Ever since the Ms. Marvel trailer blasted online with a first look at the new Disney+ series in action, fans have been sounding off about the very noticeable change to the hero’s powers. In the comics, Kamala Khan (a.k.a. Ms. Marvel) is able to shape-shift and stretch thanks to being exposed to Terrigen mist that activated her latent Inhuman genes. Considering Marvel’s first crack at a live-action Inhumans flopped pretty badly, it’s understandable why Ms. Marvel would want to lean away from the source material. Not to mention, it saves the show from having to explain what the heck an Inhuman even is, and how they’re different from Eternals and mutants. It’d be a whole thing.
As for Kamala’s new powers, they seem to be more “cosmic” in origin and similar to Captain Marvel‘s, who Kamala idolizes in the series. As Entertainment Weekly notes, there’s also a touch of Doctor Strange in there, which is also a deviation from the comics:
Instead of stretching and shape-changing, the Ms. Marvel trailer shows Kamala manipulating energy into blasts, forcefields, and the kind of mid-air stepping stones that we’ve seen Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) use in past MCU films. There are a couple shots where energy envelops Kamala’s hands, which could give her the same kind of powerful punches she wields in the comics, but clearly it all works a bit differently.
Considering the Ms. Marvel comics were a breakout success for Marvel — which is not an easy accomplishment in a extremely crowded landscape dominated by heavy-hitters like Batman, The Avengers, etc. — it’s understandable that fans of the comics have concerns about the change to Kamala’s powers. There was a thematic resonance to her abilities in the books, and so far, fans are not seeing that come through in the trailer.
And there are also Internet theories that Kamala’s powers were changed so she wouldn’t steal Mr. Fantastic’s thunder (he stretches, too) when the Fantastic Four finally make their MCU debut.
You can see some of the reactions below:
I don’t know how I feel about Kamala’s change of powers and origin story. Her origin is so unique and add so much to her. It’s one of the most important elements of her character arc btw. #MsMarvel
pic.twitter.com/4tGzXinZBF
— that’s fucking obi-wan kenobi (@matheusthemelo) March 15, 2022
Okay so I don’t get it like…. Are Kamala’s powers solely from the bracelet or do they unlock the powers she’s supposed to have ? Can she only use her powers when she has the bracelet on ??? Really kinda sucks if that’s the case !#MsMarvel pic.twitter.com/NQcag8YvTq
— Tom SU (@DrawsTom) March 15, 2022
like, this moment in Kamala’s origin is INCREDIBLE and tragic and it doesn’t work if she’s a teen green lantern pic.twitter.com/ywcn5SGMSh
— James Whitbrook (@Jwhitbrook) March 15, 2022
I mean, loved the MsMarvel trailer, I loved Kamala Khan, the actress, but the fact that they completely ignored the origin of the powers and what they represent for Kamala makes me sad, just my opinion here
pic.twitter.com/PophYeZDMw— out of context captain marvel (@contextdanvers) March 15, 2022
mcu characters are inevitably going to be rlly different from comic characters and that isn’t necessarily always bad but changing the powerset of the title character to this extent still feels so weird especially when comic kamala’s powers were thematically important
— lynn (@st4rrdust) March 15, 2022
It also seems like they’re distancing her from her Inhuman origins, which after that show, fair
— Brian (@brian_nov) March 15, 2022
is the mcu just gonna forget one of the first things that happened after kamala got her powers is that she shifted into carol & realized she didn’t want that & the fact that the whole thing had a deeper meaning to it esp to south asians who grew up around eurocentric standards
pic.twitter.com/kzBUdzL1zM
— Iyk (@joonthors) March 15, 2022
Before people come and tell me “all they did was make her powers glow” that is not all they have done. Changing her powers from goofy looking polymorphing to pretty glowy powers misses the point of Kamala as a character, she feels like an outsider, her powers reflect that.
— Ollie
(@TheQuiver_) March 15, 2022
like. she’s going to be captain marvel jr instead of her own character i’m sick
— payel (@dinahlances) March 15, 2022
me, a reed richards stan, seeing people hating on him because they changed kamala’s powers in the ms. marvel tv show for being too similar to his pic.twitter.com/kfNcQ2mG6J
— aimée ☆ (@sapphyreblayze) March 15, 2022
Ms. Marvel premieres June 8 on Disney+.