“Boom! You looking for this?”
You’ll have to cast your mind back to Age of Ultron to remember the scene in which Don Cheadle’s War Machine is recounting a heroic story to Thor and Tony Stark, only to be met with visible indifference. Of course, Rhodey goes on to tell the same story in front of other party guests, and laps up the subsequent laughter.
It’s a great little moment tucked away within Joss Whedon’s blockbuster sequel, but it’s also one that was brought back to the fore just yesterday, when Don Cheadle himself quoted that very line (“Boom! You looking for this?”) in response to a Twitter user who criticized Rhodey’s jokes in Avengers: Endgame.
See for yourself:
https://twitter.com/DonCheadle/status/1216980761275813888
It’s a quick and effective put-down that can be traced back to a political discussion, given Don Cheadle initially quote-tweeted Donald Trump and, sure enough, received some flak from the current Commander-in-Chief.
All that aside, can we just take a moment to appreciate Rhodey’s humor in Avengers: Endgame? He may not be a scene-stealer in the vein of Thor Odinson, but his well-timed jokes help bring a sense of levity to what is undoubtedly Marvel’s most dramatic blockbuster to date. From calling Star-Lord an idiot to the moment when War Machine proposes a plan to travel back in time and kill baby Thanos, Rhodey is responsible for some genuine belly laughs throughout the course of Avengers: Endgame.
When, exactly, we can expect him to return is another question entirely. Word is Marvel Studios had once considered a War Machine spinoff series for Disney+, though Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlett Witch, She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel quickly took priority. Nevertheless, we live in hope.
