In the first half of Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan has already proven why she is one of Marvel's funniest and most relatable characters. From unceremoniously failing her driving exam to embarrassing herself in front of her crush, Kamala hilariously captures the near-constant awkwardness of being a teenager.
Ms. Marvel showcases a sense of humor that improves upon the MUC's traditional comic style. The show's comedy combines nostalgia for the emotional rollercoaster that is adolescence with witty writing that keeps viewers on their toes. As a true coming-of-age story, Ms. Marvel never fails to make fans laugh, even in its darker moments, as Kamala stumbles through high school and, of course, becomes a superhero.
10 Kamala's Recap Of Avengers: Endgame
Ms. Marvel's premiere episode, "Generation Why," opens with a hilarious recap of the final battle in Avengers: Endgame, narrated by Kamala. This scene showcases her dedicated obsession with Earth's mightiest heroes in true Kamala fashion. Her humorous narration is made even better with the use of creatively constructed replicas of fan-favorite heroes, including a Hawkeye with push-pins for arrows in his bow.
Kamala fervently defends Captain Marvel against critics, asking her audience, "Can a woman just live, hmm?" Perhaps the funniest part of this scene, though, is the revelation that Scott Lang has his own podcast titled "Big Me Little Me."
9 Kamala Fails Her Driving Exam
"Generation Why" sees Kamala face one of the biggest challenges of adolescence: her driving exam. Unsurprisingly, the exam is anything but smooth, and Kamala fails the exam with a hilariously embarrassing blunder. She slams on the gas pedal, only to realize the car is in reverse, hitting the car parked behind them. To make things even worse, the car belongs to the DMV employee administering her test.
Kamala's cringing afterward seals the moment's humor in the best way. Kamala's mother makes the scene even funnier when she tells the unfortunate government employee, "You set her up to fail, having her drive in the street with all the other cars." Fans can only hope her new superpowers will keep her from needing to drive for quite a while.
8 AvengerCon Is Hilarious In Its Own Right
AvengerCon, also featured in Ms. Marvel's first episode, is an amusing look at the fan culture surrounding the Avengers within the MCU. When Kamala and Bruno first arrive at AvengerCon, a hilarious compilation of convention activities, cosplays, and merchandise illustrates the unique comedy underlying the event. Though many elements of the convention are similar to real-world events like Comic-Con, AvengerCon comes with its own comedic take on Marvel fan culture.
Kamala and Bruno pose with a not-quite-accurate Thor, a Doctor Strange cosplayer donning an Elvis wig and glasses who is playing guitar, and a hilarious greeting card that highlights Steve Rogers' most famous asset.
7 'The Budget Captain Marvel' Is A Compliment?
After video footage of Kamala saving Zoe at AvengerCon quickly goes viral on social media, Zoe revels in the newfound attention the experience brings her. Her social media following grows enormously, and she spends the following school day bragging to a doting audience about how incredible her superhero encounter was.
Irritated by the attention Zoe is receiving, Nakia complains to Bruno and Kamala that Zoe shouldn't be bragging about being saved by "the budget Captain Marvel." Instinctively, Kamala smiles at the comparison to her favorite hero and says "thank you." Bruno quickly saves this hilarious moment and distracts from Kamala's response.
6 Ant-Man's Unaging Looks Are Meme-able
Even within the world of the MCU, Paul Rudd's unaging appearance is worth a mention. In a subtle nod to the Ant-Man star, Kamala tells Bruno that she "tried to shrink and fly and talk to ants" but was unsuccessful. When Bruno asks why she thought she would have Ant-Man's powers, Kamala explains, "Cause we're both charming, and we look a lot younger than we are."
Paul Rudd, who is 53 years old, turned heads when he was named People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 2021. Shortly afterwards, social media was abuzz with jokes about how little Rudd's appearance has changed in his decades of acting.
5 "You Have To Let Me Go."
It may be surprising that a reference to one of the saddest moments in the MCU could make viewers laugh. Yet, Ms. Marvel does just this in its second episode. Bruno is shown holding onto Kamala's hand from above, mirroring the moment Clint Barton desperately holds onto Natasha Romanoff in Endgame before she jumps to her death on Vormir.
When Kamala lets go, the funny twist is revealed when she safely reaches the ground. She was only about a foot in the air from the start.
4 Kamala Sees Sparks (And Fire Emojis)
One of Ms. Marvel's many unique traits is its innovative approach to reflecting social media's and technology's influence on teenagers today. The show displays text messages between characters by creatively integrating them into the background of its scenes, thus not taking the viewer out of the moment.
In a similar vein, the show captures Kamala's infatuation with Kamran, who she officially meets after he exits the pool at the party she's attending. A shirtless Kamran is surrounded by bright fire and "100" emojis, matching the hand-drawn animation style used throughout the show.
3 Aamir Teases Cousin Kamran But Is The Butt Of The Joke
While Kamala is out with her new crush Kamran, she faces an awkward run-in with her brother Aamir and his fiancée Tyesha. Kamala stumbles trying to explain the situation to her brother, telling him that Kamran is actually their cousin. Naturally, this is not the best cover to use with a sibling. A skeptical Aamir pushes Kamala and Kamran on the story, asking why Kamran has a British accent. Kamran credits his imaginary obsession with The Great British Bake-off and puts on a Pakistani accent to appease Aamir.
It's hard for viewers not to laugh at Aamir's teasing of the pair. Before leaving, Aamir remarks that he does remember Kamran as well as his nickname, "Haram-dot-Kamran," which he claims Kamran earned from engaging in questionable internet searches.
2 "Did You Just Say Djinn?"
When Kamala meets Kamran's enigmatic mother, she learns the truth behind her mysterious new powers and the Noor dimension they originate from. Kamala maintains her comical demeanor with genuine expressions of confusion in this intense moment of revelation. Kamran's mother shares a list of names that have been used to describe the people of the Noor dimension, concluding with their most common title, the Djinn.
Kamala's face immediately and explicitly signals her confusion as she asks, "I'm sorry, did you just say Djinn?" The humor underlying the question is heightened with an abrupt cut to the episode's opening credits. The comedy continues when Kamala tells Bruno she's a Djinn, and he responds, "And tonic?"
1 Yusuf And His Synthetic Fruit Pies
Kamala's father, Yusuf, is easily one of the most charismatic characters in Ms. Marvel. As Bruno reads up on Djinn while he's working at the Circle Q, he is interrupted when Yusuf enters the store. Bruno quickly tries to hide his reading material before Yusuf reaches the register. Bruno's anxiety contributes to a tense moment for viewers when Yusuf asks, "Can you keep a secret?"
In an unexpected twist, Yusuf's secret is actually just the fact that he's buying fruit pies. He explains that his wife forbids them. However, Yusuf explains that he loves their "syntheticness" most of all, and Bruno's crisis is hilariously averted.