Ms Marvel wrapped up its initial season with it’s finale, episode six titled No Normal. Here is my final episode and season review. Overall I loved the series but thought that the finale was a mixed bag. Major spoilers below.
As with the previous episodes, I thought that the family scenes were the best parts. I liked the interactions between family, including the “reveal” included in the clip above. It’s great to see a supportive non-dysfunctional family in general, much less an Asian American non-dysfunctional family.
The show has a Asian American girl having a crush on an Asian boy – something we have not seen much in the past (although improving) much less in an MCU movie. Kamala and Kamran’s kiss was interrupted, but that fits in with South Asian movies where couples aren’t shown kissing. In the show’s love triangle with Bruno, Kamala, and Kamran, though, I would say I’m on “Team Bruno.” Must be the nerd in me.
I thought that the weakest parts of this episode, and indeed the whole series, involves the superhero sections. A compelling action show needs a compelling villain, and the keystone cops in known as the DODC weren’t exactly compelling or believable. It was a stretch to think that everyone (except for Zoe) couldn’t figure out that Ms Marvel was really Kamala. It was also a stretch that the DODC wouldn’t question Aamir, Bruno, and Nakia later about Kamala and Kamran.
The Clandestines could have been much more better villains, There are parallels in the refugee experience that could have been drawn, but those were not. In an interview in Variety, Ms. Marvel’s creator and head writer Bisha K. Ali said that they had developed extensive backgrounds to the Clandestines but could not develop them better because of the pandemic and time restrictions. Other interesting back story not shown concerns the Red Daggers. Perhaps more in a Season 2?
Despite these problems, I think that the portrayal of a not often portrayed part of Asian American life, the visual look and feel of the show, and Iman Vellani’s charming performance makes Ms Marvel season 1 worth it watching. I don’t know if there will be another season, but Iman Vellani and her Ms Marvel character will be returning in a new movie, The Marvels, to be released next year. The entire season of Ms. Marvel is available on Disney+.
