Ms. Marvel Review: Destined (Season 1 Episode 3)

Even in Kamala’s sad era, Ms. Marvel is too much fun!

Ms. Marvel Season 1 Episode 3, “Destined,” proves the feisty young series brimming with enthusiasm didn’t find itself the center of our attention by accident. No, this Ms. Marvel is the real deal.

“Destined” hones its cultural coming-of-age aspects, outright neglecting superhero trappings if it means telling a better story. With punchy dialogue and breezy family-focused fun, Kamala’s date with destiny is proof suiting up isn’t what makes a Marvel series super.

Three episodes in, this show is not relenting on the character-driven aspect of its storytelling.

When allowed to explore a group of interdimensional immortal beings or attend Aamir’s wedding, the trajectory chooses to push aside the action-packed conflict in favor of its coming-of-age story.

Some will struggle with this prioritization. The series hangs onto every word of its ensemble and spends little time on the superhero stuff. But this extended detour feels like a gift for those dying to get to know Kamala and her support systems.

The episode also deals with heavier themes as our hero faces a torn indemnity, cementing that this Kamala isn’t putting on the mask until her family dynamics are tangible enough to catch her when she falls.

No matter how bleak her inner struggles get, the episode is determined to be a celebration of her teenage existence.

Ms. Marvel, Still a Freakin’ Delight

Iman Vellani has proven she is a formidable Ms. Marvel, but this episode exposes just how cosmic her range is.

A moody teen hero could be the crack that shatters this season’s momentum. But, for Vellani, it is an opportunity to channel her zany enthusiasm into anxious ramblings and hollow stares.

We see Kamala quiet for once, cracking jokes with her eyes cast downward and her heart cracking on her sleeve. This raw vulnerability makes us want to reach through the screen and wrap her in a big hug.

Vellani’s sincerity reaches us in ways fan references and novelty shirts cannot.

This episode showcases an unnervingness to her delivery that could rival Andrew Garfield’s best Spidey moments. She doesn’t need forced comedic beats to make us laugh. The ease with which she lets information squeak out of her is enough.

Superhero Supports Systems

“Destined” showcases what makes Kamala’s support systems, family or community, so valuable to her story.

Perhaps the most rewarding moment in the comics comes when Sheikh Abdullah encourages Kamala’s vigilante passions rather than punishing her. So it’s lovely to see the show bring their supportive dynamic to life with the same comforting essence.

He gives Kamala a soothing dose of morale. All while delivering the equivalent of Spider-Man’s “great responsibility” line with an equally cinematic, “Good is not a thing you are, Kamala. It is a thing you do.”

The episode does not stop there, sprinkling in dance montages so wholesome their vulnerability will hit you in unexpected waves and parental heart-to-hearts that chip away at any disdain the pilot may have instilled.

By having Kamala drop her defenses and let her mother tend to her knee, the episode allows space for disarming vulnerability between the two women. This intimate inner tug-a-war between Kamala and her identity leaves a lasting impression.

What Are Friends For?

Bruno really is a man after our hearts.

The boy settles beautifully into his place as Kamala’s trusty sidekick. He attacks Kamala’s absences with nervous mom energy and comes clean to her about Cal Tech, removing unnecessary secrecy.

Kamala and Bruno are ridiculously fun to watch problem solve. Their chaotic banter is similar to the disgruntled affection between Scott and Stiles as Kamala calls herself “a djinn,” and Bruno promptly replies, “…and tonic?” And don’t get me started on Bruno printing out lore on the djinn — peak Stiles Stilinski behavior.

But Ms. Marvel makes the crucial decision to have Nakia stumble onto Kamala’s superpowers, changing her trajectory for the better.

Not only will Nakia’s presence in this dynamic strengthen preexisting bonds, but her disdain for Kamala’s recklessness against the mosque could prove more valuable to the rising tensions of this series than some shiny gauntlet.

Inhumans? Nope, Just Insufferable

The episode opens with a promising new development. We are greeted by a flashback containing distinctly blue Kree hands and a nod to Shang-Chi’s ten rings.

Unfortunately, this exciting imagery is quickly buried in an avalanche of information as a present-day Najma dumps the existence of inter-dimensional beings on Kamala with an unimpressive thud, shattering the show’s small-scale scope with careless urgency.

Ms. Marvel does not dip its toe into the superhero elements, throwing the entire rulebook at us here.

The dialogue ropes us in with Inhuman teases, just to throw foreign terms like Djinn and Clandestiens at us instead. It feels a little too Ralph Bohner for my liking.

It’s ironic that in a show with such strong family themes, the superhero origin steeped in family lore is the weakest link.

Ms. Marvel must sense this as it quickly disposes of the djinn’s world-building to focus on the real world it is cultivating, the one brimming with harsh life lessons and in-depth characters.

It’s difficult to be mad the episode rushes its central conflict when the conflict is unbearably weak. However, having so much of Kamala’s powers wrapped up in a story growing increasingly more insufferable by the second is not promising.

Eventually, Kamala will have to suit up, and this half-assed Inhuman balancing act better not step on her moment.

For now, we are left with a gentle depiction of a young hero’s incompleteness and powerful smokescreens that suggest Kamala’s community, under the thumb of racial profiling, will be punished for her mantle.

“Destined” rightfully explores the whimsical dramatization of Kamala’s life, not the larger franchise’s interdimensional adventures.

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New episodes of Ms. Marvel stream Wednesdays on Disney+.

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