Summary

• Captain Marvel defies a classic supervillain offer, showcasing her intelligence and awareness above other superheroes.
• Instead of risking herself, Captain Marvel thinks rationally and finds a better plan to save her sidekick without bargaining with villains.
• This comic highlights Captain Marvel's consistent brilliance, challenging common superhero tropes and showcasing her as one of the smartest heroes.

Warning: Spoilers for Captain Marvel #7!

Carol Danvers refuses to fall for the oldest supervillain trope, proving again why she's the best Captain Marvel and one of the smartest superheroes in the Marvel Universe. Oftentimes in superhero media, a supervillain wagers for a superhero to surrender themselves in order to save someone else. Usually, trusting a villain to abide by their offer just leads to a sudden and inevitable betrayal.

Unlike most heroes, Carol refuses to fall for it in Captain Marvel #7 by Alyssa Wong, Jan Bazaldua, Bryan Valenza, and VC's Ariana Maher. The title character is presented with such a classic wager in order to save someone she loves. Her answer without hesitation? "You apparently think I'm an idiot." Captain Marvel not only calls out her enemy for being manipulative, but also uses the opportunity as a distraction to trap her enemy instead.

Captain Marvel showcases a level of awareness and intelligence that's uncharacteristic of even the smartest heroes in Marvel's lexicon. As such, she rises above them all.

Captain Marvel Refuses a Classic Supervillain Offer

She Has a Better Plan in Mind

Instead of thinking with her heart, Captain Marvel chooses to think rationally.

During her fight with the safety of Captain Marvel's sidekick. Carol's allies Hulkling, Wiccan, and Phyla-Vell urge her not to accept, but they needn't worry, as Carol never entertained the thought in her mind for even a second.

It's important to acknowledge that this isn't Carol showing neglect towards Yuna. She's established before that she cares a great deal for her partner in crime-fighting, so much so that she's even given her entry into her Avengers unit. This is Carol taking a moment to rationally weigh the pros and cons of a scenario and choosing not to take the worst option, even if it means delaying the safety of her friend. Instead of thinking with her heart, Captain Marvel chooses to think rationally. She then takes time to brainstorm alternative solutions to save Yuna without bargaining with villains.

Captain Marvel is Consistently Written Smartly

More Rationale and Self-Aware Than Heroes Who Are Technically Smarter

Beyond subverting expectations of the reader, this moment highlights that Captain Marvel is just as smart as she is strong. There are only a handful of superheroes who match Carol's brain power. Even those who may statistically or at least theoretically sur Carol in the smarts department fall into the same mistake of such a trope. Sure, there are many heroes with the credentials, degrees, and knowledge of the sciences, but how many are smart enough to realize when they're being duped and actually think before they make a blind sacrifice? Few and far between. It says more about how common a trope like this has become in superhero storytelling, but Captain Marvel is one of the few heroes who are consistently written to be this brilliant.

Captain Marvel #7 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.