Ms. Marvel review, Episode 106: “No Normal”

And just like that, we’ve reached the end of Ms. Marvel’s first (and maybe only?) season. It’s been a ride, to say the least! As I was watching the finale tonight, I had tears in my eyes. I mean, did Marvel really just pull off a six-episode series about a Pakistani-American superhero?! Heck yes, it did, and it did so perfectly! Overall, I’d say the finale was perfect all the way through to the post-credits scene. I would have loved more episodes and I wasn’t ready for the show to end, but this was a terrific way to go out. I am not sure if there is going to be another season of this show, but I did notice on Disney+ that it said season finale, not series finale, so take that however you like. (I’m crossing my fingers for a season 2!)

Reviewing and recapping this series has been such a privilege for me, and I am so thankful to the folks in charge (shout-out to my editor Dan Selcke) for giving me the opportunity. A show like this doesn’t come around often so I am thankful I got to talk about on a platform like Winter Is Coming.

With that said, let’s dive into all the amazing things that happened in the Ms. Marvel season 1 finale. SPOILERS ahead!

The Department of Damage Control attacks

The season 1 finale picks up right where things left off with Bruno (Matt Lintz) and Kamran (Rish Shah) being attacked by the Department of Damage Control. The two make a narrow escape as Kamran’s new powers go berserk. They seem to be exactly like Kamala’s (Iman Vellani), but Kamran can’t get a hold of them. He’s shooting out the colorful crystals everywhere, which makes it hard to hide.

Unsure where to go, Bruno takes Kamran to the mosque, but Nakia (Yasmeen Fletcher) reminds them that every government agency keeps an eye on any Muslim gathering places so it’s not the safest hideaway. She sends them off to hide out at the school while she contacts Kamala.

Hearing Nakia talk about mosques being watched is something I’ve lived with my whole life. It’s jarring to know that we are always being watched in a place that should be a refuge and source of comfort. Nakia’s words struck a powerful chord with me.

Kamala returns from Pakistan

After a whirlwind trip to Karachi, Kamala and her mom Muneeba (Zenobia Shroff) return to New Jersey bearing gifts. Kamala is ready to tell her family that she’s “Light Girl,” but by the time she does, it’s clear that her father Yusuf (Mohan Kapur) and brother Aamir (Saagar Shaikh) already know. It turns out Muneeba had already told Yusuf, and Aamir had overheard their conversation.

It’s such a classic game of telephone/gossip that I often see happen among my extended family and our family friends. Before anyone gets a chance to share their news, it’s already been passed around. I loved that we got to see a version of that here.

I loved seeing how much Kamala’s family supports her. It was very uplifting to see Yusuf place his confidence in Kamala while also reminding her that she needs to be careful and take care of herself. It’s a very bittersweet moment that we don’t often get to see in South Asian households, at least not in this way.

Ms. Marvel gets her superhero costume

Muneeba gives Kamala the most amazing present she ever could have: her very own superhero costume. It is exactly like the one from the comics, scarf included, which melts my heart because the scarf is such a big part of our traditional wear. It is not required, but it is something we often like to wear with our traditional clothes.

I love that Muneeba was the one to give it to Kamala because this entire time I assumed it would be Bruno. It adds the perfect beautiful touch to the journey mother and daughter have shared over the last couple of episodes! Plus, I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized that Muneeba had packed Kamala’s Ms. Marvel outfit in a box labeled “toffees.” That is something my mom often does, just packs random things in boxes they do not belong in.

Team Ms. Marvel against the DoDC

With the DoDC hot on Kamran’s tail, Kamala has to think quickly about how to help her dear friend/crush/boyfriend/TBD. She gives Kareem, aka the Red Dagger (Aramis Knight), a call for help. He’s not eager to help a ClanDestine’s relative but Kamala reminds him that she too is related to a ClanDestine, and right now she needs Kareem’s help. He tells her he knows someone that can help Kamran escape, but she has to make sure he gets to the harbor by midnight.

What follows is a very entertaining sequence of Kamala, Aamir, Nakia, Bruno, Zoe (Laurel Marsden), and Kamran trying to fight the DoDC. They come up with an epic plan to ward them off for as long as possible so Kamran can make his escape to the harbor.

The plans include a fake bomb that actually just plays Bollywood music, a science experiment that creates a huge foam blast, a baseball practice automatic pitcher, and a ton of fire extinguishers. It’s enough to distract the soldiers that come rushing in, but before long, Kamran loses his temper and attempts to fight back using his powers. Kamala tries to stop him, but he runs away before she can do anything. Aamir, Nakia, and Bruno are caught by the DoDC and taken into custody in front of a huge crowd, who have gathered after Zoe’s social media plea.

I loved seeing that the entire local South Asian community came out to support the cause. It is exactly how I imagine it happening in real life, with all the parents screaming and shouting and trying to help.

Embiggen!

For all those haters out there who thought Ms. Marvel wasn’t faithful enough to comics, I hope you were satisfied with this bit. As the fight goes from inside the school to outside, there is a moment when Kamala shouts, “Embiggen!” This phrase comes straight from the comics and gives her the ability to increase in size. I have been fine with this version of Kamala’s powers, but I thought it was neat to throw this in there.

In the midst of all the fighting, Kamran tries to resist and places everyone outside in a dangerous situation. However, Kamala saves the day when she urges him to go to the harbor and get out of there. She knows that he doesn’t think that he will be accepted with his powers, but his mother died to give him a second chance. Najma (Nimra Bucha) may have been a villain, but somewhere in her heart she had love for her son.

Kamran manages to get away as everyone celebrates Kamala’s victory. It’s a beautiful moment as the community bands around her to make sure the DoDC does not try to take her away or punish her. I loved seeing Kamala’s parents, brother, and friends celebrating her triumph as she makes a quick getaway.

Ms. Marvel, Episode 6 ending & post-credit scene explained

The ending of Ms. Marvel’s first season gave me chills. There are three major moments I want to talk about, starting with Kamala’s conversation with her father. As someone who speaks Urdu, the national language of Pakistan, there were a lot of conversations I understood throughout Ms. Marvel. In fact, ahead of the show, I was aware that Kamala’s name, when broke down to “Kamal” translates to “wonder” or “marvel.”

There is a moment at the end of the episode where Yusuf asks Kamala what her superhero name will be. She’s not entirely sure so he tells her that when she was born, he and Muneeba named her Kamala because she was a miraculous wonder for them. They weren’t able to get pregnant for years, and then she came along — and at that moment, Yusuf refers to her as their little “Ms. Marvel.” How sweet is that?!

The second moment (and one of the most exciting ones) comes when Bruno, Nakia, and Kamala meet up to hang out. Bruno has some interesting news for Kamala about her genetics. He found something odd in her genes…a mutation of sorts. If you were like me, you were initially thinking the Marvel Cinematic Universe is introducing the Inhumans…but they may going somewhere else with it.

When Bruno is revealing this information to Kamala, there is a very familiar soundtrack playing in the background. Right after Bruno says the word “mutation,” you hear what I believe to be the theme song to the 1992 X-Men animated series. It’s a very recognizable melody, and when you go back and listen to it here and then compare it to that scene, you’ll know it’s an intentional reference. There’s another audio cue when Kamala is sitting on the light post (just like from the comics) staring out into the city. You can hear what I think is the Captain Marvel theme music, which is very fitting given what’s coming…

But back to the X-Men thing, does this mean that the MCU is changing it up and making Kamala a mutant rather than an Inhuman? We don’t know for sure yet, but it seems like it. If this is indeed the direction the MCU is taking for Kamala, I am so here for it. It could potentially be an amazing storyline for her, so I cannot wait to find out more in the coming days and months.

Last but not least, we have to talk about that epic post-credit scene, which included a cameo from none other than Captain Marvel herself, Brie Larson. Kamala is lying on her bed when her bangle starts to light up, and in a sudden flash, she’s thrown against her closet. Enter Captain Marvel with a new hairdo!

Now, I don’t think we fully understand the extent of what Kamala’s bangle can do, or the connection it shares with Captain Marvel, but it may include the ability to teleport. It lets her time travel, after all. We’ll have to sit tight to see how this plays out when Kamala returns for The Marvels. I’m so glad they put that little announcement in there at the end. We already knew that was going to happen but seeing it confirmed made me smile.

I don’t know if there is going to be a second season of Ms. Marvel, but on the off-chance there is not, I just want to thank the creative team, cast, and crew for giving me the show of my dreams. It has been an absolute pleasure to witness history being made on this show. I have bonded with my family and friends over this in a way I never thought I’d be able to, and seeing my country, religion, and culture represented in such a normalized, beautiful way has been the privilege of a lifetime.

I can only hope there is more story to tell and that Kevin Feige will push for more seasons about this amazing character. Fingers crossed!

Until next time, folks!

Grade: A+

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