But Marvel does not appear to be particularly worried about such apparent inconsistencies. They are aware they have earned significant goodwill among their fan base, and frankly they can trust the fans to figure out how all the pieces go together at their own leisure. Continuity may be important, but it is a servant to the storytellers, not a master. Captain Marvel can be written into the history of the MCU at the stroke of a script-writer's pen, a new organization can be created as a result, and any problems are left to the viewers to figure it out. And that is just the way it should be.

This bodes well for Marvel's future. The danger of a shared universe is that continuity could potentially become a straitjacket that restricts creators, preventing them from trying out new ideas and taking creative risks. A franchise that becomes dominated by the question of continuity is one that will ultimately become sterile and lifeless. Fortunately, Marvel seems to be confident enough to ensure this issue does not arise; they are willing to give their creative teams a remarkable degree of flexibility, trusting their viewers to be able to handle a continuity that is always changing shape. With that attitude, the MCU should be able to continue growing and changing for decades to come.

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