The following contains spoilers for the first episode of Ms. Marvel.Often, shows and movies struggle to accurately or respectfully capture the experience of being a teenager. This is bound to happen when people who have been out of high school for at least 20 years are the ones writing the material; however, it’s annoying for the younger audience who are teenagers or who have been through high school recently. Many watching such shows can feel like their experience isn’t being portrayed properly.
These shows and movies often come off as patronizing, or simply so far removed from the current high school experience that they’re barely relevant to the actual teenagers of today. This is especially true when it comes to addressing fan culture. There was a bit of worry that this was how theMCU’s newest Disney Plus show,Ms. Marvel, would come off. Some had concerns that it would paint Kamala’s narrative through the simplistic and overdone “she’s bullied because she’s a nerd” trope that appears in nearly every coming-of-age story. Luckily, however, it seems like the show is treating this story with a lot of care. As such, it feels much more true to the experience of being a teenager, and resonates with audiences as a result.
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Obviously, it’s difficult to judge when not much of the show has been released so far. However, first episode was so heavily focused on teenage struggles over any sort of superhero element that the show’s approach was very clear. Rather than recreating the kind of high school experience shown in movies and showsfrom the 80s and 90s, there’s a much more modern and grounded feel to the show, even with all of its stylized and heightened elements.
For instance, there are hints that Kamala doesn’t have a lot of friends at school, but she’s not being shoved into lockers and called names by everyone in the hallways. She’s clearlya bit of a social outcast, but isn’t being actively bullied. For many young people watching, this is a much more realistic way of portraying someone who has nerdier interests and may not fit in with the rest of their peers. This isn’t to say that more aggressive bullying doesn’t still happen, but the kinds of cliques and cliches that show up in a lot of teen media just isn’t accurate to the times anymore. Instead, Kamala’s experiences reflect those of viewers.
The show is also smart about portraying the very real idea of how nerd culture has made its way into the mainstream — or at the very least, how those with niche interests have created their own close-knit communities. Being into comic books andStar Warsisn’t something that people feel they have to hide anymore, because it’s easier to find others who share that enthusiasm. Marvel movies are the highest-grossing movies at the box office these days, so it’s no longer a shameful thing that fans have to hide. InMs. Marvel,when Kamala and Bruno go to AvengerCon, they see Zoe, a popular girl from their school who is entering the Captain Marvel cosplay contest.Superheroes aren’t just for “nerds” anymore. Even someone who is relatively well-liked by her peers is a part of that culture, even though she clearly doesn’t broadcast that fact.
The show also touches on how important fandom culture is to Kamala as a way to express herself, especially when she feels stifled by her strict parents. Many teens use the media they consume as escapism to distract themselves from the problems they face in their real lives.Superheroes are clearly important to Kamalaand make up a large part of her personality, but it’s not the only thing she cares about, and the show makes that obvious. Even with just this first episode,Ms. Marvelis already painting its titular character as a well-rounded one. It shows off all sides of her personality so that the audience can connect with her.
Even the way that the show portrays texting is creative, and incorporates a real part of the way that teens communicate. There are so many scenes in teen-centered shows where characters text things like “How R U?” or “I’m going 2 da store,” which feels incredibly out-of-touch. It’s just another way in which the show manages toportray the teenage experienceto the best of its ability.
The first episode seems like a good omen for the rest of the show, which will hopefully continue to tell Kamala’s story in this respectful and realistic way. Considering a large portion of theMCU’s current fandomis made up of teenagers (or adults who were teenage Marvel fans ten years ago), it makes sense that they might want to do their best to represent that portion of the fanbase. The show’s creators tell a story that resonates with its audience and doesn’t poke fun at their entire existence, like some shows might be tempted to do.
