Deadpool: The Ugliness of Trauma (Video Essay)

A video essay about Deadpool, Marvel's X-Men franchise, and the themes of dealing with PTSD and reclaiming your mental health. Featuring detours into Spaghetti Westerns, religious manipulation, love stories, and a few too many Tarantino references.
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Deadpool, directed by Tim Miller, debuted in 2016 and was pretty well an overnight modern classic. There had been rumblings of a full feature since Ryan Reynolds portrayed a version of Wade in X-Men Origins, but it was really after the “leaked” test footage that the idea of a hard-R superhero action flick really started to enchant the popular consciousness. If 2012’s Avengers was a John Wayne movie, then Deadpool was a Sergio Leone or a Coen Brothers.
Deadpool was conceived by Rob Liefield as a parody of DC’s Deathstroke, taking aim at the brutal, gritty, and dark anti-heroes that were becoming oversaturated in geek culture. However, he was revolutionary in that his appeal was both surface level AND academic as he became more three-dimensional. Wade Wilson is to superhero literature what Hunter S Thompson was to Journalism; an insane shot in the arm, a new method of presentation where a garish, freak show exterior is the means to explore incredibly existential, uncomfortable, and deep-seated questions about society and the human condition.
And the reason the movie succeeds is by expanding on this. It perfectly zeroes in on two interlinked, indelible aspects of Deadpool’s character: Trauma and Ugliness.
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[@lydiaalove13]

I had no idea this was gonna hit so hard, this is so well written & I loved every minute of it! Well done Sir.

[@gonzocapulet9786]

Really glad you enjoyed it. I feel like a lot of people view Deadpool as a joke character or only see the surface level, but he's seriously one of the most emotionally poignant characters in comic book media if you go looking for it. Thank you so much for the kind comment.

[@GHILLIEDUDE]

I've loved deadpool for years and this video explains exactly what deadpool is, he's not just funny like everyone thinks so thankyou sir for validating what I think about the character.

[@lundgren611]

Don't give up you're gonna make it big, especially with this type of heartfelt content.

[@Jakeyisdead]

Did they really just come out here upload the best Deadpool video essay and dip? Did that just happen?

[@gonzocapulet9786]

Aw, man, that genuinely made me tear up a little bit. Thank you so much!

[@nomoo519]

When the world needed him most, he vanished.

[@shoyuramenoff]

I watch a lot of video essays. I'll remember this one for a long time. It's so well-written and researched. It also helped me. Thank you.

[@greasyhair5754]

I can tell this movie means a lot to you and this dissection of it is phenomenal! You have permanently improved my viewing experience for this movie.

[@gonzocapulet9786]

Yeah, I have may laid my soul bare for KZbin dot com a little soon, huh? Haha

[@greasyhair5754]

@@gonzocapulet9786 I have so much respect for you, I mean coming out with such an honest and open video as your first KZbin video, it takes a lot. I admire you and I really hope this KZbin thing works out for you. You have real talent.

[@bonzupippinpaddleoxacoppil484]

MAKE MORE! MAKE MORE! MAKE MORE!

[@gonzocapulet9786]

I'll have to start video wrangling for one of the scripts I have finished :D

[@mikekhouri7]

Bro literally made one of the best video essays on KZbin and dipped. :((

[@justaghostinthesea]

Creates KZbin channel Uploads a banger video Refuses to elaborate Leaves What a badass

[@panfilolivia]

amazing essay, im just speechless. great stuff. such a good anaylisis and so well edited. its great that you managed to get out of that situation despite of how hard it mustve been. im glad youtube recommended this to me

[@zephyrofthesouth5320]

This was so well-written! Hearing this has made me respect the movie and the acting even more than I already did. (also your voice is very calming, you just sound trustworthy and nice)

[@gonzocapulet9786]

Maybe I'll have to do the next video in ASMR :P

[@impati3nce50]

dude this essay is awesome. great job.

[@gonzocapulet9786]

Thank you you for such a kind comment!

[@mrbrightside9609]

250 subs is a crime. Having discovered this after a few days of not sleeping (heavy insomnia; byproduct of trauma eh) this video is resounding, and you convey and articulate the thoughts and feelings of those who've suffered. Thank you not only for the well-put-together video, but for being able to open up of your experiences as well.

[@pauljohnson271]

Well f*cling done! Now where is that sequel!

[@thedeatharmy6708]

Nice video u gonna go places

[@Dean-uy2md]

This is such a good essay I love it so much!. this movie and the second one means a lot to me,and I fell like you explained exactly why better than I could ever do. I remember when I first saw both movies and loving them so much but also felling disheartened when people I care about didn’t see what I was seeing in them I think I will just show them your video if we ever talk about again. I can’t wait to see your essay about the second one and any future videos.

[@gonzocapulet9786]

The second one has such wonderful themes of found family and evolving beyond your pain, it really expands on what made the first one great. I'm really excited to dive into the sequel, hopefully soon! Thank you for the comment.

[@liammackay2061]

Great video man. I’m sorry to hear about your experience. You’ve got a new subscriber right here.

[@loismiller7123]

This was genuinely stunning! These kind of essays are sometimes hit or miss for me, but this was a Big Hit. You really eloquently captured how trauma changes a person, and how growing from it is so hard, and doesn't leave you unloveable.

[@jacksonehlert7420]

This is such a hot take! I love everything about this. The emotional beats in the movie means so much more to me now. Thank you so much for putting this together

[@gonzocapulet9786]

I know that the marketing for the movie leaned into Deadpool's crassness, but it really is one of the most emotionally resonant comic book movies I've seen in a long time. Thank you for watching!

[@grungethemovie]

I'm glad I found this

[@bubbapolkadot1271]

This is the best Deadpool movie essay I have ever watched Maybe even the best movie essay I've ever watched, I've always loved Deadpool now I even love him more I might even read some comics of him love your style of work really hit me with this video super well done fantastic work also worded greatly i can tell this movie means alot too you

[@siratlas8198]

I really was not expecting this video essay to hit me as much as it did. I already loved Deadpool, but you've made me appreciate the character so much more with this essay. Your message at the end was incredible. I can tell how much went into making this and honestly thank you so much ! It's a shame I'm 2 years late to this video, but I'm glad to have found it nonetheless. I really hope to see more videos from you !

[@alansnow5650]

I absolutely love this video! Obviously this meant a lot to you and it shows. It would be awesome to see more from you and your channel! I'm a huge fan of your writing style and in-depth analysis that I haven't seen/heard anywhere else before! Definitely subbed in hopes of more amazing new content!

[@minibricks7777]

Amazing video!

[@shamsa9136]

great video! hope you upload more too

[@jokerswild9660]

Because of this video I am a new subscriber. Thank you for this video. It was very impactful and I look at the film differently.

[@bakemono4927]

Beautiful video!

[@gooberdoober8416]

YES!!!! SO GLAD YOU'VE GOT MORE VIEWS

[@mrmarshfellow]

Amazing take, loved this :)

[@matthiascerebri3315]

congratulations for having survived that Trauma. I know it can be quite hard

[@DustinKinneyArt]

Such a great video!!!

[@allodraws5429]

This was simply amazing

[@safehaven717]

This is an amazing video, mad props!

[@elfercho1147]

Sooooooo underated great video amazing work!

[@aaronroibeard]

This is REALLY good man… Keep it up. 🙏🏼🤙🏼👏🤟🏻💙

[@TheEndKing]

Hey man, this is great work that you did. Well done.

[@fashionwala5472]

You are a really genius guy.

[@forrestwitthuhn2321]

This is fucking amazing. Thank you.

[@dolphinkhena4785]

Amazing!! Nuff said👌🏾❤️

[@Nightharmony69]

That's why God, to means nothing. Just like einstein said, "The word God is for me nothing but the expression and product of human weaknesses" - Einstein.

[@bonzupippinpaddleoxacoppil484]

Hey man just saying if you ever dropped another video I would be right there. Got you on bell.

[@noodledaddy3234]

This is an amazing essay woah

[@QKvox]

This is bloody brilliant, you should do one for Logan and other really really really really really good movies

[@davidstein7113]

Thank you

[@KaloyanNachev1994]

This was simply amazing! So happy for you that you got out of that situation! As an atheist, I'm even more happy! :D

[@gonzocapulet9786]

I really appreciate you taking the time to say that. It's always good to feel supported, even these years later.

[@KaloyanNachev1994]

@@gonzocapulet9786 Well one has to give credit where it’s due! I hope your channel flourishes!

[@KaloyanNachev1994]

@@gonzocapulet9786 Actually, I would like to see you "debunk: Elliot from Mr. Robot! That would be fun to watch :)

[@jessicapinkman-hd4bw]

to bad everybody thinks that deapool is just a meme character that's solely there for terrible jokes because of the 2013 game

[@gooberdoober8416]

Imagine an audience hall, full of 6 thousand plus people, all cheering

[@YetAnotherGoldenBelo]

i cried.

[@BePatientSeeLove]

Sorry u went through that

[@godsofwar1186]

Trauma due to difficulties = difficulties. They are the same thing...

[@Blublublu23]

dude upload more

[@fearcvlt_]

HES SO ME

[@cxrmack6922]

I think wades character is more accurately both when pre and acquired mental illness and disability a all for one combo specifically because the doctors specifically feel the need to highlight the fact that the mutated genes were already their and very few had them and he was getting the treatment for hiv and the show demonstrates all his acquired trauma the whole beginning half just highlights how fucked up he is and the mutation only doubles down and the fact he becomes downright ugly unlike many other mutations that atleast have a cool factor it’s like the mutation turned wade inside out the show in a way was just showing wade for who he was and is now showing his current traumatization and serving to show all his issues from birth and the repressed past trauma like a breaking point like anakin and Vader the lines showing Vader was always there not born only brought out “then realized their was no Vader only anakin” wade is someone who was fundamentally different abused and punished for it he appeals to all aspects aside from the race and LGBTQ sides of the spectrum which is why the two featured x-men are colossus with silver metal skin and a foreign accent and negasonic teenage war-head a sassy lesbian with a buzz cut and a tumblr aesthetic but this could be projecting a bit as i have adhd was Sexually assaulted and my girlfriend died in a car wreck a right after asking and picking out a dress for our first prom senior year so each installment got me more invested and I can’t see him any different but I’m not saying like “lol he just like me for real” but it was kinda eerie watching his story play out as it hit close to home but i appreciate the character all the more because I never actually had a character that I really saw alot of myself in so I’m a little biased in wanting my interpretation to be the correct one and refuse be convinced otherwise atleast with movie adaptations the comics are pretty different in his orgin and overall thematic structure for example the wife thing isn’t really their and he gets his mutation from Wolverine aside from it being inherently already their but that change to me adds weight to this being the reasoning

[@baller42061]

bro u gotta come back

[@weedysneedy]

Yo im here from your tik tok with like 14 likes, never seen any of your tik toks before that tho

[@gonzocapulet9786]

Well, thanks for clicking over anyway! I appreciate it more than I can say.

[@usertwelve7805]

Place