Let’s talk about ‘Captain Marvel’ and its big connection to NOLA

TORONTO, ONTARIO - MARCH 06: A general view of atmosphere at the 'Captain Marvel' Canadian Premiere held at Scotiabank Theatre on March 06, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by GP Images/Getty Images for Disney Studios)

Let’s talk about ‘Captain Marvel’ and its big connection to NOLA

Who is Monica Rambeau?

by Clint Durrett | March 11, 2019

So you and everyone else went and saw the latest Marvel powerhouse film “Captain Marvel.” It made gobs of money, as usual. But let’s talk about that Louisiana connection, because it’s as epic as the main character in the movie.

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Specifically, let’s talk about Monica Rambeau (Akira Akbar). The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in its 11th year, and the House of Ideas over there has had a few characters come out of the Crescent City – such as Monica Rambeau, the daughter of Carol Danvers’ (Brie Larson) friend, Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch).

HOLLYWOOD, CA: Actor Akira Akbar attends the Los Angeles World Premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” at Dolby Theatre on March 4, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

Why is her daughter important?

Monica Rambeau, born in New Orleans, according to Marvel Comics lore, actually becomes the powerful hero Captain Marvel for a time in the comics. The comics’ timeline of when Rambeau became the hero is going to confuse non-comic nerds, so we’re going to skip all that and just keep our eye on the MCU and look at connections. As Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau even led the Avengers team for a while.

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Some backstory

Monica Rambeau was created by Roger Stern and John Romita Jr. and made her first appearance in “The Amazing Spider-Man Annual No. 16” in 1982 as Captain Marvel.

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According to the comics, she was exposed to “extra-dimensional energy” while working as a lieutenant for the New Orleans Harbor Patrol. After the exposure, she was able to convert her body to energy and do all the kinds of cosmic things you saw Carol Danvers do in “Captain Marvel.” Danver’s longtime pilot friend, Maria Rambeau’s call-sign in the film is called Photon, which is a nod to one of the aliases Monica takes on as the powerful being in the comics.

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What this could mean for future Marvel movies?

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After half the population in the universe went all dust to dust on us (thanks, Thanos), it’s going to take a seriously epic event to correct things. When Carol Danvers shows up after getting the fancy pager alert from Nick Fury at the end credits of “Avengers: Infinity War,” she’s obviously going to swoop in and make it right. How? Well, that remains to be seen.

However, since “Captain Marvel” takes place in the mid-’90s, it’s entirely possible that fans will see Monica Rambeau become one of the most important figures in the MCU.

Could the core Avengers and Captain Marvel have to do a “life swap” to restore the other half of the universe who bit the … dust? Could Rambeau take over as the ultra-powered hero after “Avengers: Endgame”? Will Rambeau lead Earth’s Mightiest Heroes after “Endgame”? We’re super speculating and hope so.

She’s a character that fans should keep an eye on, whether you live in New Orleans or not, and she’s also one that could have a major positive impact on showing how anyone from anywhere can save the day.

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“Captain Marvel” is currently in theaters. “Avengers: Endgame” hits theaters April 26.

Clint Durrett

Hi. I’m Clint.
I’m the Local Market Manager for Very Local New Orleans. I’ve lived in New Orleans since 2001 and been living my best life in this rad place since that year.
I have 10 years of broadcast journalism and digital media experience. Before Very Local New Orleans, I worked for WDSU-TV – producing, product developing, digital media managing– I’ve done it all. I’ve seen first-hand the trials we’ve suffered in this city and the celebrations we’ve enjoyed. I love New Orleans. It’s home.
I’m going to work my hardest to bring you the content and experiences you care about to live your best life here in one of the best cities on the planet.
I love finding things to do here – concerts, food, drinks, nerding out, etc. And I love sharing those things with others.
Contact me via email. Gimme a shout on social. If you see something you think we should know about, hit me up. If you see something that needs fixing on the site, ditto. I want this website to be yours, too. Not just one I manage, but one we as a community and New Orleanians use to help us live our best lives.