Spoiler Alert: This article contains light spoilers for The Marvels.

Marvel Studios’ recent stint with television productions has been a mixed bag. Yet one of the best entries in both the Disney+ series and the entire Phase 4 lineup was Ms. Marvel. Ms. Marvel debuted in 2022 on Disney+, introducing a culturally diverse and brand new central character to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The show got very positive reviews, with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score; Ms. Marvel has 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, but the series suffered from an initial lackluster viewership rating.

Ms. Marvel has been the most worthwhile experience for Marvel in 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. Following the release of The Marvels, there is a good chance viewers will want to check out Ms. Marvel, either again or for the first time, after having been won over by the character in the film. Here’s why Ms. Marvel, the Disney+ series, deserves an applauding audience.

Update November 11, 2023: This article has been updated following the release of The Marvels for those who are curious about Kamala Khan's story and why it is worth watching.

Kamala Khan Is the Ultimate Geek

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 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. 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. 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 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. Muslim actors play other central Muslim characters, including Saagar Shaikh, Yasmeen Fletcher, and Rish Shah. Marvel Studios hired people from the community to fill different creative roles. The show was created by Bisha K. Ali, a British citizen of Pakistani origin, while Adil Arbi and Bilall Fallah are the show's head directors. 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 in Indian and Pakistani films, performed by singers and musicians from both countries. The costumes the characters wear in the show are pretty authentic to the traditions of Southeast 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. However, 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 the franchise's new phase.

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:

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.

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.

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 Mutants and X-Men

If nothing gets you thrilled about 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 introduction to the MCU.

In Ms. Marvel, Marvel Studios has changed the character’s backdrop and her powers. Ms. Marvel was the first confirmed mutant in the MCU, followed shortly by Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. With the post-credit scene of The Marvels hinting at big things for the mutants and the X-Men could be just around the corner. Now, Ms. Marvel is a major key connecting the X-Men to the Avengers.

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’ 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 season 4 and Prime Video’s The Boys season 3, 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. The series was at a disadvantage compared to shows like Loki, Hawkeye, and WandaVision, which were characters audiences already knew. Ms. Marvel, in many ways, had to face the hurdle that new Phase 4 films like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals faced in trying to hook new audiences without audiences' prior knowledge.

However, despite the show’s lesser viewership, it has gained massive popularity among young kids. It is worth noting that younger viewers, the same ones that Ms. Marvel is likely aiming for, watch movies and television differently. A lot of the tracking for Ms. Marvel was based solely on television streaming, not portable devices like phones, so there is a chance Ms. Marvel's target demographic was watching it in other formats.

Iman Vellani is the New MCU Star

Anyone who saw The Marvels will tell you that Iman Vellani is the movie's scene stealer. This was apparent from the first episode of Ms. Marvel, but following the character's two appearances it is very clear that she is the true star of the MCU. The MCU has struggled since Phase 4 began trying to find a new group of heroes to be the center point for the franchise. After season 1 of Ms. Marvel, it should have been clear to everyone at Marvel Studios that they had a winner with Iman Vellani, and they should be making her the new center of the franchise. To their credit, the final moments of The Marvels seem to indicate that.

Iman Vellani is a revelation in the role of Kamala Khan. Instantly, she gets the character down and makes her one of the most likable and relatable superheroes in the MCU. She is as born to play the part as Tom Holland was for Spider-Man, and while Marvel Studios does not have full creative control over Spider-Man, they do with Ms. Marvel. Iman Vellani carried an entire Disney+ series and might now be carrying the MCU into the future.

Stream on Disney+