Captain Marvel Just Proved Thor’s What If…? Insult Wrong

Warning! Spoilers for Captain Marvel #37 and What If…? ahead!

Even though Thor and Captain Marvel are fellow Avengers, they often get into disagreements, as seen in the MCU‘s What If…? series. Not only do they hurl insults at each other, but Thor and Carol physically test their might too. Their relationship in the episode “What If… Thor Were an Only Child?” more accurately depicts Chris Hemsworth and Brie Larson’s influence on the characters, though the heroes still often clash in Marvel Comics, evident in Captain Marvel #37.

Thor and Captain Marvel have comparable power levels. Because of their matching strength, fans often debate which Avenger is stronger. While parallels between their energy-based powers give fans fun hypotheticals for battles, their personalities have lately kept them at opposite ends of the Marvel Universe. Thor is often a noble warrior smiting monstrous foes, while Carol is ultimately a human with Kree-based gifts. On the other hand, the MCU presents Thor as a party-loving jokester while Carol takes the role of a more stoic hero.

After Carol Danvers, her Binary duplicate, and Monica Rambeau’s last adventure in Kelly Thompson and Julius Ohta’s Captain Marvel #37, the heroes need relaxation. It’s Carol’s idea to take the team to Las Vegas to party at a club—the exact thing Carol scolds Thor for in the What If…? episode. In “What If… Thor Were an Only Child?,” he calls Carol a “party-pooper” for wanting to end the festivities and send the aliens, monsters, and Asgardian invaders away from Earth. However, in the comics, Carol proves she’s quite the opposite of a “party-pooper,” taking her entire team to Las Vegas, and joining other characters, like She-Hulk and Spider-Woman, at a dance club.

At the Vegas party, Carol leans over to Monica and says: “At least we blend in here!” Carol’s fun-loving decision is undoubtedly a result of the new Binary duplicate she created. In Kelly Thompson and Sergio Dávila’s Captain Marvel #34, Carol reshaped a massive amount of energy into a life-form while harnessing her memories as the Brood’s experiment, resulting in Binary. At first, Carol’s Binary clone couldn’t even talk, but the past few comics offer Carol the chance to show a more caring and nurturing side. Even though Carol’s heart evidently hardened after her transitions from Ms. Marvel, to Binary, to Captain Marvel, it’s clear that her character is going through some changes again. In instructing Binary on the values of being a superhero, Carol reteaches herself how to open her heart as she once did during her time as Ms. Marvel.

It’s impossible to consider Carol Danvers a “party-pooper” after reading Captain Marvel #37. Thor‘s comedic MCU persona clearly influences the What If…? story, but it’s unfair to judge Captain Marvel from this episode or even the MCU alone. Carol has a long and complicated comic book history. She isn’t naturally a “party-pooper,” but she’s not the most sincere Avenger either; like most Marvel characters, she goes through human experiences that periodically reshape her.

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