In the show, the leader of the SSR is easily swayed and manipulated by corporate powerhouses. He's too scared to stand up and fight for what's right. He just rolls over and plays dead whenever trouble arises. Peggy is the complete opposite. She doesn't know the meaning of the word surrender. She'll walk into something knowing 100% that it's a trap without a drop of fear on her face. She has no problem with a challenge. In fact she relishes it. That's what this show is about. It's about this incredible woman who has to face all these impossible odds and gender stereotypes and overcome them to prove everyone wrong. This is a valuable lesson to learn not just for women but for everyone. Everyone is going to face impossible odds sometimes, and sometimes it's easiest to just role over and give the person what they want. The hard part is fighting. Fighting for what you believe in and never giving up even when everything is against you. Peggy doesn't give up and refuses to let her frustrations get the better of her. At the end of season 1 she says one of my all time favorite quotes (which I just so happen to have hanging on my wall next to me right now), "I know my value. Anyone else's opinion doesn't really matter."
My ultimate favorite Marvel superhero is as underrated as they come, and also easily forgotten about. Agent Peggy Carter's first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was in Captain America: The First Avenger. She was a strong, hard working and incredible capable agent of the SSR who not only helped train Captain America, but inspired him to be more than a dancing monkey. Peggy is more than just Steve Rogers love interest. She is responsible and strong and more than capable of taking down anyone who gets in her way. Peggy is such a popular character that Marvel decided to create a spin off series all about Agent Carter and her adventures after Steve is pronounced dead. This series comes at a perfect time within the Marvel world as Peggy is one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D which was just dismantled in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It's an interesting time for these to be airing because it gives Marvel a chance to fully explain the creation of S.H.I.E.L.D and why certain scientists were brought in to work for them in the beginning.
The show starts off explaining the situation Peggy is currently in. She's being unappreciated at her job and being treated more like a secretary rather than a qualified field agent. Then Howard Stark shows up and asks her to commit treason in order to help him recover his stolen inventions and prove his innocence. This conversation sets up the entirety of season 1 of the show. This will not be the first time Agent Carter goes off on her own and ends up cracking the case because her male counterparts refuse to listen to her unless its to ask for their lunch order. Ms.Carter is is constantly belittled in post-WWII society due to her gender and though it bothers her considerably, it never fully effects her ability to do the work she tasks for herself. Even when other people get the credit for her work simply because it's just not possible a woman just saved the entire city so there's no way she was involved, she doesn't let it phase her. Yes she gets frustrated, but she knows how to handle it and how to manipulate them in a way that gives her more freedom.
While she does have love interests in the series, they are never the true focal point of any episode. She has two men, of whom she is very much interested in, but she never sacrifices who she and what she wants for them. Ms.Carter does not need a man in her life (except Mr.Jarvis cause they're bffs) and she never puts her relationship with either of them above the mission and above herself. She puts it off to the side and says okay we'll deal with this thing later its not important right now. She never thinks about anything other than the mission and protecting people from those who want to hurt them. Once the mission is over then she'll take some time for herself, but overall Peggy's true love is her job. What made her and Steve such a good pair was how dedicated they both were to their jobs. They loved what they did and understood that sometimes they didn't come first.
Agent Carter is strong willed and never takes no for an answer, The show gets a chance to explain to people just how amazing this woman is and how talented she can be. And this post basically turned into a giant rant about how much I love Peggy Carter more so than an analysis but she's to underrated not to talk about. The show is all about female empowerment and how women can be just as powerful and strong as men can be no matter the job they are tasked. Agent Carter is the perfect example for people everywhere about how to act in the face of adversity and how to overcome it. I highly recommend watching this show as it shows so many parts of the Marvel Universe that we love today. For example you get to see the Howling Commandos, the place where Black Widow was trained in the Soviet Union, Jarvis in the flesh, Howard Stark, and the creation of S.H.I.E.L.D. Plus the characters in it are wonderful and incredibly three dimensional. It's a wonderful show that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys the Marvel Universe.
photo credit: http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Agent_Carter_(TV_series)
My biggest issue with this film is the relationship between Bruce and Natasha. How can Natasha go from being terrified of the Hulk to suddenly being comfortable enough to touch his hand? It doesnt make sense. The only character in this film who I believe acted as they normally would was Bruce. He gets to a point where he is tired of everyone using him for the Hulk, which is exactly what Natasha does and that is why he leaves at the end of the film. A vulnerable Natasha does make sense after the events of Winter Soldier and how she began to show a more vulnerable side to Steve; but, what does not make sense is her sudden change of heart towards the Hulk. Maybe it wasnt sudden in the story line, but on screen and whats shown to the viewers (not in the implied timeline) it is random and appears out of nowhere.