Ms Marvel Full Season Review

Marvel Studios' second live-action series adapts an iconic character that defines the current generation of comics with a leading female character who also happens to be Muslim. Ms. Marvel's 6 episodes continue the inclusion trend within the MCU in the best ways possible. The new faces widen the franchise introducing new terms, stakes, and themes that proves that this phase is indeed the most experimentative one yet. 

Despite the writers changing comic book origins when it comes to Kamala's powers, (YES, we are heading into spoiler territory but we will get back to that) the six-part series is humourous, enjoyable, and charming overall. Kamala as well as her family is a nice change of pace, demolishing the orphan trope of the superhero genre. Even outside her overprotective and religious home, her relationship with friends Bruno and Nakia definitely flesh out what made the source material so special to teens at the time gaining Spider-Man-like status.  

This is Iman Vellani's debut role and she exudes professionalism in her performance that most first-timers don't have. Despite being a Marvel fanatic outside the role, Vellani's Kamala is a fan of the Avengers herself, especially of Carol Danvers. Before the show was released, it seemed impossible to adapt this aspect of Kamala's arc since Captain Marvel has barely had much screentime outside her own solo movie and record-breaking Avengers Endgame but this show makes it so organic that we accept Kamala's specific idolization. Her arc stands out as someone who idolized these heroes because she hopes to become a hero as well but of course, being a hero comes with its tribulations and audiences will get to see her struggle there. 

The show does also portray a universal struggle South East Asians go through which happens to be a subtle main theme within the narrative and that is self-identity. A lot of Asian teenagers identify with not being able to fit in school due to their culture and at home for not being cultural enough. To juggle between pleasing both worlds is always something that's hard to find in a Hollywood production but Ms. Marvel, a hyped Marvel Studios series with Vellani's charming acting chops manages to capture that struggle beautifully. Unlike the comics, the show unravels historical events and myths that had never been explored onscreen before and of course, makes connections to the wider universe along the way. Whether it's making the Partition an integral part of the story or seeing Kamala dance at a traditional wedding, Marvel does not shy away from the character's roots but in fact, celebrates it moreso than Shang Chi ever did. 

With all of the wonder that Ms. Marvel brings, there are some uneven aspects if audiences had been noticing a trend of editing difficulties within the recent Marvel shows. The first three episodes do not disappoint as it introduces Kamala's corner Marvel universe but episodes 4 and 5 start to get crammed when Kamala flies over to Pakistan to deal with her family mysteries. This part of the show is interesting in its own right but it feels too early to explore. It is understandable due to Marvel being unsure as to whether they will be bringing back characters like Ms. Marvel for subsequent seasons. 

Episode 6 was Marvel's way of dropping a bombshell as it was decided to retcon a key part of the character's origin. Kamala Khan is a MUTANT in the MCU as opposed to being an Inhuman and not everyone is happy about this. Sana Amanat, one of the people who worked on the original comic book, admitted in a recent interview that she and the team at one point wanted the character to be a mutant but couldn't because Disney hadn't acquired Fox Marvel's characters yet. Kevin Feige's attempt to rectify that may come with its own confusion, especially with the fans, but this is an interesting road to be taken. The show itself had explored parts of the character that lacked in the original comics so, to see parts Kamala tweaked and maybe even improved on, might just make her even more interesting. And to be fair, Kamala as a character is adapted perfectly. 

With some plot points left open for The Marvels to tackle, these 6 episodes leave audiences in hopes of returning for a season 2 and it is safe to say that there are fans who definitely want to see Kamala and her gang hanging out for weeks at a time again. The show's later episodes may lack in cohesiveness but the show is still a fun addition to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe that should be witnessed at least once if fans aren't too fond of the goofiness and child-like themes that make this show less mature than other MCU titles.