Warning! This article contains spoilers for Captain Marvel #27
Captain Marvel just hooked up with a Marvel hero no fan saw coming: Doctor Strange. Following her recent trip into the future, and struggling to deal with witnessing the end of the world, Carol broke up with her longtime boyfriend James Rhodes, A.K.A. War Machine. Since then, Carol hasn’t been feeling her best self.
In Captain Marvel #27 by Kelly Thompson and David Lopez, to help, Spider-Woman assembled Monica Rambeau (Spectrum), and Jennifer Takeda (Hazmat), along with Carol’s new Kree half-sister Lauri-Ell the Accuser for a night on the town. Following a disastrous round of speed-dating, Carol winds up alone at the bar, where she is discovered by none other than Stephen Strange.
As a recovering alcoholic, Carol visits the bar for the atmosphere alone. Sensing that she is tempted to take a drink of whiskey, Dr. Strange magically transforms the liquor into seltzer water. The two bond over their inability to reconcile their superhero careers with their personal lives. When Carol asks Stephen why he’s visiting a normal, human bar rather than the one reserved for Marvel’s sorcerers, Strange tells her that “sometimes you don’t want to be with the people you know. You know?” Which is something Carol can completely identify with.
One thing leads to another and the two wind up back at the Sanctum Sanctorum for the night. The next morning, it’s left ambiguous as to whether the two of them regret their actions. While Carol’s inner monologue reads “This is a very, very bad idea,” the final panel shows them once again in the throes of passion.
As one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes, Carol has often struggled in finding a lasting relationship that works for her schedule. And following recent traumatic events due to her trip to the future, it makes sense that she would want to find comfort in the arms of someone who is familiar with the stress and responsibility of the job.
As leaders in their field who both understand the weight of the power they wield, Carol and Stephen starting something new together makes more sense than most fans may realize. It remains to be seen whether these two can make it work, as they both also share highly messy dating histories, but if they can commit to it, this may be the start of Marvel’s next major powerhouse couple. And if the romance takes off, there could even be potential to see a Captain Marvel/Doctor Strange expand outside the comic universe.
