The Marvelous Carol Danvers: How the MCU Made Me Love Her

Captain Marvel is a fierce super heroine whose serialization started in 1967, so our girl has been around the sun a quite a few times. However, with the expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she has finally gotten her turn at a movie—and wow, what a movie it was!

For me, even though the story was nicely done if not 100% accurate to the comics, what was even more important was the way life was gently breathed into the characters in ways that I both expected and did not expect. So that's what I'm going to be talking about primarily here: the characters. I promised no spoilers so plot line will be barely mentioned if at all. This is purely my reaction to Captain Marvel herself, along with her allies in the story.

My Start with Captain Marvel

I learned about Captain Marvel around... 2016, several months before Civil War was slated for release. I'm not an avid comic reader; I truly love the characters and their stories but find myself unable to keep up with comic issues. What I'll do instead is look up what's going on in certain comic events or even just the whole timeline of a character I've found out about and become interested in. So I was doing some research on Civil War and learning how much grander the conflict was in the comics as compared to the film. Far more superheroes for sure, and a much greater timespan with more horrific consequences.

Suffice to say I hated it. Mainly for a rather childish reason, the same that makes me unable to keep up with series'... I dislike sad, painful stories (but adored manga like Death Note and Naruto to the end??? Like?).

Anyway, so after reading through all of that then I discovered there was a sequel of sorts. Civil War II. Which... I hated even more than the first Civil War.

Can you guess who I disliked most from that storyline? This may or may not surprise you, but I could not stand Carol Danvers. I disagreed with her side in the war, her hardline attitude about it, but the final nail in the coffin was when she blew up Iron Man. Yes. I'm Team (MCU) Iron Man. AND I DON'T APPRECIATE YOU CURB STOMPING HIM INTO A COMA, CAROL.

I tried, you know? I really did try to change my first impression of her because honestly they should have stopped at Civil War I (the writers themselves just phased it out of existence because it wasn't well received so why can't I). So I looked up Captain Marvel to read up about her and her adventures.

... It was just so confusing? She seemed to vacillate wildly and without rhyme or reason between super powerful hero and extremely unlucky girl. The reporter storyline really got my goat I mean—nevermind.

So when I heard that Captain Marvel was going to join the fight against Thanos I just shrugged. Canonically, she is supposed to be incredibly strong and we needed an opponent to the success of Wonder Woman even if it is a couple years too late. When I heard she was getting an origin movie, though, I wasn't very sure I would see it. In the end it took up to the eve of her release day for me to finally decide to see it.

And I am so glad I did.

God Bless, Brie Larson

Brie Larson is a name I'm familiar with because of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World where she played ex-girlfriend of the titular character and rockstar extraordinaire, Envy Adams. I saw her again several years later as a photojournalist in Kong alongside Tom Hiddleston, so I recognized her as a capable actress. Being that I wasn't too enthused about the movie anyway, her casting didn't really strike me as anything important, but I figured she would do a good job at the movie.

I was so, so right.

Captain Marvel is supposed to be a tough woman with powerful expressions to fully display the overflowing levels of snark she carries just as easily as the power in her body. I don't want to focus on Brie's looks, but I can't deny the edge of smoke in her voice combined with the envy-classic smirk she can dole out at will helped sell her performance. I loved how she never really had to yell, or raise her voice above that quietly witty lilt as she spoke throughout the movie. Even in her most emotional points in the movie, there was never excessive explosions of frustration- not that those aren't totally valid forms of expression! Somehow though, it just helped solidify the character as not just a comic adaptation but as Brie Larson's character.

Some actors can't successfully add their personality to a character and have it come out organically, but the MCU is famous for finding the actors who can do that to great success, and thankfully they knew Brie was just the right fit for it. I know Carol from the comics has a temper that's fit to blow when sufficiently challenged or insulted, but I love Brie's choice to make her this heroine who channels frustration into new levels of snark when she can manage it, or just extra fiery punches when the time calls. Her good humor about situations was always refreshing even in tight spots, and her indomitable will as she set out to do what she truly believed was right was wonderful to see (even while I ruthlessly suppressed flashbacks to Civil War II).

Carol Danvers is so relatable.

Let's not pretend that Carol Danvers and her rise to glory isn't going to be a great story for women everywhere. As much as some particular kinds of men might hate how her story is a great example of what feminists have been pointing out for ages (recall the review bombing that was painstakingly planned out by certain losers), it's the truth. There are so many men and women who can relate to Carol's recollections of always being told not to do something. That she can't do something. That she should move out of the way to allow someone else who is "better" to do the thing she wants to do.

Everyone, everywhere, can cheer for her when she never stops getting up no matter how bad the fall she just took was. The constant frustration of being underestimated no matter how many times she proved herself was felt by the audience as memories of their own past doubters and detractors came to the forefront, and that made her triumphs all the sweeter as they melded with the watcher's own. Even the jokes that kind of missed the cue or fell flat (which I know were not intentional) has made her more relatable to me, because God knows sometimes I crack jokes that I think are true gold but are missed either because no one else heard them or someone didn't really get them. The movie, the actor, even the supporting characters fleshed her out to be human with all her flaws and redeeming qualities, and more amazing for it.

I think that's a sad thing about comics. No matter how beautifully animated they can be, they're still just panels of characters frozen in a moment, a reaction. That's why when they become movies it's so exciting because there is a chance to see what that character could be like fleshed out and as a living, breathing person with twisting features and halting movements.

Even the people that helped Carol along the way served excellently to create an arc of growth for her. Can we just take a moment of silence for the Queen, Maria Rambeau? For her unwavering faith and loyalty to Carol Danvers? Women wholeheartedly supporting women is my Achilles heel, I just need more of it. Without pause, disregarding any problems Carol might bring with her, Maria showed us the true meaning of being someone's best friend with her actions, thoughts, and words to Carol.

Fury!

Nicholas Fury! To see him happy, laughing, and clearly a cat lover almost did me in. How he instantly clicked with Carol. How she, without even questioning it, just always helped him answered his questions, was honestly some of the best parts of the movie for me. The need for concrete proof before he provides his unwavering belief in the world Carol comes from was probably how anybody would react. I'm not even going to get into Coulson—otherwise, I might cry.

The point is, these characters were people who wholeheartedly believed in Carol and what she stood for. They believed in something greater than either of them and knew that Carol was a part of it. I wish I could go into more detail about Maria but that would give too many details about the plot away and I'm not planning on doing a full movie review until at least a month has passed. I will say this though:

You like comic book movies? You like the MCU? Then you really, really should go see this movie. It's funny, its inspiring, it has a young Samuel L. Jackson in it... Honestly why do I need to give so many reasons to get you to watch it? Its Captain Marvel.

And she's taking it higher, further, faster baby.