You might think there’s nothing more superhero TV shows and movies can offer audiences, but you’d be wrong.
Kamala Khan is adorable. She is formidable too, but above all she is adorable.
There are few things in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that can be described as lovable. Baby Groot, of course, but he only stayed for one movie. Peter Parker’s crush on Liz and then MJ, but it ties into the awkwardness of teenage romance.
Kamala (Iman Vellani), however, is adorable. She’s a pure mix of enthusiasm, optimism, and charm without being twee, just the combination you need if superhero fatigue has set in.
Fatigue is a real thing in the genre given the reams of superhero and anti-superhero titles on screens big and small, but Mrs. Wonder is an injection of freshness in part because Kamala is a fan.
When the series begins, Kamala is just like any other superhero super fan. She has memories plastered on her walls, looks forward to fan conventions, and is pumped for her cosplay outfit.
She and her friends talk about heroic feats and obsess over the lives of MCU mainstays, including Captain Marvel, after which she would later coin her nickname.
Kamala is like one of the legions of true MCU fans who have devoured each of the franchise’s movies (28+) and TV and streaming series (countless).
Her in-universe fervor is a forceful reminder that for all its flaws and ubiquity — or whatever it says about the Hollywood machinery — there’s still something special about this narrative universe that has shaped mainstream popular culture.
It’s the relatability of the character and the “what if?” fantastic scenario of going from a fan to one of the superheroes who gives Mrs. Wonder an added zest. Imagine this happening to you – would you feel burdened with responsibility or have fun with it while you can?
Originally from Jersey City, Kamala is a suburban teenager of Pakistani descent. Her life revolves around school, friends and family.
For a mega-franchise, Ms. Marvel took a surprisingly grounded approach to contextualizing the character within her Muslim community.
There are scenes of Kamala in her mosque, during which she and her friend Nakia (Yasmeen Fletcher) lament the shonky facilities available to female worshipers versus male worshippers, or the way she interacts with all the different ‘aunts’. and “uncles” offering unwanted services. life advice.
Her immigrant parents have expectations that will be familiar to teenagers of all faiths and backgrounds.
It’s groundbreaking in a quiet, almost stealthy way, especially considering the series also references the trauma and displacement of the 1947 partition of India.
It’s not something you’d expect to see on a Marvel show, its violent legacy tied to a 2022 teenager with superpowers.
None of this is flagged as a meaningful capital S, but rather allowed to be played as texture in an authentic, lived life. It’s just.
You – quickly – understand exactly what kind of character Kamala is, where she comes from, and what she’s going to be capable of, and it’s an exciting development in a teeming MCU.
The role is Vellani’s debut, a Canadian teenager and avowed MCU fan, and she’s a wonderful find. She’s full of charisma and has a natural instinct to balance comedy, pathos and daring, making her an absolute pleasure to watch – and she’s backed by crisp writing and a dynamic tone closer to Spider Man than it is Eternalsbut also entirely its own thing.
If Vellani is the future of the MCU – and she’s already shot her scenes for Wonders alongside Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris – the superhero franchise still has plenty to offer its many fans. Kamala would agree.
Ms. Marvel is now streaming on Disney+ with new episodes available Wednesdays
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