On its surface, Captain Marvel’s short hair in Endgame may seem like an insignificant detail in a film about superheroes battling aliens – yet its significance cannot be understated; it honors an audience segment previously ignored by Marvel films. As a way of notifying LGBTQ fans that she is queer, wearing this garment also illustrates this aspect of her character and facilitates interstellar travels.
Changes in the comics
Audiences were particularly taken with Captain Marvel’s haircut in Avengers: Endgame. Although seemingly minor, it has important implications; her military-inspired character and her role as protector of many worlds make this short haircut indicate that her character has undergone significant change. Carol shorn her hair to support Maria as she was treated for cancer treatment in 2020, two years before Thanos snapped away half of all life and three before the Hulk restored everything together again. It was revealed during 2021’s WandaVision that Carol did this to show Maria she cared.
The short haircut is a powerful and essential reminder of representation, particularly within comics. While movies do not necessarily need to mirror characters’ origins in comic books, sometimes doing so makes sense.
Changes in the MCU
One significant change in Avengers: Endgame was Captain Marvel’s haircut transformation. She began the film with long, blonde locks, but five years after, Thanos’ lethal snap has led her to wear short locks similar to pixie cuts – something fans appreciated greatly. Russo Brothers didn’t just change her haircut on a whim; it was part of her character development. In her solo film, she wore longer locks; five years later, in Endgame, she has undergone significant hair alteration to reflect her role as an agent of multiple worlds.
This change heartens queer audiences within the MCU who have had difficulty seeing themselves represented; hopefully, it’s not only temporary, and Marvel will show more of WandaVision’s character’s complexity in future films like Teyonah Parris playing Monica Rambeau and Imani Vellani playing Maria Rambeau (Teyonah Parris as Monica and Imani Vellani as Maria respectively).
Changes in the story
After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel made two brief post-credit sequences that went largely unnoticed. Her new haircut nods toward Kelly Sue DeConnick’s 2012 run on Captain Marvel, which saw her transition from minor sidekick to decisive leading role – hence shorter hair and sensible footwear are part of her look now.
Though this change may seem inconsequential, it represents a significant milestone for a subset of fandom. Marvel is showing their dedication to women characters without pandering to demands from a vocal minority that want characters solely designed to serve sexualization purposes.
Carol Danvers often sports short haircuts to keep her locks out of the way while fighting baddies on Earth and beyond. Carol frequently opts for a bob or pixie cut when fighting crime on Earth or elsewhere in space.
Changes in the character
At first glance, Captain Marvel’s new haircut in Avengers: Endgame may seem insignificant; however, its importance cannot be overstated. It pays homage to Kelly Sue DeConnick’s version of Captain Marvel – featuring shorter locks – while also serving as representation for female-identifying and LGBTQ fans; being free of patriarchal implications or queer code allows these fans to identify with this character more fully.
Carol Danvers made headlines for sporting an almost-pixie cut in this movie. The Russo brothers wanted to portray a more grounded and realistic version of Carol, believing shorter hair would help her fight space battles more efficiently. Although some members of the fandom disagreed with this decision, filmmakers stood firm behind their choice despite any backlash that might ensue.
