The following contains spoilers for Ms. Marvel Season 1, Episode 6, "No Normal," now streaming on Disney+.
In superhero movies, part of what has made saving lives worthwhile is the support a city or community has for its hero. From Batman to the Avengers, there's no shortage of love for those that go above and beyond. In Ms. Marvel, Kamala has finally experienced more of the same, thanks to her heroic choices. But even more exciting than that, she's proven that she's the Spider-Man of a new generation.
Throughout the Ms. Marvel series, Kamala has used her strength and kindness to protect her friends and family. Yet, when she finally revealed her secret to her loved ones, they all supported her rather than shunned her. For example, Kamala's father gave her her hero name while her mother gave her the suit she desperately needed. Even Bruno offered the mask she's since worn to conceal her identity. But before she made her grand debut, her powers had already made her a celebrity in the community. So then, when the time came to return the favor, her community joined to keep her safe from the Department of Damage Control.
Moments like that are rare in superhero movies because they have other issues that take precedence. But that doesn't mean these moments hadn't happened and made a difference when they did. For example, in the first two Spider-Man films by Sam Raimi, the city of New York banded together to stand against the likes of the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. And doing that bought the hero enough time to save lives on at least one occasion. That also occurred in The Amazing Spider-Man, where the father of a child Spidey saved returned the favor by angling cranes to Oscorp so that Peter could stop Lizard.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Spider-Man has yet to have a moment where the people of NYC could protect him from a threat. That would be especially difficult because he's now labeled a criminal and seen as the enemy with few allies. Nevertheless, Kamala has proven that hard work and hope could pay. But her parallels to the web-slinger have even grown on the surface level of her being a hero.
Since his earliest adventures, Spider-Man has always been known for his quips. That also has been more than evident in the MCU, especially since he started as a teenager. In a similar situation, Kamala is also used to quipping and making light of a situation at the enemy's expense. But no matter what, she always used her powers to protect rather than fight. That happened when Kamala caught a jeep before it hit civilians and stopped Kamran from hurting others with a barrier, giving him the means to escape. Though these moments were brief, they show how similar she and Spider-Man actually are.
Ms. Marvel has shown the unbridled potential of Kamala Khan and just how resourceful, kind and quippy she could be. But more than that, her heroism has impacted an entire community enough to have them stand beside her against enemies they likely wouldn't be able to overcome. While the early years of Spider-Man set the stage for this behavior, Ms. Marvel taking the reins shows the impact she has on a new generation.
To see Kamala come into her own, watch the finale on Disney+. All episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney+.