** SPOILERS AHEAD **
Those who caught the finale of Disney+’s Ms. Marvel and stayed to the very end would have been rewarded with a cameo by non-other than Brie Larson aka Captain Marvel, as she switches places with Kamala Khan, as a lead-up to both characters continuing their journey in The Marvels sequel in 2023, but sharp-eared viewers would have caught a bigger revelation just five minutes earlier, during a dialogue between Bruno Carrelli (Matt Lintz) and Kamala.
The long-time friend, who has been helping the teen hero hone her skills and escape Damage Control, spent some time looking in Kamala’s family DNA, to determine why she would have powers but not her brother Aamir, and reveals that Kamala’s genes are different, due to a mutation.
In what is likely the first reference to the word in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in a one-liner that Kamala brushes off, the audio cue is unmistakable, as the iconic X-Men theme from the Animated Series plays in the background.
If you want to nitpick, the audio sounds like the one from the 1992 animated series, but it’s actually an updated version set to debut in the upcoming X-Men ‘97 revival of the beloved series.
And there you have it, as this officially makes Kamala Khan the first mutant to make her debut in the MCU. (Yes, we know, Charles Xavier, played by Patrick Stewart in several X-Men films from 20th Century Fox, reprised his role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness earlier this year, but we’re not counting multiversal variants).
It’s also the first time that Marvel Studios has given any indication of what it will do with its vast library of X-Men characters, now that it has acquired back the rights to them after parent company Disney bought 20th Century Fox (now known as 20th Century Studios).
In an interview with Marvel.com, lead star Iman Vellani, who is a huge fan of the MCU, said she immediately emailed Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige the moment she read the script of the final episode.
“They sent me, and only me, the draft, and I immediately freaked out,” Vellani recalled.
“I emailed Kevin Feige in all caps. I was like, are you doing this like for real? Are you sure? I’m so honored! I was like yelling at him through an email. I was freaking out. This is the biggest deal in the world, and the fact that it’s happening in our show is crazy.”
Even co-star Lintz was not cued in, until the very end.
“They didn’t even have it in [the script],” Lintz explained. “I remember I was having a conversation about it and [the directors] were like, ‘Yeah, you say this crazy thing.’ They wouldn’t even tell me what it was! I was like, ‘What’s the deal here?’ They were very secretive about that whole thing.”
Meanwhile, Ms Marvel head writer Bisha K. Ali said that the mutant link was not always part of the plan, but she was elated about being able to use the word ‘mutation’ in the show.
“Oh my god, best day of my life!”, she said.
“It wasn’t from the beginning [of the show]. With Marvel, something’s always a moving piece, and we’re trying to solve this question of, ‘If any of [Kamala’s family] put the bangle on, would they have powers?’
So what does this mean? Before the show started, Marvel Studios already revealed that Kalama’s powers in the show would differ from the comics, and this is likely what they were leading to.
In the comics, Kamala gained her powers from the Inhumans, while in the show, her abilities were derived from the bangle. In the second episode, Bruno mentioned that her abilities come from within her, which likely means that not everyone can just wear the bangle and use it (Kamala’s mother could not), and her mutant abilities are likely the trigger that grants her access to her abilities.
Feige revealed that the mutants would appear in the MCU in the future, though no definitive plan has been revealed on how and when they would make their debut. With Taron Egerton gunning for the role and Marvel Studios set to make a return to San Diego Comic Con in a few weeks time, we would be on the cusp of a major reveal. After all, Feige did promise to reveal the next big saga as Phase 4 draws to a close.
Hsals needs more space in his house, and more money in his bank account to pay for all the toys, collectibles and other geek related items that companies are churning out. Free-time? Girlfriend? Who’s got time for those?
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