Kamala Khan, also known as the new Ms. Marvel, is an intriguing Marvel character recently brought into the MCU. She has been around for just under a decade at this point, but yet has been woven into the Marvel universe interestingly on both a comics and MCU level. Her powers, however, need a bit of explanation depending on what medium you enjoy, so it’s best to discuss Ms. Marvel’s powers both based on her live-action MCU self and her comics-accurate version.
Ms. Marvel: Kamala Khan’s Powers in the MCU
In the MCU according to the Ms. Marvel streaming series on Disney Plus, Kamala Khan is a mutant hybrid able to manipulate energy from the Noor Dimension including hard light constructs like DC’s Green Lantern. Originally believed to be of Djinni heritage, Khan learned this when she put on her great-grandmother Aisha’s bangle, part of a pair that allowed her to tap into the Noor Dimension for her power.
Khan has used this heritage to generate hard light platforms, stretch or enlarge her body, or enhance her strength. Khan’s extra-dimensional abilities are also an instance of the MCU tying her strongly with the Multiverse Saga.
Ms. Marvel’s Powers in the Marvel Comics
Originally introduced in 2013, Kamala Khan in the comics is not a mutant hybrid, but instead possesses an Inhuman lineage. Her powers were activated by the Terrigen Bomb’s fallout, the Terrigen Mist, awakening her Inhuman genes. This gave her abilities that can be described as a Polymorph or Shape-Shifter, but she’s able to use intersecting versions of herself through time travel to alter her mass in a multitude of ways.
While Ms. Marvel most famously uses her polymorph abilities to elongate herself, she can also alter her size, regenerate, or alter her appearance to resemble another person or even objects. This is all achieved by her essentially sharing her molecular mass with her other selves through time travel, and is a highly compelling power. While Iman Vellani portrays Kamala Khan with an excellent amount of moxie and does a great job, it’s a shame that the MCU did away with this version of her backstory. Of course, there’s always a possibility the Inhumans could return.
