'Venture Bros.' Season 7 Finally Brings Back an All-Important Character

(Note: This post contains massive spoilers for the Aug. 5 episode of “The Venture Bros.”)

The start of Season 7 of “The Venture Bros.” builds out yet another wing of the show’s ever-growing mythos. The big twist at the start of the season was a resurrection of a character who has cast a shadow over the entire 14-year run of the show.

Almost two years after the start of Season 6 of Adult Swim’s animated series satirizing, deconstructing and analyzing pop culture ranging from superheroes to Saturday morning cartoons, “The Venture Bros.” is back — and it’s (seemingly) finally, actually making a story move it has teased fans with over and over again. Like the comics and cartoons it goofs on that are full of once-dead characters returning from the grave, “The Venture Bros.” is finally bringing back Dr. Jonas Venture Sr., at least in some form.

Also Read: 'The Venture Bros.': How Did Jonas Venture Sr Die?

If you’re unfamiliar with the ins and outs of “Venture” lore, the underlying premise is that it follows Dr. Thaddeus S. “Rusty” Venture, the son of a 1960s super-scientist who got dragged on a bunch of scary adventures, “Jonny Quest”- and “Scooby-Doo”-style. Now in his mid-40s and with two mostly-clueless boy adventurer sons of his own, Rusty is constantly accosted by supervillains who want to “arch” him (a verb taken from the term “arch-enemy”), while he slowly squanders the fortune his father left behind after he abruptly died.

Jonas has been a major figure in the show, despite having died long before its beginning (for more on what happened to Jonas, read this). Rusty grapples with all kinds of baggage because of his upbringing, not the least of which is feelings of inadequacy in comparison to his father, coupled with the resentment he feels for being saddled with the life of a super-scientist “protagonist” that he never actually wanted — and at which he is not especially good.

Over the years, “The Venture Bros.” has repeatedly teased fans and viewers with the idea that Jonas Venture might return, and what kind of impact that would have on Rusty, only to turn the idea into a joke at the last second. Rusty occasionally has hallucinated meetings with his father, and there was one episode back in Season 2 in which an alien appeared in his father’s likeness, “Contact”-style. Rusty’s long-lost twin JJ (short for Jonas Venture Jr.), who Rusty absorbed in the womb and who eventually freed himself from Rusty’s body after 40-plus years, was also the spitting image of the men’s father. JJ was also a great deal more successful than Rusty, increasing his resentment for his family.

Also Read: The 'Avengers: Infinity War' Deleted Scene That Should Have Been in the Movie

All those years of groundwork and baggage has come to a head in the first episode of “The Venture Bros.” Season 7, when Dr. Venture discovered that Jonas’ brain was actually preserved after his untimely death. Under Jonas’ orders, his adventuring companions known as Team Venture hooked his head up into a computer system on Jonas’ giant space station, Gargantua-1. Turns out, that computer made it to the New York Venture building JJ set up before his death, and now Jonas is finally starting to wake up after 40 years. Most of the premiere is concerned with a sort of techno-haunting of the Venture tower by Jonas.

It’s a weird reunion, but one that’s sure to have serious effects on Season 7 going forward. Jonas was Rusty’s big supporter, but also, in a way, his biggest rival — the shadow of his father affected everything that Rusty did in his life. The major themes of failure, loss and masculinity “The Venture Bros.” is constantly dealing with using its hilarious parodies of cartoons and superheroes all have their roots in Jonas’ failures as a father, and Rusty’s failures as a son.

What isn’t clear is whether Jonas is really “back” (he’s wired to the building, he’s part computer, and his mechanical innards got nailed with a fire ax when Rusty’s computer scientist pal, Pete White, discovered the ghost in the machine and panicked). It does seem likely that Jonas’ presence will be a hinge for the season, though — maybe a catalyst to deal with the childhood connection between Rusty and his arch-enemy, the Monarch, that was teased by a photo the Monarch discovered back in Season 6.

Also Read: 'Avengers: Infinity War' Directors Explain Why Thanos' Victory Was Good News for Red Skull

It also feels like “The Venture Bros.” creators Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer (real names Chris McCulloch and Eric Hammer) are messing with viewers with a plan in mind. The premiere episode starts with a bit of story about JJ, who was killed during the special “All This and Gargantua-2” that set up Season 6. Those first minutes made fans think that Rusty’s brother might have survived his heroic demise.

Turns out, that opening portion is flashback to two years earlier — but to throw in a resurrection tease at the start of the episode and then to bookend it with an actual resurrection at the end seems more than just a bit of comedic or storytelling symmetry. “The Venture Bros.” is nothing if not very aware of its own lore, story, and minor details, and things that seem trivial in the moment often end up being incredibly important later. Could JJ have survived — and is Jonas really back?

No matter what, there’s one thing that’s for sure: Jonas’ reappearance will definitely make Rusty’s terrible life just a little more awful. After all, that’s the main plot of the entire series.

All 37 Stan Lee Marvel Movie Cameos Ranked (Photos)

For decades, Stan Lee was a staple of Marvel movies, making cameo appearances in most of them until his death in 2018. To celebrate his birthday -- he would have been 98 years old today -- let's look back at every one of his Marvel cameos over the years.
Marvel
37. "Deadpool 2" (2018) -
The bottom of this list consists of Lee's "blink and you'll miss it" cameos. In "Deadpool 2," he doesn't actually appear in the movie in person -- he pops up as a huge wall mural that's a bit tough to spot, and gone almost immediately.
Fox
36. "Spider-Man 2" (2004) -
Another super-quick Lee cameo, but during the first fight between Spidey and Doc Ock, Lee sees enough screen time to pull a women out of harm's way. Watch the clip here.
Sony
35. "Spider-Man" (2002) -
Same here. Lee gets a freeze-frame shot during one of the big fight scenes in the Sam Raimi original. This was before Stan Lee cameos became a major part of the Marvel moviegoing experience, explaining why so little thought was put into them. Watch the clip here.
Sony
34. Iron Man 3 (2013) -
You can catch Lee for a split second as a beauty pageant judge in this film. Compared to some of the other recent Lee cameos, this one is extremely forgettable. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
33. "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006) -
Lee appears in a flashback scene where Jean Grey demonstrates her powers. Another one of the more forgettable cameos, this one at least gives fans time to register who they're looking at. Watch the clip here.
Fox
32. "X-Men" (2000) -
This was the first Marvel feature film to include Stan Lee, and as such was purely an easter egg for eagle-eyed fans. Lee can be seen for several seconds as a beach-side hot dog vendor, but he's not the focus of the shot as he is in later films. Watch the clip here.
Fox
31. "Daredevil" (2003) -
Here's where the cameos start getting good. Lee gets saved from walking into traffic by a young Matthew Murdock, marking the first time Lee is used as part of a gag in a Marvel film. Watch the clip here.
Fox
30. "Iron Man 2" (2010) -
This is another fleeting clip, but it ranks higher for portraying Lee as Larry King, complete with glasses and suspenders. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
29. "Fantastic Four" (2005) -
The first film in which Lee talks with one of his creations portrays him this time as a mailman who extends Reed Richards a friendly greeting. Beyond that, there's nothing too special about this appearance, but it demonstrates the pivot toward increased focus on these cameos. Watch the clip here.
Fox
28. "Doctor Strange" (2016) -
This quick cameo sees Lee reading Aldus Huxley's "The Doors of Perception" and otherwise remaining completely oblivious to the otherworldly goings-on just outside his bus window. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
27. "X-Men: Apocalypse" (2016) -
Lee appears with his wife, Joan Lee, pop up in "Apocalypse" as a couple watching as the world's nuclear weapons are launched -- although luckily, they're being rendered useless in space. It was Joan's final appearance on film before her death in 2017. Watch the clip here.
Fox
26. "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011) -
Some films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe use Lee as the punchline for a gag scene. Here, Lee cameos as a military official at a White House press event that Cap no-shows. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
25. "Thor" (2011) -
Here's another gag scene in which Lee uses a truck to try to uproot Thor's hammer, which can only be wielded by someone who's "worthy," from the crater in which it's stuck. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
24. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014) -
Lee plays a security guard at a museum where Cap's suit is on display. Unfortunately for Stan's job security, Steve Rogers needs it back. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
23. "Spider-Man: Homecoming" (2017) -
Lee returns to New York to join in the neighborhood lecturing the Web-Slinger about a slightly botched attempt at heroism. Watch the clip here.
Sony
22. "Ant-Man" (2015) -
During Luis' madcap story, Lee appears as a bartender. Hearing Michael Pena's voice come out of Lee's mouth is a great surprise gag. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
21. "Iron Man" (2008) -
By the time "Iron Man" was released, Marvel knew its fans were on the lookout for the Stan cameo, so they put him in a smoking jacket, flanked him with some beautiful women and had him appear as Hugh Hefner. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
20. "The Avengers" (2012) -
This is a bit of a cheat. The actual Lee cameo used was another quick shot that would have ranked low on this list, but the deleted cameo is too funny to exclude. As Cap struggles to adjust to life in the 21st century, Lee shows up to call him out on his obliviousness. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
19. "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) - Lee's back in New York and completely unimpressed by Thanos and his minions in his "Infinity War" cameo. There's a fair chance he's reprising his role from "Spider-Man: Homecoming" in this one. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
18. "Thor: The Dark World" (2013) -
Poor Dr. Selvig. After getting his brain scrambled by the Mind Stone in "The Avengers," he's left in a mental ward where he uses Stan Lee's shoe to deliver a lecture about the convergence theory before an ambivalent audience. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
17. "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014) -
It's already surreal to see Rocket Raccoon in a blockbuster. It's even weirder to hear him voiced by an A-List actor like Bradley Cooper. But nothing is as weird as seeing Rocket ask Stan Lee from afar, "Where's your wife, you old codger?" Watch the clip here.
Marvel
16. "Deadpool" (2016) -
The raunchiest Marvel film deserves the raunchiest Stan Lee cameo. If you think it's weird to see him guest star as a strip club DJ, remember that this is the guy who created "Stripperella." Watch the clip here.
Fox
15. "Venom" (2018) -
At the very end of the movie, after Eddie has one last heartfelt conversation with Annie, Stan Lee pops up to encourage Eddie in a very knowing way: "Don't give up on her -- either of you."
Sony
14. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (2007) -
In a rare cameo as himself, Stan Lee tries and fails to get into a wedding guarded by a skeptical bouncer. Watch the clip here.
Fox
13. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (2014) -
During Gwen and Peter's graduation, Lee spots Peter swapping his Spider-Man costume for a cap and gown. "I think I know that guy," he exclaims. Watch the clip here.
Sony
12. "Black Panther" (2018) -
Lee is often seen as a blue collar guy just trying to make a living in his movie cameos, and in "Black Panther," he seizes an opportunity, disapproving glare of Everett Ross be damned. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
11. "Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) - Lee is back to being oblivious in his "Ant-Man and the Wasp" cameo, when his car is shrunk by some collateral Ant-Man mayhem right before he can get inside. "Well, the '60s were fun, but now I'm payin' for 'em," Lee remarks, still holding his car keys.
Marvel
10. "Avengers: Endgame" (2019) -

Lee pops up here when Captain America and Iron Man travel back to the past to steal the Tesseract from a SHIELD base in the 1970s. Lee plays an old hippy who yells "Make love, not war" as he drives by the base. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
9. "Captain America: Civil War" (2016) -
The movie's greatest strength is its balance of comedy and drama. At the film's close, Tony and Rhodey have an emotional moment together when Lee arrives to lighten the mood as a mailman looking for "Tony Stank." Watch the clip here.
Marvel
8. "The Incredible Hulk" (2008) -
Quentin Tarantino has been known to subject himself to some gruesome fates in his own films. Here Stan Lee gets a tough break as a poor sucker who accidentally gets gamma radiation poisoning from a contaminated soda. Watch the clip here.
Universal
7. "The Amazing Spider-Man" (2012) -
While the first two "Spider-Man" films saw Lee scrambling to get out of danger, the Andrew Garfield reboot made him completely oblivious to it. Watch the clip here.
Sony
6. "Captain Marvel" (2019) -

Lee can be seen in this film on a bus reading the screenplay for the Kevin Smith movie "Mallrats," which Lee appeared in. It's one of the many nods to '90s pop culture in "Captain Marvel." Watch the clip here.
Marvel
5. "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017) -
Stan Lee follows his post "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" cosmic cameo and shows up as a barber on the planet Sakaar, looking to cut Thor's hair. Lee says, "And don't you move, my hands aren't as steady as they used to be!" Watch the clip here.
Marvel
4. "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" (2017) -
Seemingly confirming something Marvel fans have suspected for some time, Stan appears with the Watchers, the group of all-seeing cosmic beings who observe intelligent life in the universe. Fans have figured Lee shows up in every movie because he's a Watcher himself. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
3. "Hulk" (2003) -
This cameo isn't a gag, but it is the best easter egg in any Marvel movie. The fellow security guard to whom Lee is talking is none other than original TV Hulk Lou Ferrigno. Watch the clip here.
Universal
2. "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015) -
Stan the Man's cameos may never get funnier than this. As Lee demonstrates, Asgardian ale packs more punch than Thor's hammer. Watch the clip here.
Marvel
1. "Spider-Man 3" (2007) -
Our list began with a "Spider-man" film, so it's fitting that it ends with one. "Spider-man 3" may have polarized Marvel fans, but this Stan Lee cameo in which he smiles at Peter Parker is a heartwarming meeting between a comic book icon and his creator. Watch the clip here.
Sony

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On what would have been the comics legend’s 98th birthday, The Wrap looks back at his sometimes forgettable — other times hilarious — onscreen appearances

For decades, Stan Lee was a staple of Marvel movies, making cameo appearances in most of them until his death in 2018. To celebrate his birthday -- he would have been 98 years old today -- let's look back at every one of his Marvel cameos over the years.

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All 37 Stan Lee Marvel Movie Cameos Ranked (Photos)

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