Superhero Origins: Marvel's Captain Marvel

Superhero Origins: Marvel’s Captain Marvel

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He was put in a situation from which he couldn’t win – and became one of Earth’s mightiest heroes. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origin of Marvel’s Captain Marvel. As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen primarily to follow the storyline which unfolded in 1967’s Marvel Super-Heroes #12, 1968’s Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and Captain Marvel #1, which was expanded upon in 1969’s Captain Marvel #16. Mar-Vell, a brave soldier of the intergalactic Kree empire who became known as Captain Marvel, debuted in 1967’s Marvel Super-Heroes. The Fantastic Four had recently defeated two other Kree warriors, the robotic Sentry and the mighty Ronan the Accuser. Mar-Vell was sent to Earth to teach the planet that no was messes with the Kree and gets away with it. That was the story, at least. In fact, Mar-Vell’s superior, Colonel Yon-Rogg was sending him on what he assumed would be a suicide mission. If Mar-Vell died, Yon-Rogg would have Mar-Vell’s girlfriend, Una, all to himself. On Earth, Mar-Vell revealed that his battle outfit enabled him to retain his superior Kree strength, as well as helped him to breathe in Earth’s atmosphere; when not wearing his battle outfit, Mar-Vell needed a special potion to breathe – and he had only a limited supply of it. After being force to fight some soldiers who spotted him, Mar-Vell disguised himself as an Earthling and plotted his next step. He also modified several of his Kree weapons to give him even greater abilities, such as a special black light and a magnetic beam that can both destroy and re-assemble that which it has destroyed. As Mar-Vell tested these weapons, Colonel Yon-Rogg devised a plan: he would bring Mar-Vell back aboard his ship, but cause an accident to occur in the process which would kill him. Only the timely unseen intervention of a small plane foiled the plan. Back on Earth, Mar-Vell, assuming the disguise of a master of robotics, inspected a Kree robot – the massive being known as Sentry – which lay dormant at an army base. When Yon-Rogg activated the Sentry from aboard his ship, it began wreaking havoc. Changing into his battle outfit, Mar-Vell – dubbed Captain Marvelby onlookers – fought the Sentry to protect the Earthlings, for whom he was beginning to feel sympathy. Yon-Rogg used Mar-Vell’s willingness to fight the Sentry on behalf of the Earthlings to convince his superiors that Mar-Vell was a traitor. Suddenly Mar-Vell found himself banished from his home world. And thus Captain Marvel was born – a loyal Kree soldier branded a traitor whose conscience couldn’t allow him to complete his mission of punishing Earth. A further twist was added to Mar-Vell’s origin in 1969. Ordered to fight Ronan the Accuser, his death was averted by the Supreme Intelligence, a Kree entity of immense power. The Supreme Intelligence revealed that not only had Mar-Vell’s foray to Earth been a suicide mission devised by Colonel Yon-Rogg but that the Colonel had been a pawn in a larger power game. Ronan the Accuser and Zalek, a Kree Imperial Minister, were using Yon-Rogg and Mar-Vell to create a situation whereby they could topple the Kree rulers and assume power for themselves. Captain Marvel was featured in several series over the next few years, until he was killed in a memorable storyline. A number of other Marvel characters have subsequently taken on the name. Monica Rambeau, later known as Spectrum, received superpowers due to an energy disruptor and became Captain Marvel for several years. In 1999, Genis-Vell, the son of Mar-Vell took on the role; in 2008, a clone of Mar-Vell assumed the title. More recently, Carol Danvers, known for many years as Ms. Marvel and a long-time ally of Mar-Vell, changed her secret identity to Captain Marvel. Although not as well-known as some other Marvel characters, Captain Marvel has been featured in several episodes of different animated shows, including The Super Hero Squad Show and The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. With his conflicted loyalties between Kree and his adopted home of Earth, Captain Marvel has made an interesting and sometimes tragic hero. Are you a fan of Marvel’s Captain Marvel? For more comic book origins, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.