Going Through The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Part Twenty

So, these posts should probably come out more often.  But the conversations sometimes go by so fast, I don’t always have time to post the transcripts before the next one is finished.  Is it because the episodes are only about twenty minutes each?  Or they aren’t very deep while still being fun?  I don’t know.  Ask Jimmy.

Our chat on the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes episodes “Powerless” and “Assault on 42” can be found below.

“Powerless”

The Enchantress gifts Loki with the Destroyer armor after stripping Steve, Tony, and Thor of their powers.

jimmy:  Maybe this was there before and I just didn’t notice it, but several things were credited to “MAN OF ACTION”, any idea what that is about?

tomk:  Yes.

jimmy:  Huh.  Well, the more you know!

tomk:  Were you going to quip that the episode wasn’t that exciting or something?

jimmy:  No quips.  I just had never noticed it before.

tomk:  Well, now you know things. Make sure you apply your knowledge in ways that only benefit humanity.

jimmy:  I certainly wouldn’t use my knowledge to depower anyone…which somehow also changes Tony’s armor back to Mach 1.

tomk:  And makes him forget science.

jimmy:  That…kinda makes sense…maybe?

tomk:  Well, it’s not like Tony actually has superpowers.

jimmy:  If they could mess with his mind such that he couldn’t remember how to work his suit, did they need to de-age the suit?  I guess the more modern one would just have Jarvis take control maybe.

tomk:  Probably.  I mean, the spell also worked on Mjolnir.

jimmy:  Also odd. But who are we to debate magic?

tomk:  Did you sell a dear marriage to revive a critically injured elderly relative?

jimmy:  That’s preposterous.

tomk:  Only a fool would allow that.

jimmy:  Right?

tomk:  And I am sure it wouldn’t be made worse with a more recent addition in the form of a guy named Paul.

jimmy:  I kind of understand that reference, but I am WAY behind on the current Amazing Spider-Man run.

tomk:  From what I understand of that reference, I think you are far better off that way.

jimmy:  Better off than a Thor with a broken leg?

tomk:  He walked it off.

jimmy:  So Thor can obviously be hurt, but has never had a broken bone?

tomk:  Apparently.

jimmy:  It also gets immediately healed when he turns back into Thor. 

tomk:  Can’t beat Asgardian medicine!

jimmy:  Apparently not.

tomk:  Asgardian armor?  That you can beat with the right skill set.

jimmy:  I don’t think it was mentioned here, but aren’t the Wrecking Crew weapons Asgardian “charged” or something?

tomk:  They get their powers traditionally from Asgardian magic, but I think they’re gamma powered on this show.

jimmy:  Yeah, the weapons didn’t seem to have any special abilities…besides the chain on Thunderball’s ball being any length necessary at the time.

tomk:  Cartoon physics at work.

jimmy:

tomk:  Yes, because even though that defies the law of gravity, not everyone studies the law.

jimmy:  Don’t say that too loud around the office.

tomk:  Why?  Not everyone studies law.

jimmy:  I know. But you know how “they” get.

tomk:  Jenny and Greg?

jimmy:  Sometimes.

tomk:  Well, those were the ones who I’d be most worried about offending.

jimmy:  The others are more likely to be in league with the Enchantress.

tomk:  Really?  I never would have thought that about Watson.  Mostly because I would think the Enchantress would have higher standards.

jimmy:  Sometimes you got to get your hands dirty to get the work done.

tomk:  Watson?

jimmy:  Ok, maybe not that dirty.

tomk:  I mean, Loki is one thing.

Watson is…something else.

jimmy:  Even the Destroyer wouldn’t let Watson possess him.

tomk:  Drax has standards.

jimmy:  Not that Destroyer.

tomk:  Too bad. He’s a better conversationalist.

jimmy:  And that’s saying something.

tomk:  You’d rather talk to Loki?

jimmy:  I wouldn’t, no.

tomk:  But he’s the god of lies, so if he says bad things about you, it’s probably because you are good.

jimmy:  Sounds like Bizarro World.

tomk:  Wrong universe.

jimmy:  I said sounds like, not was.

tomk:  But it’s Bizarro World, so you meant it didn’t sound like.

jimmy:  Uh. Yeah.

tomk:  But hey, Thor had to learn humility!

jimmy:  Good thing he did, or it would be bye, bye Avengers!

tomk:  Normally it’s Odin who wants his son to learn humility. Seems kinda weird that the bad guys are calling him arrogant.

jimmy:  But they weren’t trying to teach him humility. Loki thought it was an easy path to destruction.

tomk:  The Enchantress said that Thor had to show humility or something to end the spell.

jimmy:  Right. Which Loki said he would never do.

tomk:  And that’s rich coming from Loki.

Now, if Tony had to show humility…

jimmy:  He’d just buy some.

tomk:  I don’t think you can buy that.

jimmy:  I think you’re thinking about love.

tomk:  No, I think you can buy that.

jimmy:  Are you calling The Beatles liars, Tom?

tomk:  No, just misinformed.

Are you suggesting Chef and James Taylor are liars?

jimmy:  No?

tomk:  Well, I guess they can’t all be telling the truth…

jimmy:  A mystery for another day.

tomk:  Like how this may the closest we get to Donald Blake on this show?

jimmy:  A very buff Donald Blake.

tomk:  He even had a bum leg.

jimmy:  Ha. That he did.

Speaking of, when’s the last time Thor even used a secret identity?  MCU doesn’t. Can’t remember the last time comic book Thor did.

tomk:  MCU referenced a Donald Blake in the first movie.

jimmy:  Just an Easter egg.

tomk:  I have been reading Donny Cates’s Thor run on Marvel Unlimited, and Donald Blake came back as a separate personality who had gone crazy and evil.  Oh, and powerful enough to beat up hordes of Asgardian heroes and banish them to a fire planet or something.

jimmy:  Probably why Thor stopped bring him.

tomk:  Actually, in-story, Thor’s stopping being him is what made him crazy.

jimmy:  Oh, so now it’s all Thor’s fault. I suppose the Destroyer showing up is his fault too?

tomk:  Well, in-story, it was also a good deal the Midgard Serpent’s fault, but that’s not the problem here.  Here, it’s Surtur’s fault in his last real appearance.

jimmy:  Surtur. I knew it was him.

tomk:  Well, yes.  He was in the episode.

jimmy:  That’s probably what tipped me off.

tomk:  You are observant.

jimmy:  Not as observant as you. Noticing the gimpy leg. I wonder if that was coincidence?

tomk:  I suspect not. The walking stick that was Mjolnir.  The limp. The humility angle. This was this show’s take on Donald Blake.

jimmy:  Check and mate.

tomk:  It just took Steve and Tony along for the ride. Also Clint.

jimmy:  Also the subway.

tomk:  They should look into getting more heroes without superpowers if that happens again.

jimmy:  Have any in mind?

tomk:

jimmy:  His power is a catchy theme song.

tomk:  And he didn’t even write it.

jimmy:  They usually don’t.

tomk:  So, Iron Man didn’t write this show’s theme?

jimmy:  Unlikely.

tomk:  He’d probably be complaining during the show that someone butchered it for season two.

jimmy:  He’d never let that happen.

tomk:  Well, someone did.

jimmy:  Indeed they did.

tomk:  Why can’t the Enchantress take their power away instead?

jimmy:  It’s much too late for that.

tomk:  Well, do you have anything else to add for this one?  Loki still can’t get the job done even with the Destroyer’s power.

jimmy:  Are we sure Loki’s not the God of failure?

tomk:  You can always ask him.

You might call him “Watson”.

jimmy:  How mischievous.

tomk:  You sure aren’t surprised.

jimmy:  I’m not.

tomk:  Good. Because you only might call him Watson.

jimmy:  I’ll just avoid both of them as much as I can.

tomk:  Good idea. Have a canister of lightly salted mixed nuts.

jimmy:  Healthy and nutritious.

tomk:  See, now you can gain your superpowers back.

jimmy:  Back?

tomk:  You know. Your Watson sense. Your Moose Affinity. Your, um, health care.

jimmy:  I’ll take those.

tomk:  You have a choice?

jimmy:  Sounds like I don’t.

tomk:  They’re your superpowers.

jimmy:  Did Hulk have a choice?  Did Justice League have a choice?

tomk:  You have a choice about how you use your powers.

jimmy:  Oh, use?  Well, yes.

tomk:  Yes. Whether you use them for the good of society or not makes a difference.

jimmy:  I’m always about the good of society. That’s why I turned down Wrecking Crew membership.

tomk:  That and the only thing you wreck are bad moods.

jimmy:  I think that’s a compliment, so, thanks!

tomk:  That you make people feel better by your presence?  I would say that’s a compliment.

jimmy:  Thanks!

tomk:  I mean, you’re not Loki.

jimmy:  That’s good.  And I’m not a robot.  I’m doing pretty good.

tomk:  You finally realized you aren’t a robot?

jimmy:  I’m not 100% sure, but I’m rolling with it.

tomk:  That’s good. Now you can roll to a new episode unless you have more to say about this one, the “lost” episode that didn’t air in the States right away for some reason.

jimmy:  Is it about a smoke monster?

tomk:  Um, no. This episode didn’t air in the States for a long time.

jimmy:  Oh, the one we just watched you mean?

tomk:  Yes.

jimmy:  Weird. Wonder why?

tomk:  The best guess was because of Surtur and how that plot was never resolved.

jimmy:  Like all the other plots that do get resolved by the end of season 2.

tomk:  They actually do a good job of resolving the various plots.

jimmy:  Oh, well, ok then.

tomk:  But not entirely, hence Surtur and maybe even Jane Foster.

jimmy:  Maybe Jane Foster is Surtur!?!  Duh duh daaaaa!

tomk:  Um, no. That would be silly. Go directly to jail. Do not pass “go” and collect $200.

jimmy:  And that’s why it remains unresolved!

tomk:  Because someone was busy losing a game of Monopoly?

jimmy:  The show creators sure lost one.

tomk:  Well, maybe we can check in on some other losers.

jimmy:  There’s a Watson joke in there somewhere…

tomk:  Or it’s time to go to prison.

jimmy:  I didn’t do it. Nobody saw me do it. You can’t prove anything!

tomk:  We can just visit.

jimmy:  Oh. Ok. Phew.

tomk:  That might be bad enough.

jimmy:  Let’s see.

tomk:  And we shall.

“Assault on 42”

The Avengers need to make some unlikely allies during an attack on the Negative Zone prison.

jimmy:  Man, those bugs just kept on coming.  In waves one might say.

tomk:  And they seem to have eaten some supervillains.

jimmy:  No one will miss those guys. Ok. Maybe their moms.

tomk:  I dunno. I think someone might miss the Radioactive Man.

jimmy:  I dunno. Well, maybe Radioactive Mom.

tomk:  Radioactive Man is supposed to be a hero in China in some stories.

jimmy:  Well, Hasselhoff is a hero in Germany.  No one said anything in this world made sense.

tomk:  It makes less sense in the Negative Zone.

jimmy:  Is it called that because everyone there is so pessimistic?

tomk:  That or everyone who is good and clean shaven is evil and bearded over there.

jimmy:  I think that’s the Mirror Universe.

tomk:  Isn’t that the universe narcissists love to see when they look in a mirror?

jimmy:  Man, the multiverse is a strange place.

tomk:  Wait til we get to the Pizza Poppa.

jimmy:

tomk:  It’s over?  Well, what were your thoughts on this series, Jimmy?

jimmy:  It ended pretty abruptly.

tomk:  I blame the Pizza Poppa.

jimmy:  But we’re not there yet. We still have to deal with Annihilus.

tomk:  A very wise man would call him a jerk.

jimmy:  Maybe. Or maybe they shouldn’t have built a super prison in his backyard?

tomk:  Dude has a whole universe and never issued so much as a noise complaint.

jimmy:  Maybe he did and they couldn’t understand him?

tomk:  His own people didn’t seem to like him very much when the Leader saved the day.

jimmy:  No one cares about the opinions of minions.

tomk:  That’s why the Annihilation Wave needs to unionize.

jimmy:  Interesting. Or have Annihilus dethroned.

tomk:  They might not have issue with his leadership if he just offered them paid time off and a good pay raise. Also not using them as canon fodder.

jimmy:  But the latter is the whole role of minions.

tomk:  I am sure once they gain the vote, they can choose between Annihilus and Blastarr for Zone Mayor.

jimmy:  I take it Blastarr is a resident of the Negative Zone as well?

tomk:  Both started as FF villains in the Zone.

jimmy:  Thanks, FF.

tomk:  Also, his name is spelled weird.

jimmy:  I thought the enemy of my enemy was my friend?

tomk:  So, Watson’s enemies are your friends?

jimmy:  Definitely.  We have a club.

tomk:  Do you beat Watson with it?

jimmy:  Oh Tom.  You’re so silly.  And yes, yes we do.

tomk:  Must be a big club.

jimmy:  That head is a big target.

tomk:  Are we talking about the Leader now?

jimmy:  Good segue to bring us back.

tomk:  Cap said he’d take help from anyone. You know, except Zemo’s.

jimmy:  You just can’t trust that guy.

tomk:  You can trust Whirlwind, the Blizzard, Absorbing Man, the Executioner, the Abomination, Radioactive Man, the Leader, Marv-ell, and some random AIM guys?

jimmy:  Zemo is worse than all of them put together.  And, there might be just a little of personal feelings mixed in there that the others don’t have.

tomk:  I suppose. But the bugs might have eaten him.

I mean, aren’t they holding Ronan and all those Super-Skrulls there too?

jimmy:  There certainly were a lot of cells there for them to only recruit those 8-10 guys.

tomk:  It’s a good thing they had those guys’ gear there too. I mean, leaving the gear in another dimension in case of a break out might have otherwise seemed smarter.

jimmy:  Weren’t they all/the majority or them sitting in their cells in (almost) full costume?

tomk:  Yeah. In small cells with no toilets.

jimmy:  That’s…gonna get messy.

tomk:  Well, obviously.

jimmy:  Maybe that’s the problem the bugs had with the place…it stank.

tomk:  Or they were hungry. Didn’t look like there was much to eat outside the prison.

jimmy:  Depends on what they eat.

tomk:  People?

jimmy:  Then no. Not many outside the prison.

tomk:  I think they ate Annihilius in the end.

jimmy:  A trip to Costco could have prevented all of this.

tomk:  What Costco?  The bugs ate it.

jimmy:  And they were still hungry?

tomk:  Well, eventually.

jimmy:  Dang bugs.

tomk:  They also ate an IKEA.

jimmy:  That stuff is mostly sawdust, so still being hungry is not a surprise.

tomk:  The bugs might also be part termite.

jimmy:  What’s the other parts?

tomk:  Hornet, cricket, and about 5% sass.

jimmy:  That’s why they all had on those bedazzled thorax bands.

tomk:  Also why Annihilius sent them off to die in large numbers.

jimmy:  Maybe they…ahem…bugged him.

tomk:  Oh Jimmy…

jimmy:  I deserve that.

tomk:  I hope you’ll know better next time.

jimmy:  Probably not.

tomk:  Well, you can have a small brownie for honesty.

jimmy:  Excellent.

So you’d think they’d have some sort of alarm system should the portal not be able to open to alert the other side?

tomk:  Yeah, well, see what I said above about keeping the bad guys’ weapons nearby.

jimmy:  Good point. It might be time to review some protocols and procedures.

tomk:  Like maybe upping the bug spray budget.

jimmy:  I don’t know that anyone could afford that in that situation.

tomk:  Then better security.

jimmy:  Maybe a giant electrified light bulb to hang outside?

tomk:  They probably just spent too much of the budget hiring this guy and his useless cheer squad.

jimmy:  He looks ready to kick some alien butt.

tomk:  Yeah, but he went to the same acting school as the Garbage Day Guy.

jimmy:  Hmm. That’s not good.

tomk:  But he comes with your choice of toppings for that brownie.

jimmy:  Tempting. Ok, he’s in!

tomk:  The toppings contain potassium benzoate.

That attracts bugs.

jimmy:  That’s bad.

tomk:  Sho Nuff.

jimmy:  So I take it that Sho Nuff guy was in this episode?

tomk:  I don’t think so. He may have been hiding in the background.

jimmy:  Oh, ok. I thought you introduced him for reasons.

tomk:  I thought you would react like you do to Garbage Day Guy.

jimmy:  Oh, that’s much worse.

tomk:  Also, they might as well have been using that guy for security.

jimmy:  That was a long way to get to that joke, but it was a good one.

tomk:  Why thank you. See what happens when you don’t go for low-hanging bug puns?

jimmy:  I’ve learned my lesson.

tomk:  Now I don’t have to send you to 42 to help the Avengers fight the bugs.

jimmy:  The Avengers will be happy about that. Here’s me:

tomk:  It is another big hunt.

jimmy:  Big hunt or bug hunt?

tomk:  Both!

jimmy:  Ash would have killed a lot of bugs.  Or gotten them all killed.

tomk:  Both!

jimmy:  Quite possibly.

tomk:  I mean, Ash takes out Deadites, but there is the fan theory that the Deadites are kinda pathetic if Ash can take them out all the time.

jimmy:  I can see that, but, the Deadites do take out an awful lot of other people.

tomk:  And Ash probably wants to move up to bugs. Everyone knows how much ants like sugar.

jimmy:  First you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women.

tomk:  So, what you’re saying is the Avengers need to recruit Ash, Homer Simpson, and maybe Peacemaker?

But not Sho Nuff.

jimmy:  They seemed to do alright with the bad guys they recruited. Except for the ones that died.

tomk:  Every AIM goon who died screaming did so so that Cap and the Wasp could live.

jimmy:  I’m always shocked when there is an actual death in a cartoon.

tomk:  Maybe all those guys would have come back in season three.

jimmy:  Sure. Let’s go with that.

tomk:  Thor and Carol also seemed to be doing OK on their own.

jimmy:  Given their power set, I hope so.

tomk:  The only real problem was when the Boss Fight started. You could practically hear some sort of Doom Music kick in.

jimmy:  Awesome.

tomk:  Kinda like when the Doom Music kicks in down in the lobby, and all these guys show up to beat on Watson for some reason. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?

jimmy:  Who?  Me?

tomk:  Well, you did say you had a club made up of all of Watson’s enemies.

jimmy:  Did I?  Oh, that’s just silly talk, Tom.

tomk:  If you say so.

jimmy:  Phew.

tomk:  You seem to be rather relieved for some reason.

jimmy:  Just relieved the Avengers are ok.

tomk:  Huh.

I guess that makes sense.

jimmy:  It does!

tomk:  Well, unless you want to avoid anymore suspicions, maybe we should move on to the next one.

jimmy:  Sounds like a plan.

tomk:  So, what happened to Ultron and the Vision?

jimmy:  I dunno.

tomk:  Should we find out?

jimmy:  We should.

tomk:  Okie dokie.

NEXT:  Tom and Jimmy will return soon, possibly by the end of the week at this rate, with their thoughts on the episodes “Ultron Unlimited” and “Yellowjacket”.