Fans will soon be introduced to Ms. Marvel thanks to the character's Disney+ series set to air on June 8. The young hero of New Jersey, played by Iman Vellani, won't have the stretchy powers she's known for—instead, they'll be light constructs. Though, it isn't her abilities that set the superhero apart from the pack; it's how big of a fan she is of all the other Marvel legends.
As big of a fangirl as Kamala Khan is, there's one person who ranks above everyone else: Captain Marvel. Thankfully, it seems this will be a detail that remains intact in the MCU's take on the character.
But what is it about Carol Danvers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that made an impact on her? Well, it looks like it might come down to the hero's big last-minute save during the battle against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.
Captain Marvel's Impact on the MCU
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ms. Marvel co-creator Sana Amanat commented on how Brie Laron's Captain Marvel influenced Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Amanat, who is a producer on the Ms. Marvel series, mentioned how "Captain Marvel is one of the few really well-known, big-time female Avengers" who had a "significant save in the battle against Thanos," which is something they thought would have a pretty big impact on someone like Kamala Khan.
"I think that is very, very similar to the comics. Obviously, in the Marvel comics, the story was different. [Carol] was Ms. Marvel in the Marvel comics, and she’s been around for much longer. But in this case, what’s unique is Captain Marvel is one of the few really well-known, big-time female Avengers, if you will. She had a pretty significant save in the battle against Thanos, and I think if someone who was young and looking out at the world, and she sees this really powerful, badass woman almost take down Thanos, what does that do to you? How do you internalize that? I think that is a really important story to tell, not only about who your heroes are, but who are your heroes when you’re a young person of color? What does that do to your sense of self?"
As for why Vellani is perfect for the part, she described the actress as "funny and sweet and vulnerable and nerdy and a huge fan of Marvel in real life:"
"I think once people meet Iman and get to know her and watch her in the show, everyone’s going to be like, 'Oh, no question. She’s Kamala.' It’s no doubt. She is funny and sweet and vulnerable and nerdy and a huge fan of Marvel in real life. She’s incredibly smart, like whip-smart, and she has such a bright future ahead. I feel like Iman is going to do so much after this show. Sure, she can get an Oscar, but she’s probably going to go be a director or a producer. She’s going to do so much because she’s so smart."
The Never-Ending Influence of Thanos
Fans have wondered how Disney+'s Ms. Marvel would explain Kamala Khan's love for Captain Marvel. After all, the hero hasn't really been on Earth. Even during The Blip, it was established that she was off-world most of the time. So how did she gain popularity if she wasn't around?
Another big question lingers as well: how would Kamala Khan know that Carol Danvers made that big save? The same topic actually came up during WandaVision and fans wondered the same thing. Unless there was a big press conference afterward where someone went down a list of all the major events during the battle—maybe Doctor Strange put on a magic show.
Hopefully, Ms. Marvel will be able to make it all seem organic and make sense. After all, she will eventually be interacting with Brie Larson's hero in The Marvels—interactions that may be lessened if Kamala's idolization of the hero doesn't make much sense.
Ms. Marvel premieres on Disney+ on June 8.
