In The Marvels, Iman Vellani makes a delightful return as Kamala Khan after we last saw her in the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel. The Pakistani-Canadian actress has been widely noted as a scene-stealer in the film, bringing all of Kamala Khan’s joy over meeting her idol Captain Marvel to the big screen. Vellani is fully living the dream of a comic book nerd in many ways. She recently co-wrote Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant alongside Sabir Pirzada, which introduces Kamala Khan as a mutant and member of the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe.

We caught up with Iman Vellani to talk about her ideas for Kamala Khan’s future, her relationship with her The Marvels co-stars, and her hopes for Ms. Marvel to meet a certain character in the MCU.

Nerdist: What is it like living every comic book nerd’s dream? Your joy in being in this film was so palpable and so wonderful to see. What was the experience like?

Iman Vellani: I really have been trying to figure out how to sum it up and it’s near impossible. I feel like such an imposter at times. I am very, very lucky and I can acknowledge that, but what if I’m not enough? What if there’s a bigger fan? It’s a lot of pressure when you actually think about it and knowing the fan base very well from God knows how many years I’ve been a part of this community… It’s a little intimidating, but I think if I’m happy doing the work, then people will be able to see that. So hopefully that’s enough.

The relationship between Kamala, Carol, and Monica was the highlight of the film. What was it like building that relationship and bonding over the filming throughout?

Vellani: Yeah, I was going into this thinking we’re going to be like sisters, super close, and they kind of just took me in. It was very sweet because both of them have not only been in Marvel things before, but they’ve just been in Hollywood before and I had just come off of Ms. Marvel. I hadn’t done any press yet. I haven’t been exposed to the world. I basically had these two years where I could just prepare for my life to change. Brie and Teyonah were both very good at giving me space to ask questions and be vulnerable and open.

There’s so many weird questions that you can’t really ask until you’re put in that situation, in terms of press and your makeup or body image. There’s so much of just being a woman in the public eye and I think they understand that on such a deep level. It was very great for me to have them as support, and then they just let me take off once the universe got ahold of me and they’ve always been available if I ever needed anything. It was a very sweet relationship.

In The Marvels, Kamala goes through this journey of learning not to put Captain Marvel on such a high pedestal. Did that journey parallel your own at all as someone who’s just entering this world of Marvel and this massive limelight?

Vellani: Absolutely. I say this all the time, but me and Kamala are going on a very similar trajectory here. With Ms. Marvel, it was like a homey environment, small, everyone was kind of my age and we were all new and this was everyone’s first big thing. Then suddenly, two weeks later, I’m doing a scene with Samuel L. Jackson and my brain cannot wrap my head around it. I’ve gotten a lot better at realizing famous people are also people.

I think at the same time, Kamala realizes Carol has so many stressors already on her, and she very clearly does not know how to express her feelings. She doesn’t know how to be vulnerable in front of other people. She doesn’t have any relationships in her life, whereas Kamala has her friends, her family, her religious community. She’s got her mentors, her idols, and so many people around her in her life and her entire Jersey City squad and Carol doesn’t have that. [Carol] has Goose. She has a freaking cat. That’s it.

It’s not even a cat. So it makes total sense that she is the way that she is, and I think Carol actually ends up learning a lot from Kamala about being open and having emotions and honoring those feelings and just like Kamala does. It was very sweet to watch our characters progress and go through this entire arc throughout the course of the film.

Kamala/Ms. Marvel is one of my favorite characters, not only as a South Asian Muslim woman, but also because so much of her culture and religion is woven into who she is in every comic page of portrayal. The same is true for her in live-action, too. Do you have a favorite example of a certain cultural or religious reference that happened in The Marvels?

Vellani: There’s this one part where Muneeba, Kamala’s mom, is saying how she’s going to kill Carol Danvers in Urdu. That was really funny. I don’t know why. That just makes me crack up every single time. That, and obviously [the moment where] Aamir is praying as they’re about to crash-land back on to Earth and Nick Fury was like, “Well, don’t stop. We need all the help we can get.” There are these little moments like that that make these characters so specific and [to me], this is representation. Not being “this is what Islam is and this is what being Pakistani means.” It’s just having these little moments. My parents talk to me half in English, half in Urdu. They’re sprinkling in little words just like the Khan family does. It makes me feel seen, and I love that we have that in the film.

Yeah, absolutely. I think something special about Kamala is that kind of specificity, but that is universally appealing, because, ultimately, she is just a girl trying to fit in.

Vellani: Exactly. Aren’t we all?

Kamala gets her little Nick Fury in Iron Man moment at the end of the film, which had me so excited. It seems that this new team seems quite intriguing. Do you have a dream team, aside from Kate and now potentially Cassie, even someone who isn’t in the MCU yet?

Vellani: People really love these Young Avengers, but I don’t even know if they actually read those comics—not that they’re bad. The chemistry between Kamala, Miles [Morales], and Sam [Alexander], it’s too good. I would love to see that trio in the MCU. Neither of those characters exist yet in live action, but I’m praying for it. Yeah. I love Sam Alexander. One of their first interactions that they had. Also when Sam tried to reveal his identity and Kamala was like, “Get away from me.” I love it.

If there were a Ms. Marvel season two, which we are all hoping for, what is your favorite comic storyline that you would like to see done in live action next?

Vellani: Doc.X, I think. Gen Z and their phones, people love talking about that and just the impact that technology really does have on us. I think Doc.X is such a good villain to incorporate and act as the metaphor for how much content we’re consuming and the ways we use technology to ruin other people’s lives.

I think that could work so well in a college setting or even her senior year. I really want to see that storyline play out. And also, I think it’s one of the storylines where Kamala is just at her peak nerdiness. The comic also starts with her hosting a LAN party with all these other nerds, gaming. It’s so amazing, honestly. So I want to see more of that. I want to see gamer Kamala. I want to see her just fueling on bags of chips and pop. 

Speaking of comics, co-writing the first comic book run where Kamala is now a mutant is a big responsibility! I’m sure you were over the moon at the opportunity. Did you learn anything new about Kamala’s character?

Vellani: I honestly wanted to honor a lot of G. Willow Wilson’s original Ms. Marvel run. She does such a good job of painting the picture of who Kamala is right down from the very first frame of her smelling bacon at Circle Q, and I love it. I love how much personality she has. For me, I wanted the comic that I co-wrote to showcase why I love this character so much in this specific medium.

I love Kamala in the MCU, but I wanted people to see why she’s even cooler in the comics. I wanted to put her powers on full display, so me and my co-writer Sabir Pirzada, who is my favorite human to work with, were just like, “Okay, how crazy can we go with these powers? What kind of shapes can we come up with?”

These powers work so well and only in comics. You could do so much with it. And as long as the artist can draw it, the sky’s the limit. That was my main takeaway, and I think I found so many new things Kamala can do with her powers. It’s crazy. She uses her own body as a slingshot at one point. Her fingers elongate into spaghettis and they separate drones. It’s so weird and crazy. You couldn’t do that in live action. So yes, this was my love letter to her powers, I guess.

Now that you’ve written for Ms. Marvel, if you had the chance to write for any other superhero, who would it be?

Vellani: That’s tough. Maybe Deadpool, honestly. I think he’s a pretty fun character and I love reading his comics. He just comes to the top of my mind because I recently have been reading some Deadpool. But I love his humor, and honestly, when you read enough Deadpool comics, you can just mimic it and I feel like that would be really fun and put him in really strange situations.

Let’s hop back to The Marvels. As you talked about before, Kamala has a lot of people to rely on and it shows this emotional maturity that, say Carol or even Monica, can’t really get to. Could you tell me a little bit about how you portray that and what was most important to you in portraying her relationships to her family and friends especially?

Vellani: Kamala is very much the glue of the group in a lot of ways. She has so much more knowledge than them about superheroing. Even though she’s younger than all the rest of the characters, she’s still the most mature, still the most emotionally intelligent because she is such an observer. And I’m very glad for the way the movie is edited because it cuts back to Kamala just reacting and not speaking. There’s little moments where Monica slips up and calls Carol “Aunt Carol,” and you just have that one look from Kamala.

There’s a lot of moments like that and she realizes very quickly early on that she’s in between some really tense moments between Carol and Monica. They have years of history under their belt and yet she still doesn’t shy away from giving her opinion. She doesn’t shy away from making choices under pressure. A lot of the reason is because of her relationships, Kamala just feels like a character who understands what it is like to be human. She’s the epitome of humanity in my eyes. I think she’s the most human character in the MCU. I think she has so many relationships that ground her. I think her religion grounds her. The fact that she has both parents who are alive grounds her, and Carol just doesn’t have that. 

I think that quality just makes her a natural born leader in a lot of ways, which is why I would be so excited to see something like the Young Avengers come to fruition. There’s so much that so many characters can learn from her, and Carol definitely takes a lot of that from Kamala. Kamala teaches them about teamwork and about partnership because she’s researched all this. She reads comics, she writes fan fiction, she’s listening to Scott Lang’s podcast. So she’s so involved in the superhero of it all that sometimes she forgets that her heroes are also adults and they have lives and they’re human too. Carol and Monica teach her more about adulthood, and she teaches them about leadership and about teamwork. So it’s a good balance.

The scene in Aladna, with all the bright colors and set pieces, kind of reminded me of a Bollywood musical. We’ve seen Kamala go through some Bollywood-like scenes in the comics, but would that be something you would like Kamala to do in the MCU too? 

Vellani: I would like for Kamala to do it. I would not like to do it. They already had me dance twice in Ms. Marvel. I can’t move like that. No, I wish I could say I was the Madhuri Dixit of the MCU, but I’m really not. I don’t think I want to be. That seems like a lot, a lot of dance moves. But there are scenes from the comic where she is in Bollywood-esque numbers and stuff and I was like, “That would be fun for Kamala, if I’m thinking not selfishly.” I would love to see it. I’m a little scared of Bollywood. It feels very intimidating and a lot of pressure.

We have to talk about the end credit scene, it is groundbreaking for the MCU. Now that Kamala is already part of the X-Men in the comics, which member of the X-Men would you like to see her meet first?

Vellani: Wolverine. Wolverine any day. Personally, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is one of my favorite characters ever, but also her first mentor in the comics was Wolverine. I wanted to bring Wolverine back into this one. Hopefully, we can do that in the future. I think their interactions are so sweet and she brings out a different side of Logan and I love it when she just has all these superhero parents. It’s wonderful. He’s very protective over her and I think he’s also very real with her. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything and I think Kamala needs just a reality check sometimes. 

The post Iman Vellani on THE MARVELS, Writing MS. MARVEL Comics, and Her Hopes for Kamala Khan’s Future appeared first on Nerdist.

The Marvels is a planet-hopping, zany MCU outing that is held together by its leads: Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), and Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). While on the shorter side for MCU films, The Marvels develops the relationship between Carol, Kamala, and Monica in an engaging and natural manner. The film’s weak points come during its slightly rocky beginning and from the inevitable struggle it faces between its aims and the needs of the MCU’s broader world. 

Kamala Khan, Monica Rambeau, and Carol Danvers have not appeared together on screen before. The MCU, after all, introduced Kamala in Ms. Marvel in 2022, while it (re)introduced Monica in WandaVision in 2021. But director Nia DaCosta, and fellow writers Elissa Karasik and Megan McDonell, flesh out their dynamic very well. The relationships between the three leads are easily the most interesting parts of The Marvels‘ story. Kamala, Monica, and Carol are (literally) thrown together when a mistake from Carol’s past comes back to haunt her.

The trio then have to navigate not only their powers, which cause them to switch places with one other if used simultaneously, but also an entirely new relationship and team dynamic. Vellani, who has proven to be a joyous addition to the MCU, spends much of her screen time being the quintessential fangirl. But her character goes through an important journey as her confidence in her powers and herself grows. She realizes that even her idol, Captain Marvel, can make grave mistakes. 

While the science of it all is questionable (as is true for most MCU films), the three heroes being linked through their powers makes for a thoroughly entertaining experience. The conceit allows for some fast-paced, electric action scenes. And the extent to which The Marvels stretches and experiments with the idea feels quite entertaining. We also get to see the heroes actually learning and training to work with each other. As cool as it was to see the Avengers assemble in Avengers: Endgame, we never learned how they knew exactly how to fight together. But we do get to see that team-building phase here. DaCosta’s direction keeps the story moving quickly, but never so much as to lose the audience.

While Zawe Ashton’s villain Dar-Benn certainly has intriguing motivations, she ends up following in the path of most forgettable MCU villains. Ultimately, she has very little to work with in the script. Her naked hatred for Captain Marvel is clear, but there was more potential to explore her motivations as a leader of the Kree. 

Kamala Khan and her family have time to shine in The Marvels, which grounds the universe-threatening stakes to a teenager simply trying to make sure her family stays safe. We see Kamala promise over and over again to her mother, who is fiercely protective, that she is in good hands with Carol and Monica. The moments shared between Kamala and her mother are incredibly touching, just as they were in Ms. Marvel.

Meanwhile, Kamala’s father and brother bring some comedic relief in the form of their disbelief as they make some of this galactic journey along with Kamala. There are specifically some downright hilarious moments with Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury that, for me as a South Asian and Muslim, indicated that care was taken with the specificity of Kamala’s family’s culture and traditions in The Marvels. DaCosta also leans into the weirdness a comic book-inspired film can afford, and it brings an entertaining detour to the planet of Park Seo-Joon’s Prince Yan. The film is a wild ride, but it balances the humor and the emotional beats mostly well.

Monica and Carol also finally come to terms with how much time they lost in The Marvels, and how they plan to move on as a family that accepts each other, flaws and all. Parris and Larson are compelling to watch together. Additionally, Larson finally gets more to do in this film, as opposed to in her previous MCU appearances. This comes not just in terms of engaging with the actual plot, but also in the range of emotions the movie asks her to convey. We see cracks in Captain Marvel’s oh-so-confident demeanor, and they make her all the more interesting.

Parris also gets the opportunity to be more than just the scientist of the bunch. She has some strong emotional beats opposite Larson. However, where Monica Rambeau ends up at the conclusion of The Marvels feels like a calculated move to set up future MCU expansions, as opposed to something truly in favor of her character.

The movie’s climax spells out major consequences for the MCU as a whole. And The Marvels‘ end credits scene will absolutely send fans off to the races with their theories for where the MCU’s projects will go next. Crucially, though, this is where the film’s best parts—the relationships between Kamala, Carol, and Monica and the broader theme of the responsibility of a power like Captain Marvel’s—threaten to become overshadowed. 

The Marvels shines the most when it focuses on the central dynamic between Kamala, Carol, and Monica, as they figure out how to be a team together. While the villain may have been forgettable, she was a formidable test for the leads, and her actions will have sweeping consequences for the MCU as a whole. Overall, the film is an enjoyable journey through new parts of the MCU, along with some much-needed development for Captain Marvel, who finally has to face the consequences of her incredible power.

⭐ (4 of 5)

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I am a voracious reader and viewer of all things fantasy and science fiction. I love the feeling of escaping into magical and fantastical worlds, and seeing new and magical beings. One of my favorite worlds is Middle-earth. We’ve recently return to that world in The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s world-building is unmatched. So far The Rings of Power has shown many regions of Middle-earth, including Lindon and Khazad-dûm. The expansive journey through Middle-earth has brought something else new to Tolkien adaptations: people of color. 

This has ruffled some feathers. So-called fans have made their dislike of the series’ diversity perfectly clear. The people of color in the main cast, especially those who are Black, have received hateful comments since Prime Video announced their casting. Fans online have had to continuously defend the show and its more diverse cast. Then those fans have received harassment and hateful comments—all because they dared to exist in a space alongside white people. This harassment prompted the Rings of Power social media accounts to release a statement in solidarity with the show’s cast and crew. 

Unfortunately, this is an increasingly familiar pattern with fandoms online. Just last week, Disney released a teaser for the new live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Halle Bailey stars as Ariel. The teaser faced a ridiculous amount of backlash. People complained about how Ariel’s story came from Danish folklore so a Black woman shouldn’t play her.

When Disney announced Leah Jeffries would portray Annabeth Chase in the Disney+ adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, she faced an obscene amount of harassment and hate online. And she received those comments simply for playing a character that was written as white in the books. Rick Riordian, the writer of the original novels and executive producer for the series, swiftly released a statement in support of Jeffries. 

Moses Ingram played the Inquisitor Reva in Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Star Wars Disney+ series. She faced racist and sexist harassment on social media. Ingram even shared a video on her Instagram story showing the kinds of messages she received. John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran got a similar response. They both shared that they faced hateful comments throughout their tenures in the most recent trilogy.

This pattern continues with The Rings of Power. The show has markedly more people of color in its main cast than previous Tolkien adaptations. The “fans” who have bemoaned the diversity in the series continue to cite Tolkien wrote a world based on Medieval England. And apparently, there couldn’t possibly be Black or brown people in England at that time. Middle-earth features elves, dwarves, wizards, hobbits, and even dragons. Surely Black and brown people existing in it are not that far out of your imagination? Unless, of course, what these “fans” of Tolkien really mean is that, in their imagination, they don’t want any Black or brown people. 

Tolkien never really defined anyone’s skin color in the books, although he did often use “fair” to describe beauty. So, really, people don’t have any lore-based valid excuse for these complaints. Simon Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien’s grandson and director of the Tolkien estate, had involvement in the production of the series. Surely if he felt concerned about lore and respecting Tolkien’s legacy, he would have something to say about it.

Even if Tolkien didn’t imagine Middle-earth would include people of color (which is debatable), The Rings of Power is an adaptation. We actually don’t know a lot about the Second Age. The show had to work with only the Appendices of The Lord of the Rings. The adaptation features entirely original characters, too. The people complaining about Arondir, the one Black elf, don’t seem to have similar complaints about Nori Brandyfoot, a Harfoot, played by Markella Kavanaugh, who is white. I wonder why that is.

In every instance where I have seen so-called fans of a franchise shout the reasons why people of color or women are ruining the story because it is “not true to the source material”, I have always been confused. They seem to have an overblown sense of ownership over worlds that are not real and that they did not create. Fantasy is often a method of escape from our world. What these “fans” are really trying to say is that they want an escape from seeing people of color in their own life.

This reaction towards people of color on-screen is essentially telling fans of color and lovers of fantasy that we don’t belong. According to these “fans”, we don’t even belong in the worlds we take refuge in. Apparently they do not belong to us. It is also important to note that primarily Black cast members and fans have been targets of racist and sexist comments. 

If you can identify with an elf, but not a Black person, it is obvious you think only people who look a certain way deserve your empathy. I identified with Hermione and Annabeth and their overachieving natures, even though they were both white. Almost always, I’ve had to find some piece of myself in someone that didn’t look like me.

I first truly saw myself in a character when I was 13 years old, and it was a brown Muslim girl just like me. Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, made me realize that I had no idea what I had been missing this whole time. This is the case for many fans of color who can see people like them playing major roles in the stories they love. Instead, for many Tolkien fans, their joy at seeing people like them in Middle-earth has been dampened by having to constantly defend the fact that diversity exists in the series.

The point of fantasy is to push the limits of your imagination and give you a different perspective about your own world. That is what Tolkien intended. And if someone didn’t consider the possibility of Black elves, then The Rings of Power is doing just what he tried to do. Tolkien wrote about how true friendship carried a fellowship of different races through their journey to defeat the greatest evil of their time. He taught the value of humility, selflessness, persistence, and of courage in the face of the most formidable of foes. Perhaps these “fans” should look to emulate the lessons they should have learned from the story they claim to love so much.

People of color should not have to fight continuously to justify their existence in fandom, or in stories like those of Middle-earth. Fantasy does not belong to any one kind of person. In a world with dragons and Orcs and all kinds of creatures, anyone should be allowed to see themselves represented.

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When the first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law hit Disney+ on August 18, an almost instant wave of backlash hit the internet. Some people did not like the series explicitly discussing the very real challenges that women face in their careers and their lives as a consequence of the patriarchy. She-Hulk was also review-bombed online similarly to Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Eternals, and Ms. Marvel for having main characters that were not white, heterosexual men, and/or for discussing issues of racism and sexism.

But, some of the most egregious complaints are about the so-called rise of the “M-She-U,” in which women are apparently replacing men in the MCU. There may certainly be valid criticisms of She-Hulk; however, labeling the series “anti-man” or “woke” is really just thinly-veiled misogyny and fragile masculinity. Furthermore, when we look at the history of women in the MCU both in front of and behind the camera, calling the MCU the “M-She-U” is simply inaccurate.

The Beginnings of “M-She-U” Complaints and the Sacrifice of MCU Women

The complaints about the “M-She-U” from misogynistic fans goes back to Captain Marvel‘s release in 2019. Apparently, Carol Danvers was too “mean,” “overconfident,” and/or “powerful” for some people. And, the “M-She-U” chatter became more intense when, in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU women (excluding Black Widow… more on her in a bit) came together for this moment.

Somehow, this incredibly quick scene became the focus of much online furor over it being “forced,” as if the Avengers having the time to slowly assemble, take their cool positions, and wait for Captain America to say “Avengers… [dramatic pause]… Assemble” was not “forced” at all. But, because it is men, it is seen in a different light.

So, what is the history of women in the MCU? Let’s go back to the MCU’s original woman Avenger: Black Widow. We first met Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, in Iron Man 2. She might be the most consistently objectified character in the MCU. In that film, Tony Stark looks at her and says, “I want one.” He views her as if she’s nothing more than an object for purchase. This line’s problematic nature becomes even more stark considering Black Widow’s history.

Her training in the Red Room was to become General Dreykov’s weapon, essentially an object to fulfill the goals of a man. Natasha spends much of her MCU tenure in service to other characters. She finally gives Clint Barton his redemption after his stint as Ronin in Avengers: Endgame by sacrificing herself for the universe. After being crucial in the fight against Thanos, Natasha does not even get an on-screen funeral. (Years later, Ms. Marvel honors her memory via a tribute at Avengercon.) And, unlike her fellow Avengers who have their own lineup of solo films, Natasha only got one posthumous film.

Of course, Black Widow isn’t the only MCU character to face poor treatment. Recently, Jane Foster became the Mighty Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder only to die in the same movie to save Thor Odinson’s life. This is supremely disappointing considering promises to fans that Natalie Portman’s otherwise boring role as Thor’s love interest and damsel in distress would take an interesting turn.

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. The Scarlet Witch, sacrificed herself to destroy the Darkhold, after going on a rampage across universes to get her children back. And, in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Ying Li sacrificed herself to protect Shang-Chi and Xialing. There’s a clear pattern here and these examples are not even all the MCU women who have faced death in some way, often sacrificing themselves for other characters. (Honorable mentions to Ajak, Gamora, Aunt May, and Frigga). If a swath of these characters are dying to further someone’s growth or a plotline, then there is no “women taking over and leading everything” agenda, right? A true “M-She-U” would not have so many women characters facing these types of fates.

The Facts on MCU Women Characters and the Creatives Behind the Camera

That brings us back to She-Hulk. This show is only the fourth solo woman-led MCU property (not including ensemble-led films). And three out of those four properties feature white women: Captain Marvel, Black Widow, and She-Hulk. In June 2022, Ms. Marvel became the first MCU project—series or film—to be led by a woman of color. It also marks the first time that a woman of color, Bisha K. Ali, helmed a show in the MCU. That milestone comes 14 years after the release of Iron Man. At this point, Marvel Studios has 36 MCU projects so it is in fact not an “M-She-U” takeover.

And, when it comes to behind the scenes, only a handful of women are directing these stories. Ten to be exact, with only three women of color: Chloe Zao (Eternals), Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel), and Meera Menon (Ms. Marvel). The next will be Nia DaCosta, a Black woman, directing The Marvels, coming to theaters on July 28, 2023. In comparison, all 11 films in Phases 1 and 2 of the MCU had white male directors and writers.

The Women-led Series of the Future Still Doesn’t Equal an “M-She-U”

Phase 5 promises a few women-led series and films, including Ironheart, Echo, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and The Marvels. Notably, many of these MCU projects featuring women of color in lead roles (not in ensembles) are not theatrical releases. (Although Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may be the first, depending on who takes up the Black Panther mantle.) And, of course, Phase 5 and beyond has no shortage of films and shows with male leading characters. There have certainly been improvements in women’s portrayals in the MCU; however, there still is a significant gap to overcome with some marginalized characters and their portrayals.

A recent example of this was America Chavez. In the comics, she’s Afro-Latina and a lesbian. While her ethnic identity is never known, a Puerto Rican family adopts her. The casting of Xochitl Gomez, a Mexican American actress, as Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did raise concerns with many fans hoping for an Afro-Latina actress of Puerto Rican descent. But an even bigger problem was the film’s reduction of America Chavez to a mostly helpless girl with no control of her powers. The spunky, bold America Chavez of the comics did not fully come to fruition on-screen despite Gomez’s endearing performance. There’s also the rather perplexing journey that Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel went on with believing she was a djinn, veering into Orientalist trope territory of associating Muslims with mysticism.

Monica Rambeau, a Black woman character whom we met in WandaVision, took bullets for Wanda’s children. And she became a nonfactor in the series finale despite being a key player in previous episodes. Thor: Love and Thunder did not give Valkyrie, who is bisexual, any sort of romantic tie. In fact, she barely did anything in the film. Meanwhile, Thor and Jane’s romantic reunion and relationship took center stage. In summary, the MCU still generally compromises stories about its women of color and shies away from pushing boundaries on discussions of racism, sexism, and homophobia.

The Bottom Line of the “M-She-U” Chatter

When the MCU does address real world issues that affect women, like it does in She-Hulk, the “M-She-U” crew gets upset without a valid reason. Jen Walters’ minute-long explanation that, as a woman, she regularly faces misogyny in the workplace and in her life in general so she knows how to control her emotions, became the center of backlash from those who see it as an attack on their own toxic masculinity. How dare a woman lead a show and speak candidly on her experiences that many women agree with?! This discussion of the challenges women regularly face as a result of the patriarchal world we live in was long overdue in a universe where women characters are either on the sideline and/or face ridiculous sexualization.

The real discomfort isn’t from women taking over the MCU. It is with women existing and having significant space on-screen to tell their stories. If there are any complaints to be made about women in the MCU, it is that there are too few who do not ultimately end up serving the male characters’ storylines, being sidelined in favor of white characters (specifically women of color), and/or suffer from poor development and writing. There isn’t an “M-She-U,” but to balance out the history of the MCU’s mishandling of women characters, perhaps there should be one. 

The post There Is No ‘M-She-U’… But Maybe There Should Be appeared first on Nerdist.

Middle-earth will return to our screens in the much-anticipated new series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The show is based in the Second Age, about which most long-time and newer Tolkien fans know little, since most of Tolkien’s work stems from the Third Age ( as seen in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings films) or the First Age (The Silmarillion). (Thankfully, we have a Second Age explainer to get viewers up to speed!) The Rings of Power explores completely new territory, bringing in new characters, showing us new aspects of existing characters, and tying some characters to other people we already know. Here’s what you need to know about the new (and reintroduced) main players in The Rings of Power.

The New Characters in The Rings of Power:

Prince Durin IV

Durin IV is one of Durin’s folk. Durin I was one of the Seven Fathers of his race, and he was known as Durin the Deathless because of his long lifespan. And Durin III was one of the dwarves to receive a Ring of Power. Durin IV is a Prince of Khazad-Dûm, which is flourishing in the Second Age. We have only heard of Khazad-Dûm’s glory in passing in both the books and in the movie adaptations, but we will now get to see it in all its splendor in The Rings of Power. 

Played by: Owain Arthur

Princess Disa

Princess Disa is Prince Durin IV’s wife, a mother, and a leader in her own right. Disa and her husband are key to the events happening in Khazad-Dûm in its golden age. In their positions of power, Durin IV and Disa lead their people amidst this time. Sophia Nonmvete is the first woman of color to play a dwarf in any Lord of the Rings adaptations. 

Played by: Sophia Nomvete

Arondir

Arondir is a new character made for the show. He is a Silvan elf and a soldier sent to watch over the people of the Southlands. He is an outsider amongst his own people, and falls for a human, Bronwyn, in a forbidden romance. Arondir is played by Ismael Cruz Cordova, who will be the first person of color to play an elf in any Tolkien adaptation. 

Played by: Ismael Cruz Cordova

Bronwyn

Bronwyn is also a new character created for the show, a native from the Southlands. Not much has been described in the texts by Tolkien about the Southlands, so this will literally be new territory for the show to explore. She is a healer, and a single mother. Her son Theo, a teenager, is firmly against her being with Arondir, reflecting the prejudices their people have of each other. 

Played by: Nazanin Boniadi

Halbrand

Halbrand is a character we know little about so far. He and Galadriel are stranded together in the sea at some point in the series, as indicated by the teasers, and are bonded by their near-death experience. He is human, but there has not been much elaboration about his past and who he is before he meets Galadriel in the trailers or in interviews with the actor who portrays him, Charlie Vickers.

Played by: Charlie Vickers

Nori Brandyfoot and Poppy Proudfoot

Nori Brandyfoot and Poppy Proudfoots are Harfoots, indicated to be ancestors of the Hobbits. Hobbits do not exist in the Second Age, but the Harfoots are their ancestors who are a nomadic community. They wander Middle-earth in search of a home, but are yet to find one, which gives them a key difference from the Hobbits in the Third Age. Not much has been revealed about either character so far, but as has been shown in one of the teasers, Nori and Poppy do chance upon a meteor and find a mysterious man in its debris, so both will definitely have important roles to play.

Played by: Markella Kavanaugh and Megan Richards (respectively)

Sadoc Burrows

The leader of the Harfoots, Sadoc watches over his followers and keeps an eye out for trouble. He will provide a mix of comedic relief along with bravery to this world.

Played by: Sir Lenny Henry

Queen Regent Míriel

Míriel is a Queen Regent of Númenor, and is leading Númenor in a moment of change. The kingdom is at the height of its power, and Míriel is trying to lead her people and maintain the peace while her father is ill and she has to rule in his place. The Númenoreans are divided as to how they should continue to respond to the Ban of the Valar, which restricts them from traveling to the Undying Lands, although they do have elven ancestry. 

Played by: Cynthia Addai-Robinson

Pharazôn

Pharazôn is Míriel’s cousin and right-hand man and is one of her most trusted advisors. They both are trying to ensure their kingdom remains at peace while factions form in the kingdom. Pharazon goes down in history as the last king of Númenor, but in the series, he is a retired seafarer, and has the ear of Míriel and the people of Númenor.

Played by: Trystan Gravelle

The Rings of Power Characters We Have Seen Before:

Galadriel

Morfydd Clark plays a younger Galadriel in The Rings of Power, who at this point has seen the horrors of the First Age, and wants peace in the Second. She previously appeared in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit‘s films, including The Fellowship of the Ring, then played by Cate Blanchett. We don’t have a ton of information yet but we do know that Galadriel is not yet the leader of Lothlorien. Galadriel is hunting down the last of the remaining collaborators of the wicked god Morgoth, who was defeated in the First Age. She has spent a thousand years hunting down this elusive evil, as Sauron still lies dormant, but not fully defeated. 

Played by: Morfydd Clark

Elrond

Robert Aramayo is Elrond, formerly played by Hugo Weaving in the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings trilogy, the future leader of Rivendell. At this point, Elrond, an architect and politician, has yet to become the leader of Rivendell, but certainly has high political ambitions. He is struggling to deal with his past and the horrors he has seen in the First Age. He is the brother of Elros, the first king of Númenor, and is Herald to Gil-Galad, the King of Lindon, the elven kingdom where Elrond resides, and he seeks to prove himself worthy of his family and of his role in Lindon.  

Played by: Robert Aramayo

Gil-Galad

Gil-Galad is High King of Lindon and one of the elves who chose to remain in Middle-earth rather than leaving for the Undying Lands at the end of the First Age. He made a previous appearance in The Fellowship of the Ring, then played by Mark Ferguson. In Lindon, he establishes a kingdom along with the help of Elrond. Gil-Galad remains doubtful of the peace that reigns in the beginning of the Second Age, similar to Galadriel.

Played by: Benjamin Walker

The Rings of Power Characters Who Are Connected to Other Tolkien Adaptations:

Isildur

Isildur is the ancestor of Aragorn, who we know from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Aragorn is heir to Isildur as the King of Gondor; however, Isildur in this series is far from becoming the Isildur of legend. In The Rings of Power, we see him as an aspiring sea captain, forced to follow in the footsteps of his father, Elendil. Isildur is trying to find his place, but has yet to become the man who defeated Sauron at the end of the Second Age. 

Played by: Maxim Baldry

Celebrimbor

Celebrimbor is a forger, the very same one who forged the Rings of Power. This is a momentous event which we will eventually see in the series. He was manipulated by the Dark Lord Sauron in disguise to forge the Rings, which would eventually be tied to the One Ring, which gave Sauron his formidable power. Celebrimbor was responsible for forging the three Rings given to the Elves, as we saw in the prologue for The Fellowship of the Ring. He is the leader of Eregion, another Elven kingdom of Middle-earth, close to Khazad-Dûm. Celebrimbor plays a key role in the events of the series and Middle-earth throughout its ages, but curiously little was written about him. Now, we will have a more fleshed-out version of the character.

Played by: Charles Edwards

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will hit Prime Video with its first two episodes on September 1 for US and Brazilian fans. Others around the world will be able to travel to Middle-earth on September 2.

The post A Guide to THE RINGS OF POWER’s Main Characters appeared first on Nerdist.

Ms. Marvel’s finale brought Kamala Khan’s origin story to a close, revealing that Kamala is a mutant, which bodes big consequences for the future of the MCU. And we saw Kamala’s first outing in her superhero suit, made with love by her mother. The show brought the first Muslim superhero in the MCU to our screens with a writers’ room full of Muslim and South Asian writers led by showrunner Bisha K. Ali. She’s no stranger to the MCU after working on Loki as well as popular shows like Sex Education. Nerdist spoke to Bisha K. Ali about Kamala’s journey in Ms. Marvel, the impact of Partition, and the importance of specificity in representation on-screen.

Nerdist: It’s been such a journey for Kamala throughout the series. She went from believing that the bangle gave her powers, to believing she’s a Djinn and now a mutant. What was the motivation behind taking her through so many different moments of self-discovery?

Bisha K. Ali: That’s exactly it. The word that you put there was self-discovery, and that’s exactly her journey. That’s the whole arc of the show: she’s discovering who she is as an individual. Part of that is the stories that we believe about ourselves, and, especially for someone from [mine and Kamala’s] shared background, [part of that] is the things that people want to believe about you and the things that people say about you, the things that your own family might tell you about who you are, or [even] the stories they don’t know about who you are. The heart of this story is so much about the stories we tell ourselves, and the stories we believe about ourselves, and the way we speak about each other. That ties up incredibly deeply with [the questions] “What are her powers?”, “Where are they from?”, and “What makes her who she is?”

That’s why we were moving through these different spaces. “Am I the worst possible thing I could imagine?” which is very much episode three when she hears the word Djinn. There’s nothing worse [for] someone from Kamala’s background to hear. That’s what knocks her off her track emotionally, where she says, “Well, I can’t be the superhero.” That’s because she just heard that word, which is just unfathomably bad for her. She’s looking outside for answers all the time. It’s only when she goes back into her own past when she [understands] “It doesn’t matter what I am, because really my power comes from these four generations of women.” That’s why we’re kind of going through this journey with her. 

The show has been lauded for its specificity in representation of Muslim and Pakistani communities. But there’s also often pressure to be representative of a community while trying to appeal to a wider audience. Did you feel that pressure? Do you think you were able to balance it effectively?

I don’t really know how to do something that’s really general. If they wanted that they should have hired someone else! That’s not really my approach and never has been in any of my work previously. I feel stumped at the idea of having to represent a billion plus people. What does that look like? I kind of get a bit confused when people say, “It’s good representation. It’s not perfect.” I’m like, “Okay, I’m excited to see the example of perfect representation that you’re talking about.” But the idea of specificity is the core of what I do and what I’m excited by and certainly what my writers are excited by. Can we go as specific as possible into what this family’s life might be?

Some people will connect to some of it. Some people will connect to none of it. Some people connect to layers of specificity. If you’re with us on the journey of who this character is because you have the ability to empathize with a human that isn’t yourself, then I think you’re willing to go on that journey and see different things that are exciting and interesting.

Whether you are personally from whatever kind of intersection you share with Kamala, you might be able to pick up something different at different layers. For me, it was always about specificity, always about leaning into specificity. I don’t know that this idea of representation that one story is going to represent a billion plus people is possible. If anything, that really feels tokenizing to me and I refuse to be tokenized. For me, it was always about being as specific as possible and [go] along for the ride and meet this character that we all love.

What was most important for you to show about Kamala and her identity?

In terms of her identity, something that I haven’t seen as much before and that was really kind of the heart of this—I do think I can speak for all of the writers when I say this—is it was all coming from a place of love and from celebration. I feel like she’s got conflict with her parents, but that’s not about any idea of oppression from them. That’s not really what it’s about.  I don’t think we’re even hinting that that’s what it’s about. So for us, what was really vital from the start, and certainly for me from the start was [that] this is about celebrating her community, celebrating her family, and showing that they’re a literal part of herself by the end of this journey.

In the final episode, whatever she goes off to do in the MCU, she’s literally wearing the love of everybody in her community on her, as she goes out in her name, in her mask from Bruno [who is] her found family and in the scarf from the Red Daggers, another family that she’s joined and in the outfit that her mother’s made for her with definitely some input from Sana Nani as well. All of those elements combined, her family and her community, and who they are is her superpower. That’s really, really important to us. What was most important for us was that celebration and that love for all of this. I think that really comes through in the show.

Definitely. I loved seeing the wedding and everything. I was so happy just seeing all of that. In adapting Kamala’s origin story from the comics and that exploration of her identity, what was most important for you to hold onto and carry over to the show?

Really the characterization, I would say. A lot of the characters are our version of the characters, certainly. But a lot of the characterization. The comic book doesn’t act like she’s oppressed. The comic book itself is very much about this family and how much love they have for each other too, we’re just leaning into it more for television purposes. Adaptation is adaptation for a reason they’re completely different mediums. I love the comic books.

Another element that we wanted to bring to life was just how vibrant and whimsical the comic books are. I think you can really see that in the show, that’s how Kamala sees the world. We really, from the beginning, wanted to be inside of Kamala’s head. We wanted to be inside of her psychology and you can see that from [the beginning]. We’re so into her because not only is Iman [Vellani] an incredible actor, but also we’re seeing her world brought to life through her eyes from the beginning all the way to the end. That was something that was really rooted in and inspired by the comics.

Why did you decide to include Partition in Ms. Marvel? Were you confident in handling it sensitively, but also not let it overshadow Kamala’s own story?

Bisha K. Ali: I think it is Kamala’s story. It’s inherently part of Kamala’s story because it affects every generation of her family so it inherently affects her. I think that there’s like a two page spread in the comics (Ms. Marvel (2015) #8) that mentions Partition, but obviously we’ve gone much further than that. We actually discovered that two-page spread and remembered it as we were already discussing Partition in the writers’ room because it felt so important and vital to all of us.

I think the way that we’ve approached it with such reverence, and with care, and with respect is firstly because of our intention, which we said at the beginning. and I’m very intentions-based. I’m obsessed with the idea of niyat (the Islamic concept of setting right intentions before beginning something). My mom was always really strong on niyat and [asked], what are your intentions? So I think about niyat a lot when it comes to the show.

[Secondly] there’s the fact that in our writers’ room, we had so many people whose families were also affected by Partition. We all felt this deeply and we’re all investigating this deeply within ourselves in real-time. There’s a real bravery and a vulnerability and I have so much pride in my writers’ room for engaging in this. I think it was very brave of them to trust me with it. It was very brave of all of us to trust Marvel with it. I think it’s not about overshadowing her story. It literally is [Kamala’s] story and it’s a story of us writers in the writers’ room too. I also think that [with] the team that we brought on to bring it to life, every single person knew how important it was and how we had to respect this.

For example, we had Fatimah Asghar in our writer’s room who wrote episode five in particular. She has spent so much of her life working and thinking about Partition. It became a no-brainer in terms of the discussions we were having and in terms of how much reverence and respect [she has] and how knowledgeable she is.

Then add to the mix that the director that we brought on board was Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and she’s done decades of work on Partition as well. That certainly gave me a lot of confidence. There’s no way I could have done that alone. I don’t think anyone could do that alone. But this super team of people who are approaching it from a place of compassion, and approaching it with the same amount of reverence, and the same amount of respect, gave me confidence.

Along with the Partition storyline, there was definitely a lot of focus on intergenerational relationships between mothers and daughters. Why was it important to you to focus on those relationships?

Hmm, good question. I don’t know why it was important. It just felt right. I think about Pakistani women and how we get represented in the media. I think, “What does that look like and what do I want it to look like?” I also think the relationship with [Kamala’s] mother is so complicated. I think as a teenager, basically a teenager or as a young adult, you end up going through this evolution of seeing your parents slightly differently. Muneeba, even to the audience, because we’re starting from Kamala’s point of view, we see Muneeba as a mother. As time goes on, you also see Muneeba as a daughter. Then you eventually start to see Sana as a mother and Sana also as a daughter. 

We are more than just mothers, we are more than sisters, there’s more to us. There’s a wholeness to all of us. That felt like something really important to explore. The fact that her powers come from this awesome line of women was so important to us to put on-screen and was so important a story to all of us personally. I think the root of who she is is this family.

Was there anything that didn’t make it to the final product of the show that you wished was there?

Oh, like a million things, but that’s just because I’m always coming up with a billion things. Listen, if I could have had like 60 episodes, I would’ve done 60 episodes.

We would’ve watched them.

Thank you! You say that now. Careful what you wish for! I have to say I’m so proud of the show in terms of how much we got across in a short space of time and the kind of representation we did get to do. I know I just spent the first 10 minutes [of the interview complaining] about representation and the limitations of that. [Ms. Marvel] is just something that feels hopeful and that feels beautiful and I’m so proud that we were able to create that.

I think that’s the legacy of the show is that hopefulness and that optimism, that celebration. In terms of those things, in terms of my goals, for what the show was, I think mission accomplished. But in terms of, “Oh, wouldn’t it have been fun to do this?” Do I want a Red Dagger spinoff in my heart? Of course I do. There’s a million things I want to do, but my brain is always going.

Was there a favorite cultural or religious reference that you guys included in the show? There were a lot, definitely.

There’s a lot.

Is there anything in particular that stood out?

I don’t even know where to start! What’s interesting is it’s like the idea of us including it almost feels like a deliberate act. What else are we going to write? This is us! It felt so natural that I’m like, “What do you mean by ‘include?’ This is what happens because we would do that. That’s what we imagine.” It’s so interesting hearing that. It’s not just you, a lot of people kind of asked those questions, like crafting those moments in. I’m like, “No, we just do it. That’s just who we are.” I think watching it back, one tiny, small thing that I think about a lot is me, Fatimah, Sabir, and Aisha were talking about. [Kamala] has her mom worried that there’s nazar (evil eye) on her and that’s why she’s passed out at the table rather than she’s had this vision.

That was always something that we were really excited about talking about. “Oh, what did your mom do when you felt bad?” We were having those conversations in the room. I also really loved a very small detail [of] her mother putting kajal on her when they’re having that conversation before Eid. Small things like that that I don’t think anyone’s even picked up on. But that’s such a specific thing and experience that I really I’m so glad [about] the tiny pieces along the way. [I also was excited about] saying “Allah-u-Akbar” in celebration. Having that on screen, and being a joyful moment. I also think Aamir is a whole vibe. I’m into Aamir, man. [I love] the fact that he’s always in salwar kameez every time we see him. That’s straight from the comics as well. So yeah, just all of it.

I don’t know how much you’ve been seeing the reactions from people, but have you had any favorite ones so far? Or anything interesting that stood out from how people reacted to the show?

I love that people are really proud of catching the fact that Hameed who climbs the tower is the shoe thief. I’m like, “Yeah guys, we couldn’t have made it more obvious.” I really enjoyed that. I loved the people that are responding to the Illumin-Aunties, which kind of goes beyond the Muslim and South Asian community. It really seems to be that every immigrant community is like, “Yep. We have the Illumin-Aunties,” which is great. Sabir Pirzada is the one who coined the term Illumin-Aunties. I guess the thing that’s really personal to me is we’ve seen some tweets of young people saying that, “Oh, this had me open up a conversation with my parents about their parents and their parents.”

For me personally it has a very big impact emotionally. I feel quite moved by that when I see it and that feels very gratifying. But yeah, I love some of the stuff that people are catching and are excited to see. Both MCU connected, both culturally and on all these different levels. 

Who in the MCU would you like Kamala to meet next?

In Bisha Fantasyland? I feel like any answer I gave could get me in trouble. I’m not going to answer that question respectfully. Actually, I’d love for her to meet the Hulk in Bisha Fantasyland. That seems like a safe thing to say in my dreams.

All episodes of Ms. Marvel are currently available on Disney+.

Featured Image: Linda Kupo/Marvel Studios

The post MS. MARVEL’s Bisha K. Ali on Partition, Representation, and Hopes for a Red Dagger Spinoff appeared first on Nerdist.

Ms. Marvel gave fans an origin story for Kamala Khan, the first Muslim superhero in the MCU. Throughout the show’s six episodes, we meet her friends, family, and community and witness her relationships with all of them. Thankfully, Ms. Marvel broke away from many harmful and frankly inaccurate Muslim and Pakistani stereotypes to provide a story that gets representation right. 

Muslim Women, Islamic Faith, and Compassion

Media often portrays Muslim women as oppressed by their religion and struggling with their identity. One of the most prevalent examples of this stereotype is the Muslim hijabi girl or woman whose oppression is symbolized by her hijab, which we see in shows like Elite and Bodyguard. Nakia, who is hijabi, is secure in herself with the hijab, not in spite of it. And Kamala is very secure in who she is, too. She is not shown to be chafing under “oppressive” religious beliefs or practices. In Ms. Marvel, Kamala’s religion is present; however, it’s not a source of inner turmoil or struggle. Instead, it is simply a part of her identity.

In addition to stereotypes about Muslim women, there is the tired trope of Islam being associated with extremism. Ms. Marvel avoids this quite well through its characters. Aamir, Kamala’s brother, expresses dedication to his faith from his very first appearance when he’s making dua (prayer). His faith is a part of who he is as a kind, loving man. And just because it’s a big part of his identity, it doesn’t mean he’s more prone to extremist acts than anyone else.

As a matter of fact, the show subverts this stereotype from top-down in the mosque community. Sheikh Abdullah, the imam (leader) of the mosque, is actually rather normal. And why wouldn’t he be? He is wise, compassionate, and truly concerned with the well-being of Kamala and his community. Islam is a religion with compassion at its foundation. Sheikh Abdullah exemplifies this through letting Kamran and Bruno seek refuge in the mosque. He even goes so far as to stall for them in the face of federal agents walking in to find the two fugitives. (And the agents have the nerve to be disrespectful by not removing their shoes!)

Although Sheikh Abdullah’s screen time is brief, his presence helps give more depth to the show’s Muslim representation. In fact, he delivers the line that informs so much of Kamala’s journey: “Good is not a thing you are, it is a thing you do.”

The Joyful Meaning of Allah-u-Akbar

Aamir and Tyesha’s wedding is one of the moments that stood out most in Ms. Marvel in terms of positive representation. The event where the happy couple says their I do’s is called the nikah. It is where the couple declares their acceptance of each other as spouses three times. Tyesha and Aamir enthusiastically accept each other, and Sheikh Abdullah calls for “takbir.” (Takbir is the name for the phrase “Allah-u-Akbar.”) In response, Tyesha and Aamir’s loved ones joyously exclaim “Allah-u-Akbar!” Their joy at the event is palpable, as the shot centers on Kamala herself, saying “Allah-u-Akbar” while the crowd erupts into applause.

“Allah-u-Akbar,” meaning “God is greater,” unfortunately does not get joyful representation on television. Western media almost always associates the phrase with acts of terrorism, especially after 9/11. This falls in line with the stereotypes around Muslims and extremism. To see it proclaimed with such joy and celebration was such a delight. Muslims use the phrase “Allah-u-Akbar” regularly in our prayers five times a day.

I have been a part of ceremonies where “Allah-u-Akbar” is said equally joyously. But to hear it in Ms. Marvel while knowing the history of how media often portrays the phrase was a welcome surprise. There have been many steps towards better representation for Muslim superheroes, like Young Justice and Legends of Tomorrow (RIP), and of normal Muslims with shows like Ramy and We are Lady Parts, that portray Muslims as complex people rather than one-dimensional characters. But seeing Ms. Marvel‘s reclamation of the phrase that we Muslims use regularly meant so much to me.

Muslim Characters in Major Roles and Community Support

There were also multiple Muslim characters who had major roles. This a vast improvement from how TV shows and films have represented Muslims before. In fact, the characters pass the Riz test (a Bechdel test for Muslim characters inspired by Riz Ahmed) with flying colors, and invite more nuance to it too. Each character in the main cast is complex and comfortable in their identity. Ms. Marvel centers on Kamala, her family, and her community.

It portrays a Muslim community that is close-knit and supportive of each other. As a matter of fact, in a particularly emotional scene from the finale, Kamala’s entire community shows up to protect her from Damage Control agents. In the show, the Marvel organization serves as rather pointed commentary (that is too much at some points) on the surveillance and targeting of Muslims by the U.S. government after 9/11. This moment exemplifies the importance of community in Kamala’s life.

The Small Moments Resonate, Too

The nikah scene exemplified Ms. Marvel’s steps towards much better representation than the fanatical terrorist or oppressed woman. But, there were many other smaller touches throughout the show that felt true to me and like a breath of fresh air. I was also taught to always say “Bismillah” (“In the Name of God”) before starting the car, no matter how short the journey. I know how much you have to rush to do wudu (the practice of cleaning yourself before prayer) when you are late to prayer. 

The Muslims in Ms. Marvel are comfortable in themselves, just like my family and community. They have such joy in being with each other along with more diversity than we usually see with Muslims on-screen. Tyesha is a Black Muslim revert. While I would have loved to see more of her, I do appreciate her being a part of the main cast and the love she shares with Aamir.

Credit is certainly due to the Muslim creatives. They imbued the show with so many small things that are normal for all of us, but have so rarely been portrayed in entertainment. In a particularly impressive catch, TikToker @watchwithneebz notes that there were 99 title cards throughout the series, and there are 99 names of Allah in Islam. At some points the show did fall flat, especially with the djinn storyline; however, the care put into portraying Islam as simply a part of Kamala’s life is excellent. It ranges from the big things like the wedding to the smaller touches like saying “Bismillah” before starting the car.

Representation on-screen is absolutely not be the only way we create change. But when I first read Ms. Marvel comics seven years ago, Kamala inspired me to search for more stories like mine. Seeing Kamala inspired me to write, as I am doing now, so that others can see themselves in stories as I did. I hope Ms. Marvel can mean something similar for other Muslim girls. And hopefully Ms. Marvel is a signal of change in Muslim representation in TV and film—and in the MCU—that has been a long time coming.

The post MS. MARVEL Gets Muslim Representation Right appeared first on Nerdist.

In the Ms. Marvel comics, Kamala Khan has a specific set of powers. She can shape her body at will. She can flatten herself to be paper thin to sneak into the smallest crevices. Or make her fist the size of a small car. In the Ms. Marvel TV series, however, Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel powers seem to have been changed from the comics. At this point, Kamala Khan exhibits a power set similar to Captain Marvel with some tenets of her comic powers. The light that emanates from Kamala can be hardened and shaped to look like elongated limbs or enlarged fists. So, why did Kamala Khan’s comic powers change for the Ms. Marvel show? Let’s take a deeper look at the powers of Ms. Marvel in both the comics and the TV show for answers.

How Ms. Marvel Got Her Comic Powers

So how did Ms. Marvel get her powers in the first place? In Ms. Marvel (2014) #1, Kamala Khan was on her way back from a party she snuck out to attend. A strange green Terrigen mist surrounded her, turning her into Ms. Marvel… or at least the white and blond with blue eyes version that she desired to be. The Terrigen mist transformation happened because she’s an Inhuman, one of a race of humans with Kree (alien) blood who frequently had special abilities. This is the beginning of her dream superhero journey after being an Avengers fan for years. 

Kamala’s powers in the comics were integral to her exploration of her identity. As she became more familiar with her rather freaky-looking powers, she also became secure and confident in being herself.

Ms. Marvel and Her Early TV Show Powers

In the MCU, Ms. Marvel gets her powers a little differently. During Ms. Marvel‘s first episode, we see Kamala find a bangle that belonged to her nani (grandmother). After adding it to her Captain Marvel cosplay at AvengersCon, Kamala Khan’s eyes glow and she ends up causing quite the onstage spectacle. So far in the Ms. Marvel TV series, Kamala’s MCU powers include shooting out almost crystal-like formations and enlarging parts of her body when necessary. Of course, this is all quite shocking to Kamala and her bestie Bruno.

In the show’s second episode “Crushed,” we learn a little bit more about why Kamala’s family history is something Muneeba wants to hide. Yusuf tells the story of Muneeba’s mother, who followed a “trail of stars” back to her father after she got lost on the train to Pakistan after Partition. Apart from changing the origins of Kamala’s powers from her being an Inhuman, the series drew a connection between her powers and the events of Partition, and how they triggered a change in Muneeba’s grandmother Aisha.

So, Kamala’s powers are still connected to her identity but through her heritage. And it was heavily influenced by what her family went through during Partition when Kamala went back in time and helped guide Sana to her father. We also get to see a bit more of how her powers work. She can use her light to make hard stepping stones to run/jump across as well as bridge-like structures. And, she adorably calls it “hard light.”

Who Are the Djinn and How Do They Connect to Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel?

Episode three really shows us what Ms. Marvel can do with her fledgling powers. And we learn a bit more about her great-grandmother’s past. It turns out Aisha as well as Kamran’s mother Najma (and a few of their associates) were from another dimension and wanted to use the bangle’s powers to get home back in the 1940s. They are called many names, but commonly known as the Clandestine in the Noor dimension and the djinn. In the Marvel Comics, the Clan Destine are a group of superpowered beings who were descendants of a djinn. It’s not clear now much the show will lean into that but it is a light reference at best.

According to Kamala’s dad, the djinn (also spelled jinn) are “supernatural beings of pre-Islamic folklore.” The djinn are sometimes called genies while others are demons. There is a legend of a group of hidden djinn who were exiled from their home and made to spend their days in our dimension. They move in shadows looking for the key—a primordial power—to get them home. Well, that’s certainly Najma and her associates, the djinn group who appears to be the villains in Ms. Marvel. (At least, for now.) And Kamala is in possession of the key.

When Kamala put the bangle on, the djinn sensed the presence of Noor (“light”) and found her. So, what happened to the other bangle? Right now, we don’t know. Anyway, we find out that while Kamran is protective over Kamala, his family is willing to risk her life to use the bangle for interdimensional travel. They burst into her brother’s wedding and we see Kamala work with her powers, punching and light stepping her way to safety. It looks like trouble surrounds our lovely girl.

Kamala uncovers more about her powers during a trip to visit her nani, including realizing that she is not djinn. And her battle with the ClanDestine ends there with her coming out victorious. But Kamran’s pretty angry about his mother dying and very unsure of his place in the world with his newfound powers. We also get to see Kamala “embiggen” in the finale, which was a ton of fun.

Ms. Marvel and Its Revelation that Kamala Khan Is a Mutant

In the end of episode six, there is another big reveal: Kamala is a mutant! Bruno says Kamala has a mutation in her genes, and we hear the iconic X-Men ‘97 animated series theme play in the background. After having been told that she is part djinn through her relation to Aisha, who was a Clandestine, Kamala finds out that she is in fact a mutant, in a very unexpected twist.

It appears that Kamala is definitely not an Inhuman then, but now is a mutant. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness brought back Sir Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier a.k.a. Professor X, the founder of the X-Men, albeit in another universe, so this could be the beginning of the X-Men finally being a part of the MCU. However, considering Black Bolt, the king of the Inhumans, also appeared in Doctor Strange 2, it’s curious that Kamala was made a mutant rather than an Inhuman.

Why Did Kamala Khan’s Powers Change for the MCU’s Ms. Marvel?

There was speculation that the change in Ms. Marvel’s powers is because of their similarity to Mr. Fantastic, a.k.a. Reed Richards, and his body shifting abilities. But Sana Amanat, a co-creator of the character and Ms. Marvel TV producer, sort of debunks this common thought in an interview with The Direct.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” said Amanat. “I don’t think so. I mean, from my understanding, it was kind of linked to the type of story that we wanted to tell with Kamala, and not only linkage to other MCU events, but also to the sense of history that she has and the relationship to her family, linking the powers to her family’s past. I think that was really the bigger idea.”

Additionally, Kevin Feige (President of Marvel Studios) told Empire that Kamala Khan’s powers will be connected to her heritage. The combination of Kamala’s heritage and link to bigger stories in the Marvel universe makes sense. Kamala is a huge fan of Captain Marvel in both the comics and the TV show. And her next MCU appearance will be in The Marvels, along with Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel and Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau. Having some connective tissue between Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel while still allowing this new hero to lean into her heritage was an overall good approach, even though the journey to get there with the djinn stuff was convoluted.

Fans were apprehensive about how the MCU will handle Kamala’s powers and the exploration of her identity. But, the show did lean into Kamala’s connection with the women in her family as she uncovered more about her maternal lineage. And she became a hero in her own distinct right.

One of comic Kamala’s most heroic choices was to be herself instead of the blond-haired, blue-eyed Captain Marvel she tirelessly admired. And, in the TV show, Ms. Marvel’s big choice involves embracing her heritage to understand the source of her MCU powers… and herself. She learns about family and leans into a community who supports a remarkable brown girl with powers. A pretty powerful story in more ways than one, right?

Originally published on June 8, 2022.

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Ms. Marvel‘s fourth episode ended with quite the cliffhanger. Our hero Kamala was in the midst of a crowd trying to make it on to the last train to Karachi during Partition in 1947, after India gained its independence from the British. The show has been dropping small bits of information about Partition throughout its narrative. But, in episode five, viewers finally got a first hand look into what happened during this time. However, there are many people who may not fully understand this pivotal and painful event and how well it plays into Ms. Marvel‘s storyline. So, let’s talk about it.

A Brief Overview of Partition

The Partition of India was one of the biggest mass migration events in history. Many families, Hindu and Muslim alike, were forced to leave their homes in India or the newly-made Pakistan and cross the border to the other side. British Occupied India was divided into India and Pakistan, with Pakistan in two areas, East and West Pakistan. East Pakistan would later become Bangladesh in 1971.

Sir Cyril Radcliffe—a British lawyer commissioned by the British colonial government who had never visited India before—drew the borders. August 14-15 are now celebratory days to commemorate India and Pakistan gaining their independence from the British and becoming sovereign states. However, the drawing of the new borders led to horrific violence as a result of tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities. Partition led to the forced migration of up to 15 million people, and the deaths were estimated to number 2 million.

The Partition and its History in Ms. Marvel

Ms. Marvel puts us (and Kamala) in the middle of this defining moment in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh’s histories. Episode five, “Time and Again,” of Ms. Marvel begins with a newsreel showing the events of Partition. The clip includes leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, one of the leading freedom fighters, and Mohammad Ali Jinnah (although oddly, the video doesn’t name him), the leader of the Muslim League and the Governor-General/”Father” of Pakistan. Muhammad Ali Jinnah initially thought the only way to protect the Muslim minority’s interests was to create separate electorates for Muslim populations or to create reservations for Muslims to have seats in provincial and other government assemblies.

At first, he sought to work with the Indian National Congress to fulfill his goals. But the Muslim League lost the consequential 1937 elections, leading to exclusion from the provincial governments altogether. Thus the Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution in 1940. This declared the need for a territory for Muslims, namely the areas which would eventually become West and East Pakistan. As tensions rose, Jinnah and other Muslim Leaguers believed that the only way to ensure Muslims would have a voice in a newly independent India would be to have a territory and government of their own.

The narration also points to a pivotal moment in 1942, where the episode then switched to Aisha’s story. The “pivotal moment” the narration was likely referring to was the launch of the “Quit India” movement, by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and many others. The “Quit India” movement began with a resolution passed in the Indian National Congress. Leaders decided to begin a nonviolent mass movement to convince the British to leave India of their own accord. Hasan, Kamala’s great-grandfather, advocates to fight for independence, like Gandhi declared they should. However, as the years go by, Hasan’s exclusion due to being Muslim makes him bitter. This, along with Aisha’s desperation to escape the Clandestines, pushes him to go to Pakistan. 

The narrator also says that the Partition is “a consequence of a century-long British strategy of divide and rule”. The British, for centuries, in order to maintain control of British Occupied India, stoked division between Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities to their own benefit. But when the Partition came to pass, the British drew the border and pulled out entirely from what was now India and Pakistan. British colonialism had a huge role to play in the plight of many. People had to uproot their homes and travel by train or even by foot to a new destination. The British detachment from the violence in India is evident in the newsreel’s chilling monotone narration.

Partition Through the Eyes of the Everyday Person

In the middle of the episode, we finally get to see the fabled moment where Sana followed the “trail of stars” to her father and made it onto the last train to Karachi. Partition trains filled to the brim with people who were desperate to get to a safer place as their homes were being burned and they were under threat of violence. In the chaos of the desperate crowd, Sana gets lost while Aisha is dying, and Kamala helps guide Sana with a trail of stars—just like in the story—back to her father. It’s a truly heart-wrenching moment that shows how so many people got lost in the events of Partition.

Ms. Marvel manages to show the horrors of Partition through the story of Hasan, Aisha, and Sana. Sadly, many others were not so fortunate to find their lost loved ones. And, by focusing on this one family, viewers understand how Partition’s trauma still lingers and affects the everyday person. For Sana, it manifests itself in her artwork and how she fixates on the magic in her family, specifically Aisha’s bangle. It also shows up through her emotional distance from Muneeba.

This drove Muneeba to leave her home and look for a new one in less extreme circumstances than her mother. Muneeba also left behind so much for a new place. Kamala, with her connection to Aisha through the bangle, has to find out more about Aisha and learn about how it shaped her family’s trajectory. Kamala’s family represents what many families went through. As Aamir says in Episode 2, “Every Pakistani family has a Partition story. And none of them are good.”

The relations between the Indian and Pakistani government have been tense since the Partition. And the consequences for those who made the journey to Pakistan and those who did not are still happening. Generations ago, some of my mother’s and my father’s side of the family chose to leave and go to Pakistan. They did not realize how difficult it would be to go back to where their families had lived for generations. They left everything and everyone they had ever known behind, not knowing if they would ever return. Many never did.

I am an Indian-American Muslim, and my family and I have only met many Pakistani relatives here in the U.S. When I lived in India, I was told repeatedly that I couldn’t possibly be Indian, because I am Muslim. There are, in fact, over 200 million Muslims who live in India. The divisions between Hindus, Muslims, and other minority groups are still prevalent. Indian Muslims face increasing oppression at the hands of the current Modi government. 

Ms. Marvel made the lasting trauma and division after Partition a significant conversation, introducing many to its horrors. Partition impacted millions of people in 1947. Generations later, we are still unpacking how it continues to resonate, just like Kamala.

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Ms. Marvel brought a few new developments to Kamala’s story in its third and fourth episodes, including her power origins when she learns that her great-grandmother is a djinn. Djinn are unseen spirits whose stories originate from pre-Islamic folklore. They are described in the Quran as beings of fire who were given free will. Djinn are capable of things humanity is not. Muslims do believe they exist, even going so far as to explain unusual situations as the activities of djinn. Many Muslims grow up with mysterious stories of djinn. For me, it was the djinn who lurked on the rooftops of old homes, or the djinn who knocked on the house’s door if it was closed too early. 

Kamala Believes She’s the Stuff of Childhood Nightmares

Ms. Marvel reveals that Kamala grew up with these djinn stories, too. Aamir teases Kamala about her night light that she keeps on because she was afraid of djinn. Kamala’s father, Yusuf, also frustratingly says that Zuzu, the device that Bruno set up for him, is possessed by djinn when it does not work. In “Destined,” Kamala storms into Bruno’s room, and tells him what she is. She specifically says, “I’m like the stuff of my childhood nightmares.”

It’s a harsh statement, but as Kamala says, djinn stories are scary because they are real. We do believe they exist, and thus we believe the stories about them. That particular dialogue bothered me. Kamala is going on a journey of discovering her powers and realizing that she can be a superhero like her idol Captain Marvel. However, Kamala suddenly finds out that she is what she had nightmares about as a child.

Kamala is the first Muslim superhero to be a part of the MCU. And her powers are already different from the comics. It seems unnecessary for Kamala to go through believing that she’s a djinn in addition to her self-acceptance journey. Changing Kamala’s journey from her comic origins of discovering that her genetics are different from other humans to tying her to the very real (and scary, to her) beings from her childhood nightmares is a disservice to her story.

Kamala Khan, Identity, and Djinn Stereotypes

Kamala’s identity as a Pakistani-American and Muslim teen isn’t the only thing that defines her journey in the comics; however, it is integral to how she decides she wants to be a hero. The comics gave her room to explore who she was as an Inhuman and a superhero as she understood her powers. But Ms. Marvel tries to make Kamala go through an “othering” experience with the rather stereotypical option of connecting her to djinn. She believes that she is something to be afraid of. Episode four reveals that Kamala is not like the djinn stories from her culture or in her religion. This is a relief, but the very mention of djinn and Kamala still bothered me.

In trying to ground Kamala in her identity without going the Inhuman route, the writers decide to connect her to something more real to her and, by extension, Muslim viewers. However, the djinn storyline made quite a few fans and critics uncomfortable for good reason. The first Muslim superhero we get has an association with djinn, following an Orientalist pattern in Western media of associating Muslims with mystical beings. Kamala calling herself “the stuff of nightmares” is disheartening. This was a lazy choice considering the historical stereotypes with the depictions of djinn.

In Ms. Marvel‘s fourth episode, there’s also a dismissal of Kamala really being a djinn. Her grandmother is very casual about them being djinn. And the new character Waleed says, “I mean, if Thor landed in the Himalayan mountains, he too would have been called a djinn.” Dismissing idea of Kamala being a djinn as defined in Islam seems like it wasn’t necessary to even include it in the first place. 

Ms. Marvel didn’t just go for the stereotype of djinn to explain her extraordinary abilities. It also chose to incorporate a deep cut from Marvel comics, the Clandestines, to elaborate on it. This is problematic because the original ClanDestine comics from 1994 are replete with Orientalist stereotypes. These issues include a white savior, a harem, and the same white savior calling SWANA (South West Asian and North African) people barbarians.

While it is admirable that the writers of Ms. Marvel may have tried to give the Clandestines a new (and less offensive) context, they are given little time to develop. We see this with Najma’s rather sudden heel turn into complete villainy in her introduction episode. The Clandestines and their desire to go home to their dimension could have been a metaphor for the trauma from forced displacement, just like the trauma Kamala’s grandmother went through. But we have yet to truly understand why they want to go home so badly.

What Ms. Marvel Gets Right

Ms. Marvel shines most when it focuses on Kamala’s community and how they encourage her to become a hero. This mirrors the comics in a positive way. In episode three, Kamala’s mother Muneeba tells the story of how she came to America. And, the pre-wedding moment between Aamir and Yusuf provide motivation for Kamala to choose courage, just like her brother did. Kamala also speaks to Sheikh Abdullah, saying, “[I] just thought it would be cool to have a superhero who actually fights for us.” Her family and her community are who she fights for. And the show does a wonderful job of showing us how much the people she loves mean to her. This could develop further through the likely exploration of Partition in the next episode, where it appears Kamala has time traveled to.

So many of the moments (especially the wedding!) between Kamala, her family, her community, and her friends have been so wonderful to see as a South Asian Muslim. Kamala exhibits great pride in her identity. I wish the show kept her journey as figuring out how to be someone that could protect her community and fight for it, rather than associating her with something that has been used all too stereotypically by Western media.  

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The Umbrella Academy brought more chaos and hilarity (plus a dance battle!) in season three. There’s yet another apocalypse, this time one that threatens to consume the entire universe. And we get the Sparrow Academy, an interesting (and well-trained) collective to juxtapose the Umbrellas. Unfortunately, this season perpetuates the same problem as its predecessors by sidelining its non-white characters and fumbling their storylines.  

In episode four, “Kugelblitz,” Diego and Allison Hargreeves acknowledge that they experience the world differently from their siblings. They are sitting in a car together outside a bar with a Confederate flag. The pair discuss what it was like for them in 1960s Dallas during season two. Allison says, “I don’t think some of the others understand what it was like for me.” They then decide to go looking for a fight in the bar, where Diego points out that “they hate people like us.”

Allison spent her time as a civil rights activist alongside her husband in 1961, facing extremely hateful rhetoric and violence. In the show, she describes her motivation to be a part of the civil rights movement as an avenue to make a difference without using her manipulation powers. While this was an admirable and believable choice, it is interesting that Diego, a Latino man, and Lila, a British South Asian woman, did not experience overt racism.

They got to move around relatively freely, going to fancy parties without significantly raising the average person’s suspicions. I abhor racism and xenophobia of any kind as much as the next person. But for The Umbrella Academy to go from barely acknowledging race to thrusting Allison into the 1960s civil rights movement while blatantly ignoring the realistic treatment that Diego and Lila would have gotten is quite the choice.

Perhaps the show was trying to make the point that non-Black people of color did not face the same vitriol as Black people during the civil rights movement era. This is true in many instances; however, the storyline doesn’t make this indication clear at all. Still, I do appreciate the choice to diversify casting for members of the Umbrella Academy, as opposed to sticking to the comic books’ all-white cast of main characters. But that is when care must be taken to portray their stories through the most authentic light.

The attitude of Allison’s siblings towards her work as an activist also felt rather dismissive. Klaus dismissively says that Allison has been “very involved in local politics.” And she receives little to no support from her siblings as she faces police brutality and racism despite how they frequently show up for Viktor and Five when they need help/support. Yes, Five and Viktor have been major plot drivers with one trying to prevent apocalypses while the other causes them. And this is not a problem within itself.

However, the people of color seem to constantly play second fiddle to the rest. Seasons one and two have Ben acting primarily as Klaus’ conscience and emotional support. Allison consistently suppresses her own pain to worry about Viktor. And Diego goes on side plots for revenge against Hazel and Cha-Cha or preventing an assassination. To the writers’ credit, this focus does even out in season three and we get more characters from marginalized backgrounds. Sadly, they do not get a fair shake either.

The Sparrow Academy is obviously more diverse than the Umbrellas (and not just because of their inclusion of a cube). Out of the six human Sparrows, only two are white. The Sparrows’ Number One is Marcus, a Black man, but we only see him for one episode. We learn nothing about Marcus, beyond the fact that he has super strength similar to Luther’s. (And that he is slightly full of himself.) One by one, the rest of the Sparrows fall in the face of the upcoming apocalypse. And we learn little to nothing about a few of them, too. The only living member left (that we know of) by the end of the season was the new timeline’s Ben. 

This season does give some new development for Diego and Lila. They go through a new journey in their romance, including fatherhood. Season three gives them multiple heart-warming moments of figuring out their relationship and really coming into their own as individual people outside of their involvement with their collectives. However, the show fails Allison. She lost her husband and daughter Claire in this new timeline and spends the entire season trying to get the latter back. (This is despite her not existing in this timeline in the first place.) Allison goes through some trying times this season, and Emmy Raver-Lampman does a remarkable job portraying her grief, bitterness, and her rage.

Allison’s turn into a more morally ambiguous character comes without much explanation nor buildup in her character towards it. She just suddenly becomes bitter towards every one of her siblings, especially Viktor, who she had been close to in the past. Yes, there was the issue with Harlan; however, its still hard to imagine that Allison would blame Viktor so heavily for what happened.

The worst offense, though, was her scene with Luther where he rejects her advances and she basically sexually assaults him. This felt extremely out of character for Allison, who had been close to Luther since the first season. Even with everything she’s experienced so far, manipulating Luther seemed a step too far. Allison’s arc could have been interesting, but the writing for her was lacking nuance. We only get a surface level understanding of her motivations. I understood her rage. I wanted to see her use it, and I would have loved to see her go in that direction. But the writing did not hold up. Allison, and Emmy Raver-Lampman, deserved better. 

The Umbrella Academy, while becoming more and more hilariously chaotic and engaging, still has much work to do when it comes to non-white characters. If the show comes back for another round, hopefully we will get great stories for Allison, Diego, Lila, and “new new new Ben” along with nuanced arcs for any new characters, too.

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The Umbrella Academy season three delivers a ton of wild moments along with yet another apocalypse that our favorite superhero siblings have to prevent. This season also has some jaw-dropping plot twists, and some intriguing character journeys, too. But there’s one question that people always want to know the answer to. Who is the main villain in The Umbrella Academy season three? This time around offers the most interesting developments to these beloved characters. While one person certainly stands out as an Umbrella Academy villain, there’s still some room for questions about who is truly the Hargreeves siblings’ true enemy. And, interestingly enough, the Sparrow Academy is not the villain in The Umbrella Academy‘s new season.

Reginald Hargreeves

At this point in the show, any viewer would be naïve to truly trust the mysterious billionaire and adoptive father of the Hargreeves crew. However, this season sees Reginald reach new (and still surprising) lows, with him consistently manipulating each of the siblings from the Umbrella and Sparrow academies to get what he wanted. 

In this new timeline, Reginald chose seven different siblings after deciding that the original seven were not good enough for his aims. The new seven—including an alternate version of Ben—became the Sparrow Academy, Reginald’s new experiment. This time, however, the Sparrows continue to stay a team on through their adult lives. This is obviously different from the Umbrella Academy, who chose to leave the team as they got older. 

Klaus becomes close to this Reginald, trying unsuccessfully to get his Umbrella Academy siblings to be more accepting of their father. But they refuse, given his rather manipulative and cruel actions in the past. However, as the season progresses, Reginald is able to sway a few Umbrellas and Sparrows to his side to “save the universe.” Of course, this is a farce for Project Oblivion, in which he will sacrifice seven of his kids for his own gain. Reginald betrays them yet again, killing both Luther and Klaus in order to get inside Hotel Oblivion. Allison kills him in the nick of time but her hands aren’t clean this season. (More on that next.) 

Descending to new depths, Reginald is gambling the whole universe to get what he wants, and to ensure that he remains in control over everything. Reginald Hargreeves built Hotel Obsidian, biding his time for centuries, built the Sparrow Academy, manipulated each of the Hargreeves siblings, all to gain the ultimate universal control.

Allison Hargreeves

After losing her husband Ray and her daughter Claire in the new timeline, Allison Hargreeves becomes embittered by her unimaginable loss. Obviously, loss at such a level changes a person; however, this season changes Allison completely. While most Umbrella Academy fans are reluctant to consider Allison as a clear villain, she does have a hand in some of the worst actions in this season. She kills Harlan—the now grown-up child of Sissy—after discovering his role in the deaths of the Umbrellas’ mothers. This action, unlike what Harlan did, is intentional.

Allison also makes a deal with Reginald to ensure that everyone of the remaining Hargreeves siblings goes to Hotel Oblivion to reset the universe, despite Five’s warnings. Her most consequential choice was to press the big red button that reset the universe and get what she wanted most: Ray and Claire, together with her as a family. This choice, however, left the rest of her family without their powers and in an entirely new world. In a city that had Hargreeves emblazoned on practically every building, no less. 

Labeling Allison a villain in The Umbrella Academy season three is a bit of a stretch. But she’s certainly a catalyst for some of the worst problems the Umbrella Academy had this time around. If The Umbrella Academy returns for season four, it would be interesting to see if Allison understands the cost of her actions. And, we will have to see what her relationship would be with her siblings.  

The Founder

This season, we learn yet another shocking revelation about Five’s future. In an attempt to find any of the remaining members of the Commission, Five and Lila visit the Commission headquarters. They discover that the Founder of the Commission is a future version of Five.

The very old Five, in his last breaths, does warn the younger Five against saving the world. Present-day Five doesn’t trust this future Five’s warning. But viewers are still left with questions as to why this Five would want the world (and universe) to end. His motivations are questionable, considering how many problems the other Five created in 1963 for the Academy. 

Hotel Oblivion Guardian

According to Reginald, Hotel Oblivion had the key to resetting the universe as a last resort. However, a guardian was also placed there in order to ensure that no one with nefarious aims could get to the keys. You know, someone like Reginald himself. This guardian was also adamantly against any action being taken to reset the universe, as it was being consumed completely by the Kugelblitz.

There seems to be someone pulling the strings on the guardian, that also was capable of creating the tools to reset the universe. The true intentions of the creator of the “seven bells” are unknown, and thus could be nefarious too. It is also possible that Reginald just did the right thing (resetting the universe) for the wrong reasons (getting Abigail back at any cost). 

So, the Umbrella Academy faces some bad things this season. But at least Viktor isn’t responsible for the world ending (again). Let’s take the wins where we can.

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The Umbrella Academy‘s new season brings on even more chaos and bickering between our favorite siblings. We also got a whole new Academy of super beings, this time under a new name: The Sparrow Academy. The Sparrows are seven, just like the Umbrellas we have come to know and love over the past two seasons. And they have a wholly different power set, some of which are on par with the most powerful members of the Umbrella Academy. How do the Umbrella Academy and the Sparrow Academy’s powers line up? And is the Sparrow Academy more powerful than their Umbrella counterparts? Let’s compare them in sibling order.

Number One: Luther vs. Marcus

We know Luther as a strong, hulk-like figure, whose physical strength is practically unmatched by anyone. However, as we see in the first episode of this season, the Sparrow Academy’s Number One, Marcus Hargreeves, may actually be the match Luther did not see coming. While we don’t see much of Marcus (unfortunately), his strength seems on par with Luther’s power. However, Marcus had the upper hand because of his technique in his faceoff against Luther. Judging simply by their powers though, they seem evenly matched.

Number Two: Diego vs. Ben

The Umbrella Academy’s Number Two, Diego Hargreeves, is one of the less super-powerful but more skilled hand-to-hand (or knife) fighter of the original timeline’s Hargreeves siblings. The Sparrow Academy’s Number Two, however, is a different (and meaner) version of the original timeline’s Ben Hargreeves (where he’s number Six). Sparrow Ben can summon an eldritch creature from within him, which is a greater power than Diego’s fighting. But Diego and his trajectory manipulation (which some consider a form of telekinesis) abilities also give him a decent edge in a fight, but not enough to counter Ben’s creature. 

Number Three: Allison vs. Fei

As we know, Allison Hargreeves can manipulate anyone by starting a sentence with the phrase “I heard a rumor.” In Season 3, Allison’s powers develop further with her manipulating events without her usual starting phrase. The Sparrow Academy’s Fei wields the power to summon crows from within her to attack her opponents. We see Allison overpower Fei by telling her “I heard a rumor you can’t move” in the first episode. While Fei’s power is quite intimidating, Allison’s ability to manipulate anyone, along with her not having to say “I heard a rumor” anymore gives her a significant advantage over Fei. Allison for the win.

Number Four: Klaus vs. Alphonso

The Sparrow Academy’s Alphonso exhibits powers that let him reciprocate whatever his opponent does to him with equal force. Allison tried to punch him and instead that force ricocheted back at her. And when Stan threw a knife at Alphonso, he got cut in the same exact place on his leg. However, Klaus Hargreeves, who can communicate and summon the dead, also discovers a new aspect of his powers this season: immortality. Based simply on powers then, Klaus would definitely be more powerful, simply because he just can’t die. It’s too bad that we didn’t see them go head to head in the end because, well, Alphonso didn’t last long.

Number Five: Five vs. Sloane

Our original timeline’s Five is one of the most powerful members of the Umbrellas with his ability to jump through space and time as well as fighting skills. But Sloane’s powers to manipulate gravity could be a close match for Five’s teleportation. We don’t really get to see them face off, though. Sloane did hold her own against one of the guardians in Hotel Oblivion, and against Viktor, who is the most powerful of the Umbrellas. Sloane’s gravity-defying powers are impressive. Still, Five held his own quite often against other members of the Sparrow Academy, so he is the more powerful of the two.

Number Six: Ben vs. Jayme

The original timeline’s Number Six was Ben, but the new timeline’s version is Jayme, who is capable of spitting venom that can cause hallucinations to whoever it hits. Although Jayme’s hallucinations can be powerful, we do see the newer timeline’s Ben face off against Jayme, with Ben nearly winning against her. With the creature inside of him, Ben is more powerful than her, but Jayme is a skilled fighter too.

Number Seven: Christopher vs. Viktor

Umbrella Academy fave Viktor—who can convert sound into energy—managed to knock out every member of the Sparrow Academy on his own. He is without a doubt the most powerful of the Umbrella Academy with only Five having a chance at stopping him. Viktor is more powerful compared to Christopher, the Sparrows’ Number Seven with telekinetic abilities. However, Christopher also absorbed the Kugelblitz into himself for some time, so if it came down to a fight between the two, he would be a worthy opponent. Unfortunately, Chris the Cube is a goner.

Honorable mention: Lila

Although not originally a member of the Umbrella Academy, Lila also deserves a mention. Her unique power set is extremely clutch: the ability to mimic anyone else’s powers. This enables her to be nearly as powerful as Viktor, if only for a shorter period of time. Lila’s powers do have one limitation though, she can only mimic one person’s powers at a time. She is definitely one of the more powerful new members of the family. 

Is the Umbrella Academy More Powerful Than the Sparrow Academy?

As a whole, the Umbrella Academy is more powerful than the Sparrows. But the Sparrow Academy had one thing the Umbrella kids didn’t have: discipline. That’s how the Sparrows got the upper hand on them in the first episode, after all. With Viktor’s powers apparently being limited only by his own stamina, it is likely that the Umbrellas would prevail against the Sparrows in any fight scenario. By the end of the season, however, the Umbrellas are the ones who all survived up until the end of the world. Only Ben and Sloane made it to the end from the Sparrows despite their refined powers. So it looks like the Umbrellas won after all. Never bet against the Brellies.

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Kamala Khan was first introduced in Marvel Comics in 2014. Since then, she’s made multiple appearances throughout the Marvel Comics universe along with a few series of her own. Yes, the Ms. Marvel Disney+ series is right around the corner with a June 8 premiere date. But it is never too late to learn more about the marvelous Kamala Khan. You can follow her comic story while seeing how her life unfolds in live-action! Here are some essential comics to get you familiar with Ms. Marvel, a.k.a. Kamala Khan’s, journey.

Ms. Marvel (2014-2015)

Of course, there is the iconic first G. Willow Wilson comic run for Ms. Marvel. The series features a litany of artists, including Sara Pichelli, Jamie Mckelvie, Chris Akna, Marguerite Sauvage, Jake Wyatt, and Adrian Alphona (who also takes on penciling duties) to bring Kamala to comic life. It’s been said time and time again, but Ms. Marvel is truly a breath of fresh air with a weird, wild origin story. Kamala, an Inhuman, is exposed to Terrigen mist and becomes a polymorph—someone who can change their shape at will. After being a fan of the Avengers for so long, Kamala gets to be a superhero herself. But she learns (rather quickly) that superhero-ing is not as easy as it seems. 

The first volume—No Normal (#1-5)—is full of heartwarming moments as we follow Kamala on her journey of self-discovery. One of the most impactful moments in this particular series is her choice to save people as herself rather than her blond-haired, blue-eyed heroine Captain Marvel. She learns to be proud of herself and that she can be a hero too. The series also depicts her religion and community with love. And it demonstrates how much Kamala is shaped by the love of her community of fellow Muslims, Pakistanis, and of her home, Jersey City. We also get the storyline with the duplicitous Kamran, who will appear in the upcoming Disney+ series.

Another highlight from the series is Vol. 4, Last Days (#16-19). The world is ending… or so everyone thinks. This collection features Kamala’s first meeting with her idol as it seems worlds (literally) are about to collide. This volume also features one of the most touching depictions of Kamala and her family. They scramble to look after each other and Kamala assesses what is really important to her. What does one do on the last day of their life?

Ms. Marvel (2015-2019)

G. Willow Wilson returns with another Ms. Marvel series (with writers Hasan Minhaj, Rainbow Rowell, and Saladin Ahmed co-penning #31), this time with more for Kamala’s story, along with a tie-in to Civil War II. This time, artists Cliff Chiang (of Paper Girls fame), Takeshi Miyazawa, Nicole Leon (penciler), David Lopez, Adrian Alphona, Cameron Stewart, Mirka Andolfo, Francesco Gaston (penciler), Nelson Blake II, Marco Failla (penciler), Valerio Schiti, Diego Olortegui, Elmo Bondoc (penciler), Robert Quinn (penciler), and Gustavo Duarte (penciler) join in for the epic run of fun.

This 38-issue series dedicates more time to exploring how Kamala’s “extracurricular activities” have impacted her relationships, as she struggles to keep up her grades, stay present for her friends, and be a superhero and Avenger all at the same time. 

Issue #8 of this series begins with a depiction of the Partition of India into India and Pakistan, the largest mass migration in history. Kamala’s great-grandmother Aisha journeys from Bombay (now Mumbai) to Karachi, wearing the same bangles that Kamala later adopts as part of her costume. Harkening back to a civil war that tore a country apart, the issue reflects on the aftermath of what a war like that, this time between superheroes, could become, and how there still may just be hope. 

Issues #7-11 are Ms. Marvel’s Civil War II storyline, where Kamala learns her hero isn’t all she made her out to be. Ulysses, an Inhuman, can predict the future, but the greatest heroes of the planet cannot agree on whether his visions can be trusted. Tony Stark believes that Ulysses’ visions are too subjective; however, Carol Danvers believes they should serve as a means of preemptive justice. The comic brings up some interesting moral questions of who is perceived as a criminal and what is perceived as a crime. It also forces Kamala to finally face what happens when her hero Captain Marvel, turns out to be not quite who she hoped.

This particular storyline allows for Kamala to explore who she wants to be, without just modeling herself on Captain Marvel. She decides to stand up for what she believes is right. The fight gets personal for Kamala as it impacts the people that she cares about most, and she does something actually quite difficult – she stands up against her idol. 

Another highlight of this series is Vol. 8, Mecca (#19-24). Among preparations to celebrate Eid, Kamala has to face a whole new problem in her community. This volume also tackles the impending gentrification of Kamala’s neighborhood amidst new foes for her to face. 

Champions (#1-27, 2016)

Living with the consequences of Civil War II and the rift between her and her idol Captain Marvel, Kamala is adrift. She has become disillusioned after her time with the Avengers, and has struck out on her own, along with her friends Nova, Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Viv Vision, Amadeus Cho, and Cyclops, to become a new kind of team: the Champions!

Writer Mark Waid and artist Humberto Ramos manage to pull off a seemingly odd collection of youthful heroes quite well, as they learn to face new threats, but in new ways. And it’s not just by beating people up (as the Avengers have quite often done), but by providing help to those in need even after the bad guys are dealt with. 

After some significant bickering, Kamala takes on the mantle of team leader. Champions gives her an even bigger chance to grow as we see her take on newer challenges. (And become almost as good as Captain America at motivational speeches.) The Champions don’t seem to be coming to the MCU anytime soon; however, the series is definitely a great way to get to know Kamala and see her become a leader in her own right. 

Magnificent Ms. Marvel (2019-2021)

This 18-issue series is penned by Saladin Ahmed with penciling/artwork by Minkyu Jung as well as Eduard Petrovich, Joey Vasquez, and Alex Arizmendi. It features Kamala now dealing with being prophesied as the savior of an entire planet, the onset of her father’s sudden incurable condition associated with his latent Inhuman gene, and a sentient robot with powers like hers. The beginning of this series features some truly moving moments as Kamala’s parents both learn of her identity as Ms. Marvel, and get to see her in action.

This series also features a new hero, Fadi Fadlalah, a.k.a. Amulet, who is an Arab-American superhero from Dearborn, Michigan. His design is based on the “nazar” (literally meaning “sight”) a symbol thought to protect wearers from “the evil eye”. He makes for a fun pairing with Kamala as they face strange and mystical threats together in Jersey City.

Want more? Other series with Ms. Marvel in more team-ups include the All-New, All Different Avengers series (#1-5) and Outlawed (2020) #1. You can also look for Beyond the Limit (#1-5, 2022) to read the latest of Ms. Marvel’s comic adventures. Enjoy her journey and watch how it lines up with Ms. Marvel as we learn more about the hero’s impact in the MCU.

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