The following contains spoilers for Captain Marvel #50, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
While plenty of acclaimed creators have left their mark on the life of Carol Danvers, few have done so in such stellar fashion as writer extraordinaire Kelly Thompson. Unfortunately for fans, Thompson's run on Captain Marvel is at its end, although that is hardly the case for its titular hero. In fact, Thompson's fiftieth and final issue in her time and space spanning epic has just set Carol up for bigger and better things, and culminates with a love letter to who she is beneath her cosmically empowered exterior.
In a small church in New York City, Carol Danvers does her best to open up about recent losses and their impact on her. As seen in Captain Marvel #50 (by Thompson, Javier Pina, David Lopez, Yen Nitro, and VC's Clayton Cowles), doing so isn't quite as easy as talking things out with strangers. Before long, Carol has burst through the roof in a desperate bid to escape her sorrows, only to end up on the planet of New Hala. There at the grave of the recently deceased Binary, Carol is met by her sister Lauri-El, who offers the best condolences she can. As painful as it is for both of them to admit, Carol and Lauri both know that things aren't going to get easier any time soon, but that doesn't mean they have to suffer through their problems alone.
Captain Marvel #50 Brings Kelly Thompson's Epic Full Circle
Whereas the ending of other runs on major titles often offer explosive battle sequences, Captain Marvel #50 focuses on closing out its characters' individual journeys. Whether it is by happenstance or at a planned party, Carol is given a chance to come face-to-face with the people who mean the most to her. More importantly, she is given the chance to come to terms with what these people mean to her on an individual basis, and that is something more valuable to her than any action-packed adventure.
Throughout Thompson's run on the title, she has pushed the bounds of not only what Carol Danvers is capable of, but who she is as a person. Between the shock of creating Binary to her heartbreaking demise, the return of the Brood, supernatural trials, and impromptu bouts of time-travel, the one question that was asked at every turn revolved around Carol's identity as a hero and a human being. Along the way, she has been vilified and lauded in equal measure, all while her various interpersonal relationships have evolved and shifted in ways that called into question why she ever embarked upon them in the first place. Thankfully, every single one of these turning points only served to prove that Carol no longer needs to prove herself to anyone, nor does she need to fit into their definition of who she is.
The Captain Marvel Finale Makes Carol Danvers Better Than Ever
As Carol herself admits, all the various titles she has been given and adjectives used to describe her are merely accouterments that serve to highlight individual facets of her character. No matter what anyone may think of her, Captain Marvel is too nuanced to be defined in such simple or certain terms. Like everyone, Carol is in a constant state of change and evolution that she is just now beginning to see as a boon rather than a detriment. This doesn't mean she isn't always going to be the same Carol, but rather that she is always going to be moving forward and learning more about herself in the process.
With that level of self-reflection and such a profound way of staying receptive to the world around her, Carol's future has never looked brighter. Not only has she effectively come to terms with both the best and worst of herself, she has garnered enough good faith to be elected as the acting chairperson of the Avengers. There is no way to really know what the future holds for the character, but the genius work seen in Thompson's run ensures that Captain Marvel is prepared to face whatever may come as both a hero and a relatable human being.