Ms. Marvel's Explanation Of Djinn Makes Too Much Sense
Contains spoilers for "Ms. Marvel" Season 1, Episode 4
When it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the mythology is hardly ever simple — or perhaps it is too simple. While the details vary from project to project, different cultures' mythologies are often explained by the presence of superpowered individuals from alternate planes of reality. "Ms. Marvel" is no different. Episode 1 establishes that Kamala (Iman Vellani) is afraid of Djinn, which are commonly referred to as genies in popular culture. Unfortunately, these are not of the wish-granting or song-singing variety, but rather harmful spirits that leave chaos in their wake.
As "Ms. Marvel" progresses, the Djinn evolve from a figment of the imagination into something very tangible as a bombshell drops on Kamala: She actually has Djinn lineage, which is why she is able to harness the power of the bangle and manipulate a mysterious energy source drawn from the Noor dimension. However, this unique ability also puts a target on her back by the Clandestine, who hail from the Noor dimension and will stop at nothing to get back to it, even if it means the destruction of this plane of existence. In Season 1, Episode 4, "Seeing Red," the leader of the Red Daggers provides an explanation for the Djinn, and within the context of the MCU, it makes perfect sense.
The Djinn are just like Asgardians
Episode 4 takes Kamala and her mother to their ancestral home of Pakistan at the behest of Kamala's grandmother Sana (Samina Ahmed) after she and Kamala have a shared vision of a train bound for Karachi. Once in Pakistan, Kamala gets into a tussle with Kareem (Aramis Knight) while investigating at the train station, but this fight is the result of a misunderstanding. Kareem eventually tells Kamala that he is a member of the Red Daggers and takes her back to their base of operations. Once there, Waleed (Farhan Akhtar), the leader of the group, explains exactly who the Djinn are in relation to the other fantastical beings in the MCU.
As Waleed explains, had Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his fellow Asgardians landed in the Himalayas, they would also have been referred to as Djinn, who are only different because of their genetics and their home dimension. Using the Asgardians as an example surely resonates with Kamala on a deeply personal level because of her obsession with Earth's mightiest heroes. Waleed notes that Kamala's abilities stem from her Djinn heritage, and since she is both part human and part Djinn, she has skills that the Clandestine yearn for as a means of return.
Djinn, Asgardians, and other similar groups have led to legends
Within the MCU, the Djinn are just another group of people who hail from an alternate plane of existence. Just as the Asgardians influenced Norse mythology, the Djinn have influenced Islamic mythology.
While in the Red Daggers' hideout, Kamala is shown a map of our world superimposed by a map showing where the Noor dimension overlaps. Waleed explains that there are multiple worlds that intersect, likely a reference to the growing Multiverse and similar to Odin's (Anthony Hopkins) speech about the Nine Realms in "Thor: The Dark World." The Noor dimension is shown to be glowing and purple in hue, and as highlighted by "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," alternate dimensions can be wildly different from ours — just think of the paint-based reality. Needless to say, the way Waleed explains the Djinn syncs up perfectly with already established MCU history and lore.