dr. Lawson comes to the desires toward “Mother”, then after this we can enter the Symbolic Order (Society and Earth for the purpose of studying and creating a powerful new engine. Her aim is saving its laws). According Kristeva (1982), that is the reason why women are inferior to men; the Skrull and stopping the war. This type of “Peace-Lover” feminist is a relatively all the things, notions and emotions against the society (Symbolic) are attributed to the popular image in relation to the Mother’s Love for children. However, in this world of woman’s side and allocated in the margins of male-dominated society. “the absent Father”, it means “the challenge of the Order”; that is to stop seeking the Carol continued to seek her memories and Dr. Wendy Lawson, her imaginary male-oriented power of authority and instead to seek the possibility of establishing a mother. This scene could be interpreted as re-taking the abjection which gives her a new order based on a Mother-daughter’s relationship. Hence the movie Captain Marvel power to destroy the Symbolic, male-dominated society. This power should be repressed implies the possibility of post-phallogocentric society. and controlled before entering the Kree Empire, the Symbolic Order. In fact, Carol (before becoming Captain Marvel) had a lot of training to control her emotions, but, it 4.2 Dubious Feminism in Captain Marvel was in vain, because her “mother”, Dr. Lawson called her many times through her nightmares. She suffered from this image of a mother, but from the other side, this Including the characterization of a post-phallogocentric hero discussed in 4.1, Captain might be a “call from the past-jouissance”, which represents her inability to regain it Marvel is laden with elements of critical feminism. For instance, one of its significant after entrance into the Symbolic. Re-taking the abjection means, therefore, refusing subnarratives tells how Carol Danvers has strived and succeeds to overcome the social the Symbolic Order, namely, male-dominated society (symbolized by the Kree Empire). and symbolical gender limits, how she resists the incessant attempts of the patriarchal order to plant in her a depreciatory self-image based on (mostly) gender. Both 4.1.2. “Non du Père”, the absence of Father in Captain Marvel narratively and visually, she does not represent any of the following female character types that Gerard and Poepsel (2019) define to be objects and products of patriarchal This call from the past-jouissance turns into an encouragement to women: and heterosexual “male gaze”: Sexy Assistant, Deadly Assassin, Loyal Friend (to a male according to Freudian analysis, a man must suffer the fatal separation from his mother character), and Romantic Interest (of a male character).３ However, it is possible to more seriously than a woman, because daughters are relatively allowed to stay by their view Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) as the embodiment of masculine power itself. mother’s side. Boys must abandon their mother or otherwise must symbolically kill How are the overt feminist narrative and characterization coordinated with patriarchal their fathers. Contrarily, it is enough for girls to change the orientation of their symbolic order in this film? The ethical scheme presented in this film appears to be attachment from mother to father. The call from the past-jouissance will be frightening liberal and feminist-friendly, but there must be another line of sight to disclose its in a man’s world because it is reminiscent of punishment from the Father and conservative and reactionary ethics. represents the expulsion from the Symbolic Order. However, for Carol, the call The film opens with a futuristic setting evocative of classic dystopian stories encourages her adventure; because in the movie Captain Marvel, the Father is absent. such as George Orwell’s 1984 (1949) and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), Carol finds out about her past as a pilot for the Project Pegasus installation at where we find the heroin being trained to be a fighter. The lesson includes suppressing a U.S. Air Force base. Her friend, Maria Rambeau and her daughter Monica help her her memory, emotion, and sense of humor, which are said to be detrimental in true to complete the reconstruction of her memories. In these memories we see no trace of a warriors. Her mentor also instructs her to always follow the guidance of her intellect, Father; instead we find the acknowledgment and courage of Maria and Monica’s not her heart. This preference of intellect over emotion is exemplified in the name of

12 13 12（126） 13（127） etc. is all contained in this abjection. The concept of abjection comes from all the relationship and Carol’s uncontrolled and wild power; a symbol of men’s fear against memories about separation from the “primitive mother”. With this mother, we were all women and the “abjection” present in Captain Marvel. satisfied and peaceful like a baby in its mother’s arms. The absence of the Father provides the space for the women’s relationship However, we must be separated from this satisfying situation to join society at between Carol, Dr. Lawson, Maria, and Monica. These relationships threaten the order large. We learn language to “overcome” the Oedipus Complex, and regulate all the of male-dominated society. In the movie, Captain Marvel, Dr. Lawson comes to the desires toward “Mother”, then after this we can enter the Symbolic Order (Society and Earth for the purpose of studying and creating a powerful new engine. Her aim is saving its laws). According Kristeva (1982), that is the reason why women are inferior to men; the Skrull and stopping the war. This type of “Peace-Lover” feminist is a relatively all the things, notions and emotions against the society (Symbolic) are attributed to the popular image in relation to the Mother’s Love for children. However, in this world of woman’s side and allocated in the margins of male-dominated society. “the absent Father”, it means “the challenge of the Order”; that is to stop seeking the Carol continued to seek her memories and Dr. Wendy Lawson, her imaginary male-oriented power of authority and instead to seek the possibility of establishing a mother. This scene could be interpreted as re-taking the abjection which gives her a new order based on a Mother-daughter’s relationship. Hence the movie Captain Marvel power to destroy the Symbolic, male-dominated society. This power should be repressed implies the possibility of post-phallogocentric society. and controlled before entering the Kree Empire, the Symbolic Order. In fact, Carol (before becoming Captain Marvel) had a lot of training to control her emotions, but, it 4.2 Dubious Feminism in Captain Marvel was in vain, because her “mother”, Dr. Lawson called her many times through her nightmares. She suffered from this image of a mother, but from the other side, this Including the characterization of a post-phallogocentric hero discussed in 4.1, Captain might be a “call from the past-jouissance”, which represents her inability to regain it Marvel is laden with elements of critical feminism. For instance, one of its significant after entrance into the Symbolic. Re-taking the abjection means, therefore, refusing subnarratives tells how Carol Danvers has strived and succeeds to overcome the social the Symbolic Order, namely, male-dominated society (symbolized by the Kree Empire). and symbolical gender limits, how she resists the incessant attempts of the patriarchal order to plant in her a depreciatory self-image based on (mostly) gender. Both 4.1.2. “Non du Père”, the absence of Father in Captain Marvel narratively and visually, she does not represent any of the following female character types that Gerard and Poepsel (2019) define to be objects and products of patriarchal This call from the past-jouissance turns into an encouragement to women: and heterosexual “male gaze”: Sexy Assistant, Deadly Assassin, Loyal Friend (to a male according to Freudian analysis, a man must suffer the fatal separation from his mother character), and Romantic Interest (of a male character).３ However, it is possible to more seriously than a woman, because daughters are relatively allowed to stay by their view Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) as the embodiment of masculine power itself. mother’s side. Boys must abandon their mother or otherwise must symbolically kill How are the overt feminist narrative and characterization coordinated with patriarchal their fathers. Contrarily, it is enough for girls to change the orientation of their symbolic order in this film? The ethical scheme presented in this film appears to be attachment from mother to father. The call from the past-jouissance will be frightening liberal and feminist-friendly, but there must be another line of sight to disclose its in a man’s world because it is reminiscent of punishment from the Father and conservative and reactionary ethics. represents the expulsion from the Symbolic Order. However, for Carol, the call The film opens with a futuristic setting evocative of classic dystopian stories encourages her adventure; because in the movie Captain Marvel, the Father is absent. such as George Orwell’s 1984 (1949) and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), Carol finds out about her past as a pilot for the Project Pegasus installation at where we find the heroin being trained to be a fighter. The lesson includes suppressing a U.S. Air Force base. Her friend, Maria Rambeau and her daughter Monica help her her memory, emotion, and sense of humor, which are said to be detrimental in true to complete the reconstruction of her memories. In these memories we see no trace of a warriors. Her mentor also instructs her to always follow the guidance of her intellect, Father; instead we find the acknowledgment and courage of Maria and Monica’s not her heart. This preference of intellect over emotion is exemplified in the name of

12 13 12（126） 13（127） an artifice which assumes the sovereign controlling power in this society of Kree, 4.3 Misappropriated Gaze, Parallax Viewing “Supreme Intelligence.” This is an apparatus to redirect one’s subconscious desire into a desire to “serve well with honor” as “noble warrior heroes” of the Kree. This Spartan While Captain Marvel could represent the notion of a post-phallogocentric society or society is sharply contrasted with the setting of Earth, Carol’s mislaid home. Here, the symbolizing the entry of the American hegemonic postwar era as a weapon of male figure who leads her to be a different kind of “noble warrior hero,” the Avenger, is deterrence, we must also contend with the ideological structuring of the film and how Nick Fury, a man with a sense of humor that matches Carol’s. He believes that “a gut it reproduces power in the existing structures. In this regard the Nom du Père, the feeling against orders” is a thing that keeps us human. On Earth she reunites with her absence of the father in the film, the hegemonic hidden desire for the reproduction of “family,” the object of deepest affection and the source of warmest memories. the American narrative of victory, and the power of gaze serve as a sort of parallax gap. The family is not only the key for Carol to regain her identity. When she and Lacan (1981) defined gaze as, “our relation to things, in so far as this relation is Talos, a Skrull warrior who is looking for the energy-core (the Tesseract) and the constituted by the way of vision, and ordered in the figures of representation, technology developed by Dr. Lawson, find her ship and the core, it turns out that Talos’s something slips, passes, is transmitted from stage to stage, and is always to some true motive for the search was not the Tesseract but reunion with his family. This degree eluded in it” (p. 73). Both the parallax and gaze are constituted through vision triggers Carol’s, and the audience’s, sympathy. The Skrull has been misrepresented by or the philosophical act of vision.４ A parallax view is the displacement or difference of the Kree as a serious menace to the universal peace, but in truth they have been the supposed position of an object that is viewed from two different locations or lines dispersed refugees forced to be a homeless nomad all along. We may see a troupe of of sight. It is also the title of a 1970’s horror film, The Parallax View (1974) which is a anti-Nazism here. The Skrull stand for the Jews and the Kree the Nazi. Then, what conspiracy-based film following the assassination of a presidential candidate. In Žižek’s position does Captain Marvel occupy? The Tesseract is referred to be the force to end (2009) work, The Parallax View, he described the parallax gap as, “the confrontation of the war, and Carol takes on the mission along with its tremendous power. Captain two closely linked perspectives between which no neutral common ground is possible” Marvel is the unlimited destructive energy freed from physical and moral restriction, (p.4). We should resist assuming these respective positions are in contradiction, but in charge of terminating the wars and racial oppressions taking place across galaxies. rather exist as two constructs of the displaced truth and thus through dialectical rigor Yes, she is the A-bomb of the Marvel Universe; not the bomb to subvert the hegemonic could be sublated into the understanding of a central flaw of all comic hero films. Žižek world order, but to keep it intact from attacks of the enemies. Or, it is a symbol of explored the ramifications of this construct in relation to Hegelian dialectics, but America’s military and ethical hegemony. Jameson (2009) provides a robust exploration of the importance of dialectics and the Maria Rambeau and her daughter Monica are not independent of this understanding of the third object and its relation to the first two. The crisis of dialectics ideological design. When Monica willingly encourages her mother and “aunty Carol” to aside, the parallax represents an approach of diversity of viewing, and in many cases fight against the vicious enemy for the obvious good, she speaks more liberally and the two perspectives do not reconciliate following the greatest Hegelian tragedy of the casually than a Kree, but would not an well-educated Kree kid do the same—sacrifice conflict between two “rights.” the object of her affection—for the good of the community? All the feminist discourses Returning to the concept of threes, Lacan (1998) perfectly explains these in this film can be a cloak to dodge feminist critique, pay lip service to female audience, relations between One and Object with a ternary concept built within, the tacitly be glorioied in the manly militant vigor, and redirect feminist desire into a desire aforementioned gaze, or as he said, “[e]ach intervenes in this ternary only as the object to be a hero. a that he is in the gaze of the others” (p. 49). The question then is what role does gaze play in the concept of gender roles and film and how does this reveal itself in the existing patriarchal paradigm of the capitalist world order. While Copjec (1986) might disagree with the idea of the camera as the apparatus from which gaze emanates and that through this the camera is the

14 15 14（128） 15（129） an artifice which assumes the sovereign controlling power in this society of Kree, 4.3 Misappropriated Gaze, Parallax Viewing “Supreme Intelligence.” This is an apparatus to redirect one’s subconscious desire into a desire to “serve well with honor” as “noble warrior heroes” of the Kree. This Spartan While Captain Marvel could represent the notion of a post-phallogocentric society or society is sharply contrasted with the setting of Earth, Carol’s mislaid home. Here, the symbolizing the entry of the American hegemonic postwar era as a weapon of male figure who leads her to be a different kind of “noble warrior hero,” the Avenger, is deterrence, we must also contend with the ideological structuring of the film and how Nick Fury, a man with a sense of humor that matches Carol’s. He believes that “a gut it reproduces power in the existing structures. In this regard the Nom du Père, the feeling against orders” is a thing that keeps us human. On Earth she reunites with her absence of the father in the film, the hegemonic hidden desire for the reproduction of “family,” the object of deepest affection and the source of warmest memories. the American narrative of victory, and the power of gaze serve as a sort of parallax gap. The family is not only the key for Carol to regain her identity. When she and Lacan (1981) defined gaze as, “our relation to things, in so far as this relation is Talos, a Skrull warrior who is looking for the energy-core (the Tesseract) and the constituted by the way of vision, and ordered in the figures of representation, technology developed by Dr. Lawson, find her ship and the core, it turns out that Talos’s something slips, passes, is transmitted from stage to stage, and is always to some true motive for the search was not the Tesseract but reunion with his family. This degree eluded in it” (p. 73). Both the parallax and gaze are constituted through vision triggers Carol’s, and the audience’s, sympathy. The Skrull has been misrepresented by or the philosophical act of vision.４ A parallax view is the displacement or difference of the Kree as a serious menace to the universal peace, but in truth they have been the supposed position of an object that is viewed from two different locations or lines dispersed refugees forced to be a homeless nomad all along. We may see a troupe of of sight. It is also the title of a 1970’s horror film, The Parallax View (1974) which is a anti-Nazism here. The Skrull stand for the Jews and the Kree the Nazi. Then, what conspiracy-based film following the assassination of a presidential candidate. In Žižek’s position does Captain Marvel occupy? The Tesseract is referred to be the force to end (2009) work, The Parallax View, he described the parallax gap as, “the confrontation of the war, and Carol takes on the mission along with its tremendous power. Captain two closely linked perspectives between which no neutral common ground is possible” Marvel is the unlimited destructive energy freed from physical and moral restriction, (p.4). We should resist assuming these respective positions are in contradiction, but in charge of terminating the wars and racial oppressions taking place across galaxies. rather exist as two constructs of the displaced truth and thus through dialectical rigor Yes, she is the A-bomb of the Marvel Universe; not the bomb to subvert the hegemonic could be sublated into the understanding of a central flaw of all comic hero films. Žižek world order, but to keep it intact from attacks of the enemies. Or, it is a symbol of explored the ramifications of this construct in relation to Hegelian dialectics, but America’s military and ethical hegemony. Jameson (2009) provides a robust exploration of the importance of dialectics and the Maria Rambeau and her daughter Monica are not independent of this understanding of the third object and its relation to the first two. The crisis of dialectics ideological design. When Monica willingly encourages her mother and “aunty Carol” to aside, the parallax represents an approach of diversity of viewing, and in many cases fight against the vicious enemy for the obvious good, she speaks more liberally and the two perspectives do not reconciliate following the greatest Hegelian tragedy of the casually than a Kree, but would not an well-educated Kree kid do the same—sacrifice conflict between two “rights.” the object of her affection—for the good of the community? All the feminist discourses Returning to the concept of threes, Lacan (1998) perfectly explains these in this film can be a cloak to dodge feminist critique, pay lip service to female audience, relations between One and Object with a ternary concept built within, the tacitly be glorioied in the manly militant vigor, and redirect feminist desire into a desire aforementioned gaze, or as he said, “[e]ach intervenes in this ternary only as the object to be a hero. a that he is in the gaze of the others” (p. 49). The question then is what role does gaze play in the concept of gender roles and film and how does this reveal itself in the existing patriarchal paradigm of the capitalist world order. While Copjec (1986) might disagree with the idea of the camera as the apparatus from which gaze emanates and that through this the camera is the

14 15 14（128） 15（129） spectating subject but this is a popular motif in film and critical theory (Doane, 1991: as the realization of a feminist subject. However, could this be a misappropriate gaze? 82-83). This concept of the spectating subject should be taken further, the camera Is it not strange that the patriarchal relations that exist on Earth are so apparatus as gaze, as Doane (1991) said is indeed a reduction of the Lacanian concept, readily apparent within the confines of the Kree’s society as well? Captain Marvel’s but we can take some merit from this consideration from an Althussarian point of view mentor acts as a male mentor attempting to “man-Kree-splain” the ways of being a true of ideology, or perhaps even from the perspective of Bourdieu (1984) the film as a fighter and warrior for the Kree. Are the ideological boundaries of male-dominated commercial viability, a desired audience, and an intended or expected revenue society so strong that they stretch out among the stars where we assume the gender generation potential. Returning to Lacan’s concepts of One and the Other and the object dynamics of species from across the universe to share our own broken relations? a, reveals some interesting conceptual insights: the view of an executive, the view of Captain Marvel ultimately takes a masculine characteristic on her return to Earth, the director, and their mutual (likely exclusive and contradictory) perception of the asserting her dominance against the foil represented by Nick Fury. This fits in with audience. Though the director has the final say of the method and approach of the Žižek’s (1992b) assertion of the inherent perversion in gaze, the object of desire for the camera angles, is there not often a type of executive oversight or final approval of a male gaze and the misunderstanding of the female gaze. Butler (1990) stated that the film? This can take the shape of test-screenings and result in reshoots. In this regard, concept of a feminine gaze was thus a way for men to perform the idea of masculinity we should consider the object a as the belief or desire of the audience of the film. It is through women and forcing men to be the subject of self-regulation. Is this not the role the irreducible item here, we can reduce from three to two, but can never reduce from of Captain Marvel? She represents a powerful regulating force to adjust men’s two to one: there will always be the one and the object or the Other and the object perspectives, enticing them through sexual appeal and through a pure form of what interacting. In this case, the gaze from the perspective of the parallax gap is distinctive: could be defined as masculine power. how the director sees the film as the representation of their project (art) mediated This brings the narrative to Carol Danver’s friend Maria Rambeau. She was through how that will be received by the audience, how the producers and film also a pilot working with Carol before she was taken by the Kree and becomes an executives see the film as the representation of their managerial and business acclaim invaluable asset and support for their efforts to save the Skrull. Maria’s character is a mediated through box office numbers, and how actors see their success of the role single mother, former Air Force pilot, fiercely independent and exceptionally mediated through viewer reactions. professional while having the nurturing and caring characteristics of a mother. Captain Marvel and the focus on the film on her past obfuscates opportunities for viewers to 4.3.1 Where Should we Gaze in Captain Marvel? experience the true message of the film: women can be heroes too. Captain Marvel is indeed a hero, but everything she does represents a sort of pure masculine excess, while From this position, what are the expectations of the Captain Marvel character? Maria represents an all-around strong character free of the symbolic restrictions and The dynamic role and position of the protagonist is locked into satisfying the desires of at peace with where she exists. the individuals above, even though they exist in a distinctive and separate world, the parallax gap. Another paradox is the relationship with the subject and object, the object 5. Conclusion and Discussion: Ideology, Ideology, Ideology of desire (object a). Žižek (1992b) described this as, “[t]he subject is always too slow or too quick, it can never keep pace with the object of its desire” (p. 110). This is precisely Black Panther (2018) and Captain Marvel (2019) are archetypical hero films, though the problem with the objects of desire from the subjects above, the director, executive, we can define these films as followed: the former as a complicated, postmodern hero and actor never fulfill their desire through the other’s gaze. However, their idea of that story, and the latter as the simplified hero story. The postmodern landscape of hero desire is projected into their approach to the characters they write, produce, and play story telling requires a challenge to the existing system, in the case of Black Panther as. From this point of desire and gaze, it is logical for viewers and critics alike to assume the ultimate question we discussed can be shaped as: “what is justice?” However, the the central protagonist, Carol Danvers, should be our object of focus and is supposed limitations of the postmodern critique and analysis of our society in film are best

16 17 16（130） 17（131） spectating subject but this is a popular motif in film and critical theory (Doane, 1991: as the realization of a feminist subject. However, could this be a misappropriate gaze? 82-83). This concept of the spectating subject should be taken further, the camera Is it not strange that the patriarchal relations that exist on Earth are so apparatus as gaze, as Doane (1991) said is indeed a reduction of the Lacanian concept, readily apparent within the confines of the Kree’s society as well? Captain Marvel’s but we can take some merit from this consideration from an Althussarian point of view mentor acts as a male mentor attempting to “man-Kree-splain” the ways of being a true of ideology, or perhaps even from the perspective of Bourdieu (1984) the film as a fighter and warrior for the Kree. Are the ideological boundaries of male-dominated commercial viability, a desired audience, and an intended or expected revenue society so strong that they stretch out among the stars where we assume the gender generation potential. Returning to Lacan’s concepts of One and the Other and the object dynamics of species from across the universe to share our own broken relations? a, reveals some interesting conceptual insights: the view of an executive, the view of Captain Marvel ultimately takes a masculine characteristic on her return to Earth, the director, and their mutual (likely exclusive and contradictory) perception of the asserting her dominance against the foil represented by Nick Fury. This fits in with audience. Though the director has the final say of the method and approach of the Žižek’s (1992b) assertion of the inherent perversion in gaze, the object of desire for the camera angles, is there not often a type of executive oversight or final approval of a male gaze and the misunderstanding of the female gaze. Butler (1990) stated that the film? This can take the shape of test-screenings and result in reshoots. In this regard, concept of a feminine gaze was thus a way for men to perform the idea of masculinity we should consider the object a as the belief or desire of the audience of the film. It is through women and forcing men to be the subject of self-regulation. Is this not the role the irreducible item here, we can reduce from three to two, but can never reduce from of Captain Marvel? She represents a powerful regulating force to adjust men’s two to one: there will always be the one and the object or the Other and the object perspectives, enticing them through sexual appeal and through a pure form of what interacting. In this case, the gaze from the perspective of the parallax gap is distinctive: could be defined as masculine power. how the director sees the film as the representation of their project (art) mediated This brings the narrative to Carol Danver’s friend Maria Rambeau. She was through how that will be received by the audience, how the producers and film also a pilot working with Carol before she was taken by the Kree and becomes an executives see the film as the representation of their managerial and business acclaim invaluable asset and support for their efforts to save the Skrull. Maria’s character is a mediated through box office numbers, and how actors see their success of the role single mother, former Air Force pilot, fiercely independent and exceptionally mediated through viewer reactions. professional while having the nurturing and caring characteristics of a mother. Captain Marvel and the focus on the film on her past obfuscates opportunities for viewers to 4.3.1 Where Should we Gaze in Captain Marvel? experience the true message of the film: women can be heroes too. Captain Marvel is indeed a hero, but everything she does represents a sort of pure masculine excess, while From this position, what are the expectations of the Captain Marvel character? Maria represents an all-around strong character free of the symbolic restrictions and The dynamic role and position of the protagonist is locked into satisfying the desires of at peace with where she exists. the individuals above, even though they exist in a distinctive and separate world, the parallax gap. Another paradox is the relationship with the subject and object, the object 5. Conclusion and Discussion: Ideology, Ideology, Ideology of desire (object a). Žižek (1992b) described this as, “[t]he subject is always too slow or too quick, it can never keep pace with the object of its desire” (p. 110). This is precisely Black Panther (2018) and Captain Marvel (2019) are archetypical hero films, though the problem with the objects of desire from the subjects above, the director, executive, we can define these films as followed: the former as a complicated, postmodern hero and actor never fulfill their desire through the other’s gaze. However, their idea of that story, and the latter as the simplified hero story. The postmodern landscape of hero desire is projected into their approach to the characters they write, produce, and play story telling requires a challenge to the existing system, in the case of Black Panther as. From this point of desire and gaze, it is logical for viewers and critics alike to assume the ultimate question we discussed can be shaped as: “what is justice?” However, the the central protagonist, Carol Danvers, should be our object of focus and is supposed limitations of the postmodern critique and analysis of our society in film are best

16 17 16（130） 17（131） described by Jameson (1991). He said: Notes

The problem of postmodernism—how its fundamental characteristics are to 1 A MacGuffin is a plot device that does not necessarily have any meaning in itself, but be described, whether it even exists in the first place, whether the very concept is used to assist and push the narrative of a film forward. is of any use, or it is, on the contrary a mystification—this problem is at one 2 In this context, A. W. Eaton analyzes how a morally corrupt and even villainous and the same time an aesthetic and political one. (p. 55) protagonist, which he calls the “Rough Hero,” can elicit the audience’s pro-attitudes. 3 Gerard and Poepsel discusses another major female character in the Avenger films This mystification is best represented by ideology, the political and aesthetic Natasha Romanoff and shows that all these codes plus the category of “The Avenger” curtain that exists over our society as a whole. Despite the questioning of justice, itself, (the archetypal hero) are used in portrayal of her character. Black Panther ultimately fails to change the structure rather reinforces it and remains 4 It is important to differentiate here as Lacan splits gaze from vision. Gaze, in the duped, this is embodied in the Agent Ross character. Captain Marvel poses a standard Lacanian sense, escapes vision as vision itself. and simplistic story and shows a hero that has the power to transform the system. Here

Captain Marvel, reflects the dialectic, a transformation of two opposing points sublated References into a new paradigm. However, is her ultimate transformation of society not foiled by Nick Fury who represents the friendly face of order? Bourdieu, P. 1984. Distinction. Translated by Richard Nice. New York: Routledge. Critique of ideology is the constellation outlined in our analysis, ultimately Box Office Mojo, All Time Box Office, downloaded, 17 October 2019, both films attempt to challenge a paradigm (modern or postmodern), but move to the . edge of opportunity for change and thus foiled by the reproduction of the hegemonic Black Panther. Directed by Ryan Coogler. Burbank, CA: Marvel Studios, 2018. order, even Carol Danvers who overcomes her challenges and has an opportunity to Captain America: Civil War. Directed by Anthony Russo & Joe Russo. Burbank, CA: break the paradigm of the Nom du Père does so by leaving Earth to help the Skrull find Marvel Studios, 2016. a new home. Again, as Žižek (1994) said, no one can consider the possibility of an Captain Marvel. Directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck. Burbank, CA: Marvel alternative to capitalism. Thus, Žižek (1994) stated, “one can thus categorically assert Studios, 2019. the existence of ideology qua generative matrix that regulates the relationship between Carroll, N. 2013. Minerva’s Night Out: Philosophy, Pop Culture, and Moving Pictures. visible and non-visible, between imaginable and non-imaginable, as well as the changes Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Kindle. in this relationship” (p. 1). Even in the “imaginable,” fantasy, the capitalistic ideological Copjec, J. 1986. Delirium of Clinical Perfection. The Oxford Literary Review, 8 (1-2): order of “stay the same” reproduces itself, at the end of these blockbuster massive world 56-65. changing events seem to occur, only to result in the return to “normal.” Doane, M.A. 1991. Femmes Fatales: Feminism, Film Theory, Psychanalysis. New York: Routledge. Eaton, A. W. 2010. Rough Heroes of the New Hollywood. Revue Internationale De Philosophie, 64 (254 (4)): 511-524. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. Directed by James Gunn. Burbank, CA: Marvel Studios, 2017. Gerard, M. and M. Poepsel. 2018. Black Widow: Female Representation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Polymath: An Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences Journal, 8 (2): 27-53.

18 19 18（132） 19（133） described by Jameson (1991). He said: Notes

The problem of postmodernism—how its fundamental characteristics are to 1 A MacGuffin is a plot device that does not necessarily have any meaning in itself, but be described, whether it even exists in the first place, whether the very concept is used to assist and push the narrative of a film forward. is of any use, or it is, on the contrary a mystification—this problem is at one 2 In this context, A. W. Eaton analyzes how a morally corrupt and even villainous and the same time an aesthetic and political one. (p. 55) protagonist, which he calls the “Rough Hero,” can elicit the audience’s pro-attitudes. 3 Gerard and Poepsel discusses another major female character in the Avenger films This mystification is best represented by ideology, the political and aesthetic Natasha Romanoff and shows that all these codes plus the category of “The Avenger” curtain that exists over our society as a whole. Despite the questioning of justice, itself, (the archetypal hero) are used in portrayal of her character. Black Panther ultimately fails to change the structure rather reinforces it and remains 4 It is important to differentiate here as Lacan splits gaze from vision. Gaze, in the duped, this is embodied in the Agent Ross character. Captain Marvel poses a standard Lacanian sense, escapes vision as vision itself. and simplistic story and shows a hero that has the power to transform the system. Here

Captain Marvel, reflects the dialectic, a transformation of two opposing points sublated References into a new paradigm. However, is her ultimate transformation of society not foiled by Nick Fury who represents the friendly face of order? Bourdieu, P. 1984. Distinction. Translated by Richard Nice. New York: Routledge. Critique of ideology is the constellation outlined in our analysis, ultimately Box Office Mojo, All Time Box Office, downloaded, 17 October 2019, both films attempt to challenge a paradigm (modern or postmodern), but move to the . edge of opportunity for change and thus foiled by the reproduction of the hegemonic Black Panther. Directed by Ryan Coogler. Burbank, CA: Marvel Studios, 2018. order, even Carol Danvers who overcomes her challenges and has an opportunity to Captain America: Civil War. Directed by Anthony Russo & Joe Russo. Burbank, CA: break the paradigm of the Nom du Père does so by leaving Earth to help the Skrull find Marvel Studios, 2016. a new home. Again, as Žižek (1994) said, no one can consider the possibility of an Captain Marvel. Directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck. Burbank, CA: Marvel alternative to capitalism. Thus, Žižek (1994) stated, “one can thus categorically assert Studios, 2019. the existence of ideology qua generative matrix that regulates the relationship between Carroll, N. 2013. Minerva’s Night Out: Philosophy, Pop Culture, and Moving Pictures. visible and non-visible, between imaginable and non-imaginable, as well as the changes Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Kindle. in this relationship” (p. 1). Even in the “imaginable,” fantasy, the capitalistic ideological Copjec, J. 1986. Delirium of Clinical Perfection. The Oxford Literary Review, 8 (1-2): order of “stay the same” reproduces itself, at the end of these blockbuster massive world 56-65. changing events seem to occur, only to result in the return to “normal.” Doane, M.A. 1991. Femmes Fatales: Feminism, Film Theory, Psychanalysis. New York: Routledge. Eaton, A. W. 2010. Rough Heroes of the New Hollywood. Revue Internationale De Philosophie, 64 (254 (4)): 511-524. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. Directed by James Gunn. Burbank, CA: Marvel Studios, 2017. Gerard, M. and M. Poepsel. 2018. Black Widow: Female Representation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Polymath: An Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences Journal, 8 (2): 27-53.

18 19 18（132） 19（133） Hugues, J. 2006. “Who watches the Watchmen?”: Ideology and “Real World” Žižek, S. 1994. Mapping Ideology. London :Verso. Superheroes. The Journal of Popular Culture, 39 (4): 546-557. Žižek, S. 1999. The Ticklish Subject: The Absent Center of Political Ontology. London: Jameson, F. 1981. The Political Unconscious. New York: Routledge. Verso. Jameson, F. 1991. Postmodernism or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. London: Žižek, S. 2009. The Parallax View. Cambridge MA: MIT Press. Verso. Žižek, S. 2018. Quasi Duo Fantasias: A Straussian Reading of Black Panther, Jameson, F. 2009. Valences of the Dialectic. London: Verso. accessed, 10 November 2019, < https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/quasi-duo- Jameson, F. 2013. The Antinomies of Realism. London: Verso. fantasias-straussian-reading-black-panther/>. Johnson, J.K. 2012. Super-History: Comic Book Superheroes and American Society,

from 1938 to the Present. London: MacFarland & Company.

Kristeva, J. 1982. Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. Translated by Leon S.

Roudiez. New York: Columbia University Press.

Lacan, J. 1981. The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psychoanalysis. Translated by

Alan Sheridan. New York: Norton.

Lacan, J. 1998. On Feminine Sexuality, The Limits of Love and Knowledge. Translated by Bruce Fink. New York: Norton. McAllister, M., Sewell Jr, E. & Gordon, I. 2001. Comics and Ideology. New York: Peter Lang. Moore, J. 2003. The Education of Green Lantern: Culture and Ideology. The Journal of American Culture, 26 (2): 263-278. Muñoz-González, R. 2017. Masked Thinkers? Politics and Ideology in the Contemporary Superhero Film. KOME, 5 (1): 65-79. Rauscher, A. 2010. The Marvel Universe on Screen: A New Wave of Superhero Movies? In M. Berninger, Ecke, J., and Harberkorn, G. (Eds.) Comics as a Nexus of Cultures: Essays on the Interplay of Media, Disciplines and International Perspectives. (pp. 21-32). London: MacFarland & Company. Total Recall. Directed by Paul Verhoeven. Van Nuys, CA: Carolco Home Video, 1990. Total Recall. Directed by Len Wiseman. Culver City, CA: Columbia Pictures (USA), 2012. Tyree, T. C.M. and L. J. Jacobs. 2014. Can You Save Me?: Black Male Superheroes in Hollywood Film. Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men, 3 (1): 1-24. Žižek, S. 1990. How the Non-Duped Err. Qui Parle, 4 (1): 1-20. Žižek, S. 1992a. Everything You Wanted to Know About Lacan…But Were Afraid to Ask Hitchcock. London: Verso. Žižek, S. 1992b. Looking Awry: An Introduction to Jacques Lacan Through Popular Culture. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

20 21 20（134） 21（135） Hugues, J. 2006. “Who watches the Watchmen?”: Ideology and “Real World” Žižek, S. 1994. Mapping Ideology. London :Verso. Superheroes. The Journal of Popular Culture, 39 (4): 546-557. Žižek, S. 1999. The Ticklish Subject: The Absent Center of Political Ontology. London: Jameson, F. 1981. The Political Unconscious. New York: Routledge. Verso. Jameson, F. 1991. Postmodernism or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. London: Žižek, S. 2009. The Parallax View. Cambridge MA: MIT Press. Verso. Žižek, S. 2018. Quasi Duo Fantasias: A Straussian Reading of Black Panther, Jameson, F. 2009. Valences of the Dialectic. London: Verso. accessed, 10 November 2019, < https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/quasi-duo- Jameson, F. 2013. The Antinomies of Realism. London: Verso. fantasias-straussian-reading-black-panther/>. Johnson, J.K. 2012. Super-History: Comic Book Superheroes and American Society, from 1938 to the Present. London: MacFarland & Company.

Kristeva, J. 1982. Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. Translated by Leon S.

Roudiez. New York: Columbia University Press.

Lacan, J. 1981. The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psychoanalysis. Translated by

Alan Sheridan. New York: Norton.

Lacan, J. 1998. On Feminine Sexuality, The Limits of Love and Knowledge. Translated by Bruce Fink. New York: Norton. McAllister, M., Sewell Jr, E. & Gordon, I. 2001. Comics and Ideology. New York: Peter Lang. Moore, J. 2003. The Education of Green Lantern: Culture and Ideology. The Journal of American Culture, 26 (2): 263-278. Muñoz-González, R. 2017. Masked Thinkers? Politics and Ideology in the Contemporary Superhero Film. KOME, 5 (1): 65-79. Rauscher, A. 2010. The Marvel Universe on Screen: A New Wave of Superhero Movies? In M. Berninger, Ecke, J., and Harberkorn, G. (Eds.) Comics as a Nexus of Cultures: Essays on the Interplay of Media, Disciplines and International Perspectives. (pp. 21-32). London: MacFarland & Company. Total Recall. Directed by Paul Verhoeven. Van Nuys, CA: Carolco Home Video, 1990. Total Recall. Directed by Len Wiseman. Culver City, CA: Columbia Pictures (USA), 2012. Tyree, T. C.M. and L. J. Jacobs. 2014. Can You Save Me?: Black Male Superheroes in Hollywood Film. Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men, 3 (1): 1-24. Žižek, S. 1990. How the Non-Duped Err. Qui Parle, 4 (1): 1-20. Žižek, S. 1992a. Everything You Wanted to Know About Lacan…But Were Afraid to Ask Hitchcock. London: Verso. Žižek, S. 1992b. Looking Awry: An Introduction to Jacques Lacan Through Popular Culture. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

20 21 20（134） 21（135）