Warning: SPOILERS for Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel has finally arrived in the MCU, and as fans hoped, setting her origin story more than a decade before The Avengers first teamed up has resulted in too many Easter Eggs and secret MCU connections for fans to possibly catch in one viewing. Luckily, we're here to help.
There will be much to discuss once the credits roll, from the the post-credits scene sets up Avengers: Endgame. But to make sure that Marvel fans don't end up missing some of the coolest Easter Eggs, impossible to catch inside jokes, and comic book and pop culture references, we're breaking each and every one of them down. Whether it's Carol's tentacled cat, a tribute to the late Stan Lee, or the ways in which Captain Marvel is retconning the MCU's future, we've got them all in one place.
RELATED: Captain Marvel's Origin Story & Movie Changes Explained
Needless to say there will be SPOILERS for Captain Marvel (and every MCU movie that came before). Here is our complete breakdown of Captain Marvel: Every Easter Egg & Secret Reference.
24. Stan Lee Cameo(s)
As the first MCU film to be released following the ing of comic book icon Stan Lee, Captain Marvel goes to extra lengths for a dedication. That begins with the opening credits sequence, typically a (now longer than ever) montage of different movie and comic book artwork. But for Captain Marvel, it’s Stan Lee’s many iconic cameos that are given the spotlight, along with footage of Lee from outside of his on-screen appearances.
That said, a tradition is a tradition, which means he also makes a cameo in the movie itself--with yet another uncommon twist. Casual viewers will be able to spot Lee as a enger on the train boarded by Carol in pursuit of her Skrull target. But film buffs will appreciate the script for Mallrats he’s reading aloud, rehearsing his lines. The Kevin Smith film made strong use of Lee playing himself, and with its release in 1995, the timeline of Captain Marvel matches up nicely.
23. The Supreme Intelligence (Sort Of)
The movie may not dive into the vast Kree Empire as much as some fans will hope, especially considering the surprisingly small roles played by both Korath and Ronan (prior to their appearances in the first Guardians of the Galaxy). But what’s there is largely faithful... with one exception. And believe us, the change in this case is for the better. A point made perfectly clear when audiences realize what the ‘Supreme Intelligence’ looks like in the comics.
Yon-Rogg begins the story by informing Carol--sorry, ‘Vers’ that "communing with the Supreme Intelligence" is a valuable part of every Kree soldier’s development. However, seeing the actual Intelligence itself is forbidden. Considering that in the comics, the fusion of the greatest minds the Kree ever produced takes the form of a massive, multi-eyed, misshapen head, few fans will take issue with this twist for the movie version.
22. Captain Marvel Gets Her Movie Mohawk
When the first lengthy trailers for Captain Marvel showed Carol Danvers in not only her Kree uniform and helmet, but with her hair forming a mohawk out the top of it, fans rejoiced. But for those who don't actually know the story or the comic book source material, the feature may seem a bit strange. It all started when writer Kelly Sue DeConnick decided that a new costume was just what Carol needed for her promotion to Captain Marvel in her new, 2012 comic series.
The idea of a helmet that forced Carol's hair up into a mohawk as it deployed was too intriguing a design to forget, and as DeConnick explained to Polygon, her request of a redesign by acclaimed artist Jamie McKelvie would have cost her... had Marvel editorial not been instantly sold on the look, which is largely adapted for the film, as well:
"I called Jamie and was like, ‘Alright, I want you to make a bet with me. I bet if you do a Carol Danvers redesign for Captain Marvel that Marvel will buy the design from you. And if I win this bet, then I get a redesign and you get paid. And if I lose this bet, I will pay for the redesign... My husband would have murdered me, because you don’t front money for billion dollar companies. I mean, I would have murdered me, that’s nonsense."
21. The Actual Last Blockbuster Video Store
The days of Blockbuster Video may be dead and gone, but the value of nostalgia lives on – as evidenced by most crowd reactions to Carol crashing smack into a Blockbuster (back in 1995). And believe it or not, the scenes really were shot using the last Blockbuster Video store in America, located in Bend, Oregon. A title it now holds after the other Alaskan stores were forced to close up shop, landing it its place in MCU history.
RELATED: Every 1990s Song in Captain Marvel's Soundtrack
But there’s one extra detail to the store itself that fans shouldn’t miss, and it may stand out to some. Specifically, those viewers who find that the “Blockbuster Video” logo and sign affixed to the roof of the store seems… off. It may be forgotten now, but Blockbuster Video made the change to simply “Blockbuster” branding and signage in 1996, which lasted until the company’s last days. In the timeline of the film, that is still one year away. But it's the store shelves that hold the best Easter Eggs...
Page 2: Carol 'Avenger' Danvers, Her Creator Cameo & More
20. The True Lies Tribute
Viewers might think that the films chosen to populate the shelves of the Blockbuster Video were selected based purely on their release dates, and that is partly true (the store shelves are filled with period-appropriate VHS tapes). But it’s True Lies that gets a stand out moment, and the meaning of the tribute may be lost on younger fans. For the unfamiliar, True Lies is the film being d by the cardboard standee of Arnold Schwarzenegger which has its head vaporized, leaving his co-star Jamie Lee Curtis grinning all by herself.
Those who have seen True Lies know that it resonates for several reasons. The first movie to cost over $100 million to make, ushering in an age of blockbuster films Marvel now produces annually. It’s a tale of spycraft, deception, and double-crossing, just like Carol’s. It also happens to include one of the most iconic uses of a fighter jet ever committed to film. In fact, that fighter jet prop would eventually wind up being repainted for use in The Avengers (2012), cushioning the Hulk’s fall while battling Thor.
19. The Right Stuff Gets a Shout Out
With Carol’s career as a test pilot turned outer space traveler, it’s impossible to imagine a version of the movie that doesn’t pay tribute to The Right Stuff. A film now homaged in new films more than its seen by new audiences, it tells the story of the first American astronauts like Chuck Yeager, Alan Shepard, John Glenn, and the other Air Force test pilots whose willingness to push “higher, further, faster” helped put mankind into space.
The film may have been wiped from Carol’s mind along with the rest of her memories, but there’s no question she would have either seen it, or known the stories of these brave pilots herself. So when she picks up a copy of the film off a Blockbuster shelf and considers it, we would like to think that yet another piece of the woman she was is unlocked.
18. Writer Kelly Sue DeConnick's Cameo
Since it's Kelly Sue DeConnick's modern version of Carol Danvers that made the jump to the MCU, it only seems right that the writer should get to jump in on the fun. And believe it or not, audiences can spot DeConnick in the 1995 version of Los Angeles, but they'll need to keep a sharp eye out.
After Carol follows the enger train all the way to its destination, she tries--but fails--to keep and eye on her target Skrull. Walking out into the crowds of ing commuters, it's clear that the Skrull could now be anybody... including Kelly Sue DeConnick, who brushes past Carol. DeConnick is actually the first person Carol sees once stepping off the train, easy to spot thanks to her hair and signature spectacles. She gives Carol a suspicious once-over, which Carol all too happily returns.
17. This Captain Marvel is a Skrull, Too (Sort Of)
As tempting as it may be to say that the Captain Marvel movie is adapting one modern version of Carol’s origin story, the truth is far more interesting. The film does follow the lead of Kelly Sue DeConnick’s modern relaunch of Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel, right down to her movie costume. But the movie also pays tribute to the Captain Marvel often overlooked, or dismissed as less ‘real’ than either Mar-Vell or Carol Danvers.
RELATED: 20 Versions of Captain Marvel Who AREN'T Carol Danvers
We’re referring to the Skrull Khn’nr, who was revealed to be ‘in disguise’ as the original Mar-Vell as part of Marvel’s Secret Invasion storyline. His story required the Skrulls to actually be the deceitful, invading army that the Kree of the film claims them to be, but Khn’nr’s own decisions mirror Carol’s more than many fans may realize. Once Khn’nr realized that he had only been programmed to believe he was Mar-Vell, and a hero, he instead became one. Defying his Skrull superiors and choosing to protect Earth, embracing the new identity and memories he had been given, it’s easy to see how the MCU version takes the best aspects of his story, as well.
16. Carol's New 'Avenger' Callsign
While the reveal of Carol Danvers’ official Air Force callsign isn’t revealed until the movie’s final scene, it’s the moment fans are going to be talking about, so we should address it now. Yes, Carol Danvers had a callsign in the comics. And no, it sure wasn’t Carol ‘Avenger’ Danvers. In fact, the name she went by was about as far away from such a badass moniker as you can get.
As Carol explained on a date back in Ms. Marvel #11 (2007), her callsign is (or was) ‘Cheeseburger.’ She got that name the way that people would assume… once they consider the intense g-forces that pilots undergo in training. Apparently Carol decided to enjoy herself a hefty burger before one memorable training session, lost the contents of her stomach, and was forever graced with a name in honor of the disaster. But we guess The Cheeseburger Initiative has less of a ring to it.
Page 3: Nick Fury's Protector, Goose The Flerken, and Mar-Vell
15. Nick Fury's 'Protector Initiative'
It's also worth pointing out that even though Nick Fury changed his famous Avengers Initiative to pay homage to Carol Danvers, the original name he had for his plan was an Easter Egg, too. Uniting superpowered people to act as 'protectors' might seem like an unimaginative moniker, but for fans of the Kree Empire, it's anything but a random designation. Because 'Protector' also happens to be the name of another Kree soldier... and eventually, another version of Captain Marvel.
Granted, it took place in an alternate reality, where Noh-Varr was just one of a larger group of Kree diplomats who faced catastrophe, and was eventually stranded on Earth. Noh-Varr eventually adopted a heroic persona in tribute to Mar-Vell, claiming titles like Captain Marvel, Marvel Boy... and yes, Protector.
