Ms. Marvel has wrapped up its first season after six weeks on the air. Based on the comic book character of the same name introduced in 2014, Ms. Marvel follows the story of a 16-year-old Pakistani-American high school student named Kamala Khan living in New Jersey, who after discovering a family artifact develops superpowers and becomes a superhero. The series is Marvel Studios' seventh superhero streaming series on Disney+, and while the lowest viewed series based on traditional viewing metrics has been the best-reviewed series and is currently regarded as not just a highlight of Phase 4 of the MCU but of the entire franchise.

Despite the series having some of the most direct references to the wider MCU, as the title character is a Marvel superhero fan who is particularly obsessed with Captain Marvel, the series used the franchise as background to inform a very personal story about a young girl coming of age, finding her place in the world, and connecting with her family and cultural heritage. By the end of the series, Kamala has grown into the superhero Ms. Marvel, who is embraced by her family and wider community, with a whole host of adventures on the horizon.

While still being a self-contained story, the creators were able to leave a few hints at the wider universe and tease for future stories to come for the MCU. Ms. Marvel makes some major connections to not just the Captain Marvel franchise, but also Shang-Chi and the first real reference to one of Marvel's most popular group of heroes. Here is every major hint that Ms. Marvel makes at the future of the MCU.

Ms. Marvel is the MCU's First Mutant

The X-Men in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics

Just before Ms. Marvel concluded, Bruno reveals to Kamala that there is something different about her compared to her family, explaining why they don't display any superpowers. Bruno says to Kamala that her DNA has a mutation. Any Marvel fan or even general audience member knows when the word mutation is mentioned in the context of a Marvel project, it is connected to X-Men.

Related: Ms. Marvel: Why You Should Be Watching the Disney+ Series

The X-Men are one of the biggest names in Marvel and had their own successful film franchise that ran from 2000 to 2020. Due to Fox owning the film rights to X-Men and the concept of mutants, it meant that Marvel Studios and the MCU were forbidden from using the term. This is why in the comics, Marvel started to push the Inhumans front and center as a way to introduce superpowered individuals in the MCU, and this is what lead to the creation of Ms. Marvel in the comics where she was an Inhuman.

However, when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox in 2017, that meant they gained the film rights back to the X-Men and could bring them into the MCU. So while Ms. Marvel was made an Inhuman in the comics to tie into an attempt to push out the X-Men, in the MCU she has been turned into a mutant due to Marvel Studios owning the X-Men film rights, pushing away from the Inhumans.

Kamala and Djinn in Ms. Marvel
Marvel Studios

Ms. Marvel marks the first time the word mutant or mutation has been referenced in the MCU. Even classic mutant characters like Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were originally referenced as 'miracles' and despite a variant of Professor X appearing in Doctor Strange 2 his status as a mutant or affiliation with the X-Men is never mentioned, and the film relies on audiences shared memory of Patrick Stewart from the other X-Men films to fill in the gaps.

Kamala being introduced as the first mutant character in the MCU feels like it is opening a floodgate for more characters. Following the release of Ms. Marvel is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever which will feature the character Namor, who in Marvel Comics is often referred to as the first mutant. While no X-Men film is planned, Kevin Feige did reveal at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 that they had plans for mutants, meaning audiences should keep an eye out for more mutant references in future projects.

Ms. Marvel Hints at The Ten Rings

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Post-Credits Scene
Marvel Studios
Disney

In episode three of Ms. Marvel ('Destined'), the origins of Kamala's bangle are revealed as being found in an ancient temple on what appears to be a blue arm. This is likely a Kree alien, which has been featured in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, further connecting Kamala's origin to that of her hero Carol Danvers.

Yet the bigger reveal is that the temple the bangle was found in features a Ten Rings logo. The Ten Rings were first shown in Iron Man, but their origin was expanded upon in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, revealing the organization is named after ten magical artifacts worn by Wenwu (Tony Leung). That film reveals that Wenwu discovered the Ten Rings in an ancient temple but no more details were given about what exactly the rings were and where they originated from. The end credit scene of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings raised further questions as the mystical, cosmic, and scientific side of the MCU don't recognize the Ten Rings and reveal they are sending out a signal to something, but it is unknown.

In the comics, the Ten Rings artifacts were alien in origin and connected to a species known as the Makluans, a race of dragon-like aliens. The MCU has kept its origin vague, but it could be connected to some alien species. With the bangle being discovered in a Ten Rings temple, it means that Wenwu in his many centuries alive might have had dealings with alien life that visited Earth, possibly defending the planet against any invasion as it would be a threat to his power. He also was likely collecting alien artifacts, possibly to understand more about his artifact. It raises a lot of questions but now makes a direct link between Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel, and the Shang-Chi franchise. While Marvel Phase 4 has been criticized for being so separated, it appears that elements are finally starting to come together and converge.

First Look At The Marvels

Brie Larson as Captain Marvel in the MCU
Marvel Studios
Disney

The end credit scene is a major hint of what is to come, as it shows Kamala in her room when her bangle activates. She is immediately thrown backward through her bedroom closest, but instead of Kamala stepping out, it is Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) herself, confused at stepping into a room on Earth. The implication appears to be that Kamala and Carol have swapped places in the universe, with each being transported to each other's current locations meaning that Kamala is now in space wherever Carol Danvers was.

Related: How Thor: Love and Thunder Sets Up The Future of The MCU

This is possibly a further hint that Kamala's bangle is the MCU version of the Nega-bands. In the comics, the Nega-bands are a Kree artifact that was connected to the original Captain Marvel and Rick Jones, which allowed each of them to swap places with one another. This seems to be the direction the MCU is going, with the second bangle likely being in space under the Kree position, and it will be further revealed in The Marvels how the two items were separated.

This may be a scene directly from The Marvels, possibly occurring early on in the film. Marvel Studios has used scenes from upcoming films in after-credit scenes, from a scene in Captain America: Civil War appearing at the end of Ant-Man, or a scene from Thor: Ragnarok at the end of Doctor Strange. The scene in the series could be from the beginning of the upcoming film The Marvels, likely following Ms. Marvel's first scene in the movie, and will eventually lead to the two heroes meeting one another alongside Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) from WandaVision.

Will Ms. Marvel Get A Season 2?

Ms. Marvel Kamala
Disney Platform Distribution

While Ms. Marvel ended with 'Ms. Marvel Will Return In The Marvels,' there was no indication of the series getting a second season. Most MCU Disney+ series have only been limited series, with the exception being Loki and What If...? (both of which have been confirmed for season two). Like the great Spectacular Spider-Man, by nature of being the story of a teenage superhero, Ms. Marvel seems perfect for the episodic nature of television and one that could sustain multiple television series between film appearances.

This is something that the MCU Spider-Man films could never get into, the day-to-day life of being a teenage superhero. Ms. Marvel left plenty of dangling plot threads regarding Kamran, the Red Daggers, and Kamala's various friends and family there are plenty of stories left to tell. If Ms. Marvel season two does happen, it likely will not air until after The Marvels is released in theaters, meaning it would not premiere until late 2023 at the earliest with a more likely premiere date being sometime in 2024.

There is a chance that the second season of Ms. Marvel will be announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 in just two weeks. The studio is making its grand return to Comic-Con after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the release of Thor: Love and Thunder meant all the projects that were announced and dated at the 2019 convention have been released. Rumors are circulating that the studio will show a first look at The Marvels at the convention, and if star Iman Vellani is present, they could use the convention to announce Ms. Marvel season two. The Ms. Marvel character will certainly return and, given the positive audience reaction, she will be a fixture in the MCU for a long time to come.