The following article contains minor spoilers for Episode 1 of Ms. Marvel.
Marvel Studios’ latest offeringMs. Marvelhas finally arrived amid much fanfare and hype, and the first episode of the highly-awaited series is the cultural representation that a large segment of the fan population has been waiting for. Kamala Khan is the first female South Asian and Muslim superhero to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and to be able to represent her culture and religion appropriately on-screen is a bold move, but a much-needed step towards diversity.
TheMs. Marvelcomics were popular for many reasons, but the one that stood out was always the fact that it followed the journey of a Pakistani-American teenager, who grew up in New Jersey, and didn’t just fight crime but also her internal conflicts with culture and identity. By bringing all that to life with this adaptation, Marvel seems to have struck gold. The series appeals to the hundreds of thousands of South Asian and Muslim fans of the MCU, who have felt ignored thus far. It may just be a coming-of-age superhero origin story for many, but for some fans, it is finally being able to see someone like themselves on television, and a part of a massive franchise. It trulymakes the MCU more diverse.
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Ms. Marvelshows how far Hollywood cinema has come where Muslim phrases like “bismillah,” which translates to “in the name of Allah,” and “astaghfirullah,” which means “I seek the forgiveness of Allah,” are perfectly acceptable. It isn’t often that fans get to hear such terms in the MCU, or Hollywood cinema at large. ButMs. Marvelnormalizes the use of those words, and skillfully adds them to the dialogues, without making too big a deal of it. It doesn’t feel like a foreign experience, but at the same time embodies an entirely foreign culture into the MCU in a very subtle manner.
When Kamala’s brother Aamir,portrayed wonderfully by Saagar Shaikh, gives her advice as she heads out for her driving test, he urges her to “say bismillah” before she starts the car, because she’s “going to need all the help [she] can get.” While Kamala jokes about her brother not even having a driver’s license, she gets behind the wheel, whispers the word, and turns the key in the ignition. It might seem like witty dialogue, and the perfect bickering between two siblings, but that scene in the first few minutes of theMs. Marvelpilot episode establishes the importance of religion and cultural representation. Having Kamala slam the car into the vehicle parked behind her just works as a bridge between culture and a day in the life of a typical teenager.
Thefirst episode ofMs. Marveldoes justice to the Pakistani culture as well, which is a huge part of Kamala’s identity, and ties it in beautifully with that of a teenager growing up in an immigrant household in North America. The minute Kamala refers to her parents as “ammi” and “abbu,” which literally translates to mom and dad, it becomes obvious that the series plans to unapologetically use Urdu words and phrases as part of the dialogue. The Khan family’s conversations, which casually switch between Urdu and English, are entirely relatable and in fact a norm in many immigrant households in the West.
Even themusic and soundtracksused in the episode will pull at the heartstrings of many viewers. At one point in the episode, Kamala and her mother run errands together for Aamir’s upcoming nuptials. The song that plays during that scene is among the most popular songs sung at Pakistani weddings. The song titled “Ko Ko Korina,” was originally created in 1966, and sung by Ahmed Rushdi, but has had several renditions created ever since. However, the studio’s decision to use the original rendition is a nod towards what is known as the golden age of Pakistani cinema and has large cultural implications.
The episode begins with the catchy beats of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” which seems perfect for Kamala’s powers in the series. While many have complained about herpowers not being comic book accurate, the song captures its essence as Kamala later shoots cosmic beams from her hands. It is also important to note that Vellani is Canadian-Pakistani, and using a song by a Canadian artist seems like an appropriate thing to do, right? When the credits start to roll, Eva B’s “Rozi” begins to play. She is a Pakistani female rapper and singer, and the song is all about women’s empowerment and her struggles as a woman in the music industry.
From the get-go, Kamala is seen as a young girl who is grappling with her dual identity. She sees herself as a typical teenager in New Jersey, but her religious and cultural beliefs are a part of her life that she just cannot ignore. The first episode has established a story that resonates with a large segment of the audience who have had similar experiences growing up. Kamala has to live by certain rules that her parents set,based on their cultural and religious backgrounds. Kamala’s mother Muneeba referring to “girls wearing skimpy outfits” stems from those beliefs, but could very well be an overprotective mother who is concerned for her daughter’s wellbeing. Despite all the cultural references,Ms. Marvelis still a coming-of-age story about a teenager, her relationships, and a sudden surge of powers. The entire episode symbolizes the coming together of cultures.
The moment that Kamala sits on a rooftop with her friend Bruno, portrayed by Matt Lintz, and questions her identity is an important one. “Let’s be honest, it’s not really the brown girls from Jersey City who save the world,” she says. The series is obviously an adaptation and fiction, but people of color rarely see people like themselves becoming heroes. For a long time, even the MCU had absolutely no diversity, but2018’sBlack Pantherchanged that and set a new path. Heroes in the MCU have never looked like Kamala, but it seems like things are finally changing.Ms. Marvelis just the dose of South Asian and Muslim cultural representation that the MCU needed.
Ms. Marvelis now streaming on Disney Plus.
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