that is good

Mandalorians are made up of different clans/tribes that have been at war with each other for thousands of years. Mandalore (the planet) is a wasteland because of all the centuries of fighting. People there literally live in a dome. They don’t get along with each other, and each clan has their own ideas about what the “true” Mandalore should be like. The customs and traditions of different clans clash with each other frequently, leading to skirmishes and full-out wars.

In the Clone Wars and Rebels, the primary Mandalorian clan we see is clan Vizsla (and clan Wren, which is just a faction of clan Vizsla anyway.) Other Mandalorian clans are shown hardly at all, and none of the main Mandalorian characters come from any other clan. Those of clan Vizsla take off their helmets frequently. However, this does not mean Mando’s clan is the same. I get the sense that Mando’s clan is pretty extreme (lmao that’s saying something considering we know a lot about clan Vizsla) they seem kind of cult-ish and old-fashioned, sticking to ancient traditions. It could also be a custom they adopted post-war, or Mando could simply be lying as a defense mechanism, since it’s pretty clear he doesn’t know how to get close to people.

The point is, we simply don’t know why right now. But to claim it is a plot hole while not looking into the history of Mandalore in canon is stupid. There could be many reasons why he said that, and all will be revealed in time. I’m just sick of people screaming “plot hole!!!” all the time, when this is a TV show and we don’t have all the answers yet.

Maybe it’s the heightened stakes, but whatever it is.. Me and Bucky make a good team. Working together, watching each other’s back…

1) Endgame was filmed first, so it’s not like they are ignoring her determined style in Captain Marvel–because Captain Marvel didn’t exist yet. 

2) Carol didn’t appear to be wearing “heavy makeup” (aka noticeable makeup) in the Captain Marvel post-credits scene (where she’s still in uniform). This is important because this scene is from Endgame–shot by the Russos with their production crew (and makeup department). 

See? Nude lipstick. Minimal eye-shadow and eyeliner. Her hair is even frazzled. Same exact crew who worked on the apparently uber-feminine male-gazey Compound scene from the trailer. Huh. It’s almost like Carol can change looks within the same film. 

3) The argument “This isn’t about Carol’s ‘choice’ because Carol has no choice!” like… the same exact thing could be said about her look in Captain Marvel. I do understand criticisms of how the male gaze influences the depiction of female characters (from their wardrobe like completely ridiculous heels, boob windows, unnecessary ass shots, etc.), but ultimately a fictional character is the product of many hands–and this could be said for any film (male or female-directed). 

4) Carol was wearing makeup the whole time in Captain Marvel. If people believe she wasn’t… I have a brand new speed boat I can sell them. Her makeup in the film was just “nude” or “natural”, but it was still a heavy amount–especially around the eyes. 

That’s heavy eyeliner, my friends. (And her hair is definitely styled there with a curling iron.)

5) In the controversial “makeup” scene from the trailer, Carol is dressed down indoors. She’s not in the middle of a fight or anything. She even appears to be wearing one of Natasha’s tops. Given Carol doesn’t live on Earth, it’s very possible that she borrowed what Nat had lying around–including Nat’s makeup.

6) It’s been 20+ years since Captain Marvel. It’s always possible Carol changed her style up. 

7) Speaking of which, most of Carol’s look in Captain Marvel was a product of circumstance. She stole clothes off a mannequin to “fit in” with the Earth culture (she didn’t have her memories yet). She also never had time to clean up, relax, or anything of the sort.  

8) Do you really think Brie wouldn’t have said something if she was uncomfortable with Carol’s look? 

9) Makeup is usually not determined by the directors. There’s a whole department for that–and even stylists are consulted. Most of these jobs are held by women. 

- When the show starts, Daisy is “any Joe Schmoe” off the street. Literally, Coulson pulls her off the street and brings her in because she’s a genuis-level hacker who hacked into SHIELD. (I think, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen the pilot.)  - Her backstory of being an orphan aged out of foster care means that she goes by a name she just made up: Skye.  - Her hacker skills turn her from a suspect to an asset and boom - suddenly, the Marvel world has an average, idealized, any-name, any-person woman who quickly becomes the star hacker of the SHIELD team and the protagonist the show kind of revolves around.  - Coulson gets very attached to her immediately, and everyone else likes her.  - She’s awkward and clumsy, she wants to become a real SHIELD agent but she has all of the stealth and subtlety of an elephant walking a tight rope (but everyone likes her anyway and is willing to take multiple chances on her because they want her to be on the team).  - None of these qualities particularly endear her to the audience, in my opinion. I spent most of the first season feeling like Skye was pretty irritating, to be honest - which, in retrospect, was maybe the point?  - Toward the end of the season, after Skye has been developed more, we get this gem: 

(Oh. I see what you did there, AoS writers.) 

- After SHIELD falls, it affects Daisy in a huge way and she fully commits herself to the new SHIELD that her team has forged from the ashes.  - She comes back in season 2 stronger, with better training, more stealthy and “spy-like” and, though the show makes it clear that she’s still learning, she’s overall more competent and less “quirky new member along for the ride.” - Then she gets her powers, and she finds her parents, and the emotional journey that both things send her on develop her character even more. She goes through hell and back and comes out the other side better. She stops going by Skye and adopts the name Daisy Johnson because it’s what her parents named her. She’s found an identity not just with SHIELD but within herself.  - By the end of season 5, Daisy Johnson is a completely fleshed out, developed character with depth and complexity, all the best things you want from a character. She’s not perfect, she still fucks up, but she’s real and accessible. She’s nearly unrecognizable from the “Mary Sue” from season 1, and yet the core of who she is - her humor, her charm, her strengths, her weaknesses - are still the same. Her integrity has remained intact.  - And this is the best example I can think of regarding how talented writers can take a trope that people look down on, completely subvert the trope, and come out the other side with an amazing character. 

This, in a nutshell. I have actually seen Steve Rogers be compared to a Gary Stu - not called a Gary Stu in a way that is critical, of course, but rather pointed out that if we applied the same qualifications that define a Mary Sue to Steve Rogers, that he’d hit most of them. 

Honestly, what I think the difference boils down to is that it’s somehow okay for men to imagine themselves as Steve Rogers or Tony Stark or insert-your-male-superhero-Gary-Stu-fantasy here because men are already in positions of power and the wish fulfillment of the “Gary Stu” doesn’t challenge any social construct.

If women, on the other hand, start inserting themselves into positions of power (superheroes) or positions of being respected and loved on equal footing (romance novel protagonists) or so on, then that challenges the social construct of women being considered lesser. 

I imagine it’s similar to the mindset that used to be prevalent in society where women reading books was considered “unladylike” at best and “dangerous” at worst - because, when women read books, then they might start getting silly ideas about thinking for themselves. Society undermines the Mary Sue trope because, otherwise, we’re letting women think it’s okay to self-insert themselves into positions where they have autonomy over themselves and validity in themselves and their experiences. Daisy Johnson was a placeholder self-insert who went and became a powerful hero who never stands down. That’s inspiring to the women who see themselves in her - it makes us believe that we can become confident in ourselves and in our identities, too. 

And now there’s Carol Danvers, joining the club. I don’t think Carol Danvers actually even counts as a Mary Sue, tbh, but for argument’s sake, let’s say that she is one and now women are seeing this idealized version of who they want to be stand up and say “fuck you” to all the men who kept trying to put her in her place her entire life. She stands up and says, I am in my place and it’s right here, in your face, kicking you to the fucking curb. 

Captain America: So you turned them off and kicked his ass anyway?

Captain Marvel: No lol what the fuck I’m not a dumbass, I just shot him. Who the fuck would listen to a villain trying to do his best to win a fight?