Captain Marvel: Everything You Need To Know

Captain Marvel

Are you one of the ridiculous amount of people who went to see Avengers: Infinity War opening weekend? If so, you’re probably dying to know more about the Infinity War sequel (which as of yet remains untitled) — and more specifically, Captain Marvel’s role in the movie.

***Spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War past this point***

It’s a not a secret that the Marvel comics character will show up in Avengers 4. But it has been a secret, up until now, that she would be teased in the post-credits sequence of the movie. So with that in mind, let’s answer some frequently asked questions about good ol’ Carol Danvers — and a few more iterations of Captain Marvel it may be important for you to know.

Who did Nick Fury send a message to?

In the post-credits sequence of Avengers: Infinity War, we see Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) desperately sending a pager message, before he crumbles into dust. The pager turns out to be a color pager, which is pretty neat. And then it reveals the distinct look of the Captain Marvel insignia.

The movie — which comes out March 6, 2019 — is set in the 1990s, hence the pager to call the character. What she’s been up to since the ’90s, and how she shows up in the Infinity War sequel is something we’ll find out more next year.

Who will play Captain Marvel?

Brie Larson, who you probably know best from Room, is Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel. This is the first time Carol will be seen live-action, though fans may know actress Jennifer Hale as the voice of Captain Marvel from Disney Infinity.

Wait, is Captain Marvel a guy?

In the comics, Carol is actually the seventh character to hold the name Captain Marvel (we won’t even get into the DC Comics version here). The first was an alien Kree soldier named Mar Vell, who is played by Jude Law in the movie.

Mar Vell becomes something of a mentor to Carol. And due to an accident, her genetic structure is changed to become half-Kree. She also gains powers because of it, and years later takes on his name. It’s both a tribute to Mar Vell, and Carol finally coming into her own as one of the biggest character in the Marvel Universe.

What are Captain Marvel’s abilities?

She’s got super-strength, can fly, and is incredibly durable (though not invulnerable). Carol can also shoot concussive blasts from her hands. And if you pit Captain Marvel vs Thanos, it may actually be a fair fight.

Let’s talk about Captain Marvel’s binary form!

Carol’s history has been a complicated one — though you can say that about most characters who have been around for decades. She was first created by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan for 1968’s “Marvel Super-Heroes #13.” She went on to take the name Ms. Marvel in 1977.

Then, for a good chunk of her history, her powers changed. She was able to access the power of a “white hole,” and called herself Binary. As Binary, she could access the abilities of the universe, essentially, including light speed and massive energy blasts. Carol mostly lost those powers, took on the name Warbird for a while, then returned to being Ms. Marvel.

In 2013, Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dexter Soy finally promoted her to Captain Marvel in her own, ongoing series. Her costume was redesigned by artist Jamie McKelvie, and that instantly iconic look will be used for the movie.

Ms. Marvel, or Captain Marvel?

Once Carol became Captain Marvel, that left an opening for a new Ms. Marvel. That character is a young Inhuman named Kamala Khan, who lives in New Jersey and has the ability to make her parts larger and smaller. Since she idolizes Carol Danvers, she took on the identity of Ms. Marvel.

Carol and Kamala eventually became friends, and in the real world Ms. Marvel is nearly as popular as her legacy counterpart (if not moreso).

Is Captain Marvel the most powerful superhero?

Great question! We won’t know for sure how the MCU will treat her until we see her movie. But in the comics, she’s arguably right up there with Thor and the Hulk. Part of that is helped by her military background: as a fighter pilot, she’s excellent with strategy. So whereas other characters may rely on raw strength, she’s able to see angles they don’t.

She may not be enough to stop Thanos on her own… But she’ll give the remaining Avengers a fighting chance.

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