See 10 exclusive images from Captain Marvel

Meet Marvel's newest star

Paging Carol Danvers.

Captain Marvel is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly’s latest issue, and we’ve got the first look at Brie Larson’s part-Kree, part-human hero. Audiences briefly saw Carol’s symbol in the end-credits scene of Avengers: Infinity War, but come March 2019, the Air Force pilot with alien powers will be getting her own origin story.

Not only is Captain Marvel the first solo, female-led movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s an introduction to the most powerful hero the MCU has ever seen. (Another Marvel first: It’s set in the 1990s!) Click through for an in-depth look at all things Carol — as well as an introduction to a few of her friends and foes.

A force to be reckoned with

The film sidesteps the traditional origin-story template, and when it begins, Carol already has her powers. She’s left her earthly life behind to join the elite military team Starforce on the Kree planet of Hala. (Directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck describe Starforce as the SEAL Team Six of space.) Its members include Carol, Korath (Djimon Hounsou, returning from Guardians of the Galaxy), and Minn-Erva (Crazy Rich Asians' Gemma Chan).

A mysterious mentor

Jude Law plays the commander of Starforce, who views Carol as a mentee and pet project. “These extraordinary powers she has, he sees them as something of a blessing and something that she has to learn how to control,” Law says. “That’s a motif throughout the piece, the element of learning to control one’s emotions and to use your powers wisely.”

Mean and green

The film also introduces one of Marvel comics' nastiest and most notorious baddies: the Skrulls. Ben Mendelsohn plays their leader, Talos, seen here in all his bright-green glory. But he's got another face, too...

Double duty

As any Marvel comics fan knows, the Skrulls are especially dangerous because of their unparalleled ability to shape-shift. On Earth, Mendelsohn's Talos goes undercover as a human working within S.H.I.E.L.D. (seen here with directors Fleck and Boden). "It's not easy being green," Mendelsohn quips.

Familiar faces

MCU fans have met the Kree race before in Guardians of the Galaxy, and two familiar faces — Hounsou's Korath and Lee Pace's Ronan the Accuser (pictured here) — will appear in Captain Marvel. In Guardians, Ronan is an outcast with extremist views, but here, he's still a high-ranking member of Kree society.

Totally '90s

Back on Earth, the 1990s are in full swing. Expect plenty of era-appropriate references — and fashion, judging by Carol's Nine Inch Nails T-shirt.

Fire and fury

Captain Marvel marks Samuel L. Jackson's ninth appearance as Nick Fury, but this Nick is a lowly S.H.I.E.L.D. desk jockey (who hasn't yet met any superheroes). He's younger than we've ever seen him (Jackson was digitally de-aged for the role), and perhaps most shocking of all, he's missing his signature eyepatch.

Ready for takeoff

Even before she became Captain Marvel, Carol was an accomplished Air Force pilot, and Larson spent time with actual pilots for research.

Flying high

The film also introduces Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau, one of Carol's oldest friends. She's a top-notch Air Force pilot with the call sign "Photon," and she's also a single mother to a young daughter.

Captain Marvel

For more on Captain Marvel, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday, or buy it here now. Don't forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.