I’m not sure Marvel Studios could’ve found an actress more perfect for the role of Kamala Khan than Iman Vellani. Aside from being a skilled actress, the up-and-comer is also a major Marvel fan, who has a deep understanding of the comics. Of course, she has a particular soft spot for the character that she plays and knows just about everything there is to know about Ms. Marvel. As such, she has a number of favorite moments involving the teenage heroine, but the one that tops them all involves Wolverine.
Some of the most delightful moments within Kamala Khan’s publication history have been her team-ups with other Marvel heroes. This is due to the fact that Khan is a massive fan of superheroes and typically fangirls out whenever she meets one of her idols. This was the case when the enthusiastic young woman crossed paths with veteran X-Man Wolverine in her native New Jersey during the sixth issue of the Khan’s initial comics run.
There’s plenty of humor present within the interaction, for sure, such as the teenager’s delight over the adamantium-clawed hero almost killing her when surprised. But when I spoke with Iman Vellani during the Ms. Marvel junket and asked about a Kamala moment that resonates with her the most, she provided a deeper perspective on the superhero run-in:
This is a hard one. Okay. There's a lot. Okay. My favorite, I mean, just her moment with Wolverine, when they were fighting together against crocodiles in the sewers of Jersey City. It was like the second volume [of the comic run]... And Wolverine’s losing his healing ability, and Kamala’s piggy backing him. And she's like asking him about it and why he lost his healing ability. He's like, ‘Listen, the only power that's worth snot is the power to get up after you fall down. Everything else, all the flash and the fancier powers, that’s just extra.
The seasoned mutant certainly speaks the truth, and his young comrade certainly took the words to heart. The exchange also stuck with the actress as she and her cast and crew members filmed the show:
And [our show’s team] changing her powers for the MCU, it just really hit close to home. And that line just means so much because it really is not about the powers or the costumes or any of that. It's about character and about the humanity that these characters bring in, and just their moral code, the why they fight and their motivations. And that's what makes them a hero, and that's what makes them relatable. And so I really love that moment, and it was really sweet. And just seeing Wolverine on Kamala’s back… yeah.
As the trailers and TV spots revealed, Kamala’s powers are indeed different here, but that’s not exactly the most important thing. What is vital is the character’s sheer sense of heroism and desire to do the right thing. And those who’ve seen the new MCU series’ first episode no doubt know that Iman Vellani perfectly embodies this through her performance. She’s a key reason why Ms. Marvel has received strong reviews from critics and, while it's early, her casting may be one of the best decisions Marvel Studios has ever made.
Her character’s future in the MCU is bright (and could even see her join the Young Avengers). But whenever Marvel decides to bring the mutants back into the fold, I wouldn’t mind if Iman Vellani’s Kamala got to recreate that sweet comic book moment with the new Wolverine actor.
Ahead of that though, be sure to stream Ms. Marvel, which drops new episodes for Disney+ subscribers on Thursdays as part of the 2022 TV schedule.
