The first trailer for Ms. Marvel has been revealed, and there's something in it that many didn't expect for the upcoming Disney+ series. In adapting the fairly new character of Kamala Khan, the young heroine's powers -- and the nature behind them -- have been heavily altered. This is sure to upset some fans who want the Marvel Cinematic Universe to adapt the characters as they are in the comics, but it also makes a lot of sense.
Ms. Marvel in the comics really isn't tied to Carol Danvers at all, but instead to the Inhumans. This now toxic brand of once-again obscure characters have failed both in the comics and in the MCU, so Marvel separating Kamala from them is arguably logical. Here's Ms. Marvel's origin story in the comics and how it's now radically different.
Kamala Khan's Origin and Powers In the Comic Books
In the comics, Kamala Khan's origin, despite her superhero name, is strangely unrelated to Carol Danvers or the Mar-Vell legacy. Here, Kamala Khan is a young Pakistani-American Muslim girl growing up in Jersey City. An avid fan of superheroes and all things nerdy, these interests and Kamala's somewhat flighty behavior made her something of an outcast among many of her peers. While out one night to try to hang out and fit in with some of her classmates, she became one of many caught in a wave of Terrigen Mist that enveloped the city. This activated her Inhuman genetics, which made her into a polymorph. She first showcased these newfound powers by unwittingly shapeshifting into Carol Danvers, one of Kamala's favorite superheroes.
Getting a better hold on her powers, Kamala became the new Ms. Marvel, using her abilities to enlarge her limbs and heal herself while fighting crime. After an encounter with Wolverine, Kamala's presence was noted to Medusa, Queen of the Inhumans. From there, Kamala increasingly became entangled in the actions of the burgeoning Inhuman Nation, being one of several "Nu-Humans." Her popularity also saw her survive the Inhuman publication culling following Marvel's abandonment of the Inhumans property, which explains why Kamala is so different in the upcoming TV series.
Why Ms. Marvel Isn't Connected to the Inhumans In the MCU
As mentioned, the push for the Inhumans as a property became an utter failure as time went on, in two mediums, no less. For one, the comics were incredibly controversial for a variety of reasons. Fans believed that the heightening of the Inhumans and the downplaying of the X-Men was far more petty than organic. Eventually, this push ended -- not coincidentally, when Fox was bought -- with the event Death of the Inhumans, which killed many of the Nu-Humans introduced just a few years before. Since then, Kamala's various books have been the only "Inhuman" titles around, and her connection to them has been increasingly lessened.
Things were even worse for the Inhumans in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in which they were really poor man's versions of the X-Men. Introduced in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Inhumans were a "feared and hated" group like the mutants usually were. Though their presence on this show wasn't entirely hated, the thankfully brief Inhumans show was. Ever since the terrible series was cancelled, the characters and the events of the show have never been referenced again, and for good reason.
Though the Netflix Marvel shows have been officially canonized via different Marvel movies and shows, Inhumans has yet to have that treatment, namely due to just how bad it was. Since Marvel Studios likely wants Kamala to be as big of a hit in the MCU as she has been in the comics, it's not surprising that they've refused to hitch her to the dead, decrepit horse of the Inhumans property. This is seen already in the trailer for her upcoming show, where her powers are shown as being related to a sort of mystical bracelet in the MCU. Her powers are also different, with a purple aura surrounding her and creating giant fists instead of her shapeshifting. This ironically allows her to be more of her own hero and not be tied to another species for her powers. It also means that Kamala won't have to carry the tarnished legacy of the Inhumans around on her own show. The biggest new Marvel heroine in years is definitely a lot different in the MCU, and it's all thanks to the failure of her Inhuman cousins.
Ms. Marvel premieres on Disney+ on June 8.