Admit It, Carol Danvers Is a Great Hero (but She’s the Worst Captain Marvel)

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The Captain Marvel identity has become increasingly significant for Marvel Comics in recent years. Originally, the name belonged to a character published by a different company. Marvel introduced its own version in the 1960s with Mar-Vell, a Kree soldier who chose to defend Earth instead of conquering it. Mar-Vell became a key figure throughout the 1970s and even mentored Carol Danvers, who later became Ms. Marvel, taking inspiration from his costume. He faced off against Thanos, formed a close bond with Rick Jones, and experienced many memorable adventures. His death from cancer in 1980 remains one of the most impactful character deaths in Marvel history.

Carol Danvers evolved beyond her origins as Ms. Marvel, becoming a prominent member of the Avengers. However, a storyline in Avengers #200 damaged her character. Thankfully, writer Chris Claremont, known for his work on X-Men, took over her story in Avengers Annual #10 and then in Uncanny X-Men, giving her the thoughtful portrayal she deserved. Since then, Carol’s journey has had its peaks and valleys, but she’s become a fan-favorite heroine in the Marvel Universe. She eventually took on the Captain Marvel identity, surpassing her mentor in prominence. Despite her popularity, Carol isn’t considered the best Captain Marvel – in fact, some argue she’s the least effective.

Carol Danvers Deserves Her Flowers but Her Time as Captain Marvel Has Damaged Her

A curious part of the recent Captain Marvel story was how it changed the history of the character within Marvel. While several people have held the title ‘Captain Marvel,’ the original, Mar-Vell, only became significant because he remained deceased. You could even argue that the second Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, was more impactful, as she actually led the Avengers. Essentially, the emphasis on Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel felt like a rewriting of the character’s past.

Before Carol Danvers became Captain Marvel, the title wasn’t very well-known. The last regular Captain Marvel comic series ended in 2004, and a short series in 2008 featured a Skrull pretending to be the hero. That series starred Genis-Vell, who Marvel had been trying to establish as Captain Marvel for years, but it wasn’t successful. When Carol took on the role, it wasn’t about boosting her popularity – it was about revitalizing the Captain Marvel character itself.

While many people associate Carol Danvers with her time as Captain Marvel, some of her most compelling stories actually happened earlier in her career. As Ms. Marvel, she was a rising star with exciting adventures. When she returned in the late 1990s Avengers series, her character took a fascinating turn. She adopted the new identity of Warbird and a storyline exploring her struggle with alcoholism, which felt very authentic. Throughout the 2000s, Marvel invested in developing her character, and the House of M event was key to bringing her back into the spotlight – in that alternate reality, she was a world-renowned hero, and she aimed to live up to that reputation even after the story concluded.

Aside from the excellent runs written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Kelly Thompson, Captain Marvel hasn’t really succeeded. A particularly damaging decision was making her the Iron Man of Civil War II, which significantly hindered her momentum. Marvel seems unsure how to utilize her as Captain Marvel – the attempt to put her in charge of Alpha Flight, for example, had no impact. They essentially just tell the same stories they used to tell when she was Ms. Marvel. Her adventures rarely feel significant, and unlike past Captain Marvels, she doesn’t often save the universe single-handedly. She lacks key elements like the Nega-Bands, cosmic awareness, and a connection to Eon. The frustrating thing is, keeping her as Ms. Marvel wouldn’t have changed anything; the same stories could have been told in the same way. Ultimately, her time as Captain Marvel hasn’t benefited either the character or the title itself.

Carol Danvers Never Needed to Be Captain Marvel to Be a Star

As a lifelong Marvel fan, I’ve always loved Carol Danvers. She’s got such a cool backstory and it’s awesome to see how she’s inspired characters like Kamala Khan. Honestly, she’s a fantastic hero with decades of great stories attached to her name, and she absolutely should be one of the big guns in the Avengers. But here’s the thing – she doesn’t need to be Captain Marvel to be a star. In fact, when you look at her run as Captain Marvel, I think it’s easily the weakest of all the characters who’ve held that title.

Beyond sharing a Kree background and costume, this Captain Marvel is quite different from previous versions. She doesn’t typically embark on large-scale, universe-saving missions independently, and she’s more of a standard Earth defender than a powerful cosmic hero. Her run as Captain Marvel hasn’t been particularly impactful, and many of her comic series have been short-lived. While Carol Danvers is a great character, it’s becoming clear that her time as Captain Marvel hasn’t lived up to expectations.

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2026-05-30 18:13