Everyone Needs to Get Excited About Captain Marvel’s Cat

Vanessa Gritton
Movies Marvel
Movies Marvel MCU

By now you’ve probably heard that Captain Marvel, aka Carol Danvers’,  has a cat and her name is Chewie, and comic fans know that this cat is an icon. We got a lovely, shadowy glimpse of Chewie in the Captain Marvel poster — but we didn’t see more of her when the first trailer dropped.

Chewie Cat Captain Marvel

However, that all changed when the second trailer dropped. It gave us a wealth of new information — including, but not limited to, Nick Fury naming the Skrulls as the film’s primary villains — and the most important confirmation thus far: Chewie is definitely going to appear alongside Carol in the Captain Marvel movie. We got our first on-screen glimpse of the orange, furry-faced queen during the final moments of the second trailer, and she looks just as iconic as she does in the comics.

Chewie Captain Marvel

However, if you look closely at her tag, you’ll see it says “Goose,” not Chewie. We’re going to assume this is just a fun, era-specific nod to Top Gun — Carol was a fighter pilot at one point in her life, and the movie does take place in the ’90s, well after the movie’s 1986 release. It’s a notable change, but this little kitty still looks a lot like the version of Chewie we know and love from the comics. So we’re all just going to proceed as if they’re the same character — because Carol’s cat is really, really important. Let’s break down everything you need to know about Goose.

Captain Marvel Named Her Cat After Chewbacca

A lot has us hyped about Captain Marvel: Brie Larson’s magnificently coiffed military bun, her signature helmet, and that surprise celebrity cameo by Nick Fury’s other eye. But Chewie — a small smudge on the Captain Marvel poster, covered in shadow, barely visible, but still clearly parading around her adorable cat tush — takes the cake. In the comics, Carol Danvers is a Star Wars fanatic (she loves it almost as much as she loves punching things), so it makes sense that she’d name her cat after the far, far-away galaxy’s most beloved Wookie.

Chewie Cat Captain Marvel

Chewie’s No Ordinary Cat

Chewie isn’t your everyday Earth cat. She’s a Flerken — an alien species that may resemble Earth cats with their boopable noses and penchant for curling up on a warm keyboard, but the resemblance stops there. Flerkens are so much more powerful than the furry YouTube stars of our primitive planet: They’re a dwindling species who possess human intellect and the ability to lay up to 117 eggs at a time. For the first part of the 2014 Captain Marvel comics by Kelly DeConnick and David Lopez, Carol has no idea her beloved cat is actually an alien.

Chewie Cat Captain Marvel

Chewie/Goose Has A Huge Secret Only Rocket Raccoon Can See

In Vol. 8, Issue 2 of Captain Marvel, our titular heroine and her furry travel companion bump into the Guardians of the Galaxy. Upon boarding their ship, Rocket Raccoon proceeds to do what Rocket does best and opens fire on an active ship. Within two panels of meeting Chewie, who appears to be a domesticated tabby, Rocket shouts, “Kill it with fire!” and tries to shoot her. Starlord and Captain Marvel break up the fight by sending Rocket and Chewie to separate corners, despite Rocket insisting that Chewie is no mere cat, she’s a Flerken. Rocket knows two things for sure: He ain’t no raccoon, and that ain’t no cat!

Chewie Cat Captain Marvel

Chewie/Goose Coughs Up Weapons Instead of Furballs

It’s been theorized that Flerkens are filled with pocket dimensions that allow them to store entire universes in their tiny, adorable mouths. Just like Mary Poppins’ carpet bag, they can draw from these little dimension bubbles at will, except it’s a little less a “spoonful of sugar” and a little more “OH MY GOD WHAAAAT?!” Their pocket dimensions even allow Flerkens to teleport — much like regular ol’ Earth cats, they can seemingly be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Chewie has also been known to store things like egg clusters and alien tentacle tendrils that can be used to attack foes or defend friends. She uses these abilities to hold her own in a fight, which in turn earns her respect from other seasoned warriors.

Chewie Cat Captain Marvel

Chewie/Goose And Carol’s Friendship Will 100% Make You Cry

Chewie can always be found underfoot on the ship. She’s been alongside Captain Marvel through so much and remains her constant in a world that isn’t always certain. And the loyalty goes both ways. When Captain Marvel takes a long-term post in space, she brings Chewie along. When Captain Marvel’s spaceship is stolen by a misguided young rebel, Chewie is still on board. Carol darts after that ship, straight into deep space, without hesitating.

Captain Marvel Chewie

In Captain Marvel Vol. 8 Issue 8, we find out that Chewie is now the proud mama to a fleet of Flerkens (proving Rocket’s theory right), but their ship is soon attacked. Captain Marvel sends Chewie and her Fler-kittens away on a shuttle for their safety and fends off the foes. Rocket, who has a soft spot for any creature who’s one of the last of their species, decides to make peace with Chewie. He protects her from the invasion by once again doing what he does best: Opening fire in the confined quarters of a spaceship.

After winning the battle, Captain Marvel drops off the new family at the finest rescue in the galaxy for fear that she won’t be able to protect her best friend. The two exchange a tearful goodbye, but then Chewie immediately uses her mouth-dimension to teleport right back to the Captain’s ship. Knowing her babies are safely clawing up extra-terrestrial couch cushions at the rescue, there’s nowhere in the universe Chewie would rather be than curled up in Carol Danvers’ lap, ready to set a course for adventure.

Chewie Cat Captain Marvel
Vanessa Gritton
Vanessa Gritton is a currently living, performing stand-up and podcasting in Los Angeles. She's been on Unpopular Opinion Podcast and co-hosts the Brujaja Podcast.