Small Details You Missed In The First Ms. Marvel Trailer
We've not even been caught in the brutal light of Oscar Isaac's "Moon Knight" yet, but already, Marvel is "embiggening" our excitement levels for their next Disney+ show, thanks to a brand-new trailer for "Ms. Marvel." The upcoming series marks the debut of teenage superhero Kamala Khan, played by Iman Vellani, whose impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe could change things forever ... that is, if high school doesn't get in the way first.
In this fantastic new trailer, there are a whole lot of wild glimpses at a Kamala who looks pretty similar to the original comic book character fans know and love, but — as usual, when it comes to adaptations — still comes with some changes in the MCU. Also, like any good trailer, this blockbuster preview makes sure to leave viewers with lots of questions. Just what is the deal with her all-new power set, for instance? And what kind of threats will this new hero-in-the-making be up against? Worry not, as here are some of the small details you missed in the all-new "Ms. Marvel" teaser.
Kamala's powers are different from the comics
If you're watching the "Ms. Marvel" trailer without knowledge of the comics, one of the biggest things that'll catch your eye is Kamala Khan's glowing purple energy construct powers (which may or may not come from the Nega Bands — more on that later).
Comic fans, though, will immediately recognize that Ms. Marvel's abilities are vastly different. Kamala — who first debuted back in "Captain Marvel" Vol. 7 #14 before headlining her own series in 2014 — was originally depicted as getting her powers when the mutation-causing Terrigen Mist (associated with the Inhumans) rolls through Jersey City. Now, quick history lesson for casual fans: those aforementioned Inhumans use Terrigen Crystals to awaken their dormant abilities, which themselves are the product of Kree experimentation from thousands of years ago. That means, yes, Kamala Khan is an Inhuman in the comics, and after exposure to the mist, she gets a so-called "embiggening" power where she can stretch and grow her limbs to any size. This makes her a polymorph, capable of expanding, contracting, or reshaping her body in various ways, reminiscent of Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.
Evidently, that won't be the case in the MCU. The new trailer confirms that Kamala now has "cosmic" powers, which allow her to create various energy constructs, seemingly based on her imagination. At one pivotal moment she manifests a giant, shimmering energy fist — so the essence of her embiggening powers will still be there, but reshaped for the MCU. Why the change? It's probably a combination of the "Inhumans" TV series being a flop, and that a "Fantastic Four" movie is currently in the works from Jon Watts — so, presumably, Marvel doesn't want to have both Kamala and Reed's powersets look too similar.
Kamala gets her powers from the Nega-Bands
About halfway through the trailer, we watch as Kamala attaches a pair of glowing bracelets to her wrists, which causes her eyes to glow bright purple. These are most likely the Nega-Bands: powerful artifacts that have been used by various characters throughout comic book history, but traditionally are depicted as having a unique connection to Captain Marvel and the Kree.
In the comics, these bands were entrusted by the Kree Supreme Intelligence to the original Captain Marvel (a Kree warrior named Mar-Vell, played in reimagined form by Annette Bening in 2019's "Captain Marvel"). The Nega-Bands have the ability to convert mental energy into physical energy –- essentially making it so that whoever wields them is limited only by their own creativity (via Marvel Database). Whoever wears the Nega-Bands is able to wield an immense amount of power, and the fact that Kamala's eyes glow after she puts them on seems to imply that she gains her powers after wearing them for the first time.
That said, the fact that the Nega-Bands' power comes from mental energy implies that whoever wields them must have a very active imagination — which, as the trailer makes clear, is a description that very aptly applies to Kamala. The trailer constantly reiterates how Kamala is often living in her own "little fantasy land," whether it's through her artwork or her love for superheroes, and while the adults around her appear to be treating her imagination as a flaw, it may be that it's exactly that trait which allows her to harness the full power of the Nega-Bands. After all, as we've recently seen in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," it takes more than a pair of mystical bands to make a true hero.
The trailer emphasizes her real name and cultural heritage
You don't have to dig too deep in the history of Marvel Comics to find the impact Ms. Marvel had on the industry. Kamala Khan was the first mainstream Muslim superhero to headline her own book: The character's debut was written about by outlets such as NPR, as her Muslim heritage changed the face of comics. That makes Kamala's religion, her cultural background, and everything connected to it essential to the character, and one would hope that the same will hold true for her live-action counterpart.
Kamala's name is part of that, and many readers have often been not entirely clear on the correct pronunciation of it, particularly since it differs from the pronunciation used by current U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Thankfully, Marvel Studios and Disney+ address that immediately in the new trailer for "Ms. Marvel" with a quick moment when a fellow high school student calls her by the incorrect pronunciation (comma-la), and she corrects her with the correct one (Ka-Mall-ah) — setting the record straight immediately, before the series even premieres.
Even better, though, is that this isn't the only nod to Khan's heritage. The trailer also shows a quick shot of her in a mosque, wearing a hijab, and performing the Muslim prayer known as salah (the five daily prayers). This demonstrates the intent of Marvel Studios to lean into her faith and heritage, embracing the Muslim roots from the comics, and repeating her trailblazing legacy in the live-action Marvel universe.
Who are the mysterious figures in the mist?
One of the most intriguing shots from the trailer shows a group of mysterious figures emerging from a mist — but it cuts away before we can see who they are. Now, since this is the MCU, it's easy to speculate about who these people are and how they'll be important going forward.
The easiest option to speculate on here is that Marvel Studios is adapting part of Kamala's Terrigen Mist backstory — because in "Ms. Marvel" issue #1, the hero hallucinates that the Avengers find her in the street. Now, this isn't to say the people in the mist are the Avengers — besides the fact that it's unclear if the MCU still has Avengers, at this point, the silhouettes here are quite different. Nonetheless, Marvel Studios could easily run with the concept to make it fit the series, and it's entirely possible that at least two of these characters are Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), perhaps as a way of setting the stage for Kamala's appearance in Nia DaCosta's "The Marvels."
Obviously, that's just pure speculation for now, and the trailer doesn't reveal the context of the scene. It's also possible that these are the villains Kamala will go up against in the series, as one of them seems to appear in the background of the party scene, where Ms. Marvel uses her embiggened energy fist in the middle of a venue.
The final shot comes straight from the comics
Throughout the epic array of Marvel movies and TV shows that we've been lucky enough to see over the years, there have been a few rare instances where shots taken directly from the comics are captured perfectly on the screen. For instance, it's hard to forget that "Spider-Man 2" shot of Spider-Man's costume being dumped into a trash can, taken right from a John Romita panel in Amazing Spider-Man #50, or the moment in "Black Panther" where Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) throws T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) over the cliff.
Well, judging by the final shot in this new trailer, "Ms. Marvel" is getting the same treatment. That stunning sight of this all-new hero, overlooking the big city as she sits casually on top of a streetlamp, comes directly from Jamie McKelvie's gorgeous cover from 2014 (via Marvel.com). This cover, appearing on issue #5 of the comic series, is a magnificent shot that's been perfectly replicated in vivid colors, and it will likely be essential to one of Kamala's more personal moments in what is sure be an epic, heroic journey.
Fittingly enough, this moment also shows that while much of the series may feature Kamala in a makeshift Captain Marvel outfit, she will — at one point or another — get to don her own iconic threads before the series ends. We can't wait to see her start this journey when "Ms. Marvel" arrives on Disney+ on June 8.