#ComicBytes: Tracing the interesting story of Monica Rambeau
Upcoming shows on Disney++ are expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A huge part of this venture is the incorporation of more comics characters in MCU, which has already started with the arrival of Monica Rambeau in episode two of WandaVision. Before we see her story unfold in future Marvel content, here are some key details one should know about this superhero.
Monica's journey in MCU started with 'Captain Marvel'
Remember Carol Danvers's best friend Maria Rambeau's young daughter in Captain Marvel? Well, that was Monica Rambeau, who was played by Akira Akbar (the 11-year-old version) and Azari Akbar (the five-year-old version). Teyonah Parris is now portraying the adult version of the character in WandaVision, who is apparently a S.W.O.R.D agent. She is set to reprise her role in Captain Marvel 2.
She became the second Captain Marvel after Mar-Vell
Since MCU has revised Monica's origin almost entirely, here is her origin in comics. Born and raised in New Orleans, Monica was a lieutenant in the New Orleans Harbor Patrol. She accidentally gained superpowers after getting exposed to extra-dimensional energy. Due to her new powers, the media started calling her Captain Marvel, making her the second person to take the mantle after Mar-Vell.
Monica's ability to change into any form of energy
Monica's main powers revolve around her ability to change into any form of energy. This allows her to travel according to the type of energy she converts into, which includes the speed of light. Over the years, writers have made her lose her powers, gain a different set, or power up further. They have also shown that extreme energy expenditure can affect her adversely.
She was once the leader of the Avengers and Nextwave
Monica's leadership qualities have always been an integral part of her characterization. Although she joined the Avengers to learn how to control her powers, she was eventually appointed the leader of the team when the Wasp stepped down. She was also seen as the leader of Nextwave. In her superhero career, she has teamed up with many fellow heroes for successful side missions.
Captain Marvel, Photon, Pulsar, Spectrum: Monica and her supernames
The reason Monica is more known by her real name is because her superhero moniker keeps changing. When she gave the mantle of Captain Marvel to Genis (son of Mar-Vell), she became Photon. Later, Genis took the name Photon too. So Monica became Pulsar. In the current era, Monica is known as Spectrum because her powers let her access the electromagnetic spectrum of energy.
