Marvel Studios’ recent stint with television productions has impressed the fans and critics alike for its unprecedented production scale, detail-focused storytelling, and new faces shaping the future of the ever-expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe. And the latest show, Ms. Marvel has probably perfected Marvel Studios’ technical and creative departments in their respective jobs.
Ms. Marvel debuted five weeks ago on Disney+, introducing a culturally diverse and brand new central character to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The show succeeded Moon Knight in the franchise chronology, which had become the highest-rated and best-viewed Marvel Studios show.
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Ms. Marvel opened with good reviews after its first two episodes were screened for the critics. But the audience reception to the show wasn’t as positive as the reviews. Not that the audience criticized Ms. Marvel, it just couldn’t attract enough viewers as other Disney+ originals set in the MCU. But despite the statistics, Ms. Marvel has been the most worthwhile experience for Marvel in these recent years. From being one of the most intricate and relatable character arcs to the most diverse and inclusive story, Ms. Marvel brilliantly values the global Marvel fanbase by bringing Kamala Khan to the franchise.
Here’s why it does deserve an applauding audience.
Kamala Khan Is the Ultimate Geek
Marvel Studios
Kamala Khan’s most thought-provoking trait is her obsession and nerdiness toward the Avengers. She doodles her favorite superheroes, she is a collector, and her room is full of references to the past events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even the show’s opening sequence was a series of motion-doodle arts depicting Captain Marvel in action during the Battle for Earth.
Kamala Khan’s premiere episode centered around her struggle to attend the first AvengerCon in New Jersey. This event seems like a fictional counterpart to real-world conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con. Kamala Khan is just a true Avengers fan.
The idea of a character being such a massive Avengers fan reflects the traits of millions of MCU fans across the globe. Kamala Khan is portrayed as an on-screen incarnation of all that enthusiasm, excitement, obsession, and love for MCU characters and stories that the franchise’s fans share and express in several forms. From wearing t-shirts that others find dull to referencing her favorite heroes in almost every conversation, Kamala normalizes the idea of being a geek. To rephrase Stan Lee’s words – “A geek is someone who helps communicate the ideas of these characters and their stories and make them more meaningful and relatable.” Kamala is literally “us.”
Since Iron Man debuted in 2008, MCU has gained a massive fan following. We, as fans, have showered our love and support for the vast shared continuity so that it could grow and include several of our favorite comic book stories in the live-action format. Watching Ms. Marvel comes with a recollection of growing up with the franchise and seems like a nostalgic full circle to the old days of the beginning of MCU.
And her being a superhero further empowers that idea.
Ms. Marvel Is an Inspirational Superhero
This one’s probably a personal outlook, but indeed several fans out there will relate to this. Many Avengers fans have grown up to adulthood with these stories. Marvel Cinematic Universe has often given young audiences moments of inspiration, wisdom, and, most importantly, hope. For youngsters, Marvel’s enthralling films have forever been a method of imparting values of confidence and self-reliability in many. The idea of “anyone can be a superhero” has really impacted the global audience these films have attracted over all these years.
Kamala Khan brings that impact to reality. Kamala empowers herself with her belief and faith in superpowers and the good they bring to the world. Despite facing reservations from society, Kamala had the willpower to fight her fears and pre-existing anxieties even before she received her powers. Through Kamala Khan, kids worldwide are now exposed to the fantastical continuity of MCU, where a hero of their age and attributes is making a big difference on and off-screen.
Ms. Marvel Perfects Cultural Representation
The most amazing aspect of Ms. Marvel and the foremost reason the show must be on every fan’s list is its inclusiveness. Ms. Marvel is the best show to measure Marvel Studios’ work regarding cultural representation and diversity in the cast.
Firstly, Iman Vellani, who plays Kamala Khan, a Pakistani immigrant in the United States, is herself of Pakistani origin. Besides, Muslim actors play other central Muslim characters, including Saagar Shaikh, Yasmeen Fletcher, and Rish Shah. Marvel Studios has further hired professionals from the community to fill in the different creative roles. The show is created by Bisha K. Ali, a British citizen of Pakistani origin, while Adil Arbi and Bilall Fallah are head directors of the show. Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning journalist from Pakistan, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, has also directed two episodes. The show has visibly valued Pakistani and Muslim culture, which is one of its strongest aspects.
To further connect to the Pakistani audience, the makers did their best to recreate Karachi on sets in Thailand and even cast Fawad Khan and Mehwish Hayat, two prominent Pakistani actors in the show. Furthermore, Ms. Marvel featured songs just like it is in Indian and Pakistani films, performed by singers and musicians from both countries. The costumes the characters don in the show are pretty authentic to the traditions of South-East Asia.
The show has perfectly adapted the integral parts of the culture to adapt the story and characters on-screen. And it’s not like Ms. Marvel thrives only on cultural representation. But intertwining those aspects with the idea of a teenage superhero offers the audience a unique experience in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel Studios has worked on reflecting diverse cultural values in its stories for a while now. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a good attempt, followed by an even better one, Moon Knight. But, Ms. Marvel is a serious game changer in this new phase the franchise has entered.
Connecting to Indian and Pakistani Fans
One of the most crucial aspects of the show was the episode that connected Kamala Khan to the roots of Pakistan’s emergence as a free state. In the episode, Kamala’s maternal grandmother remembers her time as a child and how she was almost separated during the India-Pakistan partition in 1947. She says:
The show has also featured a newsreel that takes a hit at the old British Raj that primarily thrived upon their “divide-and-rule” policy. It’s one of the most crucial aspects of the show that has gained admiration from both Pakistani and Indian audiences. The partition is a dark stain on the historical roots of both nations, which were once not divided by any international border. The religious riots that followed the division further led to several socio-political conflicts between the two countries, which still adversely affected the public.
My passport is Pakistani, my roots are in India. And in between all of this, there is a border marked with blood and pain. People are claiming their identity based on an idea some old Englishmen had when fleeing the country.
In the show, Sana, Kamala’s Nani, bravely discards the notions of identities imposed on the people back then by an invasive regime that left the two factions in a grave situation. The sequence was retweeted several times in India and Pakistan and has taken a dig at the ongoing conflicts between the two countries from the people’s point of view. The significance of this critical reference may not have an impact on the audience in other countries. Still, for the people in Pakistan and India, it has caused a heart-warming reaction that inspires peace.
The Revelation of Inhumans/Mutants
If nothing gets you thrilled for this show, then probably the biggest reason for one to give it a try should be the major reveal that the season finale dropped in. In the final episode, Kamala’s friend Bruno discovers a “mutation” in her genes that makes her capable of wielding those powers. The fans are treating this name-drop for an Easter egg hinting at either X-Men’s or maybe the Inhumans’ introduction in the MCU.
While X-Men are yet to become a part of the main timeline of the MCU, Inhumans have been a part of the franchise for several years. Starting with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Inhumans storyline eventually became mainstream with the titular television series. However, the show was canceled post the first season; the character Black Bolt (played by Anson Mount) appeared as an alternate variant of the character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
In Ms. Marvel, Marvel Studios has changed the character’s backdrop and her powers. That has added to the mystery of where her true origins in the series hail from. By tapping into the concept of mutation, Marvel Studios may bring the mutant characters from the comics to the main MCU continuity, with Ms. Marvel as the establishing stone for that process.
Though there are still mysteries associated with the character that remains untouched, they shall be covered in Kamala’s further appearances, such as in The Marvels. And that is quite a significant reason to watch the show.
Why Is Audience Viewership for Ms. Marvel So Low?
Despite the show’s brilliant creative production and an adventurous introduction of Kamala Khan in the MCU, Ms. Marvel has received the least viewership among all Disney+ originals set within the franchise. But it isn’t because Ms. Marvel lacks creativity or originality. The reason for low audience viewership for the show is probably bad timing.
Ms. Marvel debuted as a weekly series comprising six episodes. Disney matched the release dates for the show with Lucasfilms’ Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi. Since the latter is relatively more popular, the audience shifted attention toward that story. Moreover, Obi-Wan Kenobi was a nostalgic tour for the audience, featuring their favorite characters, including Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader. Ms. Marvel eventually fell prey to this strategy. A few weeks later, before the final two episodes, the show faced further competition with Netflix’s Stranger Things 4 and Prime Video’s The Boys, further deescalating the show’s viewership ratings.
The show may have also received a lesser response from the audience because of unfamiliarity with the character. Given that it was a new story with an entirely new star cast, featuring fresh faces and newcomers, Ms. Marvel may have failed to attract the masses in large volumes initially.
As stated, the show features cultural references that probably won’t land easily with the Western audience. The songs, the theme music, and the character arcs do not resemble the heroes we have earlier seen in the MCU. It’s a prevalent drawback of watching narratives set in an unfamiliar setting.
However, despite the show’s lesser viewership, it has gained massive popularity among young kids. It has triggered one of the most anticipated storylines for The Marvels, which fans are eager for.
Ms. Marvel Is Statistically the Best MCU Show
Though the show couldn’t attract an audience as large in numbers as Moon Knight did, Ms. Marvel has still superseded every other Disney+ original set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With a 98% critical rating, Ms. Marvel has statistically received the best ratings for any MCU show. The show has received a positive response from critics who have praised Marvel Studios’ new approach to the character and its research into her cultural backdrop.
There have been reports of review-bombing for Ms. Marvel. Still, it hasn’t stopped critics from bringing its crucially well-crafted aspects into light, making it one of the most successful projects in the MCU continuity.
