What started out as a pretty unassuming character in her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut would later grow into one of the most powerful superheroes in the franchise. That’s right, we’re talking about Monica Rambeau — aka Photon, Pulsar, Spectrum, and even Captain Marvel in the comic books — who is at long last getting the recognition she deserves from Marvel fans unfamiliar with the comics.
This character had her big silver screen debut during Phase Three of the MCU, in Captain Marvel, introduced simply as the child of Maria Rambeau, Carol Danvers’ best friend. In the movie, Monica was played by Azari and Akira Akbar, and later, the role was given to Teyonah Parris in WandaVision, where this superhero finally earns her powers. While many Rambeau enthusiasts were more than happy to see her finally come into her own, others expected her to play a bigger part in the show, and the character was easily forgotten by casual MCU enjoyers. The fact that Monica was sidelined in all other Phase Four projects also didn’t help matters.
Now, ahead of Monica’s big return to the franchise in The Marvels, it looks like she’s being properly appreciated by viewers. We all know Monica’s super-abilities are pretty cool (to say the least), but currently, Reddit users are focusing on her personality, singing praises to the character’s maturity, empathy, and coping skills. Many other MCU heroes would certainly benefit from the latter.
Other Redditors were quick to agree with this assessment, considering Monica one of the biggest motivators to look forward to The Marvels.
Not only is Monica Rambeau a certified badass, but she’s also one of the few Black female superheroes in the Marvel franchise. Hopefully, The Marvels will live up to expectations and do the character justice. The movie will premiere in theaters on July 28.