Sometimes you just need a bunch of spooky stuff to happen.
Even at its most exciting, "expanded universe" storytelling eventually becomes homework. This isn't inherently a problem – there's a certain thrill in watching the ripple effects of a narrative or a character spread across multiple series and worlds. But at a certain point, you hit "Do I HAVE to watch this?" critical mass. And from there, it's blockbuster Jenga. Skip the wrong part and the whole thing comes down. And thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe changing the way Hollywood wanted to build franchises over the past 15+ years, we've seen quite a few projects fall.
