Captain Marvel star Jude Law may be playing a villain lurking in plain sight. As revealed by Entertainment WeeklyRogue One star Ben Mendelsoh's role was confirmed to be Talos, a Skrull leader, and not Yon-Rogg, as was widely believed -- but don't count Yon-Rogg out just yet. Given the mystery surrounding Law's role and his position within the film, it's entirely possible he will play Yon-Rogg instead of Mar-Vell.

Despite all of the Captain Marvel news that just dropped, Law's role in the film is still a secret. This, in and of itself, implies Law isn't Mar-Vell, like most fans expect. If Marvel had revealed Law as Mar-Vell, it would have been notable -- but not much of a surprise. After all, he has been rumored to play Mar-Vell since he was cast last fall. Having already revealed other major players like Talos and Ronan the Accuser, Marvel has no reason to keep Law's part a secret unless there's a much bigger surprise in store.

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Instead, Law's character is described as "the commander of Starforce" and "a mysterious mentor" to Carol Danvers. Notably, the comic book version of Carol Danvers has crossed paths with another major Kree officer: Yon-Rogg. In the comics, Yon-Rogg is Mar-Vell's commander on the Helion, a Kree ship sent to Earth by the Supreme Intelligence. However, unlike Mar-Vell, Yon-Rogg was always hostile towards Carol. In fact, he tried to kill her -- and later Mar-Vell -- for their friendship, deeming it "Un-Kree."

Further, Yon-Rogg worked closely with Ronan the Accuser in the comics. Together, the two engaged in a plot to overthrow the Supreme Intelligence and install Ronan as the new Kree overlord. As evidenced by photos from the film, Law's character will indeed work with Ronan, but in what capacity is unclear.

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Additionally, it's worth nothing that Yon-Rogg was present for a critical moment in Carol's life: the manifestation of her powers. In the comics, Carol was a normal human woman until her path crossed with Mar-Vell. In one of Yon-Rogg's attempts to kill them, he triggered the destruction of a device called the Psyche-Magnetron. In the ensuing explosion, Mar-Vell’s genetic structure was grafted onto hers, leading her to become part-Kree. This blend of Kree and human DNA granted her powers, ranging from power absorption to flight. Since the film will explore Carol's origin, it wouldn't be surprising to see this critical moment on screen, nor would it be a shock if Yon-Rogg was involved.

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Of course, it doesn't look like Carol will get off on the wrong foot with Law's character -- at least, not right away. “These extraordinary powers she has, he sees them as something of a blessing and something that she has to learn how to control,” Law teased. “That’s a motif throughout the piece, the element of learning to control one’s emotions and to use your powers wisely.” Nevertheless, it's worth remembering that Marvel rarely makes direct adaptations; the studio typically takes a character concept from the comics and works it to fit the film plot, while staying true to the spirit of the character.

It wouldn't be surprising, then, if Yon-Rogg didn't start out as a villain, only to become one later on. In fact, Doctor Strange pulled a similar stunt; Karl Mordo was originally a mentor and ally to Stephen Strange, but turned villain when the foundation of his faith was shaken. Captain Marvel could certainly take a similar approach. After all, we know something will happen to Staforce that causes Ronan to go from a respected Kree officer to an extremist zealot. Ronan could very well drag Law's character down with him, leading him to become a villain for potential sequels set in the present day.

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Besides, Yon-Rogg has a sillier motivation for disliking Mar-Vell in the comics. Their rivalry boils down to another person altogether: Una, a Kree medic. Una served on the Helion with both Mar-Vell and Yon-Rogg but fell in love with Mar-Vell, causing Yon-Rogg to become deeply jealous. So, originally, Yon-Rogg sought to kill Mar-Vell in order to have Una all to himself. Ultimately, Una was killed in the crossfire when Yon-Rogg attempted to execute Mar-Vell. If Law is indeed playing Yon-Rogg, then, it would make sense if his hatred for Carol -- who seems to be standing in for Mar-Vell here -- took root in a different way.

Notably, Yon-Rogg was also the villain of the Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dexter Soy arc on the character, where Carol traded the "Ms. Marvel" moniker for "Captain Marvel." This was a transformative storyline for Carol; in addition to changing her name, she ditched her black swimsuit costume for the red-and-blue ensemble she'll be wearing in the movie. Since the film is already drawing so much influence from this run, it wouldn't be surprising if it tapped Yon-Rogg as the villain too, especially where the two have such an extensive history with one another.

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If the identity of Jude Law's character wasn't meant to be a surprise, Marvel Studios would have released it by now. However, thanks to their secrecy, it seems more and more likely that he won't play Mar-Vell -- but there is another Kree that fits the bill: Yon-Rogg. By casting Law as Yon-Rogg, Captain Marvel could establish a layered antagonist who has a complex relationship with Carol Danvers for a potential sequel down the line. Even as she battles the Skrull, Carol may find herself at war with one of her closest friends and allies; it certainly wouldn't be a first for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We'll just have to wait until March 2019 to find out for certain.


Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck from a script they wrote with Liz Flahive, Carly Mensch, Meg LeFauve, Nicole Perlman and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Captain Marvel stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Jude Law as Mar-Vell, Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson, Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser, Djimon Hounsou as Korath the Pursuer, Gemma Chan as Minn-Erva, Ben Mendelsohn as Talos and Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau. The film arrives March 8, 2019.