The Love Story between Captain Marvel and Carol Danvers resumes: Captain Marvel #13 – May 1969
This comic book now has a new writer, Gary Friedrich, who decides to renew the romance between Captain Marvel and Carol Danvers.
The issue opens with both Mar-Vell and Lawson on the cover of Times magazine with the title "Traitors or Heroes?" apparently having both of them side by side, and the fact that they have both been missing for the same amount of time is not enough for anyone to realize that they are the same person. So Clark Kent/Superman.
Suddenly, Lawson thinks that he defeated Man-Slayer in the previous issue. This undermines Black Widow's accomplishment. But, soon we discover that her achievement is undermined by the fact that Man-Slayer survived. All of a sudden Mar-Vell feels a bond with humans and goes back to the Cape to stop Man-Slayer. However, because he is on the F.B.I's most wanted list the soldiers at the Cape try to shoot him. So, he just decides to leave and teleport to the near Kree spaceship and he sneaks in.
Mar-Vell gives Colonel Yon-Rogg a warning before he attacks, and Yon-Rogg uses it to accuse Mar-Vell of loving Carol Danvers. Mar-Vell seems to claim that it was simply part of his mission. Then Yon-Rogg attacks Mar-Vell and defeats him in combat. Yon-Rogg tells Mar-Vell about his plans to revive Medic Una after killing Mar-Vell, but Mar-Vell seems unaffected by this information.
However, while Mar-Vell is down Yon-Rogg shows him through a view-screen that the Man-Slayer is about to kill Carol Danvers. This makes no sense for a few reasons (not including her more sexy than professional outfit). Man-Slayer was meant to destroy the moon missile and Carol is not a threat to that mission. Moreover, she is the head of security, doesn't she have a gun? Or the sense to do anything but freeze? She's supposed to be someone with military training and not your average damsel in distress. But I guess that the stereotype didn't change with the new writer.
Then miraculously Mar-Vell knocks out Yon-Rogg and instead of killing him, he goes to earth to stop Man-Slayer. He thinks to himself: "For, though I do not know why, I feel I must save Carol Danvers… or die in the attempt!" so, suddenly he does care about her again, enough to die, and enough to delay his killing of Yon-Rogg, something he did not do in order to save his true love, Medic Una.
When Captain Marvel arrives at the Cape, Man-Slayers uses Carol Danvers as a defense. Captain Marvel has to choose between possibly harming Carol and defeating Man-Slayer who can harm hundreds of people.
Suddenly, and for no reason, Captain Marvel is torn between the memories of Carol and those of Una. Even though Una is dead so he doesn't actually need to choose between them anymore. Also, all of a sudden Carol doesn't care if she might be harmed by Captain Marvel, because now she knows that he really cares about her. All of her previous vindictiveness and anger are gone.
While Captain Marvel is aiming his gun, Carol Danvers is scared for her life, but now it's understandable as she could possibly die. Captain Marvel fires, disables the robot and Carol is unharmed, although she does suffer from a slight case of "frayed nerves".
Carol is back to hugging Captain Marvel, thanking God that she has been saved by him. Unfortunately the army shows up as Captain Marvel is still a wanted man and her job description includes arresting him, whether she personally agrees with it or not.
New writer, same old Carol Danvers, a damsel in distress and a love interest, again. It's very repetitive, which just makes her character more boring. Issue 14 will probably continue with the same pattern. Do you also agree that in the last few issues Carol Danvers has been nothing more than a walking stereotype? Leave your opinion in the comment section below.