She’s at the centre of one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) biggest upcoming origin stories – but who is Ms. Marvel?
With Kamala Khan’s very own MCU series set to air on Disney+ later in 2022, the wider world will soon be introduced to this one of a kind character.
But until then, here’s everything you need to know, from her comic book origin story, to her powers, and why fans love her so much.
Who Is Kamala Khan?
Marvel Studios
Kamala is a Pakistani-American born and raised in New Jersey, her parents and older brother having moved to the country from Karachi.
A practicing Muslim, her earliest exploits before becoming a hero see her balancing school life, religious duties, and her biggest passion: writing Avengers fan fiction.
Her two best friends, Nakia Bahadir and Bruno Carrelli (two children of other immigrant families), share her same nerdy interests, which have seen her get ostracised by peers and her family.
But her love for Carol Danvers will come to pay off in ways nobody could have expected.
How She Became Ms. Marvel
Marvel Studios
In the comics, Kamala Khan became an Inhuman (a genetic offshoot of humanity created by the Kree, the alien race from Captain Marvel) after sneaking out to a party on the New Jersey waterfront. She was teased by other teens there, so she left early.
On her way home she was sprayed by Terrigen mist and became encapsulated in a cocoon, where she saw a vision of her three favourite Marvel heroes; Captain America, Iron Man, and Captain Marvel.
They scolded her for breaking her parents’ rules, and asked her who she wanted to be like – she said Captain Marvel, and soon emerged from the cocoon dressed in Carol Danvers’ costume, with new superpowers to match.
What Are Her Powers?
Marvel Comics
Kamala has a wide range of powers, most of which revolve around the cells in her body mutating, so she can change sizes. She can stretch limbs, shape shift, and heal almost immediately after being attacked.
More importantly, however, she can share her mass through time – effectively time travelling in different forms to help herself whenever she needs it. This is all in addition to her superhuman speed and strength.
She first comes to terms with her powers immediately after leaving her cocoon, heading back to the waterfront and stretching her arms to save someone from drowning. But this brings her a lot of unwanted attention, so she goes back into hiding.
Only later, with her friend Bruno, does she start exploring her powers. She effectively outs herself to him after trying to stop a robbery, healing after being shot.
Who Are Ms. Marvel’s Enemies?
Marvel Comics
In the comics, the first villain Kamala encounters is The Inventor, a clone of Thomas Edison gone wrong after a pet cockatiel entered its brain.
The half-human, half-bird wreaks havoc on New Jersey, using its intelligence to build attacking robots whilst also persuading teenagers to commit crimes.
But her main opponent (who will also appear in the series) is family friend Kamran, who will be played by Rish Shah. Kamran also possesses Inhuman abilities, and Kamala crushes hard on him – that is until discovering he’s in cahoots with a terrorist named Kaboom, with both taking orders from the devilish Inhuman Lineage.
Marvel Comics
Her ability to defeat enemies like these led Ms. Marvel to join The Avengers, but in the comics, she made the bold decision of quitting early over philosophical differences, thinking the team let too many smaller problems slip through the cracks while saving the world.
We’ll see how Ms. Marvel’s origin story will be handled on the small screen on Disney+ in 2022.
