S01.E01: Generation Why

[AnimeMania]

Kamala Khan attends Avengercon only to discover that she herself might have superpowers.

Original Airdate: June 8, 2022

[AnimeMania]

The show was good enough and interesting enough, but I am not sure if Kamala would be the type of person I would want to be a superhero. She has little athletic ability, minor situational awareness, low self esteem, no interest in anything other than her own hobbies, and has no qualms about disobeying authority figures. I am not quite sure what her good points would be. That driving scene was way over the top.

The show shouldn't show a person stop walking while crossing the street just so they can stare at a text.

They made Kamala way below average and Bruno way too smart.

It would have been nice if they had Kamala lean into her art and video making more and maybe had her parents accept that that was the direction her life was heading towards.

It would have been so easy for Kamala to put her Captain Marvel costume on under her Hulk costume and let her father take her and Bruno to Avengercon. Kamala could have changed for the Captain Marvel cosplay and I am sure her dad would have been OK letting her enter and she would still have a bike.

[arc]

I enjoyed it a lot. I really liked all the graphical flourishes in the show. I'm a little sad some of the flourishes in the trailer were just for the trailer, like the speech bubbles in the guidance counselor's office. But stuff like the text messaging or the cosplay mashup conversation on the bikes or the illustrated plan to... take the bus.,, were really great. And the end credits sequence was great... honestly the first one I've watched in all the MCU shows so far. (and I picked a good one to start, because I organically saw there was a mid-credits scene.)

Kamala was great and so was her whole family. Aamir in the comics isn't a total jerk -- he's a pretty good guy overall -- but he's still a better brother in this adaptation than in the comics. Her mom is a bit of a steamroller, somewhat reminiscent of the mother-daughter dynamic in Turning Red, honestly.

I don't think I understand how Kamala can't easily sneak out in general but she could sneak out to the Carelli's convenience store/house rooftop.

The skyline shot made me think how rarely the MCU ever pointed the camera from Manhattan to Jersey City.

[Bill1978]

I have no knowledge whatsoever about Ms. Marvel so can't compare anything to the comics but what I can say is that I was getting very strong DC's Stargirl vibes from this first episode. Which for me is a good thing. But this episode suffered a bit from the same thing Moon Knight's first episode suffered with - having to introduce an audience to a new intellectual property that both comic book readers would be happy with without losing total newbies from me. It felt a little rushed at moments and perhaps it could have slowed down for a few beats but overall it's enjoyable and I will keep watching even if the mother annoys me.

[thuganomics85]

Got an idea now over why everyone knows so much about what went down in Endgame: Scott did a podcast!  Yeah, I'm sure he probably was an open book there and nothing was off the table!

Show was also giving me some Stargirl vibes as well, but I liked the flourishes and aesthetics they did with how Kamala visualized and fantasized certain things like the paper reenactment of the Endgame battle and how they showed her and Bruno's texts with the neon signs.  Really gave the show a fun and vibrant flare that is unique amongst the Disney+ series.

Interesting that this is following Moon Knight and while that show was almost its own thing in a lot of way, this show understandably leans into the MCU and referencing characters and major stuff that happened.  But I like how you see more of how heroes and so forth have made their mark on this culture and are influencing a new generation in many ways.  The idea of a fan becoming one is certainly an entertaining notion.

Not surprised that Iman Vellani has been getting so much praise going in.  She made for a great Kamala Khan and showed how she can be a bit obsessive at times with her Captain Marvel love (although, really, I've seen/heard much worse from some superhero fans!) and isn't quite sure about her place in the world yet, but is still likable, charismatic, and has the makings of being a hero in her own right.  I'm sure it won't be a cakewalk for her, but I'm looking forward to seeing the journey.

The rest of the cast was great too.  Zenobia Shroff was great in The Big Sick, and she's certainly nailed down the "disapproving" mother character down to a tee.  Hopefully the rest of the family will get fleshed out more, but I enjoyed the family dynamics here and how it almost grounded the show in some ways.

Not sure if Bruno was from the comics or how long the show was in development, but that name is certainly a topical one thanks to Encanto and the "We Don't Talk About Bruno" craze!

I wonder what Kamala was seeing when she put that bracelet on?

Nice end credits.

Actually got a post-credit scene bringing in the Department of Damage Control and Agent Cleary a.k.a. the guy that gave Peter so much grief in Spider-Man: No Way Home!

[angora]

Loving it so far. The flourishes with Kamala's artwork/the fantasy sequences are so much fun. Good mix of breezy, stylish montages (like Kamala running errands with her mom) and character scenes that had more room to breathe (like Kamala asking her parents to go to AvengerCon.)

This is the first time I've gone into an MCU property having already read the comics, so it's a new experience for me to be meeting these characters I already know for the first time in live action. Iman Vellani is terrific as Kamala! She's passionate and ambitious (about the things she's interested in,) but she's also a teenager who can be immature and rush into things. I'm guessing I'll be reminded of Spider-Man: Homecoming more than once as we see how she handles things.

I really like the characterization for the rest of the Khans. The pilot hits the basic thumbnails of the comic characters while also getting at some of the warmth and depth that the comics didn't really explore until after the first volume. I was reminded of Turning Red with Kamala's relationship with her mom, in that it's strained and they struggle to relate to each other but it's also clear how much Kamala's mom loves her and is trying to do what she thinks is best. I totally understand why Kamala was mortified at the idea, but the "big Hulk, little Hulk" costumes were actually really sweet and her mom's attempt at a compromise to let her do what she wants while still "protecting" her. I'm glad we saw some evidence that Aamir does genuinely care about Kamala, and I like seeing the ways Bruno is an honorary member of the family. calling him "Bruno beta," and the Tupperware containers--love it!

Loved the music too. Was that a Riz Ahmed song playing when she's walking down the halls at school? It's not one I know, but I thought the voice sounded like Riz.

[rtms77]

It was ok opening episode. The show though seems to be stuck between being a tweener and a teen hero show. The flourishes with the art etc were a bit excessive and only emphasized that Kamala was very immature for a 16 yr. On the other hand I know 16 and they are immature any ways lol. Maybe because the actress is a teenager, she acts her age instead of 22yrs pretending to be teens.

The family dynamic was interesting. How old is her brother suppose to be? Because he looks like 24 and should be out of the house with a job. The mother , daughter situation is a trope of just about every Indian show I've seen. It had Bend it Like Beckham written all over it. And why is it the Dad is always the lesser of the two parents, when in real life they are usually the more severe?

Bruno is fun, I hope he goes beyond just friendly tech help buddy.

As for the powers, sigh I guess they didn't want to introduce the Inhumans to explain it and of course they haven't introduced mutants so magic it is. It's just getting frustrating that magic is now the explanation for powers in the MCU.

[Dandesun]

7 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

The show was good enough and interesting enough, but I am not sure if Kamala would be the type of person I would want to be a superhero. She has little athletic ability, minor situational awareness, low self esteem, no interest in anything other than her own hobbies, and has no qualms about disobeying authority figures. I am not quite sure what her good points would be. That driving scene was way over the top.

Steve Rogers was an outright detriment when Erskine took him on as his project. Zero athletic ability, low self esteem and had already broken the law several times as he kept trying to enlist. Steve never had a problem disobeying authority figures so Kamala's being a teenager trying to figure out who she is and defying her parents in doing so is not a problem. It's basically part of her origin story.

The thing is, as a comic book reader, I know that a significant part of Kamala becoming the new Ms Marvel (on page) is figuring out how to be herself while figuring out her powers and her parents do loom large in that. She's rebelling a bit but she loves them and they are good people who have tried to instill good values in her so I'm looking forward to seeing that develop.

2 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Not sure if Bruno was from the comics or how long the show was in development, but that name is certainly a topical one thanks to Encanto and the "We Don't Talk About Bruno" craze!

Bruno is from the comics and predates Encanto by several years.

I think some of the differences between show and book were very interesting. Aside from the whole Inhumans thing in the first place (eyeroll) I do think that Kamala wanting to go to AvengersCon was a definite means of highlighting her nerd status and fangirl over the Avengers in the first place. In the comics, she very much did sneak out to a party that her parents forbade her going to and she was caught sneaking back in but while she was out that's when her powers manifested and she did save Zoe's life. So the powers and the life saving moment -- as well as the problem with said powers and not understanding them and how they work -- matched up fairly well.

I feel like this goes hand in hand with the comics. I can't stress how much I've loved Ms Marvel's book. Her introductory book was stellar. And the art was unique with lots of little Easter eggs in the details. (Like her Dad reading the paper and the headlines about a cricket team losing and blaming their fans for it.) Also, I LOVE that they have the winged sloth in Kamala's bedroom in the series.

Anyway, I've been looking forward to this one ever since it was announced and I really enjoyed episode one. Can't wait for more.

[Humbugged]

1 hour ago, Dandesun said:

Steve Rogers was an outright detriment when Erskine took him on as his project. Zero athletic ability, low self esteem and had already broken the law several times as he kept trying to enlist. Steve never had a problem disobeying authority figures so Kamala's being a teenager trying to figure out who she is and defying her parents in doing so is not a problem. It's basically part of her origin story.

The thing is, as a comic book reader, I know that a significant part of Kamala becoming the new Ms Marvel (on page) is figuring out how to be herself while figuring out her powers and her parents do loom large in that. She's rebelling a bit but she loves them and they are good people who have tried to instill good values in her so I'm looking forward to seeing that develop.

Bruno is from the comics and predates Encanto by several years.

I think some of the differences between show and book were very interesting. Aside from the whole Inhumans thing in the first place (eyeroll) I do think that Kamala wanting to go to AvengersCon was a definite means of highlighting her nerd status and fangirl over the Avengers in the first place. In the comics, she very much did sneak out to a party that her parents forbade her going to and she was caught sneaking back in but while she was out that's when her powers manifested and she did save Zoe's life. So the powers and the life saving moment -- as well as the problem with said powers and not understanding them and how they work -- matched up fairly well.

I feel like this goes hand in hand with the comics. I can't stress how much I've loved Ms Marvel's book. Her introductory book was stellar. And the art was unique with lots of little Easter eggs in the details. (Like her Dad reading the paper and the headlines about a cricket team losing and blaming their fans for it.) Also, I LOVE that they have the winged sloth in Kamala's bedroom in the series.

Anyway, I've been looking forward to this one ever since it was announced and I really enjoyed episode one. Can't wait for more.

Thanks for that .As for describing her as Stargirl they have a point but they are both high school superheroes  so what do you do that different  to make her different

[tennisgurl]

As a big fan of the Ms. Marvel comics and Kamala, I have been really excited about this show for awhile now, I remember way back when the book first came out that it would be a great TV show, but I didn't think it would really happen, I am so happy that this is finally here. In fact, of all of this slate of MCU shows, this is the one I have been most excited about. I thought this was a great start to the show, I enjoyed the stylistic flourishes to show Kamala's imaginative nature, plus its just a fun way to give this show its own identity, the show has an enjoyable fun bubbly atmosphere that sets it apart from the rest of the Disney+ MCU shows. Its great seeing these characters come to life, the cast is excellent, with of course Iman Vellani being the standout, she's a great choice for Kamala, but everyone is great so far, very similar to their comic book counterparts but adapted to fit into television. I especially like this version of Aamir, his comic counterpart is certainly a good guy and good brother, but he's also a lot more judgmental and distant, while this version is a lot warmer towards Kamala, which I like. I also really like their take on Kamala's parents, her dad showing up in his Hulk costume was adorable. Kamala's mom clearly loves her, but she doesn't really understand her and that causes her to hold onto her a bit too tightly, classic mother/teen daughter drama, even if Kamala's rebellions are extremely tame. 

Kamala is very much a Peter Parker style of hero, young, enthusiastic, smart, lovable, but also lacking in experience with a tendency to not think things through fully. But she already has a lot of potential and a drive to be a hero, and the MCU has shown as over and over that's what really matters, I am excited to see her heroes journey in live action! I know that her powers and the origin of those powers being changed has created some controversy, its interesting seeing how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. Kamala was created back when the Marvel comics were really pushing the Inhumans as the next big thing, mostly because a certain exec wanted them to become the new X-Men because they didn't have the X-Men's film rights, and she got her powers due to some bigger comic book storylines that were happening. Now however, the Inhumans are being mostly ignored by Marvel, due to overexposure, some bad events, and that terrible show that we do not speak of, plus the event that led to her getting her powers would require a lot more explanation in the MCU, so I can see why they changed her origins, they don't want to open up the Inhuman can of worms. However, the actual events surrounding her getting powers, sneaking out, randomly getting her powers in a way that feels almost like a spiritual moment, saving the local mean girl as her first act as a hero, so they still got the gist. I guess this also means that we will delve into her family history? Were there other magical heroes in the family? 

AvengersCon was awesome, I'll need to watch it again to check out all of the Easter eggs and all of the references to the MCU. My favorites were the big in memorial board for Tony and Natasha, the guy selling trips to New Asgard, and the return of Camp Lehigh, complete with Captain America's original theme song! I really enjoy things like this, its fun for fans to see what they catch and adds to the MCU's world building, how much superhero's have affected the greater culture and how civilians react to these super powered shenanigans. 

I think that this was a nice follow up to Moon Knight, both involve magic but are otherwise almost opposite. While Moon Knight was a dark psychological thriller that verged on horror with few connections to the greater MCU, Ms. Marvel is a fun much more lighthearted coming of age teen show with deep ties to the MCU. 

The music and end credits were great, I am really glad I watched until the end so I could catch the end credits. Hopefully this guy does better with Kamala than he did with Peter!

[AimingforYoko]

Marvel Casting, hitting it out of the park once again. I cannot wait for Kamala to meet fellow Avenger-geek Kate Bishop.

Speaking of, nice little Easter Egg in the end credits:

[AnimeMania]

QR Code to get a free comic.

[Sakura12]

I thought this was charming. I've seen critics praising Iman Vellania and they were right to. She was very natural and very much a teenager with her head in the cosmos. 

I like when they show people growing into being a hero. Like Peter she doesn't think things though. That comes with age and experience. I'm looking forward to see her journey. I'm also thinking her nani knows Captain Marvel. 

We can talk about this Bruno. I loved their friendship and what looks like maybe more. He was so supportive of her, even after she lost the gloves he made. 

Avengercon and Captain America the Musical. And Scott has a pod cast. Please tell me Luis recaps the stories. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

5 hours ago, Sakura12 said:

 I'm also thinking her nani knows Captain Marvel.

Given how fast Kamala's mom took the bracelet away from her - "That? Is junk." - I wouldn't be surprised if she knows what it is and what it does, that the cautionary tales about her grandmother are to keep the kid from following the same path, even by accident. Why she would have sent it to their house is a mystery, since that's the only reason Kamala was caught on video at the con. Trying to pass the torch in some way, maybe?

[Sakura12]

I wouldn't be surprised if her grandmother was one of the views or all 5 of them of he YouTube videos. She probably saw that and sent the bracelet because of it. Telling Kamela we are like Captain Marvel. 

I do wonder what backstory they will go with for the bangles. Was it just around the tesarct at some point? is it Kree? or did Carol do something to it? Did her grandmother wear it and was a neighborhood hero. Maybe the mom resents her mother because she got so into helping others she ignored her family. And she doesn't want her daughter to follow that. 

[SeanC]

16 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

It would have been nice if they had Kamala lean into her art and video making more and maybe had her parents accept that that was the direction her life was heading towards.

But then there's no conflict.

[Guest]

I’m glad there was a bit of a gap between Moon Knight and this because the tone change could give you whiplash. I really loved that they spent a large chunk of time establishing the dynamics rather than jumping right into her getting her powers. I also loved that there was some nuance in her relationship with her parents. None of them were completely right or wrong. I felt for all of them at different moments. I really related to that moment when Kamala rejected the Hulk costume. I think every teenager has had that moment when you regret saying something the second it comes out of your mouth but you kinda meant it and you can’t take it back. 

I know a lot of people were unhappy about the power change but I like that her powers are now more tied to her culture. That creates a more interesting dynamic. 

10 hours ago, rtms77 said:

How old is her brother suppose to be? Because he looks like 24 and should be out of the house with a job.

Not in their culture and it’s becoming more common in America in general thanks to high housing costs. 

9 hours ago, Dandesun said:

Steve Rogers was an outright detriment when Erskine took him on as his project. Zero athletic ability, low self esteem and had already broken the law several times as he kept trying to enlist. Steve never had a problem disobeying authority figures so Kamala's being a teenager trying to figure out who she is and defying her parents in doing so is not a problem. It's basically part of her origin story.

This. Scott was also far from a natural when he first got his powers and his main qualification was being a good criminal. 

[PurpleTentacle]

I guess I'm not the target demographic, but this was very "meh" to me. I usually like an interesting visual style, but here it seemed like it was corporate paint by numbers and not an artist's vision.

The story has been really boring so far. Maybe it is more relateable and interesting to the target demographic...

It was a bit weird to see Anjali Bhimani, with the same accent she used for Fy'ra Rai, on this show. But I love her, so overall a good thing.

17 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

and has no qualms about disobeying authority figures. I am not quite sure what her good points would be.

Well that would be one of her good points. That is what a hero should do. Stand up to unreasonable authority figures. Somebody who blindly obeys is not a hero.

10 hours ago, rtms77 said:

How old is her brother suppose to be? Because he looks like 24 and should be out of the house with a job.

He is about to get married and will move out then, to live with his wife. Living in sin is still a bit of a taboo in some cultures.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

3 hours ago, Dani said:

I also loved that there was some nuance in her relationship with her family. Neither of them were completely right or wrong. I felt for all of them a different moments. I really related to that moment when Kamala rejected the Hulk costume. I think every teenagers has had that moment when you regret saying something they second it comes out of your mouth but you kinda meant it and you can’t take it back.

Yeah, this. You can see why Kamala feels squashed, since she complains to her brother that there's no overbearing protectiveness where he's concerned, but at the same time she's very young, and she's a heedless daydreamer who doesn't even (apparently) have Kate Bishop's wealth and material privilege as a cushion when she does things wrong, like backing into the driving instructor's car. Her parents are very involved in her life, especially her mother, so to her it's smothering because she's a kid, but you can also relate to their worry that she can't or won't get her head out of the clouds, since even after she gets caught sneaking back into her room she's still determined to cut her own 'cosmic' path.

[tennisgurl]

4 hours ago, Sakura12 said:

Avengercon and Captain America the Musical. And Scott has a pod cast. Please tell me Luis recaps the stories. 

I would absolutely subscribe to Scott and Luis's podcast, Scott doing podcasting about his superhero exploits is the most on brand thing ever. I also love that Scott apparently told people about the "that's America's ass" conversation as we saw it in some fan art at the con. Oh Scott.

[arc]

43 minutes ago, Dani said:

Not in their culture and it’s becoming more common in America in general thanks to high housing costs. 

Yes and no. Even in this episode, with lines lifted straight from the comics*, the parents are fine with Aamir living at home but they're dissatisfied that he is too pious to apply to any kind of job that might entail any moral compromise.

* I think. Well, definitely in the comics, they wish Aamir would get a job.

Edited June 9, 2022 by arc

[SnarkShark]

They're lucky enough to be drawing from some of the strongest source material Marvel's had in decades, but even so I was pleasantly surprised how well they landed this.  I see comments above from many not familiar wirh the source material, like comments she's not athletic, but trust me.  Other than changing some of her powerset, this is dead accurate to her character. 

[SnarkShark]

18 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

The show was good enough and interesting enough, but I am not sure if Kamala would be the type of person I would want to be a superhero. She has little athletic ability, minor situational awareness, low self esteem, no interest in anything other than her own hobbies, and has no qualms about disobeying authority figures. I am not quite sure what her good points would be. 

The thing is she's a dreamer.   Athleticism has nothing to do with those dreams, because they are in fact fantasies.  It's her character flaw, sure, but also what makes her relatable to a nerdy audience. Remove that?  Nobody would care about her. 

6 minutes ago, SnarkShark said:

Edited June 9, 2022 by SnarkShark

[SnarkShark]

13 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Nice end credits.

"Trust A Bro" spotted!  😄

[AnimeMania]

33 minutes ago, SnarkShark said:

The thing is she's a dreamer.   Athleticism has nothing to do with those dreams, because they are in fact fantasies.

I am guessing that is why they changed her powers, she doesn't need to be athletic since the powers no longer come from her body, but from her mind (good thing she is a dreamer). Her powers are now more like a total body Green Lantern "Ring", being able to make any shape and moving at the speed of light.

[phalange]

AvengersCon looks like a blast, honestly. I can totally see how regular people in the MCU would be obsessed with superheros to the point of having a con and cosplay contests. And of course Scott Lang would have a podcast; that feels 100% realistic given that he was also a total fanboy when he first met the Avengers. 

I haven't read the comics so I don't know the story about how Kamala got her powers there, but I like that in the show it's tied to her family and her heritage. I wonder if later we'll meet the grandmother who sent the bracelet. It'll be interesting to see how long Kamala can keep her powers a secret before her parents find out. 

[Racj82]

20 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

The show was good enough and interesting enough, but I am not sure if Kamala would be the type of person I would want to be a superhero. She has little athletic ability, minor situational awareness, low self esteem, no interest in anything other than her own hobbies, and has no qualms about disobeying authority figures. I am not quite sure what her good points would be. That driving scene was way over the top.

I'm interested in why you have this viewpoint. Damn near every superhero before being thrust into their power seem like the right choice to be a hero for one reason or another.

Kamala is also creative, bright, likes to plan, has shown she can step up and protect. She's going to have to grow and learn to be hero like every other hero.

[Racj82]

15 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

  The idea of a fan becoming one is certainly an entertaining notion

Kate Bishop was a fan of Hawkeye and now she's the new Hawkeye.

What I think MCU is doing right now is showing our avengers inspiring a new generation.

Black Widow inspires her sister Yelena

Hawkeye with Kate Bishop

RiRi is coming and is inspired by Tony Stark

Ant Man inspires his daughter 

Cap inspired Falcon as the new Captain America

I'm sure one day we will see a young Miles Morales inspired by Parker

I like the hook. 

[Racj82]

13 hours ago, rtms77 said:

The family dynamic was interesting. How old is her brother suppose to be? Because he looks like 24 and should be out of the house with a job

Because he's possibly 24 he should be out of the house. Ha. That's cute. Especially in 2022. Your age doesn't determine when you can or are ready to move out. Different families and cultures do things differently anyway.

I've already seen confusion lobbied at the Kamala vs parents for being so tame  but obviously for her culture and family, this was a big deal.

[arc]

1 hour ago, Racj82 said:

What I think MCU is doing right now is showing our avengers inspiring a new generation.

A decade-plus ago, one person said one of the key differences between DC and Marvel was heroes handing down their legacies. The Flash, Green Lantern, Robin, Blue Beetle, … there was a lot more of that happening in the DCU than in Marvel comics. Of course, that’s changed somewhat since then in the comics, but it’s an absolute imperative in the MCU where actors either age out or just don’t want to do it any more but the studio can’t reboot because they’re doing too well with the shared continuity thing.

(of course, James Rhodes and Bruce Banner were recast, early on in the MCU, but phase 1 was a completely different world from now.)

Edited June 9, 2022 by arc

[dwmarch]

22 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

She has little athletic ability, minor situational awareness, low self esteem, no interest in anything other than her own hobbies, and has no qualms about disobeying authority figures. I am not quite sure what her good points would be.

This is basically ADHD and in my own life I have found that it is absolutely a superpower if used correctly. I am interested to see where this goes in the show.

[Spaceman Spiff]

20 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Show was also giving me some Stargirl vibes as well, but I liked the flourishes and aesthetics they did with how Kamala visualized and fantasized certain things like the paper reenactment of the Endgame battle and how they showed her and Bruno's texts with the neon signs.  Really gave the show a fun and vibrant flare that is unique amongst the Disney+ series.

I enjoyed this as well. It reminded me of Stargirl but also Limitless and how Brian would "solve" some of the problems presented to him. The elaborate chalk board scheme drawn up just to say "we take the bus" cracked me up.

I can't help but look at Bruno and see Doogie Howser or as I will refer to him from now on Young Neal Patrick Harris (YNPH).

[oldCJ]

1 hour ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

I can't help but look at Bruno and see Doogie Howser or as I will refer to him from now on Young Neal Patrick Harris (YNPH).

Yes!! I said that exact thing to my partner.  Or I think I phrased it as NPH jr. 😂

[Llywela]

They were playing songs from Captain America: The Musical at Avengercon. That made me grin. 😀

[MrWhyt]

9 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

I am guessing that is why they changed her powers, she doesn't need to be athletic since the powers no longer come from her body, but from her mind (good thing she is a dreamer).

she didn't need to be athletic in the comics either, her power set makes up for that.

[AnimeMania]

2 minutes ago, MrWhyt said:

she didn't need to be athletic in the comics either, her power set makes up for that.

If you are going to run around with long legs and feet the size of a bus, I would think that proper running form and precise foot placement would be important for leverage and preventing collateral damage.

[MrWhyt]

6 minutes ago, AnimeMania said:

If you are going to run around with long legs and feet the size of a bus, I would think that proper running form and precise foot placement would be important for leverage and preventing collateral damage.

proper running form doesn't mean anything when you can shape your body to whatever you want it to be. She's not black widow, or hawkeye, she doesn't need to be an athlete she has powers for that.

[Dandesun]

So, the age difference between Kamala and Aamir is mentioned in comics but I don't know if it will come up in the show. Basically, her parents had Aamir and were told it was unlikely they'd be able to have another child. But several years later... they had Kamala. Her father explained why they named her Kamala as part of that and it was also a part of their protectiveness of her. While the comics have the relationship between Kamala and Aamir a little more strained it is also shown that they love each other so his attempt to talk their parents down regarding AvengersCon was a really nice touch.

I do think they really upped the Mom issues, though. Comic Mom did say things like 'how could you betray me like this' after Kamala snuck out to the party but I don't remember her saying flat out that she didn't trust Kamala before Kamala did anything. But obviously they're portraying an inter-generational situation here with the grandmother's bracelet and the mom talking about dealing with someone who didn't live in reality her whole life so... okay. That's what they're building. Got it.

I also have to say I really loved how they did the texting graphics when Bruno was walking home. The starlight on her bedroom wall, the graphic on the street, the neons in the window, the signs as the camera panned up the building. I really loved all of that.

I also keep wondering of the Edison Electrics are just an Easter Egg or a clue... but that's something I can wait and see on.

[arc]

By the way, I don't think Scott Lang has a podcast of his own, or at least not from the evidence we got here. Kamala says her research includes "Scott Lang's podcast interviews", with a screenshot that (to me) says the episode title is "Big Me Little Me" and the podcast as a whole is "This Powered Life", presumably a play on NPR's This American Life and (me just speculating now:) is not Scott Lang specific but just a general superhero focused podcast.

One super small unnecessary change from the comics is that now Kamala loves slushies instead of bubble tea. Ah well.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

3 hours ago, arc said:

By the way, I don't think Scott Lang has a podcast of his own, or at least not from the evidence we got here. Kamala says her research includes "Scott Lang's podcast interviews", with a screenshot that (to me) says the episode title is "Big Me Little Me" and the podcast as a whole is "This Powered Life", presumably a play on NPR's This American Life and (me just speculating now:) is not Scott Lang specific but just a general superhero focused podcast.

Maybe, but where would they get the idea that Carol knocked Thanos out if not from Scott fanboying or at least from Luis narrating some of these stories? Scott was absolutely not in the Battle Of New York, but you wouldn't know it if you attended a showing of Rogers: The Musical. Someone on Facebook posited that this distortion of the facts will bite Kamala in the butt later, maybe when she appears in The Marvels, because she idolizes Danvers for valid reasons, but literally no mention of the airstrike Thanos called in to get Wanda the hell away from him says somebody got overly liberal with what really happened.

[arc]

22 minutes ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Maybe, but where would they get the idea that Carol knocked Thanos out if not from Scott fanboying or at least from Luis narrating some of these stories?

Oh yeah, I definitely think the stories came from Scott being interviewed, but as a guest on someone else's podcast.

edit: casting spoiler for an undetermined future episode, as seen by someone from another forum who combed through the credits of this episode:

Spoiler

Hailee Steinfeld's regular makeup artist is credited as "Makeup Artist to Ms. Steinfeld"

there's also speculation on Reddit that it could be that the makeup department credits were just sloppily cut and pasted from Hawkeye.

Edited June 9, 2022 by arc

[Bill1978]

On 6/9/2022 at 12:28 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Actually got a post-credit scene bringing in the Department of Damage Control and Agent Cleary a.k.a. the guy that gave Peter so much grief in Spider-Man: No Way Home!

I had a feeling I was meant to recognise someone from the mid-credit scene. It's moments like this that I realise I'm not a super Marvel fanatic like I sometimes think I am haha.

Since watching the episode I've been thinking about how with the world's memory being erased of Peter Parker (and potentially Spider-Man disappearing from the MCU depending on contract negotiations), Kamala will fill the void of that young enthusastic Avengers fan that becomes part of the Avengers that Peter currently plays/played.

[tkc]

Okay, so at Avengercon there is a brief picture of some Ant-Man merch, that has the red rectangle Marvel logo above the “Ant-Man” branding…

…so what is “Marvel” in the MCU? Hmmm…

Edited June 10, 2022 by tkc

[PurpleTentacle]

34 minutes ago, tkc said:

…so what is “Marvel” in the MCU? Hmmm…

The prop department just grabbing some ant man action figures and thinking nobody would notice?

[SnarkShark]

7 hours ago, PurpleTentacle said:

The prop department just grabbing some ant man action figures and thinking nobody would notice?

Sure.  

It's also possible it's a comics company.  Marvel and DC have both had worlds where Superheroes are real, but superhero comics still exist.  Into The Spiderverse did this, for example.  Real world equivalent: how Evel Knievel had both comics (with Marvel!) and toys (okay, that wasn't connected to Marvel).  In fact, how they'd have toy marketing rights to the heroes in the first place is an issue.  Maybe in universe-Marvel gets those as part of a standard development deal with the hero.

[wmdekooning]

Quote

Zenobia Shroff was great in The Big Sick, and she's certainly nailed down the "disapproving" mother character down to a tee.

For me she was over the top annoying.

I will admit my family may have been unusual (I don’t think so), we’re an African American family, so traditional in that way, and while my 1970s-1980s youth had it’s restrictions, both my sister and I had way more leeway than Kamala Khan who was born sometime in the 2000s.

The whole time I’m asking, “How old is this mother?!!” and it turns out she’s my age of 57. 
 

Admittedly, I’m not familiar with Pakistani immigrant culture, but I would have thought a more recent immigrant group would be more “modern” in outlook and behaviour. The mother seemed more like a trope of the immigrant parent from one to two generations ago. Someone pointed out the father kind of took a backseat to the mother and her wishes.

Shout out to Camp Lehigh!!!

[Raja]

On 6/8/2022 at 7:28 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Actually got a post-credit scene bringing in the Department of Damage Control and Agent Cleary a.k.a. the guy that gave Peter so much grief in Spider-Man: No Way Home!

I was trying to make out the badge and was not thinking of him. Probably because Damage Control has only been seen in two of the  Spider-Man movies, especially in the second appearance where they seemed like investigators and not guardians of the clean up, I thought Damage Control was tuned over to Sony. And they were introducing S.W.O.R.D. from WandaVision.

[benteen]

Really good episode. I was a fan of the comic so I have been looking forward to this for a while. So far it is delivering. 

The show is so much fun and the character dynamics are probably its greatest strength. Iman Vellani is a great choice for Kamala. Extremely likeable. Although I'm surprised that she is 19 as she looks more like a middle schooler. Matt Lintz is also great as Bruno and the friendship between him and Kamala is strong.

Love the colors and all the recurring graphic art. Having Kamala be a Podcaster makes a lot of sense although I  still not a fan of the power change at all. It feels like another attempt by Disney to make a their characters fit the "Marvel way" which to me is very lazy. They should trust their fans more and realize that not every character has to fit the same formula.

Looking forward to more.

[MrWhyt]

11 hours ago, wmdekooning said:

Admittedly, I’m not familiar with Pakistani immigrant culture, but I would have thought a more recent immigrant group would be more “modern” in outlook and behaviour.

Pakistani is a very conservative culture.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

15 hours ago, wmdekooning said:

The whole time I’m asking, “How old is this mother?!!” and it turns out she’s my age of 57.

I"m not sure age, either Kamala's or her mother's, has much to do with it. Mom is keeping something from her, at least if her initial reaction to the bracelet is anything to go by. She doesn't even know Kamala swiped it out of the attic yet, much less wore it to the con, where she had a manifestation of its abilities. Some of it may well be cultural, which I'm not able to speak to, but there's stuff that's been kept secret as well, which is probably separate.