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The hidden cat in the Captain Marvel poster has a comic past

We’re excited for Carol Danvers’ movie, but we’re very excited for Chewie the Cat Alien’s movie

Captain Marvel poster Marvel Studios/Disney
Matt Patches is an executive editor at Polygon. He has over 15 years of experience reporting on movies and TV, and reviewing pop culture.

Update: The new Captain Marvel trailer — plus a new line of Funko Pops! — reveal that Carol’s movie cat is actually named Goose, a nod do the movie’s Top Gun inspiration. But is that the feline’s Earth name or the true name? Because “Goose” has comic origins.

To recap, the first trailer emphasized Carol Danvers’ murky history and Brie Larson’s physical performance. Instead of a villain reveal, we got Carol punching an old lady in the face. We still don’t really know if Jude Law is actually playing Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel. How the Starforce and Ronan the Accuser and Nick Fury really factor in to Carol’s contained saga remains unclear.

But thanks to a little Easter egg shrouded in shadow on Captain Marvel’s official one-sheet poster, we do know one new character who will make her first appearance in the MCU: Carol’s pet cat. Here’s the full poster:

Captain Marvel poster Marvel Studios

Computer, enhance.

captain marvel poster easter egg chewie the cat Marvel Studios

Cat butt. Clear as day. The curved tail means she’s happy!

Spotted by our pal Jill Pantozzi of io9, the feline sauntering through Carol’s hanger is no ordinary cat. That’s Goose, who in the comics goes by Chewie, a pet that accompanied Carol as she traveled the galaxy and took on the mantle of Captain Marvel. Introduced in 2006’s Giant-Size Ms. Marvel #1, and later named — yes, after Chewbacca — in Ms. Marvel Vol. 2 #5, the cat has been a companion for Carol, a part of comic history that appears to be faithfully translated for the big-screen version.

But here’s the thing: Chewie isn’t a cat. Despite whiskers and eyes that will melt you, Carol’s furball friend is actually a flerken, an alien creature that resembles a cat, but has a number of terrifying powers that stretch far beyond the Earthly realm. (At least, we don’t think cats can travel between dimensions.)

When Captain Marvel crossed paths with the Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014’s Captain Marvel #7, Rocket Raccoon immediately jumped into action, trying to assassinate Chewie before she could lay her eggs. This was a flerken — you don’t mess around with flerkens.

Captain Marvel Vol 8 #8 rocket raccoon meets chewie the cat Marvel Comics

Rocket doesn’t get his way, and by the next issue, Chewie is able to drop 117 eggs and repopulate the universe with her spawn. I’m sure her flerken babies’ spittle-soaked tendrils and thirst for flesh are adorable, too.

We may have to wait for an encounter with the Guardians — perhaps in Avengers 4? — before we see the MCU version of Chewie in full flerken mode, but until then, expect her to Jones to Carol’s Ripley when Captain Marvel hits theaters next March.

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