Brie Larson is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Captain Marvel movie, but who is Captain Marvel, exactly?
Captain Marvel is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the MCU’s first female-led film on March 8, played by Brie Larson (Raising Dad, Room, Kong: Skull Island) in the 1992-set picture.
She’s been a hero for many years, though Carol Danvers only took the mantle of Captain Marvel fairly recently, in 2012. So just who is Carol Danvers, and why is she so important to Marvel and the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Introduction to Carol Danvers
Carol Susan Jane Danvers was born in Boston, Massachusetts and joined the Air Force after high school. An accomplished pilot, she has worked in various high-level security positions within the Air Force, the CIA, NASA and the Department of Homeland Security.
She first gained her powers from a dying Kree alien named Mar-Vell during the explosion of a device called a “Psyche-Magnitron,” which was a Kree weapon that was essentially a wishing machine.
It was later retconned that her mother was Kree, and thus the Psyche-Magnitron only activated the latent alien genes within Carol’s DNA.
She has been a longtime, though off-and-on, member of the Avengers, and a close ally of the X-Men, in addition to having held membership roles within the Starjammers, the all-female A-Force, the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Ultimates. She has also held a leadership position within the space version of Alpha Flight.
She was introduced as an Air Force officer in March 1968 in Marvel Super-Heroes No. 13, and gained her powers in November 1969 in Captain Marvel No. 18, receiving her own self-titled series for the first time in January 1977.
Carol has written several successful sci-fi novels loosely based on her adventures, and a nonfiction work on her time at NASA. She has also been kidnapped by aliens several times, and has even battled with alcoholism throughout the years.
Codenames and Costumes
For most of her existence as a hero, Carol has gone by the codename “Ms. Marvel,” because the title “Ms” was considered a positive part of the feminist movement of the 1970s.
Her original costume was a midriff-baring red and blue leotard with a pilot’s scarf, designed as a feminine version of Mar-Vell’s costume.
When her powers upgraded following experimentation by the Brood, she took the new code name “Binary.” This necessitated a change of costume – a black and white outfit similar to a speed skating uniform.
When she went by the alias “Warbird” she wore a slightly armored black jumpsuit.
At some later point she when she returned to the Ms. Marvel alias, the costume changed as well to a black leotard with a yellow lightning bolt on the front, with a red sash, black domino mask and extra-long black gloves and boots. She then donated her original costume to Suzanna Sherman aka Ultragirl.
Once she finally assumed the title of “Captain Marvel,” her costume became a red and blue jumpsuit with a retractable helmet.
Shortly afterward she chopped off her medium-length blonde locks into a very short, more masculine hairstyle to complete her current look in the comics.
In the film, Carol will wear both the current jumpsuit and a green and black version of the suit – blending together several looks from the character’s rich history.
Powers
As Ms. Marvel, Carol’s original powers included greatly enhanced endurance, durability, stamina and strength, with a limited amount of precognition. She was also immune to most poisons and toxins.
Due to her military background, she is a skilled tactician and fiercely determined. She is also adept in hand-to-hand fighting and is able to fly most types of fighter planes. In daily life, she has been shown to be handy when fixing household appliances like coffee makers, though she struggles with how to balance her duties as a superhero with some semblance of a normal civilian existence.
As Binary, she could control heat, gravity and the electromagnetic spectrum, fly at lightspeed and survive space’s vacuum unaided.
At some point Carol was also granted something called “Cosmic Awareness,” which essentially allows her to harness solar energy and convert it for whatever purpose necessary to the plot at that moment.
When she lost her connection to the wormhole, she didn’t lose her Binary powers, though they’re nowhere near as strong as they once were. She can absorb limited amounts of energy attacks, and project photon blasts, and she can fly about Mach 6 (six times the speed of sound, or about 4600 miles per hour).
Based on trailers, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Carol can fly and project photon blasts. It is also likely she will possess many other powers – yet to be explored through trailers and clips from the film.
Other Captain Marvels
Over the years, there have been plenty of previous heroes to use the moniker “Captain Marvel” besides Carol. The first was a 1940s character from Fawcett Comics, whom National Comics (later DC) complained was an infringement on their copyright of Superman.
The ensuing lawsuit pretty much ended Fawcett’s existence, and about twenty years later DC and Marvel both created characters using the name “Captain Marvel.” After the copyright of the name went to Marvel Comics, DC changed their hero’s name to Shazam, who will be getting his own movie starring Zachary Levi in April.
The original Captain Marvel for Marvel was a Kree named Mar-Vell. Sent to monitor Earth’s increasing technology, Mar-Vell decided to protect Earth. He had a link with Rick Jones via the Nega-Bands bracelets, and eventually died of cancer in 1982.
The second hero to use the Captain Marvel title was Monica Rambeau, originally a New Orleans police officer who could transform into all types of energy. She was one of the heroes to fight on Battleworld in 1984’s “Secret Wars” storyline, and her mother Maria (Lashana Lynch) will be in the upcoming film and Monica currently uses the codename Spectrum.
The third Captain Marvel was Mar-Vell’s son Genis-Vell, who eventually went insane, died, resurrected himself, and was finally killed for good by Baron Zemo.
The fourth Captain Marvel was Mar-Vell’s daughter Phyla-Vell, who Genis-Vell created with a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer reshaping of reality, giving himself a little sister who had previously never existed. As Martyr, she joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, where she perished to save her teammates.
The fifth Captain Marvel was Khn’nr, a Skrull spy deep undercover in the form of Mar-Vell. Though on the pro-registration side of the First Superhero Civil War, he’s mostly neutral during the conflict. When the Skrulls later attack in full force, he decides to fight back somewhat by attacking Thunderbolt Mountain in Colorado, feeling that the government should not employ known villains. He then attacks the Skrulls head-on, where he is mortally wounded. Just before dying, he requests that the Kree naval officer Noh-Varr continue the legacy of the Captain Marvel name.
Originally a Kree ensign who was the only survivor of a wrecked starship called (what else?) The Marvel, Noh-Varr became a brutal assassin locked up in the Cube prison after declaring war on humanity. When the Skrulls attack Earth during “Secret Invasion,” Noh-Varr leads a mass breakout of the Cube and later comes across the dying Khn’nr, inheriting the Captain Marvel mantle and playing a large role in the final battle against the Skrulls. He then joins and leaves the Dark Avengers, and is presently using the code name Protector.
Ironically, Carol Danvers only took up the title in 2012 at the encouragement of Captain America, leaving the Ms. Marvel name for Kamala Khan to inherit and setting the stage for Carol to make her MCU debut.
House of M
During the 2005 “House of M” storyline written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, Carol is part of the Avengers/X-Men delegation to determine the fate of Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch.
The Scarlet Witch creates an alternate reality where mutants are the dominant race. Among other changes, X-Man Scott Summers/Cyclops is married to Hellfire Club member Emma Frost (the mother of the Frost sisters), Peter Parker is married to Gwen Stacy, Steve Rogers was the first man on the moon, and the state of journalism is tightly controlled.
While the storyline mainly focuses on her allies in the X-Men and street-level heroes like Luke Cage’s Defenders, Carol still has a presence.
In this alternate reality, she is the most famous superhero in the country, going by the codename “Captain Marvel,” though wearing her black costume. She’s dating Hollywood superstar Simon Williams/Wonder Man, and is a regular attendee at exclusive events, and thus the target of tabloid journalism.
Once Layla Miller reveals their old lives, Carol joins the resistance led by Luke Cage and Wolverine in their assault on the Castle Magnus in Genosha in order to restore reality to normal.
Civil War
In the 2006 “Civil War” storyline written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Steve McNiven, Carol is part of the immediately rescue/cleanup efforts when a minor villain blows up an elementary school while battling a minor group of heroes called the New Warriors in Stamford, Connecticut, resulting in around 700 deaths. She then uses her blogging skills to advocate for the Superhero Registration Act.
Carol joins Tony Stark’s side in the conflict, becoming a licensed hero working as a federal agent as part of the Initiative.
She also is a participant during the power plant confrontation organized by Stark against Steve Rogers/Captain America’s anti-registration forces in a battle which killed Bill Foster/Goliath.
Following the arrest of Captain America and Stark’s elevation to SHIELD Director, Carol assumes command of the (legal) Mighty Avengers for a time.
This storyline was adapted into the MCU’s Captain America: Civil War, though the setting of the initial incident was changed to the city of Sokovia (in Avengers; Age of Ultron) and Johannesburg, South Africa, and the casualty count (at least in Johannesburg) was somewhat lessened.
Secret Invasion
Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, the 2008 “Secret Invasion” storyline depicted an invasion of Earth by the shapeshifting Skrulls, enemies of the Kree for centuries, which will be somewhat adapted into the plot of the upcoming Captain Marvel movie.
It’s a successful invasion because no one knows who they can trust any longer, since your friend could actually be a spy in disguise.
Ms. Marvel is joined by the rest of the Mighty Avengers on a mission to arrest the New Avengers in the Savage Land when the Skrull invasion begins. When Tony stark is infected with a virus, Carol helps him escape to a safe place before racing to New York on Tony’s orders after she rallies the new heroes in the Initiative.
She’s knocked out several times (both by Skrulls and by Nick Fury) in the initial attempt to save the city, though she recovers in time to take part in the second successful battle (won with the help of newest Captain Marvel Noh-Varr) and welcome the return of the real kidnapped heroes, including her friend Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman, and helping Jessica Jones and Luke Cage look for their kidnapped daughter Danielle.
Following the attack, Tony Stark is vilified, SHIELD is decommissioned and replaced by HAMMER, headed by war hero Norman Osborn, the only Thunderbolt to survive Khr’nr’s attack of their headquarters. Rather than work for a crooked man like Osborn, Carol quits the Mighty Avengers and joins Luke Cage’s group of New Avengers.
Civil War II
If the First Superhero Civil War could be said to be about gun control, then the Second Superhero Civil War would be about police profiling. If then it was about national security versus individual liberty, then now it was about personal accountability.
In the 2016 “Civil War II” storyline written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by David Marquez and Justin Ponsor, Carol is one of the leads in a company wide ideological clash that saw nearly every superhero team get involved in one way or another.
When the Terrigen Mists hit Ohio State University, a student named Ulysses Cain discovers that he is an Inhuman with precognitive powers. Based on a vision he received and experienced, the Inhumans are able to help the Avengers repel an attack by a Celestial Destroyer.
During an afterparty to celebrate, Ulysses reveals his ability, Carol Danvers seizes on it as a chance to prevent crimes before they occur, and Tony Stark realizes how dangerous that could be in the wrong hands. Carol offers him a job with the Ultimates.
Three weeks later, while repelling an arrival from Thanos to Earth, James Rhodes/War Machine is killed and Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk is severely wounded.
After Iron Man kidnaps Ulysses from the Inhuman homeland of New Attilan, Captain Marvel leads a group to find Tony. During the argument that follows, Ulysses has a vision of the Hulk killing them all.
Acting on that information, Carol arrives in Utah with the rest of the heroes in tow to interrogate Bruce Banner, which rapidly escalates until Clint Barton/Hawkeye assassinates Banner.
Carol is a witness during Hawkeye’s trial, where he is acquitted, while Tony learns that Ulysses’ visions are educated guesses, not certainties. Meanwhile, Carol continues her policy of arresting potential criminals, including civilians with no obvious criminal ties, arguing with SHIELD Director Maria Hill over this tactic.
Iron Man leads a group of Avengers and X-Men to attack the Triskelion against Captain Marvel’s forces of Ultimates, Inhumans, Alpha Flight, another group of X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy. During the massive battle which follows, Ulysses sees Miles Morales/Spider-Man killing Steve Rogers on the steps of the US Capitol building, and Carol promptly has Miles arrested.
Morales escapes and winds up at the Capitol steps, where Carol is prepared to take him into custody. Tony arrives on the scene and a gigantic air battle ensues between the two of them, ending with Ulysses’ vision not coming to pass, but with Tony in a coma, while Ulysses evolves into a cosmic entity.
Some time later, Carol meets with the President in the White House, who offers her unlimited resources in order to lead the superhero community. Tony, as a techno-ghost, eventually reconciles with Carol.
Every Hero Needs a Sidekick
Everyone loves their pets and thinks they’re something special, and Carol Danvers is no exception. The thing is, in her case, her pet really is special.
Carol’s cat, to begin with, is a rare female orange tabby, which is notable as only about 20 percent of orange cats are females, on the high-end.
This cat is named Chewie, named after the Star Wars character Chewbacca, co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon.
Secondly, Chewie is not actually a cat at all, but a feline-like alien called a Flerken, which have human-level intellect and lay eggs. They also have a litany of hydras in their mouths. (The Greek mythological serpent kind, not the terrorist organization).
In the movie, Carol’s cat will be named Goose, named after Anthony Edwards’ character Nick “Goose” Bradshaw in the 1986 Tom Cruise movie Top Gun. This makes sense, as in real life, the movie caused a jump in Air Force recruitment. It’s possible, being set in 1992, that watching the film was part of why Carol joined up.
If a Skrull disguised as a fellow SHIELD officer isn’t the reason Fury lost his eye, could Goose’s scary mouth-tentacles be to blame for the necessity of the eyepatch?
Potential role in Endgame
In the midcredits scene of Avengers: Infinity War, Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smoulders) evaporate into dust due to Thanos’ successful mission of collecting all the Infinity Stones and the resulting snap (also called the “Decimation”), which eradicated half the population in the universe. Just before he fades away, Fury pages someone, and viewers see the star logo of Captain Marvel.
Speculation has occurred since on where Carol Danvers has been for the past two decades, with most theories thinking either somewhere very far away in space or else trapped somehow within the Quantum Realm.
"“It’s always a concern of ours about overpowering characters, because the reason people relate to these characters is that their humanity, and that they’re flawed,” Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo told CinemaBlend."
Carol’s mule-headedness and independent nature might be some of the flaws Russo is referring to that make for interesting characters, and it’s possible that she won’t be as powered as she is in the comics. Maybe she was at some point and then had some abilities weakened or taken away altogether.
It is nearly certain that Captain Marvel will be joining the Avengers to defeat Thanos in some way, however exactly how this is to be accomplished won’t likely be revealed until Endgame hits theaters.
Maybe she rescues Tony Stark from the depowered spaceship he’s on in the trailer? Maybe Ant-Man encounters her in the Quantum Realm? While her role in Endgame remains to be seen, there is no denying she’ll make her presence known and be a key figure in defeating Thanos.
Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8 setting the stage for Avengers: Endgame which will wrap up the MCU’s third phase when it comes to theaters on April 26.