There aren’t many teenage superheroes in the MCU—at least, not yet. Everyone’s aware of Peter Parker, also known as our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Plus, there’s the recent addition of Kate Bishop in Hawkeye, although she’s actually a college student. A young superhero is long overdue, and this June, we’re finally going to see Ms. Marvel shake things up.
First introduced in 2013, 16-year-old Kamala Khan takes on the Ms. Marvel mantle, which was originally claimed by Carol Danvers, who in the MCU is actually Captain Marvel—so there’s no overlap. As a newer addition to the comic book (and MCU) realm, though, Kamala couldn’t be the same as most superheroes we’ve seen before: white, traumatized, and based in New York City.
Instead, she comes as a breath of fresh air—a Pakistani-American from Jersey City, New Jersey. Her main struggle isn’t being 100 years old and out of time like Captain America, or trying not to be a jerk like Iron Man (that’s what he struggles with, right?). She grapples with growing up, and balancing familial and cultural pressure while working on accepting herself for who she is. It’s a modern superhero for a modern world, where comic books are shamelessly read by people from all sorts of backgrounds, and not just 10-year-old boys.
It’s the perfect time for a Ms. Marvel comic, and as Marvel Studios is putting to the test, a perfect time for a Ms. Marvel television show. In June, Kamala Khan will enter Phase 4 of the MCU in her own show on Disney+, before appearing in the upcoming sequel to Captain Marvel, The Marvels (which will be directed by Candyman‘s Nia DaCosta).
The trailer for Ms. Marvel came out on Tuesday March 15, and while many fans were excited, others expressed anger over a major change in Kamala’s powers.
Here’s everything we know about Kamala’s powers in the comics, and what changed in the show.
What are Kamala Khan’s powers in the Marvel Comics?
In the comics, Kamala is an Inhuman whose powers are activated when a mysterious mist spreads through the city. She quickly discovers she has healing powers, and can shapeshift and polymorph, meaning she can stretch her body at will, like Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic. Or, for non-Marvel fans, like Elastigirl in The Incredibles. Kamala’s suit is specifically made so she can stretch at will, and it’s notably the first invention she gets from her friend Bruno. She often “enbiggens” or shrinks herself to defeat villains, and notably fights with an enlarged fist.
Marvel Comics
What are her powers in Disney+’s Ms. Marvel?
Possibly to deviate from Mister Fantastic whenever the MCU decides to debut the Fantastic Four, Kamala’s powers have changed. In the trailer, it appears Kamala actually gets her powers from a magical bracelet (which kind of, sort of, looks like the rings from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Right? Bueller?). She can walk on air, create a magical fist (similar to her comic book fist), and create a shield. No stretchy limbs here, and no word on whether she can heal herself or not.
In the comics, there is a “compartment bracelet” her inventor friend Bruno modifies to hold small items. It’s also a family heirloom, passed down from Kamala’s great-grandmother who used it to store cash while escaping Bombay during Partition. Still, it’s not the powers fans were expecting.
The trailer didn’t go into detail, and we’ll have to wait until June for more info on how the MCU will alter Kamala’s backstory. Until then, at least we still have Moon Knight to look forward to.
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