I had every intention of writing about this last week with the release of Doctor Strange, but school and work got in the way. Due to the events of Tuesday night’s election results, consider this more of a distraction than anything. It’s all I can offer. I’m at a loss myself, but this community has always been a warm and positive place and we are bonded by our love of movies and culture. That’s what is gonna hold me together. You’re all good people. 

There’s a thrilling scene in Scott Derrikson’s Doctor Strange wherein the titular Doctor (Benedict Cumberbatch) finds himself fighting for his life in the halls of a Greenwich Village building that acts as one of the barriers between our world and the mystical Kamar-Taj. Strange is critically injured by main villain Kaecilius (Mads Mikkleson) so in his bloody escape he uses his sling ring to conjure up a portal to the hospital where he formerly worked, seeking out the assistant of his friend, colleague, and former lover, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). While she performs emergency surgery on him, Strange separates from his body into his astral form, only to be caught in a battle of apparitions with one of Kaecilius’s followers. This scene emphasizes the strength of the film, and by extension what keeps Marvel in business: their ability to use their characters and the powers that define them and illustrate this in visually creative ways. However more negative critics will sight that this is the only distraction from their inherent abuse of repeating the “Marvel Formula”. I’ve spent the past four years mostly ignoring this argument, because for what it is worth I’ve yet to be despairingly bored or disappointed by any of their films and do believe that they are innovative enough to keep from repeating themselves. Still last Thursday as I watched the scene unfold I couldn’t help but hear this voice in my head repeating over and over again: “This is just like that scene in Iron Man.”

I wasn’t referring to the fight itself, I was referring to the scene that the fight is hiding: the love interest healing the hero. In the original Iron Man, there’s a far less action-driven scene, where Tony Stark needs Pepper Potts’ assistance in replacing the arc reactor in his chest. The tension is mild but is a matter of life and death and it relies on Tony trusting Pepper in a way that elevates their relationship and brings them together by inviting him into his reality.

The scene in Doctor Strange is an expansion on this, literally being a matter of life and death and bringing Stephen closer with Christine by being physically and emotionally vulnerable. It of course is peppered with humor and quips because the situation is all sorts of ridiculous, and it’s a scene that I like. The problem I’m having is that we’re watching a very similar romantic relationship unfolding in a similar way after a span of 12 movies in almost a decade.

Granted this scene isn’t repeated in every single Marvel film, but can be found in weaker superhero films that were itching to be Iron Man (ie. The Green Lantern, Amazing Spider-Man). It’s a glaring moment that signifies how important the female lead is to the plot theoretically, but actually just makes her value as a person decrease because she is just there to nuture the hero’s boo-boos. I can’t lie, this is really a problem with Doctor Strange; as much as I like her, Christine’s character is definitely the least significant in comparison to the other Pepper Potts(es) of the respective franchises. Despite my great disinterest and grievances with Jane Foster, at least as far as the first Thor goes she does have an incentive to the plot acting as Thor’s guide to life on Earth (but get out of here with her taking a nap through half of The Dark World). Pepper Potts’ relationship with Tony is more defined by their business relationship; she again has much more reason to be involved with the story and her involvement in the third act is sincerely enjoying to watch. Ant-Man splits the difference by giving us Hope van Dyne who is more of Scott’s partner and mentor with her own desires to fulfill the Ant-Man mantel and Judy Greer’s criminally underused ex-wife character (TM) who has nothing to do except be hilariously expositioned at by Paul Rudd.

That leaves us with the other half of the MCU leading ladies: all of whom never seem to actually interact with another woman. Do Scarlet Witch and Black Widow ever actually talk to each other in the same scene? Is “You know know I can read people’s minds?” The only dialogue those to have with each other? The “lifting Thor’s hammer” scene in Age of Ultron: Agent Hill and Black Widow are at least in the same room but they never say anything to each other. Again, this is shadowed by the fact that the comraderie of the Avengers is infectious and truly lived-in, particularly between Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanov. But among fourteen films there is absolutely no sense of female dynamics. Gamora and Nebula do exist but it’s definitely more of a footnote of a relationship at this point (come next year hopefully that’ll change). We don’t need another Pepper Potts stand-in, we need women of action and women who talk to each other.

“But–but–but Peggy Carter and Jessica Jones!”

Peggy Carter (RIP) is a great character who has easily been the most interesting female lead to appear in the MCU, but she and Jessica Jones are more of an exception, which isn’t helped by the fact that they mostly exist in the distance of the Marvel TV universe. That fantastic relationship between Jones and Trish Walker, that’s no where to be found in the MCU which is greatly disappointing when you get actresses like Rachel McAdams* to do almost nothing.

This does force one to consider that the upcoming Wonder Woman film is going to break this tradition and it’s going to break it hard. I suppose there is an argument to make about Suicide Squad as well which not only had multiple women on the team but women of color as well, but it’s clear that Wonder Woman is what will really define the state of women in superhero films from here on out. A lot actually rests on that film’s shoulders, which is considerably appropriate given the character. I have no doubt Captain Marvel won’t also break some barriers, (wouldn’t it be great if she had no love interest at all?), but for once WB/DC is gonna get there first and it’s not gonna surprise me if it’s the best film that they do. (That joke of a low bar not withstanding).

*Is Red-Eye the last movie where Rachel McAdams had some freaking agency and no romantic lead? Can we get a remake of The Nice Guys with her and Michelle Monaghan? How soon is Michelle Monaghan gonna pop up in one of these movies playing the exact same character?  Email me for more questions, I have dozens.