Captain Marvel Officially Declares the Modern Avengers Roster a Failure

Summary Captain Marvel's disillusionment with the latest Avengers roster highlights her own inner doubts, and may lead to a renewed sense of purpose – or down a dark path.

According to Carol Danvers, the Avengers failed in their mandate to protect people from the unexpected threat of Blood Hunt, causing Carol to question team, and more critically, doubt her own leadership.

Carol's frustration with the team's performance, despite foreknowledge of that massive, world-threatening events were coming, is set to cause tension between her and her handpicked Avengers roster.

Contains Potential Spoilers for Avengers (2023) #17!Captain Marvel has only led the most recent Avengers roster for a short time, but after their recent trials, she’s at the point of calling them a failed experiment. This disillusionment reflects Carol’s own inner doubts, but hopefully is the low point before the team rebounds with a renewed roster and sense of purpose.

The preview for the upcoming Avengers (2023) #17 shows that in the aftermath of the event Blood Hunt, Captain Marvel believes that the latest Avengers roster failed in their mandate to protect people and stop massive problems before they get too big.

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Blood Hunt caught this Avengers team unaware, with the majority captured by the forces of the vampire Varnae, forcing Steve Rogers to assemble an alternate roster to help the remaining heroes. The Avengers couldn't have known that Blade had been possessed by the vampire god, but Carol’s still taking this personally.

In The Wake Of The Shocking Blood Hunt, Captain Marvel Calls Out The Avengers For Failing The Marvel Universe

Avengers #17 – Written By Jed MacKay; Art By Valerio Schiti; Color By Bryan Valenza; Lettering By Cory Petit

Carol feels like the team haven’t taken the knowledge of the tribulation events to heart. Each battle the team has faced so far has been hard-fought, with the Avengers on the back foot constantly.

This Avengers team was Carol’s initiative, with her hand-picking each member for the different skills they brought to the table. This is the roster she assembled, and when she says the Avengers failed, she clearly means in part that she failed. It’s an understandable frustration, and one that’s clearly part of a larger arc for Carol as she grapples with leadership and its burdens. In Avengers #17, it seems she will be questioning what use Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have if some unforeseen threat can come out of nowhere and get the jump on them.

As Carol points out in the preview, this team of Avengers was also given a head start. Kang the Conqueror teased the team with knowledge of ‘tribulation events’ to come, world-ending threats that the Avengers would need to step up to face. While the world is still relatively fine, Carol feels like the team haven’t taken the knowledge of the tribulation events to heart. Each battle the team has faced so far has been hard-fought, with the Avengers on the back foot constantly. Even with foreknowledge, they’ve barely held their own.

The question is how this ‘failure’ impact’s Carol’s role as team leader. Within the context of Avengers #17, it’ll likely be instrumental in recruiting Storm as an Avenger, but Carol could also go down a dark path.

Dwelling On Their Defeats Could Lead Carol & Her Avengers Down A Dark Path

If They're Not Careful

The question is how this ‘failure’ impact’s Carol’s role as team leader. Within the context of Avengers #17, it’ll likely be instrumental in recruiting Storm as an Avenger, but Carol could also go down a dark path. In Civil War II, Carol tried to use the precognitive Ulysses to pre-emptively stop disasters to the point that she became authoritarian, showing how her desire to save people could be twisted into something unhealthy. In Captain Marvel’s latest moment of doubt, it’s up to her and the Avengers to find a healthy path forward and learn ways to combat their self-doubts.

Avengers (2023) #17 will be available August 7, 2024 from Marvel Comics.

Avengers #17 (2024) Writer: Jed MacKay

Artist: Valerio Schiti

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: VC's Cory Petit

Cover Artist: Joshua Cassara w. Guru Efx (colors)