"Ms. Marvel"

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🆕 For your reference, my star rating system is explained on the right sidebar. 🆕

"Ms. Marvel" is a six-episode series on Disney+. It is the origin story of, of course, Ms. Marvel.

Kamala Khan is a typical American Muslim teenager who is in high school and enjoys spending time with her friends. She also happens to be an Avengers superfan, especially of Captain Marvel. Kamala attends AvengerCon, wearing a mysterious bangle that was handed down from her grandmother to her mother. Kamala soon discovers she has a unique super power. The rest of the series focuses on her getting to know more about this super power and about the history of the bangle. 

This series is in my top three favorite Marvel series, with WandaVision and Loki being the other two (neither of which I have reviewed yet). "Ms. Marvel" starts out the way some of the other Marvel series do, with everyday life taking place until something happens that changes the course of the show. This series is unique because it features a younger main character than the others do and the first episode especially has a very teenage vibe to it. I found this to be a refreshing change, while knowing that the entire series wasn't going to stay this way.

It gradually evolves into a blockbuster of a series that could easily have been a movie. There are some parts of "Ms. Marvel" that move along a bit slow for me (which would be resolved in a movie that takes less time), but for the most part, I really enjoyed it. Using a bangle as the mysterious accessory was clever. I can remember growing up, wearing lots of bangles. Bangles are very popular in some cultures.

Marvel Studios has a history of being spot-on with their superhero casting (except with Captain Marvel, in my opinion) and they once again struck gold when they discovered and hired Iman Vellani. Her passion for the comics in real life shines through brilliantly in this series. When I watch her on screen, I see someone who is truly enjoying what she is doing. She masters every aspect of this role, from being your typical teenager to lighting up (literally) the world as Ms. Marvel, who she eventually becomes known as.  She excels with every emotion she portrays and she brings a certain kind of youthful energy to Marvel that I have not seen with any other superhero. (Peter Parker is great in his own way, but Kamala Khan is a different kind of youthful greatness.) And it doesn't stop with Iman Vellani. The entire supporting cast is also a joy to watch in this series.

I am a little disappointed that Eid was a mere fleeting mention in Ms. Marvel and not a bigger part of at least one episode. The "Hawkeye" series clearly revolved around Christmas when it aired, so why couldn't something like that have happened with "Ms. Marvel" to a greater degree, which took place around Eid? It was a missed opportunity.

However, I do like the way Muslims are accurately portrayed. Some of the scenes, especially the interactions with family members, are so spot-on relatable that they made me laugh out loud. I love that Kamala and Nakia, both female Muslim teenagers, are portrayed differently. Nakia wears a hijab (head covering), while Kamala does not. I also love that Bruno is Kamala's best friend and they care a lot about each other. All of this variety is real life.

"Ms. Marvel" has all the makings of an outstanding Marvel series. With a standout cast, relatable characters, laugh-out-loud as well as light humor, music that matches the series, raw emotion, and an engaging storyline, it all comes together for one amazing story. The mid-credits scene at the end makes me excited to see what's next for our newest Marvel Studios superhero.