Fans have waited patiently for the arrival of the Marvel Cinematic Universe mutants since the Disney Studios merger with Fox Studios. Many would not have guessed that the moment of truth would be Ms. Marvel ‘s Iman Vallani.
Sure, Professor X was in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but this is the first real mutation to be discovered (at least for the audiences) on Earth-616. How did Disney+’s series introduce fans to the MCU first mutant?
Let’s look at some of the biggest critics and successes from this show.
Triumph by Vellani, the Superstar
Let us get down to the highlight of this show. Iman Vellani’s portrayal as Kamala Khan is simply amazing. This role was her natural choice and she will undoubtedly go on to be one of the most iconic characters in the MCU. It’s even more amazing to see how passionate she is about Marvel beyond the TV show, but that’s just the cherry on the cake.
Her youthful energy is infectious and makes her fans feel both genuine and relatable. It’s not too much, which is even more amazing. She is a fiery personality, and her passion for Captain Marvel makes it easy to feel adoration rather than cringe.
Now Kamala Khan received a lot of modifications when it came time to bring her live-action counterpart back to life. Are they all positive changes?
At this point, it doesn’t appear that there was any reason for the character to be affected so dramatically by their power set. Kamala’s muddled origin shifts are understandable given the time of the X-Men, and the fact that there weren’t any Inhumans in play. However, Kamala could easily have kept her stretchy skin.
This is not what actually happened. Her new abilities work well, even with the modifications. There is still a lot to explain to audiences about the Noor and the Clandestines as well as Kree connections. And how all this relates to being mutant.
While it would be neat for her to keep her Inhuman roots intact, the X-Gene makes the character stand out. Her general origin would have been better, however. Although Kamala’s overall performance is a success for the MCU, her poor origins are disappointing.
Hopefully, The Marvels will clarify things.
Criticisms – The Villains Fall Flat
Despite all the great things that can be said about this series, there is not one to mention the bad guys. The show’s weakest point was the introduction of Nimra Buka’s Najma, along with the other Clandestines. This is the part that audiences most often criticize.
The group were rushed in to the proceedings, and they all died shortly afterwards. The group didn’t make a lasting impression and was completely forgettable, not counting the confusion-inducing lore that they presented. This still raises many questions.
What does being Clandestine and being a mutant have to do? Are the Noor energy’s dimensions directly connected to this? It could be a similar situation to Magik (X-Men)’s link with Limbo.
One change that would have made a big difference is to not leave New Jersey during Episodes 4, and 5. This deviation caused the show to slow down and also drove viewers away from its cast.
This could have given Clandestines more space to develop and become people instead of angry, armed with strange weapons. The threat does not always need to be a danger to the whole world. It would have been smarter to keep the story shorter and more focused on New Jersey in all six episodes.
By finale, Clandestine was no longer in control of the show’s fate. Although the performance and character are good, it was not the best. The storyline about him getting power and then being left by his mother didn’t get enough time.
In the final episode Kamran was being chased by the Department of Damage Control (DODC) and finally turns against them, a lot of their emotional reaction to what happened wasn’t present. The character survived the episode and is still alive. He can return for a second season.
The show’s second group of villains, the DODC were a shambolic bunch. They took up too much of the final scene’s time, which is a shame. It turned out that they were just a bunch of bad government agents doing it for fun.
When did the world become so hostile towards powered people? All seemed fine with previous projects. This is not to forget the fact that half of the universe was saved by the Avengers.
Triumph: Kamala’s Support System
The supporting cast is amazing, except for the villains. They are all hilarious to watch and everyone is a joy to be around. When the Khans ever share a room, this is when it shines its brightest. The Khans bounce back fluidly and it feels natural for the entire family.
Zenobia Shroff, Kamala’s mother, should receive the greatest props. Her role is that of a stern, but caring mother. She never became an unlikable character. The writers made a smart choice to allow her the opportunity of wearing the famous Ms. Marvel outfit.
Matt Lintz deserves a lot of praise for Bruno. Iman Vellani, as well as Lintz, had an almost explosive chemistry when they appeared together in a scene. Hopefully audiences will see him more often, particularly since he seems to have discovered the X-Gene.
Shoutout goes also to Yasmeen Fetcher, whose wonderful friendship with Kamala makes it all worthwhile. There could have been far more of them together.
Triumph – That Loving Energy
The unique style of Ms. Marvel is one of the best aspects of this show. The show’s kinetic energy, creative use of graphics art in scenes and catchy music were all highlights.
Unfortunately, much of this energy was lost during Episodes 4, 5 and 6, which severely hampered overall project personality. It was able, however, to recapture some of its original feel in the finale.
The show’s introduction to Muslim culture was woven into its DNA. This is something that rarely happens in large-name shows. It was fascinating to see and hear Kamala’s world and culture in an organic way. The show felt authentic, for most of the time.
Again a finger must be pointed to the fourth and fifth installments. Although it was interesting to read about Karachi, The Partition and other details, the narrative suffered from the way the story diverged. The big episode 5 twist revolved around time travel rules with a few skewed details that didn’t hold up to what was presented to viewers in Avengers Endgame .
The MCU’s First Mutant is a Triumph
Overall Kamala Khan was an incredible success in her introduction to MCU. Iman Vellani’s performance is extraordinary, with a stellar supporting cast who help bring New Jersey City alive. The Clandestines as well as DODC were both a problem. Both are key factors that prevent the series reaching its full potential.
While many may still be upset by the dramatic character changes, the MCU’s path to mutants has begun.
The big question now is: What’s next?
Kamala Khan will be sharing her journey with The Marvels to help answer some of her genetic questions. It is even more significant to finally be able to see Ms. Marvel face-to-face with Carol Danvers.
Ms. Marvel is streaming now on Disney+
