Disney’s Marvel TV has got away from me, like I left the barndoor open and the petting zoo ran free. But there’s no shame in it – I’m not one to stick to a schedule, especially when I know that Disney+ shouldn’t be going nowhere, and I always planned on circling back to fill in what I missed when I made time. The last time we spoke about Marvel though, it was following on from The Marvels, and I wrote that my bubble had burst – Marvel would be taking a well-earned break from producing content, partly brought about by strikes, and necessarily so because Marvel wasn’t fun anymore. The following series garnered mid-to-low level enthusiasm on their original release as well, but I think the Special Presentations were a pleasant surprise, so let’s see what I make of them.
Moon Knight – New Characters
Marc Spector / Moon Knight / Steven Grant / Mr. Knight / Jake Lockley
Moon Knight! I’m finally here. Yes, I thought this show looked good on its arrival, but now that I’ve watched it, I found it hard to follow. Which made me realise how rarely that happens for me; which is a blessing. But, like it or not, there’s a lot going on in Moon Knight and I still need things explained. The Egyptian Gods exist through avatars? Okay. And Marc uses Steven as professional cover? The Gods can pick and choose another avatar at their willing? And that avatar can go to another God? Are these new characters more aligned with Black Panther’s ancestral plane, Agatha’s magic, or the Eternals? Honestly, I’ve said this before, but the more the MCU gets bigger and bigger and spreads, the less I care about it. I can’t believe Moon Knight changes the night sky – I’m trying to imagine if I’d care if I were watching this in 2022, but it’s still come after The Eternals left us with giant fingers coming out of the ground, and so many other things in the MCU not yet resolved. I think I would’ve appreciated this story more if Moon Knight had stayed conspicuous; at least it makes more sense than to do something that definitely would come up on the Avenger’s radar. Maybe this is the link that brings Moon Knight into the wider MCU; we’ll see. Yet, Moon Knight’s best asset is Oscar Isaac – he is a talented actor, and what an enjoyable role this would be, jumping around from two to many different character personas. Marc is sort’ve like some Indiana Jones and a nerdy Tintin hybrid, investigating the secrets of another past. I suppose that could be another reason I didn’t get into this show – the MCU is brilliant at taking its material to existing filmic genres, and the action adventures of Indiana Jones’, National Treasure, and The Mummy are yet to be my jam. But I think an even bigger reason I didn’t connect with Moon Knight, is how much it tries to cram into Spector’s personality – in just six episodes, this series tries to deal with the weight of growing up with a rotten mother, Spector’s time in a treacherous army, his marriage falling apart, his subservient unease as avatar to the Egyptian God Khonshu, and the existence of his split personality persona who is stuffing everything up. That’s so much to care about, and it just makes me feel sad. I came out of episode one thinking that Marc may be in control of Steven, and the idea of having an alter ego that isn’t even aware that they’re a superhero is a fantastic idea, and it’s fun watching Steven discover it for the first time. But then, Steven is a loser, hard to like as any sort of hero when he constantly goes against Marc’s life-or-death advice, out of fear or pure stubbornness. And so, you’ve got one half that’s sad to engage with, and the other persona that’s an annoying chore – not much to really grasp hold to. On top of all this, I’m sure I’ve read of Moon Knight in comics before, as he comes into Ultimate Spider-Man at some point. I had in my mind that he was a successful businessman, like Bruce Wayne, aware of about four personas that fight each other for their morality, and one was a little girl? Am I way out the ballpark? If not, it’s hardly this mess of dopes essentially singing the Sound of Music’s “Getting to Know You”… Oh yes, Spector’s secret berserker persona, Jake Lockley, could be fun, if he knows what’s been going on the whole time.
Layla El-Faouly / Scarlet Scarab
Layla is not particularly memorable either. Although, she certainly has hands-on tomb-raider experience, that could provide valuable information across the MCU if she’s ever used again. Her role ends, with her unexpectedly getting powers, which is a trope across Marvel now, from WandaVision with Rambau, Colleen Wing in Iron Fist, and even Martine Bancroft from Morbius.
Arthur Harrow
Arthur Harrow is no different to Kaecilius and his dynamic with Doctor Strange. What I mean is, there’s a system in place, a discipline, and Harrow has gone outside that system to bring about his own change. I feel like I’m very lenient on these copious comic book movies and stories, if only they are ever so slightly different to what has come before, or are done well. I’m glad to see that Ethan Hawke has joined the MCU, but not like this.
Khonshu
Manipulative and shewed, Khonshu is also the self-righteous chump of the Egyptian Gods. And look, I’m not like Steven Grant, as an avid expert in this field of Egyptian history, so I’ll only assume that there’s some truth in that depiction being brought to the present day. I suppose, since we have the Greek Gods firmly fixed in the MCU, it’s only fair that the Egyptians get their flare too. Having only recently seen Amadeus for the first time, I’m glad that I can at least appreciate the inclusion of F. Murray Abraham.
Ammit
We don’t really spend too much time with this villain God, but we get her plan, and while it works in theory, it really isn’t very nice to judge people before they’re guilty. And it’s messy; to leave judgement in the hands of something that cannot be seen, is well illustrated by the poor old lady getting sucked dry the first time we see Arthur Harrow. This villain God really forms the Riot equivalent in a Venom comparison – both higher powers, Ammit and Khonshu, have chosen their avatars, and the third-act final episode is just a giant fight.
Taweret
Here’s a friendly face. Yet, she could’ve been more routine and short-tempered, since she was performing her regular job; but I’m glad she wasn’t. Finally, I’m happy with one character from this series, and it’s a talking Hippo!
Crawley
Yes, the living statue! The one Steven Grant talks to because he has no friends! Apparently, Crawley acts as an informant for Moon Knight in the comics, and although this TV show didn’t need him to play any large part, I appreciate how they still found a way to include him.
Anton Mogart
Again, this guy really doesn’t do anything. As an old acquaintance of Layla’s, he possesses the decipherable antiques required for Steven and Marc to move from A to B. He is killed by Harrow in one episode, so will we ever see him again? Easy come, easy go.
Yatzil
There’s the whole council of Gods, and their avatars, headed by Selim, of course, but Yatzil is the only member of significance to me. She is the avatar for the Egyptian goddess of love, and the one to pull Marc Spector aside to give him hope after the council rejects him. She is also killed by Harrow, when Ammit is released 😬
Ms. Marvel – New Characters
Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel
Summing up Ms. Marvel in a word; generic. I see that the series is trying to be a light-hearted family or teenage dramedy, much like a Disney Channel show of the past ten years, and so it resembles their quality. Not really befitting Marvel though… Is it? But I like Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan – I’m pretty sure she is the first MCU introduction that I have caught in reverse, because I’ve already seen The Marvels going into this. I believe I said Vellani had spunk in my The Marvels review, and I still think she has moxie. I don’t know if the designated drama here does her the best justice, but she could build into more complex stories going forward, as an MCU main-stayer. As a Marvel watcher, I’m old enough to remember when Thor: The Dark World explained the realms as layers of existence – I feel like the MCU quickly changed that, to have Asgard be just a far-off planet, out there in distant space. But Ms. Marvel seems to want to bring it back, with the Djinn existing from another realm 🤷♂️ For all the banal action and dramedy, Kamala does share some sweetly supportive moments with her father Yusuf, and her grandmother Sana, and there’s traces of a bright and vibrant young Spider-Man tone that comes across especially in the battle at the Coles Academic High School, where Kamala should take the fallout to She-Hulk, because I think she’d have a civil case 😜 It’s also an asset of this series to be able to investigate Muslim and Pakastani culture, very similarly to how Daredevil has the Catholic Church, and Punisher with the military. And when we see Ms. Marvel lily-padding around the city, as her newfound powers allow, it’s something new I hadn’t seen before!
Bruno Carrelli
Critics rail against teenage protagonists being so gifted at science in the MCU as unrealistic (Cassie Lang is one, Shuri is another). Well guess what, I have found a boy version. Yes, this goody-two-shoes was too eager to please, and too perfect, to be anything but mildly off-putting. I grew up in the era of Lizzie McGuire, and Gordo as our main lady’s best friend and potential love interest, and this guy doesn’t clear that bar. I thought the series might’ve been setting up Bruno as a secret villain, because he was so perfect, as that would’ve been a surprise. But again, Netflix’s Marvel already beat this series to the punch, with a layered and uncomfortable best-friend-turn-villain arc in the Jessica Jones series, so I couldn’t see Ms. Marvel deserving the faith to pull that off. No, it doesn’t matter, because Bruno stays homely. Every superhero needs a loyal steed by their side, and Kamala has hers.
Nakia Bahadir
Girl power, slay queen. Listen, I don’t mind a girl boss, out there getting it done, but a portrayal of such must be careful not to tippy-toe into being obnoxious or bitchy – that scene where Nakia leverages Yusuf to vote her for the Mosque board seemed a curveball. The series also really leans on Nakia to push the social justice and pity party lever of this show – I think there’s a way to make me sympathise with all social issues and Ms. Marvel’s execution is a mixed bag, making Nakia iffy. Moments like complaining about the curriculum are grading, moments like explaining how she’s too white for some people and too brown for others are valid but repetitive; but moments like the perspective of how the British affected the South Asian region are important.
Kamala’s Family (Muneeba Khan, Yusuf Khan, Aamir Khan, & Tyesha Hillman)
I want to watch The Marvels again now (but I don’t really want to watch The Marvels again) just to inspect how the family behaves in that movie. They are literally the first civilians the MCU have brought up to space (or so I believe), and now I’m keen to remember how that went down 🤔 I found Muneeba to be too sharp at times, and not in a cool way. I know Ms. Marvel is trying to play on how certain mothers can guilt-trip, or be overly worrisome, and maybe it just hit too close to home, but I didn’t find it humorous. It’s borderline child abuse; I might even call it ☹️ Similarly, it’s not fun watching Yusuf metaphorically shrunk down, when one of the girls are taking charge. But he’s an affable bloke, in any case. Kamala’s brother doesn’t hold centerstage often, and he seems to be only there to frame Kamala as the baby, where the family leave her out to fuss over the older boy, and I see that as his most valuable attribution.
Zoe Zimmer
My, my, does Ms. Marvel attract herself the perfect little breakfast club of helpers by the shows end, and that cliché would not be complete without an infamous bully-turned-friend. Naw, I don’t mean to mock – I think it’s sweet actually, and the series is good at showing how these classmates all have secrets, and there’s no shame, when friendship is involved… Okay, who’s the cliché now? 🙃 I actually might prefer this mighty team of teenagers more than Spider-Man’s crew of the Tom Holland variety, and they prove capable of slowing down a government agency, like some ragtag comedic crew from the nineties. Zoe is also there, as Nakia’s love interest who never gave up.
Kamran
A perfectly adequate love interest at first; turned potential adversary that ultimately seems to choose the path for good. I really like that he’s not a villain, but an antagonist in that he’s still figuring out the meaning of his powers, and what he should do with them. I also enjoyed his relationship with Kamala, as both of them are going through these supernatural changes together, trying to find greatness within. Kamran is nothing we haven’t seen before – somewhat similar to Davos from Iron Fist in struggle – but he is fine for the show.
Najma and The Clandestines
The Djinn – Ow 😔 I was really keen to watch Ms. Marvel to discover the origin of her bracelets, and my head-cannon had them in connection with Shang-Chi’s Tens Rings somehow. I’ve now said this over and over again, how the MCU is building too wide, and at the discovery of the Djinn, it just seems like whatever fantasy or legend that exists in the real world, is, or will be real, in the MCU, and I just find it too much. I understand that the Marvel comics have existed for over 80 years, and everyone wants their favourite stories translated into the comic realm, but my ability to care every time something mystic is revealed to be more than just legend is almost non-existent. Let’s just go through the revelations within the MCU that I can remember – aliens, magic, time-travel, the Quantum Realm, vampires, lands under the sea, Greek Gods, Egyptian Gods, Chinese Ta Lo, Djinn. It’s just too much for my poor little cranium. Notice I didn’t add science to that list – like technology that enables Iron Man’s super-suit, super-serum, or genetic mutation that created Spider-Man – because I suppose that’s what I consider my Marvel to broadly be about, and everything else is a deviation. As for the Djinn themselves; I mean, they’re budget Eternals, aren’t they? And the Eternals were already nobody’s favourite characters. This hodgepodge of ethnically varied villains turn on Ms. Marvel on a dime; and where’s the cunning in their planning or patience in their motives, reflective of their age? The worst villains in the MCU, right here.
Kareem and the Order of the Red Daggers
Through Daredevil, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange and now Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, there have been so many of these militant martial arts groups poking their heads up in the MCU. This one is truly the Lizzie McGuire version of such a thing, and I know I’ve made that reference before. They seem to be another group of warriors with the specific purpose or warding off supernatural threats, making even more people more knowledgeable than most across the entire MCU. I don’t hate them, and I thought Kareem was a respectable guy amongst the Order. It would make a simple Halloween costume too, with not much other than a red cloth over the bottom half of your face. Waleed became the fallen leader of the Order, and I remember him being a really cool and knowledgeable guy, giving stakes to the series with his untimely death.
Kamala’s Lineage (Aisha, Sana Ali, Zainab and Owais)
This series goes hard on the British rule – similarly to how Watchmen explored the Tulsa riots – and through placing Aisha in the center of it through history, it sort’ve has good reason. The time-travel element that allowed Aisha and Kamala’s interaction is extremely comic-booky and not entirely in a bad way. And it meant that Kamala played a role in getting her own grandmother Sana to safety, and how many granddaughters can say that. Kamala wears that with pride, and there’s a confidence boost in that surreal circumstance for our young star. In the present, I like the point of Muneeba and Sana being somewhat distant due to more village gossip surrounding Sana being convinced her mother was a Djinn. And through sending the bangle to Kamala, Sana unlocks the beginning of a united quest into that mystery. Cousins Zainab and Owais are also quite relevant in relaying a cultural difference between Pakistani Americans and the nature of Pakistan.
Kamala’s Community (Sheikh Abdullah, Najaf, Aunties Ruby and Zara)
The series is able to build out Kamala’s community really well. There’s Sheikh Abdullah, who is able to give some wise advice in his couple of moments, Najaf the street vendor who comes across friendly, and even Aunties Ruby and Zara, whose sharp gossip adds a bit of coloured variety. It’s a credit to a show when the cast of characters this deep still feel homely.
Ms. Marvel – Established Characters
Department of Damage Control (P. Cleary & Sadie Deever)
With so much similar-but-different stuff occurring in Ms. Marvel, our only link to the world once known is through the Department of Damage Control, and their likely investigation into sightings of Ms. Marvel. The school raid episode is probably my favourite of this series, and Agent Sadie Deever goes way too far trying to obtain the Kamala and Kamran, causing a massive scene. So much so, that P. Cleary relieves her of her duties by series end. I’m pretty sure Sadie Deever is a tyrannical DODC Agent in the Ultimate Spider-Mancomics, but I’m yet to find confirmation 🤔 P. Cleary will show up for us all again in Wonder Man.
Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel
Yes, Ms. Marvel’s favourite superhero does show up at the Khan’s house, but doesn’t interact with anyone; merely acting as a tease for The Marvels, and promising a crossover that would make Kamala very excited 😍
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Part 2 is coming, covering She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Werewolf by Night, and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special!
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