Editor’s note: The following contains Ms. Marvel Season 1 spoilers.“If you saved one life….well, you saved the world.” This line fromthe fantastic finaleofMs. Marvel, one of the best things the MCU has done in a long while, encapsulated so much of what made the show such a standout in what can be a rather cumbersome cinematic universe. Delivered toIman Vellani’s charismatic Kamala by her caring father,Mohan Kapoor’s Yusuf, it spoke to the show’s more grounded sense of storytelling. While there have been many superhero stories that ended with big lasers being shot into the sky or a gigantic action scene built around world-ending destruction,Ms. Marveltook a different path that made it infinitely more engaging. It recallssome of the best parts of films like the originalSpider-Manthat captured the importance of seeing the actual neighborhood of people where your story is set. It found humanity in characters who would normally be glossed over in favor of the spectacle, ensuring we never forget the people and community that are worth fighting for. Even as someone who can appreciate a massive mashup of explosions and chaos, some of whichMs. Marveloccasionally dips its toe into, this last episode was nothing short of refreshing in cutting through the Marvel malaise.
In it, agents of the Department of Damage Control have come after Kamala and company who must find a place to hide. After a perfectly delivered joke about why they can’t hide in a mosque, as it is oneof the most heavily surveilled places in America, they decide to protect themselves against the goons by hatching a humorous defense plan at the only place that will be empty: their high school. Written out on a chalkboard, their plan ended up being actually rather clever while still being good fun as we got to watch these goofy kids outsmart their attackers. Making use of a disco ball, plenty of fire extinguishers, and many decoys, it was a well-staged sequence that demonstrated a willingness to embrace its own silliness. Woven throughout all of it, as it had been during the entire show, were personal stakes and emotional connections that were more meaningful because of how grounded it all was. Even when things get particularly dire, the story always made sure to check in on characters and give them moments to process the events that have taken place over the season.
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In each episode, there has been an emphasis on telling stories that were rich with meaning and history, providing additional layers to the characters all trying to find their way in a harsh world. Even as it grappled with Kamala’s newfound powers and the threats facing her world, it never lost sight of the characters at the center. At times, it almost felt like a family drama that was willing to put all the superhero stuff to the side for key moments. This opened up a greater potential for a show that avoided the trappings of the genre that can often create flat characters and paper-thin storylines.Ms. Marvelwas anything but, reminding us that a more stripped-down focus on people makes everything in your show infinitely better. Thedistinct details of Kamala’s everyday life were felt from the start,creating a character that was magnificently multidimensional. When things then kicked off, we were more deeply invested in her story. This made the action sequences themselves tied to more compelling stakes.
You care about Kamala and all the people around her far more than some nebulous end-of-the-world threat of faceless characters being obliterated. In the final episode when she is at her lowest and facing the real potential of being gunned down to protect her friends, you are right there with her. Even when she throws out the word “embiggen” at one point, a perfectly cromulent word, you are on board for the silliness because of just how much you’ve gotten swept up in the story. To see a character just pull out all the stops to fight off forces who seek to do her and those she cares about harm is something Marvel ought to do more of. It all creates a much stronger connection to the story than most of the other ending scenes the series puts forth that feel like everything is just being thrown at the screen to see what sticks.Ms. Marvelhad the confidence and care to chart its own path by telling a more focused story where the people aren’t just made into set dressing for the spectacle. Instead, they are made central to the experience. When we see them stand together to protect Kamala, it recalls the bridge scene in the firstSpider-Manwhere people helped defend him when he was vulnerable. These moments stick with me more than anything Marvel has done recently.
Of course, there are now likely going to be crossovers where Kamala joins in with the rest of the heroes in the universe to save the world or even the multiverse that the series is shifting towards. This was telegraphed by its end credits scene that painfully reminded us that we can’t have a nice, contained story without tying it into all these broader plots. There were even moments throughout the show that I caught myself wishing it was even more simple in its storytelling. Forget all the secret organizations, let’s just have it be about this family and their struggles with wacky superhero adventures as a backdrop. Alas, that is not the way the Marvel machine works as one thing must always lead to another to keep everything moving. Still, it was nice to see the show just slow down for extended scenes and sit with characters that we get to observe just going about their lives. Wherever the story takes us next, one hopes that they remember to not leave all these interesting characters and places behind. They are the details that provide the texture to the stories being told, ensuring that there is something unique to grasp onto that sets it apart from the increasingly familiar storytelling beats. Preserving that is something superhero stories must prioritize to ensure they don’t burn out.
