PREVIEW -- Skullgirls Encore DLC News - Big Band Trailer | Fukua | Eliza Preview

I know I don't talk about Mike Z's Skullgirls much on here, but it doesn't mean that I don't like the title. I adore this game's art style. Actually, I have a copy of Skullgirls Encore on Steam that I'm dying to play after I either upgrade my computer or buy a brand new one over the next few months... So yeah, I'll eventually get around to playing this game myself at some point.

Skullgirls provided some new information over on the PlayStation Blog about the upcoming downloadable content: 

He’s almost here: Big Band, Skullgirls Encore’s first male character, arrives for free next Tuesday, April 22nd!

Once a regular beat cop known as Ben Birdland, he fell flat when he got on the wrong side of New Meridian’s corrupt police force. Birdland was broken and bent out of shape by his former colleagues, but was tuned up by Dr. Avian and ASG Lab 8. Now he is armed with a full ensemble of pneumatic weaponry, transforming him into the full fortissimo instrument of justice: “Big Band.”

Thanks to the incredible support of Skullgirls’ fans, Big Band is the second of 5 additional characters funded by Lab Zero’s Indiegogo campaign to be added to Skullgirls Encore. Big Band is Skullgirls’s first male character, and lives up to his name with unique gameplay mechanics that take advantage of his tremendous size and musical motif.

Big Band’s a high risk / high reward sort of character – he has a versatile and powerful moveset for just about any situation, but many of his attacks will leave you vulnerable if you miss or misjudge your opponent.

Big Band’s “Bagpipe Blues” taunt actually powers up two of his supers: Super-Sonic Jazz and Tympany Drive. So if you can end a combo and squeeze in a taunt while your opponent is knocked down, the next time you hit could lead into some really huge damage.

Big Band is also the only member of the Skullgirls Encore cast who can parry incoming attacks. He’ll still take a little damage when parrying, but it will give you the opportunity to retaliate against your opponent with a special move or combo.

Of course, Big Band’s also great on a team. He has a number of powerful options for Ensemble Attacks, and one particularly great Blockbuster Attack to use in concert with his comrades in arms.
Finally, he has a Blockbuster attack that allows him to play a custom trumpet solo, which some people have used to create some great videos from the PC beta already!

Coming Soon to PS3: Fukua

On April Fool’s Day, we revealed a “new” character, Fukua.

Now, character reveals on this most hallowed and despised of internet holidays are hardly new, but… we actually added her to the PC version of the game. The joke was that Fukua wasn’t a joke.

Fukua’s name began as a typo of “Filia,” so she’s been built entirely from repurposed Filia frames. But don’t let this fool you, because she plays completely differently from her artistic forebear.

We let our fans decide if they wanted to keep a “clone” character like Fukua in the game, and the answer was a resounding “Yes!” So since her April Fool’s debut, we’ve been testing her in the PC beta, tuning and improving her, and preparing her for primetime.

So in the coming weeks, PS3 Skullgirls Encore players can expect another update, which will add Fukua to the game, completely free!

Sneak Peek: Eliza

The next free DLC character coming to Skullgirls Encore is Eliza, a blood-manipulating, Egyptian-themed lounge singer with a dark secret. While no Skullgirls character lacks for ambition, Eliza may be our most ambitious yet.

Eliza’s concept is that she is a “mummy of flesh” – in place of a skeleton, she hosts a Parasite named Sekhmet, who can even leap out of her body and fight in her stead.

Eliza’s blood control powers lead to some really creative attacks, with blood hippos erupting from the ground to sanguine wings carrying her into the air. Eliza’s attacks and animations are brimming with references to Egyptian mythology, such as her summonable bodyguards, Albus and Horace, who are based on the Egyptian gods Anubis and Horus.

Eliza is still in pre-production, but these rough animations should give you a sense of what you can expect. She’s going to be something special.

In Closing…

So there you have it: Skullgirls’ cast grows again next week with Big Band, completely free! And a few weeks after that, we’ll be adding our April Fool’s character, Fukua, as well!

And don’t forget: the previous DLC character, Squigly, is free until May 6th!

With two free characters currently out now and more on the way, now is a great time to join the Skullgirls community!

PREVIEW -- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) FINAL International Trailer

If you have been looking for that X-Men: Days of Future Past fix, you're in for a treat. The final international trailer has been released today. I didn't bother to watch the MTV Movie Awards over the weekend (nor did I want to...), so don't ask me if it's the same trailer that was shown during that event or not. 

If I'm completely honest here, I'm STILL not too enthusiast nor am I looking forward to FOX blundering this storyline along with Sony continuing to stumble along with their attempts in creating a shared universe for Spider-Man... and his not so amazing friends... but I'm willing to sit through this in the movie theater. I thought First Class was acceptable, but not all that great - so I'm not expecting to be blown away here. 

REVIEW -- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD

In 2010, MercurySteam and Kojima Productions created the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow as re-imagining of the classic Castlevania lore. Hardcore fans have responded this rebirth of the series with mixed results, but I am part of the token minority that loves what Hideo Kojima and MercurySteam have done with this much needed breath of fresh air for the series.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate originally released for the Nintendo 3DS on March 2013, but was recently re-released for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network in HD on October 2013. It is also currently available on Steam and is part of the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Ultimate Edition, which bundles the original Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, both the Reverie and Resurrection downloadable content add-ons, and Mirror of Fate HD for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

The Plot: (FULL Spoilers)

Prologue: Gabriel Belmont

Gabriel Belmont spends the night with his wife, Marie. In the morning, he rides to an unknown castle with three Brotherhood knights. They fight demons, but the three knights are killed. Gabriel then confronts the Daemon Lord, a powerful monster. He is wounded by the tail of the creature but uses his blood and a magical device to trap the beast.

While Gabriel is on his mission, Marie gives birth in secret to a son, Trevor. The Brotherhood asks Marie to hide the child from Gabriel, as his dark fate already is known.

Act I: Simon Belmont

Years after the events of the prologue, Simon Belmont awakes in a forest after a terrible nightmare in which his mother, Sypha, is killed by monsters as they escaped the assault on the Brotherhood fortress in their village. He then rides his horse through a village infested by zombies and arrives at Dracula's castle. Near an underground entrance awaits the Lost Soul, which shows Simon, through the shard of the mirror that he carries, that his father Trevor's Combat Cross still lies within the castle. Simon explores the castle in order to recover it, with the guidance of the Lost Soul.

In the Theatre, Simon is trapped and forced to fight an endless stream of the enigmatic Toy Maker's Macabre Puppets. He is rescued by a mysterious figure, who vanishes before Simon can speak to him.

Simon later recovers the combat cross, which is taken from him by a Necromancer, who claims that it must recover the weapon for his master, Zobek. Simon defeats the Necromancer and claims the weapon, allowing him to progress further into the castle.

At the top of the castle's highest tower, Simon encounters the Succubus, who tries, and fails, to seduce Simon, and kills her. As her false world collapses, Simon finds himself in the Throne Room, facing Dracula himself. Before they can battle, however, Alucard enters.

Act II: Alucard

The game switches to Alucard's perspective, taking place earlier. Alucard awakens, emerging from a tomb, and, not remembering his past, is shown his fate by the Lost Soul through the Mirror of Fate. Alucard vows to destroy the one who did this to him, his father, Dracula. Along the way to the highest tower of the castle, Alucard encounters the Daemon Lord, who has been rebuilt with mechanical parts, and is defeated by him and thrown off into the tower, into the lower areas of the castle. He makes his way up the castle, and realizes, with dismay, that Simon is in the castle. He saves Simon twice, fleeing from him the first time and speaking with him the second time, unaware that an amused Dracula is watching from above.

After leaving Simon once more, Alucard faces the Daemon Lord again, and finally kills him. He goes onward to face Dracula, and encounters him in the Throne Room, interrupting the conversation between Simon and Dracula. Alucard and Simon battle Dracula, and manage to defeat and seemingly kill him, though Alucard remarks that Dracula's death was atypical of a vampire. Simon returns his piece of the Mirror of Fate to the Lost Soul, after Alucard tells him that the mirror only manipulated him, and that it did not belong to Simon or his father. Simon inquires Alucard's identity, but he refuses to tell him the truth.

Act III: Trevor Belmont

Years before the events of Simon's journey, in his house, Simon's father, Trevor looks desperate while his wife, Sypha, tries to help him. His son, Simon, plays with the Combat Cross, but his mother asks him to stop. Trevor then stand up and decide to go confront his father, who became Dracula. After hugging his wife and telling her to leave to the mountains if he was not to come back, Trevor gives Simon a necklace that is made of a piece of a magical mirror. He then arrives to Dracula's castle to kill his father and end the family shame.

He encounters the Lost Soul within the castle. The Lost Soul, claiming to know all, attempts to warn Trevor that he will not succeed in his mission, but wishing to hear no more from the Lost Soul, he attacks it, breaking a portion of its face with his combat cross and rendering it unable to speak, explaining its silence in Simon and Alucard's journeys.

In the castle's Belfry, Trevor is forced to flee from a tumbling, massive bell after it is cut from its restraints by hunchbacks. He manages to escape it, but falls into the pit created by the bell's descent. While Trevor is unconscious, the Lost Soul gives him a mysterious cube, which turns out to be the key to unlocking the door to an old temple inhabited by witches.

In the temple, the witches use their magic to free the Daemon Lord, who had been imprisoned years earlier by Gabriel. Trevor fights the Daemon Lord, and manages to defeat him, slicing its hands off and cutting it in half. Thinking he is victorious, Trevor walks away, while an amused Toy Maker looks onwards, and soon after resurrects the Daemon Lord.

Trevor finally encounters Dracula, and uses the balance between Light Magic and Dark Magic to gain the upper hand. Despite this, Dracula still manages to defeat him, stabbing him in the chest with his own combat cross. The dying Trevor claims that he pities Dracula, who accepted his fate while Trevor fought against it, and informs him that he is Dracula's son. Startled, and with Trevor's claim confirmed by the mirror, a dismayed Dracula attempts to revive his son by turning him into a vampire, but with the effort seemingly failed, Dracula stands above his son's grave, marked "Alucard".

Ending: Separate Ways

Back in the present, after the conclusion of Simon and Alucard's journeys, Alucard searches through his grave, Carmilla and Dracula's old throne room to find something. Alucard recovers the broken stake attachment of his father's old weapon, The Vampire Killer, which broke off during his battle with Carmilla, shortly before the castle begins to collapse. Alucard transforms into a bat and manages to escape, while Simon watches the castle collapse from the forest, and bids Alucard farewell.

Gameplay:

The gameplay combines traditional elements from previous Castlevania games, elements from the first Lords of Shadow game, and new gameplay elements.

Gameplay Order

The game plays in this precise order: Gabriel (Prologue) who serves as a tutorial, Simon (Act I), Alucard (Act II), and Trevor (Act III). After being beaten, the game can be played in any order.

Controls

Left stick: Move
Left stick (double tap in one direction): Cyclone Boots (Trevor only)
Right stick/R3 button: Change Sub-Weapon
A: Jump
A (two times): Double Jump (Trevor and Alucard only)
A (hold after double jump): Glide (Alucard only)
Y/Triangle: Area attack, combos, etc.
X/Square: Direct attack, combos, etc.
B/Circle: Use Subweapon
LB/L1: Spirit of Belnades (Simon), Mist form (Alucard), Light Magic (Trevor)
LT/L2: Guard
LT/L2 + Direction: Dodge roll, Dodge glide (in the air), Stomp (in the air, down direction), Dodge with Mist (Alucard only)
RB/R1: Spirit of Schneider (Simon), Wolf form (Alucard), Shadow Magic (Trevor)
RT/R2: Actions, Grab an enemy

From left to right: Simon Belmont, Alucard, Trevor Belmont

The Verdict: 

To do this review on this game justice, I'm going to review the game according to the three Acts (Simon, Alucard, Trevor) after the Prologue (Gabriel).

Also, you can consider this review the same for whatever version of the game that you are looking to buy, whether it be the 3DS original, the stand-alone download for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, or addition that is included in all versions of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Ultimate Edition on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Act I (Simon Belmont)

This starts off immediately following the Prologue with Gabriel to introduce the game's basic controls, but quickly branches out into the game slowly forcing the player to master the controls while giving you something new once you are about to grow bored with one particular set of abilities.

I honestly enjoyed this portion of the game the most, despite Simon's bland character. The pacing was moved at an appropriate manner and got straight to the point, but anyone who knows any shred of Castlevania lore should know where it was going in the long haul before Alucard's revelation at the end of this chapter. This portion of the game gave players three enjoyable (yet fair...) boss fights, without any of the QTEs or other added nonsense that plagued Acts II and III.

Act II (Alucard)

As much as I loved playing as Alucard in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on PSX/PSone, I have to admit I downright hated this portion of the game. My disgust with this portion of the game came in multiple flavors - piss, poor hit detection during boss fights, fickle controls - especially the dodges/evasions with Mist, and it seems like Alucard dies off so much easier than his other two playable counterparts. I was more frustrated during his section(s) of the game more than the pure enjoyment I had playing as either Simon or Trevor, but I credit that mainly to navigating through the Toymaker's domain and the two frustrating boss fights against the Daemon Lord and Reaver.

This portion of the game earned my respect at the conclusion of this Act, where both Alucard and Simon tag teamed against Dracula. That was a beloved treat for anyone who hoped to see Alucard and the Belmont family team up against Dracula again in the original Castlevania series.

Act III (Trevor Belmont)

Coming back to play as Trevor after the revelation that he becomes Alucard felt completely pointless and redundant since the player already knows what is going to happen. Mercury Steam could have EASILY remedied this situation by making this part of the game the first Act, followed by Simon's after Trevor's downfall, then Alucard's with possibly more gameplay tacked on following the credits. Instead, I gathered that they thought that the revelation that Trevor IS Alucard in this continuity would have been a huge plot twist, but it would have been presented better if the player was playing as Trevor first, then cut out the sequence where Dracula finds out that Trevor is his own son and tries to save him until the end of Simon's Act.

The only difference between Simon and Trevor's gameplay was that all of Trevor's abilities are enhanced versions of Simon's abilities, with only notable difference being that Shadow and Light magic replaces the Spirits of Belnades and Schneider and function exactly how they did in the original Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.

At this point of the game, combat is completely a bore as you can alternate between Chain Shredder and Chain Barrier to whip the shit out of anything you run into at this point (given if you have taken the time to explore and earn enough EXP to unlock them), only stopping to either evade or jump cancel out of the full animation. Fortunately, the final encounter against Dracula spices things up a bit as the battle is reminiscent to Gabriel's battle with the Silver Knight in Lords of Shadow, where it demanded mastery of your usage of Shadow and Light magic to defeat him.

Closing Words

GIZORAMA shared a short, but great article on why Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD shouldn't be slept on by gamers with 3 simple bullet points that I agree with 100%. 

#3. The atmosphere, characters, and overall theme appeals to Castlevania fanatics

To say that Castlevania fans have been complaining since Mercury Steam and Konami have released the original Lords of Shadow that the series needs to return to its roots, I don't see any closer to the series' roots that this revamp can go than this. The developers have stated in interviews that they were heavily influenced by Super Castlevania IV (SNES) when they started development on this game and it shows. The environments, the character designs, and even down to the very emotional tone and atmosphere of this game, shows nothing but the utmost respect for where this series has began. If anything Mercury Steam and Konami have shown this re-imagining of the Castlevania lore with careful love and affection.

If that's not enough for you, Game of Thrones' Richard Madden (Robb Stark) lends his talents to this game by providing the voices for both Trevor Belmont and Alucard, joining Robert Carlyle (Dracula) and Alec Newman (Simon Belmont). These three men have a powerful dynamic between them in the scenes they share together in this game. Robert Carlyle's Dracula continues to impress me more and more as players are treated with more of his personal downward spiral along the path of darkness. 

#2. The combat system is actually really precise.

Even though it felt cumbersome during Alucard's portion of the game, combat in a Castlevania title haven't felt this good in a LONG time. As a player for a lot of over-the-top action games, I was impressed how simple, yet in-depth the combat was, especially for a Castlevania game. The closest thing to in-depth combat was in Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (PS2) but everyone tends to have a mixed opinion on that game. 

Seriously though, if you were playing the Castlevania series expecting a Devil May Cry-style experience you really have been playing the wrong series then. It's not quite Devil May Cry-style gameplay, but there's enough depth in combat to keep things fresh. I merely brought up being bored with it by the end of the game after reaching the end of my own creativity while experimenting with it.

My only genuine gripe with the combat is the lack of variety of "worthy" foes to put those abilities to the test. 

#1. It’s closer to Symphony of the Night than they’d have you believe.

If you ask ANY Castlevania fan what was their favorite game out of the series, and ten times out of ten you're going to get Symphony of the Night without a shadow of a doubt... In terms of narrative this game isn't that much of a far cry for that. Simon Belmont is entertaining and gullible as Richter Belmont, Alucard is still a bad ass, and Dracula himself has that two sides of the coin that portray him as not entirely evil and twisted as the Brotherhood of Light makes him out to be.

To say that fans complained about Lords of Shadow lacking exploration and backtracking, there's more than enough of it to go around here. I absolutely LOVED the ability to stick notes on the in-game map and save them for your own personal reference when backtracking later in the game after acquiring new abilities. If only EVERY Metroidvania-style game had this feature, I would love replaying all of those.

Oh, how this current generation of gamers are spoiled by these new innovations...

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD is much like its predecessor, Lords of Shadow. It brings a lot to the table that the Castlevania series has needed in this modern generation of gaming, while at the same time, it isn't not flawless in its execution. Regardless, that should not deter you from giving this entry in the Lords of Shadow storyline a fair chance for yourself.

I'm giving Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD a 7.75 out of 10. It's short, sweet, and straight to the point of filling that void that bridges the gap of time between Lords of Shadow and Lords of Shadow 2 together. It manages to make old school 2D Castlevania exploration fun again, whether on a small portable screen on the go, or on the big screen in your living room. 

WrestleMania XXX - Results & Afterthoughts

WrestleMania XXX marked the beginning of the "Reality Era" on Sunday, April 6, 2014 at the Superdome, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Whether if you loved WrestleMania 30 or absolutely hated it, one thing is certain after this event - the WWE Universe will NEVER be the same again after this historic event.

Results & Afterthoughts

Pre-Show: The Usos def. Real Americans vs. Los Matadores vs. Rybaxel

I ended up having to watch this after the entire PPV was uploaded online since I was out grabbing takeout for dinner prior to the event started, so I didn't get to see this match live.

While I still say it's a damn shame that this match wasn't on the PPV itself, I'm glad these four teams were on the card period. I'm glad to see The Usos retain even though the other three teams have room to grow into a contendership opportunity if they wanted as well, except for the Real Americans...

An awesome look at the past eras of WWE to kick off WM30 last night. I felt they could have had Cena there too to represent every era to present day. 

Daniel Bryan def. Triple H

For those wondering, the identities of Triple H's hand maidens during his entrance were Sasha Banks, Charlotte, and Alexa Bliss - all members of the BFFs on NXT. This was EASILY my favorite entrance for the King of Kings at WrestleMania.

This match was absolute perfection - the pacing, the momentum, and most importantly the energy from the live crowd from start to finish. And to think CM Punk turned down this opportunity... He can sit at home and rot for all I care. He missed out the opportunity to shine for a lifetime. This match was just as important, no more important than the main event itself. Triple H went out there and went toe to toe with one of the arguably best pure wrestlers alive, Daniel Bryan, and neither Superstar didn't skip a beat for an instant.

Sadly, my favorite parts of this match came from Stephanie McMahon's taunting and shouting at ringside. Seriously, someone needs to have her either on commentary or at ringside for every match that involves the Authority.

The Shield def. Kane and The New Age Outlaws

This was a squash match - not joking in the least here, folks.

Kane and NAO got little to no offense in this match as The Shield pummeled them into oblivion and delivered a double triple avalanche powerbomb on Billy Gunn and Road Dogg to win.

I know the fangirls were too busy raving about the facemasks The Shield were wearing that they possibly got on sale from TNAShop.com that has all of that Aces & Eights merchandise that they have been wearing for the past year and a half prior to their "funeral", but I felt that The Shield deserved a longer WrestleMania appearance than this. I tip my hat to Kane and NAO willing to take the dive, but geez...

Antonio Cesaro wins the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Very well deserved for Antonio Cesaro. Mad props for Ring of Honor showing their appreciation to their former alumni today as well, praising the former Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan), Tyler Black (Seth Rollins), and Claudio Castagnoli (Antonio Cesaro) for their wins at WrestleMania last night. 

I felt really bad for Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler though. Both Superstars weren't able to make a mark on the grandest stage of them all. I'm surprised Kofi didn't break both of his ankles off that stunt though.

When the match came down to Cesaro and The Big Show, I figured The Big Show was going to put Cesaro over. He's stated on interviews in multiple occasions that his win/lose ratio doesn't mean anything to him as he's more interested in putting the new guys over at this stage of his career. Show already had some impressive eliminations prior to this, so I didn't have a problem with Cesaro landing a Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant-style victory over The Big Show.

John Cena def. Bray Wyatt

Much like Triple H's entrance, I LOVED the live musical performance for The Wyatt Family.

This was a great match from start to finish. This was easily the best part of the match, thanks to Bray Wyatt.

(Facepalms) I wish the Cena haters would STFU about Cena's win here "buried" Bray Wyatt. John Cena lost in three PPV matches prior to WrestleMania, including TLC during the unification of the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships, Royal Rumble in the rematch for the unified title, and Elimination Chamber where he failed to reclaim the title, thanks to the inference of the Wyatt Family. So exactly why are people whining and still saying that Cena wins all the time? Get your damn facts straight before you complain about the guy. I'm not the biggest fan of Cena either, but he has my respect. Bray Wyatt is already insanely over with or without the victory here, so I can live with Cena coming out on top. The thing that people aren't taking away from this match is the fine art of storytelling within it. Bray Wyatt taunting and pushing Cena's buttons to unleash the monster as if he was Bruce Banner being coerced into changing into the Incredible Hulk by villainous Leader.

Guys, stop your worrying. Without a shadow of a doubt, Bray Wyatt is a main event player.

Brock Lesnar def. The Undertaker 

Without a shadow of a doubt, this was easily the biggest shocker in the night.

As I'm writing this article, I'm STILL in denial. After the match, I talked with my best friend, who couldn't watch the event live since he's serving the military while stationed in Japan for the next three year, and he reminded me of how we used to joke about Brock Lesnar being the one who would end The Streak. It's just so damn surreal. It's rare moments like this why I love being a fan of professional wrestling that catch you completely off-guard.

About the match itself, I have to say it was pretty mediocre compared to his last five bouts. Like Jim Ross tweeted last night, classic mat wrestling is a lost art only to old school wrestling fans, but Triple H, Daniel Bryan, Brock Lesnar, and The Undertaker proved that statement false. Taker looked good physically, but his ringwork (along with that clumsy mofo Lesnar) looked VERY sloppy in this match. He never revolved his offense around multiple Snake Eyes in the past and the repeated rest holds were bothering me from the start.

Unlike everyone else, I'm NOT pissed off that The Undertaker lost to Brock Lesnar, i.e. a "part-timer". Why should I be? The Undertaker is a part-timer himself. When Shawn Michaels lost during both of his challenges to the Streak, I honestly thought that no one else would end The Streak, even though Triple H came VERY close and Taker hasn't been the same since that savage beating. That being said, Taker has been on borrowed time. CM Punk didn't provide a legitimate threat to The Streak last year and after how the build for this year's match was portrayed, I didn't think Lesnar had a shadow of a chance to walk away the winner, especially with all of the speculation and talk about Sting vs. The Undertaker was pretty much set in stone for WrestleMania 31. It was just so shocking that The Undertaker's legacy would end here.

If his match against Sting is still on for WrestleMania 31, I suppose it would make for a much more interesting contest given that The Streak isn't in the equation for making the match predictable.

If I'm perfectly honest, I was fine with Lesnar ending the Streak as Taker, who is one of the Superstars that WWE built from scratch in the Ruthless Aggression era, along with John Cena, Batista, and Randy Orton. I personally felt it HAD to be one of those guys to do it, if the Attitude Era alums weren't going to get the job done, just like how The Rock was deemed appropriate to put Hulk Hogan down at WrestleMania X8.

The expression on millions of faces within the WWE Universe last night.

I have been getting a kick out of everyone's reaction stories when Taker lost, so I will gladly share my own. I was live tweeting and chatting with several friends via instant messaging and over Facebook during the show when Lesnar hit that third F-5. I turn away from my desktop to check Twitter on my laptop, thinking "Taker's going to kick out from that one... there's still a few minutes left here..." Then I hear the count, "1... 2... 3!!" Immediately, my heart drops into the pit of my stomach, along with the laptop on my lap dropping to the floor (fortunately, onto the carpet...) - I'm in that much shock from what has transpired. I utter the words, "Oh... my... god..." as I notice both my News Feed on Facebook and Home on Twitter explode with comments simultaneously.

AJ Lee def. 14-Divas to retain the Divas Championship

I felt bad for the Divas having to go after The Streak being ended (I would've booked that squash of Kane & NAO to go after The Streak if I were doing the booking...), but I lost my sympathy when the reigning champion's offense was EXACTLY 2 moves the entire match to retain. I've had people give me bullshit excuses, such as "there's 13 other Divas" or that was all she could fit in a match like this, but I GUARANTEE that if it were anyone but AJ holding that title, people would bitch about it for not putting in offense in this match. Tamina got more offense in this match than AJ and she's didn't show a hint of the possibility that she wanted to win the Divas title for herself. (Throws hands up in the air)The Bella Twins and even Eva fucking Marie showed more drive to attempt to do something in this match. Give me a damn break.

I would apologize to the several individuals I went off on social media and instant messaging after this match, but no, I'm done sugarcoating this complete denial that AJ's fans have that she does no wrong in the ring and is completely flawless. Everyone else can walk on eggshells when talking about her in reference to women's wrestling but I'm straight up done with that. Praise and worship her blindly all you want, but AJ Lee continues to bore me as the so-called "savior" of the Divas division.

Sadly, the Divas tried to put on a good effort but that crowd was still in shock after Taker's loss. I enjoyed the Tower of Doom and musical finishers spots. Seeing the Bellas do a double suicide dive out into the masses at ringside was a treat too. I really wish Diva fans would give them some props, they have come a long way in terms of in-ring ability over the past year. I'm not saying this match was great per say, but at least it wasn't a complete clusterfuck like that mess at Survivor Series was last year.

Daniel Bryan def. Randy Orton vs. Batista for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

I still say Daniel Bryan should have been through after this spot...

(Laughs) I guess one of the medics gave Bryan a sensu bean to give him the edge to win last night.

The Main Event was great - nothing else can put that statement into words. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon played their roles in this match briefly, allowing Batista and Randy Orton to take over in the driver's seat until Daniel Bryan took us all home. I'm still under the impression that Bryan's win was "damage control" after The Streak ending. I had several friends who were at the show and mentioned that security was being increased after the tension got ugly after Taker lost. If Bryan loses the title tonight on RAW, especially against Triple H,  then that's just going to be even more proof of that situation.

It's a celebration at #WrestleMania https://t.co/eKyZa4C0iL
— WWE (@WWE) April 7, 2014

Missed the show and want to check it out? Look no farther than here. 

REVIEW -- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

It's two years after the events of The Avengers (2012), Chris Evans returns as Captain America again in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, joined by Scarlett Johansson, reprising her role as Black Widow, and Samuel L. Jackson, returning as Nick Fury.

It's WrestleMania 30 weekend, and I SHOULD be covering that on Let's Talk Wrestling, but I promised too many of you guys here that I would have this write-up on the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as soon as humanly possible after I saw the film earlier today. I have to admit, I almost caved and 'acquired' an early copy from the international release, but I'm glad I waited patiently as I don't mind giving Marvel Studios my hard-earned cash for the hard work they put into making these marvelous superhero-themed films.

Cast:

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America: A World War II veteran who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum, frozen in suspended animation, and is now struggling to adjust to the modern world. Describing his character's adjustment to the modern world, Evans said, "It's not so much about his shock with [technology]... It's more about the societal differences. He's gone from the '40s to today; he comes from a world where people were a little more trusting, the threats not as deep. Now, it's harder to tell who's right and wrong. Actions you take to protect people from threats could compromise liberties and privacy. That's tough for Steve to swallow." Evans received training in parkour, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, karate, boxing, and gymnastics, as the Russo brothers believed that bringing Steve Rogers into the modern day also meant that he had studied and mastered modern fighting styles and techniques. The filmmakers also looked to make Captain America's shield a more offensive weapon, which has traditionally been used for defense.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow: A highly trained spy working for S.H.I.E.L.D., who partners with Rogers. Screenwriter Christopher Markus said that Black Widow was a "great contrast" to Captain America, describing her as "incredibly modern, not very reverent, and just very straightforward whereas Steve is, you know a man from the 40s. He's not a boy scout, but he is reserved and has a moral center, whereas her moral center moves." The Russos added, "She's a character who lies for a living. That's what she does. He's a character who tells the truth. Give them a problem and they'll have different ways of approaching it. She's pushing him to modernize, and he's pushing her to add a certain level of integrity to her life." When asked about Natasha's relationship with Steve, Johansson said, "By a series of unfortunate encounters, they will be in a situation in which their friendship becomes more intimate. They share many similarities because they live on the defensive without relying on anyone. Also, the two have been working for the government throughout their professional careers. With their friendship they begin to question what they want and what is their true identity."

Sebastian Stan as James "Bucky" Barnes / Winter Soldier: Steve Rogers' best friend, who has reemerged as an enhanced brainwashed assassin after being thought killed in action during World War II. About the character, Feige said, "Winter Soldier has been methodically, almost robotically, following orders for 70 years." Stan, who has a nine-picture deal with Marvel Studios including his appearance in The First Avenger, endured five months of physical training to prepare for the role and did historical research stating, "I dove into the whole Cold War thing. I looked at the KGB. I looked at all kinds of spy movies, and all kinds of documentaries about that time, and what it was about. I grabbed anything from that time period. Anything about brainwashing." Regarding Bucky's transition into the Winter Soldier, Stan said, "You know, the truth of the situation is although he looks very different and there's different things about him, it still comes from the same person. I think you'll get to see that no matter what. I think part of my goal here was to make sure that you see an extension of that version but just a different color of that same version in a way. I think he's still the same guy; he's cut from the same cloth."

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon: An ex-paratrooper trained by the military in aerial combat using a specially designed wing pack. About the role, Mackie said "[Wilson is] a really smart guy who went through major military training and becomes a tactical leader." Remarking, "He's the first African-American superhero. It makes me feel all the work I've done has been paying off. I have a son, nephews and nieces, and I love the idea that they can dress up as the Falcon on Halloween. They now have someone they can idolize. That's a huge honor for me." Marvel, who cast Mackie because of his "energy and sense of fun," did not let him read a script before signing on. Mackie spent five months doing two-a-day workouts and eating an 11,000 calorie per day diet to get into shape for the role. Commenting on Rogers' relationship with Wilson, Evans said, "Meeting Mackie's character, he used to serve, now he works at the VA counseling guys who come home with PTSD — they connect on that level. I think they're both wounded warriors who don't bleed on other people. Cap has no one to bleed on. I think Mackie knows how to handle people like that. … Sometimes when things are bad, trusting a stranger is the way to go."

Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill: A high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who works closely with Nick Fury.

Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow: An operative in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s counter-terrorism S.T.R.I.K.E. team. About the character, Grillo said, "He is a bad ass guy. [He] pretty much beats the shit out of everyone in the movie and that's really it."

Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter / Agent 13: A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent assigned to guard Rogers without his knowledge. About the character, VanCamp said, "I play Agent 13 / Sharon Carter which everyone knows but we don't really touch on that in this film. We're just sort of introducing her. When we first see her we realize she's living next to Captain America... they sort of have a little thing going on and as we all know in the comic books they had a love affair off and on for years. They had a very complicated relationship. It's almost as if they are planting the seeds now. Sort of leaving room to go wherever they want to go with it." Regarding her casting, Joe Russo said, "We wanted someone that Cap would have an immediate interest in. It had to be a strong-willed person, and we felt that Emily's work on Revenge was a great test tube for what this character could be. She's obviously very credible with physicality, she holds the screen really well, and she even looks like the character from the books."

Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter: A retired officer with the Strategic Scientific Reserve and former love interest of Captain America.

Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce: A senior leader within S.H.I.E.L.D., a member of the World Security Council and an old comrade of Nick Fury. Redford was cast in part as a homage to his roles in 1970s thrillers such as Three Days of the Condor. As to what attracted him to the film, Redford said, "I wanted to experience this new form of filmmaking that's taken over where you have kind of cartoon characters brought to life through high technology."

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury: The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Regarding Fury's questionable code of ethics, Jackson said, "Almost everything that comes out of Nick Fury's mouth is a lie in some sense. He has to ask, is he even lying to himself, too? He has a very good idea of what's going on but his paranoia keeps him from believing some of it." Jackson added, "You see Nick Fury the office guy, him going about the day-to-day work of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the politics as opposed to that other stuff. It's great to have him dealing with Captain America in terms of being able to speak to him soldier to soldier and try to explain to him how the world has changed in another way while he was frozen in time. Some of the people who used to be our enemies are now our allies – him trying to figure out, 'Well, how do we trust those guys?' or 'How do we trust the guys that you didn't trust who don't trust you?' And explaining to him that the black and white of good guys/bad guys has now turned into this gray area." McFeely said, "Fury represents an obstacle for Steve in some ways. They don't always agree on how S.H.I.E.L.D. ought to be used."

Additionally, Toby Jones, Maximiliano Hernández, and Garry Shandling reprise their roles from previous MCU films as Arnim Zola, Jasper Sitwell, and Senator Stern, respectively. Georges St-Pierre plays Georges Batroc, a mercenary and a master of the French form of kickboxing known as savate. Callan Mulvey was cast as Jack Rollins, a member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s S.T.R.I.K.E. unit. Chin Han, Jenny Agutter (who previously appeared in The Avengers), Alan Dale, and Bernard White appear as members of the World Security Council, Danny Pudi has a small role as a S.H.I.E.L.D. technician and Gary Sinise voices the narrator of a Captain America-themed Smithsonian Institution exhibit. Stan Lee cameos as a security guard there, and Winter Soldier creator Ed Brubaker makes a cameo as a scientist working on the Winter Soldier. Co-director Joe Russo cameos as a doctor, and Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely cameo as two S.H.I.E.L.D. interrogators. Thomas Kretschmann, Elizabeth Olsen, andAaron Taylor-Johnson appear, uncredited, as Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, the Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver, respectively, in the mid-credits scene.

The Plot: (FULL Spoilers)

I'm sure you guys were like me and didn't see everything
listed on Rogers' notepad...

Two years after the events of The Avengers, Steve Rogers lives in Washington, D.C., continues to work for the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., and struggles to adapt to contemporary society. After meeting and befriending war veteran and PTSD counselor Sam Wilson on a morning jog, Rogers is called to help save a S.H.I.E.L.D. vessel from Algerian pirates led by Georges Batroc. Aboard, he discovers fellow agent Natasha Romanoff extracting data from the ship's computers, something Rogers was not briefed on. At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Nick Fury introduces Rogers to Project Insight, three Helicarriers linked to spy satellites and designed to preemptively eliminate threats.

Fury is unable to access the data Romanoff recovered. On his way to rendezvous with Maria Hill, he is ambushed by assailants disguised as police officers, led by a mysterious assassin called the Winter Soldier. Fury escapes and sneaks into Rogers' apartment, but after handing Rogers a USB flash drive he is gunned down by the Winter Soldier. Rogers gives chase, and his neighbor reveals herself as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Agent 13. Fury appears to die in surgery, and Hill recovers the body.

The next day, Rogers is summoned by senior S.H.I.E.L.D. official Alexander Pierce. When Rogers withholds Fury's information, Pierce brands him a fugitive. Hunted by the agency, Rogers meets with Romanoff. Using data in the flash drive they discover an old S.H.I.E.L.D. underground base in New Jersey. There, they activate a supercomputer containing the preserved consciousness of Arnim Zola, who reveals that since S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded after World War II, HYDRA secretly operated within its ranks, sowing chaos across the world in the hope that humanity would willingly surrender its freedom in exchange for safety. Rogers and Romanoff narrowly escape death when a S.H.I.E.L.D. missile destroys the bunker.

They enlist the help of Wilson, and acquire his old "Falcon" winged-flight exoskeleton. After deducing that senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jasper Sitwell is with HYDRA, they interrogate him until he reveals Zola developed a data-mining algorithm that can identify individuals who might become future opponents to HYDRA's plans. The new Helicarriers will sweep the country, eliminating these individuals with their satellite-guided guns.

En route to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, they are ambushed by the Winter Soldier. In the fight, Winter Soldier loses his mask and Rogers recognizes him as Bucky, his old World War II comrade. They are captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. but are rescued by a disguised Hill. She leads them to a hideout where they discover Fury is alive and planning a mission to prevent Pierce from launching Operation: Insight by replacing a chip within each Helicarrier to override their satellite control.

After members of the World Security Council arrive for the Helicarriers' launch, Pierce holds them hostage and reveals HYDRA's true motives. Rogers and Wilson storm two Helicarriers and replace the controllers, but the Winter Soldier destroys Wilson's suit and confronts Rogers at the third. They fight, with Rogers trying to revive Bucky's memories. Meanwhile, Fury and Romanoff confront Pierce and force him to unlock access to S.H.I.E.L.D's database so Romanoff can expose HYDRA's motives to the public by leaking classified information. After a brief conflict, Fury shoots Pierce dead. Aboard the third Helicarrier, a wounded Rogers replaces the final controller, allowing Hill to override the satellite operation and have all three vessels destroy one another. The Helicarrier carrying Rogers and the Winter Soldier crashes into the side of the Triskelion, where Wilson battles compromised agent Rumlow, who had earlier tried to capture Rogers.

Rogers falls off the vessel into the river. Slowly remembering his past, the Winter Soldier pulls Rogers from the water before disappearing. With S.H.I.E.L.D. in disarray, Fury destroys the last traces of his identity before heading to Europe in pursuit of HYDRA's remaining cells under the cover of his apparent death. Romanoff appears before a Senate subcommittee and later gives Rogers a dossier on the Winter Soldier program.

A mid-credits scene takes place in a HYDRA lab, where Baron von Strucker is keeping Loki's scepter and two prisoners: one with superhuman speed, the other with telekinetic powers. In a post-credits scene, the Winter Soldier visits the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution to learn of his past.

The Verdict: 

Ummm... Just WOW. Where to begin on this film?

Let's go ahead and get this out of the way. If 2012's The Avengers was a hand grenade that vibrated the core of these superhero-themed films, then Captain America: The Winter Soldier is literally an atomic bomb. Marvel Studios has taken everything that they have learned from the Phase One films - what they did right and did wrong - and definitely raised the bar to a new level for the standard for superhero-themed films in this genre for here on out.

First of all, let's just go ahead and address the elephant in the room and talk about the character who this film is named after, Sebastian Stan's The Winter Soldier. I applaud Marvel for introducing this universe's first legitimately terrifying villain. Tom Hiddleston's Loki is a drama queen and master of manipulation, not a fighter. To his credit, he's a superb actor and plays the part perfectly, but at the end of the day, Loki doesn't strike terror and imposes such a dominating presence like The Winter Soldier does in this film. Sebastian Stan's portrayal is reminiscent of T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, where this predator awaits around every corner waiting to pounce on our protagonist(s). I applaud Marvel for NOT fucking this storyline up in the least, nor trying to cram/condense all of it into a single film. Much like Loki, The Winter Soldier gets mad props for not being another disposable Marvel Cinematic Universe villain.

I still want to slap them for killing Vanko and Obadiah Stane in the Iron Man films. Vanko could've been brought back as Whiplash and/or Crimson Dynamo whenever Whedon decides to do the Masters of Evil in this continuity. To be fair, Brock Rumlow should be back in a future MCU film as Crossbones since he was being wheeled out of the debris from the crashed Helicarrier.

My personal favorite scenes with The Winter Soldier came in two favors: 1) after Rogers' chase with Fury's mystery assailant on the rooftop, The Winter Soldier catches Cap's shield like it was nothing (this sequence is shown in just about all of the trailers for this film) 2) after Cap and Barnes' exchange after the highway chase, Barnes' quickly disarms Cap of his trusty shield and poses with it in a trolling nature. What's more ironic about this moment is that Chris Evans is signed with Marvel Studios for six films, while Sebastian Stan is contracted to nine. This fact of information shouldn't come to a surprise to most comic book savvy fans, as "Bucky" takes over the role of Captain America in the more recent comics. Plus, Chris Evans has stated that he will more likely walk away from the role as Rogers/Captain America after either Captain America 3 or Avengers 2.

While we are discussing characters, I praise Anthony Mackie and the writers for this film for not making Falcon/Sam Wilson into the colossal loser he was in the comics and how lame he is portrayed in the current Avengers Assemble cartoon. In the comics, The Falcon was added to the Avengers by order of the US government, thanks to a bullshit affirmative action clause (the team must maintain a particular racial quota) in their support for the team. Around the same time in comics, the X-Men were forced to add other minorities to their ranks too (This is why Wolverine, Thunderbird, Nightcrawler, Banshee, and Storm were added to the original team), but it wasn't written as stupidly as The Falcon's addition to the team was. As a result, the Avengers didn't want him there and even the fans of the comics didn't want him there either, so Falcon quit the Avengers at the first chance he got. He hasn't been seen in comics again until the early 2000s when Marvel was drastically revamping their Universe. Yeah, I know that story sucks for Marvel Comics' first African-American superhero. Fortunately, Anthony Mackie gave the character a lot of substance and as an African-American, I'm glad to see these films give black children someone to identify with. I'm glad that I don't have to wait until the inevitable Black Panther live-action film before seeing a cool African-American superhero in these films. Before someone says it in the comments, War Machine doesn't count as he's not a staple member of the Avengers (yet).

Those of you who follow me on Facebook should know that I'm not the biggest fan of Captain America in the least (outside of him taking the position he deserves as leader of the Avengers in combat), but I'm proud to say that I found some middle ground in relating to the character. Chris Evans depicts Rogers as a lost relic, without a sense of purpose and meaning in his life. Sad to say, but I can identify with Rogers easier in this film, especially when I see my old friends and colleagues with spouses and children of their own while I'm fundamentally the same relic I was in days long and gone. As a result, I felt that this film painted a better picture on Steve Rogers' character as a whole rather than the Cliff Notes we given on the skinny soldier who took government-issued steroids to get superpowers in the original Captain America film. The writers actually made me care about who he is this time. I normally don't buy into the complete "boyscout" superheroes, but I tip my hat for Marvel for making me a fan here.

To say that this is Scarlett Johansson's third appearance as Black Widow and we're just now learning a bit about her is a bit sad. Going into this film, the trailers and critics were hyping it up like we were going to get her complete backstory in this film. I was vastly disappointed that we didn't get a lot to chew on in her history, but at least we got to learn more about her as a person this time around. In Iron Man 2, we knew her in one of her lies as she kept her cover while monitoring Stark. In Avengers, audiences were introduced to her as a hero. In The Winter Soldier, Cap comes to terms that this is a woman who's in a profession of lying. After this film, I'm under the impression that we can't trust her at all at this stage of the game.

If I had any complaints during this movie, it would be two minor gripes. Why introduce Agent 13/Sharon Carter and not do anything with her? She's commonly known as the romantic interest of Steve Rogers/Captain America in the comics, who replaces Peggy Carter in the modern age. My only guess is that Marvel didn't want to rush the romantic aspect like how Warner Bros. did with Lois Lane and Superman in last year's Man of Steel. At the same time, I felt that Widow and Cap got a bit too intimate in their 'friendship' for my taste, but I guess we can laugh it off that Widow gave Cap the 'let's just be friends' pity kiss by the end of the film. My second gripe was with Alexander Pierce. Alexander Pierce was such a weak antagonist in this film, but there was a point during the film's climax where I was half-expecting him to tear off his skin and reveal that he was the Red Skull all along, but nope. Robert Redford did a fine job in his portrayal of the character, but it didn't help that Pierce couldn't hold a candle to The Winter Soldier's presence in terms of villainy for this film.

I cannot praise this film enough on how they found that perfect balance between the espionage-conspiracy narrative and action-thriller, without any of deadpan moments that dragged the movie along, such as the first half of The Avengers or 80% of the original Captain America film. That balance is how you keep your audience engaged in the story that you (as a director) is trying to deliver to your audience. From every action sequence in this film - the car chases, the fight sequences, and even the aerial dogfights - I applaud Marvel for taking their cinematic prowess to a level even beyond 2012's Avengers.

I'm giving Captain America: The Winter Soldier a 9.5 out of 10 - it's easily a comic book fans' wet dream, but for anyone else who isn't in the know on Marvel Comics nor the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, it may seem a bit overwhelming from all that's going on. I know two things are certain after people see The Winter Soldier this weekend - 1) the Marvel Cinematic Universe is NEVER going to be the same again 2) more people are going to start watching Marvel's Agents of SHIELD to find out what happens next.

From this point forward in this review, consider these thoughts and personal ramblings as PURE speculation. These are my own personal predictions, so don't the following as fact:

Let's discuss how this film has changed the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it from here on out. There's no more SHIELD, thanks to HYDRA corrupting the organization from within. HYDRA has possession of Loki's scepter along with two "special" prisoners, while The Winter Soldier is on the loose while on the hunt to assemble the pieces of his shattered past with Captain America and The Falcon following closely behind.

What do I think of all of this?

In the comics, SHIELD was disbanded after the Secret Invasion storyline after Nick Fury realized HYDRA was manipulating them within along with the disguised Skrull invaders from space. On one hand, I'm a little surprised that this event occurred so fast in this continuity of the Marvel Universe, while on the other, I'm not. Avengers 2 is titled "Avengers: The Age of Ultron" after the popular comic book storyline from last year, so I can't be too surprised that Marvel Studios want to incorporate more modern concepts into the films. There was one instance from Avengers that everyone seems to brush underneath the rug is Cap's discovery of HYDRA weapons on the SHIELD Helicarrier. Fury never gave anyone a concise answer about that before Loki turns everything upside-down for the last half of the film, so that's one reason why I wasn't as shocked as the rest of the audience when it was revealed that HYDRA was controlling SHIELD from behind the scenes.

The biggest question to come out of SHIELD's disbandment is what will happen to Marvel's Agents of SHIELD? I have one crazy theory that the show will change it's title for the next season, dubbing the series as "Agents of S.W.O.R.D." S.W.O.R.D. is a counterpart of the better known S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, dealing with extraterrestrial threats. Josh Whedon has created this organization personally and I think he would jump at the chance to introduce that organization into this continuity. This film already introduced S.T.R.I.K.E., a counter-terrorism unit based out of the United Kingdom as their equivalent of SHIELD in the comics continuity, so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to see more of the spin-off SHIELD-like organizations begin to pop up in future films as the Advanced Idea Mechanic (AIM) was established in Iron Man 3. This was another subtle jab at FOX with the X-Men film license as Whedon could easily include Betsy Braddock / Psylocke in a future Marvel film as she was a member of S.T.R.I.K.E.

Back on topic concerning S.W.O.R.D. though, I can easily see Marvel's Agents of SHIELD go into a stellar environment after the startling revelation of Coulsen's revival credited to the mysterious alien creature known as "GH" as Coulsen's team seeks out more answers on that alien's origin. Besides, I wouldn't mind seeing Abigail Brand being introduced into this continuity. S.W.O.R.D. would make for the perfect excuse to cast Carol Danvers / Ms. Marvel (currently Captain Marvel) for future films too. More importantly, the existence of S.W.O.R.D. would validate the reasoning of introducing the Guardians of the Galaxy later this summer.

Alternatively, Marvel's Agents of SHIELD can continue with Coulsen's team becoming it's own independent entity as they seek out all of the HYDRA agents who have been dwelling within their ranks. I hold my opinion that Victoria Hand is merely working with HYDRA for the benefit of mankind, not because she's an evil person. She has always been portrayed as an individual who prefers the "by any means necessary" to bring about the best for the future of mankind.

I have to admit, I had a nerdgasm at how they snaked in Arnim Zola and Baron von Strucker as the new "heads" of HYDRA in this continuity. While I REALLY wanted to see Baron Zemo, but I guess than can wait until Phase 3 or 4... That being said, I didn't see Alexander Pierce as their leader at all. He seemed like a figurehead for a much bigger player in this entire film. While we're on the subject of Strucker, I will predict now that he will use Loki's scepter to bring the Red Skull back from where he was sent after grasping the Tesseract in the original Captain America film. For those of you don't know who Strucker is, he is the head of HYDRA in the Red Skull's absence while both Arnim Zola and Baron Zemo were either considered dead or captured after World War II.

I will also predict that it will be revealed that Black Widow was the one who gave Strucker Loki's scepter after the events of The Avengers. Romanoff's expertise is deception and that would make her the perfect agent to go undercover for Nick Fury under the enemy lines of HYDRA now that SHIELD is off the grid. Loki's scepter would be the perfect gift to barter her way into HYDRA. Besides, Whedon seems to like taking events from the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes cartoon and twisting them to his own means in the Cinematic Universe, so Widow's betrayal would make a good angle to play across a few films. It would add depth to Hawkeye's character as well, as he would see 'saving' Widow as repayment for her reversing Loki's mind control over him in Avengers.

It should be known without saying that Von Strucker's prisoners are Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch - commonly known as the twin children of the popular X-Men villain, Magneto. Whedon had already confirmed prior before this film's release that both Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch would appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron. I honestly have no precise idea what HYDRA would want with them outside of Scarlet Witch's probability-altering powers, but if I were to guess, Hawkeye might run into them trailing Widow for her questionable behavior after the events of this film - that is if my prediction about her defecting to HYDRA is correct. I wouldn't hold my breath on the possibly of more "mutants" - namely the X-Men - joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe at this stage, but I see Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch's introduction being this continuity's first introduction with the fact that mutants are real, just like the startling realization that costumed-heroes were real after the attack on New York.

If you regularly watch Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, there's a common belief that telepaths (especially while dealing with The Clairvoyant) and other mutant powers of that sort aren't real. I like to believe that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch will suspend that belief as HYDRA has found the means to fabricate the X-gene (the gene in DNA that makes a human being have mutant powers from birth) with tampering with Loki's scepter. Don't forget that Loki's scepter was given to him by Thanos, so that could be considered to be one of six of the sought-after Infinity Stones/Gems that The Collector refers to in the mid-credits scene at the end of Thor: The Dark World.

I'm going to skip the whole ordeal with Bucky, Cap, and Falcon as that's easily going to be picked up in Captain America 3 or mentioned briefly in Avengers: The Age of Ultron, so I'm going speculate on a final matter. What is going to happen to Nick Fury?

My guess is that he's going to establish the Secret Avengers or even better the Secret Warriors, but I have read other crazy predictions about Thunderbolts (a team consisting mainly of "reformed" super-villains) and I say hell no to that idea for the time being. The Secret Avengers or Secret Warriors could make for a good one-shot film in Phase 3 after the Ultron situation.

Even if those two options don't pan out, Nick Fury is always out there watching what goes on in the Marvel Universe and seemingly in the know - one way or another. Don't fret guys and gals, Nick Fury's not going anywhere.