‘Captain Marvel’: What’s a Flerken?

Captain Marvel is hitting up theaters and bringing a myriad of firsts to the MCU. Not only is the film the first female-led film to enter the franchise but the first to star Skrulls. However, the green shape-shifting aliens aren’t the extraterrestrials causing a buzz.

No, that honor goes to none other than the Flerken race and its real adorable representative.

Be warned! There are big spoilers for Captain Marvel below! Please proceed with caution!

For those who’ve kept up with Captain Marvel, they have no doubt heard about Goose. The adorable feline was featured heavily in the film’s marketing, and Marvel fans were quick to fall for the orange kitty. However, it turns out Goose isn’t the house cat fans expected as he’s really a deadly alien from the stars.

Digging into Marvel’s lore, fans can unearth some intriguing details about the Flerken and its attachment to Carol Danvers. The race was quietly introduced when Carol stumbled upon a rescue cat named Chewie back in Ms. Marvel #5. The 2006 debut saw Carol name her kitty after Chewbacca given their uncontrollable hair, and Chewie lived a peaceful life as a cat up until 2014.

When Captain Marvel #1 went live, fans learned the secret behind Chewie. Carol introduced her pet to Rocket of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and he was quick to panic. The hero told Captain Marvel her beloved pet is really a dangerous Flerken with all sorts of nasty powers. Not only can the alien lay hundreds of eggs, but its has tentacles which sprout from its mouth and a pocket dimension in their stomach. Carol is told Chewie can also teleport if they felt like it, so it isn’t surprising the heroine has trouble believing the truth.

However, the truth comes to smack Captain Marvel in the back when Chewie shows his true colors. Carol is able to ply her pet with some cuddles, leaving her kitty to become a favorite overnight in the comics realm.

Now, Chewie — or Goose rather — is here to bewitch fans of all ages. The kitty even managed to get Nick Fury on its team before the Flerken cut up the spy’s eye real good. Clearly, the creature is not one to be messed with, but that won’t keep fans around the world from sleeping with stuffed Goose dolls to honor their favorite Flerken.

Captain Marvel is now in theaters. Other Marvel Cinematic Universe films on the horizon include Avengers: Endgame on April 26th and Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 5th.

So, do you like Flerkens yet…? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

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