In just over a month, Captain Marvel will officially be joining the MCU. Her solo film has been long-anticipated by fans, and thanks to a fun ’90s setting, some returning Marvel characters will join her for the adventure. One of the most surprising returning characters in Ronan the Accuser, the Kree madman we last saw way back in the first Guardians of the Galaxy.
Ronan is often considered one of the more forgettable Marvel villains. However, the MCU has recently been on a roll with their bad guys, so it’s the perfect second-chance for the character. Let’s explore how Captain Marvel can give us a new and improved version of Ronan the Accuser.
New Costume
Sometimes, a new outfit can make you feel like a whole new person. Let’s hope that’s the case for Ronan as he seems to be rocking a new look in Captain Marvel. While his costume design in Guardians was interesting, this one seems to be taking more influence from the original comic book design.
It may not be as dark and brooding as Ronan’s last look, but that green armor seems to be consistent with all the Kree warriors in the film. While not greatly significant, the new look can help to reintroduce the character to audiences.
Comic Book Origins
Not much time was given to Ronan’s backstory in Guardians of the Galaxy. That’s understandable as the film had to introduce the titular team and establish the cosmic side of the MCU. With a second appearance, perhaps we can dig a little deeper.
Ronan’s story in the comics is actually quite interesting. He is appointed as an Accuser – basically the Kree version of Judge Dredd. He goes around the universe judging those who may have offended the Kree way. Exploring this aspect of the character could help solidify him as a major threat.
Explore His Religion
When we meet Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy, he is labeled a religious zealot. It’s an intriguing take on a villain with a lot of potential. The problem is, we never get a sense of what his religion entails.
We’ve yet to really explore religion within the MCU and this could be a great opportunity to expand the universe. If the film dedicates some time to building the Kree religion and Ronan’s views on it, he could become a truly compelling and complex character.
The Kree People
Ronan was the first main Kree character in the MCU. The Kree are a major race in the comics and, while they have frequently popped up on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, they haven’t really been explored in the films yet.
Captain Marvel looks to change that with a lot of focus being placed on the Kree as a people and Carol Danvers place among them. By exploring their society and people, we can learn a lot about Ronan. His ruthlessness is greatly tied to a perception of race superiority. It will be interesting to see if other Kree share his views.
The Tone
Guardians of the Galaxy remains one of the funniest films in all of the MCU. The irreverent humor was a perfect fit for this band of misfits. But the humor did not serve Ronan as well and could be one of the reasons he comes off as so dull.
To have such a serious and dark villain in such a funny film maybe didn’t gel as well as it could have. However, Captain Marvel seems to have a tone more suitable to Ronan and could help him stand out more. There will most likely still be plenty of jokes, but don’t expect any dance-offs in this one.
His Downfall
In Guardians, Ronan seemed to have had a falling out with the Kree government. His tactics appear to have been too brutal for them. With Captain Marvel working directly with Ronan, she could play a significant role in his eventual downfall.
While it’s unlikely Ronan was ever a good guy, it seems hard to believe that Captain Marvel would be working for the psychopath we already know him as. Perhaps Ronan’s sadistic methods are not known yet and Carol helps to expose him. Seeing his fall from grace would be a great arc for the character and provide some nice context for his future villainy.
His Tragedy
One of the few insights into Ronan’s past comes from a single line in Guardians which references his deceased father. That small hint at past loss can really be explored to reveal more about his motivations.
Could we see Ronan lose his father in this early adventure? He seems to blame Xandar for killing his family members, so it might seem unlikely they play a role in this film as well. But we could learn more about his family who seem to have a long history of war. Adding a little tragedy to his character can help make him slightly more sympathetic.
Ronan At War
Ronan was one of the highest-ranking members of the Kree military, but we have only seen him as an outcast up until this point. During the events of Captain Marvel, we will see Ronan in full warrior mode which has a lot of interesting potential.
Giving him real strength and power to be feared can help make Ronan a much more memorable villain this time around. We already know he shows little mercy to his enemies, so just imagine what he’ll be like in the midst of a full-on war. This side of Ronan will likely help Carol see the Kree are not always the good guys.
Not Thanos
Instead of being remembered as an intimidating villain in his own right, Ronan is more remembered as a lackey for Thanos. It always made Ronan seem like a secondary threat. Now, he’s out of the Mad Titian’s massive shadow and can make his own reputation.
Ronan is likely not going to be the main villain of the story, but he will at least be in a more powerful position than he was under Thanos. He may even take a similar Thanos took in Guardians, as a looming threat overseeing everything.
His Extremism
It is Ronan’s religious extremism that eventually makes him an exile among the Kree people. Again, we don’t really get a sense of what those extreme beliefs are, but this seems like the perfect time to explore them.
Religious extremism might seem like a dark subject matter for a Marvel movie, but uncovering this aspect of Ronan can make him a truly great villain. Having his brutality and violence cemented in a core belief is both frightening and believable. And watching him make that transition to madman could be a haunting thing to witness.
