Biggest Unanswered Questions In Ms. Marvel
One of the best Disney+ shows the Marvel Cinematic Universe has released to date, "Ms. Marvel" follows the adventures of Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), a Pakistani-American teenager/Captain Marvel fangirl who's granted incredible powers after discovering a magical bangle. Over the course of six episodes, Kamala dives deep into her history, culture, and family relationships while squaring off against the U.S. government and some less-than-friendly djinn.
The show itself has a cool, unique style that feels much more vibrant and experimental than most other MCU properties. However, after the final episode dropped some big bombs, we're definitely curious about Kamala's future in this world of interdimensional super-beings and high-flying Avengers. And with Kamala playing a major part in the upcoming Captain Marvel movie (appropriately titled "The Marvels"), now is the perfect time to take a look at all the unanswered questions we have about "Ms. Marvel" and the hero's place in the MCU.
Will Kamala ever get comic accurate powers?
While "Ms. Marvel" has received heaping amounts of praise from critics, some comic book fans have been a bit critical of the MCU hero's polymorph powers. In the comics, her abilities are pretty similar to other "stretchy" heroes, a la Mr. Fantastic, as well as DC's Plastic Man and Elongated Man. Her powers include –- but aren't limited to -– stretching out her limbs, shrinking and "embiggening" her body size, and even (sometimes) shapeshifting. In the show, her powers are instead creating crystalline energy constructs — or "hard light" — which is more similar to DC's Green Lantern than any of the other previously mentioned stretchy heroes.
Though, in all fairness, Kamala mostly uses her powers in the series to mimic her source material, with her utilizing energy constructs to create the aforementioned stretchy limbs, giant fists, and even embiggened body. Though, less accurately, she also uses her powers to make glowing platforms that let her walk in the air or create walls of energy to block projectiles as well. Can't win 'em all.
So will ever see a more comic book accurate version of her gifts? Well, looking forward, Marvel could retcon her powers to be more comics accurate in future installments. We already saw how Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff went from a goth teen with glow-y red energy powers to being the ultra powerful, reality altering antihero wearing a comics-accurate costume. The same could eventually be true of Kamala. Perhaps she gets transported to the Noor and her power allows her to absorb the energy into her skin rather than externally as energy? Anything is possible.
Is she the gateway to the MCU's X-Men?
While the Ms. Marvel Disney+ series isn't super connected to the larger MCU, there's one major revelation that will have huge ramifications for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward. At the end of the final episode, Bruno explains that while Kamala's ancestry with the Clandestines — as well as the activation of her magical bangle –- helped ignite her newfound powers, that isn't the whole story.
A little background, though. In the comics, Kamala got her polymorph powers from the Terrigen Mist, which is related to the Inhumans. So, basically, in the comics, Kamala Kahn is an Inhuman. However, the Inhumans have had a rough history in the MCU, with their ABC TV show being a total disaster. Cut to the end of the "Ms. Marvel" season finale — in a world where Disney now owns the rights to the X-Men after purchasing 20th Century Fox — and low-and-behold Bruno literally tells Kamala that she has a "mutation" in her genes, which cues the '90s "X-Men" cartoon theme.
So if Kamala is no longer an Inhuman but a mutant instead, will she be the gateway to introducing the mutants into the MCU proper (outside of the "Multiverse of Madness" Professor X cameo in an alternate world)? Either way, after this universe-shattering revelation, Kamala nonchalantly blows Bruno off, so we're not exactly sure how this will all play out, but imagine the possibilities!
Is her bangle the MCU's Nega-Band?
The fact that Kamala Khan's powers come (in part, alongside her mutant genes) from her family's bangle is a new addition to her backstory. While in the comics she had the bangle as a Pakistani cultural signifier on her Ms. Marvel costume, it was purely cosmetic. It was actually a smart adaptational change in a lot of ways to tie her powers closer to her cultural heritage, making them intertwined with her background in a way they aren't in the source material.
Meanwhile, in the comics, there are some pretty powerful pieces of jewelry called the Nega-Bands. These are Kree artifacts that Mar-Vell –- the original Captain Marvel — had access to, which granted him great cosmic powers. They also eventually trapped him in the Negative Zone, and the only way out was switching places with an Earthling Avenger named Rick Jones, who had found another Nega-Band. This allowed Mar-Vell to periodically be a superhero on Earth before returning back to the Negative Zone.
So is Kamala's bangle the MCU's version of a Nega-Band? If so, could it mean the Clandestines — who Kamala descends from in the Disney+ show — are somehow related to the Kree? Of course, there are non-Kree Nega-Bands in the comics too, so if Ms. Marvel's bangle is tied to these powerful trinkets, then it's most likely one of the many other Nega-Bands scattered throughout the Marvel universe.
How did Carol Danvers get transported to Kamala's room?
If Kamala Khan's bangle is indeed a Nega-Band, it seems to function similarly to the way the original Mar-Vell's version from the '60s did — allowing her to swap places with someone else wearing a Nega-Band. After all, it appears to have transported Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) into Kamala's cluttered room while Kamala has presumably been transported to wherever Danvers initially was.
However, Kamala also has the power to shapeshift in the comics, so there's a possibility the band has somehow activated that ability out of nowhere for some reason. To be fair, that's probably unlikely (if it is Kamala having involuntarily transformed into Carol, you'd think she'd look into a mirror before freaking out), but anything's possible at this point. But if it is actually Danvers back on Earth, the question "The Marvels" — the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel — has to answers is: Where's Kamala now? And will the next film be about Danvers' Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau's Photon (Teyonah Parris) trying to find her?
Will Kamala ever be friends with Lockjaw?
While the comic book Kamala Khan is an Inhuman, it seems the MCU version is a mutant. However, that doesn't necessarily preclude the Inhumans from ever making an appearance in Kamala's story. For one, the canonicity of the disastrous "Inhumans" TV show is still up in the air, which means it could still be MCU canon, thus allowing the characters to show up anytime that Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige deems fit.
But even if that show is no longer truly 100% canon, the MCU has already introduced the Inhuman king Black Bolt (Anson Mount) via an alternate universe in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." So, with multiverses seemingly the new endgame for this current phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there's no reason the Inhumans couldn't turn up that way again.
This is all important because one of Ms. Marvel's closest companions in the comics is the Inhumans' huge, lovable, teleporting dog, Lockjaw. In fact, "Ms. Marvel" lead actress Iman Vellani really wants this oversized pup to show up, telling The Wrap that, "I love Lockjaw. That relationship is adorable. I wanted a Lockjaw easter egg. I did not succeed. But it'll happen. Season 2? Who knows?"
Also, Lockjaw was one of the only good thing to come out of that "Inhumans" debacle (extra impressive considering the TV-level CG budget,) so seeing him show up in a good project would be great.
Will she meet Spider-Man? If so, which one?
Kamala Kahn has teamed up with many of Marvel comics' heavy hitters since her relatively recent debut in 2013. In fact, she's had grand adventures with most of the great Marvel superheroes since she was part of The Avengers at one point.
As it turns out, one of her closest superhero allies in the comics is none other than the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man himself. In the comics, that Spider-Man is actually Miles Morales, who -– due to some crazy multiversal shenanigans –- finds himself traveling from the Ultimate universe to the main 616 universe.
However, will that be the case with the MCU? Will she meet up with Spider-Man, and if so, which one? Tom Holland's Peter Parker is close to Iman Vellani's age. And although Miles is obliquely mentioned by Donald Glover's Aaron Davis in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," it's heavily implied that Miles is really young –- perhaps too young to be a viable Spider-Man anytime soon. Having said that, the Blip did add five years to certain characters, so maybe that'll be their out to introduce Miles organically by aging him up? If so, that makes him close to Holland's age, which would prevent the kind of mentor/mentee age difference that the two had in the comics.
Regardless, since the show was relatively closed off from the greater MCU, it will be exciting to see what team-ups Vellani's Ms. Marvel will be a part of and if Spider-Man –- whichever version -– will be one of them. Here's hoping!
What is Kamran's fate?
In the comics, unlike the show, Kamran is a much more overtly villainous character. Introduced in 2015's "Ms. Marvel" Vol. 3 #13, Kamran was also originally a childhood friend of Kamala's — as his family and hers were connected — until he moved away when they were young before returning as a young adult.
By contrast, in the show, Kamran (Rish Shah) is seen as much more conflicted and morally ambiguous — even heroic in moments. Their backstories differ as well, since, for one, he's not Kamala's childhood friend anymore. The show's Kamran is also part Clandestine, which he (nor Kamala) were in the comics either. His powers are somewhat similar, at least aesthetically, as both utilize blue bioluminescent energy.
At the end of the show, during the finale of "Ms. Marvel," Kamala and her friends work hard to get Kamran to safety with the Red Daggers, a secret group whom Kamala had met up while visiting her grandmother in Pakistan. So, the question remains: Will Kamran eventually become a villain like his comic book counterpart? Or will he have a different destiny in the MCU? This isn't the first time originally villainous characters have been given heroic (or at least sympathetic) makeovers, such as the Skrulls from "Captain Marvel." So only time will tell.
What is Damage Control's jurisdiction?
In Phase 4 of the MCU, we've spent a lot of time wondering about one question in particular: What exactly is Damage Control? In the comics, they're simply a construction company that cleans up the messes left after superhero/supervillain fights. Their stories are also usually comedic in nature. However, in the films, starting with "Spider-Man: Homecoming," they seem to be a highly funded government entity. While they ostensibly occupy the same narrative function as their comic book counterpart (cleaning up the fallout of superhero fights,) the MCU's Damage Control seems much more militaristic and dangerous.
This is especially true in "Ms. Marvel," where the organization essentially becomes the big bad guy by the end of the show. Sure, the Clandestines are the main threat for the first few episodes, but Damage Control is the threat that really tests Kamala's mettle as a fledging superhero. It's also a great commentary on the over-militarization and aggression of law enforcement, as well as its bigoted targeting of marginalized populations.
However, it's confusing what Damage Control's jurisdiction really is. Is it based in the U.S., or is it more of an international group? (They were shown intervening in London in "Spider-Man: Far From Home.") Are they privatized (as inferred by Tony Stark funding them in "Spider-Man: Homecoming")? Their authority is even called into question multiple times in the show, including from police during the climatic blockade. Hopefully future MCU films will fill in the blanks of what the Damage Control actually is — preferably sooner rather than later.
What are the implications of time travel?
During her "Seeing Red" face-off with Clandestine leader Nanja (Nimra Bucha), Kamala is sent back in time — courtesy of her bangle — to 1947 where she witness the Partition of India. But as she watches the tragedy of her family's history play out in "Time and Again," we're left wondering: Are there any time paradoxes created by Kamala's intervention in the past?
As we see, it appears that Kamala is destined to show up in 1947 and lead her tearful grandmother (a small child at this point in time) to her father (Kamala's great-grandfather). In fact, Kamala realizes that her energy powers are what create the "trail of stars" her grandmother followed to get on the last train out of India. However, this creates a "Terminator"/John Connor problem — i.e. if Kyle Reese needs to go back to 1984 to impregnate Sarah Connor to give birth to John, where did the original John who initially sent Kyle Reese come from?
This is a common sci-fi/time travel trope, but it also seems to be different than the way time travel is explained in "Avengers: Endgame," which explicitly dismisses "Terminator" rules and "Back to the Future" rules, which both rely on characters going back in time to change things in the past to affect the present. So will any of Kamala's time-travel actions affect the MCU timeline? Honestly, it's unclear if any of this will ever come up again anyway.
Will Ms. Marvel get a second season after The Marvels?
So far, most live-action MCU shows streaming on Disney+ last just one season and usually end to set up a future films. "WandaVision" set up "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," and "Falcon and the Winter Soldier" set up the new "Captain America" sequel (and potentially "Thunderbolts" as well). And "Ms. Marvel" is no exception. Its post-credits scene is meant to explicitly tee up "The Marvels" film, which is the sequel to 2019's blockbuster hit "Captain Marvel."
However, there is an exception to the rule, which is "Loki" starring Tom Hiddleston. That series is getting a second season after its highly successful first season, which also introduced the MCU to the multiverse concept, as well as introducing the looming specter of Kang the Conqueror, the potential big bad of the MCU's upcoming future phases, played by Jonathan Majors of "Lovecraft Country" fame.
So it's not impossible that "Ms. Marvel" could get the same treatment. It would make sense too. While it will be cool to see Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan team up with Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau in "The Marvels" on the big screen, it seems likely the story won't focus on the continuing adventures of Kamran, Bruno, Nakia, or the Khans –- at least not extensively. The film will also have to divvy up its screen time to service the stories of Carol and Monica as well, so by necessity, the "Ms. Marvel" relationships won't get the care they'd receive in a second season of the streaming series.
Hopefully "Ms. Marvel" will get a second season to flesh out those character and stories, or better yet, maybe Kamala could get her own solo film? With the origin out of the way, the sky is the limit!