Students Assemble: Acclimating to College using the Marvel Cinematic Universe By Cody T. Havard, Ph.D. THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS Welcome to college everyone! While 2012), politics (Spanakos, 2012), ethics differences, and work to understand and help college should be a time that is both fulfilling (White, 2012), academic research (Havard, solve important issues facing communities and formative in helping shape your life, Fuller, Ryan, & Grieve, 2019), story- and larger society. it is also one that is filled with questions telling (Yockey, 2017), and popular culture Just as a college campus can provide all of and situations that require thoughtful (Chambliss, Svitavsky, & Fandino, 2018). this to a student, the Avengers Campus plays consideration and decision making. For I want to offer two important notes on the same role for the characters of the MCU. most, this is the first time that you will be or this essay. First, while the information in this When Tony Stark/Iron Man decided to move are in charge of your daily schedule and time. essay is meant to represent and reach as many the Avengers headquarters to up-state New In essence, you are for the first time in charge readers as possible, there will undoubtedly be York from Manhattan, effort was made to of making the decisions that shape your areas that do not receive the attention they construct a campus in which heroes could future - albeit in a controlled environment. deserve. As the characters discussed in this live, train, work, and engage with others. So, this is an exciting time. I want to wish you essay come from the MCU, it is important Afterall, the Avengers Campus is the primary all good luck and know that people at your to note that Marvel continually updates place where Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch institution want to support your education their character offerings and introduces more and Vision learn more about each other and and matriculation. superheroes to the universe. So, in addition grow their relationship - which is the theme The purpose of this essay is an attempt to the characters included in this essay, I also of the Disney+ series WandaVision (2021)! to offer help and assistance as you begin, call on you to identify your own characters Just like a college campus provides a place or continue your path through college. which can provide you with inspiration. for students and faculty to hone their skills Hopefully this essay also encourages you Second, even if you are not in currently in and study their craft, the Avengers Campus to take responsibility over your educational college (e.g., high school, middle school, does the same for various MCU heroes. Also, experience and work to make sure that you grade school, or are not in school), it is the just as visiting a college campus can inspire take full advantage of the possibilities and goal and hope that you can also find benefit admiration - and sometimes intimation or opportunities at your disposal. The Marvel in most if not all sections of this narrative. surprise - at the grounds, the same can be Cinematic Universe (MCU) holds a very Because, just as responsibility tracked down said of the Avengers Campus as experienced popular and important place in contemporary Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Far by Peter Parker (admiration) in Spider- society1, and this essay uses the universe and from Home (2019), every-day responsibilities Man: Homecoming (2017) or Scott Lang some of its characters to draw comparisons do not subside for most, and we are left (intimidation, surprise) in Ant-Man (2015). to contemporary college life. Specifically, we with the task of finding ways to adapt to Another important role a college campus will look at various characters in the MCU our environment. The rest of this essay will plays is providing a place of grounding for to discuss how they can provide lessons to discuss the similarities between the MCU’s current and former students. The sense of finding your fit in college and taking control Avengers headquarters and college campuses, being at home many people feel when they of your educational experience. Areas this select characters and their lessons within the visit their college campuses occurs as a result essay will not address are some off-campus MCU, a note on inclusion, and a concluding of memories formed from relevant events or inappropriate behavior, instead, focusing statement on how the MCU story arc and experiences. In the MCU, this is similar on how to encourage positive interactions compares to all of us. So, with that, please to Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow holding between you and your educational come along with me, enjoy, and let’s break down the fort at the Avengers Campus in environment. some eggs (Thank you Tony Stark)! Avengers: Endgame (2019)2. Marvel characters have been used throughout history to help people Welcome to Avengers (and College) MCU Heroes and Us understand their surroundings, whether it be Campus This section highlights various heroes a teenager dealing with the problems facing A university or institution of higher and characters in the MCU in an effort youth (e.g., Peter Parker/Spider-Man and education is made up of facilities that are to allow everyone to identify similarities Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel), or the United used to teach those attending classes about and inspiration. As previously noted, the States involvement in worldwide events such relevant information, while encouraging characters below have been featured in the as World War II (e.g., Issue #1 of Captain a shared experience and dissemination MCU-rather in a primary or sometimes America shows him punching Adolf Hitler), of knowledge. College campuses contain secondary role-and while careful attempt has the Cuban Missile Crisis (e.g., Tony Stark/ services meant to help students (e.g., food, been made to include as diverse a lineup of Iron Man), or the Cold War-era space race shopping, health management). In that characters as possible, limitations imposed (e.g., Fantastic Four). Additionally, Marvel way, a college campus can become a place on the content material in turn limited books and the MCU have been used to where students live, learn, and engage with such efforts. The goal of this section is that explain such topics as philosophy (White, others in an effort to find similarities, discuss everyone can find one or more characters in 1. As evidence of the MCU’s popularity, the franchise has placed three movies in the top ten best all-time box office sellers (Avengers: Endgame, 2019 at number one), and nine movies that have grossed over one billion dollars (Top Lifetime Grosses, 2020). 2. There is even a scene in the movie where Natasha asks Steve Rogers/Captain America if he has returned to do laundry as a way to exhibit the importance of home or place. Journal of Undergraduate Research – Volume XI #1 EDITORIAL which they are similar, and thus can garner and precincts, only to be rejected each time3. Shuri important lessons. Feel free to identify and Once he becomes Captain America, Steve Next, we have Shuri, someone that finds draw inspiration from as many characters as longs to serve his country and protect his her true power when she is able to create and needed. friends and fellow soldiers. He shows great help others. When we meet Shuri, she is the selflessness by choosing to crash a plane tech genius younger sibling of T’Challa in Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel loaded with explosives headed for New York Black Panther (2018). Appearing in three Even as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel City when he cannot safely land it. movies, we have yet to see the complete has appeared only twice in the MCU - in Upon waking up after 70 years in a growth and arc of Shuri, but her place in Avengers: Endgame (2019) and her own coma, Steve finds himself in an era that he the MCU is cemented by her willingness to stand-alone movie Captain Marvel (2019) - it does not understand being confronted with help her brother thanks to her unsurpassed is apparent that she is a very important piece people he is unfamiliar with. However, the technological skills, all while having to deal to the MCU who will shape the future of the one thing that Steve understands is his duty with the loss of her father. universe in numerous ways. Captain Marvel to his mission and country. After defeating Shuri is also responsible for helping (2019) picks up when Vers, not knowing her Loki with the Avengers (The Avengers, other heroes in their time of need. After true identity as Carol Danvers, is training 2012) - where he initially sees cracks in all, she is the one who is placed in charge as part of a group charged with protecting the veneer surrounding the mission and of caring for Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier the Kree empire. During a recovery mission, purpose of Strategic Homeland Intervention, when he is transported to Wakanda during she is captured by Skrull soldiers and has Enforcement, and Logistics Division his self-imposed frozen isolation. Then, when her memories mined, which sets off the (S.H.I.E.L.D.) - we next see Steve experience he is needed to help defend against Thanos beginning of Carol remembering her former an existential crisis. In Captain America: in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Shuri is life. Upon escape, she finds herself on Earth The Winter Soldier (2014), Steve’s fears of presumably the one who designs his new (planet C-53 in her lexicon), where she meets S.H.I.E.L.D.