Avengers Endgame: Fans divided over with the way Marvel introduced its first LGBT+ character

Warning: Avengers: Endgame spoilers ahead.

By now, every man and his dog on the planet has seen Avengers: Endgame, revelling in it's excitement, emotion and overall 'epic-ness'.

While you were wrapped up in the Avengers heroic attempts to thwart Thanos and save the world, you may or may not have missed something that is being considered to be highly significant.

It was the introduction to the first openly gay character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it was literally a blink and you'll miss it moment.

During a therapy session held by Captain America, aka Steve Rogers, for survivors of Thanos's snap, which wiped out half of all life, a character played by one of the directors, Joe Russo, tells Rogers the anguish of losing his partner and going on his first date with a man since losing his loved one.

The scene lasts all of 30 seconds of a three hour movie and it's not like the character even had a name or appeared on-screen again, but according to Joe Russo it was an important representation of diversity in the movie. Speaking to Deadlinehe said:

Representation is really important. It was important to us as we did four of these films, we wanted a gay character somewhere in them.

We felt it was important that one of us play him, to ensure the integrity and show it is so important to the filmmakers that one of us is representing that.

It is a perfect time, because one of the things that is compelling about the Marvel Universe moving forward is its focus on diversity.

However, is this a good representation of diversity and for a gay character, in a movie which features hundreds of actors and is almost forgotten by the time that particular scene is over?

The backlash to this reveal has been widely condemned on social media as a completely tone-deaf moment in an otherwise enjoyable and moving film.

However, others felt that even though the scene was ultimately forgettable it was at least some representation.

Victoria Alonso, a Marvel producer, has expressed her desire to see an LGBT+ superhero introduced into the MCU. She told Varietyin March.

I’m so passionate about this, I’ve got to tell you. Our entire success is based on people that are incredibly different.

Why wouldn’t we? Why would we only want to be recognised by only one type of person?

Our audience is global, is diverse, is inclusive. If we don’t do it that way for them, we will fail.

HT PopBuzz