Why not revisit another memorable library fight scene?!
Last month, we revisited the library (adjacent) fight scene in Thor: The Dark World (2011), which was set in and around the Old Royal Naval College Library in London. So why not revisit another memorable library fight scene, this time in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum (2019), set in the iconic New York Public Library.
I was inspired by an article in The Ringer, an exhaustive look at “Every John Wick Kill, Ranked.” And this article really does what it says: it ranks every single killing across the first four John Wick films (a fifth movie is rumored but has no release date yet), totaling 415 notches on John Wick’s belt. Exhausting indeed. This is why the internet exists, y’all, so we can enjoy these deep-dives into pop culture! OF COURSE, for me, the most memorable kill in the entire John Wick series thus far is the library fight scene in the third film (uh, spoiler?), but of course, I am biased! I was intrigued to see how highly this fight scene ranked for a non-librarian.
And out of 415 total kills in 4 movies (thus far)… the library fight scene ranked at an impressive #12! I was secretly hoping for a top 10 finish, but it’s not far off!
I did laugh at the brief write-up for this scene, and the observation that it was befitting to have a library-centric scene in a film with the word “Chapter” in its title, LOL! 😀
“After absorbing one of the world’s longest front kicks ever, Wick gets a read on the situation and kills overeager henchman Ernest (Boban Marjanovic!) by snapping his neck over a book. It’s amazing, and almost necessary because the word “Chapter” is in the film’s title.”
I recently rewatched The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018), a charming-but-ultimately forgettable spy comedy, via our Hulu streaming service. Honestly, just about the only thing I had remembered about the movie — other than Kate McKinnon’s sparkling wit — was that there was a scene in a beautiful library. Let’s go exploring!
The movie’s title is a play on the James Bond 1977 flick The Spy Who Loved Me. After Audrey (Mila Kunis) finds out that her ex-boyfriend (Justin Theroux, the title character who dumped her) is a CIA agent, she and her best friend Morgan (Kate McKinnon) are chased by assassins through Europe. Sam Heughan, a Scotsman playing an Englishman, rides along as Sebastian Henshaw, another CIA agent who is also tracking down the MacGuffin, which was hidden amongst the ex-boyfriend’s possessions left at Audrey’s apartment.
At 15:48 minutes into the movie, we join Audrey sharing with Morgan the info that her ex-boyfriend is a spy.
Audrey: They said he’s a spy… I know it sounds batshit crazy, but just think about it, okay? There were so many unanswered questions about that guy.
Morgan: Right, like if he went to Vassar [College] then why does he pronounce it “li-berry”?
Why does he pronounce it “li-berry”?
I bet this line lands with every librarian! Yes, I admit, it’s a personal pet peeve of mine when people pronounce “library” as “li-berry.” But to use it as the FIRST EXAMPLE that comes to mind to explain your suspicions of someone who has boasted about an Ivy League education?! LOL forever! 😀
Library scene + set-up
Fast forward the plot, and the MacGuffin is a little trophy that contains a big secret that everyone is after. It turns out that secret is a flash drive, which the ladies discover after dropping the statue. Audrey and Morgan are then kidnapped and tortured in Prague by a hitwoman (Ivanna Sakhno as Nadedja), and then rescued by the CIA and transported to Paris in order to be questioned about the flash drive. Throughout these interrogation scenes, Audrey insists that she flushed the drive down the toilet.
At about 1 hour into the madcap plot across Europe, Sebastian is ordered to drive the ladies to the airport so they can go back home. That’s when another secret comes out (and from an unusual place)!
Audrey: Out of curiosity, if we still had the drive, what would’ve happened?
Sebastian: Hypothetically? … I’d figure out how to de-encrypt it and then see what Highland’s plans are and stop them.
Audrey: How do you de-encrypt something like that?
Sebastian: Why do you want to know all this?
Audrey: Because the drive is in my vagina.
Sebastian and Kate [simultaneously]: What?!
This movie does travel into some unexpected places!
Mila then fishes out the flash drive and gives it to Sebastian. She asks Sebastian to trust them, that they can help out with this new mission to de-encrypt the drive and stop the bad guys.
Sebastian brakes hard, swings the car around, and zooms down the road. Next stop? If you guessed library, then here’s a gold star for you! ⭐
At 1 hour and 10 minutes, we arrive at a magnificent library building, complete with columns and dome ceiling. The inside reading room is just as magnificent, with tall windows and arches.
Library exteriorLibrary interiorThe exterior and interior of the library building
The three of them crowd around Sebastian’s laptop, but they hit a hurdle. Sebastian says the drive has “State Department encryption” and that they need “access to an expert in U.S. intelligence computer security.”
Morgan then says “One minute,” and sticks out out a finger… not to shush!, but rather to make them wait.
This is not the shushing finger of a reel librarian!
Morgan then saunters confidently down the aisle of the reading room, and we get another breathtaking view of the full reading room, complete with rows of tables and those classic library lamps. Behold the bibliophilic glory:
A walk down the library lane
Morgan then pauses at a back table and attempts to speak French at two young people.
Morgan [speaking in French]: Where is the library?
Young woman [also speaking in French]: You’re already at the library.
“Where is the library?” is a good phrase to know, wherever you go!
The end result of this scene is that Morgan borrows the young woman’s phone. She then heads off into a back room by a stairwell, and this looks like some kind of store room for the library, as it is filled with what look to be stacks of books and periodicals. Surely this is not the main collection, shoved in the back of a stairwell! There is also a call number sign on the wall that reveals call numbers starting with the letter “J.” [Note: If they are using the Library of Congress call number system, then the “J” class of call numbers is used for the field of political science.]
Morgan calls Eric Snowden; there is a running joke throughout the movie that they knew each other while growing up, and that he was obsessed with her. Snowden, of course, is the “expert in U.S. intelligence computer security” that they need. (The real-life Eric Snowden is, of course, notorious for having leaked classified U.S. documents and then flying to Russia for asylum in 2013 after he was charged with violating the U.S. Espionage Act. Snowden became a naturalized Russian citizen in 2022, a few years after this movie was released.)
Can you spot the call number sign?Background of library storage room shelvesLibrary storage room scene
Cut back to the library, and Snowden’s assistance pays off — they successfully access the drive! Sebastian then gets to explain the MacGuffin:
This drive is a back door to the entire internet… everyone’s secrets. We need to get out of here, now!
Uh-oh, the library is no longer a safe place for them!
He then slams down the laptop screen, and the library scene ends at 1:13:30. The entire scene lasts a total of 3 and a half minutes.
Purpose of library scene
So why does this scene take place at a library? Let’s consider a few possibilities:
It’s not because they need a computer, which is a common purpose behind many library scenes in movies. We know this isn’t the reason because Sebastian is using a laptop, and we see him using that same laptop later in the movie.
They don’t need any specific materials or documents that this library has access to or in its collection.
Do they want to access the drive in a quiet place? That doesn’t make sense, however, because they talk throughout the scene, and Kate’s voice volume and zany antics also attract a lot of attention.
Is it so they can access the library’s wifi? That seems to make the most sense to me in this context, because public libraries are a safe bet for free wifi. But it still feels a bit weak because earlier in the film, Audrey and Morgan access free wifi in a cafe in Prague.
But Audrey and Morgan get caught by the baddies after that cafe scene, so maybe they go to a public library to access the drive in a place they feel safe in?
Maybe another reason is to spotlight this library as another beautiful European location in this international spy movie? If this is the main reason, mission accomplished!
But even that final reason is a little suspect, as we will soon explore.
Library location
At the time Sebastian, Audrey, and Morgan are heading toward the airport, but then turn around to go to a library with the drive, they are in Paris.
However, this library — which is a real library! — is NOT located in Paris. The actual library filming location happens to be the BME Central Library of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) in Hungary. The library, built in 1909, was designed in the Neo-Gothic style by the famous Hungarian architect Samu Pecz.
A quick note that I’m not 100% certain that the exterior is the BME Central Library exterior: the IMDb.com Filming & Production page for this movie only credits Budapest for interiors, plus I couldn’t find a photo of the BME Central Library’s exterior. If you know this building exterior, seen below, please leave a comment! And I figured why not enjoy this library’s architectural beauty again?
Library interiorLibrary interiorThe exterior and interior of the library building
That library scene is definitely supposed to be set in Paris — evidenced by the location title card and because everyone is speaking, or attempting to speak, French — so it seems the likeliest to me that they used the BME Central Library because it was a cheaper film location. I also looked online, and my best guess is that the BME Central Library is being used to stand in for either the Sainte-Geneviève Library or the National Library of France, two libraries that are located in Paris and feature amazing arches and windows in their reading rooms.
Bottom line? Whatever the reason for this library scene, it is an amusing rest stop before the final action scenes and resolution of all that drive drama. The purpose of this scene being set in a library doesn’t feel vital to the plot — they could have accessed the drive on Sebastian’s laptop anywhere there was free wifi — but the information they learned while in the library was necessary to keep the plot moving along. And because I could spot no discernible reel librarian character in the library scene, The Spy Who Dumped Me dumps out into the Class V category, with other films that include library scenes but no reel librarian characters.
Have you seen this spy comedy? If so, did you remember this brief library scene or the beautiful library location? Please leave a comment and share!
“He’s going to the library because they have internet access!”
Let’s continue revisiting library and archives-related scenes in the MCU, this time with the first outing of Thor (2011), directed by Kenneth Branagh, which you could argue is an action film wrapped around a love story. Chris Hemsworth stars in the title role, with his blonder-than-blond eyebrows threatening to upstage his biceps. 🤨 💪 The movie co-stars Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig, and of course, Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Thor is part of MCU’s Phase One.
For reasons of plot and character development, Thor is cast out of Asgard, and he lands in Midgard (Earth), more specifically, New Mexico. Astrophysicist Jane and her mentor, Erik, discover him in the middle of the desert, and S.H.I.E.L.D. sets up a barrier around the discovery of Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. Meanwhile, Thor discovers his humanity as he falls in love with Jane. He battles the Destroyer, a deadly automaton sent by Loki, as well as his brother, in a bid to reclaim his honor and his hammer Mjolnir.
Here’s a trailer to refresh your memory of how distractingly blond Thor’s eyebrows are in this movie:
The movie begins on Asgard, and we get a tour of the big set-pieces and props that will be important to the plot later in this movie, and in subsequent movies. This cinematic tour includes a stop at the vault of treasures. My husband wondered if the vault of treasures seen at 9:56 into the movie could be considered an archives, but it’s referred to clearly in the movie as “the weapons vault” with “these relics.” Loki also refers to this vault later, at 41 minutes: “So I am another stolen relic, locked up here until you have use of me.”
Asgard’s vault of treasures and weapons
Public library scene
At 49 minutes into Thor, Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård) visits the public library because he needs to email a contact, after his laptop was confiscated by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. (I had vaguely remembered there being a library scene in this movie, but couldn’t remember why. But when Erik finds out his laptop had been taken, I shouted out loud, “He’s going to the library because they have internet access!” I clapped my hands in delight when this proved true. 😀 ) There’s even a “Free Internet” sign in the window of the library, along with READ posters (classic library decoration), computers, and bookshelves in an alcove. No obvious reel librarians, but we do see two other library patrons browsing the shelves.
Erik uses the free internet at the local public library
Erik then walks across the small library to pick up a book, The Giant Slayer by Iain Lawrence, on a rolling cart. He then picks up the book Myths and Legends from Around the World by Sandy Shepherd, and looks up entries for the Bifrost and for Thor (Thursday). Signs for “audio books” and “young adults” can be seen on the walls behind Erik.
Both of those titles are real books, by the way!
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger size and window.
Erik browses the local public libraryErik looks up entriy for the BifrostLibrary signs for “audio books” and “young adults” behind Erik
A closer look at the book titles
The other titles on this cart that I could decipher, to the best of my ability, include:
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger size and window.
Erik browses the book sale cart
Such a clever collection of book titles that reflect elements of this movie’s plot and characters — and they’re all real books. Props to the propmaster!
I noticed that there were no call numbers on the books on the cart, but there were call numbers on the books on the bookshelves lining the wall behind the cart. I immediately theorized that the books on the cart were book donations for sale, which is a common thing for libraries to do– and indeed, there is a “Book Sale” sign near the cart!
Again, this movie qualifies for the Class V category, because it has library scenes with no identifiable librarians.
Library book debate
At the 1 hour mark, we return to the book that Erik got from the public library, and that book then inspires a debate about science fact vs. fiction. Darcy (the ever-hilarious Kat Dennings) is flipping through the book on the table, and she points to the page for Mjolnir (which she pronounces as Myeu-muh, like a cat’s meow, and to this day, I cannot help but also say Mjolnir like that).
Closeup of Mjolnir entry
Jane: Where’d you find this?
Erik: The children’s section. [Turns to the page for Loki.] I wanted to show you how silly his story was.
Jane: But you’re the one who’s always pushing me to chase down every possibility, every alternative!
Erik: I’m talking about science, not magic!
Jane: Well, magic’s just science we can’t explain yet. Arthur C. Clarke.
Erik: Who wrote science fiction.
Jane: A precursor to science fact!
#TeamJane
And OF COURSE you know I looked up that Arthur C. Clarke quote, right? Right. 🙂 Clark’s original quote — known as “Clarke’s third law” — is:
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
This was published in a 1968 letter to Science magazine and was added to the 1973 revision of the “Hazards of Prophecy” essay. But Clarke had written a similar sentiment earlier in 1952, and this Wikipedia entry traces earlier variations of this concept that pre-date Clarke. The bottom line? Science as magic, and vice versa, is not a new idea.
Thor. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perf. Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Kat Dennings, Idris Elba. Paramount / Marvel Studios, 2011.
A spy, an archer, and a watcher walk into an archives…
The first season of the What If…? TV series from Marvel/Disney has it all! This animated series — a first for the MCU! — premiered in August 2021 and featured 9 episodes, 6 of which (!!) feature different combinations of and references to books, research, libraries, archives, and/or reel librarian characters. And was “zombie librarian” on your Bingo card?! 😉 Like I said, this series has it all!
NOTE: If you’re wondering, “Didn’t we already do this?” then you are not wrong! Last summer, I started compiling a marathon of round-ups of all the library and archives scenes featured in each of MCU Phases thus far. And because the TV series and specials introduced in Phase Four were considerably larger and longer than previous phases, I had put together a separate, exhaustive post just for the Phase Four TV series and specials. It is useful to have a comprehensive post — like for research purposes — but because the finalized round-up post is sooooooooo long, it felt like a good idea to also feature each TV series in its own dedicated post. And sure, it would have made more sense to start with the individual post and THEN do the work of compiling them all together… but I am no stranger to doing things backwards! 😉
*POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERTS*
What If…? (Season 1, Aug.-Oct. 2021)
This series explores what would happen if pivotal moments from the MCU happened differently. This series is set after the multiverse concept was established in Loki‘s first season. Jeffrey Wright narrates the series as the Watcher.
Episode 2, “What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?”
In this episode and alternate reality, T’Challa is Star-Lord, and he leads the Ravagers to Knowhere in order to challenge the Collector, who oversees a vast collection (a personal archive or library?) of valuable and dangerous objects. At 15:23 minutes into this episode, T’Challa asks Howard the Duck where the “Embers of Genesis” are located, and we learn about a mini-library of Elvish literature! (LOTR and MCU fans unite! 😉 )
T’Challa / Star-Lord: Do you know where I can find them?
Howard the Duck: Cosmic flora, down the hall, take a Louie at the first giants, a hard Ralph at the Kronans, you’re gonna see a sign for Elvish literature. Ignore that, total snooze.
I’m not counting this as an official library or archives, but I thought it was a funny aside!
Tell me again about the Elvish literature
Episode 3, “What If… the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?”
In this episode, Natasha Romanoff (voiced by Lake Bell) is trying to figure out who or what is killing off the (potential) members of the Avengers.
At 18:29 minutes into the episode, Romanoff has broken into a public library in Manassas, Virginia, after the library has closed. (Note: There are several public library branches in Manassas, but the design of this animated library seems to most closely resemble the Manassas Park City Library branch.) All the lights are off as Natasha uses a library computer to try and log into the Avengers online system.
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger window.
Public library exteriorPublic library interiorExterior and interior of the public library in Manassas
Agent Coulson [voice over the cell phone]: Why do you need my password?
Natasha: I need to get into the Avengers Initiative files, but I’m locked out of the system… and wanted for murder.
Natasha hears a noise and looks over her shoulder down an aisle of bookcases. An invisible foe attacks her, and they fight in the stacks. Natasha manages to call Nick Fury and calls out a clue, “It’s all about hope!”
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger window.
Natasha draws her gun in the libraryIt’s all about hope!Natasha fights an invisible foe in the public library
This scene in the public library ends at 20:18 minutes, so the scene lasts less than two minutes.
Episode 4, “What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?”
In this episode, Dr. Strange tries to prevent Christine’s death, which takes him on a journey to the Lost Library of Cagliostro.
At 4:17 minutes into the episode, we see a version of a scene in Doctor Strange (2016), in which reel librarian Wong (voiced by Benedict Wong) warns Strange (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) about the Eye of Agamotto, which was discovered by Cagliostro, and its power to manipulate time. In this version, we see the Ancient One (rather than Mordo) in the Kamar-Taj library!
An animated look at the Kamar-Taj Library!
At 5:20 minutes, we revisit Wong and Strange back in the New York sanctuary, as Strange mourns the second anniversary of Christine’s death. Again, Wong serves as a voice of reason, warning Strange not to “do something reckless.”
Almost 6 minutes later, at 11:04 minutes, the Ancient One echoes Wong’s warnings:
Ancient One: The greatest sorcerers of the past could not reverse an Absolute Point.
Strange: You don’t know that. Books have been lost. Libraries destroyed.
Strange doesn’t listen. Less than a minute later, at 11:57 minutes, we see that Strange’s journey has led him to a jungle, where he meets a stranger, a Black man. This character is voiced by Nigerian actor Ike Amadi.
Strange: I’m looking for the Lost Library of Cagliostro. Library? Hello? You know, books? Reading? Knowledge?
[No answer, as the stranger walks away, and Strange follows him.]
Strange: Where can I find Cagliostro?
Stranger: Maybe here, maybe there, maybe nowhere.
Strange: Please tell me you’re not Cagliostro.
Stranger: The name’s O’Bengh, librarian for the books of Cagliostro.
O’Bengh introduces himself as a librarian
They arrive at the Lost Library of Cagliostro, and what a sight this library is to behold! A cherry tree grows in the center, and a few books hang from chains along the ceiling (visually intriguing but very impractical). Strange refers to these as “the lost books.” (My spouse wondered if the Book of Vishanti was there, hah!) We also see bookcases lining the back walls of the large room.
O’Bengh: How long will you be staying here?
Strange: As long as it takes.
One of the books that Strange consults, a book on time manipulation, states that you can “gain the power through the absorption of other beings.” Strange ultimately rejects O’Bengh and the library, saying, “The library isn’t enough. Those beings have what I need.” Despite another librarian’s warnings (and first aid help), Strange continues on his destructive path of battling monsters and absorbing their powers.
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger window.
The exterior of the libraryThe interior of the libraryStrange summons library booksStrange does some researchExterior and interior scenes of the Lost Library of Cagliostro
Eventually, Strange returns to the library and finds O’Bengh on his deathbed.
Strange: O’Bengh, what happened to you?
O’Bengh: Time. Put that away [the Eye of Agamotto]. You used magic to remain frozen for centuries. I chose to live. Even in our world, death is part of the plan. Maybe the other Strange will [accept death].”
In this closeup, it’s clear that O’Bengh has one blue eye and one brown eye (this rare genetic phenomenon is called heterochromia).
O’Bengh on his deathbed
This Lost Library of Cagliostro scene ends at 20 minutes into the episode, lasting 8 minutes total.
Strange’s actions have disastrous consequences back in the alternate reality’s New York sanctuary with Wong. At 22:17 minutes, Wong, as usual, gets straight to the point.
Wong: Ok, wait, so the fabric of reality is breaking, and only you can stop it because you are causing it.
Strange: Let’s be honest, we’ve been through weirder.
Wong: Do you want to stop him?
Strange: At the very least, to save you.
At this point, my spouse shouted out:
He’s not wrong. Without Wong, there is no MCU!
❤
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger window.
Wong gets to the pointStrange is motivated to save WongSaving Wong!
Both Wong and O’Bengh serve primarily as Information Providers, as they provide information (and warnings) to Strange and the viewers. I would also argue that both also serve as Comic Relief, as they both display senses of humor (Wong refers to the bathroom as “the little sorcerer’s room” while O’Bengh calls Strange “Sorcerer Armani.”)
Is O’Bengh indeed Cagliostro? Burkely Hermann, in this thoughtful analysis post of this episode, states that this is implied. Hermann also brings up some interesting points to reflect on with this reel librarian portrayal:
It is disconcerting the number of roles he [O’Bengh] takes on in the episode: an all-knowing person, a medic, and a sorcerer, to name the three most prominent. Archives in Fiction (AIF) makes a good point that while the space was beautifully rendered, it is “utterly impractical” and argued that the episode has the subtext that “librarians are magic” or that they are “expected to work miracles.” In response to AIF saying that they since when anyone calls “us” (archivists, librarians) miracle workers, even if it comes “from a good place,” saying that there is “really nothing miraculous about the work we put into making things findable,” I said that that perspective makes sense.Burkely Hermann, “Doctor Strange’s quest for power and the Black sorcerer-librarian,” Pop Culture Library Review, 12 Oct. 2021.
Benedict Wong has no lines (other than grunts) in this episode, but I had to include a look at Zombie Wong!!!
Zombie Wong first shows up at 3:39 minutes into the episode, and (SPOILER), he gets his head chopped off by a portal at 4:11 minutes.
Zombie Wong
Episode 7, “What If… Thor Were an Only Child?”
Although there is no library in this episode, there is a running gag in this episode about Thor’s so-called study group and how “knowledge is magic.”
At the end of this episode, at 28:50 minutes, Captain Marvel flies down to Thor and hands him a tablet full of info about humans, in order to help Thor save face in front of his mother, Frigga. It’s interesting to note what resources made the cut!
Thor, here’s the information you requested on human civilizations, and I loaded a few documentaries, PBS specials, NPR podcasts.
Knowledge is magic, indeed. Marvel provides Thor a tablet full of info about human civilization.
Episode 8, “What If… Ultron Won?”
In this episode, Natasha Romanoff and Hawkeye team up to try and figure out a way to stop Ultron. This journey takes them to the KGB Archives, while the Watcher watches them and agonizes about whether or not to intervene. The KGB Archives are housed in a vast warehouse of seemingly never-ending rows of bookshelves and file boxes. No archivist is ever seen, or even mentioned.
At 10:54 minutes into the episode, Natasha and Hawkeye arrive at the archives.
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger window.
A back view of the KGB ArchivesA front view of the KGB ArchivesA spy, an archer, and a watcher walk into an Archives…
Watcher: One last hope.
Natasha: Welcome to the KGB archives.
Hawkeye: Your country ever heard of PDFs?
Natasha: Hard copies are harder to steal, easier to destroy. But code, code is slippery, and it never dies.
Hawkeye: So, where do we start?
Natasha: Just pick a box.
[Pause here to scream into the void while I go all capsy. NO!!! Any kind of library or archival material is organized according to a system, a classification system, and there would be finding aids or signs or SOMETHING to help explain that system and where things are generally located. This archives warehouse looks VERY organized, by the way, with every file labeled within each box, so there’s no reason to think that there wouldn’t be a system for these archives. “Just pick a box” is NOT a system, and the time these two waste going through random boxes makes me want to scream for an archivist!]
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger window.
Searching through the archivesook how organized these files areResults of the “just pick a box” methodFinding treasure (and wasting time!) in the archives
The Watcher spies the exact file they need and debates on whether or not to intervene. The scene also includes an archives ladder, plus an Easter egg where they find the Red Guardian’s shield (a connection back to Black Widow).
Hawkeye finally has had enough.
Sorry to break it to you, Natasha, but the Death Star plans are not in the main computer.
Star Wars and MCU crossover alert! This is referencing the archives adventure plot of Rogue One! 😀
Conveniently for reasons of PLOT, Natasha then immediately finds the Zola file. The Watcher is relieved, whilst archivists and librarians collectively roll our eyes at this purposefully (and needlessly) frustrating archives scene.
This archives scene ends at 14:06 and lasts 3 minutes total.
To be continued…?
A second season for What If…? was greenlit two years ago, and was initially going to be released this year, in early 2023, with another 9 episodes. However, no definitive due date has since been confirmed — and we’re already more than halfway through 2023 — but I’m hoping we will get to explore more intriguing “what ifs” next year! At least the Disney+ platform still lists a second season for What If..? on list of upcoming releases!
What If…? Perf. Jeffrey Wright, Chadwick Boseman, Jeremy Renner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lake Bell, Benedict Wong. Marvel Studios / Disney, 2021.
Episodes: “What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?” (1.2, 11 Aug. 2021); “What If… The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?” (1.3, 25 Aug. 2021); “What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?” (1.4, 1 Sep. 2021); “What If… Zombies?!” (1.5, 8 Sep. 2021); “What If… Thor Were an Only Child?” (1.7, 22 Sep. 2021); “What If… Ultron Won?” (1.8, 6 Oct. 2021).
There is a squint-and-you’ll-miss-it reel librarian sighting in this series!
The new Marvel TV series Secret Invasion is now out on the Disney+ platform, and I will be watching it; if there are any library or archives-related scenes or themes, I will revisit those at a later time on this blog. Today, let’s revisit past MCU series, starting with the library and research scenes in the WandaVision TV series. This series premiered as the first MCU TV series at the beginning of 2021. There are 9 episodes total in the series, 3 of which feature libraries, archives, and/or research. There is also a squint-and-you’ll-miss-it reel librarian sighting in this series, as well as a few book-focused research scenes. The Westview Public Library serves as the setting for a couple of pivotal scenes in 2 episodes.
NOTE: If you’re wondering, “Didn’t we already do this?” then you are not wrong! Last summer, I started compiling a marathon of round-ups of all the library and archives scenes featured in each of the MCU Phases thus far. And because the TV series and specials introduced in Phase Four were considerably larger and longer than previous phases, I had put together a separate, exhaustive post just for the Phase Four TV series and specials. It is useful to have a comprehensive post — like for research purposes — but because the finalized round-up post is sooooooooo long, it felt like a good idea to also feature each TV series in its own dedicated post. And sure, it would have made more sense to start with the individual posts and THEN do the work of compiling them all together… but I am no stranger to doing things backwards! 😉
*POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERTS*
WandaVision (Jan.-Mar. 2021)
In this series, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) are living in the suburbs, trying to act “normal” and conceal their powers. The series also features Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau. Kat Dennings and Randall Park return as Darcy Lewis and Jimmy Woo, respectively. WandaVision is a high-concept series, with each episode’s look and feel reflecting popular TV shows of different eras (i.e.g, the first episode looks like 1950s sitcoms, the second episode transitions into 1960s sitcoms, etc.). The series is set three weeks after the events of Avengers: Endgame, and its plot and ending directly lead into the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie, which also features Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch.
Episode 2, “Don’t Touch That Dial”
At 6 minutes into this episode, which is all about wanting to fit in, Vision says, “There’s a gathering of the neighborhood watch at the public library.” Cut to 11:40 minutes, and we see Vision walking up the stairs to the library.
Vision: Pardon me, is this the neighborhood watch meeting?
Norm: Oh, hiya Vision, didn’t expect to see you here. This is sort of a “members only” type deal.
The neighborhood watch meeting is taking place in a central table in the middle of the library, and we see bookcases and a large card catalog along the walls, as well as microfiche readers. The interior of the library looks to be octagonal, with an open upper level supported by columns; this octagonal shape seems to be at (architectural) odds with the flat exterior of the library building.
Behind Norm’s head, there’s what looks to be a reference counter, and a woman with dark hair walks behind the counter, which indicates to me that she’s a reel librarian. This character goes unmentioned in the episode’s cast list but helps solidify the library setting, so she ends up a (nominal) Information Provider.
Click on any image in the gallery below to view in a larger window.
Exterior of Westview Public LibraryYou can see a(n out-of-focus) librarian behind the counter in the backgroundFirst views of the Westview Public Library
Vision sits down at the center table, saying he’ll “be as quiet as a church mouse.” It dawns on him, finally, that the “neighborhood watch” meeting is actually cover for guys to get together and gossip! Vision then tries a stick of gum — again, trying to fit in — but the gum gets stuck in his internal gears, which has hilarious consequences in the latter half of the episode.
The library scene ends at 14:34 minutes, lasting a total of 3 minutes.
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Neighborhood watch meeting in libraryBack wall of public libraryCard catalog alert!Public library interior and neighborhood watch meeting
Episode 3, “Now in Color”
This episode is set in the 1970s, and at 2 minutes into the episode, Vision comes out of the Westview Public Library in an establishing shot in the episode’s intro titles. The very next frame is a closeup of Vision reading a book about pregnancy while he’s walking. This visual continuation seems to suggest that this is a book Vision just checked out of the library, but there’s also no call number on this book. (Also, the front and back covers of the book seem to be the same, which is odd, isn’t it? Could this be another, very subtle hint that Vision and Wanda don’t actually fit in with everyone else? Also, does this red book cover remind you of the red book cover for Rosemary’s Baby? An unsettling thought!)
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Westview Public Library exteriorReading a library book about pregnancy?Public library exterior and (library?) book included in Episode 3’s titles
At 5 minutes into the episode, Vision is reading another baby book in the nursery, a book entitled The Better Homes and Gardens Baby Book.
At 8 minutes into the finale, Wanda and Agatha have a showdown, and Agatha shares the prophecy in the Darkhold, revealing that there’s an entire chapter devoted to the Scarlet Witch: “Your power exceeds that of the sorcerer supreme. It’s your destiny to destroy the world.” (Put a pin in that for the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie!) Agatha describes the Darkhold as “the book of the damned.”
Closeup of the Darkhold book and the Scarlet Witch
At 16 minutes into the episode, the townspeople confront Wanda in the town square, while The Vision (all in white) picks a fight with Vision and throws him through the public library’s windows.
The interior of the library looks to be the same octagonal set as seen in the previous episode, but we can see updates to the library, including a different card catalog along one wall (looks to be a boxier shape, like from the 1970s?), and a bulletin board to the right of the front door. This library bulletin board was my FAVORITE bit of this whole scene, as it’s SO cheesy — with a bee illustration and the phrase “The Library is the place to ‘bee’” — and SO true-to-life for a public library! I have created bulletin boards like this. In the gallery below, you can see the bulletin board and the library card catalog.
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Westview Public Library exteriorLibrary bulletin board!Card catalog in the backgroundVision battles himself in the public libraryWestview Public Library exterior and interior scenes in the finale
While this new Vision states that “my mission is to destroy the Vision,” it really seems to be about destroying the public library!
After all the destruction, I enjoyed that the two Visions then engaged in a philosophical debate and thought experiment whilst in a library; it felt fitting that The Vision restored his knowledge while in a place of knowledge.
This library fight scene ends at 20:56, lasting for 5 minutes.
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Don’t fight in the library!Destruction of bookcasesDestruction of books on library floorPublic library destruction!
The final scene in the series features Wanda with the Darkhold — the “book of the damned” — and in her Scarlet Witch costume. This scene will get referenced again in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie.
To be continued…?
WandaVision was both a critical and a popular success, spurring multiple Emmy nominations as well as an upcoming spin-off series spotlighting the character of Agatha, with Kathryn Hahn reprising her role as Agatha Harkness. Interesting, when this spin-off series was first announced, it was titled Agatha: House of Harkness, but has since been retitled Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Production began earlier this year, in January 2023, and the series is expected to premiere sometime in 2024, as part of MCU’s Phase Five.
REEL LIBRARIANS 