Comics
Published October 16, 2023

Captain Marvel and the Supreme Intelligence's Animosity, Explained

Revisit Captain Marvel and the Supreme Intelligence's fraught history as they clash again in 'Captain Marvel: Assault on Eden' #1.

For eons, the Kree led one of the most powerful alien empires in the Marvel Universe, and it was built under the direction of the Supreme Intelligence. Merging the greatest minds of the Kree into one artificial being, the Supreme Intelligence exists to drive the evolution of the empire ever forward, frequently putting it at odds against the Avengers and Captain Marvel

The Supreme Intelligence served as a god who demanded to be worshipped, a leader who commanded armies, and ultimately, a butcher who wiped out vast swaths of the Kree population. But after the Supreme Intelligence's death, the Kree Empire moved beyond its teachings and united with its once-bitter rivals, the Skrull Empire, to form the Kree-Skrull Alliance, marking a new day for unity across Marvel's galaxy. 

Now, the Supreme Intelligence is back. Let's take a closer look at the Supreme Intelligence's relationship with Captain Marvel as it returns in CAPTAIN MARVEL: ASSAULT ON EDEN (2023) #1 by Anthony Oliveiria, Eleonora Carlini, Ruth Redmond, and VC's Ariana Maher.

WHAT IS THE SUPREME INTELLIGENCE?

The Kree created the Supreme Intelligence, also known as the Supremor, long before its debut in FANTASTIC FOUR (1963) #65 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. By merging the minds of the greatest Kree thinkers, scientists, and tacticians into one being, the Kree built the Supreme Intelligence millions of years ago when their Skrull rivals created a reality-warping Cosmic Cube. Taking the form of a giant green head, the Supreme Intelligence presented itself as a mix of cybernetic and organic components, and the minds of brilliant Kree were regularly added to it upon their deaths. 

The Supreme Intelligence has cycled in and out of power a few times, but its longstanding concern is that the Kree will reach their genetic potential and hit an evolutionary dead end. Although it has briefly gone insane, the Supreme Intelligence often acts as a master manipulator, encouraging the cosmic forces to turn against Earth in MAXIMUM SECURITY (2000) and playing a crucial role in the Kree-Skrull War

While it has frequently worked against the Avengers, the Supreme Intelligence has repeatedly shown respect towards and occasionally offered support to Earth-based Kree heroes like Captain Mar-Vell, Noh-Varr, and Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers).

THE SUPREME INTELLIGENCE AND CAPTAIN MARVEL

In MS. MARVEL (1977) #18 by Chris Claremont and Jim Mooney, the Supreme Intelligence summoned Carol Danvers shortly after her latent Kree powers activated. Telepathically, the Supreme Intelligence reached out across the universe and gave Danvers a vision, where it told her she must serve the Kree. 

After a short battle with Ronan the Accuser, the Kree soldier abducted Danvers and her old ally Captain Mar-Vell, then took them to the Supreme Intelligence. Due to her unique combination of Kree and human DNA, the Supreme Intelligence wanted to use Danvers as the template to make a new race of Kree and mentally tortured her. However, Mar-Vell and Danvers were eventually able to resist their captors and escape back to Earth. 

During a brutal war between the Kree and the Shi'ar Empire in OPERATION: GALACTIC STORM, the Supreme Intelligence detonated a Nega-Bomb in a desperate effort to jumpstart Kree evolution. Despite the best efforts of Danvers and several other heroes, the bomb wiped out the Kree's homeworld Hala and much of the surrounding galaxy, killing billions in the process. 

Shortly after committing this cosmic atrocity, the Supreme Intelligence resurfaced on the Earth's Moon, where it briefly abducted Danvers again as part of a plan to turn humans into Kree during the "Live Kree or Die!" crossover in QUICKSILVER (1997) #10 by John Ostrander, Joe Edkin, Derec Aucoin, and Rich Faber. As cosmic conflicts like ANNIHILATION (2007) rocked the universe and Danvers established herself as Captain Marvel, the Supreme Intelligence returned to deep space, where it was ultimately destroyed by J'Son of Spartax in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2013) #25 by Brian Michael Bendis and Valerio Schiti.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SUPREME INTELLIGENCE?

The Supreme Intelligence was given new life when Vox, a Super-Inhuman agent of the Kree Imperium, merged with it to become Vox Supreme in CAPTAIN MARVEL (2019) #13 by Kelly Thompson and Lee Garbett. In an attempt to create a powerful new race of Kree, Vox Supreme coerced Captain Marvel into capturing the Avengers by threatening to detonate bombs in Kree camps on Earth if she did not comply. Instead, Captain Marvel handed over unviable clones of the Avengers from an old S.H.I.E.L.D. project while her teammates hid safely in Singularity's private dimension. 

After being defeated and imprisoned in the Raft on Earth, Vox escaped and began building a new army in space. Ultimately, Vox was destroyed by Binary, an energy being created by Captain Marvel, in CAPTAIN MARVEL (2019) #36 by Thompson and Sergio Dávila.

Now, the Supreme Intelligence has reconstituted itself in a more decentralized form and returned in CAPTAIN MARVEL: ASSAULT ON EDEN (2023) #1. Still obsessed with perfecting Kree evolution, the Supreme Intelligence captured Emperor Hulkling—the Kree-Skrull hybrid who rules the Kree-Skrull Alliance—and several Kree children. Although it was impressed by Hulking's regenerative abilities, the Supreme Intelligence was dismayed by what it saw as heretical doctrine being taught to the children instead of traditional Kree dogma. 

When Captain Marvel tried to save the captives, the Supreme Intelligence welcomed her and said it had always intended for her to take over the Kree Empire. However, Captain Marvel rejected the Supreme Intelligence and unleashed her Binary powers on it. As its vessel exploded, the Supreme Intelligence told Captain Marvel it would return, cementing it as an ongoing cosmic threat across the far reaches of the Marvel Universe.

Captain Marvel and the Supreme Intelligence clash again in CAPTAIN MARVEL: ASSAULT ON EDEN #1, on sale now!

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