Age of Ultron: Write a Group that Feels like Family

I recently rewatched Age of Ultron for the first time since it was released in 2015. For all the hate it has gotten, I expected to find a villain with no motivation or interest, a lack of a theme, or at least some serious deviation from the protagonists’ character arcs or personality. 

But I found none of that. Ultron was an interesting and sufficiently motivated villain, the movie explored some very powerful themes about the value of family within a hero’s life, and the plot pushed every character further down their arc. Even Black Widow’s romance with the Hulk impacted the themes and characters within the movie, supporting the theme of the cost of finding love and stability as a hero, allowing Black Widow to reveal critical information about her history, and giving both characters a much-needed moment to let their masks slip and be uncharacteristically vulnerable with each other. Even though I didn’t like the relationship and found its development to be rushed, it was indispensable in supporting the themes and characters the movie served to explore.

And on top of this, Age of Ultron built some incredible setup for Captain America: Civil War, one of my all-time favorite Marvel movies. I can’t dive into all of the reasons that Age of Ultron is disliked or why it can more than hold its own alongside Marvel’s other cinematic masterpieces, but I would like to look at one specific element in which Ultron succeeded where most of the other Avengers movies failed. 

And it’s the reason why I love Age of Ultron so much.

Age of Ultron

Age of Ultron opens to an action-packed sequence in which the Avengers infiltrate the base of Baron von Strucker to retrieve a powerful scepter once wielded by the god Loki. On the way back to Avengers Tower, Bruce Banner (the Hulk) and Tony Stark (Iron Man) discover a technology-based artificial intelligence within it. 

Tony believes that he can reprogram and couple the intelligence to his legion of Iron Man suits to create a system strong enough to protect the earth from any outside threats. That way, the kind of fallout that resulted from the Battle of New York never has to happen again. Bruce reluctantly agrees, and they begin seeking to use the scepter to create a system they named Ultron, strong enough to protect the entire planet.

Three days into the project nothing has changed. Tony and Bruce are running out of time with the scepter, but they have to abandon the project that evening for a small party among the Avengers and some SHIELD agents who want to celebrate their recent victories. They’ve been through a lot in the last few months, and their recent accomplishments have merited a small celebration.

So Black Widow flirts with Bruce, War Machine tells battle stories, and for the most part, the Avengers enjoy themselves. But the best part happens at the very end of the party, when most of the guests have left, and the Avengers are sitting around the table late at night swapping jokes. Clint makes the mistake of mocking Thor’s claim that his hammer, Mjolnir, can only be wielded by those who “are worthy.” And so Thor offers a challenge to anyone who would try to wield his hammer.

A contest ensues, as each of the Avengers try and at least seem to fail to wield Mjolnir.

But while they have been celebrating, the artificial intelligence within the scepter has been taking over Tony’s computer, overriding his protections, and seizing control of his Iron Man suits. As soon as he has complete control over the suits, Ultron sends them out to eliminate the Avengers, and a battle takes place within Avengers Tower. Ultron declares himself to be independent and escapes New York, setting up the conflict for the rest of the movie.

Write a Group that Feels like Family

Some of the best groups in all of fiction feel like family. By the end of the movie or last few chapters, you don’t want it to end not just because it’s a good story or in your favorite genre, but most of all because of how much you enjoy the main cast working, talking, and joking together.

We’ve talked a bit about how to create a group that feels like a family on the blog before. We looked at how each of the individual members should have personal and unique connections to each of the other members of the group, and how these connections are built with quiet, one-on-one scenes between just two characters. On a whole, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has done a great job at this. On the plane ride back to New York, Black Widow and Bruce talked about his fears and strengths. Clint Barton (Hawkeye) and his wife privately share their fears for each other and their family. The “wood chopping scene” between Tony and Steve Rogers (Captain America) is so iconic that it became a meme. 

The writers didn’t have to give these characters little moments together, but they did — all through the movie. And it strengthened the core of what makes the Avengers the team.

But there’s more to being a team than individual relationships within a group. And that is something that, on a whole, the Marvel Cinematic Universe neglected until Age of Ultron. 

To be sure, we’ve had the entire group of Avengers in a room before. We’ve seen them fight aliens, monsters, and even former allies together, or debate the right call in a myriad of difficult situations. We’ve seen them risk their lives for each other and save those who are in danger together.

But we haven’t seen them sit around a table, with nothing to do and no time-sensitive issue that must be addressed, and enjoy themselves.

The little moments that make up the relationships between the characters are crucial. If you have to pick between the two, pick the little moments. These moments within the MCU have created inseparable bonds that are crucial to creating a dynamic team in the first place. But these moments are meant to build toward something greater — a team that feels like family. And your characters will feel the most like family when they are all together, in one room, talking and joking about things that don’t matter.

People do trivial team-building exercises in all sorts of places — at jobs, internships, or volunteer opportunities. But sometimes authors can forget to do the same for their characters.

Your characters’ every interaction doesn’t have to be about saving the world. In fact, it shouldn’t. It’s the trivial moments, the little jokes, the inside references that you get only when you’re sitting around with nothing particular to do that create the spirit of any team. It’s those moments that seem most insignificant that make your team feel like family.

And that’s what makes your team significant to begin with.

Give your characters individual moments together to develop personal relationships.

But when you want to write about a group that’s as close-knit as the Avengers, give them a scene together with nothing to do, nothing that must be said.

And show your readers a team that feels like family.

Let us know in the comments:

What character groups have noticed that feel just like family? What scenes did they use to give their group character?