The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a high heel problem. To date, just about every female superhero costume -- from Black Window to Gamora to Scarlet Witch to Valkyrie -- has included a pair of heels in their ensemble. However, with Captain Marvel, it looks like that is about to change.Recent photos from the Avengers 4 set revealed Captain Marvel star Brie Larson's costume for the very first time. Although Carol Danvers is seen wearing what appears to be a Kree military uniform, this costume has all the same design elements of her traditional blue-and-red super suit, which may indicate that it is an early version of the outfit. If that's the case, Captain Marvel is taking a much more sensible approach to its protagonist's shoes.RELATED: What Those Captain Marvel Costume Photos Really Tell Us
In the photos, Larson wears a boot with a flat heel. Though there seems to be a small platform, this is not uncharacteristic of military-style boots, which is appropriate for the former Air Force pilot. Like her predecessors, Larson's boots are incorporated into the design of her full costume, with green accents to match. Fortunately, the costume also avoids the "boob armor" design that plagues characters like Wasp, Valkyrie and Lady Sif.
While Carol's boots are a step in the right direction, the MCU has continually given its female superheroes heels. This began in Iron Man 2, which introduced Black Widow. Since her debut, Black Widow has worn wedge heels that give her a serious height boost; though her costume has undergone a few light changes since then, her shoes remain the same. For a character as proficient in martial arts as Natasha Romanov, this choice doesn't make much sense, for medical reasons as much as any other.
Page 2: Science Doesn't Lie - High-Heel Superhero Suits Are Pretty Dumb
According to Florida Hospital's Spine Health Institute, the simple act of wearing high heels causes the lower back to push forward, moving the hips and spine out of alignment. More pressure is placed on the knees and the balls of the feet. This causes unnecessary tension in the calf, hips and back that could lead to muscle fatigue and sprain over time.
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Dr. Sajid A. Surve, who treats performers for high heel pain at the Texas Center for Performing Arts, agrees. “From an osteopathic perspective, we’re looking for the body to be centered from head to toe. High heels put the foot at an angle and pull muscles and joints out of alignment, so the effects aren’t limited to the feet,†he explained to American Osteopathic Association. “It’s not unusual for people who spend lots of time in high heels to have low back, neck and shoulder pain because the shoes disrupt the natural form of the body.â€
In other words, wearing high heels in day-to-day life increases the chances of muscle pain. Wearing them for work in the performing arts can lead to injuries. Now imagine wearing them into battle, just like Black Widow... and Gamora, Nebula, Scarlet Witch, Wasp, Valkyrie and Mantis. Simply put, wearing high heels would give them an unnecessarily increased risk of injury and a serious disadvantage over their male counterparts.
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Notably, Black Panther's Dora Milaje appear to wear flat shoes. As the movie will not hit theaters until next month, it is unclear if their uniforms will remain this way, though that seems likely. The status of Shuri and the film's other major female characters remains unknown at this time. Nevertheless, it seems that Black Panther could begin to turn this tide, with Captain Marvel following in its wake.
Superheroes in heels didn't start in Marvel's movies. Marvel Comics (and other publishers) has a long tradition of putting its female protagonists in ridiculous shoes, including stilettos. However, much like the shift from sexy to practical costumes, comics have begun to do away with this practice.
High heels have caused controversy in other film franchises, including Jurassic World. Following the film's release, there was an uproar about Bryce Dallas Howard's character Claire Dearing, who spent almost the entire movie in heels -- even as she ran through the jungle to get away from ravenous dinosaurs.
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"It was challenging running in heels. And I really loved that it was being acknowledged, because sometimes there are things that are physically difficult or whatever but just part of making the movie," Howard told CBR in 2015. "And if too much attention is called to it, it’s like, 'Oh, man – maybe I did something wrong because they’re paying attention to the thing that they really shouldn’t be paying attention to.' But in this case, I loved it because I was like, yeah, damn right I ran in heels!"
Nevertheless, the controversy appears to have had an effect. As the movie entered production, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom director Colin Trevorrow shared a photo that seemed to indicate that Claire would have a better pair of shoes in the upcoming film. Hopefully, Marvel Studios will follow in this tradition for its female protagonists moving forward, as it appears in those Captain Marvel photos.
Is wearing heels into battle impossible? No. However, for women who are trained to be the best at what they do, it isn't exactly a smart choice -- or one that makes much sense. Fortunately, it appears as though upcoming MCU films like Black Panther and Captain Marvel will do right by their female characters and give them sets of more sensible shoes, if those recent set photos are any indication.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Infinity War stars Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Anthony Mackie as the Falcon, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, Chris Pratt as Star Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Vin Diesel as Groot, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Josh Brolin as Thanos. The film opens May 4.
Arriving in theaters on March 8, 2019, Captain Marvel stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Dewanda Wise and Ben Mendehlson.