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Ms. Marvel (Carol Susan Jane Danvers), also known as Binary and Warbird is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan, the character first appeared (as the non-superpowered Carol Danvers) in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (March 1968) and as Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel #1 (January 1977).

Danvers is a retired U.S. Air Force Intelligence agent turned NASA Security Chief, and originally a romantic interest to the extraterrestrial hero Captain Marvel. After exposure to technology from Marvel’s Kree home world, Danvers gains superhuman strength and the ability to fly, among other abilities, and becomes Ms. Marvel.

The character starred in her own series in the late 1970s before becoming associated with the Avengers and X-Men. Ms. Marvel currently stars in two monthly titles: a second eponymous solo series penned by author Brian Reed with covers by Greg Horn and Mighty Avengers, penned by Brian Michael Bendis, as well as frequent appearances in other titles.

Publication history

Carol Danvers started out as a supporting cast member in the pages of the 1970s Marvel series, Captain Marvel before being spun off into her own ongoing series "Ms Marvel" in the late 1970s. The series would last two years, at which point she also appeared in the pages of the Avengers.

Ms. Marvel's first solo series (written by Chris Claremont) ran for 23 issues before being canceled mid-storyline. Issue #24 and 2/3rds of #25 were drawn when the series was canceled. Elements of those never published issues were referenced in later issues of Uncanny X-Men, as both Carol Danvers and Mystique (who was the subject of the aborted storyline) were ultimately incorporated into Uncanny X-Men. The original plan, as stated in an editorial footnote in issue #158 , was for #24 and a completed version of #25 to run in the pages of the Marvel anthology series "Marvel Fanfare". Yet for reasons unknown, the issues were never published in the series.

It would not be until 1992, in the quarterly anthology series Marvel Super-Heroes (#10-11 or 1992 Summer and Fall issues, since the series did not carry its issue number on its cover), that the two lost issues saw print, along with the original planned cover for Ms. Marvel #24 and the artwork planned for #25. Marvel writer Simon Furman and artist Mike Gustovich were brought in to finish issue #25 (of which the original pages ended right before a fight scene involving Ms. Marvel and Pyro). Furman's ending quickly wrapped up the fight scene and the plotline involving Mystique's scheme to con the Hellfire Club out of an arsenal of weapons they were trafficking. It concluded with Rogue overhearing Destiny and Mystique talking about Destiny's prediction that Ms. Marvel would do something vaguely "horrific" to Rogue and going out to kill Ms. Marvel, to prove herself worthy of becoming an active member of the Brotherhood of Evil. During the battle, Rogue ended up accidentally absorbing Ms Marvel's powers, permenantly stealing her mind and powers as a result. This of course, completely contradicted Avengers Annual #10, where Rogue stealing Ms. Marvel's powers was not an impulsive deed but as part of an elaborate jailbreak of the imprisoned members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

For the bulk of the 1980s and 1990s, Danvers (now known as Binary) was shifted into limbo save for occasional cameo appearances in New Mutants and the X-Men mini-series "Spotlight On: The Starjammers". The character would ultimately be incorporated into the Avengers franchise, starting with the "Operation Galactic Storm" crossover and later rejoining the team full-time as part of the 1997 "Heroes Reborn" relaunch of the Avengers. She also would be a supporting cast member in the pages of Iron Man during this time as well.

A second Ms. Marvel comic book series launched in March 2006. The series was spun out of the events of "House of M", in which the character (who had fallen into obscurity over the years, mainly known only as being the source of Rogue's additional superpowers) found her heart's desire of being the most famous superhero of all time fulfilled by the Scarlet Witch's reality warp. She also appeared regularly in the pages of "The Mighty Avengers", as the team's leader. Following the events of Secret Invasion, she is now a member of the "New Avengers".

Fictional character biography

Early years

Carol Danvers was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Joseph and Marie Danvers and has two brothers, Steven and Joseph, Jr. (Joe). Steven died in the Vietnam War. Years later, while Rogue was in possession of Danvers' memories, Danvers would visit the Vietnam Memorial, apologizing to him for not being able to visit recently.

When Danvers was a young girl, she hitchhiked to Cape Canaveral to see a shuttle launch. Her father "beat the tar out of her," but she never stopped wanting to fly. Since her father didn't want her to go to college, Danvers instead joined the United States Air Force to fulfill her love of flying. She was a pilot who later became an Air Force intelligence operative. She later became the NASA security chief. She served alongside her mentor/lover Michael Rossi and encountered Wolverine, Nick Fury, and Ben Grimm during this time. She became a close ally and romantic interest to Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), an alien of the Kree military who gave up his mission of conquering the Earth and instead chose to protect it.

Solo Series

Carol Danvers becomes Ms. Marvel after she is caught in the radiation emitted by the explosion of the Kree "Psyche-Magnitron" device. Being carried in Captain Marvel's arms as he rushes her from the cave containing the Psyche-Magnitron, the radiation washes through both their bodies, somehow imbuing Carol with powers similar to Captain Marvel's. The device alters her DNA to resemble that of the Kree, and in the process, she gains superhuman strength and durability, the ability to fly, the ability to instantly change to her costume and back, and a precognitive "seventh sense" that provides her with a feeling of what is immediately about to happen (for example, when a foe is about to attack her).

At first Ms. Marvel's strength and flight are enabled by circuitry built into the costume, however an overload to the circuitry during battle soon transfers the powers to Ms. Marvel permanently, and the "powers through circuitry created by radiation" explanation has never been mentioned since.

Her first costume is based directly on Mar-Vell's second costume, a red outfit with blue mask, gloves and boots, though with her legs and belly bare, and a long red scarf around her neck; this costume has appeared on numerous "Worst Of" comic book related lists as the Worst Female Superhero Costume Ever. Her later, more prominently featured costume is a blue ensemble with a stylized lightning bolt across the chest, along with a red sash around her waist.

At first not aware of being Ms. Marvel, Danvers experiences blackouts, during which she transforms into her Ms. Marvel alter-ego. Soon Danvers and Ms. Marvel learn of each other and merge into one mind. Danvers becomes editor of Woman Magazine under J. Jonah Jameson and considers dating her psychologist, Michael Burnett. She fights a number of villains as Ms. Marvel, including Deathbird, MODOK, A.I.M., and the Scorpion.

Mystique

Near the end of her original ongoing series, Ms. Marvel is targeted by a blue skinned shapeshifter named Mystique. In the final issue of the series, Ms. Marvel's therapist and would-be love interest is murdered by Mystique. In the unpublished Ms. Marvel #s 24 and 25, it is revealed that Mystique seeks Danvers' death due to the predictions of Mystique's precognitive lesbian lover Destiny that Carol will destroy Mystique's adopted daughter Rogue.

Avengers

During the Avengers' Korvac Saga, the team is kidnapped by the Collector and used as part of his personal army to defeat the cosmic powered Michael Korvac. Ms Marvel aids the Avengers during this battle, and afterwards, when the team's government handler, Henry Peter Gyrich, orders an overhaul of its roster lineup, Ms. Marvel is granted full-time membership with the Avengers.

Marcus and rape

Her time on the team would be short-lived, as one day Ms. Marvel woke to find herself pregnant after blacking out while piloting a Quinjet. The original plan was for the pregnancy, of which Ms. Marvel soon found herself ready to give birth after only a couple of days of being pregnant, was for Ms. Marvel to have been kidnapped and used for Skrull breeding experiments, in order to create a new race of beings similar to the Supreme Intelligence. But editor-in-chief Jim Shooter vetoed the storyline, citing that a similar storyline (conceived without series writer David Michelinie's knowledge) in the pages of What If? (#20, "What if the Avengers Lost the Kree-Skrull War"?) had already done the plotline of a baby version of the Supreme Intelligence and refused to allow Michelenie to continue with the storyline.

So Avengers #200 was rewritten, to feature a new ending to the storyline and to send Ms. Marvel out of the series, since Michelinie no longer wanted to use her since his planned storyline for the character was vetoed. Danvers' baby was a healthy black haired boy, who quickly grew to adulthood as the barriers between the past and future within New York City began to collapse, bringing dinosaurs, medieval knights, and futuristic technology into the city. The child, calling himself Marcus, revealed that he was the forgotten son of Immortus, stranded in Limbo due to him being born in the alternate dimension. He had kidnapped Carol and over the course of several days and use of hypnotic suggestion based powers, romanced Carol into making love to him via a series of romantic themed scenarios based upon pre-French Revolution Paris. Carol ultimately consented and in the act of passion, Carol became pregnant with a child who was Marcus, having transferred his mind and life essence inside of Danvers' womb, then returning her home to give birth to Marcus, freeing him from Limbo.

By this point though, Marcus realized that his presence inside the timestream was the true cause of the onslaught of temporal anomalies threatening Earth. Creating a device to send himself back to Limbo, Carol shocked her teammates with her proclamation to join Marcus, having suddenly fallen madly in love with the man. Despite her teammate Hawkeye's strong objections towards this move, the Avengers stood back as Carol and Marcus left Earth.

The story itself became a lightning rod of controversy, with many fans believing that Danvers' relationship with Marcus amounted to rape. Feminist and devoted comic book historian Carol A. Strickland harshly criticized the Marcus storyline, with an essay titled "The Rape of Ms. Marvel", that appeared in comics fanzine LoC #1 (1981).

Similarly, Chris Claremont, writer of the solo title, saw the relationship as rape via mind control,. He felt compelled to rectify the storyline.

In Avengers Annual #10, the character's next appearance, Danvers lashed out at her teammates over their decision to take her at her word that she had fallen in love with Marcus. Danvers proclaimed that not only had Marcus used hypnotic powers to make her have sex with him, but also used said power to force her to leave Earth and spend the rest of her life with her rapist. Ironically, Carol reveals that Marcus's scheme to escape Limbo ultimately proved fatal towards him, as his new body rapidly began to age once the two returned to Limbo, killing him and reducing his remains to dust. Only when Marcus died, did Carol regain her own free will, as the realization of what Marcus did to her (forcing her to have sex with him) and how the Avengers had fallen for his lies and manipulation of her, allowing him to effectively kidnap Carol for future defilement at his hands.

Loss of powers to Rogue

In Avengers Annual #10 (1981), Ms. Marvel is found by Spider-Woman, floating in the water below the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. Carol is literally mindless, having had her mind wiped clean by parties unknown. It is ultimately revealed that Carol was assaulted by the mutant Rogue, who ambushed her and used her ability to absorb others super-powers via physical contact to permanently steal Danvers' powers and memories.

Spider-Woman contacts the X-Men who try to reverse the damage done to Carol by Rogue. Ironically, Rogue's attack has failed to erase Danvers' subconscious, which allows Xavier to completely restore Danvers' memories and personality, though he is unable to restore Danvers' emotional connection to most of her memories.

Along with Mystique, Rogue with her newly stolen powers attacks the Avengers as part of a complex scheme to bust their teammates in the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants out of jail. The jailbreak ultimately fails, though Rogue escapes capture in the end. When the Avengers hear that Carol has returned to Earth, they visit their friend, now staying with the X-Men, to ask why she did not contact the Avengers about returning. When Thor asks about Marcus, Carol unloads her anger at the Avengers over their doing nothing to stop her kidnapping and rape.

Binary and the X-Men

Danvers stays away from the Avengers for quite some time and engages in a series of adventures with the X-Men.

Her adventures with the X-Men culminate in the entire team’s forced transportation to outer space by the alien race known as the Brood. The Brood perform painful medical experiments on Danvers which cause her to gain tremendous superpowers, including superhuman strength and the abilities to survive in space and manipulate cosmic energy. The source of these powers is attributed to a "white hole" — a limitless source of cosmic power.

Danvers is known as Binary. In her cosmic energy form, her hair becomes a corona of flame and she dons a red-and-white costume with a stylized black starburst on the breast.

The "second Ms. Marvel"

As for Rogue, at first she unashamedly indulged in the use of her stolen powers, showing zero remorse for what she had done to Ms. Marvel. However, as weeks passed, the stolen memories of Carol Danvers began to manifest themselves, ultimately taking the form of a new personality that usurped Rogue's body from the young mutant for its own use. This caused Rogue to have a nervous breakdown, ultimately driving her to the X-Men for help with her growing insanity. Professor Xavier agreed to take Rogue in, much to the horror of Carol, who responded by beating Rogue up and leaving Earth to join the Starjammers.

This alternate personality version of Ms Marvel made her first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #182, when it took over Rogue's body and saved Ms. Marvel's former boyfriend Mike Rossi from Hellfire Club agents that Rossi had discovered infiltrating SHIELD. She took Rossi to the Danvers family beach house to recover, and experienced memories of her childhood with her brothers. When Rossi woke up, he saw Rogue, with Carol's voice and mannerisms. He denounced Rogue, who fled the house in shame. After another appearance in Uncanny X-Men #203, the personality was given the spotlight in Uncanny X-Men #235-238, when the Ms Marvel persona took over Rogue's body again when a powerless Rogue was molested by Genosha Magistrates. Teaming up with Wolverine, it was revealed that this "phantom" Carol had all of the real Danvers' memories, including memories of past adventures with Wolverine, citing a caper where Wolverine broke ranks with his government handlers to rescue Carol from KGB operatives in Berlin. In Uncanny X-Men #239, it was shown that "Phantom" Carol could completely control Rogue's power (a feat Rogue is still incapable of achieving); it was also established that, having fully emerged within Rogue's mind, Carol was not to be easily dismissed, and was capable of asserting control over Rogue's body without her consent.

In Uncanny X-Men #246-247, "Phantom" Carol obtained a copy of her old costume which she intended to force Rogue to wear during a visit to New York City, to visit the Vietnam Memorial which had her brother's name inscribed onto it. The visit was cut short when the villainous Sentinel Master Mold returned and began wreaking havoc in the city. Phantom Carol attacked Master Mold but was quickly knocked unconscious after several blows from the giant robot, allowing Rogue to regain control over her body. As the X-Men arrived to help stop the robot, Rogue ultimately sacrificed herself to banish the robot through the mystical gateway known as the Siege Perilous.

Rogue's travels through the Siege Perilous would differ from most: she would not exit the realm of the Siege Perilous until Uncanny X-Men #269, with both her and "Phantom" Carol having their memories intact; more significantly, the two were now separate physical beings. "Phantom" Carol retained her Ms. Marvel powers while Rogue lacked both Carol's and her own powers; Carol also harbored her desire to finally gain revenge against Rogue by killing her. When Rogue fled to the mutant teleporter Gateway, he sent the two women to opposite corners of the Earth, Rogue to the Savage Land and "Phantom" Carol to Muir Island, where the Shadow King took control over her mind and sent her to kill Rogue. At this point, "Phantom" Carol was now a decaying zombie type figure, as it was revealed that both women were sharing the same life force, which could only sustain one of them. Shadow King had weakened Carol, causing the life force (and powers) to go to Rogue. Rogue would have died if not for the intervention of Magneto. Through unknown means, Magneto killed "Phantom" Carol, ensuring that Rogue would receive her life force and powers, securing her survival.

Warbird

Eventually, Danvers' Binary powers were exhausted when she used them to cleanse the sun of sunspots that threatened to destroy the solar system during Operation Galactic Storm. As such, she loses her cosmic-level powers as Binary. She retains a level of superhuman strength, flight, resistance to injury, and enhanced senses comparable to those she once possessed before her battle with Rogue, as well as the power to manipulate and absorb energy. Though initially staying in retirement on Earth, Carol rejoins the Avengers following the events of Avengers V3 #1-4 and changes her code name to Warbird, while donning her second Ms. Marvel costume. She does not use the codename Ms. Marvel because, during her absence from Earth superhero work, Sharon Ventura, a member of the Fantastic Four, has assumed the name.

Insecurity about her powers no longer being what they once were, combined with a brief restoration of the emotional ties that Rogue had drained, cause Carol to become an alcoholic. When she is unable to function in a coherent capacity, a humiliated Danvers quits the Avengers rather than be expelled. With the help of fellow alcoholic Tony Stark, Danvers curbs her drinking and stabilizes her powers. She rejoins the Avengers for a few missions but leaves again in 2003 to work for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

House of M

When Quicksilver convinces his sister Scarlet Witch to create a new world where mutants are the dominant species on Earth, most normal humans are viewed as second-class citizens with some exceptions. Danvers is one of these but still becomes the "greatest hero" on this Earth, going by the name "Captain Marvel" which is given to her by Magneto after she helps him defeat the Sentinels over Manhattan. She even has her own archnemesis, Sir Warren Traveler and is an ex-member of S.H.I.E.L.D.

When the world reverts, Danvers retains her memories and is motivated by the realization of her potential, and she concentrates on reinvigorating her career. Danvers retakes the name Ms. Marvel and strikes out on her own, turning down an offer to join the reformed Avengers and leaving her Homeland Security job. Danvers hires a public relations firm. She has a rematch with the Brood and meets a mysterious alien hunter named Cru.

Ms. Marvel joins forces with the New Avengers during the New Avengers/Transformers crossover. Because of her Kree nature, her anger is amplified as a result of the aggression machine that Megatron stole.

Civil War

Ms. Marvel joins the faction of superheroes aligned with Iron Man in enforcing the Superhuman Registration Act. She battles fellow Avenger Silverclaw. Danvers then works with Wonder Man and Arachne (Julia Carpenter, formerly Spider-Woman II) to train novice superheroes and hunt down anti-Registration heroes. Her first recruit is Araña.

Arachne is revealed to be acting against the Superhuman Registration Act, which results in Carol arresting her. Carol believes she has done the right thing but is upset by the trauma the incident causes Arachne's daughter. Araña is later critically injured while attempting to help Carol against Doomsday Man, as he rips off the carapace which becomes part of her body when she is in battle. Araña recovers, but her father takes out a restraining order against Carol.

Later, Arachne escapes and confronts Carol about the whereabouts of her daughter. Carol tells Julia her daughter was left at the Carpenter family home with her parents. When Julia tells her the house is empty, Carol reluctantly uses her government connections to help Julia track down her daughter. Determined to make things right, she helps Julia visit and ultimately reclaim her daughter from Julia's parents, who have legal custody of the child and, in the aftermath of Julia's property-damaging arrest, regard Julia as a dangerous criminal who is unfit to be a mother. Carol and Tony Stark work out an agreement in which Julia will serve her time in government service by joining the Canadian superhero team Omega Flight. Julia agrees, although she says she can neither forget nor forgive what Carol did to her and her daughter.

Carol vs. Carol

Shortly following the arrest of Julia Carpenter, Carol returns home to find Rogue in her apartment. Rogue informs Carol there's a problem between them, and that they're going to solve it.

The problem is the discovery of another woman in Danvers' apartment, whom Beast deduces to be an alternate-Earth Carol Danvers. The alternate Carol, named Warbird, earlier attacked Rogue.

Warbird, who has never fully recovered from her battle with her Earth's Rogue, is an embittered alcoholic. When the Avengers send out a call for assistance during the Brood's assault, she ignores it and, consequently, her Earth is destroyed. A combination of the shockwave released by the planet's destruction and her own energy absorption powers tosses Warbird across several universes before bringing her to the "real" Earth.

Upon learning of Warbird's behavior, Carol does not hide her rage and disgust, and a fight between the two ensues. During the course of the battle, Rogue intervenes; in a fit of anger Carol attacks her and breaks her ribs. Warbird tells Carol that since her world was destroyed, she has been to dozens of alternate Earths, and not only did she kill every version of Rogue she has found, she has murdered every version of Carol Danvers as well (each Carol would intervene on Rogue's behalf). Infuriated, Carol defeats Warbird, who is taken into custody.

Carol later returns to the Xavier Institute to check on Rogue, and questions whether she has truly forgiven her. After the ordeal, Carol flies into space where she can unleash her rage in a place that "nobody can hear her scream."

Mighty Avengers

Carol accompanies Tony Stark as he investigates an A.I.M. terrorist attack in Indianapolis that killed ninety-six people, and the two argue over the Civil War. Carol punches Tony, knowing his armor will protect him. She is surprised when he later offers her leadership of the Mighty Avengers. Danvers' publicist, who had suggested the new team name to Tony in the first place, encourages her to accept the job. Carol is tempted by the chance of leading such a prominent team, but is disturbed by the number of smaller attacks that go unanswered due to bureaucratic red tape. Tony agrees to allow her access to S.H.I.E.L.D. files and personnel (Agents Locke, Baines, and Sum) in order to take out developing threats. Carol announces the Initiative (Operation: Lightning Storm) at a press conference, announcing that in their first mission, they took down the A.I.M. cell responsible for the Indianapolis attack.

Carol assumes leadership of the Mighty Avengers, despite her reluctance to work against some of her old comrades who are members of the New Avengers. Carol was forced to take the lead very quickly due to the Ultron crisis, which her team came through successfully.

Carol and Wonder Man have begun a romantic relationship. He has warned her, however, not to use her position as leader of the Avengers to keep him out of potentially dangerous situations just because of their relationship. Although she remains on the side of registration, Carol is more prepared to 'look the other way' when dealing with non-registered heroes than some of her fellows; after Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum was attacked by The Hood and his crime syndicate, seeking revenge on the New Avengers for their recent defeat, Carol and her Operation: Lightning Storm team were sent to collect the criminals that Strange had immobilized, but she allowed the New Avengers to depart. She also becomes a mentor towards Initiative recruit Ultra Girl, even giving Ultra Girl a new costume similar to her original one.

When the Puppet Master kidnaps Araña and some other female heroes, Carol's rage is pushed to the limit. Araña tries to warn the members of Lightning Storm that this is the angriest she has ever seen Carol and is worried about what she's going to do. Carol doesn't kill the Puppet Master herself, but she lets him die. This act causes her to feel guilty for some time and question just how heroic she really is.

Carol temporarily shared her body, unknowingly, with the Brood hunter Cru. Cru's influence over her body caused injuries to heal more rapidly than they should. Carol discovered Cru's presence after being taken to Monster Island. Cru deactivated her powers so he could talk to Carol Danvers rather than Ms. Marvel. This backfired when they were forced to fight the Brood Queen, who was thought to have been killed in the destruction of Broodworld, but was revealed to be both alive and transformed into living crystal. The Queen easily defeated and apparently killed the powerless Carol. However, she was quickly resurrected, with full access to her cosmic level powers. This was only temporary, but she still managed to defeat the Queen.

In the time before the events of Secret Invasion, but after the events of One More Day, an angry Carol attempts to arrest Spider-Man for his refusal to register, however they team up to save New York. Spider-Man leaves Carol a message, telling her that while he sees her point, the dangers that registering will bring to his loved ones prevent him from ever doing so. She calms down until the message reveals that Spider-Man plans to boast that he scored with her, making Carol furious all over again and attempt to track him down once more. An amused Peter Parker looks up at the sky, seeing an enraged Carol flying around screaming for him.

Secret Invasion

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Tony Stark informs Agent Sum that Ms. Marvel is under suspicion of being impersonated by a Skrull. Ms. Marvel then confronted Rl'nnd, a Skrull with the powers of the X-Men. It is revealed that this Skrull had brutally attacked her love interest, and by the time she found him, he appeared to be dead. She was then attacked by Agent Sum and a group of Lightning Storm agents, who believed that she was the Skrull who had attacked him.

During the course of the battle, a Skrull disguised as Ms. Marvel attacks the real Ms. Marvel. The mini-carrier that serves as Lightning Storm's base of operations arrives on scene, so instead of fighting, the two allow themselves to be captured, with the real Ms. Marvel figuring that the situation would get sorted out in time. Both the real Ms. Marvel and the Skrull Ms. Marvel are taken into custody.

Aboard the mini-carrier, Agent Sum takes the real Ms. Marvel to her ruined bedroom, and questions her, seemingly to determine if she is the real Ms. Marvel. During the course of the questioning, Ms. Marvel determines that Agent Sum is, in fact, a Skrull, and he's questioning her in an attempt to get her command codes for the mini-carrier. She attacks the Skrull, but is subdued by a pair of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents due to her wearing superpower inhibiting restraints. Her suspicions are quickly confirmed, however, when the real Agent Sum walks in on the interrogation, and the fake Agent Sum reverts to his true form, the Super-Skrull (Rl'nnd) that Ms. Marvel fought earlier who seemed to have the powers of various X-Men. With the help of her Lightning Storm team (Machine Man, Sleepwalker, and Agent Sum), Ms. Marvel kills Rl'nnd right in front of the holding cell where the Skrull that was impersonating her is held.

After the battle, the Skrull who was impersonating Ms. Marvel changes shape to William, who was Ms. Marvel's love interest whom she had found apparently dead. She tells her that William is Kree and that he's not dead, simply captured. The Skrull then offers information on the Kree's whereabouts in exchange for her life, telling Ms. Marvel that William is a Kree agent who had been sent to investigate the planned invasion of Earth and that they had handed him over to A.I.M. Lightning Storm attempt a rescue but the Skrull was lying. Ms. Marvel attacks the Skrull, but he merely says that Earth is theirs and that "He loves you", before activating an explosive that destroys the Minicarrier. All of Lightning Storm survive, but there are many civilian casualties. Wonder Man tries to console Carol, and they spend the night together before both receive messages that a Skrull ship has entered Earth orbit.

Carol and the rest of the Avengers go to the Savage Land where the Skrull ship has crashed. When the Skrulls finally make their move, the ship opens up to reveal a number of other superheroes in their classic costumes, including a version of Carol. A battle erupts between the two groups only to be broken up by a dinosaur. Carol moves Tony to a broken down lab where he tells her to go back to the mainland to get whoever is left and fight against the Skrulls while he rebuilds his armor from scratch. Ms. Marvel joins the fight alone as the only teams available to fight them, the Young Avengers and the Initiative, have been defeated. She is surprised when Nick Fury and his new team arrive and aids them, but after Nick's team gathers up the Young Avengers, he mistakes Carol for a Skrull and blasts her in cold blood. The fallen Carol is then pounced on by several Super-Skrulls. After killing as many of them as she can, Carol is escorting survivors to Stark Tower and runs into Agent Sum. They are then attacked by more Skrulls and Carol orders Agent Sum to drive the survivors away in a bus while she dispatches them. Afterwards she meets up with Agent Sum and the surviors again and takes them to Ryker's Island where she finds all but one of its S.H.I.E.L.D. agents killed in a ritualistic fashion by something of Skrull origin. The lone survivor warns her that this thing has the Skrulls scared. This thing is later revealed to be a Super Skrull who has been driven insane and has multiple powers from multiple superhumans, who is able to alter its clothing to resemble the costumes of various superheroes, but cannot shapeshift itself.

After taking out the insane Skrull, Carol flies to Central Park only to see Wasp die. She is later reunited with the real Jessica Drew who gives her a hug. Jessica later asks why the other heroes have been giving her strange looks to which Carol replies that no one knows what to think.

Daddy's Little Girl

Carol receives a letter from her estranged brother Joe, telling her that their father is dying of lung cancer. It is revealed that Carol hasn't had contact with her family in a very long time, possibly not since after Rogue's attack on her years before; facing people that she could remember as having loved but not having any feelings for was too difficult for her to bear. Her mother is extremely resentful of Carol for this. It is revealed that Carol's father Joseph shut down after her brother Steven was killed in the war, and he became an emotionally destructive alcoholic, which Carol bitterly remarks is the one thing they ever had in common. Her father was often verbally abusive to her, and refused to pay for her to go to college, so the day that she turned 18 she enlisted in the Air Force to pay her way through college herself, and very rarely called her family again, and never paid a single visit. Carol tells her comatose father of the things she has done since she has left home, and laments that he probably still wouldn't be proud of her. Realizing that coming to her parents house was never going to achieve anything, Carol leaves, but is stopped by her mother, who begs her to stay and talk, but Carol is adamant that she no longer belongs in her family's life. As she leaves without looking back, she reflects that her lack of emotion is really a blessing, as it enables her to do what she needs to do next: Kill Norman Osborn.

"Dark Reign"

Carol helps look for Danielle Cage and joins the New Avengers after declining to work for Norman Osborn as a part of his Dark Avengers. She also teams up again with Spider-Man to locate Essential, an immortal little girl who feeds on information. After finding Essential, Carol asks for all the information she can get about Norman Osborn. Essential informs Carol that Norman sees her as a threat and will destroy her, and gives Carol all the information she has on Osborn.

Powers and abilities

Ms. Marvel possesses a wide array of superhuman powers. Initially, they included superhuman strength and endurance, formidable resistance to physical injury, the ability to fly, and a limited precognitive "seventh sense".

As Binary, she could tap the energy of a "white hole", allowing her to manipulate stellar (or "cosmic") energies, which she could radiate as heat, light, and the rest of the electromagnetic spectrum as well as gravity fields. After a massive expenditure of stellar energies, she would revert to human form and needed to rest in that state. She possessed strength far greater than her original level, and when flying could shunt herself to hyperspace to exceed light speed, and could exist in the vacuum of space unprotected. Binary manages to force open a Shi'ar Stargate, a feat only ever otherwise performed by beings on the power level of Thor or a Herald of Galactus.

After Danvers' link to the white hole from which she drew her powers was severed, she lost the bulk of her cosmic powers, but still retained her potential for energy manipulation in addition to her original powers of superhuman strength, injury resistance, and flight as well as the ability to take on her Binary appearance. Ms. Marvel can discharge explosive blasts of radiant energy, which she fires from her fingertips. She also demonstrates the ability to absorb other forms of energy, such as electricity, to further magnify her strength and energy projection, up to the force of an exploding nuclear weapon. When sufficiently augmented, she can withstand the pressure from a 92-ton weight, and strike with a similar level of force. Hank Pym theorized that this likely was not her limit. Carol cannot absorb magical energy without consequence, though she aided Dr. Stephen Strange in the defeat of the mystic menace Sir Warren Traveler.

Hank McCoy had theorized that Ms. Marvel would no longer be able to access her cosmic-level powers, yet she was apparently briefly restored to Binary status, after being exposed to great power while battling the sentient energy being The Collective. As a result of sharing her body with the alien Cru, she temporarily gained a powerful healing factor. In order to separate the two, Carol temporarily lost her powers. However, after apparently being killed by the Brood Queen, her Binary powers were again temporarily restored but lost this healing factor.

Aside from her superhuman powers, Carol is an extraordinary espionage agent, and has received considerable training in armed and unarmed combat in military intelligence, making her an excellent hand-to-hand combatant. She is also a highly talented writer, and worked for a time as a freelance writer.

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

Carol Danvers works with the Human High Council and guards Gateway during his work at Wundagore Mountain. She helps Weapon X in battle with the Reavers. She accompanies him and Gateway on a trip to help the humans destroy the North American Apocalypse forces but she seemingly dies in a battle with Donald Pierce. Her body is infected with the techno-organic virus, merged with the remains of the Reaver Vultura, and she is forced to fight on the other side.

Exiles

An alternate version of Carol Danvers, calling herself Ms. Marvel, is forced to join Weapon X and to repair broken worlds by killing people, as seen in Exiles #38. Danvers accomplishes all tasks with ruthlessness and delight. When Hyperion joins Weapon X, Danvers becomes his lover and henchwoman. She is later killed in combat with Morph in Exiles #45 and her dead body is later returned to her homeworld of Earth-4732 (Exiles #83).

Marvel Mangaverse

Lt. Carol Danvers (USAF) is the sole survivor of her squad after an attack by the Hand (her call sign is "Warbird" in homage to her Marvel Universe identity). In her hospital room, Carol realizes she now has superpowers, and swears revenge on those who killed her fellow flyers. After killing Elektra, she assumes the identity of Captain America, mainly for self defense. She proceeds to rescue the captured heroes (Black Cat, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman/Mary Jane Watson, a female version of the Human Torch, and Wolverine). She is convinced to keep the identity by Sharon Carter.

Marvel Zombies

The Avengers were the first on the scene to the site of the crash, and Ms. Marvel is one of the first infected, and the one to infect Angel and Nova.

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel continuity, Carol Danvers is acting Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. since Nick Fury's disappearance. Before attaining that post however, she was assigned to work on Mahr Vehl's security detail. She was present for the Silver Searcher event. During the rise of Apocalypse, she is seen going into battle, ready to die if need be. She initiated the "Death of a Goblin" story arc. In the Ultimate Universe, Danvers has no super powers, instead relying on advanced S.H.I.E.L.D. technology during her battles with supervillains.

X-Men: The End

Carol is a being of pure energy and controls the Starjammer. Her costume resembles the Binary costume.

In other media

Television

• There were plans for an X-Men cartoon in the mid-eighties (not to be confused with Pryde of the X-Men, a pilot for a different series concept). Among the X-Men is a character called Lady Lightning, who basically is Carol Danvers. The cartoon was, however, rejected.

• Carol Danvers appears in the X-Men animated series in the Season 2 episode "A Rogue's Tale". Her encounter with Rogue in the flashback of the episode is similar to in the Avengers Annual, minus the involvement of Spider-Woman and the Avengers. Danvers is critically injured in the engagement and is comatose. Rogue and Danvers have a mental fight over control of Rogue's body, which Rogue wins (with a telepathic assist from Jean Grey). Danvers is not seen again, but the episode implies that she will recover.

Video games

• Carol/Ms. Marvel appears in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance voiced by April Stewart. She appears as one of the playable characters. Her comic book mission is against Super-Skrull. Her powers include flight, super-strength, and the ability to shoot energy beams/blasts. Optional costumes for the character include her Binary form, Classic (her original costume), Warbird (her current suit, default when starting game), and Ventura (Sharon Ventura, most recently known as She-Thing, who went by Ms. Marvel in the 1980s). She has special dialogue with Mandarin, Vision, and Volla.

References

1. Uncanny X-Men #246
2. Uncanny X-Men #164
3. Marvel Super-Heroes Vol. 1 #13
4. Captain Marvel #18
5. Strickland, Carol A. "The Rape of Ms. Marvel," LoC (1981). Retrieved August 6, 2008.
6. Claremont commented upon Danvers and the events of Avengers #200 in the X-Men Companion 2, (Fantagraphics Books, 1982); quoted in http://www.carolastrickland.com/comics/msmarvel/msmarvel3.html
7. House of M: Civil War #5
8. Ms. Marvel #1-3
9. Civil War #2
10. Fantastic Four vol. 1 #538
11. Ms Marvel vol. 2 #1
12. Ms Marvel vol. 2 #12
13. Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #9
14. Ms Marvel vol. 2 #13
15. Mighty Avengers #1(2007)
16. ^ Mighty Avengers #6(2007)
17. New Avengers Annual #2 (2008)
18. Ms Marvel 18-20
19. Ms. Marvel #23
20. Ms. Marvel Annual (2008)
21. Ms. Marvel #24
22. Ms. Marvel #26, #27
23. Secret Invasion #1
24. Secret Invasion #2
25. Secret Invasion #4
26. Ms. Marvel #29
27. Ms. Marvel #30
28. Secret Invasion #8
29. Ms. Marvel #31
30. New Avengers #48
31. Dark Avengers #1
32. Ms. Marvel #34
33. Mighty Avengers #6
34. Avengers vol. 3, #41
35. Avengers vol.3, #4
36. New Avengers #17-#18
37. "Ms. Marvel" #23
38. Ultimate Power #9
39. Ultimate Extinction #1 Page 5
40. Ultimate Fantastic Four #42-#46
41. Ultimate X-Men #91
42. Ultimate Spider-Man #112-#117
43. tv.com
44. Denick, Thom (2006). Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Signature Series Guide. Indianapolis, Indiana: Brady Games. pp. 24, 25. ISBN 0-7440-0844-1.

External links

• This Woman, This Warrior: The Carol Danvers Homepage
• The Rape of Ms. Marvel article for LOC #1
• Spotlight on Ms. Marvel at UncannyX-Men.net
• Ms. Marvel at Captain Marvel Culture
• Template:Imdb character

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