Skip to main content

Can Captain Marvel break the fourth wall?


In Captain Marvel it would appear as if Carol can break the fourth wall. First, we have the "knowing smile" she gives after Stan Lee's cameo in the film which directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck acknowledge as her breaking the fourth wall without stating in those terms.



At one point, her eyes fall upon an elderly man conspicuously reading a _Mallrats _script. It's Stan Lee, practicing his lines for his cameo in that other movie. "Trust me, true believer," he mutters to himself. You can watch that entire Mallrats scene below:



The Captain Marvel scene was originally written by directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck as just another fun, funny appearance by the comics legend. But after his passing in November, the filmmakers felt compelled to update the sequence to acknowledge the "gravitas" of the moment.


"Instead of just the pure laugh we had, we had a little bit of a smile from Captain Marvel in response to it, and she kind of breaks character for a moment," Boden told me during an interview in Los Angeles last month. "I think it reflects a little bit of what the audience is feeling, and we allowed that to happen."


In the finished cut of Captain Marvel, Vers' gaze lingers on him for a few moments and she smiles to herself, before moving on with the rest of her quest. At the screening I attended, the audience definitely appreciated the homage – there were sighs, moans, and even a smattering of applause.


Mashable, How Stan Lee's 'Captain Marvel' cameo changed after his death



Later in the film we then have a scene where Carol is trying out new suit designs where each design is probably a reference to a previous comic version of the character. The last one she stops on is the white and green suit of Mar-Vell and Carol appears to give a "knowing look" before moving on to pick the final design.


In both cases she doesn't have to have broken the fourth wall in universe for the scenes to still make sense. The first "break" could be read as Vers breaking her "angry Vers must catch evil Skrull" character and smiling at "an old man" practising lines on a train rather than her actually breaking the fourth wall. And the second could simply be her "liking the design" rather than acknowledging the reference.


Regarding both of these it would appear that she might be able to break the fourth wall. However, I would like to know if there is any official statement on this in that if the character actually can or if it was more "just a bit of fun". If she can break the fourth wall has this ever been shown in the comics?


Can Captain Marvel break the fourth wall?




I am mainly looking for answers related to the MCU but answers sourced from the comics are perfectly acceptable too.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the etymology of Doctor Who?

I recently decided to watch Doctor Who, and started viewing the 2005 version. I have the first two episodes from the first season, and I can't help but wonder what is the etymology of the name "Doctor Who"? And why does the protagonist call himself "the Doctor" (or is it "the doctor")? Answer In the very first episode of Doctor Who (way back in 1963), the Doctor has a granddaughter going by the name "Susan Foreman", and the junkyard where the TARDIS is has the sign "I.M. Foreman". Barbara, who becomes one of the Doctor's companions, calls him "Doctor Foreman" (probably assuming that is his name given his relationship to Susan), and Ian (another early companion) does the same in the second episode, to which the Doctor says: Eh? Doctor who? What's he talking about? "Foreman" is most likely selected as a convenient surname for Susan to use because it happened to be on display near where the TARDIS landed....
Post a Comment
Read more

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...
Post a Comment
Read more