The question before actually watching Ms. Marvel on Disney Plus is : “Is the Marvel Cinematic Universe” stretching itself too thin by turning relatively obscure characters into TV shows on Disney Plus?”
At first, my answer was yes, but that was before I gave the first episode a chance.
At 44 years old, my only exposure to the Ms. Marvel character was the Avengers video game for PlayStation 4 and that in itself was something far less than memorable. So while recovering from the weekend, I sat mercifully on my couch and after deciding there was nothing on TV with only about 10,000 choices, I clicked on Ms. Marvel with a “why the heck not” outlook.
The character Ms. Marvel is a relatable one. A young teen with interests that do not fit her current social norms and fit even less into the very rigid guidelines her over-protective parents set for her.
Her real name is Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager from Jersey City. From the outset, Disney made it a point to let the audience know that nothing about her background is a “defining” attribute that will dominate the show’s narrative. The beauty of this first episode is how easily they were able to construct Kamala Kahn into SUCH a relatable new member of the MCU despite her ethnicity and creed being radically different from the majority of her peers. You can’t help but smile at her struggles with her parents and classmates because regardless how far removed you or I am from high school, we have all been where Kamala Kahn has been and at times possibly are still there today.
We are all just trying to find our place in the world. In our company that employs us, in our families and perhaps in our own home. So despite this show featuring a character that you may not be so familiar with, this is a show worth getting into as you will feel a special bond to this character after the first 45 minutes.
The message the MCU conveyed hits home. It doesn’t matter where you are from, who you are, or what your dreams are…. everybody is just looking for their special place in the world alongside everyone else’s. Give Ms. Marvel a chance.
(Image: AP Newsroom)