On the other side of the city, Martian Manhunter, who had departed with Carol, found himself standing atop a windswept seaside cliff.
Carol sat at the edge, her gaze fixed on the distant coastline. The rhythmic crashing of waves against the rocks below filled the silence between them.
"You've regained all your lost memories and earned the honor you once dreamed of," Martian Manhunter spoke softly as he settled beside her. "So why do you still seem so down?"
She remained silent for a moment before answering. "I'm upset," she admitted. "For the past week, you've cut off our mental link and left me alone to deal with an army of annoying reporters."
Martian Manhunter froze. As the real J'onn J'onzz, he still struggled to adjust to the goodwill Reid had built in his name.
Still, he understood what she meant. Recalling Reid's instructions, he didn't hesitate. He used his abilities to reconnect their minds.
In an instant, he saw what was on Carol's mind. At the same time, she felt his concern for her, and just like that, the frustration she had been bottling up over the past week began to fade.
As for whether the thoughts she understood had been carefully curated by Martian Manhunter was a question Carol, who now trusted him enough to open her mind, never even considered.
"You're not happy because this isn't the life you want. You want to save more people, not stand under a spotlight all day, worshipped by the masses." He spoke aloud what he saw in her heart, but before he could continue, Carol cut him off.
"That's not all, J'onn. You're too slow at reading me." She sighed deeply. "It's also about Talos. About the Skrulls."
She stared at the endless ocean.
"I can circle the entire planet in ten minutes, but somewhere in the vastness of space, more Skrulls are suffering. They're being hunted, caught in the Kree's one-sided war. Talos wants to make Earth their new home, but I know—that's not realistic."
"Yeah. It's not," Martian Manhunter agreed.
Even without Reid and Luthor's underlying distrust of non-human intelligent species, J'onn himself knew the Skrulls couldn't stay on Earth forever. Humanity would never truly accept them, and Carol wouldn't feel at ease letting them settle here either.
"Lawson's plan failed. With Earth's current level of technology, developing a light-speed engine is nearly impossible. And we can't rely on the Kree Empire."
Carol voiced her frustrations—not just about the chaotic life she was living, but also about Earth's precarious situation.
"In that case, why not fulfill Lawson's wish? In your own way," Martian Manhunter suggested, pointing at her.
The next moment, under the influence of their mental link, Carol's body surged with powerful photon energy.
"Lawson's plan didn't fail," he continued. "The engine was destroyed, but its explosion gave birth to you—a great superhero. You can help the Skrulls. All it takes is for you to want it."
Carol blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Me?"
Feeling the power flow through her, she quickly regained control over it. Indeed. She was no longer the Carol Danvers of the past. Now, she was Captain Marvel, a superhero with immense strength.
"You're right," she said, resolve hardening in her voice. "I can do it. I can finish what Lawson started, help the Skrulls find a new home, and fight back against the Kree. And Ronan…"
Ronan remained a constant threat. Eventually, he would target both her and J'onn again. If they stayed, Earth could face another crisis. Leaving was the best option.
"As time passes, people's gratitude will turn into fear of our power. For our sake, for Earth's sake, we shouldn't stay here any longer," added Martian Manhunter.
There was also something else he hadn't said—about the mutants. If he wanted to ensure that humanity didn't turn to them as their next solution, he had to leave. Leaving Earth with Carol was the best choice.
Carol hesitated. "But there's still Reid. He's important to you, isn't he?"
"And so are you, Carol," J'onn replied. "You're important to me too."
Those words erased all of Carol's doubts. With J'onn by her side, was there anywhere in the vast universe she couldn't go?
She was glad to have his support, yet one concern still weighed on her mind.
"The Tesseract... I trust Reid with it, but Lex Luthor? Is he really the right person to have it?"
She hadn't interacted much with Luthor, but it was clear he didn't get along with anyone who had even a shred of heroism in them. And considering she was half-Kree, her instincts told her he was not to be trusted.
Because of that, Carol's impression of Luthor wasn't great.
"You don't need to worry about that," Martian Manhunter reassured her. "Reid may be working for Luthor, but their relationship is more of a partnership. He can't use the Tesseract without Reid's approval."
She considered his words before finally nodding. "Alright. Then I guess I can relax."
...
Later that night, Carol and J'onn attended a celebration dinner at Maria Rambeau's house, along with Reid. Before leaving Earth, Carol made sure to give Nick Fury a pager specifically for contacting her. Earth was still her home, and if anything happened, someone needed to be able to reach her.
More than that, it was an insurance policy—a safeguard ensuring Luthor wouldn't misuse the Tesseract without consequences.
Fury accepted the device, understanding its significance.
The celebration ended in laughter and cheers, especially among the Skrulls. Carol's promise to help them find a new home reignited their hope. It was a massive undertaking. They would have to first gather the scattered Skrulls across the galaxy.
But it was still hope.
...
The next day, Carol and Martian Manhunter appeared at the United Nations headquarters in the U.S.
Every nation believed that J'onn had made his decision.
The Americans, in particular, were thrilled. Since he had arrived alongside Carol, it meant he was on their side. Carol had never once denied her identity as a U.S. Air Force pilot, and that was enough for them to assume where her loyalties lay.
The President himself felt victorious. With this achievement under his belt, he was certain he'd secure a full eight-year term.
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