After Episode 2’s cliffhanger ending, Ms. Marvel Episode 3 delivers a lot of answers to the audience’s questions.
The show wastes no time establishing who Najma is, what Kamala’s great-grandmother Aisha was, and why they tracked down Kamala.
We’ll Give It a Shot
The good news is now we know Kamala isn’t an Inhuman or an alien. She’s a Djinn! That’s right, the Djinn are not mythical creatures but exiles from the Noor dimension searching for a way home.
The idea that Kamala’s great-grandmother didn’t just have powers but was from another dimension is a big curveball. There is clearly a lot of hurt in her mother’s family still about Aisha’s disappearance, and the revelation that she wanted to leave her family could complicate that further.
Kamala, wanting to be a hero and feeling bad for them, agrees to help them try to get back to their home. The bangle is the key but only she can operate it in this dimension.
Unfortunately, it’s a little hard to want to take the explanation of Kamala’s origin at face value, for multiple reasons. The fact they originally rescued the bangle off a severed blue (Kree?) arm, raises even more questions.
Are the Kree somehow related? How do the dimensions relate to the MCU’s focus on the multiverse? Aside from Doctor Strange, it’s not a concept Marvel has explored very much.
Last of all, it turns out Najma’s a little evil (we’ll get there). Should we really trust her to tell the whole story?
When Bruno warns Kamala that opening the dimension would take too much energy and could be extremely dangerous, she agrees to back off. Unfortunately, her new friends aren’t what they seem.
We’re Halfway There
The wedding scene on this episode is probably one of the most fun to ever grace the MCU. Mostly because let’s be honest the MCU doesn’t allow people to be this happy.
Between the heartwarming ceremony and the fun and energetic dance performance, you wish you had been invited to this wedding. The fact we’re seeing a Muslim Pakistani wedding on a Disney show is no small thing and should be celebrated.
But parties always attract party crashers, and the fact the Djinn show up to attack Kamala kills the vibe. Really, they couldn’t have waited a few hours?
Going from not knowing the Djinn existed to them becoming the big bad creates a little bit of whiplash. It would be a lot for anyone to handle let alone a teenager. The fight scene is full of energy though and feels a little similar to Hawkeye.
Setting up Kamala to travel to Pakistan for more answers is not something I expected the show to do. After all, she’s a street-level hero and I was enjoying the world of Jersey City the show has created.
Where the show goes from here will be the real test of whether Kamala’s revamped origin story can win over fans. Although the show is rife with Marvel connections, the story of Djinn is so different than what we’ve seen before.
Interdimensional is not multiversal, so how will this all fit in with everything else?
Meanwhile, there are still a lot of interpersonal stories to continue exploring including Kamala’s relationships with her mother, Bruno, and Nakia. Kamala may be appearing in The Marvels but these other characters likely won’t be so the show needs to wrap up their stories in a satisfying way too.
Additional Thoughts:
- I did not have Dr. Erik Selvig on my name drop bingo card! I doubt he would show up *but* maybe Darcy?
- A big hint there that Kamran might end up with powers. Hopefully, he stays on Kamala’s side.
- Bruno’s jealousy of Kamran is so hilarious but also I’m rooting for him!
- Kamala’s parents really do give the best little speeches. Even when they’re being strict their love for their children shines through.
- Please, can we have more happy fun moments like the wedding dance in the MCU? Please???
- Also, Bruno participating in the dance? I love that.
- Bring Brown Jovi out to play during the Marvel Hall H panel, you cowards!
- Wild Theory: Kamala’s great-grandmother went missing that night because she somehow made it back to the other dimension, that’s what the train vision is about.
New episodes of Ms. Marvel stream Wednesdays on Disney+.