[Marvel] VID: Repetition

[thuviaptarth]

Summary: Engineering is a process of iterative development.
Fandom: Marvel/Iron Man
Music: TV on the Radio
Length: 3:19

Content notes: Flashing images

Additional credits
Diagram of the arc reactor mark 1 by MarkFinn
Diagram of the arc reactor mark 2 by Beresclet

"[MARVEL/IRON MAN] Repetition" (Watch on YouTube)

Download: mp4 1920x800 (130MB) | mp4 960x400 (42MB) | mp4 480x200 (17MB) | Subtitles

Elsewhere: AO3 | DW | LJ | Tumblr | YouTube


Lyrics
To arrive ahead of its time
Is the fate of the fish washed up on shore
And you know that it just won't feel right
Till he's swallowed up by the tide
Thought he might know better this time

Born into Capitol lifestyle heights
Got a head full of fever and it feels all right
'Cause I shake my bottle and I suck my swill
And I love how I'm living 'cause I copped my fill

But I can't stop thinking how it's all gone wrong
And the cracks will be obvious before too long
I've abused my position and it cost my friends
And if the world keeps turning, I could do it again

What's the matter with your next-door neighbor?
An act of man, a freak of nature
You can kick it with a complete stranger
I think I hear him calling

It's the talk of the heads, it's a walk in the park
If it don't, then I hope you can see in the dark
Cover your heart
Hail Mary, watch your life unfold
I'm a man on a mission or so I been told
I can choose my victims, I could shed my skin
And if the world keeps turning, I could do it again

But I can't stop thinking that it's all gone wrong
And the truth will be obvious before too long
I've abused my position and it cost my friends
If the world keeps turning, Imma do it again

What's the matter with your next-door neighbor?
An act of god, a freak of nature
You can kick it with a complete stranger
I think the curtain's falling down


We lock eyes and walk away unrecognized
We lock arms and spin
Commence our repetition

My repetition, my repetition is this! [repeat]


Acknowledgements
Thank you for beta: rivkat, some_stars, and springgreen.

Thank you for cheerleading when I was discouraged: katie_m, minnaway, laurashapiro, oliviacirce, vonniek, were_duck, and anyone else I have forgotten forcing to watch an incomplete draft at Vividcon.

Notes
Alternate summary suggested by rivkat: I have not failed, not once. I’ve discovered ten thousand ways that don’t work. --Thomas Edison [kinda sorta but not entirely apocryphal]

Some influences:

• amonitrate's story, iterative development
  
  
• raanve's post on Iron Man 3:
  
  

  How much do I love that little moment [of Tony finding a screwdriver]? Like how basic is that? And it sends such a message of, "It's okay. I'm okay. I can rebuild everything I need so long as I have the people I love and a box of scraps basic tools." And.. okay maybe I also have some feelings about like, "basic tools" being more than just actual screwdrivers but also decent coping mechanisms & the ability to talk to people about stuff & maybe anxiety medication possibly?

  
  

Comments

[such_heights]

Ahhhhh I love this a lot. Really visually striking and lots and lots of Tony feelings. and Pepper. And Rhodey. <3

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you for this and the rec! There's less of Pepper and especially Rhodey than I'd originally intended, so I'm very glad their importance to Tony's development came through.

[ratcreature]

Very cool character study. I enjoyed it.

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you!

[endeni]

The subtitle link doesn't seem to be working?

[thuviaptarth]

Sorry about that! Thanks for letting me know. I can't fix the post until this evening, but the correct url is

Http://www.thuviaptarth.net/vids/thuviaptarth_mcu_repetition.srt

[endeni]

Awesome! And I just watched the vid, so awesome! And now I'm off to rewatch it with subtitles for maximum enjoyment! ;)

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[loligo]

So awesome, and so very Tony.

[thuviaptarth]

:D Thank you!

[laurashapiro]

Yay,you posted! Am on the road right now but excited to watch today!

[lynnenne]

I love this. I think my favourite moment is when both Pepper and Dummy move in to protect Tony. Love saves him over and over.

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you! I'm very fond of Dummy gesturing with his claw.

[oracne]

It is all your fault that I have to buy that song now.

[thuviaptarth]

Not sorry!

(My favorite song from that album is actually "Caffeinated Consciousness".)

[oracne]

*makes a note*

[lycomingst]

Hypnotic, made me want to watch all the movies again. 8 ]

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you!

[kate_nepveu]

Innnnnteresting. I don't remember the first two movies well enough to really get all of this, but I appreciate the resonances and parallels that I do get. Also Pepper and Rhodey.

[thuviaptarth]

I'm really glad the importance of Pepper and Rhodey came through! I wanted to emphasize the way the narrative does offer an alternative to the Rugged Individualist "I did it all by myself with a box of scraps" Tony that shows up in a lot of fanon. I would never say that the Rugged Individualist/Great Man narrative isn't in the source, but there is a countering narrative in how the movies explicitly stress the importance of connections and united effort. People rightfully make a big deal of Pepper killing Killian in IM3, but she actually pulls the lever/presses the button that takes out Obadiah in IM1. In Iron Man 2, Rhodey explicitly calls Tony on his "lone gunslinger crap" and the climax of the movie has the two of them working together to take out Whiplash, with a maneuver they discovered while fighting each other earlier in the movie. (That said, I wouldn't recommend you re-watch the first two movies. It is really astonishing how much less of a jerk Tony is in The Avengers and IM3.)

[minnaway]

Oh, I like how this came together very, very much, especially the build at the end, very satisfying (Pepper!!!!) Lots of parallels here to chew on.

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you! Your comments about the distinctions between the things that Tony broke and the things that other people broke made me put back all the glass breaking in the bridge, after I'd taken most of it out. So that was very helpful. :)

[laurashapiro]

This came out SO GREAT. Really crisp editing, wonderful use of continued motion, and the consistent metaphoric strength really drives it home. Love those kisses at the end. (:

[thuviaptarth]

:D Thank you! (I made a vid with a HAPPY ENDING. It is untrodden ground for me.)

[laurashapiro]

It's a good look for you, though!

[laurashapiro]

Just recced this. (:

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you! :)

[estepheia]

Brilliant. I'm glad I found this (via Selenak's LJ)
Thank you for sharing.

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you!

[oliviacirce]

I am so excited to see the final version!

[thuviaptarth]

:D Thank you for the encouragement!

[scintilla10]

Oh gosh this is excellent!

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you!

[goodbyebird]

Really well done ♥

[thuviaptarth]

Thanks!

[giandujakiss]

Oh, this is just beautifully constructed.

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you!

[raanve]

This is so great!!

[thuviaptarth]

:D Thank you!

[sasha_feather]

I love this. Great job.

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you!

[starlady]

This was great, and it really repays multiple viewings; there's a lot to think about packed into a little space.

[thuviaptarth]

Thank you!

[paintedmaypole]

Oh man, I can't believe I missed this vid when you first posted it. This is fantastic!