Review: Avengers Assemble "Molecule Kid"

So, a question that I usually ask myself when I review an episode is this:

"What is this episode about?"

There are three possibilities. Let's examine them.

Possibility 1: This episode is about Tony Stark.

Why not? This series has had at least four episodes at least partially about Tony Stark. Five if you count this one. In that vein, this episode would be about... how Tony Stark loves technology? I guess? How he still hasn't learned the technology lesson from previous episodes?

Possibility 2: This episode is about Hawkeye and Black Widow.   

A valid possibility. There are worse premises for an episode than seeing two fan-favorite characters team up. Especially since these two team up all the time in various comics, movies, and such.

Fun Fact: They're about to murder a building full of aliens.

Now, if this episode is about these two, then once again, what is this episode about? 

The two start off the episode with vastly different personalities and methods, and at the end, they've learned to work together as a team. Except that you'd think that they had already learned that, what with both of them being Avengers. And both S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. And both given the shaft in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"So, you didn't get your own solo movie either?"

Actually, here's a question. Black Widow's a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, but is Hawkeye one? He's one in the films and in the sister show, Ultimate Spider-Man, but I'm not sure if it's ever explicitly confirmed onscreen in this show, though it's implied. I may have just missed the mention that he was one. But if he is, then he is the worst agent ever. No wonder Black Widow's missing all the time, she's probably off doing Hawkeye's job while he steals Hulk's pickles from the fridge. (Interestingly enough, I wrote that before I found out that was kind of the premise to a Season 2 episode. What are the odds?)

Possibility 3: This episode is about Aaron Reese, the Molecule Kid. 

Then what is the point of this episode? Why focus so much on a character that will never be seen again? Actually, that's kind of horrific if you think about the implications. So Aaron goes off with Nick Fury, right? Because Fury has that teenage team of heroes in training. Well, guess what? Aaron never joins Spidey's team. He's never seen again. Not even in Season 3, where Spidey's going off to gather young heroes.

My theory: Nick Fury ordered this kid's wand apprehended and sealed him away from the rest of the world forever. Just in case. Like he did with Sandman. Because Nick Fury isn't in charge of improving the world, he's in charge of world peace. Stagnation by any means. Whether that means locking away threats forever, or orchestrating the death of someone's uncle in order to teach them a lesson. No wonder Taskmaster and Deadpool went rogue.

Why am I going off on such a tangent? Because this was a premise tailor-made for Ultimate Spider-Man poorly made into an Avengers Assemble episode.

See you next time, when we look at an episode template I hate even more than "Ninja Episodes."