Lord Liaden

I would say it's already that way, and has been for a long time. It's just getting more egregious. With systemic bias against the poor, many of them will never have access to the means to advance their position within society, effectively creating a permanent underclass.

That isn't just a qualifier, though. It's a profound qualitative distinction. If the "American system" is means-based, what it really means is that the great majority of people born in America, living and working in America, paying taxes in America, having official American citizenship, aren't really Americans, because the benefits of the American system are beyond them.

Ever wonder if alligators purr?

But seriously, there's a strong habit in capitalist societies to use money as the measure for all intrinsic quality. I.e. the more money something is "worth," the better it is. That extends to people as well, e.g. the work someone does must be superior, must contribute more to society, the more they're paid for it. Along with that comes the common assumption, often unconscious and rarely spoken aloud, that people with a lot of money have it because they deserve it, and poor people would have more money if they were better people. However, I have noticed that last part is being expressed openly and directly by those who have money more often than it used to be, particularly in the States.

Hey, if I'm in the top 10% in my country, I'll be thinking about many things to spend my money on. But health care won't be one of them.

No argument. We Canadians often criticize the flaws in our health system, and rightly so. But I can assure you that not one Canadian citizen hesitates to see a doctor for an illness or injury out of concern over paying for it. And practically no Canadians would trade our system for yours.

Then again, Kang is rumored to be the MCU's next Big Bad, so at least foreshadowing him in this series would make sense. The last two series turned an established heroine into a mad demigoddess, and crafted a new Sentinel of Liberty. I'm quite willing to accept the possibility that this one will leave us with something big.

I unreservedly agree. But even an alcoholic will choose the best-tasting booze if they have a choice.

I'm afraid I don't see the relevance of your comparison. Nobody in this video is from China. The Chinese system isn't under discussion. The United States is not supposed to be an authoritarian regime engaging in clandestine oppression, it's the wealthiest country in the world, supposedly the land of opportunity. These people are reacting to information that's freely available, from the perspective of their own experiences. The average cost of American health care, and the average lifespan of Americans, compared to all the other countries on that list, are objective statistical facts. The systems these global citizens live under have functioned for decades, in many cases generations. You don't need to be an expert on America to recognize these profound disparities, and that with America's vaunted wealth and resources it doesn't have to be that way. These people are collective proof that it doesn't have to be that way.

So how is the next millennium? Does the Earth become Waterworld after global warming? Do we finish terraforming Mars? Will we finally cure pattern baldness?

You know what I never could understand about Deliverance? Those hillbillies could have raped Burt Reynolds or Jon Voight, but they chose Ned Beatty.

"Firewing 3000" from Galactic Champions is the mightiest incarnation of the character yet written up (for Fifth Edition). Still not quite SS class, but for most Champions campaigns the difference would be negligible.

I do believe humanity has learned. The fact that so many people -- social historians, politicians, media -- are warning us that this is where the United States is headed if the course isn't corrected, demonstrates it. Many Americans have forgotten, yes, and some elected leaders actually want it. But it's not the same fertile soil as in the early Twentieth Century, and that gives me hope.

The Time-Keepers and their Time Variance Authority are both more and less than they appear to be in the comics. Some variation of that will probably be the case in this series. I would recommend withholding final judgement until we see how it all plays out in the end.

Humanity never stopped doing the fascism thing. It's just been under cover, except in less prominent parts of the world. Now it's fashionable again.

Marvel seems to be leaning heavily into their multiverse for its next phase. That could answer some of the questions about how they plan to introduce the new properties Marvel Studios has announced or has acquired.

This is what happens when a fake alpha male comes up against a real one.

I don't care what level it is, any warning of being goosed has my attention.

And can we send her to India with it? No, scratch that... they're dealing with enough grief already.

I would call that at least conditional.

Oooh-oooh! I heard it through the grape-vine.

The "Ever-Eating Karrg" (or "Kaarg," the spelling is inconsistent) from Alien Enemies could be particularly fun, as they're basically played for laughs but pose a deadly long-term threat, rather like pumped-up Tribbles. As they're also sapient and non-violent, dealing with them can pose a significant moral dilemma. Throwing the Eliminators into the mix would add to the hijinks. Closest thing in that book to a "pest" would be an "Alien Breeder," but it's essentially a stand-in for a Xenomorph from the "Alien" movie etc. franchise, so dealing with them would be less a job for exterminators, more for military or superhero combatants.

You're dumb enough to paddle your canoe into a flock of swans, you deserve what you get.