Women’s History Month: Marvelous Mentors

If Hell awaits those women who do not help one another, surely a special place in Heaven has been reserved for the female heroes who mentor those coming after them.

In the Marvel Universe, the number of such women stands legion. We offer but a few to you readers today.

Captain Marvel & Ms. Marvel
While, alas, Civil War II did much to sour their bond, the inspiration Carol Danvers provided to one of Marvel’s newest and brightest stars, Kamala Khan, cannot be understated. First, she defended Khan—and several others—when Yon-Rogg threatened the populace, showing the future Avenger super heroics and sacrifice up close. Then, she allowed and encouraged the young hero, when her own powers manifested, to continue to operate as Ms. Marvel, Danvers’ longest running codename before she became Captain Marvel.

Mockingbird & Wasp
People sometimes forget that Bobbi Morse’s career life began not with devastating kicks and incredible espionage skills but rather scientific acumen. Nadia Pym, however, never did. And while the two only recently met one another, it turns out Morse had been inspiring Pym from afar for years via her early journal articles, teaching the new super hero a love of science that, much like her mentor, came long before the crime fighting.

Mockingbird & Silk
The Internet often advises us to find us someone who can do both and Mockingbird seems like just such an individual. She inspired Wasp with her book smarts and has guided Cindy Moon—aka Silk—with her more physical and street wise talents. Encouraging the somewhat self-sabotaging Moon to pursue her goals has not been an easy task for Morse, but in SILK #18, she convinced the young hero to start to accept the good turns in her life and enroll in S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy.

Black Widow & Red Widow
Another case of inspiration from afar, Black Widow saved the girl who would be Red Widow from the brutality of the Russian mob. Witnessing a woman who not only won but did so with unapologetic strength and guile made an impact on Ava Orlova. Such an impression, in fact, she decided from then on to emulate Natasha Romanov’s path from young Russian girl to super spy and hero. Still early in her career, Orlova nevertheless has followed the road with zeal, aided by recently developed electricity powers.

Jessica Jones & Hawkeye
Having processed and moved beyond much of the trauma of her psychological torture at the hands of Purple Man, Jessica Jones found herself feeling good but not sure what to do with the extra hours not spent on self-loathing. In stepped the Young Avengers who—each fanboys and girls in their own way—gravitated to her “been-there done-that” casual approach to mentoring and full-throated defense of their existence to the likes of Captain America.

Now with Kate Bishop taking her purple costume out to California to make a new life as a private investigator, her first super hero mentor has returned to the picture as well. Jones aided her in finding that crime fighting spirit, now she will no doubt do the same for Hawkeye’s PI endeavors.