Ms. Marvel Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Time and Again

Ms. Marvel Season 1 Episode 5, “Time and Again,” takes the risk with a historical bottle episode and emerges stronger with a well-structured, emotional spectacle.

The penultimate installments are proven game-changers in these excruciating six-part Marvel series. WandaVision‘s eighth episode gave us a Wanda-themed clip show, and Falcon and The Winter Soldier‘s fifth outing was easily the show’s greatest offering.

Ms. Marvel confirms the riskier tone-challenging penultimate is no fluke. On the contrary, when done right, the second last episode can define the success of an entire season.

If that is the case, it’s an honor to have “Time and Again” define this season.

Pulling us from Kamala’s superhero origin to explore Aisha’s backstory could have backfired, but Ms. Marvel‘s small-scope storytelling and family tethers prove just as powerful when bottled.

This may be the least Ms. Marvel-like episode of the season, but it is the best-paced installment. The structure is iron-tight, flowing from scene to scene with determination.

The characters are fleshed-out enough to care for, their lingering touches and inside jokes rubbing off on viewers in such a short time.

In addition, the episode’s desire to be a historical period piece and not an interdimensional sci-fi love story gives it the gravitas to rise above issues the rushed season presents.

Aisha and the Trail of Stars

Ms. Marvel has foreshadowed the arrival of Aisha, Kamala’s missing great-grandmother, from the beginning, and it is assumed she is hiding somewhere in the present day. But as it turns out, this drama’s edges are sharper than we anticipated.

The reveal that Aisha died on the night of the partition at the hands of a spiteful Najma is unexpected and bold.

It’s a cruelty that manages to tap into a violence Marvel rarely humors. But where John Walker’s bloodshed was loud and graphic, Najma’s cruelty is unnervingly quiet.

Aisha’s death not only leaves behind a devastated family, but it does not serve the plot in any huge sacrificial way. But, if that’s not a darker notion to swallow from this upbeat show, her death is also integrated seamlessly into the partition — a tragedy that had real consequences.

That one-two punch of a senseless fictional death and moving tie-ins to a factual tragedy will provoke a good cry (or two).

A woman bleeding to death in a crowd of people is the chilling imagery this episode has at its deposal. It helps us understand how generational trauma would affect Kamala and real-life families discussing the partition at the dinner table.

Allowing Kamala to be the stars that guide her grandmother to safety when Aisha no longer can is the bittersweet finale this emotional flashback deserves.

A bottle episode dedicated to a woman we have never met in a country far from New Jersey should be Ms. Marvel‘s downfall. However, no history lesson can feel disjointed when a season dedicates its time to prioritizing Kamala’s exploration of her Pakistani roots.

Aisha’s story is just another rich layer of development to this character analysis that has never stopped being a study of what makes Kamala Khan a worthy hero.

Mother-Daughter Relationships

Mother-daughter relationships are rich, conflict-fueled dynamics, and it’s about damn time Marvel recognized this.

Even though the comic’s iconic confession does not come to pass, having Kamala’s mother react to her superhero alter ego with admiration and warmth is beyond gratifying.

Ms. Marvel cuts a superpowered battle short to showcase three generations of women embracing each other, a power move in itself. Kamala’s grandmother getting the closure she needs, however sad it may be, is a prioritization most superhero shows would bulldoze right over.

The same goes for Kamala’s superhero getup. Kate Bishop’s elevator reveal was cool, but there’s a pluckiness to the looming Ms. Marvel reveal you have to admire.

Watching Kamala collect pieces of her costume as she develops over the season is a superb way of building to the super-suit reveal. Her finished ensemble already feels earned, and by tying Kamala’s lightning bolt symbol to her culture, the show alters the source material in ways that benefit everyone.

Villain Dos and Don’ts

“Time and Again” proves we could do without the villainous Clan Destines. They continue to be faceless evils, stabbing their way into carefully crafted plots and leaving behind meaningless destruction.

Najma killing Aisha is powerful and could tether her cruelty to something meaningful, but it is just another shallow demonstration of her power. Najma’s death, while anti-climatic and suspiciously Inhuman, is a necessary pivot.

By removing the weakest link and refocusing on law enforcement, Ms. Marvel demonstrates an understanding of what antagonists are worth prioritizing.

Pushing aside the fact that this show has too much left for such little run time, the reluctant reunion of Brian — I mean Bruno — and Kamran suggests Ms. Marvel will get back to the superpowered teenage hijinks that make this show such a joy to watch.

Maybe, just maybe, that will be enough for this small-scale story to stick the landing.

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The season finale of Ms. Marvel premieres Wednesday, July 13, on Disney+.

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