The newest MCU series, Ms. Marvel has been chugging along on Disney+, having already released two-thirds of its overall episodes. The hit series sees teenager Kamala Khan come into contact with a mysterious bangle that unlocks her dormant superhuman abilities. Upon learning of her powers' emergence, a nefarious group called the Clandestines have aggressively pursued young Ms. Khan in an attempt to use her as a tool to bring their people back to their home dimension.
In a fight with the Clandestines leader Najma, Kamala's bangle is struck by a blade causing a flash of light. It's then that Kamala realizes where she is: She has seemingly been transported back to Partition-era India in 1947. Now, whether this is actually happening to the character or is merely some kind of dream sequence or hallucination remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure: Kamala's not in Jersey anymore.
The next episode is bound to be a big one and one that those involved are feeling a sense of anxiety about getting right.
Ms. Marvel Co-Creator Discusses Episode Five
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Sana Amanat, Ms. Marvel co-creator and executive producer, shared why she's "most nervous" about the series' upcoming fifth episode:
The next episode is going to be an interesting one. Full disclosure, it's the episode I'm most nervous about. I think it's really great, but we took some risks with that episode. So, I'm curious to know how people are going to respond to it.
The producer broke down the significance of taking Kamala Khan back to Partition and how the real-life event ties into the show's story of Clan Destine, who have also been separated from their home:
"I was like, 'are people going to get that or no?' Ultimately, this is a story about identity. How do you understand your identity without understanding what home is and what home means to you? The Clandestines are an interesting foil in that regard, because you are talking about people being displaced, and then there are these people and here's how they interpret their displacement. There's a much larger metaphor there and I want to see what people think of it."
Amanat also discusses the "parralels" between what Kamala is going through, and the story of her parents, who were also affected by Partition:
"I'm really interested in the post wrap-up conversations about this entire show. Because it's very layered, you're talking about South Asian character, but you're also talking about a Muslim character. So, I think we intentionally tried to tell a story of what it means when you lose your home and how you try to create a new one. I mean, it's what Kamala's parents did. They came to a new country, they created a home for themselves here. And yet, Kamala feels like she doesn't understand what that means. So, there's certainly a lot of parallels and very intentionally so."
Finally, she discussed the intensely positive fan reaction to Kamala's story and how people are now showing the same enthusiasm for her MCU adaptation: "Joy is the best way to describe it."
"Yes, I think joy is the best way to describe it. It's been a very long journey, obviously. I mean God, it was back in 2013 when we did the first announcement, and now here we are almost 10 years later and the show has become this global thing, which I certainly never expected. Willow and I always joke about how back then we were like, 'well, okay, we'll get a few issues.' Now here we are doing a show with a whole cast of people — directors, producers, actors — who are so invested in it. It was just a little idea that grew from there. I am so grateful and I feel really lucky. But joy is exactly the word. I feel like a lot of people are celebrating the show and it's just so much fun just seeing their reactions. Even the small things like, 'oh, we love the music,' or other stylistic choices that we made that were quite intentional. I just love that people are really resonating with it."
Surprises Await in Ms. Marvel's Fifth Episode
It's usually pretty natural for someone involved in a TV show or movie to be apprehensive about how their creation will be received, especially if it takes some big swings. But no plot details have been revealed regarding Ms. Marvel's fifth episodic installment. Marvel Studios loves its secrecy and keeps these details extremely close to the vest when they can help it.
Will Kamala make it out of Partition in a timely fashion, or will she spend much of the episode in 1947? It seems unlikely that she's actually traveled through time, so it's probably a safe bet that the bangle is showing her a vision, something that it has done in previous episodes. One would hope that her powers still work in this state though.
Although it's not crucial to Kamala Khan's arc in the series, many have been clamoring for Brie Larson's Carol Danvers to crop up before the finale. Kamala is a Captain Marvel superfan and the Avenger making a special appearance would certainly go over well. Although, perhaps Marvel wishes to save their first meeting for 2023's The Marvels, in which both characters are confirmed to appear.
Episode 5 of Marvel Studios' Ms. Marvel will debut on Disney+ on Wednesday, July 6.
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