Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Ms. Marvel

  • REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 1

    REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 1

    As the 7th Marvel Studios Disney+ series and 14th project of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4, Ms. Marvel’s first episode manages to shine as the beginning of an origin story that, so far, feels distinct from the constant influx of MCU content throughout the past couple of years. In other words, Ms. Marvel stands out, and it does so despite not teasing fans that the series will be a game-changer for the franchise. The character of Kamala Khan makes a triumphant leap from comics to screen, and the way the episode is shot, edited, and visualized gives the start of Ms. Marvel a texture that makes it arguably the most unique-feeling project of the MCU in years.

    Of course, at the heart of the first episode and series is Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan. Kamala is a Muslim American-Pakistani teenager from Jersey City who is obsessed with the Avengers. The character has been a comics favorite for nearly a decade, so Ms. Marvel exceeds in Vellani’s seemingly flawless portrayal of Kamala. The first episode treats Kamala’s family and cultural background like any other; for the casual viewer, Episode 1 does not subtitle basic phrases spoken in Urdu and does not baby the audience or other the Khans by explaining every detail of Pakistani- or Islamic-influenced element in Kamala’s life. She is noticeably different in terms of her background from the heroes and characters of the MCU thus far, but her culture is not treated as something mysterious or otherworldly—Kamala Khan is Kamala Khan. And her inclusion into the MCU makes Earth-616 a bit more real and a bit richer.

    Speaking of richness, the mechanics of this episode are mesmerizing. The inclusion of animation, the fast-paced editing, and the quirky shots give Ms. Marvel a visual but intangible texture that genuinely feels unique in the MCU. To achieve this, it does not have to be on the same terrain as Guardians of the Galaxy or Thor: Ragnarok. The subtlety itself is brilliant, as it feels like the viewer is in a new world without having to leave the old one. 

    Plenty of fair concern was levied against Ms. Marvel in advance due to the fact that the series changed her power set from the comics. What we see in Episode 1 is not enough to begin to truly decide whether the changes are a true downgrade. But an undoubted positive to the change is that now her powers and their origins are a mystery. In that way, the series moves into uncharted waters—even the viewer doesn’t know where the journey will ultimately take Kamala and how she could connect to the greater MCU. 

    Fans have also never truly seen the MCU from the angle Ms. Marvel has created. Kamala is all of us—obsessing over the Avengers, wishing she had superpowers, and living in an age of heroes. This “regular citizen” angle has never been explored before and Kamala’s coming-of-age and coming-of-superhero story takes place in a world fully aware and mindful of most of the events of the MCU. So seeing how Kamala works her way into the overarching MCU will surely be something special.

    The premiere episode of Ms. Marvel achieved something miraculous—standing out while fitting in. Vellani is a perfect casting and driving force for Kamala charm, and the series’ placement in the MCU feels natural. Still, between the charisma of Kamala herself and the texture of the episode, Episode 1 feels uniquely Ms. Marvel, and so far Ms. Marvel has built a world for itself that can’t help but make the future of the rest of the MCU look brighter. 

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ May Have Teased a Connection to Time Travel and the Quantum Realm

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ May Have Teased a Connection to Time Travel and the Quantum Realm

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s newest hero Kamala Khan has arrived in Ms. Marvel. There has been plenty of discussion about the changes made to the character’s origins and powers from the comics. But one of the positive outcomes of the changes so far is that they allow for a mystery to play out in the Disney+ series.

    It’s already been pointed out that her bangle that seems to have activated Kamala’s powers may actually be similar to the Quantum Bands from the comics. Using evidence from Episode 1, we can theorize about her powers and their implications in the MCU even more. Of course, in the comics, Quantum Bands derive energy from the Quantum Zone—MCU fans would recognize its live-action parallel, the Quantum Realm. Established in the Ant-Man franchise, the Quantum Realm was the key to time travel as seen in Avengers: Endgame. But other than the Quantum Bands theory, what evidence is there that Kamala Khan has anything to do with the Quantum Realm or time-travel in the MCU?

    In the comics, Ms. Marvel’s powers function because her molecules time travel when she embiggens and shapeshiftes. Ms. Marvel comics revealed that Kamala has access to some sort of temporal vortex that allows her to borrow and lend her atoms across time. While her MCU powers in Ms. Marvel are significantly different, there’s no reason that this connection to time travel would need to be removed from Kamala’s powers’ characteristics. Considering she projects some sort of crystallized light from nowhere, a similar explanation could easily work for her new powers.

    An important moment in Episode 1 occurs when her bangle appears to activate when she first puts it on at AvengerCon. After she is surrounded by some glowy energy field, her eyes change color and there is a cool shot where she seems to fall backward in a circle through a strange purple-hued environment. There are human-like figures there, though they appear to have large glowing eyes and it is difficult to make anything out. This could have been some type of vision, but it also could have been Ms. Marvel’s first trip through time.

    Considering her family history is at play, it could have been a very stylized depiction of an event her ancestors went through. Considering her Pakistani heritage and the fact that the scene looked like a large group of people traveling in one direction, Partition in 1947 may have been a major event that affected her family. Perhaps an ancestor with a connection to Kamala’s powers is trying to pull her back for some reason or the connection itself is doing so. A further stretch could be that she passed through the Quantum Realm itself, and the reason the figures looked odd is that they were not human. If you want to stretch it even further, the purple is reminiscent of the iconic color of Kang the Conqueror. The future Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania villain is a time-traveler and some fans believe he may rule a city in the Quantum Realm called Chronopolis. 

    To be fair, the fact that no one around her experienced that wild moment suggests that the easy explanation is that it was a vision or hallucination. But, considering the fact the Kamala in the comics was always connected to a temporal vortex and constantly time-traveled without even trying, a connection to the Quantum Realm or quantum energy could allow for her to look like she had not left AvengerCon. As Scott Lang himself said, “time works differently in the Quantum Realm”. Or, more simply, she could have essentially been in two places at once. While some of these thoughts are bit more technical and complex than Kamala or Ms. Marvel seems so far, it is worth noting that the Disney+ series hired a theoretical physicist who worked on Endgame’s time-travel elements. 

    The first episode of Ms. Marvel is now streaming on Disney+.

  • Major ‘Ms. Marvel’ Villain Easter Egg Explained

    Major ‘Ms. Marvel’ Villain Easter Egg Explained

    Episode 1 of Ms. Marvel, “Generation Why”, came complete with some of the most inventive and impressive visual flair we’ve seen in an MCU production. The creative team behind the show seemed to work hard to give the audience the same kind of experience a comic reader might have, filling the screen with fun add-ons and images that really click and bring the dialogue to life.

    With so much to look at on-screen, however, one might be forgiven for missing a thing or two, especially during your first viewing, including, possibly, a very well-planted neon sign that could serve either as an Easter egg or as foreshadowing that one of Kamala Khan’s most unique villains could appear down the road.

    While Kamala and Bruno are talking atop a building with the Jersey skyline behind them, a sign for Edison Electric can be seen directly behind them. It might be easy to overlook, especially with everything else to see and the fact that, from the viewer’s perspective, it’s backward, but it’s there and this might not be the only time we see it.

    First appearing in 2014’s Ms. Marvel #7, the Edison Electric building served as the lair of The Inventor, Ms. Marvel’s first supervillain and the first of many incredibly strange adversaries she’d come across. The Inventor-part cockatiel, part Thomas Edison-is the result of a cloning experiment gone wrong and was part of a 7-issue arc that saw Kamala clash with bionic alligators and a couple of teenage henchmen before finally taking The Inventor out.

    Kamala came across The Inventor in her earliest days as a hero and their feud in the comics was intertwined with Kamala coming to understand her Inhuman heritage and the powers it gave her. The issues featured pretty heavy cameos from members of the Inhuman Royal Family, including Medusa, and Kamala got to hang out quite a bit with Lockjaw during them. Early rumors surrounding Ms. Marvel indicated that The Inventor and the Inhuman Royal Family would appear in the series, though there’s been no recent buzz around the appearance of those characters (other than Vellani indicating she tried to sneak a Lockjaw Easter egg into the show).

    For the time being, it doesn’t seem likely that Kamala is going to run around New Jersey with Lockjaw, but having the Edison Electric building front and center gives leaves the door open for The Inventor to appear, whether in this season or down the road. For the moment, it certainly appears that Kamran, played by Rish Shah and a family known in the comics as the Clan Destine are going to carry the bulk of the load as villains in Season 1, but with producer Sana Amanat saying she’d love to see the Inventor in Season 2, there’s hope that Ms. Marvel can cross paths with the crazy birdman some day! If not, it’s still an impressive bit of world-building that could pay off at any time.

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Star Iman Vellani’s Continues Continuity Feud with Kevin Feige

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Star Iman Vellani’s Continues Continuity Feud with Kevin Feige

    Once upon a time, the Inhuman Royal Family was rumored to make an appearance in the Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Ms. Marvel. With much being made about the changes to Kamala Khan’s superhero origins, it doesn’t seem like Black Bolt and Medusa will appear in the series, but thanks to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans know that they do exist in the multiverse, even if there’s one less Black Bolt than before.

    Anson Mount’s return as the Midnight King was short-lived and ended violently as the Scarlet Witch put him down with little more than a thought. And that ending does not sit well with Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani, who is a bit of a Black Bolt fan herself. Though she liked the movie, Vellani took issue with the way they treated the King of the Inhumans.

    I have so many opinions, which I don’t think we have time for. Here’s my TL;DR. I love Sam Raimi. I don’t care what anyone says. He’s my guy. I think they did him dirty. I did not appreciate that.

    Iman Vellani

    Vellani apparently disliked it so much that she texted Marvel Studios One-Above-All, Kevin Feige, after watching the film. In addition to expressing her displeasure over Black Bolt being killed, she also took the time to engage Feige in what appears to be an ongoing argument between the two: whether or not the MCU’s established continuity should be referred to as 616.

    Every time I talk to Kevin, we have this argument where I say, ‘The MCU is not 616. He’s like, ‘It is because I said so.’ I’m like, ‘No, it’s 199999.’ He hates it. So, we keep having this argument, and then they put 616 in the movie. I’m like, ‘Kevin, you know it’s not 616.’ He just sends me a sad face. I was like, ‘Great.’

    The MCU had previously been defined as “Earth-199999”, but over the course of a couple of films (Spider-Man: Far From Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), the comic accurate 616 has come into play. Who knows the answer? Ultimately is doesn’t matter, but it makes for a fun debate between fans and there’s no bigger fans of the MCU than Vellani and Feige.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Ms. Marvel’s Powers Were Changed To Connect to Other MCU Stories

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Ms. Marvel’s Powers Were Changed To Connect to Other MCU Stories

    Easily the most divisive element of Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel is the altered powers of Kamala Khan as the creators behind the series changed Kamala’s origin from an Inhuman who has her powers awakened one fateful night to a normal teen who receives a magical heirloom. Her powers are changed from a form of elasticity called embeginning to very visual, crystalline energy powers akin to Green Lantern.

    While it remains to be seen how it will all work out within the context of the show, series executive producer and character co-creator Sana Amanat explained in a conversation with us why the power was changed in the first place:

    I talked to them a little bit and gave some feedback but I do know from my understanding that it was something that was important to connecting powers to other MCU stories and the next phase. At the same time, it was connecting it to her lineage and identity. My favorite part of how they evolved her powers was the idea that it was connected to her own life and her family’s experience.

    Sana Amanat

    Fans have theorized that the powered heirloom Kamala receives in the series has to do with the upcoming The Marvels, a film slated to be her next appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That corner of the Marvel Universe has featured objects of similar power such as the famous Quantum Bands so it wouldn’t be surprising if that ties into it. Whatever the heirloom ends up being, it’s pretty clear that the figureheads over at Marvel Studios wanted the heroes of The Marvels to have a unifying visual identity as Carol, Monica, and Kamala all have similar energy-based powers.

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’s Costume includes “Cultural Prints” to Reflect Kamala Khan’s Heritage

    ‘Ms. Marvel’s Costume includes “Cultural Prints” to Reflect Kamala Khan’s Heritage

    Marvel Studios has been on a hot streak in creating some of the franchise’s best costumes as of late. Not only did they manage to translate Sam Wilson’s iconic Captain America costume into live-action but Moon Knight gave us one of the most interesting costumes that embrace the character’s Egyptian background. They are doing something similar with Ms. Marvel, as during the press conference Iman Vellani got to talk about the costume she wore while bringing the character to life.

    Our wonderful costume designer Arjun Bhasin had incorporated so many beautiful cultural prints into the fabric and then we have the dupatta that’s kind of the scarf.

    Iman Vellani

    The co-creator of the original comic run, Sana Amanat also expanded upon what it was like adapting the costume from the comics while still somehow staying true to what came before, her heritage, and making sure it has a South Asian feel.

    What was really fun about this was adapting the comic book design into something that felt like a super-suit, that felt very Marvel but also very authentic to what the comic did and her heritage. And also updating overall the whole design a little bit. If you look at the detailing there’s a lot of cool textures in it that Arjun incorporated that feel South Asian in a very subtle way.

    Sana Amanat

    She went on to highlight that this was one of the first costumes created “in-house” with Vellani highlighting that there were “lots of fittings” to make sure she can get the costume down, especially as they had to be careful with its dress design gets in the way with how she moves around. We can’t wait to see the costume in action and perhaps we’ll even see how she

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Iman Vellani Tried to Sneak in a Lockjaw Easter Egg

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Iman Vellani Tried to Sneak in a Lockjaw Easter Egg

    The reviews have finally arrived for Ms. Marvel (of which you can find ours by clicking here) and it looks like many are excited about the young Pakistani-American superhero’s journey into live-action. In an interview with CinemaBlend, Iman Vellani who takes on the role of Kamala Khan talked about how she tried to sneak in an Easter egg to the Inhuman dog, Lockjaw.

    I’ve been trying to get a Lockjaw Easter egg and it did not happen. But Season 2, if there’s a Season 2.

    Iman Vellani

    So, it sadly looks like Lockjaw won’t be appearing in the first season in any capacity, as many believed that the show might skip the Inhuman aspect altogether. Still, the giant puppy has played an important role in Kamala Khan’s story and it would be a shame to not explore their relationship. It’s great to see that Vellani personifies her character as much as she does.

    We did recently get the return of Anson Mount as Black Bolt, but he is part of the multiverse. Lockjaw made his live-action appearance in the infamous Inhumans series. We still don’t know if that aspect of her origin makes it into the series, as they could be playing the long con with their introduction especially as the Mutants are also making their way into the franchise.

    Source: CinemaBlend via Twitter

  • REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel’ is The Best Marvel Origin Story Since ‘Spider-Man’

    REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel’ is The Best Marvel Origin Story Since ‘Spider-Man’

    No Marvel origin story has captured the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of Peter Parker’s origin like 2014’s Ms. Marvel. Much like Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, G. Willow Wilson and Sana Amanat succinctly keyed into the cultural and social crossroads of the time – minus the Randian objectivism – and through Kamala Khan’s journey of self-discovery and angst, created one of the most important stories Marvel has ever published. So it comes as no surprise that, like the comic, no live-action Marvel origin story captures the same Spider-Man magic as Ms. Marvel. 

    Writer Bisha K. Ali does the thankless feat of transposing Kamala’s origin on the page to an origin fit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s slate of the upcoming films, with the biggest change being the source of her powers. Kamala goes from being an Inhuman, a race of aliens damned by Marvel Studios, to an average teen with a magical weapon. It’s a change that’s yielded much derision from comic loyalists and applause from more apologetic fans. Yet in spite of such a massive change, audiences will be pleased to see how the rest of the Kamala Khan magic remains intact. In spite of all the worldbuilding and slate building mandates, Ali keys precisely into the heart of the comic.  And this is what ultimately makes Ms. Marvel Kevin Feige‘s nth consecutive winner: the family, friendships, and the hardships on full display.

    Through a charming supporting cast and a transcendent lead in Iman Vellani, Kamala’s life unfolds in earnest ways. Her parents Muneeba and Yusuf, played by Zenobia Shroff and Yohan Kapur respectively, are Amblin-esque in the way they raise their children. They’re stern but never callous; wary of the cultures of the West but aren’t out of touch. There’s a perpetual warmth to their words even as they scold Kamala for screwing up. In a cinematic universe where awful parental figures are baked into its DNA, the Khans loom large.

    The same can be said for Kamala’s best friends Bruno and Nakia, who give Ned Leeds and MJ a run for their money as the quintessential buddies in the MCU. Bruno and Nakia serve as sturdy support systems for Kamala, both practically and emotionally. Bruno is her guy-in-the-chair; a tech wunderkind with a foundational knowledge of all things superhero. Matt Lintz plays him with an exciting eagerness that doesn’t feel like a rehash of Ned Leeds. His concern for Kamala borders on the romantic and is treated by the writing with such profound maturity. Even though his longing for Kamala is brushed aside by her own interests, he’s never bogged down by bitterness and goes far as to be a close friend to the Khans.

    Whereas Bruno is Kamala’s connection to her superhero business, Nakia is Kamala’s connection to her community. Part of Kamala’s inner conflict over her identity and duty is examined in her moments with Nakia, who is more faithful to the community Kamala finds herself always rebelling against. And like Bruno, the writing treats this contrast with dignity and understanding that their differences never come across as antagonistic. Nakia is sharply defined by the sincere idealism and determination evoked by Yasmeen Fletcher. Her arc seems minute compared to Kamala and Bruno’s superhero adventures but nonetheless feels meaningful thanks to Fletcher’s performance.

    All the wholesomeness and positivity emanated by the strong cast of characters coalesces into the vibrant ball of energy that is Kamala Khan, played by a rapturous Vellani, whose puppy-dog eyes instantly captures the upbeat, wide-eyed naivete of Kamala in the comics. The cadence Vellani brings to each moment is so infectious that the show sees itself morph stylistically around her. Much of Kamala’s perspectives are contextualized visually by the striking cinematography and editing. Scenes whip pan into one another, mirroring Kamala’s quick wit and frantic enthusiasm for the world around her. The show’s diegesis is constantly disrupted by Kamala’s musings that bring life to her superhero sketches onscreen. These quirky, animated sketches give the show a comic-like two-dimensional flair. Even Vellani’s musical tastes bleed into the show as composer Laura Karpman‘s bubblegum electropop soundscapes permeate each scene. Vellani’s performance is so deeply indisputable that this version of the show would not exist without her.

    Whether it’s intentional or not, Ms. Marvel is rife with sentimentality. Sentimentality over the MCU’s own mythology and for heroism that’s hopeful and optimistic. The big Captain Marvel question is lampshaded at the very beginning but it’s an unconvincing attempt to bridge Carol Danvers’ glaring lack of Earth adventures with Kamala as an heir to the mantle. While The Marvels is obviously slated to resolve that issue, its impact, or lack thereof, on Ms. Marvel is faint at best. Kamala’s impetus to be heroic is better contextualized through the legacy of the Avengers and all the superheroes of the MCU as a whole rather than Carol herself. Nonetheless, it’s through this legacy that new heroes are created and the show examines that purposefully.

    In the wake of Moon Knight and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the lack of grit and cynicism in this show feels deliberate. Ms. Marvel is ultimately a story of identity and finding hope in that identity. Even as Kamala’s teen angst begins to intersect with the grim ramifications of superheroism, the optimism in the writing never runs dry. The end result is a deeply feel-good coming-of-age tale that, in many ways, serves as the quintessential Silver Age origin story of the MCU.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Marvel Studios Open To A Lighter, Fun ‘Daredevil’

    EXCLUSIVE: Marvel Studios Open To A Lighter, Fun ‘Daredevil’

    With a Daredevil project looming on the horizon, fans have wondered what kind of show to expect. Marvel’s run on Disney+ so far has resulted in shows of various tones from the quirky Wandavision to the high-action octane of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier to the dark fantasy Moon Knight.

    In our conversation with Ms. Marvel’s co-creator and executive producer Sana Amanat, the discussion briefly turned to the Man Without Fear. Amanat, an editor on Mark Waid’s groundbreaking Daredevil run, chimed in on whether a brighter, more upbeat Matt Murdock was adaptable in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    I don’t see why not! Mark Waid’s run was pretty seminal. We’ve never seen that kind of story and I love the spin on that and it was such an unexpected take on the character. In the same way, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did something like that in the MCU. Why not? We like to take risks and this is the fun part of exploring multiple stories. So maybe.

    Sana Amanat

    Contrary to what the Netflix shows and Miller/Bendis comics have established, Daredevil was, at several points in his 50-year publication history, a bright swashbuckling hero. His most recent outing as the upbeat, swashbuckler was Waid’s 2013 run. Waid’s work along with artist Chris Samnee, won several prestigious awards for their unique, distinguished take on the character as they took Matt Murdock to places he’d never been in and fought foes he’d never crossed in a long time. And given the MCU’s knack for doing the unexpected, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them take a bolder direction for the Man Without Fear.

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Creators on Choosing the Right Music to Reflect Kamala Khan’s Cultural Background

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Creators on Choosing the Right Music to Reflect Kamala Khan’s Cultural Background

    Music is an important creative landmark that reflects our personalities and even cultures. So, it makes sense that Marvel Studios’ first Pakistani-American superhero has a soundtrack that reflects Ms. Marvel‘s own cultural heritage. As such, the upcoming film will include music that has a South Asian background, and head writer Bisha K. Ali got a chance to highlight how they chose the songs together with the character’s co-creator Sana Amanat.

    The music is such an integral part of it. Honestly, I agree, it’s just a banger after banger on the soundtrack. Me and Sana had a back-and-forth, we had such a clear vision of what the songs should be.

    Bisha K. Ali

    Amanat goes on to highlight how they chose music from South Asia, especially highlighting bass-heavy and diaspora music, which also reflected what she heard throughout the years. Not only that but also curating a playlist ever since she was first asked to join the production.

    There are so many great artists, I think South Asian music and South Asian diaspora music is probably some of the best music in the world and it’s such a great platform. The studio and Kevin [Feige] were so excited and gracious about hearing different kinds of music and celebrating that in the show. So, I have been curating a playlist since Kevin called me.

    Sana Amanat

    It’s great o also see that Kevin Feige and his team were excited for them including music that reflects the cultural heritage that’s highlighted in the series. We’ve seen it as well with Moon Knight, where specific key moments included Egyptian music highlighting director Mohamed Diab‘s cultural background and also reflecting the character’s complex connection to a literal Egyptian god.