Being one of the strongest heroes in the universe doesn’t mean Captain Marvel is immune to every attack. Here are her hidden weaknesses.
When comic legend Stan Lee puts a character on paper, he made sure it’s relatable. According to him, ‘anyone can wear a mask, anyone can be a hero.’ Hence, the Marvel universe is filled with heroes and villains with their own sets of flaws. Bruce Banner has anger management issues, Thor has his pride, and Tony Stark battled alcoholism. Similarly, Thanos was a nihilist and Ultron was a psychopath. Marvel characters are very relatable and that’s their real USP! No matter where you are and what age – there’s always one character you can identify with. Talking about one of the most relatable characters in the MCU and also the strongest, Captain Marvel too has an Achilles’ heel, a vulnerability we all can relate to.
The Identity Issue
Since the very beginning, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel had trouble accepting her two distinct identities. In the movie we see Carol’s dissonance in flashbacks and dreams. However, in comics she even has selective amnesia, not remembering what she did as Captain Marvel.
Today the LGBTQ community identifies much with Carol Danvers. Captain Marvel is sort of a communities icon for its representation of a person trying to come to terms with their own identity. As depicted in the movie, Captain Marvel’s psychological struggle is something mental health survivors can relate to. The movie’s message to ‘get up every time you fall down’ beautifully fits the theme.
Watch: Top 10 Captain Marvel Weaknesses
Mental Health Issues
Despite being one of the strongest heroes in terms of brute strength, Captain Marvel has a vulnerable mind. For this reason it is easier for characters like Wanda and Doctor Strange to overpower her. Furthermore she suffers from memory loss when at one point of time Rogue steals her powers and memories.
Split Personality
Carrying on the mental health theme, the initial run of Captain Marvel comic shows her developing the split personality disorder when she is unable to come to terms with her identity. She was aided in the treatment by extra dimensional Titan Hecate and Ronan the Accuser. Her recovery and acceptance of herself is something everyone relates to as coming of age on the healing path.
Addiction
Yes, you read that right! Just like Tony Stark aka Iron Man, Captain Marvel too suffered from substance abuse. In comics she turned to alcoholism to escape all the trauma throughout her life. As an adolescent, she experienced psychological abuse from her father. Furthermore, as a young adult she served in the military where she developed PTSD. Transforming into Captain Marvel furthered Carol’s trauma and she turned to alcohol. Stark helped Carol in getting out of the habit for good.
Substance Abuse is something everyone can relate to in some measure. From that extra drink we know we should not take to giving into ‘scrolling habits’, everything is an addiction. Captain Marvel’s recovery sets a great precedent not only for kids but adults also.
Any of these weaknesses don’t make Captain Marvel less of a hero. In fact, overcoming these has made her a pop-culture icon like no other.
Captain Marvel Powers — FAQ
Despite her power set and abilities, Captain Marvel has shown weaknesses that her enemies have exploited. She has brute strength and many powers but she isn’t invincible.
While Captain America has managed the feat and proved himself worthy, we can’t say anything about Captain Marvel yet. However, Carol once managed the feat in comics when infused with Thor’s DNA.
