Imagine being a Marvel fan living in the MCU, that’s basically Kamala Khan’s life and it’s a life most Marvel geeks want.
Ms Marvel, the new Disney Plus show seems like it might be another hit for Marvel Studios. Since the start of the MCU’s fourth phase the studio has been pushing new characters to the forefront and so far it’s been mostly successful.
After Moon Knight gave us a darker view of the MCU, Ms Marvel takes on a more grounded, almost real-life, approach. You get to see the Marvel Universe through the eyes of an optimistic superhero loving teenage geek and it makes the show relatable.
It’s fair to say that most Marvel fans are geeks, so seeing an actual nerd on the screen simping over superheroes is something new. You get to see how life would’ve been like if the MCU was part of our world. The show also expands the MCU universe by taking place in Jersey City instead of the usual NYC.
One episode in and I’m surprised at how good and fun this origin story is. It’s pretty faithful in regards to the source material, except for Kamala’s powers. She seems to have cosmic powers given to her through a bangle, something that might be explained in later episodes.
It’s safe to say that the MCU’s Kamala isn’t an Inhuman, at least not yet. She is however a big Captain Marvel fan, something that’s evident from the show’s start. We all have the heroes we idolise and hers happens to be one of the strongest Avengers.
The show seems to be another character driven story. We get to know Kamala Khan from the first scene and as the episode progresses we get to know her friends, family and teachers. There’s no clear view of where the shows plot might go, but I’m excited to see who the villain will be and how Ms Marvel’s adventures will be tied into the rest of the MCU.
The first episode has a post-credits scene that might hint at where the story will go and how Kamala has to learn more about her new powers. I can’t comment on the supporting cast yet, but I hope not to be disappointed.
The visual effects are amazing and there are some references to Kamala’s powers in comics which is great. The way her powers are presented is also unique and unlike anything we’ve seen before in the MCU, it’s almost like they took inspiration from the Green Latern.
I’m excited to see Kamala’s growth and to see how she embraces her abilities. This is obviously another coming-of-age story, which is great because new blood can always bring new stories into the fold. So far I love the show and Iman Vellani’s acting is top-notch.
Kamala is a superhero fan with an imagination, particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel; Kamala feels like she doesn’t fit in at school and sometimes even at home, that is until she gets superpowers like the heroes she’s looked up to.
My Verdict
This is another Marvel show worth watching until Thor: Love and Thunder comes out. Is it fun? Yes, it is and it obviously has the signature MCU humour. The first episode is definitely great, a lot better than some of the other Marvel shows, but only time will tell if the series will remain good. I will do another review after the season finale.
My Verdict: 9.1 out of 10 – Almost Perfect
