Ms. Marvel – Time and Again review S1 E5
Time travel isn’t a major storytelling device in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but in just about every instance it’s well executed. Ms. Marvel’s penultimate episode doesn’t break the streak.
The episode starts off with an extended flashback from 1942 even going so far as to do the standard opening credits with a rustic gold hue.
Aisha, now separated from Najma and the rest of the Clandestine, is on her own when she encounters Hasan (Fawad Khan) a charismatic farmer eschewing the need for Indian independence from Britain.
Over time, the two get married and have a daughter. It’s a wonderful life for Aisha until Najma shows up like an unwanted bill collector asking about the bracelet. Najma is ready to get back home and doesn’t care if Earth gets wiped out in the process.
Now with something — specifically a family — to lose, Aisha tries to delay her old ally. At least long enough for her, Hasan and young Sana to get on the train. Of course, Najma is hip to Aisha’s plans and stabs her for betraying the Clandestine.
Barely clinging to life, Aisha utters the phrase that’s been repeated over the last two episodes — what you seek will seek you — and that’s how Kamala emerges in 1947. That was a very clever storyline loop. It was Kamala who helped young Sana get back to her father just in time to board the last train.
Kamala also got to meet Aisha, who can die in peace knowing her family legacy will live on for many generations. For all of Kamala’s lack of confidence and uncertainty of her path, this is clearly her Uncle Ben moment as a hero — only she saved her relative instead of letting them die.
Back in the present day, Kamala, Red Dagger and Clandestine members Najma and Fariha see The Veil opening. This is the pathway for The Clandestine to return home with that pesky side effect of wiping out Earth. Fariha is eager to return home, but gets the Starscream treatment.
Najma considers Kamala’s plea to avoid Fariha’s fate for Kamran’s sake but decides on a trick that seems to let her inhabit his body as she gets vaporized.
Thanks to cousin Owais, Muneeba and Sana tracked Kamala down…just in time to see her finish powering down. The secret is now out. This is a tremendous relief as Kamala keeping her identity a secret was negatively impacting the story.
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And as expected, Muneeba is a little shocked but totally cool with Kamala having powers. It doesn’t hurt that Sana had been telling Muneeba their family was magical all this time. Kamala gives Sana her mother’s photo of the family. Sana didn’t have anything of her time prior to coming to Karachi so now she has a meaningful keepsake of her parents together.
Kareem gives Kamala his red scarf while Muneeba sees Kamala’s necklace broken in a familiar pattern to comic fans.
Before heading home, Muneeba, Kamala and Sana get some more bonding in talking about running away and Bon Jovi. Family interaction has rarely, if ever been done this well on a superhero show as it is every week on Ms. Marvel.
Kamran seeks help from Bruno and finally realizes he’s been calling him Brian all this time in another nice payoff to a series-long joke. This new alliance doesn’t have much time to bond before a Damage Control drone pops up and Kamran zaps it with a seemingly new energy blast power. More secrets beyond The Veil?
The resulting explosion takes out the bottom of Bruno’s convenience store, which might not leave Kamala too enthused when she returns home.
Time and Again closed an important narrative loop and firmly cleared major obstacles to Kamala accepting her destiny as a hero.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Photo Credit: Disney
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