Marvel's women hold universe of potential

Earlier Marvel films were marred by instances of casual misogyny but Black Panther took a refreshing leap forward with its female representation. Photo / Matt Kennedy

From the New Woman of the silent movie era — an archetype of bravery and beauty in the very first action and adventure films — to the more recent summer of the "Alpha Female" in 2015 (think Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road) the female action hero has never failed to excite and challenge. Proving to be a commercially lucrative success in her own right, she has broken social convention and been dynamic and powerful for more than 100 years.

For today's action fan, few other film series have held as much potential as the movies of the Marvel cinematic universe (MCU). But with great power comes great responsibility, especially when it comes to diversity. This year, Black Panther offered groundbreaking race representations and did not disappoint when it came to its portrayal of women either.

Now, as the initial Avengers-led saga starts to wind down, and with the anticipated release of both Black Widow and Captain Marvel solo films (the latter of which will be the MCU's first female-led movie), it seems only right to ask, what can the future hold for the women of Marvel?

The first 10 years
Over the last decade, the films which brought Marvel comic books to life have been applauded for making a difference in true representations of diversity. That's not to say film-makers weren't criticised at the beginning, but in the latest instalment — Avengers: Infinity War — characters and hybrid stories are quite literally brought together from the far reaches of the film galaxy.

However, looking to the female characters, any future opportunities will depend on Marvel's willingness to acknowledge and not be limited by their own history.

From the first MCU films, examples of pervasive, everyday sexism have been overlooked or dismissed in the name of history. Take, for example, the moment Tony Stark meets an undercover Black Widow in Iron Man 2, stating "I want one" after their almost Weinstein-esque introduction.

Even more recent films are occasionally marred with a sense of humour that tends toward displays of toxic masculinity and casual misogyny, denoting an air of sexism the films can no longer afford. From the way the women are spoken to, to the way they are spoken of, the men of the cohort consistently undermine the female action heroes.

In the case of 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, a scene when the male Avengers each attempt to lift Thor's hammer — an exercise in worthiness and not strength — Iron Man's offhanded joke about reinstating prima nocta presents rape humour as permissible, in an age when it is anything but. The time is up for cheap efforts in entertainment of this nature.

Unnecessary romance
Female Avengers are still constrained by emotional or romantic responsibility to their colleagues, too. Why is it Black Widow's responsibility to sooth the savage Hulk when it's time for him to return to the form of Bruce Banner? How convenient the two are also possible love interests, a role Black Widow has been written to play in a number of Marvel films.

The women are also pandered to, in contrived attempts to address the uncomfortable awareness the men are expected to have of the female action hero's power. In Thor: Ragnarok the hero-god fumbles for words upon acknowledging Valkyrie as a member of his home planet's royal military force.

The awkwardness expressed can be easily read as Thor's attempt to backtrack from saying the wrong thing. But it is indicative of the awkwardness often expressed when addressing women of independent authority, too.

Yet there is hope on the horizon for the MCU. Female action heroes have already successfully led other superhero films (DC Comic's Wonder Woman was a smash hit in 2017) so it won't be hard for Marvel to replicate this success — but they can't rely on tired old formulas.

Hollywood is changing — just look at recent calls for celebrity power to push for equal pay for colleagues, or contractual inclusion riders for greater equality and diversity. One hopes that the MCU does not miss the mark in recognising the power in these possibilities.

Representations of female action heroes can be more than a reflection of our culture, they must be a vision of how we view each other and our place in the universe, cinematic or otherwise.

• Rebecca Wright is a PhD Researcher, Cardiff University.