It’s World Mental Health Day!… QOTD: Which Marvel Film or Series would you feel has the best interpretation(/s) of PTSD, anxiety or other mental health issues…?
It’s been used as a theme *a lot* since (and prior to) Endgame. I’m curious which movies stand out as having the most realistic portrayal of mental health struggles. Listing mine below, in no particular order.
**Iron Man 3-** Honestly maybe the best that I’ve seen PTSD triggering anxiety / panic attacks in the MCU. Plus I feel like it helps break out of the stigma that because you’re doing well on the outside, you can’t be struggling internally.
**Thunderbolts-** While this one feels a bit more watered down, it still is a decent portrayal for having trauma/PTSD and a personality disorder (which is what feels like ‘The Void’ is meant to portray imo). The line when Bob says to just ignore the screaming and flashes Yelena a nervous smile, definitely felt that one.
**Endgame-** Who *isn’t* struggling with some form of PTSD or depression in this one? Other than Thanos in zen mode after having traumatized a universe 😂. I’m not sure that I need to explain on this entry.
**Ironheart-** Riri was traumatized enough as a child that she brought her friend back to life as AI and >! made a deal with the devil to bring her back for real !< She’s still making choices based off of her grief and past trauma, letting them ‘control her’ so to say. I look forward to seeing how that storyline plays out…
**WandaVision-** Definitely a “last but not least” sort of inclusion. Wanda’s grief is the only reason the hex exists. In a stage of denial and anger created children and ‘brought her husband back’ from scratch. Then had to go through acceptance of having to lose them (and this time be the sole reason why) again.
Honorable mentions: Moonknight and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (I only didn’t include BP:WF because it’s more focused on loss and grief specifically than it is on mental health struggles)
ANYWAY! Which movies do *you* feel has the best portrayals of mental health struggles? I’ve seen every MCU project, but I’m sure there are some slipping my mind.
[And a casual World Mental Health Day reminder that you’re never alone in your struggles… Always seek help if you need it🙏🏼].
**Iron Man 3-** Honestly maybe the best that I’ve seen PTSD triggering anxiety / panic attacks in the MCU. Plus I feel like it helps break out of the stigma that because you’re doing well on the outside, you can’t be struggling internally.
**Thunderbolts-** While this one feels a bit more watered down, it still is a decent portrayal for having trauma/PTSD and a personality disorder (which is what feels like ‘The Void’ is meant to portray imo). The line when Bob says to just ignore the screaming and flashes Yelena a nervous smile, definitely felt that one.
**Endgame-** Who *isn’t* struggling with some form of PTSD or depression in this one? Other than Thanos in zen mode after having traumatized a universe 😂. I’m not sure that I need to explain on this entry.
**Ironheart-** Riri was traumatized enough as a child that she brought her friend back to life as AI and >! made a deal with the devil to bring her back for real !< She’s still making choices based off of her grief and past trauma, letting them ‘control her’ so to say. I look forward to seeing how that storyline plays out…
**WandaVision-** Definitely a “last but not least” sort of inclusion. Wanda’s grief is the only reason the hex exists. In a stage of denial and anger created children and ‘brought her husband back’ from scratch. Then had to go through acceptance of having to lose them (and this time be the sole reason why) again.
Honorable mentions: Moonknight and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (I only didn’t include BP:WF because it’s more focused on loss and grief specifically than it is on mental health struggles)
ANYWAY! Which movies do *you* feel has the best portrayals of mental health struggles? I’ve seen every MCU project, but I’m sure there are some slipping my mind.
[And a casual World Mental Health Day reminder that you’re never alone in your struggles… Always seek help if you need it🙏🏼].
Commentaires
what are you talking about? the plot of the movie is literally about depression and mental health
Like wandavision showing previous memories of her and vision and their story progressing I thought showed more details of the sadness.
Bob has the best development but others mainly had quick scenes of them saying they're sad and then moving on.
We see it being talked about and we see it on screen. But that doesn't mean it's talked about in depth. It's surface-level imo as they don't go too much in detail about it. It's a lot of them just saying they're sad but we don't see enough to back it up.
We just get one memory for a couple of them for why they're sad.
I think it is better as it showed more details.
I think people who experienced issues in the past were able to relate and project their experiences onto the characters. That's still a good way to write a film but I wouldn't call it a better representation as it relies more on audience adding their in ideas.
It just sounds like you want more of the Thunderbolts for it to be better than Wanda/Vision.
And yes, work resonates with people when they are able to relate to the work.
Yelena was just saying that she's sad and we see a flashback and that's it.
And yes more thunderbolts would have helped with thst. We've already established that more time helps tv shows. Fewer main cast and more time spent on each person in the film would have been better
Yeah its so real that I struggle with watching it. I watched it twice in theaters but rn im a bit hesitant to rewatch it
I feel like we often see the trope of “abuse victim expresses pain by hurting/bullying others” but it’s very easy to turn that pain inward and hurt yourself instead. Being abused didn’t make Bob outwardly angry, aggressive, or distrustful, it made him self-depreciating, meek, and eager to please, which is just as real of a response.
This movie really helped me process some of my own childhood experiences and I am so grateful for it and Lewis’ portrayal of the character <3
Arguably, Daredevil S3 should also have been included.
My fav show of all time and I think it displays it best.
Marvel, youre sleeping on Dan Stevens. If he doesn't come back for Legion in the rebooted XMen I'm gonna farty on your sandwich, Kevin.
To be fair though, I only watched through that one once as it aired and I’m definitely due for a rewatch.
Moon Knight, Wandavision, and Iron Man 3 shouldn't be overlooked tho.
* Peter copes with being abducted and raised by Yondu and the Ravagers with excessive joking around and never seeming to take anything seriously
* Rocket copes with him being abducted and experimented on by the High Evolutionary by keeping people at a distance and pretending that nothing and no one can hurt him. I love the scene in GOTG2 where Yondu calls him out on it.
* Nebula copes with the emotional and physical abuse (and mutilation) she experienced after being abudcted by Thanos and being constantly compared to Gamora by striving to be cold and unfeeling in the pursuit of perfection in her "father's" eyes, despite knowing just how unrealistic and unattainable it actually is. In the process, she's such a raw, exposed nerve of a person and is so prone to angry outburts as a result because she can't stand the experience of feeling vulnerable or being criticized in any way.
* Gamora copes with the pain of being the "Golden Child" by trying to appear as composed and reserved as possible.
I fricking love that film. It was the first thing I ever saw that depicted PTSD
Little did I realise less than a year later I'd have it myself!
I love IM3 especially because of how it portrays Tony's struggle after New York. His panic attacks, sleep disturbances, and deflecting his emotions into his suits are all excellent.
MCU has AMAZING portrayals or mental health challenges, and the writing, acting, and directing are kinda still criminally slept on / dumped on. RDJ said it about his Iron Man - that it was actually the best and most nuanced work of his career, but people don’t see it that way because, superhero - but I think Hemsworth, Renner, ScarJo, Chris Evans, Elizabeth Olson, Oscar Isaacs, Katherine Hahn, etc etc all deserve MASSIVELY MORE credit then they already get for how amazingly all their characters handle their complex relationships to their pasts, their trauma, their families, and their mental health. Just kudos all around.
By and large he has to face and defeat his demons on his own, and he does. As a man who always inadvertently projects an air of "I'm fine" because that's how I was raised, I feel that
I agree with that take. I wanted to include a solo Thor project because of that but couldn’t think of one that really fit the mold. I figured his trauma fits into Endgame, though.
"Thunderbolts is the first Marvel movie to talk about mental health and depression!"
No the fuck it is not...
We don’t see anyone seem to realize how much ptsd he must have until Winter Soldier and meeting Sam.
I especially relate to Tandy's drug abuse problems, but seeing how it changed once her powers got involved is also an interesting narrative thread to follow.
But on a *completely* separate note, I’m glad that it helped you. I definitely teared up on my original watch — But I cried for a solid 30 minutes during The Wild Robot last year so 😂. It’s good to hear that it actually did help someone 🙂🙏🏼.
Completely agreed.
I think Thunderbolts does it because it's the "purest" depiction of it - the entire plot and superpower is about crushing depression and the support one can or can't receive from it, and how it affects those around you.
I'd say WandaVision comes next - it's nearly the same thing, and purely about PTSD and trauma response, manifested magically.
Ironman is the OG of representing PTSD in the MCU, and I love how they made addiction his escape. Or his escape an addiction. And also love how that continues to manifest into a palpable threat, with Ultron.
That's the order I'd put them in, but honestly they're really 3 for 3 on great depictions of trauma or mental illness/struggles. I wish more conversations used them as an explicit lens to discuss those themes.
I see myself in bob
WandaVision
Jessica Jones
Thunderbolts
Honorary mention: Moon Knight
Example of why mental health management matters: Wanda Vision
Anxiety often manifests as physical pain or discomfort. I've had many situations where I thought something bad had happened like appendicitis or stomach flu, only to realize I was just anxious
My favourite is definitely Jessica Jones though. Hard to argue with how perfect the first season was with every topic it handled.