#I have no context for how common these watches are among the Kree’s military

[daydreamerdrew]

Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #12

[daydreamerdrew]

Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #12

Captain Marvel (1968) #6

very similar scenes here where Yon-Rogg is using his position as Colonel to force medic Una to be intimately involved in hurting Mar-Vell, who she loves, and endanger his life.

also, this is the first time we’ve seen that monitor embedded in Mar-Vell’s wrist explicitly brought up again since Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #12. its previously only been the unstated explanation for how Yon-Rogg is monitoring Mar-Vell:

Captain Marvel (1968) #6

Mar-Vell’s original reaction to the watch was “This means I can never be free” because “I can be contacted anytime- anywhere- so long as I live,” meaning that he can never be off-the-clock. but what’s really been significant since then is that because Mar-Vell can be monitored at any time, he never knows for sure that he’s not being watched, so he has to always act as though he is.

and now we see that Yon-Rogg can also use the watch to cause Mar-Vell immense pain to correct his behavior, and even to kill him if his disobedience persists. this adds even higher stakes to Yon-Rogg making Una implant it in him.

I don’t have enough context yet to know how unique a device like this is among the Kree military and how it is generally viewed. I don’t think it’s standard because Mar-Vell didn’t have one before. it’s notable that he isn’t new to the military and that he has a really positive reputation. and it’s not an obscure device because Mar-Vell immediately knew what it was. Mar-Vell was actually surprised it was implanted in him. it may be that it’s insulting for someone with his vaunted reputation to be given one.

Mar-Vell was immediately horrified by the watch, which may be a unique reaction, as a part of how he’s not like other Kree, or it may be secretly common, but people don’t publicly acknowledge those feelings for fear of being punished.

but, also, Una says in the first scene from issue #6 above, “Refusal or disobeyal of a direct order from the expedition commander is punishable by… death!” and since that’s standard, as is dedication to the Kree, it may be that this kind of monitor, that can always watch wether you’re following orders and can kill you at any time if you’re not, is viewed as merely an expedited process of something standard which good Kree don’t need to worry about.

also relevant to this topic is that we’ve previously seen, in issue #4, Mar-Vell get away with acting against Yon-Rogg’s orders by making it seem like he tried his best but failed. mind-reading technology exists in space, we see a Skrull use a Psycho-Probe on Mar-Vell in issue #3, but Mar-Vell seemed unfamiliar with the device.

then we see in issue #5 that the Kree have a device called the Mind-Eraser, and Mar-Vell is portrayed as familiar in using it against other Kree himself, thinking, “This won’t take long! Wiping out a few days of memory is but several seconds’ work for the Mind Eraser! There’s no pain involved- just the disturbing feeling that one has lost a piece of the past! Locating the precise cerebral quadrant presents a minor obstacle, since I’ve had no previous experience with an Earth brain!”

I’m really curious about this device’s use in the Kree empire. it may not be that common because Mar-Vell is the one who has the bring up the possibility of using it after he was ordered to kill a human being who had figured out he wasn’t who he claimed to be.

also, Yon-Rogg has been trying to get Mar-Vell killed this entire time, but only in ways where he would have the benefit of the doubt and it wouldn’t look like murder, because he feels threatened by Mar-Vell’s rising reputation and wants Mar-Vell’s love Una for himself. it’s really significant that he hasn’t used the watch against Mar-Vell in this way before. (really it’s because this is an invention of a new writer, but) I’m assuming that there’s too much oversight into the use of this device, and it would be difficult for Yon-Rogg to use it to kill Mar-Vell wrongly and get away with it. then at the end of this issue Yon-Rogg sends Ronan the Accuser information about Mar-Vell’s disobedience, rather than finally killing him with the watch, which I’m assuming is because since he has the opportunity he wants Mar-Vell killed in a more public way, which will sink his reputation.