In her formidable guise as Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers stands as one of Marvel Comics’ most potent superheroes. As a seasoned hero and the leader of the Avengers, Carol can effortlessly navigate through a multitude of threats with her formidable powers. However, every superhero, even one as mighty as Captain Marvel, has her limits. The one adversary she cannot overcome is uniquely entwined with the Captain Marvel legacy.
The climactic showdown unfolds in Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest #5, authored by Ann Nocenti and illustrated by Paolo Villanelli, with colorist Java Tartaglia and letterer VC’s Ariana Maher. Here, the titular hero confronts the explosive villain Nitro, a bombastic adversary whose actions led to the demise of one of Carol’s predecessors, Mar-Vell. Engaging Nitro on his home planet under the influence of his alien benefactor, Nada, Captain Marvel valiantly endures the full force of Nitro’s attacks. Faced with Nitro’s trademark explosive onslaught, she reflects, “Another blowup? I can’t take another hit.”
Ultimately, Carol prevails over her adversary with the assistance of allies like her confidante Spider-Woman. Nevertheless, the close encounter with a formidable opponent like Nitro is startling in itself. Notably, Captain Marvel’s signature ability is her capacity to absorb energy, making it a rare occurrence for anyone to surpass her resilience.
A relatively minor criminal possessing the ability to transform all or part of his body into explosive gases, Nitro might not be as widely recognized as some of Marvel Comics’ major villains. However, his impactful history reveals a surprising penchant for causing turmoil among Earth’s Mightiest heroes. Beyond being responsible for the nerve-gas bomb that led to Mar-Vell’s fatal cancer, Nitro played a pivotal role in the destruction of Stanford, Connecticut—an event that triggered Marvel Comics’ Civil War, fracturing the hero community. He has also clashed with prominent heroes such as Wolverine, reducing the formidable X-Men loner to little more than an adamantium skeleton.
Given Nitro’s notorious track record, it’s not entirely implausible for such a formidable adversary to pose a significant challenge for Captain Marvel. The fact that he generates so much energy that even Captain Marvel struggles to fully absorb it underscores the extent of his newfound power through the influence of Nada. Captain Marvel, inherently connected to the primal energies of the universe, is a flying powerhouse. Thus, the inability to entirely withstand Nitro’s energy highlights the considerable potency he has attained.
While Captain Marvel stands as one of Marvel Comics’ most formidable heroes, the encounter with Nitro reveals that even she has her limits. Confronted by a force like Nitro, Carol Danvers finds herself in a precarious situation with limited options. Should Nitro’s plans come to fruition, Carol Danvers may become the second Captain Marvel to fall victim to Marvel Comics’ Nitro.