When The Marvels hit theaters, I was beyond excited to see Carol Danvers take on another mission. I admired her ambition and strength in Captain Marvel, so it’s safe to say I was ready to watch my favorite MCU superhero in the sequel. I also re-watched WandaVision to catch up on everything I needed to know about Monica Rambeau. However, after watching The Marvels, I realized just how much I’d been overlooking Kamala Khan, the third member of the leading trio. Not only did her bubbly and chaotic personality traits resonate with me, I also felt seen as a South Asian-American Marvel fan. She and I have much more in common than just being Captain Marvel fangirls. Spoiler Warning: Spoilers for The Marvels follow.
Growing up, I didn’t often see people who looked me in the media, making me feel out of place sometimes. I was overjoyed when I found out The Marvels included a brown main character as a “chosen one” figure. I kept finding myself looking forward to Kamala’s scenes, whether it involved a battle with Dar Benn, guidance from Carol and Monica, or an interaction with her family. I was drawn to her physical and mental strength. The dynamics with her parents and brother are captured in a pleasant yet realistic way that I could relate to.
Plus, I’m obsessed with the plot point of the quantum bangles. They’re a pretty cool concept metaphysics-wise, but more importantly, I love how a cultural symbol and a gift from her beloved grandmother became the key to saving the universe.
I can’t get enough of Kamala’s portrayal as a member of Gen Z. I’m in my early 20s, but I consider myself a teenager at heart. Kamala maintained her playful and free spirit throughout The Marvels, even while doing serious tasks to save the world. I deeply identified with her superfan-to-superhero pipeline, especially as someone whose love for the industry I aspire to work in first came from being a fangirl. I think that throughout the movie, Kamala’s character reminds us that we should never lose touch with our inner child.
One of Kamala’s lines from the movie that really stood out to me was, “I’m feeling so many feelings right now,” during the musical sequence on the planet Aladna when Carol and Prince Yan reunite. Due to the unexpected cameo and the bizarreness of a musical number, Kamala echoed my exact thoughts in that moment, and I’m sure many other viewers can say the same. (Side note: after that, Monica said “What kind of Captain Marvel fan fiction is this?” and as a sucker for self-aware moments in film, I dig it.)
Captain Marvel will always have a special place in my heart, but at least for me, Kamala Khan is hands down the most relatable character in the MCU.