7 fan theories about Captain Marvel that have us very excited
With the release of Captain Marvel almost upon us, Jenna Guillaume recaps the most exciting theories about what this hugely anticipated movie will mean for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After 20 movies spanning more than a decade, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally getting its first female-led movie in Captain Marvel (officially set for release on March 7, but with tons of advance screenings this Wednesday, March 6). Since the end of Avengers: Infinity War absolutely decimated a whole host of heroes and literally half the universe, fans have not stopped speculating about how the tragedy will be reversed and Thanos will be defeated. Key to that speculation is Carol Danvers and her superhero persona of Captain Marvel.
Fans are hoping to learn a lot from her own movie ahead of Avengers: Endgame. Here are some of the theories that have us most excited.
Carol’s cat Goose is not really a cat
In the comics, Carol has a cat named Chewie who is actually a Flerken – an alien creature that, amongst other things, has some pretty lethal tentacles. It’s interesting that Chewie has been renamed Goose in the movie – it raises questions over whether other things have changed about the character. Will Goose still be a Flerken, or just a regular Earth cat? Or perhaps Goose will even be a Skrull in disguise? It’ll be pretty damn interesting to see what they do with the little kitty.
We’ll see how Nick Fury loses his eye
This is pretty much confirmed, since we saw a brief glimpse of Fury holding an ice pack to his eye in the Captain Marvel trailer. What’s less certain right now is how it happens. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Fury told Steve Rogers, “Last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye.” Some fans have speculated that Goose will actually scratch out Fury’s eye, but it seems more likely a Skrull (you know, the alien race of shapeshifters who are the villains of Captain Marvel) will disguise themselves as someone Fury trusts and attack him. Whether that will be Goose or another character altogether is anyone’s guess.
Some of our fave characters could be Skrulls
This one is more unsettling than exciting, perhaps – although it sure would make for some mind-blowing twists. Since we know Captain Marvel is set in the ‘90s and a Skrull invasion of Earth takes place during the movie, the theory goes that some of the shapeshifters remain hidden in plain sight. They could have even infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., meaning we may learn that characters we’ve known and loved for a long time are actually secret Skrulls.
We’ll learn where Carol has been since the ‘90s
One of the big questions raised by the fact that Captain Marvel is set in the past is just where Carol – billed as the most powerful character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – has been during the last two decades of alien invasions and impending (and actual) apocalypses. There has to be a legitimate explanation for her absence that still posits her as a hero. The most popular theories are that she’s been on her own mission in space; that she’s been in the Quantum Realm the whole time; that she actually exists in an alternate timeline; or that she is somehow stuck in the ‘90s (perhaps she even dies there?) and will only be brought to the present through time travel in Avengers: Endgame.
We’ll learn more about the Quantum Realm
We’ve mainly seen the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp, but the post-credits scene in the latter suggested it’s going to play a major part in the upcoming Avengers: Endgame and perhaps Captain Marvel before that. That scene saw Janet, Hank and Hope turned to dust as a result of Thanos’ snap, leaving Scott stranded in the Quantum Realm – but not before Janet specifically warned him about the “time vortexes” down there.
It’s very likely Carol will be able to travel into the Quantum Realm, so we may see her do that at the end of Captain Marvel, leading to her helping Scott get out of there in Avengers: Endgame. Or perhaps Scott uses a time vortex to pop up in the ‘90s in Captain Marvel. Either way, there’s a good chance Carol and Scott’s combined experience of the Quantum Realm and its time-hopping potential will be key to defeating Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.
Carol will go full Binary
There was one particular shot in the Captain Marvel trailer that had fans VERY excited. In it, Carol appears to be going Binary – which basically means she’s able to tap into the power of a white hole and thus utilise all forms of energy, categorically ensuring she is the most powerful being in the MCU. This would obviously have huge implications for the fight against Thanos, and could mean Carol will even be strong enough to wield the Infinity Gauntlet herself.
Carol will be set up as the new leader of the Avengers
Sorry to say it, but there’s a high likelihood that Steve Rogers will die in Avengers: Endgame – and possibly Tony Stark, too. The MCU, of course, has shown no signs of slowing down, and so the Avengers crew will need a new leader. Who better than another Captain? If that’s the plan, there’s no doubt Captain Marvel will lay the groundwork for Carol to take over the team in the future.
No matter what happens, it’s sure to be a wild and entertaining ride. Bring it on!
