Captain Marvel: Three Biggest Takeaways from the Trailer
SPOILER WARNING: THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, AND OTHER MARVEL PROPERTIES.
Ever since the incredibly depressing thrill ride that was “Avengers: Infinity War,” longtime Marvel fans have been clamoring for some insight as to what will happen to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes post-snap. While the casting of Brie Larson as the titular Captain Marvel has been on the radar of fans for a while, there has been little detail from Marvel as to how the character would be introduced to the main continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
“Infinity War” gave us our first brief mention of Captain Marvel, with a post-credits nod through Nick Fury’s now iconic death scene. Although this was a nice Easter Egg for committed fans, those who haven’t paid attention to the upcoming slate of Marvel films may be unfamiliar with the logo on Fury’s now era-appropriate pager.
This past week, we were given our first official look at Brie Larson in her MCU debut. Hopefully, the trailer might shed some light onto what to expect from “Captain Marvel,” “Avengers 4,” and the future of the MCU:
- Blockbuster
If it wasn’t already apparent from some of the early press, in addition to Nick Fury’s pager apparently being the only means of contact for Larson’s Captain Marvel, “Captain Marvel” will be set in the 1990’s.
The very first shot of the trailer perfectly sets up the time period. As Captain Marvel crash-lands into a now all-but-defunct (except for one notable example in Alaska) institution of 90’s and early 2000’s culture, the audience is given a clear slap in the face as to exactly what bygone era Marvel’s new hero will inhabit.
It’s hard to argue that there’s anything else more era-appropriate and more nostalgia-inducing of a setting than Blockbuster. Based on its placement in the trailer, it’s safe to assume that this will be one of the first appearances of the character in her MCU debut.
- Granny Punching
If you’re unfamiliar with some of the lore of Marvel Comics, you may be thinking to yourself, why is Marvel’s newest hero punching a defenseless old lady?
In reality, this scene is an acknowledgement of one Captain Marvel’s major antagonists, in addition to one of the most iconic alien races in all of Marvel comics: the Skrull.
In the main continuity, one of Captain Marvel’s (aka Ms. Marvel, prior to the early 2010’s) origin stories revolved around her encounter with an alien race called the Kree. In this origin, Carol Danvers, the Earth-born woman who would eventually don the Captain Marvel moniker, collided with Mar-vell, a member of the Kree race, who was the first Marvel Comics character to use the name Captain Marvel. It was through this reaction that Carol Danvers gained her half human/half Kree form and became a soldier fighting the Skrull, the Kree’s main enemy.
Famously, the Skrull are shapeshifters, hence Captain Marvel’s attack of an old woman. It’s unclear precisely how the Skrull will be introduced to the franchise as the main reason they had originally invaded Earth was due to their home planet being eaten by Galactus, a character which Marvel still doesn’t officially own the rights.
— CJ De Leo (@reelCJDeLeo) September 18, 2018
- The Power Pose
In the last few moments of the trailer, we are granted what may be visually the coolest part. While it’s still unclear as to what this version of Captain Marvel’s abilities may be, these few seconds give us a sense of precisely how powerful she is. While we may not understand who or what she is, we know she is a force to be trifled with.
The full trailer can be viewed here:
