Inhumans Disappointing Black Bolt

[Spidey-Quad]

So disappointed in how they decided to portray black bolt's powers. After all he is so much more than just then devastating destructive vocal cords. I mean the character is on par with Superman in the Silver surfer. He can fly, he could transmute metals and molecules and so much more. I would've so much more like to have seen something that canceled out his powers rather than just ignore his power set.

I've seen through episode six and surprisingly I'm finding myself enjoying the show. It's not as good as say, Legion or Gifted but I'm finding it entertaining. I'm hoping they can find some way to keep the story integrated and moving forward even if the series itself gets canceled. I will say, in my opinion, marvel television brought this upon itself with its cheapness. hopefully they learn a valuable lesson from this and up their game

 

[BestGirl]

I can't figure out why nobody bothered to teach him sign language even though he's been functionally mute since he was a teen. And why is he seemingly capable of only one facial expression?

 

[TheRedWraith]

You must not have been paying attention, because he is using sign language, just no known variation (intentionally made like that by BB's actor, Anson Mount, to not resemble any version of sign language) because he is from the moon with the only other person to know it being Medusa (how it is in real life because Anson and Serinda made it together).

 

[Lantern Venom]

Anson's been the best part of the series. He has BB's personality down, even if his powers have been partially stripped. My guess is that we would see more than just his hypersonic voice and some low level super strength if the show actually ran multiple seasons, which it won't. I was disappointed that he's been unable to fly as well, but the rather thin central plot of the Royals being banished from the moon would be completely undone if he could have immediately flown back.

 

[psylockolussus]

For the last two to three episodes, Black Bolt hasn't done anything.

 

[BestGirl]

You must not have been paying attention, because he is using sign language, just no known variation (intentionally made like that by BB's actor, Anson Mount, to not resemble any version of sign language) because he is from the moon with the only other person to know it being Medusa (how it is in real life because Anson and Serinda made it together).

I have been paying attention. My point is, why didn't his family teach him some version of sign language, instead of leaving him to invent his own? And why haven't others learned it? Why is Medusa the only person to know it? How did he communicate with Maximus before Medusa arrived? Why have Maximus and the council not bothered to learn how to converse with their own brother/king without the help of an intermediary? It's all so stupid.

 

[ludovica]

I have been paying attention. My point is, why didn't his family teach him some version of sign language, instead of leaving him to invent his own? And why haven't others learned it? Why is Medusa the only person to know it? How did he communicate with Maximus before Medusa arrived? Why have Maximus and the council not bothered to learn how to converse with their own brother/king without the help of an intermediary? It's all so stupid.

Not exactly an answers to your questions:
I’m Deaf and I support the use of an invented sign language in ‘Inhumans’
https://www.popmythology.com/marvel-inhumans-invented-sign-language/

"In the show, the use of what I am calling Tilanese Sign Language (or TSL; Tilan being the language of Attilan) works for various reasons. Mount already remarked that ASL does not exist on the moon and Black Bolt has never lived on Earth so there would be no way for him to learn it. Makes perfect sense.

From an ASL linguistic perspective, it also makes sense. For DHH people who grow up in isolation and do not learn a formal sign language, they invent what the Deaf community calls “home signs.” These are signs the person uses with family and friends that only exist in their bubble and that outsiders would not understand. As a character, Black Bolt lived in complete isolation for 19 years, from infancy to adulthood. He is the only person in Attilan who ‘signs’ and is what the Deaf community would consider linguistically isolated: apart from gestures that are universally understood such as shrugging or nodding, only Black Bolt and his family know what his TSL signs mean."

I do not know how Karnak wouldn't have learned it too in all those years.

 

[Random490]

Not exactly an answers to your questions:
I’m Deaf and I support the use of an invented sign language in ‘Inhumans’
https://www.popmythology.com/marvel-inhumans-invented-sign-language/

"In the show, the use of what I am calling Tilanese Sign Language (or TSL; Tilan being the language of Attilan) works for various reasons. Mount already remarked that ASL does not exist on the moon and Black Bolt has never lived on Earth so there would be no way for him to learn it. Makes perfect sense.

From an ASL linguistic perspective, it also makes sense. For DHH people who grow up in isolation and do not learn a formal sign language, they invent what the Deaf community calls “home signs.” These are signs the person uses with family and friends that only exist in their bubble and that outsiders would not understand. As a character, Black Bolt lived in complete isolation for 19 years, from infancy to adulthood. He is the only person in Attilan who ‘signs’ and is what the Deaf community would consider linguistically isolated: apart from gestures that are universally understood such as shrugging or nodding, only Black Bolt and his family know what his TSL signs mean."

I do not know how Karnak wouldn't have learned it too in all those years.

I was on board with the idea of an invented sign language but it's actually stupid when you realize that they are already speaking english. There's no indication that they are speaking a different language on Attilan, so why not use actual sign language for fans who understand it to translate? It's not like most people would notice. If the audience buys that they know english why would buy that? My guess is, it's an excuse not to hire a professional sign language consultant.

Anyway Black Bolt is one of the best parts of the series, Anson does a great job because a role like that is easy to underact or over act with and I think he nailed it. And I have no problem with them ditching some of his side abilities.

 

[ludovica]

I was on board with the idea of an invented sign language but it's actually stupid when you realize that they are already speaking english. There's no indication that they are speaking a different language on Attilan, so why not use actual sign language for fans who understand it to translate? It's not like most people would notice. If the audience buys that they know english why would buy that? My guess is, it's an excuse not to hire a professional sign language consultant.

Anyway Black Bolt is one of the best parts of the series, Anson does a great job because a role like that is easy to underact or over act with and I think he nailed it. And I have no problem with them ditching some of his side abilities.

I too find Anson's performace great for what it is.
Regarding English, I guess they have some kind of translating technology?
No reason they would speak natively English but that's one of many things unexplained...
I disagree they should have used ASL, with Black Bolt the only speaker, a homegrown language was the right call IMO.

 

[BestGirl]

Not exactly an answers to your questions:
I’m Deaf and I support the use of an invented sign language in ‘Inhumans’
https://www.popmythology.com/marvel-inhumans-invented-sign-language/

"In the show, the use of what I am calling Tilanese Sign Language (or TSL; Tilan being the language of Attilan) works for various reasons. Mount already remarked that ASL does not exist on the moon and Black Bolt has never lived on Earth so there would be no way for him to learn it. Makes perfect sense.

From an ASL linguistic perspective, it also makes sense. For DHH people who grow up in isolation and do not learn a formal sign language, they invent what the Deaf community calls “home signs.” These are signs the person uses with family and friends that only exist in their bubble and that outsiders would not understand. As a character, Black Bolt lived in complete isolation for 19 years, from infancy to adulthood. He is the only person in Attilan who ‘signs’ and is what the Deaf community would consider linguistically isolated: apart from gestures that are universally understood such as shrugging or nodding, only Black Bolt and his family know what his TSL signs mean."

I do not know how Karnak wouldn't have learned it too in all those years.

So BB's parents couldn't send any inhuman to earth to pick up a few sign language books?

And the average deaf person isn't expected to lead a country. For a future king, a sign language system that only he and his wife can understand is unacceptable.

And there's still no explanation for how only Medusa can understand what BB is trying to say. How have Maximus, Gorgon, and Karnak not picked up the system?

 

[Random490]

I too find Anson's performace great for what it is.
Regarding English, I guess they have some kind of translating technology?
No reason they would speak natively English but that's one of many things unexplained...
I disagree they should have used ASL, with Black Bolt the only speaker, a homegrown language was the right call IMO.

I'm not saying it's a bad concept, just that I feel it was done out of laziness and cheapness than creative thought.

And there's still no explanation for how only Medusa can understand what BB is trying to say. How have Maximus, Gorgon, and Karnak not picked up the system?

Because this series is poorly thought out

 

[ludovica]

So BB's parents couldn't send any inhuman to earth to pick up a few sign language books?

And the average deaf person isn't expected to lead a country. For a future king, a sign language system that only he and his wife can understand is unacceptable.

And there's still no explanation for how only Medusa can understand what BB is trying to say. How have Maximus, Gorgon, and Karnak not picked up the system?

You're right but Black Bolt is not deaf.
Not even mute.

 

[misjuevos]

I agree with the thread title, I am hoping that Blackbolt is just holding back, till we see him fight the kree.

Seeing him get hit with nightsticks and show pain was somewhat a shock. I was hoping he would get hit and nothing phase him and he would just surrender while still being hit like nothing was happening at all.

When he fought the first cop who tried to cuff him it did seem like he accidentally used too much strength, so maybe he did hold back on the subsequent police that showed up. If this is true it was not expressed enough throughout the season how strong physically blackbolt really is. We could have seen him crush a gun or rip a car door off or something. I just hope he is holding back so far.

As far as the sign language I think they should have went with the telepathic link instead, which they can still do. He communicates telepathically with medusa who speaks for him.

The only reason I think they didn't is to emphasize Blackbolt when he does speak, how dangerous and power it is. So if he spoke every episode to medusa in their minds we would get used to seeing him speak and it would lessen when he uses his voice.

I am hoping to see Blackbolt use the Kirby Crackle on his head to speak at least once. It could have been a cool effect, every time he gets mad and does an emphatic gesture or seems like he is shouting with his sign language he would have this crackle on his brow. I chalk all this up to just the first season and hopefully they will start to get Blackbolt to seem as powerful as everyone likes to say he is on the show. His voice is powerful, but he is also still powerful when not using his voice either.

 

[igoogol]

I'm going with Karnak, Gorgon and Triton can read BB's signs, but they're too polite to impinge on Medusa's territory. I did like the reveal that Maximus could because it was in-character yet it still surprises.

 

[TheRedWraith]

They were doing well with the power of his voice until the last episode, when, saying in a normal voice tone "goodbye brother" only destroyed the building, he should be much stronger than that and for the effect that "Goodbye Brother" had it should only have been a whisper.

 

[psylockolussus]

He got a new outfit.

 

[Heretic]

They were doing well with the power of his voice until the last episode, when, saying in a normal voice tone "goodbye brother" only destroyed the building, he should be much stronger than that and for the effect that "Goodbye Brother" had it should only have been a loud whisper.

Keep in mind that it had been established that the building would be collapsing ANYWAY. So...it may not be entirely correct to credit his voice alone as tearing down the entire structure.

 

[TheRedWraith]

He got a new outfit.

I question why they didn't just give him that the whole time, it looked much better than his starter look.

 

[psylockolussus]

I guess it was done after several episodes were already filmed. I also liked Medusa's finale dress.

 

[Random490]

Am I the only one who didn't like his new costume? It looks like a cheap drum major outfit for a high school marching band

 

[eon001]

Had a bit of a random thought. Cavill has one more contracted appearance as Superman.

What if he finishes his contract and play's Blackagar Boltagon in a MCU Inhumans movie?

 

[Power Cosmic]

What a waste of such a great, powerful character...

 

[Aboymeetsworld]

I actually like the actor who played Black Bolt, in my opinion he was literally the only good thing about the show.