“Destined”

Ms. Marvel provides answers to questions, a Muslim wedding, an extended action sequence and questions about what makes a home.

In general, the Disney+ Marvel TV show approach is to split an extended movie into -in this case- six parts and tell the story over that period of time. With that in mind, this show heads into its second act with this episode that marks the halfway point of the season. Structurally the second act begins now which usually means that information is provided that helps the character or characters progress with whatever their objective is.

This episode picks up where the previous one left off; with Kamala rescued by Kamran and his mother from Department of Damage Control drones. Najma (Nimra Bucha) then proceeds to explain what the bangle is, what she is and the role she could play in what they’re trying to achieve. It’s explained to Kamala that her great grandmother, Aisha (Mehwish Hayat) and Najma come from another dimension and call themselves the Clan Destines. Mythology has painted them in different lights over time but a touchstone relevant to Kamala is the Djinn. Kamala learns that she is descended from Djinn and that the bangle draws out the power that already exists within her. Najma wants her help in helping her and her people return home. It all sounds reasonable and innocent to begin with which definitely means that it won’t be.

There’s no disguising the fact that this is a significant information dump and it is a little clumsy but the episode frames it in a less than conventional way. As always, Kamala is the point of view character and Iman Vellani perfectly conveys how overwhelmed Kamala is by what she has been told. She learns that her family heritage includes interdimensional beings and that she isn’t fully Human all in the space of a few minutes. Her reaction is brilliantly understated which suggests that all she has learned hasn’t sunk in yet and there’s a distinct clash with the reality of her domestic life with her brother’s wedding being imminent. Keeping the show grounded on Kamala’s life and those in it prevents the necessary exposition from overloading the episode and definitively states that Kamala is what is important rather than the mechanics of her powers and the origin of them. Those things do matter in the context of the wider story being told but Kamala is at the centre of this and the show never loses sight of that.

Kamala being overwhelmed by the demands of her life was a major fixture in the first two episodes and the request for help adds to that. It causes her mind to spin with questions about her place in the universe and whether she is worthy of the powers. Her recent save is making waves in her community but her deflated self-esteem prevents her from believing she has the potential to be a hero like her idol Carol Danvers. She sees the request for help as a possible answer to the questions she is asking herself and recognises that her purpose might be to use the bangle to help lost people get home. Her self-doubt and diminished confidence are compelling character traits for a number of reasons. For one it gives her something to overcome as she grows into her powers and for another, it maps out her growth as a hero.

As is Human nature, she focuses on the negative reactions and questions whether her heroic exploits are making things worse for her community. Damage Control turning up at her Mosque to try to track her down is an unfortunate example of racial profiling as well as clear disrespect of the rights of those inside as they walk in without a warrant and don’t remove their shoes. It’s somewhere between a subtle and overt commentary on racial inequality and the abuse of power from those in authority. Nakia further shows herself to be assertive and intelligent by calling the agents out on their disregard of the rules and refusing to allow them entry. Her resistance to the illegal entry shows how powerful a weapon knowledge is. Learning about this supports Kamala leaning into the negatives as she has invited attention to the Mosque and blames herself for that happening.

Sheikh Abdullah helps her gain perspective when she hypothetically asks if the new hero is doing more harm than good and he confidently states she’s a very good thing for the young boy he saved and gives her a mantra to live by; “good is not a thing you are, it’s a thing you do”. It’s a simple philosophy stating that actions are more definitive than intent. This helps Kamala decide that she wants to help Najma but only when it’s safe to do so. Her moral code is really starting to assert itself as well as the boundaries she isn’t shy about imposing. This extended soul searching makes the exposition more meaningful and brings it back to Kamala’s ongoing development.

Her core relationships receive a lot of attention. Her scenes with Bruno are most connected to the Clan Destines/bangle plot as she goes to him for help in figuring out how to help them get home. While they’re discussing that he blurts out that he got into CalTech and details his desire to go. At first, Kamala is hurt that he didn’t tell her before this point but he awkwardly tells her that he recognised that she was busy. Iman Vellani plays the reaction perfectly. Her facial expression conveys the regret and embarrassment that she had neglected one of her best friends to the point that he wasn’t comfortable telling her about good news. It’s a point of growth for her as she inwardly challenges herself not to be so self-absorbed again. Bruno doesn’t hold it against her but the way Kamala sees herself says everything about how much she values this friendship.

The scenes between Kamala and Nakia are excellent. Their first interaction is where Nakia tells her that she got voted onto the Mosque council and they have a really chaotic yet realistic conversation that covers a variety of topics in a non-linear way without ever breaking the flow. It shows the familiarity that exists between them and how strong their friendship is. It’s a scene that provides a lot of information and does it in a character-focused way. This show’s grasp of conveying the history of relationships through how characters interact is very impressive and constantly engaging.

Putting the work into firmly establishing the strength of their friendship enhances the moment where Nakia stumbles onto the truth about Kamala. Nakia is visibly crushed by not being trusted with the information, particularly when Bruno already knows. The urgency of the moment means that there’s no time to discuss it so Nakia is left to marinate in the feeling for a while. It’s clear that she is used to Kamala confiding in her and is hurt by her not doing so in this case. Anticipating this conversation is a very effective cliffhanger, perhaps more effective than worrying about what Najma may do next.

Kamala’s final core relationship is with her mother and it is developed in two key scenes. The first is when Muneeba helps treat her injured knee. It’s a physical example of the self-doubt that plagues Kamala in regards to her growth as a superhero. In her mind, Carol Danvers wouldn’t skin her knee and find treating it too painful. Muneeba steps in to help her and gives her a brief family history lesson that helps highlight all that Kamala should be grateful for in her life in a way that reminds her of the hardships that were endured to get to the point where she could exist. The advice comes after Kamala indirectly confesses that being a superhero isn’t the glamourous life she thought it would be which prompts the thoughtful response from Muneeba. Confessing vulnerability is a good example of parenting because it tells Kamala that uncertainty is nothing to be ashamed of. It also fills Kamala’s mind with the suggestion that she lets others around her help her find strength.

This is backed up in a later scene where it is known that Kamala is mixed up in what happened at the wedding in ways that she won’t own up to. Muneeba calls back to the conversation they had and asks her to let the family help her. She still has to learn that lesson and doesn’t open up quite yet but won’t be ignorant to the pain and disappointment on her mother’s face. The three core relationships are linked in this episode by Kamala failing them in fundamental ways. She fails Bruno by not being available for him, she fails Nakia but not trusting her and fails her mother for not leaning on the support that the family is willing to provide. In a way, this counts as a defeat because she does damage to those connections.

The wedding and subsequent action sequence are both excellent. Deploying Bruno to ask questions about the reasons for certain traditions is a nice touch to educate less savvy viewers and it isn’t overdone with the audience being trusted to understand how the wedding traditions play out by watching them unfold. The dance sequence is joyous and the event itself is a lavish celebration of culture, love and connection. It also feels like the end of an arc as the build-up to the wedding has been present since the first episode.

In true superhero tradition, the wedding is interrupted by an attack that Kamala has to deal with without being discovered. She evacuates the building by pulling the fire alarm and then has to figure out how to deal with superior numbers with no experience. It seems that instinct takes over at key points as she handles herself very well some of the time though self-awareness appears to hinder her as she makes mistakes. The sequence is akin to guerrilla warfare with Kamala using whatever resources are to hand in order to stay ahead of her attackers and there’s an impressive dose of horror sprinkled in when she is hiding hoping not to be discovered. It’s well-staged, the tension rises naturally with Kamala’s inexperience neatly contributing to it and there’s a clear sense of geography throughout.

The villains themselves are lacking in definition which makes sense as the situation is framed as more of a threat than the actual attackers though it does stand out that Najma transitions from the giver of knowledge and a tangible connection to her unspoken family history to outright villain. Her unwillingness to wait a little longer after how long she has already waited doesn’t track and turning her attention to forcing Kamala to do what she wants is too jarring a shift.

One thing Najma does contribute meaningfully to is the theme of what defines a home. According to the Clan Destines home is a place and they are obsessed with getting back there. The length of time they have spent in this dimension appears to be irrelevant as do the connections made. This is unfortunate for Kamran who was born in this dimension so feels more connected to it. Kamala is still defining her own version of home but it’s clear it will be formed along the lines of her home being wherever the people she loves happen to be. Her mother has already come to that conclusion and she’s heading down that path as evidenced in the exploration of the three core relationships. Bruno moving away complicates that definition but that distance doesn’t have to be a problem. The wedding also supports the idea of home being people rather than a place through the abundance of people being delighted to simply be together. An overt line of dialogue in the form of a joke about a long flight being nothing between friends feeds into this as well. Whether this will culminate in a lesson for Najma remains to be seen but she is invited to challenge her thinking just as Kamala is.

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Verdict

A strong episode that brilliantly uses Kamala’s perspective to add meaning to a large information dump while focusing on her three core relationships to neatly explore how she defines the concept of home. The episode opens with a significant dump but frames it in a less than conventional way by focusing on how overwhelmed Kamala is by what she has learned. Keeping the show grounded on Kamala’s life and those in it prevents the necessary exposition from overloading the episode and definitively states that Kamala is what is important rather than the mechanics of her powers and the origin of them. Kamala’s mind is spinning with questions about her place in the universe and whether she is worthy of the powers. Kamala’s deflated self-esteem prevents her from believing she has the potential to be a hero like her idol Carol Danvers. She sees the request for help as a possible answer to the questions she is asking herself and recognises that her purpose might be to use the bangle to help lost people get home. As is Human nature, she focuses on the negative reactions and questions whether her heroic exploits are making things worse for her community. Damage Control turning up at her Mosque to try to track her down is an unfortunate example of racial profiling as well as clear disrespect of the rights of those inside. Sheikh Abdullah helps her gain perspective when she hypothetically asks if the new hero is doing more harm than good and he confidently states she’s a very good thing for the young boy he saved and gives her a mantra to live by.

Her core relationships receive a lot of attention. Her scenes with Bruno are most connected to the Clan Destines/bangle plot as she goes to him for help in figuring out how to help them get home. Kamala learns that he got into CalTech and didn’t tell her immediately. At first, Kamala is hurt that he didn’t tell her before this point but he awkwardly tells her that he recognised that she was busy. Iman Vellani plays the reaction perfectly. Her facial expression conveys the regret and embarrassment that she had neglected one of her best friends to the point that he wasn’t comfortable telling her about good news. It’s a point of growth for her as she inwardly challenges herself not to be so self-absorbed again. The scenes between Kamala and Nakia are excellent. Their first interaction is where Nakia tells her that she got voted onto the Mosque council and they have a really chaotic yet realistic conversation that covers a variety of topics in a non-linear way without ever breaking the flow. It shows the familiarity that exists between them and how strong their friendship is. Putting the work into firmly establishing the strength of their friendship enhances the moment where Nakia stumbles onto the truth about Kamala. Nakia is visibly crushed by not being trusted with the information, particularly when Bruno already knows. Anticipating their conversation is a very effective cliffhanger, perhaps more effective than worrying about what Najma may do next. Kamala’s final core relationship is with her mother and it is developed in two key scenes. The first is when Muneeba helps treat her injured knee. It’s a physical example of the self-doubt that plagues Kamala in regards to her growth as a superhero. Kamala indirectly confesses that being a superhero isn’t everything she thought it would be and Muneeba opens up about her own vulnerability which tells Kamala that uncertainty is nothing to be ashamed of. This is backed up in a later scene where it is known that Kamala is mixed up in what happened at the wedding in ways that she won’t own up to. She still has to learn that lesson and doesn’t open up quite yet but won’t be ignorant to the pain and disappointment on her mother’s face. The three core relationships are linked in this episode by Kamala failing them in fundamental ways. The wedding and subsequent action sequence are both excellent. Aamir and Tyeesha’s wedding is a lavish celebration of culture, love and connection that mostly trusts the audience to understand the traditions as they play out. The subsequent action sequence is well-staged and tense with a clear sense of geography. The villains themselves are lacking in definition and Najma’s transition from giver of information to antagonist is too jarring a shift. The theme of what defines a home is well developed through the various characters and how they see it with a clear challenge for Kamala to come up with her own definition.

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