Grabbing a fresh can of paint and recoating the entire screen to present a new, raw, but equally-intense narrative is what sets the MCU apart from all other superhero ventures.
Whether it is the revolutionary portrayal of the American intervention in the Middle East at the heart of Iron Man’s struggle or pitting a Titanian Eternal against Earth’s superheroes in Endgame – the MCU does not shy away.
More than a decade later, with the stakes only getting higher with Kevin Fiege’s brutality in killing off characters, Ms. Marvel came as a delight. Kamala Khan gives us a superhero who is a fan of superheroes, fantasizes about superheroes, yet struggles to be one against a realistic backdrop of New-Jersey everyday life.
The show packs a lot to be gushed about, but let us stop there and address the elephant in the room – the groundbreaking last 10 minutes of the finale.
Opening Doors to Mutants and More Madness
The season finale ends with a seemingly casual exchange between Kamala and Bruno that, in fact, opens doors to multifold possibilities within the MCU. Bruno explains that Kamala remains to be the only one wielding the power of Noor in her family because of a mutation in her DNA.
Phase 4 has been a cosmic trail of breadcrumbs, visibly setting the ground for future MCU adventures. In true MCU fashion, this big reveal could lead in many directions, but the bold mention of “mutant” and the subsequent music suggest otherwise.
Right after Bruno breaks the news to Kamala, the striking guitar riff from the X-Men: The Animated Series briefly ripples in the background. Coincidence? We think not. Ms. Marvel may have been the first to let the cat out of the bag, but we have been sensing activity for quite some time now.
The revelation comes after Patrick Stewart graces the screen in Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness as the multiverse version of his character, Professor X. Unsurprisingly, the same X-men theme tune plays as the camera brings him to light.
We are warning you – the veil has broken. If you think the multiverse is true madness, wait till the X-men descend into Earth-616. Imagine Professor X in the suburbs of New Jersey. His telepathic powers alone could put an end to every high-roller’s career in roulette. What a delight it would be.
Is Captain Marvel Linked to Ms.Marvel?
We cut back to the Khan household in the post-credits scene, where Kamala’s bangle suddenly activates. In a swirl of chaos, she is thrown back into her closet, and out comes a slightly bewildered but vell-poised Captain Marvel.
Ever since the inception of Ms. Marvel, rumor had it that it is to set the foundation for The Marvels in 2023. It is clear why. Kamala and Carol may perhaps involuntarily swap positions on the Earth and space, discovering an underlying connection between their powers.
This implication comes as a wholesome surprise for all the comic book geeks. There is talk that The Marvels will further explain the two bangles and their possible connection to the Nego bands from the comics. These bands allowed the Kree to swap places amidst action.
Hol’ up! Does that mean the second bangle is somewhere in space, and Kamala’s swapped position will allow her to fetch it? Man, you can never tell with the MCU.
Ms. Marvel Breathes a New Life Into MCU
Ms. Marvel’s biggest strength came from taking the road not taken and fleshing out Kamala’s distorted identity and struggles of fitting in against the heartrending backdrop of the Indo-Pak partition of 1947.
Here is a superhero going out on adventures with her brother chaperoning, wearing a suit hand-stitched by Pakistani tailors. Had Kevin Fiege given us a 16-year-old girl, barely getting through high-school and rooky bullies, and placed her amidst an interdimensional battle to change the fate of the world, Ms. Marvel would have lost its impact.
