Disney’sAvengers Assembleis an animated television show following the Avengers squad through five seasons of superhero antics and adventures. Although the series takes many liberties of its own, many of the episodes feature some of Marvel’s most iconic storylines and plot devices— ones that are also seen in theMarvel Cinematic Universe, such as; the found-family trope, Iron Man and Captain America’s rivalry, and Tony Stark’s poor relationship with his father.
In this animated series, the overall vibe differs from the Marvel movies. The episodes are less than thirty minutes long and they are geared towards a younger audience. Although the show takes a few dark turns, it often relies on comedic relief. They also introduced new storylines for some of the characters. For Sam Wilson (the Falcon), the show makes him a 17-year-old new SHIELD recruit who is rather starry-eyed around the Avengers, admiring Tony Stark’s scientific genius and Captain America’s heroic legacy. It also gives Clint Barton (Hawkeye) more of a lively personality, often putting him in childish fights with the Hulk. Despite its discrepancies, it’s still a great show to watch whilewaiting for new Marvel content. Here are some of the most MCU-adjacentAvengers Assembleepisodes.
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Season 1, Episode 17: “Savages”
This episode revolves around a bet between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. After Steve criticizes Tony’s reliance on technology, he challenges him to spend a day completely off the grid. Things go awry and the Avengers team find themselves face-to-face with Steve’s aversion to newfangled tech. Sound familiar?
Although it’s used as more of a comedic plot in the animated series, it’s a bit reminiscent of their time together in the firstAvengersmovie, “Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?”After these events, the Avengers find themselves on a camping trip in the Savage Land where they, of course, encounter all sorts of danger and villains—including Justin Hammer, the infamous nemesisfromIron Man 2.
Season 1, Episode 24: “Crime and Circuses”
“Crime and Circuses” is the perfect match for anybody who is patiently waiting fortheupcomingHawkeyeseries. This episode explores Clint Barton’s dark past working for a criminal circus league before becoming a SHIELD agent, a storyline that is expected to be explored in the future. Ringmaster is the main villain in the episode and the Marvel comics’ Circus of Crime. While never featured in an MCU film, the character was briefly featured in the short-lived seriesIron Fist.
Season 2, Episode 7: “The Age of Tony Stark”
A majority of season 2 ofAvengers Assemblefocused on the teambattling Thanos as he leaves a path of destructionwhile trying to get a hold of the Infinity Stones. In “The Age of Tony Stark,” the time stone becomes bound to Tony Stark’s arc reactor which causes him distress as his Iron Man suit malfunctions and he begins to de-age.
In addition to that, the timeline gets messed up and the team splits up; a majority of them go head-to-head fighting creatures from the past and robots from the future while Steve stays back to assist and guard a now-young Tony. This episode addresses some of Tony’s deepest insecurities brought on by his relationship with his father and his father’s fixation on Captain America— an issue that underlies many of Tony’s more-chaotic decisions throughout the MCU.
Season 2, Episode 9: “The Dark Avengers”
This episode evokes similar feelings as theAvengerssequel,Avengers: Age of Ultron. In “The Dark Avengers,” after Doctor Spectrum manipulates the reality stone, Iron Man suffers through visions of an alternate reality where the Avengers are evil.
This causes tension and distrust among the team members. They bicker over what is real and what is not and find themselves losing sight of the real threat at large. The episode uses timing and techniques that are akin to the MCU movies, it perfectly balances conflict, suspicion, and heroic admiration.
Season 3, Episode 26: “Civil War, Part Four: Avengers Revolution”
Avengers Assemble’sseason three chronicles the Civil War storyline which has been adapted numerous times into a variety of Marvel-related works. This storyline introduced popular characters like Baron Zemo, Captain Marvel, and Vision into the animated series.
“Avengers Revolution” was the fourth part of a long-winded battle that was filled with action-fighting scenes and unexpected superhero cameos. Much like the final twoAvengersmovies (although it sought Ultron as the main villain rather than Thanos), the episode’s resolution was also reliant oninformation from Doctor Strangeand his dimension bending abilities.
Seasons 1 to 5 ofAvengers Assembleare available for streaming on Disney+.
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