Are the Avenger and Pokémon franchises related to each other? ( Photo Credit – YouTube )
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While the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand with every passing year, Kevin Feige’s studio has also called in reinforcements — The Avengers. With Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Doomsday set to resume the event film series within the franchise, Marvel aims to reiterate its golden era by officially bringing Robert Downey Jr. back.
Despite being the most successful movie franchise, The Avengers pales compared to the most successful media franchise—no filters needed—Pokémon. As it happens, both Pokémon and Avengers share quite a few similarities. The sophomore theatrical releases for Pokémon The Movie 2000 and Avengers: Age of Ultron celebrate significant milestones this summer, marking their respective 25th and 10th anniversaries.
Looking further back, Pokémon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back poses even more intriguing connections. These uncanny parallels spotlight how closely Age of Ultron adapts the themes and story beats of the Pokémon movie in live-action.
Age of Ultron and Mewtwo Strikes Back share similar inciting incidents as human ambitions become obsessed with advancement, unleashing inexorable forces. In the former, Tony Stark’s operations inadvertently unleashed Ultron. In contrast, in the latter, Giovanni and Team Rocket’s operation to misuse Mew’s fossils prompts the rise of Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon designed to be a weapon.
Due to Giovanni instrumentalizing Mew’s DNA and Stark reprogramming J.A.R.V.I.S., the wariness renders the unearthly beings wrathful and vindictive. Ultron and Mewtwo turn rebellious with the impetus of their objectification and betrayal. Mewtwo declares that it owes nothing to its creators, while Ultron vows to exterminate humankind for its hypocrisy and flaws.
The two grow tenacious, leading legions to execute their cataclysmic schemes. Ultron creates an army of androids by hacking the Avengers’ systems, while Mewtwo mass clones all Pokémon species. In both cases, the villains seek to avenge themselves by attacking the people who created them.
The climactic battles witness the confrontation between the titular characters and their parents. Ultron faces Vision, another Stark and Bruce Banner creation, while Mewtwo confronts Mew, its genetic predecessor. Both adversaries, in their desperation, aim to eliminate their originators and reshape the world according to their vision. Ultimately, it’s that very human intervention that halts their destructive plans. Ash sacrifices himself to save his friends, while the Avengers unite to stop Ultron’s robotic purge.
The similarities extend beyond the plot into visuals, such as Wanda and Mewtwo’s telekinetic powers moving objects effortlessly — until a change of heart steers them toward the good side, saving the day. The emotional nuances do not take a backseat either, with Ash and Pietro (Quicksilver) sacrificing their lives to leave Pikachu and Wanda devastated. Their deaths and the Hulk’s departure into the unknown touch upon atonement as both Avengers: Age of Ultron and Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back end on a bittersweet note.
