The 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Trailer Hints at a Broken Shield, a Ballet Past, and More
Based on that kick-ass Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer that conquered the Internet last night, it’s clear that the Joss Whedon-directed sequel will challenge Marvel’s mightiest heroes in ways they’ve never been challenged before. But the teaser also raises several questions that viewers will have to wait until May to see resolved. Or you can just follow along below as we try to decode five of the trailer’s most memorable moments.
The shot of Captain America’s broken shield in the trailer. But whose arm is that?
Who Broke Cap’s Shield?
After watching his former employer S.H.I.E.L.D. break apart in The Winter Soldier, poor Captain America now has to suffer the indignity of having his own signature, supposedly unbreakable vibranium shield shattered into pieces. The cracked stars-and-stripes disc made its first appearance at Comic-Con this past summer, but seeing it in the context of the movie is even more devastating. (It looks like it could be from the nightmarish moment that was screened at Comic-Con in July that showed Tony Stark looking out at the lifeless bodies of all the Avengers.) The scene also hints at Cap’s troubled future in his third solo adventure, which will likely find him squaring off against former pal Tony Stark in a destructive Civil War that could potentially mark Chris Evans’s final outing in Cap’s duds. Good thing that he has a replacement, former sidekick-turned-nemesis Bucky Barnes a.k.a. the Winter Soldier, waiting in the wings. (In Marvel’s comic book universe, Bucky wielded the restored shield after Steve Rogers perished at the conclusion of the Civil War arc.)
Thor’s hammer falling to the ground
Why does Thor’s hammer drop?
The last time Thor was unable to swing his hammer Mjolnir onscreen, it was when his father, Odin, reacted to his hissy fit by stripping Thor of his thunderous powers and exiling him to Earth. The comic book Thor has also currently been deemed unworthy of his might, with Mjolnir passing into the capable hands of a new female god. So who will have the strength, fortitude, and worthiness to lift the hammer in Chris Hemsworth’s stead? Considering that he’s one of the few heroes to have raised Mjolnir in the comic book world, could it perhaps be Captain America?
The trailer’s curious ballerinas
What’s up with the ballerinas?
In another, pre-Black Widow life, Natasha Romanoff trained to be a ballerina. At least, that’s what she always thought anyway. Turns out those memories of ballet class were implanted in her mind by her KGB minders. None of this comic book backstory has yet been incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the speculation is that Scarlett Johansson will finally get to reminisce about her days en pointe. Unless, of course, these are all just false memories conjured into existence by Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, who likes using her reality-altering abilities to mess with peoples’ heads. And speaking of the Scarlet Witch and her speedy companion, Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson)…
Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch in the trailer
Who are the new heroes really working for?
This brother/sister mutant duo (though, for legal reasons, the “mutant” designation doesn’t exist in the Marvel movieverse) has a long history of playing both sides. And it looks like that duplicity continues here, as they’re shown having some sort of meeting with the movie’s titular Big Bad, the robotic despot, Ultron (voiced by James Spader). But photos from the set also showed the two working alongside Hawkeye during a battle. Perhaps Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver aren’t so much working for other people as they are working for themselves.
Hulk and Black Widow’s farewell?
Are Hulk and Black Widow saying goodbye?
After bonding during the first Avengers (except for the part where he Hulked out on her and all), Bruce Banner and Romanoff’s fledgling friendship may be in jeopardy in Age of Ultron. That impression is based on a brief glimpse of her raising her fingers to his giant green hands while looking really, really bummed out. Considering how poorly Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner looks throughout the trailer, it’s natural to assume that he may be pulling a Spock. But Hitfix offers a competing, spoiler-heavy theory that suggests an invigorating second wind and a whole new galaxy for the green giant to explore. Here’s hoping he digs the Jackson 5.
Watch the full trailer below:
Photo credits: ©Marvel
This post has been update with additional information.
