Ms. Marvel – No Normal review S1 E6

It’s been a quick six weeks — getting sandwiched between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Stranger Things Season 4 will do that for most shows — but Ms. Marvel’s highly enjoyable first season reaches its conclusion.

A common thread in most of the Disney+ shows is the finale is solid if lacking somewhat from the big extravaganzas of their feature film counterparts. Ms. Marvel’s finale certainly feels small scale although it works in the context of the series, which was never really about fighting a major threat to the planet — apologies to the inefficient Clandestine.

Damage Control is on the hunt for Kamran, who’s on the run with Bruno. Kamran’s struggle to contain the powers his mother sent to him is making it hard for them to keep a low profile.

Agent Deever says this is what happens when the wrong people (kids) gets powers. Gotta figure this was not at all subtle foreshadowing that Deever could be the full-blown villain, or secondary villain, for the Young Avengers project. Especially with a pre-existing bias toward enhanced children.

Kamala sits Yusuf, Aamir and Tyesha down so she can tell them about her identity, but Muneeba already excitedly told Yusuf while Aamir and Tyesha overheard since Yusuf always puts his phone on speaker.

I complain about the supporting cast knowing the hero’s identity as it takes away a vital part of the superhero experience.

In Kamala’s case that was more of a hassle than useful storytelling device since her family is awesome.

Nakia clues Kamala in on Bruno and Kamran’s frantic efforts to stay out of Damage Control’s custody, but before she heads out, Kamala gets a gift from Muneeba — a costume. I commended the piecemeal approach to costume building last episode, but this stylized final touch works.

It shows Muneeba embracing Kamala’s superhero identity, recalls the earlier costume she made in the first episode and the visual cues Muneeba picked up in designing the outfit. And it looks great. Maybe one of the bigger reasons Kamala is one of the few well-received newer comic book characters is the classic, yet modern costume design. It helps her stand out and she could easily have been created in the 70s, 80s or 90s.

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Sheikh Abdullah and the mosque crew delay Deever long enough for Bruno and Kamran to escape to the school with Kamala. Abdullah’s efforts to provide them with a disguise was hilarious, but it’s the kind of small touch that acknowledges they’re being pursued and could possibly help them slip through a Damage Control gaze.

Nakia was waiting for them at the school and they’re joined by Zoe, who wants to help the hero that saved her. And so is Aamir despite Kamala’s frustrated plea that “superheroes don’t have chaperones!” Ms. Marvel has navigated around so many superhero teen show cliches and is providing an excellent example of how to make the formula work in the 2020s.

Deever and her crew arrive at the school and deal with various distractions from Nakia, Bruno, Aamir and Zoe, who also rallies her social media followers to the school for support. This is fun although it doesn’t really let Kamala fight Damage Control on her own.

Kamran isn’t necessarily sure he wants to stop running and starts fighting back with force against Damage Control. This is somewhat proving Deevers’ point, but she escalated this situation even after her supervisor told her to stand down.

Kamala calms him down and creates an escape route for him. She’d hit up Red Dagger for an assistance. He’s got a connection by the harbor, which immediately triggered cameo alert. False alarm, no surprise random appearance from an established MCU character.

The big Ms. Marvel vs. Damage Control fight lives up to the buildup in some regards. Kamala embiggens herself to supersize her fists and elongate her arms and legs. It’s a nice nod to the comic, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense in the show as Kamala has been just fine fighting from a distance.

Regardless, the effort to convey her comic powers was appreciated. Deevers rallies her troops to get Kamala, but the community, including the local police, hold them off long enough for Kamala to sky step away. Deevers gets relieved of her position so she won’t be a problem…for now.

In the aftermath, the community — including Ms. Marvel co-creator G. Willow Wilson — is posting to social media celebrating the hero in their midst. And after a conversation with Yusuf, who explains Kamala could also be translated to Marvel, Kamala finally has her superhero name.

A week later, Nakia, Bruno and Kamala catch up before he heads to USC. He says he had the source of her powers all wrong. There’s a mutation in Kamala’s gene. And there’s a faint echo of a familiar theme song playing in the background.

No more Inhumans? Kamala is our entry point to mutants in the MCU? I’ll allow it.

Back home, Kamala’s bracelet acts up and she gets teleported away. Only for Carol Danvers to show up in her room in her place. We knew this cameo was coming, but how it played out was very surprising. It’ll be fun to see Kamala meeting her superhero idol in The Marvels.

All around, Ms. Marvel was a terrific experience. It was fun, showcased a refreshing new character and her tremendous supporting cast. The action sequences were occasionally dodgy and it took way too long to get the costume, but both of those areas won’t be a problem as Kamala heads to the big screen next for a more cosmic adventure.

As far as introducing a new character in the MCU? Ms. Marvel sets the new benchmark raising expectations for the upcoming She-Hulk and beyond.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Photo Credit: Disney

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