Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== Ms. Marvel ====== ===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary ===== * **Core Identity:** **The mantle of Ms. Marvel represents a legacy of heroic evolution, originally the identity of powerhouse Carol Danvers and later inherited by Kamala Khan, a groundbreaking character who became a symbol of modern heroism, identity, and inspiration for a new generation.** * **Key Takeaways:** * **A Legacy Mantle:** The name "Ms. Marvel" is most famously associated with two distinct heroes. It was the original codename for [[captain_marvel_carol_danvers|Carol Danvers]], one of Earth's mightiest heroes. The title was later adopted by her biggest fan, Kamala Khan, who has since defined the role for a new era. * **Cultural Keystone:** Kamala Khan's introduction was a landmark moment for Marvel Comics. As a Pakistani-American Muslim teenager from Jersey City, she provided much-needed representation and became an instant icon, praised for her relatable struggles with faith, family, and the overwhelming responsibility of being a superhero. * **Crucial Multiversal Divergence:** There is a fundamental difference between Kamala Khan's origins in the comics and the MCU. In the [[earth-616|Earth-616]] comics, she is an [[inhumans|Inhuman]] whose latent powers are activated by the Terrigen Mists. In the [[marvel_cinematic_universe|Marvel Cinematic Universe]], her powers stem from a mystical bangle connected to another dimension, and she is explicitly identified as a [[mutants_x-men|mutant]]. ===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution ===== ==== Publication History and Creation ==== The history of Ms. Marvel is a tale of two distinct eras, reflecting the evolution of both Marvel Comics and society itself. The original Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers, first appeared as a non-powered human U.S. Air Force officer in ''Marvel Super-Heroes #13'' (March 1968), created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan. It wasn't until nearly a decade later, in ''Ms. Marvel #1'' (January 1977), that she debuted as a costumed superhero. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist John Buscema, this launch was consciously timed with the second-wave feminist movement. Her title, "Ms.," was a deliberate choice to position her as a modern, independent woman, breaking away from the "Miss" or "Mrs." conventions of the time. Her solo series explored themes of identity, equal pay, and self-discovery, making her a significant, if sometimes controversial, figure of the Bronze Age of Comic Books. The second and current Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan, was conceived by Marvel editors Sana Amanat and Stephen Wacker. Amanat drew upon her own experiences as a Pakistani-American child to develop the character's core concept. Writer G. Willow Wilson, an acclaimed author and a convert to Islam, was brought on to script the series, with artists Adrian Alphona and Jamie McKelvie designing her iconic look. Kamala Khan made a brief cameo appearance in ''Captain Marvel #14'' (August 2013) before officially debuting in ''All-New Marvel NOW! Point One #1'' (January 2014) and launching her own solo series, ''Ms. Marvel (Vol. 3)'', the following month. Her arrival was met with widespread critical acclaim and massive public interest. Kamala's creation was celebrated as a major step forward in diverse representation in mainstream comics, and her title quickly became a best-seller, resonating deeply with readers who saw their own struggles and aspirations reflected in her story. ==== In-Universe Origin Story ==== The in-universe origins of Ms. Marvel, particularly Kamala Khan, are a prime example of significant divergence between the comic books and their cinematic adaptations. Understanding these two separate continuities is essential. === Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) === In the primary Marvel comics universe, Kamala Khan is a teenage girl living in Jersey City, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Pakistani immigrants, Yusuf and Muneeba Khan, and has an older, more conservative brother named Aamir. A dedicated student and avid fan-fiction writer, Kamala idolizes the superheroes of her world, especially her personal hero, Carol Danvers, who by this time had taken the mantle of [[captain_marvel_carol_danvers|Captain Marvel]]. Kamala often feels like an outsider, caught between the traditional expectations of her family and the pressures of modern American teenage life. Her life changes forever during the ''Inhumanity'' storyline. After a conflict between the Inhumans and Thanos, the [[inhumans|Inhuman]] king Black Bolt detonates a Terrigen Bomb over Earth. The resulting cloud of [[terrigen_mists|Terrigen Mists]], a powerful mutagenic substance, drifts across the globe, activating latent Inhuman genes in unsuspecting individuals. Kamala, having snuck out of her house to attend a party against her parents' wishes, is enveloped by the mist. She is immediately encased in a Terrigenetic cocoon. Inside, she has a fever dream where she meets her heroes: Captain America, Iron Man, and Captain Marvel. She confesses her desire to be more like Carol Danvers—beautiful, powerful, and less complicated. When she emerges from the cocoon, she has been physically transformed into a younger version of Carol Danvers in her classic black "Ms. Marvel" costume. Initially horrified and disoriented, she quickly discovers she has polymorphous abilities. Her first heroic act is to use her new size- and shape-shifting powers to save a classmate, Zoe Zimmer, from drowning. Struggling to control her powers, Kamala initially defaults to the Captain Marvel form before slowly gaining the confidence to be a hero in her own image. With the help of her brilliant best friend, Bruno Carrelli, she designs her own unique costume—a modified burkini that honors her heritage—and officially adopts the abandoned codename "Ms. Marvel" to honor her idol. Her origin is thus deeply tied to the Inhuman mythology and her journey is one of self-acceptance, learning to be a hero not by imitating someone else, but by embracing her own unique identity. === Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) === The MCU (designated as Earth-199999) presents a radically different origin for Kamala Khan, completely severing her ties to the Inhumans and the Terrigen Mists, which were previously explored in the now-defunct ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' television series. In the Disney+ series ''Ms. Marvel'', Kamala is still a superhero-obsessed teenager from Jersey City. Her origin begins when she receives a package of old family heirlooms from her grandmother, which contains a mysterious golden bangle. When she puts the bangle on at "AvengerCon," it unlocks a latent power within her, allowing her to manifest and control a cosmic energy she calls "Noor" (an Arabic word for "light"). Instead of the physical stretching and "embiggening" powers of the comics, her MCU abilities are based on creating crystalline, "hard-light" constructs. She can form platforms to walk on, project shields for defense, and create oversized fists of energy, which visually mimics her classic "embiggened" hand from the comics. The series reveals that the bangle is one of a pair, and it has a complex history tied to a group of exiled beings from the Noor Dimension known as the Clandestines (or "Djinns"). Her great-grandmother, Aisha, was one of these beings. The Clandestines believe the bangle is the key to returning to their home dimension, a process that would catastrophically destroy Earth. Kamala's conflict with them forces her to understand the source of her powers and her family's hidden history. The most significant change to her origin comes in the series finale. After Kamala has established herself as Jersey City's new hero, her friend Bruno, who has been studying her genetics, reveals a stunning discovery. He tells her that her powers aren't just from the bangle; the bangle only unlocked something that was already inside her. He explains that there is a "mutation" in her genes. This reveal is accompanied by a brief musical cue from the 1997 ''X-Men: The Animated Series'' theme, explicitly confirming that Kamala Khan in the MCU is a [[mutants_x-men|mutant]]. This aligns her with the [[x-men|X-Men]] and their impending introduction to the MCU, a major strategic shift from her established Inhuman origins in the source material. In the film ''The Marvels'', her powers are further explored. Due to a quantum entanglement caused by a damaged jump point, her light-based powers become linked with those of Carol Danvers (cosmic energy) and Monica Rambeau (spectrum energy). This causes them to involuntarily switch places with one another whenever any one of them uses their powers, forcing the trio to work together to solve the crisis. This film solidifies her role as a major new hero in the cosmic landscape of the MCU. ===== Part 3: Abilities, Equipment & Personality ===== While Kamala Khan's core personality remains consistent across media, her powers and abilities are starkly different, reflecting the distinct lore of each universe. === Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) === ^ **Attribute** ^ **Description** ^ | **Primary Power** | **Morphogenetics / Polymorphing** | | | Kamala possesses complete control over the molecular structure of her body. Her cells are described as being "polymorphic," allowing her to stretch, deform, expand, and compress her entire body or any part thereof into any contiguous shape she can imagine. | | **Key Abilities** | * **Embiggening:** Kamala's signature ability. She can increase the size and mass of her entire body or specific parts, most famously her fists, to deliver powerful blows. The upper limits of this ability are not fully known, but she can grow to the size of a multi-story building. This process is physically draining. \ * **Shrinking (De-biggening):** She can shrink her body down to the size of an action figure, useful for infiltration and evasion. \ * **Elongation / Stretching:** She can stretch her limbs, neck, and torso to incredible lengths, similar to Mister Fantastic. This allows her to reach distant objects, ensnare enemies, and traverse gaps. \ * **Shapeshifting:** Kamala can alter her physical features, hair, and clothing to disguise herself as other people or even inanimate objects (like a couch). However, she is not a perfect mimic like Mystique; prolonged transformation is difficult, and she reverts to her true form when she loses concentration or uses her other powers. \ * **Accelerated Healing Factor:** A key component of her powers is a rapid healing ability. When she is not using her morphogenetic powers, her body diverts energy to healing. She can recover from serious injuries like gunshot wounds in a short time, though doing so leaves her exhausted and unable to use her other powers until she recovers. | | **Weaknesses** | * **Energy Depletion:** All of her powers consume a great deal of energy. Overuse can leave her weak, hungry, and vulnerable. Her healing factor is also temporarily suspended while she is actively stretching or embiggening. \ * **Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs):** A powerful EMP can temporarily disrupt her control over her molecular structure, causing her to lose her shape and "melt" into a puddle-like form until she can regain control. | | **Equipment** | * **Advanced Polymer Costume:** Her costume, designed by Bruno, is made from a special "super-snot" polymer that can stretch and change size along with her body, providing protection and modesty. \ * **Translator Locket:** A gift from her Kree-Inhuman friend, Gabe, this locket provides universal language translation. | | **Personality** | Kamala is defined by her optimism, idealism, and unwavering sense of right and wrong. She is a quintessential "fangirl," possessing a deep and sincere love for the superhero community. This fandom is not just a quirk; it's the foundation of her morality. She strives to live up to the ideals she believes her heroes represent. She is also fiercely loyal to her friends and family, and much of her story involves the struggle to balance her duties as a hero with her responsibilities as a daughter, sister, and friend. While generally cheerful, she can be stubborn and is deeply hurt by betrayal, as seen in her falling out with Captain Marvel during ''Civil War II''. | === Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) === ^ **Attribute** ^ **Description** ^ | **Primary Power** | **Noor Manipulation / Hard Light Generation** | | | Kamala's mutant gene allows her, via the Bangle, to tap into energy from the Noor Dimension and manifest it physically in her own dimension. This power is light-based and crystalline in appearance. | | **Key Abilities** | * **Hard Light Constructs:** Her core ability is to create objects out of solidified Noor energy. This is a highly versatile power. \ * **Platforms & Stepping Stones:** She can create crystalline platforms in mid-air to run and jump on, allowing for enhanced mobility. \ * **Shields & Barriers:** She can project durable shields to protect herself and others from physical and energy attacks. \ * **"Embiggened" Fists:** To visually homage her comic powers, she can encase her own fists in massive hard-light constructs, allowing her to deliver devastating punches. \ * **Energy Projectiles:** She can fire blasts of Noor energy from her hands. \ * **Energy Infusion:** In ''The Marvels'', she learns to absorb and channel other forms of energy through her bangle, temporarily enhancing her own power output. \ * **Quantum Entanglement:** An accidental ability developed alongside Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau. When any of the three use their light-based powers simultaneously, they teleport and swap physical locations. They eventually learn to control this, allowing for instantaneous tactical repositioning in battle. | | **Weaknesses** | * **Bangle Dependency (Initially):** Her powers were initially entirely dependent on wearing the Bangle. While it's confirmed she has a mutant gene, the full extent of her abilities without the Bangle remains unexplored. \ * **Inexperience:** As a new hero, her control over her constructs can be imprecise. She is still learning the limits and applications of her powers. \ * **Dimensional Rifts:** Using the Bangle in conjunction with other powerful artifacts (like a Kree Nega-Band) can tear holes in spacetime, as seen in ''The Marvels''. | | **Equipment** | * **The Bangle of Noor:** An ancient and powerful artifact of unknown origin (though speculated to be Kree or related to the Ten Rings). It is the key that unlocks Kamala's latent mutant powers and allows her to channel energy from the Noor Dimension. \ * **Costume:** A gift from her mother, Muneeba, her costume is a practical and stylish outfit inspired by Captain Marvel's design, but with her own cultural flair. | | **Personality** | The MCU's Kamala shares the same core personality as her comic counterpart: she is a bright, imaginative, and eternally optimistic fangirl. The series places a heavy emphasis on her creative side, showing her vlogs, drawings, and elaborate fantasy sequences. Her relationship with her family is central to her story, and their eventual acceptance and support of her heroic identity is a major emotional arc. She is portrayed as slightly more naive initially, but she quickly demonstrates immense bravery and a powerful desire to protect her community. Her awe and excitement upon meeting her idol, Carol Danvers, is a driving force in ''The Marvels''. | ===== Part 4: Key Relationships & Network ===== ==== Core Allies ==== * **[[captain_marvel_carol_danvers|Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel]]:** In both universes, Carol is Kamala's ultimate inspiration. In the comics, their relationship is initially one of distant idolization. They eventually meet and form a mentor-protégé bond, though it becomes severely strained during ''Civil War II'' when Kamala disagrees with Carol's authoritarian methods. They later reconcile, with Carol expressing immense pride in Kamala for forging her own path. In the MCU, their first meeting in ''The Marvels'' is chaotic due to their power entanglement, but they quickly develop a sisterly bond, with Carol becoming a protective, if sometimes awkward, mentor figure. * **Bruno Carrelli:** Kamala's best friend and confidant. In the comics, Bruno is a tech genius who is one of the first to know her secret. He designs her costume and gadgets and serves as her "man in the chair," offering technical support and a moral compass. Their relationship is complicated by his long-standing romantic feelings for her. In the MCU, he is similarly a tech whiz who helps her understand and train with her powers, and his scientific curiosity is what leads to the discovery of her mutant gene. * **The Khan Family (Muneeba, Yusuf, and Aamir):** Kamala's family is the emotional core of her story. Her mother, Muneeba, is protective and initially strict, but eventually becomes one of her biggest supporters, even designing her MCU costume. Her father, Yusuf, is warm and encouraging. Her older brother, Aamir, is devoutly religious but also fiercely protective of his little sister. The struggle to keep her secret from them and live up to their expectations is a central conflict in her early stories. * **Nakia Bahadir:** Kamala's other best friend, a politically-active and devout Turkish-American girl. In the comics and the MCU, she is a source of strength and social consciousness for Kamala, often pushing her to think about her role in the community beyond just punching villains. ==== Arch-Enemies ==== * **The Inventor:** Kamala's first major villain in the comics. The Inventor is a bizarre bird/human clone of Thomas Edison who kidnaps teenagers from Jersey City to use as living batteries for his machines. He represents a twisted version of innovation and serves as an excellent starter villain for Kamala, forcing her to become a protector for her own generation. * **Kamran:** A fellow Inhuman and a brief love interest for Kamala. He initially appears as a charming family friend, but he is revealed to be working for the Inhuman extremist, Lineage. He attempts to forcibly recruit Kamala, creating a deep personal betrayal. In the MCU, his role is adapted; he is the son of the Clandestine leader Najma. He gains hard-light powers and becomes an antagonist, torn between his mother's extremist goals and his feelings for Kamala. * **C.R.A.D.L.E.:** An organization created in the wake of the ''Outlawed'' event to police and detain underage superheroes. C.R.A.D.L.E. becomes a major ideological foe for Ms. Marvel and the Champions, as they enforce "Kamala's Law"—a piece of legislation ironically named after the public perception of her heroic identity—which makes a hero's very existence a political and legal battleground. ==== Affiliations ==== * **[[avengers|The Avengers]]:** Following the events of ''Secret Wars (2015)'', Ms. Marvel was recruited into the All-New, All-Different Avengers, led by Iron Man and Captain America (Sam Wilson). She served as a core member, fulfilling her lifelong dream, but eventually grew disillusioned with the infighting and moral compromises of the adult heroes. * **[[champions|The Champions]]:** After quitting the Avengers during ''Civil War II'', Kamala co-founded the Champions alongside Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and Nova (Sam Alexander). The team's mission was to "reclaim" the meaning of being a hero, focusing on helping ordinary people and fighting for social justice, free from the political baggage of the Avengers. Ms. Marvel often serves as the team's leader and moral center. ===== Part 5: Iconic Events & Storylines ===== === No Normal (Ms. Marvel Vol. 3, 2014) === This is Kamala Khan's five-issue origin story. It establishes her entire world: her family dynamics, her friendships with Bruno and Nakia, and her deep-seated desire to be someone else. The arc masterfully covers her exposure to the Terrigen Mists, her chaotic first use of powers, and her decision to adopt the Ms. Marvel mantle. Her battle against the Inventor and his giant robots in the sewers of Jersey City solidifies her as a true hero, learning on the job how to balance her immense power with her even greater sense of responsibility. It is a modern classic of the superhero origin genre. === Civil War II (2016) === This event was a defining moment for Kamala's character. Initially thrilled to be fighting alongside her idol, Captain Marvel, she fully supports Carol's use of a new Inhuman, Ulysses, who can predict future crimes. However, after the predictive justice system leads to profiling and the detention of innocent people in her community, Kamala's faith is shattered. The breaking point comes when one of their missions results in massive property damage in Jersey City. Realizing that Carol's methods are causing more harm than good, Kamala makes the heartbreaking decision to turn against her mentor. This act of defiance leads directly to her quitting the Avengers and forming the Champions, marking her transition from a sidekick-in-training to an independent leader. === Secret Empire (2017) === During HYDRA's takeover of the United States, led by an evil version of Captain America, Ms. Marvel and the Champions become key figures in the underground resistance. Operating without the support of the older heroes, many of whom are trapped or co-opted, Kamala and her team are forced to mature rapidly. They fight against HYDRA's re-education centers and authoritarian rule, with Ms. Marvel's actions solidifying her as a symbol of hope and defiance against fascism. The event tests her leadership and forces her to make incredibly difficult choices in a world where her former heroes have failed. ===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions ===== * **The Original Ms. Marvels (Earth-616):** It is critical to note that Kamala Khan is the fourth character to officially use the Ms. Marvel name. * **[[captain_marvel_carol_danvers|Carol Danvers]]:** The first and most famous, whose powers were derived from the Kree hero [[mar-vell|Mar-Vell]]. She used the name for decades before becoming Captain Marvel. * **Sharon Ventura:** A former wrestler who briefly took the name after gaining super-strength. She later joined the Fantastic Four and was mutated into the She-Thing. * **Dr. Karla Sofen (Moonstone):** The supervillain Moonstone impersonated Ms. Marvel as part of Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers, wearing a version of Carol's original costume. * **Marvel's Avengers (Video Game, Earth-TRN814):** In this universe, Kamala Khan is the central protagonist of the main story campaign. Her origin is similar to the comics: she is an Inhuman who gains polymorphous powers on "A-Day," a public event that ends in tragedy when the Terrigen reactor on the Avengers' Helicarrier explodes. Blamed for the disaster, the Avengers disband. Five years later, Kamala, having discovered evidence of a conspiracy, sets out on a quest to reassemble the team and clear their names. She serves as the emotional heart of the story, her unwavering faith in heroes being the catalyst that brings the Avengers back together. * **President Kamala Khan (Earth-18366):** In the "Old Woman Laura" storyline, a possible future timeline, Kamala Khan has become the President of the United States. This version is a seasoned and respected leader, demonstrating the ultimate realization of her potential as a symbol of hope and progress. ===== See Also ===== * [[captain_marvel_carol_danvers]] * [[inhumans]] * [[champions]] * [[terrigen_mists]] * [[mutants_x-men]] * [[avengers]] ===== Notes and Trivia ===== ((The word "embiggen," famously used by Kamala to describe her powers, was originally created for the TV show ''The Simpsons'' in the 1996 episode "Lisa the Iconoclast." Its inclusion in the Ms. Marvel comics led to its official addition to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 2018.)) ((Sana Amanat, Kamala Khan's co-creator, has stated that the inspiration for the character came from a desire to explore the "dichotomy of living in two cultures" that she experienced growing up in a Pakistani-American family in New Jersey.)) ((Kamala Khan's first appearance in ''Captain Marvel #14'' (2013) is a brief, non-speaking cameo where she is seen in the background as Carol Danvers protects civilians from Yon-Rogg.)) ((The decision to make Kamala a mutant in the MCU was likely a strategic one. With Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox, the film rights to the X-Men and mutants returned to Marvel Studios. Re-classifying a popular new character like Kamala as a mutant provides a perfect, organic way to introduce the concept of mutants to the wider MCU audience before a full X-Men launch.)) ((Kamala's costume is heavily influenced by the //shalwar kameez//, a traditional outfit of South Asian origin. The lightning bolt insignia is a direct tribute to Carol Danvers' classic Ms. Marvel costume.))