After a Twitter user accuses Marvel of pushing a short haircut on Captain Marvel inMidnight Suns, creative director Jake Solomon speaks up and explains that it was his idea, not Marvel’s, to suit her more militant personality and background. He also explains that this iteration of theMidnight Sunscharacter is very different from the Ms. Marvel who led the Avengers, explainingCaptain Marvel’s design decision comes down to the story, not pseudo-politics.Marvel’s Midnight Sunsputs players into the shoes of the Hunter as they lead a ragtag crossover-style team of the Midnight Suns, Avengers, and a couple of X-Men, with more on the way via DLC. Each character honors their comic history in unique ways, such as when Solomon previously explained that an image in Wolverine’s room drops Scott and includes Jean (even though some thought it was Rachel initially), while also diverging from it to suitMidnight Suns' story. Bruce Banner getting an evil spotlight, Captain America letting someone else lead, and the twists in the coming-of-age stories of characters like Nico, Magik, Spider-Man, and Ghost Rider all show how this is a unique Firaxis take onMidnight Suns, first and foremost.RELATED:Artist Creates Avengers: Endgame-Style Poster for Midnight SunsWith all of that in mind, one could consider any divergence inMidnight Sunstake on Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers to be among the mildest in the roster. However, some fans apparently seem taken aback by her short haircut. The aforementioned Twitter user, Cyael, accused Marvel (again, Solomon’s decision) of taking a DC route to monetization with Danvers' haircut, calling it a “butch Qatar dress core Karen,” while randomly mentioning “jiggly physics waifu billions” and the “Saints Row ‘Modern Gaming’ design approach.” It’s worth highlighting that there’s more appeal toGenshin Impact’s Gacha mechanics than hair and “jiggly physics,” whilethe issues withSaints Row’s story and charactershave little to do with this perceived “modern gaming design approach,” in how Cyael seems to imply it.
Following Solomon’s remarks regarding it being his decision, regarding how it fits her military-style character, and regarding how it ties into the story, Cyael posts a snapshot of 9 social media posts regarding mods for Captain Marvel’s hair, requests about modifying hair, and so on. They express hope that Firaxis will listen to the “vocal community” and “time will tell how hard devs fight, mock, and/or fail to silence its own player base.” However, it’s unlikely that 9 minor social media posts can speak for the largerMarvel’s Midnight Sunscommunity.
While no game is perfect andMidnight Sunshas its fair share of honest criticisms, including arguably even some with character design, Carol Danvers' hair is a non-issue. All designs are made for specific reasons, and Solomon’s explanation of Captain Marvel’s military background makes perfect sense. If someone wants to mod her, that’s by all means their right, but pretending it is some odd moral high ground appears vain.
Marvel’s Midnight Sunsis available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, with PS4, Switch, and Xbox One versions in development.
