/If Avengers was the film where they all came together, Age of Ultron is the film where they all struggle with what being an Avenger means – people or weapons, heroes or monsters, creators or destroyers – and decide if this if the life for them./ - Very true. *nods*
/If we call war killing and peace creation/ - Wow, hadn't thought about this war/creation dichotomy but it makes so much sense! *nods* And “A thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts” is the perfect catchphrase for a movie that starts with an Avengers team but ends with a different one. ;)
/Compare that to what Natasha says about the ‘job’s not finished’ and tell me that Clint hasn't given Natasha a variation of that speech./ - I *love* this head-canon!
/she's decided now who she is, she's not playing roles anymore, she's not doing the good ways not to die but instead is committed to this/ - Wow, hadn't thought about the connections with CATWS, so interesting!
/"They're my mess." Clint's 'monster' reference is that in some ways he's still blaming himself for all the mess of Loki in Avengers and the impact on this team. Or perhaps not blaming, in light of his speech to Wanda, but feeling responsible./ - Oooh, interesting! In the Italian translation he says "They're my confusion", completely missing the "mess you made" additional meaning.
/he promises Wanda he’ll come back for her…/ - Wow, yes, that's totally the "I'm going to have a tearful call with my family now because I'm inevitably going to die in the next minute" trick...
/Clint is set up to be the one you think is going to die. (I didn’t think he would, not out of fan denial but because I’m actually too used to Whedon character deaths being more unexpected.)/ - Actually, I was never worried about Clint, not even a teensy bit. And what's worse I didn't even get that I was supposed to be worried until I got home and read other people's reviews. Like, the actor had to appear in the next Avengers movie, right? I didn't even catch on the fact that him telling his wife that when he got back he had that project to finish was a clear sign that he might not get home, I was so sure of his protagonist invulnerability LOL
/And then there’s the parts tying them together, like Pietro getting Clint shot at the start then saving Clint from gunfire by putting himself in harms way./ - Oh, that's right, such a neat mirror! *nods*
/I don’t like Tony’s joke when he first attempts to lift the hammer – I preferred the version in the trailer where he says he’ll be fair, but firmly cruel./ - Yes, I'm so irritated by that joke. Especially because it wasn't there in early trailer, which means someone later on actively decided to put it back... *shakes head*
And, ooh, yes on Tony and Ultron both needing an audience... *nods*