Marvel’s most unexpected hero of the last 20 years has long been considered something of a joke by people who don’t know the truth. Her powers inevitably attract that sort of cynicism, but there are arguably very few of even the Avengers most famous line-ups who know what being a hero means more. Because this particular hero has known from a young age that she had what it takes to make a difference in the world, and she’s been doing more than her fair share ever since.
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Doreen Allene Green (AKA Squirrel Girl) is a more modern hero than any of the classic Avengers, though she’s been around longer than the most recent generation of aspiring Avengers candidates. She’s also easily one of the most underestimated heroes, possibly of all time. To be fair, one hears about a superhero with squirrel powers and immediately begins looking for somebody else to provide backup.
Since her introduction, Squirrel Girl has been popping up all over the Marvel Universe, though she never seems to get enough credit. She’s been dubbed Tail Girl, Rodent, and Nutball by her fellow heroes, though fans at least give her enough credit to call her the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. That’s because she’s earned this strange reputation as being shockingly resilient, capable of taking down some of the biggest bads in Marvel. This, combined with her boundlessly cheerful personality, makes her one of the best additions the Avengers have made in recent years.
Squirrel Girl’s Powers Explained
As her name obviously implies, Squirrel Girl has some unexplained genetic mutations that give her squirrel-like abilities, not to mention the gift of conversing with actual squirrels. She has a prehensile tail, superhuman strength, speed, agility, and reflexes. She’s also got a keen eye for detail, so there’s no escaping on her watch. Likewise, her jaw is strong enough to crack a squirrel’s favorite treat, so do not make the mistake of getting in biting range. Possibly most importantly, Doreen was lucky enough to also get an accelerated healing factor, though admittedly that is one attribute we can’t say she got from the squirrels.
Here’s another important thing to understand about Doreen: she is ceaselessly positive. Right from the beginning, she wanted to become a superhero, and she didn’t let casual rejections shut that dream down. Sure, Iron Man may have summarily rejected her sidekick offer, but she didn’t take it personally (she even helped save him!).
Since Squirrel Girl refused to give up, she kept finding herself in the right place at the right time to help out. Whether or not she was acknowledged for this is a totally different question. The Great Lakes Avengers was the first hero team to acknowledge Squirrel Girl’s potential. She joined up with them, and the rest, as they say, is history. Only not, because even though Doreen’s series has come to an end, we all know she’s still kicking butt and taking names.
Squirrel Girl Has Faced Down Unlikely Villains and Won
Squirrel Girl has become famous for her ability to survive impossible situations. Well, it’s more than fame at this point, as her victories have the potential to become memes. That probably has something to do with the fact that Squirrel Girl has taken down some of the biggest names in Marvel, just not in the way one might expect.
Sure, in a head-to-head fight, most people would argue that Squirrel Girl wouldn’t stand a chance against Doctor Doom, Galactus, or Thanos. That said, she does tend to think outside of the box, and in doing so, she redefines what victory looks like. Her “battle” with Galactus is probably the best example of this; she met Galactus on the moon, had a good chat with him, and eventually found him a suitable replacement for Earth for his next meal. To put this in a different light, Squirrel Girl did something that many hero teams had to resort to when it comes to handling Galactus: distract and redirect. It works, so nobody is complaining about this method.
Ultimately, Doreen is a distinctly different type of hero, and she views the world through different eyes. She’s not afraid to step up against impossible odds, because in her mind, they aren’t impossible. There’s a solution to every problem, and positivity is almost always the first step (for this hero). It’s an attitude that has served her well, and honestly, is probably something we can all learn from.
Seriously, Nobody Can Stop Squirrel Girl
Remember when we mentioned that heroes tend to underestimate Squirrel Girl? That happens a lot. Usually, it’s in the form of Iron Man’s quick rejection, but sometimes it results in a fight. Obviously, Squirrel Girl is not the type to pick fights with other heroes (unlike Deadpool), but she has a proven ability to end any fight that’s started. For example, she shocked the internet when she handily defeated the Merc with a Mouth. If that sounds familiar, it’s probably because this is one of two famous Squirrel Girl battles that fans frequently joke about. Doreen won this particular fight due to her skills, and perhaps more importantly, the way Deadpool’s healing factor works. Spoiler alert: her small attacks don’t take priority over his cancer, but they sure can add up.
Over the years, Doreen has showcased that she’s more than just a chipper personality. This hero can fight. Her hand-to-hand combat is on par with Wolverine in a fight, claws or no claws. Most of Doreen’s formal combat training came from her time with superheroes, but it’s safe to say that the more unconventional moves all come from Doreen’s mind, or her Squirrel Army brainstormed them. Either way, these are pure moves of chaos, and that makes them unpredictable and dangerous.
Squirrel Girl is an impressive and creative superhero. She always looks to the brighter side of life, and that lets her see potential paths to victory, even when it seems like defeat should be all but assured. It’s how she has survived as a superhero for so long. Sadly, Squirrel Girl doesn’t get nearly as much attention as she deserves, both from fellow superheroes and readers.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
