Ms Marvel - Kamala Khan

A Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City, Kamala Khan idolized Super Heroes like Captain Marvel, never dreaming she’d have the opportunity to join her role models in safeguarding society from the forces of evil. With an Inhuman ability to alter shape and size, the newest Ms. Marvel employs an idealistic attitude as much as any power to make the world a better place.

JERSEY GIRL
When Black Bolt of the Inhumans released the Terrigen Mist into Earth’s atmosphere, transforming and empowering several latent members of the super-powered race, even the silent monarch could not have guessed the effect his actions would have on teenager Kamala Khan—or in turn, how Kamala would affect the world around her. Prior to her metamorphosis, the Muslim American youth dealt with problems like balancing her family’s religious and spiritual beliefs with the society she lived in, not to mention fitting in at school and other typical problems facing a girl her age.

Upon having her Inhumanity awakened and discovering she could now extend her limbs, alter her appearance, and shift shape in other manners, Kamala immediately crafted a costumed identity in line with her heroes. Choosing to become part of Captain Marvel’s legacy, the youngster adopted the discarded Ms. Marvel name, and with the help of her friend—and unrequited crush—Bruno Carrelli, a tech wizard in his own right, dedicated herself to cleaning up the criminal element of Jersey City.
In the course of becoming a local hero, Khan would encounter various peers in the super-powered community, always with enthusiasm and unbridled joy. Early team-ups for Ms. Marvel included the mutant Wolverine, her fellow Inhumans, and, in a landmark moment for the burgeoning crusader, Captain Marvel herself, who happily endorsed her young protégée. Of course, with the good comes the bad, and during Kamala’s tenure protecting her home, she has butted heads with the likes of new threats such as the human/bird hybrid The Inventor and a Hydra sect operating subversively out of Jersey City.

BIG & TALL
As Ms. Marvel, Kamala has gained the ability to extend her limbs, alter her appearance, and shift shape in several other manners. She first uses these powers unconsciously upon emerging from her Terrigenesis cocoon looking like her role model, Carol Danvers, the current Captain Marvel. Once she gained more control over her gifts, the rookie do-gooder develops trademark moves like enlarging her fists, as she utters her de facto battle cry, “Embiggen!”

Early on in her exploits, Khan also uncovers the ability to heal from any injury by transforming back from her empowered form to Kamala. This trick comes in handy when, visiting Bruno at the Circle Q where he works, she instinctively takes a bullet from a burglar for her best friend. Reverting to her base appearance after the incident, the teen finds herself fully physically recovered. Other skills possessed by Ms. Marvel include the fight training she picks up from a diverse array of teachers—including Inhumans and Avengers—plus her keen mind and natural leadership ability.

JERKS IN JERSEY
The first Super Villain Kamala clashes with comes in the bizarre form of The Inventor, an attempt by a local scientist to clone Thomas Edison that goes awry when his pet cockatiel enters the mix, resulting in a monstrous creature with a mad, but brilliant brain. Ms. Marvel runs afoul of her avian adversary when he uses his killer robots and genetically-augmented alligators to wreak havoc on Jersey City, while also preying on the community’s teenage population by targeting their low feelings of self-worth and encouraging them to commit crimes.
The Inventor doesn’t count on Kamala, though. With help from the Inhumans’ transporter Lockjaw, as well as Bruno, she overcomes his technological terror and sends the lunatic to local lock-up.

Kamala’s next conundrum hits closer to home in the form of Kamran, a family friend on whom she develops a crush and feels even closer to after learning he too possesses Inhuman abilities. Unfortunately, after colliding with the terrorist Kaboom, our hero discovers her would-be boyfriend belongs to the same sinister sect as the exploding villain, with both taking orders from the loathsome Lineage. Ms. Marvel chooses her head over her heart and foils these new foes—including Kamran—from an attempted coup against Queen Medusa.

The hordes of Hydra harass Jersey City in a unique fashion when the seemingly benign Hope Yards development group attempts to gentrify the area, and employ unauthorized endorsements from Ms. Marvel as part of their campaign! The every-girl Avenger attempts to rally her allies, but close friend Nakia turns against her heroic alter-ego due to the machinations, while the bad guys brainwash Bruno, who already emotionally gut-punched Kamala by entering a relationship with Michaela “Mike” Miller. Ultimately, Ms. Marvel makes an ally of Mike and the two young women managed to foil Hydra boss Doctor Faustus, saving Bruno and winning back Nakia’s trust, though the rest of Jersey City continues to look at their champion skeptically in the fallout.

POWERFUL PALS
A watershed period in the nascent career of Ms. Marvel occurs when she received an invitation to join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and become one of the Avengers, alongside legends such as Iron Man, Captain America, and Vision. Bringing new blood to the team with fellow rookies Nova and Spider-Man, plus the latest incarnation of Thor, Kamala’s optimism and enthusiasm buoys the legendary group through wars with Kang and other top-level villains.

However, Ms. Marvel’s tenure with the top team turns out to be shockingly short, as she, along with Nova and Spider-Man, would split with the Avengers over philosophical differences—specifically the youthful contingent feeling their elder counterparts ignored small scale situations that slipped through the cracks. Alongside the Amadues Cho AKA the Totally Awesome Hulk, an incarnation of the X-Man Cyclops, and Vision’s daring daughter Viv, the trio composes the Champions, and dedicates themselves to helping the helpless.

Of course, the core of Kamala’s support system comes from family and friends, starting with her proud parents, father Yusuf and mother Muneeba, the latter having discovered and supported her heroic exploits; both elder Khans push their daughter to embrace her roots but ultimately wish what’s best for her. Brother Aamir, a more-devoted Muslim than his sister, provides steady guidance, if not always what his sibling wants to hear. Schoolmates like Nakia, Zoe, and Josh also provide this caring crusader with a solid base and awesome allies.

But no relationship comes more complex than the “will they or won’t they” saga of Kamala and Bruno. Best buddies from a young age, each has had interest in the other romantically, but obstacles in the form of their differing backgrounds—not to mention other guys and girls getting in the way—have kept them just friends.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES
As the world faced its last days in the wake of a cosmic incursion that threatened all reality, Kamala Khan got to live out a dream, finally partnering up with inspiration Captain Marvel to save brother Aamir from a vengeful and craven Kamran. Once they wrapped up the rescue mission, the two Marvels bonded, and Carol Danvers gifted her protege with a special pendant featuring both their insignias that also doubled as a GPS tracker. Before the final curtain fell, Kamala also learned her mother’s knowledge of her secret identity and professed her love for Bruno, but also advised him not to wait for her.

While the universe proved resilient, Kamala’s bond with Carol sadly experienced a few bumps along the way. When Captain Marvel entered a war of fragmented philosophies with Iron Man over her desire to utilize the untested but potent future-predicting abilities of the Inhuman seer Ulysses, Ms. Marvel initially took the side of her namesake over her former Avengers ally. Khan took control of a cadre of teens working to capitalize on Ulysses’ visions, and did some good, but the young Muslim found the methodology too close to racial profiling for her comfort.

Ultimately, Kamala rebelled against Captain Marvel’s other cadets—including Becky St. Jude, who took the name Lockdown and personally targeted Ms. Marvel—freeing her friend Josh, who had been accused of plans to blow up their school, but ultimately paying the price when Bruno suffered an injury during the inciting incident. This would be the catalyst to drive a wedge between not just Ms. Marvel and Carol Danvers, but also Kamala Khan and Bruno Carrelli, who blamed his unrequited love for his handicap and moved to Wakanda to take part in a special school for the gifted.

Not long after these events, Ms. Marvel and several other heroes became separated across time, with each being sent to a different point in the past. Kamala ended up teaming with an early incarnation of Carol Danvers, and the incident helped her shake off some of the negative feelings she had been developing toward her mentor.

She may have grown in power and taken her place among the world’s top Super Heroes, but the heart of Kamala Khan stays steadfastly optimistic and hopeful, with Ms. Marvel serving as a beacon of good to Jersey City and beyond.