Ms Marvel Episode 1: Generation Why released on Disney+ to rave reviews from critics and fans, all of whom agree that Iman Vellani is Kamala Khan and Ms Marvel!
Unlike most Marvel movies and shows, which feature adults saving the world and experiencing adult problems, Ms Marvel is catered towards a much younger audience, particularly those who fangirl over superheroes and Marvel in general. Kamala Khan / Ms Marvel, is a 16-year old Pakistani-Muslim girl who is struggling to get through high school and live up to the expectations of her parents, who are much more culturally traditional than she is; they are not extremely supportive of her fangirl-ing over Captain Marvel and think that she should concentrate on being the best student and daughter that she can be.
The first episode introduces Kamala, her best friend, Bruno Carrelli (Happy National Best Friend Day!), her older brother, Aamir Khan, her parents, Yusuf and Muneeba Khan, her close friend, Nakia Bahadir, and her sort-of frenemy/nemesis, Zoe Zimmer. In the first episode, Kamala and her best friend Bruno, sneak off to go to AvengerCon, the ‘greatest fan event of the year’, where Kamala discovers her family heritage and gains superpowers thanks to a bracelet that used to be her grandmother’s.
The origin of Kamala’s powers is different from that in the comics, where she was an Inhuman and went through the Mist, but Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, has explained the change as wanting to link Ms Marvel’s powers to that of Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel. Ms Marvel will appear in the MCU again in The Marvels, the sequel to Captain Marvel, alongside Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau, who first appeared in WandaVision.
The first episode of Ms Marvel is very endearing to fans, as it shows the loving relationship that Kamala shares with her family, even though they don’t understand her most of the time. Despite how Kamala feels that she is a disappointment to her family, it is obvious how much they love her. The first episode also shows just how loyal her best friend, Bruno is, and includes a lot of Pakistani and Muslim elements to the story that feels very natural and not at all forced. The fandom culture that is introduced at AvengerCon is reminiscent to that in real life and the whole atmosphere of the first episode was very wholesome.
Fans of Hawkeye and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will definitely enjoy this series, especially as it is a more coming-of-age and family-friendly show than some of Marvel’s other productions, such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Moon Knight. Additionally, fans who enjoy books about fandoms, such as Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Down with This Ship by Katie Kingman will also enjoy Ms Marvel.
Stay tuned for weekly reviews about Ms Marvel and until then, check out our other Marvel-related articles here.