@enderzfox​ oh I have nothing but thoughts about the stony angst in the s3 finale. it’s been, what, more than half a year since it aired now? Yet every time I rewatch it, the ending still destroys me. And I think the reason for that is because of how solidly AA establishes Steve and Tony’s physical intimacy as a marker for conflict resolution, causing the startling lack thereof in the finale to hit as hard as it does.

let me explain: in almost every universe, the way Steve and Tony’s relationship is portrayed via physical touch is like a Big Deal™. Think about the famous shoulder clasp + hug from Avengers Prime. Or MCU!Steve resting his hand over Tony’s heart after he narrowly avoids dying in space. Or the romantic rooftop moment from EMH. These moments are all given a similar gravity/importance, which establishes a pervasive “Steve + Tony + touch = important!!” paradigm, for a lack of a better term. 

The same can be said for AA. In fact, Steve and Tony touching is like AA’s thing. So much of their relationship is portrayed through physicality, which makes sense, because physical touch is one of the most concrete expressions of trust and intimacy. Tony even alludes to it himself in “Dark Avengers”: 

Note, of course, that the initial conflict in this episode was the lack of trust between the Avengers due to the Squadron Supreme’s alternate reality. It’s only after Tony manages to break the illusion and regain his true memories that he actually follows through on his promise, catching Steve in midair and reestablishing their “relationship” through physical touch. AKA, setting the world back to its rights. 

So anyway, back to my original point: in AA, Steve and Tony touch a lot. Sometimes, it has no plot significance at all, only serving to reinforce Steve and Tony’s close relationship as co-leaders, teammates, and best friends:

Other times, when Steve and Tony share some kind of “physical” moment, it’s meant to wrap up a major plot conflict or plot arc. These moments all share a similar “framing,” so to speak, where Steve and Tony’s point of contact is given a few extra seconds of spotlight.

For example, in “Savages,” where Tony realizes that there’s more to fighting than just relying on technology:

Or in “Exodus,” where Steve the Avengers welcome Tony back as their leader after he quits out of fear of putting them in danger:

Or “The Ultron Outbreak,” the last episode of the S2 Civil War that ends the longest conflict we’ve seen Steve and Tony face with a classic shoulder clasp and private smile: 

And what does this all accomplish, you may ask? It makes Steve and Tony’s relationship matter to us. It establishes Steve and Tony’s physical relationship as “right,” as something that’s as irrevocable as the universe itself. 

And that’s why, when the S3 finale hits us with that final scene, where Steve and Tony are trying in vain to reach each other across an interdimensional chasm, unable, perhaps for the first time, to comfort one another through touch—

3. tHANK  YOU 

okokok ill only name a few fandoms

mianite - jordan bec im an awkward lil shit and i always go my own way

hamilton - the ham man bec i can never stfu

deh - jared bec im kind of an asshole and very a bit kinky uwu

heathers - a bit of everyone tbh

30. fave quote

I DONT HAVE ONE SO ILL NAME EM ALL SORRY ADFHGHKJLK;K

habooskie! -markiplier

aHHHHHHHH -jse

bRAAH BRAAH -hercules mulligan

so darude - basically all of the mianite crew

i hale -me from the s3 team