Squad Review: Ms. Marvel Episode 6

Well Ms. Marvel has concluded, and now that we have the full picture it's time to review the series in it's entirety. I have to say this is probably my second favorite MCU show behind Loki, even though Hawkeye is very close.

Things wrapped up in a way that helps some of the middling episodes make more sense, and I think Kamala is a top ten MCU character for me which is saying a lot.

ACTING - Episode six truly was an ensemble episode bringing back everyone important to Kamala's journey throughout the show. The chemistry between Matt Lintz as Bruno, Yasmeen Fletcher as Nakia, and Iman Vellani as Kamala feels very real with regards to their affection for one another, and it really comes full circle in this episode. I absolutely love the dynamic and how it has developed between Kamala and her family, and it has been so central to her character arc that to have it pay off like it did felt very rewarding.

I do have to say, just to reiterate what I said earlier in the show, Rish Shah as Kamran was one weak point for me. He never felt conflicted, menacing, or endearing when he was asked to be, and Vellani was acting circles around him in their pivotal moment together in the bubble. His arc did not work for me, but the rest of the finale stuck the landing in such a way that I can look past it.

STORY - I've said all along that the Clandestine are weak ass villains, and I wont back down from that here. I do feel that this story is not that reliant on them, and more so in the family conflict that Kamala has to face both as a result of her coming of age, and how her powers and the Bengal tie into that journey. Kamran serves as the vehicle here for Kamala to realize her true purpose and to become the hero she has always been meant to be and that part of the show felt genuine.

BEST SCENE - True to form the finale episode has a CGI heavy action set piece that could be the low hanging fruit, but actually my favorite scene in this episode is the abbreviated interaction with Kamala and her family where she explains to them that she has in fact been the superhero "NIghtlight" this whole time, to which they unintentionally reveal they've known for awhile via the web of gossip in their nuclear family. It felt so relatable, and serves to show how the bond they all have is so unique and special and how even though they don't always see eye to eye on everything, they unconditionally have each other's back.

IMPACT - The part we've all been waiting for. So Ms. Marvel has arguably the biggest potential impact on the MCU since Infinity War, with the revelation that Kalama Khan is the first mutant of record in the MCU. The guitar riff of the 1995 animated X Men series that plays when Bruno drops this bombshell on the audience had me absolutely geeking out, and the potential here is insane. It signals that Marvel is finally swinging for the fences and giving us mutants since their acquisition of Fox several years ago. Where this could lead we can only speculate, but whatever they decide to do with it I'm freaking jacked up because the mutants are here!

Additionally, Carol Danvers makes an appearance with my girl Brie Larsen showing up in what seems to be a case of her swapping places with Kamala Khan. We know that these two characters, along with Monica Rambeau's Photon will be appearing in the movie The Marvels coming out soon, so this seems to be the jumping off point for that film. Where Kamala was sent to and how exactly it happened are still unknown, but it is becoming more and more apparent that the Disney + shows being essential viewing to the MCU are more than just lip service on the part of Feige, and they are legitimately moving the overall plot forward.

In conclusion this series was very enjoyable, and felt like it was created with an incredible amount of care and dedication. Not that other MCU properties weren't but Kamala Khan and her presence in the MCU seem to me to be an embodiment of the fans of this cinematic universe, and her immersion into the world was a breath of fresh air and one that I could relate to as an audience member. Certainly. not a flawless show, but a very fun one that I would recommend to someone.

-JH