Finding Another Way

I don't really know where this post is going to go, so bear with me.

Fortress Keeper noted last night that I've stopped referring to Ms. Marvel as Warbird. I hadn't even noticed myself. Probably just forgetfulness, but it is harder to use the codename I prefer as she becomes less likable. And Ms. Marvel #8 made her quite unlikable. I've been feeling uneasy about that dislike though, and I think it's because Carol got played by Arachne.

Julia knew exactly what she was doing when she brought her daughter outside and put her in the car. She knew she'd never even get out of the driveway, what with Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man standing right there. There was no way she'd be allowed to leave, and she wouldn't be able to run, so she chose to fight. She chose to make Carol beat a fellow Avenger down in front of said Avenger's own daughter. I don't believe Julia did it to try and gain a psychological advantage, because there was honestly just too much aligned against her to win, even if Carol was thrown off her game.

I'd like to think she did it to try and give her former allies second thoughts. To make them, in the quiet moments, question what they've done, and hopefully, realize that they're on the wrong side. In that case, Julia's taking the long view. And it may have worked. Arana's certainly questioning what she's gotten herself into (don't worry Arana, the Adorable baby Panda knows you'll make the right choice), and Simon and Carol at least seem melancholy. It's something, right?

Or maybe I'm wrong. Julia may just have been angry. Angry that people she thought she could trust wanted to use her as a weapon to hunt down other heroes. Angry that when she refused, they turned on her. Angry that they locked up the person who helped her, that she also happened to be in love with. Angry that they were going to take her away from her daughter. And with all that, she just wants Carol (and Simon, and Arana, and the "cape-killers") to suffer.

I don't know if either guess is right. I do know that when Carol tells the Shroud, or Julia's parents, that it isn't about 'legislation', she's full of it. She claims that they're going to arrest Julia because she injured two dozen SHIELD agents, stole a car, rammed said car into Ms. Marvel, and, in general, refused to be arrested. But why did Julia do all that stuff? Because they came after her first. Yeah, it sounds schoolyard, but it's true. They wanted her to capture the Shroud (though it's more likely Tony wanted them in the same place so he could confirm she wasn't on his side), and when she wouldn't they came after her as well. She defended herself, the same as she did on the freeway when Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man came after her. Yeah, her driving endangered innocent lives, but Wonder Man's the one ripping off car doors and flinging them into traffic, and Carol is the one flipping the car into the air, in front of semis, so who's a bigger threat? And again, all that happens because they wouldn't simply let her be.

Why it was so important to capture her, rather than simply cutting their losses and moving on to someone actually "illegally" using their powers to fight crime, I don't know.

Hmm, I think the point of all this was me trying to see if Carol had a good reason to do what she did. Given the best response she's had to why she does what she does is "It's the law", I'd conclude "No". Oh well, at least all the guilt about disliking her is gone.