Ms. Marvel Star Thrilled Her Hero Is Different From The Comics
Ms. Marvel has become one of the most popular shows on Disney+, and the titular hero is happy that the character is different than in the comics.
After the defeat of Thanos at the end of Avengers: Endgame, there were a lot of questions as to the direction the Marvel Cinematic Universe was going to take. Once Marvel and Disney acquired Twentieth Century Fox Films, they also picked up the rights to Fantastic Four and X-Men. The excitement that both properties could finally enter the MCU was palpable. The only thing that seemed missing from Marvel Nirvana was the presence of Marvel’s First Family and Professor X’s School of the Gifted. After 11 projects in Phase 4, fans were still waiting for some hint that their dreams would be realized. With Ms. Marvel‘s finale, fans finally got what they have waited for since 2008. Now the star has stated what it means to her and the future. If you have not seen Ms. Marvel, look away. The rest of this article contains heavy spoilers.
In an interview with Comicbook.com, Iman Vellani discussed the implications and how she felt about the reveal. She talks about her respect for the Inhumans and that she loves the original backstory the comics have for her as one. However, she is excited that the MCU decided to retcon her as a mutant to introduce the race of mutants into the movies. She believes the MCU is in a much different place than the comics and that the introduction works. According to Vellani, “To be fair, the original intent for the comic character WAS to make her a mutant, so I am over the moon that this is real and we could make it happen.” Viewers seemed to agree as the critics responded, rewarding Ms. Marvel with the highest ratings so far for any project in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The decision to make Ms. Marvel the first MCU mutant has worked out better than initially thought.
Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) spends six episodes transitioning from Avengers ultra fan to full-on superhero. Holding a special place in her heart for Captain Marvel (for all intents and purposes, the first female superhero the world knew), she tries to model herself after the heroes she looks up to. Upon delving into how she got her powers and where they came from, she stumbles onto the surprising information that she has a genetic mutation. With this being the first time in the MCU that mutations have even been mentioned, Ms. Marvel serves as a soft introduction to mutants.
What could this mean for the future of the MCU? One thing that Phase 4 has been lacking is direction. Even with Kang having been introduced in Loki, there is a clear lack of a big bad after the defeat of Thanos. The introduction of mutants in the MCU and the appearance of Reed Richards in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opens the door for many big baddies to appear finally. Everyone from Galactus to Magneto to Dr. Doom could now be the big bad and the reason for the Avengers to come together once again. Thanks to the Ms. Marvel finale, the franchise can go in multiple directions.
With 11 projects under its belt, the MCU is now looking at many new possibilities for the franchise to move in. And the unlikely source of the direction being Ms. Marvel gives a new sense of importance to introducing a character that felt a little out of her league when put up next to the heavy hitters of the Avengers.
