In The Avengers (2012), Scarlett Johansson playing Black Widow complains that Loki has “killed 80 people in two days”, to which Chris Hemsworth's Thor replies: “He’s adopted.”
It's a very basic, even lazy kind of humour and I had a little giggle over it. Many in my hall laughed out loud...
...however, some of these ridiculously fragile attention-seeking groups were outraged and had demanded that Marvel/Disney apologise!
Petition organiser Jamie Berke was quoted as saying how scriptwriter Joss Whedon should
have thought about how the line would impact on viewers who were adopted
themselves."Being adopted is not something to use for the butt of jokes. Marvel, immediately cease using adoption as the butt of jokes and issue a public apology to the adoption community."
But here's the real shocker - in an interview, it was reported that Chris Hemsworth didn't even get the joke when he first read it.
"The line where I say, 'He's adopted' - I had no idea that would be funny," Hemsworth was quoted as saying.
See, I always knew Thor was all dumb muscle.
Either that, or he does get it, and is merely playing dumb to deflect attention away from himself.
Any how, isn't it wonderful when you've got such a big product for people to attach themselves to and gain mileage in whatever way they can, lending meaning to their otherwise painfully insignificant and pedestrian life?
Thanks for reading this post. :)
p/s Below is an excerpt from Big Shiny Robot, summarising the issue sweetly. Yes, a very sensible person wrote it.
"Miss Berke, the implication made here is not that the reason Loki is evil is because he is adopted, but that Thor is merely distancing himself from the atrocities his brother has committed by noting that he is not blood-related, and in my opinion, inferring that his evil tendencies have nothing to do with his upbringing by Odin (their father) - also it’s a joke and a factual plot point. Throughout the entire film Thor pleads with his brother (aside from this one instance not once does Thor refer to him as anything but just “brother”) to stop the madness he is bringing down on the world, even trying to appeal to fond childhood memories and the close bond they shared growing up. It is very clear that Thor thinks of Loki as nothing but family. Why am I even explaining this?!"
For further reading:
Was 'Avengers' joke cruel to adoption community?
Avengers adoption joke 'hurtful'
Adoption community says Avengers joke is offensive and calls for boycott
