Ms. Marvel Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Seeing Red

Ms. Marvel Season 1 Episode 4, “Seeing Red,” offers a change of scenery as Kamala sets her sites on the streets of Karachi.

Despite a curiosity to broaden its horizons, this episode sacrifices little in the name of its small-scale storytelling. As hungry as Ms. Marvel is to take on the world, the series shows admirable restraint when it comes to staying on task — the task being Kamala’s character study.

Our girl still has much to figure out, and “Seeing Red” is a step forward in her journey.

“Seeing Red” is a quiet reflection on a poignant family study. Sadly, sometimes it feels like a scratch on the surface of a larger story, the interactions between Kamala and her family just out of reach. 

This episode delves deep into her culture. So as a fan who came into this show knowing there would be times where she would have to step back and understand this story is not for her, I cannot speak on the cultural aspects of this episode.

I can acknowledge how rare it is to see Pakistani culture showcased on television through such a breathtaking and vibrant lens. It is refreshing to see Karachi portrayed with explosions of color rather than a musty brown filter.

I can’t say I had an emotional reaction to seeing the streets of Karachi come to life on a sound stage, but the level of passion and detail tells me so many others will.

However, that final shot of the partition, the sudden jolt of a darker lens, and the mobs of trembling civilians tap into a loss all of us can feel.

Daggers and Boy Drama

True to its teen form, Ms. Marvel tackles the arrival of its heavier Red Dagger lore with breezy boy drama.

Red Dagger is one of Kamala’s coolest team-ups in the comics. So, seeing him brought to life with suave cockiness and soft swoon-worthy eyes is all we could ask of this show’s raging teenage hormones. Sure his backstory is vague, but he has always been a man of mystery.

His arrival gives Kamala a necessary shove in development as she tests her light powers in hand-to-hand combat (winning me over reluctantly with their beauty). He also broadens her appreciation for Pakistani culture with cute bonfire hangs.

By exploring Kamala’s light powers and her struggle to consume hot foods with the same wide-eyed curiosity, Ms. Marvel makes its protagonist the priority of this trip.

When the teenage vigilantes aren’t enough, the generational trauma between Muneeba and her sassy mother keeps this episode on its toes. How there can be so much shame and love in one act of dialogue, tugging at us from both sides of the spectrum, is baffling.

Madripoor Wishes It Was This Cool

I was worried when Kamala revealed she would be jet-setting off to Pakistan mid-season. Exploring completely new terrain as the conflict is amping up back home can, and often does, destroy a season’s momentum.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Season 1 Episode 3, “Power Broker,” decided it needed to drop the home-grown exploration of race and privilege to visit Madripoor. This decision cut the season off at the knees, shoving Sam to the side for a city of crime.

Thankfully, “Seeing Red,” is no “Power Broker.”

The first three episodes have built the story around Kamala’s culture and family exploration, so returning to the birthplace of those themes to prod them further only serves to amplify her struggle as a Pakistani-American.

It’s a different city, but the same priorities of the family still stand, making this adventure through the shadows of Pakistan’s capital city every bit the character study this season has proven itself to be.

Can the Clan Destines Not?

I want to like the Clan Destines because so much of this show is likable, but the spooky Djinn warriors are such downers.

They are a carbon copy of the one-dimensional villains that have plagued Marvel since Iron Man. Their mindless brutality and emotionless tirades do little to propel the plot or compel us to care. Like the Flag Smashers, their purpose in this series is surface-level at best.

We are treated to Kamala’s best fights yet as we see her hard light powers incorporated seamlessly into battle. It’s beyond disappointing all her moves are wasted on such mindless conflict.

The Clan Destines are Ms. Marvel‘s weakest link. I cannot help but think Marvel feared Kamala’s teenage conflict wouldn’t be enough to tell this story, and an inability to deviate from the big-bad formula is dragging her down.

It’s a waste to give a second of Kamala’s screen time to a faceless group of stabby villains when this show has no time or intentions to flesh out their story. Kamala’s raging hormones and overprotective family are far more compelling antagonists.

Parting Words

Time travel is an unexpected segway for Kamala but taking our heroine back to the darkest part of her Pakistani heritage opens this teen drama up in ways witty banter and superhero apprentices cannot.

Ms. Marvel has proven this season has no fears regarding growing pains. Instead, the story is willing to make difficult decisions when tackling Kamala’s story, and so far, none of those decisions have led this series astray.

There is always a worry the appetite doesn’t fit the time constraints of these mini-seasons. The Clan Destine story is too underdeveloped to go anywhere fast enough, and sending Kamala into the past threatens to stall many present-day storylines.

But, our adorable little fangirl is still at the heart of this story. So, as long as Ms. Marvel keeps showing up for her, I will too.

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