A touching Avengers: Endgame theory about Carol Danvers has the chance to come to fruition in Captain Marvel 2. The relationship between Brie Larson’s Danvers and Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau is at the heart of Captain Marvel. The pair were best friends before Danvers mysteriously went missing years before the events of the film, and Maria helps Danvers piece together what happened to her and how she got her powers. Though Maria doesn’t have superpowers like Captain Marvel, she is also a force in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, going on to become the founder of intelligence agency S.W.O.R.D.

Sadly, Maria has a tragic fate in the MCU. Episode 4 of WandaVision, “We Interrupt This Program,” reveals Danvers' friend died of cancer a couple of years after Thanos’ deadly finger snap. Her daughter, Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), who disappeared as a result of Thanos' deed, learns the news after reappearing in a hospital when the Avengers reverse the Thanos Snap. When the topic of Captain Marvel is brought up in episode 5 of WandaVision, Monica quickly changes the subject, perhaps hinting that the hero wasn’t around for her or her mother after the events of Captain Marvel.

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One fan theory may prove Captain Marvel didn’t abandon Maria after all, and Captain Marvel 2 could make it canon. When Danvers first shows up to save Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark in Endgame, she has long hair, much like the look she sports in Captain Marvel. However, during the final fight with Thanos, which happens five years later, Danvers has a short cut. The change isn’t explained in the movie, and it's barely even referenced (except for a joke from Rocket Raccoon). But some fans believe this haircut may fix Danvers' apparent MCU mistake and show she didn’t abandon Maria after all. Instead, she shaved her head in solidarity with her friend's cancer battle.

Captain Marvel looks down at Peter Parker in Avengers Endgame

The heartwarming theory makes sense with the timing. Since Maria died two years after the Snap, that means Danvers could have been growing her hair back for three years. If she did shave her head for her friend, it makes sense that her hair is still short in Endgame. With Monica gone as a result of the Snap, perhaps she didn't know that Captain Marvel never forgot about her mom, explaining her cold demeanor toward Danvers in WandaVision. With both of the characters set to appear in Captain Marvel 2, the movie could help humanize Carol Danvers, showing she didn’t leave Maria alone in her time of need and resolving any conflict between Captain Marvel and Monica.

For now, it's just a theory, and there's no guarantee it will be addressed in the new film. While it’s touching to think there’s a deeper meaning behind Captain Marvel’s new look, there doesn’t have to be one. Hair grows. It needs cut. Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow also has a different hairstyle five years after the Snap in Avengers: Endgame, but that's mostly showing that time has passed. It could be the same for Danvers. Also, Danvers' shorter cut resembles the character's short hair in the Marvel comics. It could've been done to make her look accurate to the source material. Still, Monica and Captain Marvel will have to address their issues in Captain Marvel 2, and this theory would go a long way in resolving them.

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