REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel,’ Episode 6 – “No Normal”

Ms. Marvel Episode 6, titled “No Normal”, finally sees Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) stepping into her superheroic identity.  And given the events of previous episodes, her timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “No Normal” picks up immediately after the events of “Time and Again“, with Kamala returning home to find out that Kamran (Rish Shah) has developed powers of his own – which puts a target on his back. With the help of Bruno (Matt Lintz), Nakia (Yasmeen Fletcher), Aamir (Saagar Shaikh), and even Zoe (Lauren Marsden) Kamala faces off against Damage Control while attempting to get Kamran to safety.

The best thing about “No Normal” is how it showcases the importance of the people in Kamala’s life. Many superheroes often find solace in their loved ones and this is especially true of Marvel heroes. Spider-Man has his Aunt May, the Guardians of the Galaxy are a found family, and Kamala has her family and friends to give her support. “Time and Again” found her revealing her secret to her mother Muneeba (Zenobia Shroff), and now her father Yusuf (Mohan Kapur) and Aamir know about her superhero life.

Yusuf is even the reason behind Kamala’s superheroic identity as Ms. Marvel, which continues the series’ trend of linking her civilian and superhero lives. Writers Will Dunn, alongside AC Bradley and Matthew Chauncey, have taken one of the best parts of the Ms. Marvel comics and brought it to life. And that goes double for the cast, with Vellani getting the lion’s share of emotional moments. Her love for the character, combined with her talent, makes for one of the MCU’s best performances.

Directors Adil El Arbi & Billal Fallah, who previously helmed the pilot episode of Ms. Marvel, return to direct “No Normal” – and fully strike a balance between the Damage Control fight scenes as well as the quieter moments where Kamala talks with her family and friends. And they continue to bring their own visual flair to the process, especially when it comes to depicting Kamala and Kamran’s powers.

Where Kamala’s powers are made of violet, crystalline light and used to defend others, Kamran’s are emerald green and leave a trail of destruction in their wake. It’s a great way of drawing contrast between the two – especially as Kamran is alone in the world while Kamala has others to depend on. And that’s not even mentioning the major twist at the end of the episode, which lets the duo tie Kamala to another Marvel property.

If there’s one issue with the episode – and the series in general – it’s that the series should have either picked the ClanDestine or Damage Control as the main antagonists. There’s clearly emotional heft for both, as Damage Control represents how law enforcement agencies over police people of color while the ClanDestine provides a link to Kamala’s family and heritage. But the ClanDestine story was hastily wrapped up in “Time and Again”, and Damage Control only played a role in half of the series. Other shows like Moon Knight and Loki managed to find an overarching antagonist, and I hope if we do get more episodes of Ms. Marvel that it takes a page from those series’ books.

Ms. Marvel Episode 6 reaches the end of Kamala Khan’s journey of superheroic self-discovery and emphasizes her bonds with her loved ones. Fans won’t have to wait too long for Kamala’s return, as she’s slated to appear in The Marvels next year – and since this is labeled as a “season finale” I wouldn’t be surprised if a second season is announced next week at Marvel Studios’ upcoming San Diego Comic-Con panel.

Ms. Marvel Season 1 is currently available to stream on Disney+.