CAPTAIN MARVEL Spoilers: 8 Ways It Sets Up AVENGERS: ENDGAME And The MCU's Future
Captain Marvel may be a Phase 1 "prequel," but that doesn't mean it doesn't lay the groundwork for what comes next in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Avengers: Endgame. Read on for details...
Captain Marvel is now in theaters, and while it may be a prequel of sorts, the fact it takes place in the past doesn't mean that it won't set the stage for what comes next in the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Sure, most of the references may harken back to Phase 1, but this movie definitely has ramifications for both Avengers: Endgame and future stories set in this world.
For example, the Skrulls are bound to return before too long, while a number of characters are also introduced before inevitably taking on a larger role in proceedings down the line. It also seems as if this is just the first part of a much larger story that will encompass the Kree/Skrull War! Needless to say, spoilers follow from this point onwards so read on at your own risk.
To check out this breakdown, all you guys have to do is click on the "View List" button down below.
No Secret Invasion?
I think it's fair to say that we went into Captain Marvel expecting the stage to be set for a big screen adaptation of Secret Invasion. However, Talos and the rest of the Skrulls are portrayed in a sympathetic light and the movie does not wrap up with them infiltrating our planet. Does this mean Marvel Studios plans to portray them as the good guys moving forward?
Not necessarily.
Talos makes it clear that there are a lot of Skrulls scattered throughout the universe, and it's entirely feasible that at least one of them would like to make our planet home. If nothing else, at least this movie introduces us to the concept of the shapeshifters!
Captain Marvel Vs. The Kree
Captain Marvel ends on something of a cliffhanger as Carol Danvers blasts into space shortly after sending Yon-Rogg back to the Supreme Intelligence with a warning that she's coming to put an end to it once and for all.
There are a lot of open plot threads here, including what happens when Carol finally comes face to face with the being that spent years controlling her and robbing the hero of her past (we also never get to see its true form, and that feels like something which now needs to be addressed sooner rather than later).
Plus, it definitely feels like there's more story to tell between Carol and Yon-Rogg, so we're guessing a sequel will take place shortly after the events of this movie to fill in those gaps.
Ronan Hatches A Plan
Ronan doesn't have a huge part in this movie, but we do learn that he's one of the Accusers and see him fully embracing that role while reporting to Yon-Rogg. At this point, he's a long way off becoming the fanatic we met in Guardians of the Galaxy but he seems to be extremely interested in getting his hands on "the weapon."
That's not the Tesseract he's referring to either; it's Captain Marvel!
He clearly has his own plans for her, and it makes sense that this could be where his fascination with the Infinity Stones begins. A sequel could also explore the beginnings of the Kree's war with Xandar and what, if anything, that has to do with the Skrulls.
Talos' Son
This may mean a lot or very little, but it's interesting that the movie made a point of showing us Talos' young son watching his father kill the Kree. Given the changes which have been made to the Skrull general, his son (who would be an adult by now) could easily end up with a name comic book fans will recognise.
Seeing Talos' darker side could have set the stage for the child to become someone who is every bit as merciless as his father appeared to be, and he may be the one who leads the invasion of Earth.
Monica Rambeau
Carol's relationship with the young Monica Rambeau is a lot of fun and very touching. By the time she returns to Earth, Monica will be an adult and more than ready to become a superhero in her own right.
How that will happen remains to be seen (especially as fans are more anxious to see Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel) but the foundations have been laid and it will be exciting to find out what comes next.
Avengers: Endgame
As expected, Captain Marvel's first post-credits scene sets up the events of Avengers: Endgame, and there's a lot of evidence to suggest that Carol Danvers will join the ranks of Earth's Mightiest Heroes fairly early on in the superhero ensemble.
For starters, Captain America still has his beard while the team is inspecting Fury's pager, while the trailers have shown him cleanly shaven. Once the pager goes off, Black Widow turns around to see Carol standing there and she's anxious to know where her old friend is, so clearly doesn't realise what's happened to the universe after the snap.
Once the heroes figure out who she is and Carol learns to trust them, Captain Marvel will quickly join their ranks to help take down the Mad Titan once and for all.
Where's Goose?
In the movie's second post-credits scene, Goose (a Flerken) coughs up the Tesseract in Nick Fury's office and that's obviously how he winds up using it to power the weapons we saw in The Avengers.
The question is, what became of Goose after this? Did he escape and do his own thing or die a few years later like a normal cat would? For that matter, is he still hanging out with Fury in secret?!
Captain Marvel's Powers
We learn during the course of this movie that Carol Danvers' powers come from a combination of the Tesseract and a transfusion she received from Yon-Rogg. However, it's hard not to wonder if Captain Marvel will be anywhere near as powerful as she thinks against Thanos, especially as he has the power of that particular Infinity Stone on his Gauntlet!
If that stone is destroyed, does that mean Carol loses her powers or will she use it to boost them?
It's hard to say for sure, but her connection to the Stones can't be a coincidence and you have to believe that this will come into play in Avengers: Endgame in a relatively meaningful way.
Continue reading for some new hi-res stills from Captain Marvel!