Ms. Marvel – Seeing Red

By starrymag | July 6, 2022

By: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell

 

 

We start the episode on a plane to Pakistan. After the wedding fiasco Muneeba (Zenobia Shroff) says Kamala (Iman Vellani) is grounded indefinitely, but since her Nani (“grandmother”) is getting on in years they’re going to honor her request to visit.

 

Once they land Kamala and Muneeba are greeted by Kamala’s cousins Zainab (Vardah Aziz) and Owais (Asfandyar Khan) and her Nani (Samina Ahmad). It’s a fun reunion for Kamala, but things are still a bit chilly between her mother and grandmother. This should make for an exciting visit.

 

At her grandmother’s house we learn that Kamala and her Nani Sana have a lot in common – namely that her grandmother is an artist, too. Kamala didn’t know that. While Kamala draws fanart of The Avengers, her Nani draws her memories. Specifically, all of her pre-Partition memories. A lot was lost when her family left India and she only has one picture of herself as a baby. Her artwork is a way for her to try to take back some of the things she lost.

 

They finally talk a little about the bangle and her great-grandmother Aisha. So, Sana tells Kamala that according to her father Kamala is a djinn. Kamala doesn’t get how her Nani can be so calm. She responds that it’s just genetics and she shouldn’t focus so much on the why. Sana tells her that the last time the bangle was used it saved her life. We hear the story of how she was nearly separated from her father, but a trail of stars swept her onto the train and into her father’s arms. Kamala wonders if it’s the same train they’re seeing in her vision. Sana says yes, as the bangle is trying to tell her something and she thinks she needs to be near her to figure it out. Kamala comments on how complicated this puzzle is getting and she’s worried that she’s just breaking things. Sana agrees it is complicated, but when you’ve lost as much as she has she says you learn to find beauty in the pieces.

 

Kamala does some sketching and tries to text Nakia, who hasn’t been texting her back. Then, she has some unpleasant dreams about the past few weeks. She’s woken up by her mother and cousins who want to go sightseeing. They go to a restaurant, but Kamala’s not allowed in because no one told her about the no jeans policy. Her cousins plan to go shopping later and Muneeba asks that they just stay together.

 

Of course, they do not stay together. Kamala wants to see the train station where her Nani first arrived from India, but her cousins aren’t into it so they split up and plan to meet up later. While at the train station Kamala decides to put on her mask and look through the off-limits part of the station. At first, she just finds a lot of rubble, but then she finds a guy donning a red scarf who attacks her with a knife. They spar briefly, but then he notices her bangle and realizes it belongs to Ashia. Kamala wants to know how he knows about her great-grandmother. Before he can answer her questions, the police show up and he tells her to come with him if she wants to live.

 

He takes her to a restaurant and then to a secret passageway through the kitchen and says, “Welcome to the Red Daggers.” By the way, his name is Kareem (Aramis Knight) and he introduces her to an older man named Waleed (Farhan Akhtar). They invite her to stay for dinner and to learn about other dimensions.

 

Some more background shared is that the scarf Kareem wears is a part of a mantle passed down through generations. Waleed says they protect their people from threats unseen. Waleed clarifies that Kamala is one of the Clandestines. So, they’re not actually djinn – they were just called that by virtue of being magical. And he translates the inscription on Kamala’s bangle. It says, “What you seek is seeking you.”

 

It seems there are multiple dimensions, and the Earth co-exists with Noor. But there is a veil that separates the Earth and Noor, so unfortunately if you tear down the veil then Noor’s energy will consume the Earth. This obviously will mean a lot of death. So, Kamala should absolutely not assist Najma.

 

Speaking of her, Najma (Nimra Bucha), Kamran (Rish Shah), Fariha (Adaku Ononogbo), Saleem (Dan Carter) and Aadam (Ali Alsaleh) are in a prison for powered individuals. But they break out and subdue the guards assigned to them. Kamran is released, but Najma makes it clear he won’t be coming with them. She says he made his choice when he chose to help Kamala.

 

Later, Kamala gets back to her Nani’s house just in time to avoid arousing any motherly suspicion. She finds her grandmother on the roof avoiding Kamala’s mother, who is on a cleaning binge. Sana asks Kamala if she’s found what she came here looking for and Kamala says she’s learned a lot. Sana explains that even at her age she’s still trying to figure out who she is and then shows Kamala a passport that says she is Pakistani, but she was born in India. Sana explains a lot of people are claiming their identity based on the mess the English made when they were fleeing the country. Kamala asks if she’ll ever figure it out. Sana says there’s no rush. Kamala gets a text from Kareem asking to have dinner and Sana says she should go and be young as she’ll explain things to her mother.

 

After the heart-to-heart Sana and Muneeba have a fight. Whiie Muneeba’s cleaning she asks her mother what the deal is with all the toffee boxes. Sana says she remembers her daughter liking them as a kid and she bought them in case she ever came back. There are a lot of boxes, so it has clearly been a long time since she’s been to that house. Muneeba tells Sana that she thinks she should consider moving to America to live with the family. Sana laughs and says she thought Muneeba went to the states to get away from her. Muneeba explains that she didn’t go to get away from her, but that she wanted to get away from the neighbors who shunned her because of her “crazy” mother. Muneeba and Sana seem to remember things differently. At any rate, Muneeba resents that Sana wouldn’t let go of her “fantastic theories,” even after her father left her. Sana explains she thought she should share them with her. Muneeba says she didn’t need her stories because she needed her.  When Kamala comes back later, she finds her mom sadly eating toffee. As an explanation Muneeba says, “You know how mothers are.” Then they eat toffee together.

 

The next day Kamala spends time with Kareem and Waleed and learns more about her powers. Waleed tells her that it is her humanity that links her to the matter of this world. This is why she can bend and shape energy. Then, he gives her a green vest and tells her that every fiber of it is etched with history to help her remember where she comes from. The touching moment is interrupted by Najma and company, who come crashing through the ceiling.

 

Waleed tells the kids to make a run for it. He tries to hold Najma, Fariha, Saleem and Aadam off while Kamala and Kareem run. He then uses a smoke bomb of sorts to distract them and catches up with the kids. We cut away and see them all get in a cart, but Fariah and Aadam steal a truck to chase after them. Exposure is apparently not a major concern for them. This quickly becomes a very extreme game of bumper cars with the trunk ramming into them in the street and attracting a lot of attention. Kamala tries to use her powers to protect the civilians, but that doesn’t help with their exposure issue. Then, she uses her powers to make the truck crash.

 

One way or the other they still need to run. Waleed tells Kamala and Kareem to grab a motorbike and go. They bike away for a bit, but then bump into a car and are thrown over it. Somehow, they don’t get hurt too badly. So, then it’s time to run. Waleed tells them he’ll distract them as he wants Kareem to get Kamala somewhere safe. Waleed fights with Saleem and stabs him with a dagger. Then. Najma ultimately kills him with two daggers in the back. Kamala is horrified, of course, but Kareem tells her that he’s gone and they still need to get away.

 

Kamala and Kareem run into a store for cover, but they bump into Fahira and Aadam. They fight with them, and Kareem seemingly kills Aadam. So, Najma attempts to stab Kamala, but she hits her bangle instead. The action causes the bangle to glow and release energy that blasts them all back. In Kamala’s case it is way, way back. When Kamala gets off the ground, she quickly realizes she’s not in Pakistan anyone. She is on a platform that is crowded and filled with terrified people saying goodbye and hoping they’ll be allowed on the train. She’s in the 1940s, when the Partition took place.