Ms. Marvel, "Crushed" brings in a new threat from a government agency, Kamala is love struck, and a hint of the historical Partition! The title is from a storyline in the Ms. Marvel comics, volume 3, which collects Ms. Marvel #12-15 (2015). The second part of “Generation Why” ending Re:run - For the Avengerscon, Kamala Khan in her Captain Marvel cosplay costume, snaps on her bracelet. Bruno, her friend, gives Kamala her helmet, he hasn’t seen what happened! Her rival, Zoe, is also there with the other cosplayers. The lights and camera flashes cause Kamala to send a burst of almost crystalline energy. Kamala sends out more blasts. One strikes the head of the Giant Man statue to audience cheers. Then, the head topples into the crowd! Zoe is impressed and wants to book her for a party. The chain reaction has caused a giant Mjolnir hammer to fly into Zoe and she goes swinging on it. Zoe is knocked into a wall and starts to fall. Kamala moves and her arm extends out Mr. Fantastic-style. Zoe is brought down to the stage. Bruno takes Kamala away.
He has biked over to her house and lifts her up to the roof. Kamala struggles and an energy disc gives her boost up. Bruno promises to keep her secret and rides away. We see on the house graphics that Kamala is very late for her 9:44 p.m. return time, it is now 11:11 p.m. She enters her room and then turns to see her mother! Muneeba says she has seen people who were obsessed with fantasies, a little like Uncle Owen, and leaves. Kamala falls on her bed and then sees the power with her fingers! Mid-credit scene: we get a cellphone that has video of Kamala using her powers. This is Agent Deever (Alysia Reiner) who notes that it is from Avengercon. Agent Cleary (Arian Moayed) sees the power and says to bring her in. This is at the headquarters of Damage Control, the organization that was last seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
The next day, Kamala enters her school with a flip of her hair, now she is too cool for school. She runs into a boy (Rish Shah) and takes a shine to him. Bruno wants to see a more clear video of Kamala at Avengerscon, she says she had shrunk and talked to ants. The talk of the school is not the super powered girl, but Zoe. Their occasional friend, Nakia, joins them. Kamala watches as Zoe tells a group at the cafeteria her story and dubs the hero, Night Light. Zoe says she is having a party Friday night, the trio agrees to not show up, and then the boy passes by Zoe who calls him Kamran. She invites the new kid to her party and of course Kamala says they should go to the party, Nakia smiles. Later, at the back stage of the school theater, Kamala activates her power as Bruno watches. Her hand starts to grow and falls to the floor, Kamala can’t lift her hand, she says she could have done better at gym, very funny!
Her fist goes out of control and smashes equipment. Kamala pulls Bruno out of the way and admits that she has work on her powers. She tries to run and do push ups at a court, but says she doesn’t have super strength. She sees the crystal disc she projects and thinks to a video game with jump pads. She can’t form the jump pads though. Bruno has analyzed that her bangle doesn’t have the power, it uses her power inside. Funny scene, with Kamala accidentally bashing Bruno. At the Gyro King food truck, they try to read the writing on the bangle. Bruno goes over her powers which Kamala dubs “hard light.” On the roof, Kamala forms a hard light disc, but it fades and she has to cling to the roof. She masters her powers enough to form discs and slides. Then, Kamala and Nakia rush into temple, they store their shoes and wash for prayer. Nakia whispers that their section of the temple is falling apart, but the men’s section is clean.
Sheikh Abdullah (Laith Nakli) points out their talking even though before two girls were snapchatting. Kamala wants Nakia to run for the Mosque Board. Later, Nakia finds that her shoes are again stolen. Changes could be made with the Mosque Board, but Nakia says that Uncle Rasheed is running for the board. Nakia says she will run for the board and makes Kamala her campaign manager. I really like this part, very everyday after the super powers, maybe a different culture, and a change for a supporting character. I don’t know why this wasn’t added in “Generation Why.” At home, Kamala apologizes to her mother for sneaking out, and then asks her to go to Zoe’s party since she is going with Bruno and Nakia. Muneeba agrees so Bruno rides with Kamala to the party. Nakia is there with her friend Miguel. Kamala smiles in her goofy lumberjack hat.
A boy is at a rooftop with chants for him to jump. He flips into the pool and comes out, it is Kamran, who has Kamala and Nakia stunned. Kamala slips off her hat and can only see flame symbols around Kamran. He walks towards them in slo motion. Kamala is standing on his shirt and he dresses. They make introductions and then the police sirens are heard. Kamran brings the group including Asian guy, Paul?, along for a ride in his uncle’s Porsche. He offers Kamala a drive, but Bruno notes she failed her driver’s test. She brings up if he likes Bollywood movies as Bruno eyes them both. Two person conversation Bruno. Kamran drives up to the Circle Q. Everyone gets out and Kamran asks for Kamala’s phone to give her his number for a driving lesson? He says goodbyes to everyone and finishes with Bruno whom he calls Brian. Kamala is love struck and returns home to dance to the Ronette’s “Be My Baby.”
It is a bit surreal with different lights like a music video, but perfect. Kamran texts her about their first lesson on Monday and she dreams of them in lights. She is still in a daze at World History when the bell takes her out of the dream. Then, she sees her nose is glowing with the cosmic lights! Nakia is frustrated that their class has spent weeks on ancient Egypt, but little time on Persia. Kamala leaves, heading to a bathroom stall, this absolutely feels like the embarrassment of a pimple. Nakia checks on her and Kamala’s hand starts to glow. Kamala walks out with her hands in her jacket pockets and admits that lately things have been wild lately. Nakia says that with her hijab it is like walking between two worlds. She says putting on her hajib makes her feel comfortable. Nakia gives Kamala earrings. This is the friendship and changes that is needed for the show. I hope it gets award attention. Bruno meets with the strange guidance counselor, Mr. Wilson.
He tells Bruno about his acceptance to the Early Immersion program at CalTech next semester. Bruno is not as excited and wants time to think about it. Very strange, since he seems to be an orphan and independent, but doesn’t want to leave for California? Kamala walks out of school and then sees Kamran in front of his Porsche. Bruno walks up to Kamala to continue training and has to tell her something. Kamala notes her driving lesson, but her mother has invited Bruno to Eid, the fasting for Ramadan. Kamala awkwardsly drives his Porsche. At a restaurant, they talk about if Shah Rukh Khan made a bad movie, answer: no. He is a Bollywood legend. Kamala notices her brother and his fiancee and holds up a menu to hide from them. Kamran holds Kamala’s hand and then Aamir shows up with Tyesha Hillman (Travina Springer). The first time we’ve seen her, but she isn’t introduced and just says hi.
Kamala says Kamran is a cousin, he says he is the son of Uncle Choudry, and Aamir wonders about his British accent when Choudry is from Pakistan. Kamran shifting into a Pakistani accent says he is caught up with The Great British Bake Off! At family dinner, father, Yusuf brings up when Aamir worked at Hot Topic. He says they moved to America so their children could be anything. Muneeba adds, “Almost anything.” Tyesha asks if their family lived in Karachi and the parents bring up the Partition which occured in 1947 when the British separated the Islamic Pakistan and Bangladesh. Muneeba wants to change the subject and takes a bowl to the kitchen. Yusuf whispers to Tyesha that Muneeba’s family was on the last train to leave the city. Her mother, Sana, was just a child and lost in the confusion from her family, but got on the train by herself. Using a bangle? This is a familar story for the family. Kamala smiles. Sana had said she “followed a trail of stars” to her father. Underneath the table, Kamala’s bangle starts to glow! Her eyes glow purple, the table starts to shake, and she sees a woman in a bright light reach for her! Ms. Marvel, "Crushed", is a perfect blend of the beginning of a superhero, teen drama, and family/cultural history!
Five Bangles out of Five!
#MsMarvel, #Crushed, #ImanVellani, #MattLintz, #ZenobiaShroff, #RishShah, #TravinaSpringer, #LaurelMarsden, #JordanFirstman, #AlysiaReiner, #ArianMoayed, #LaithNakli
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