Now that the spoiler ban has been lifted on the Avengers: Endgame, the #DontSpoilTheEndgame initiative seems to be a thing in the past with trolls taking to Twitter and Reddit by storm. At the same time, it opens up a space where we can finally have a deep (and maybe critical) discussion about the film.
As you continue reading, think about how many Asian superheroes, or characters in the Marvel Universe you can name because this blog is about why this matters.
“The Girl with the Antenna” refers to Mantis who is played by Pom Klementieff in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017). In Endgame, this line is mentioned by “build-a-bear” (ahem)—I mean Rocket Raccoon—in the scene when he recalls the names of his teammates whom he lost in the fight against Thanos. For some reason, he forgets Mantis’ name, and addresses her as the girl with the antenna. While this is intended for the purpose of comic relief, I can’t help but wonder why he was able to remember the names of everyone else, but hers. In Endgame, Mantis doesn’t play a major role compared to other heroines. Recall the epic battle scene that takes place after Spider-Man hands the infinity gauntlet over to Captain Marvel. He questions how she’s going to make it through the massive onslaught of enemies headed her way, but at that moment, Okoye appears alongside Shuri followed by Scarlet Witch, Pepper Pots, Valkyrie, the Wasp, Nebula, Gamora, and last but not least Mantis, who are all there to support Captain Marvel. This is such an epic moment in the film as it brings together almost all of the female cast in one powerful, action-filled scene (Girls know how to kick ass too!). I remember Scarlet Witch and Valkyrie fighting together to bring down the Leviathans, but I honestly can’t remember what Mantis does in this battle. This is not to undermine her role, but how come she only has ONE line in a film that is almost three hours long?
It’s true that casting has become more diverse in Hollywood (and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) than before. A succinct example of this is seen in the film Black Panther (2018), which according to Peter Kagwanja, “heralds an historic opportunity to depict a black ‘super hero’ at a grave moment when African-Americans and African immigrants are facing vilification and dehumanization across the post-liberal west, but also affirming their identities” (qtd in Omanga and Mainye, 20). The same thing can’t be said when it comes to the representation of Asian American characters in the Marvel franchise. The characterization of Shang-chi, for example, has received critical backlash in Chinese media. Spider-Man’s friend, Ned, might be one of the few exceptions to the rule when it comes to the representation of non-superhero-Asian characters, who are mostly depicted as villains, such as Akihiko, the yazuka boss killed by Hawkeye in Endgame. As I mentioned before, Mantis is featured but doesn’t really do, or say anything. And, in other films such as Deadpool 2 (2018), Shiori Kutsuna, who plays the role of Yukio, is not only doubly marginalized in terms of her race and sexuality, but she also upholds the Asian stereotype of being “cute” and “innocent,” which is reinforced every, single time she says her cringy one liner:“Hi Wade!”...
Despite these shortcomings, there are redeeming aspects of Endgame especially in terms of how the future of the Marvel franchise is envisioned. Both Captain America and Thor “retire” and pass on the torch to Falcon and Valkyrie, respectively. The film’s conclusion sends a powerful message about the limitations of hegemonic masculine ideals that have shaped and informed the identity of most American comic book heroes for so long. Instead, because the legacy of both Captain America and Thor will continue through the roles of Falcon and Valkyrie, the film tries to encourage a broader, cultural understanding of what constitutes heroism in the 21st century—one that is fluid in terms of its racial, gender, and/or sexual identity/identities—but this vision is a limited one.
So, let’s return to the question of why naming matters. The “girl with the antenna” is a reflection of me and every other Asian girl and boy out there who has a name that nobody can remember because it’s “too foreign,” or “too difficult to pronounce.” So we compensate by creating English nicknames. Marvel, as a cultural commodity, carries significant weight and currency. For this reason, the representation of strong, female Asian superheroes matters because its very lack impacts how others perceive me and how they make sense of my ethnicity. In other words, it speaks volumes about my marginalized status in the real world and the kinds of racial stereotypes that I have to deal with. For those who are familiar with Mantis, we know that she is a skilled fighter and a compassionate woman, and I hope that one day she gets the opportunity to show off her abilities in her own sequel.
So now that you’ve reached the end, how many Asian characters were you able to recall? Share your comments below.
