The Marvel Cinematic Universe's newest teenage hero, Kamala Khan, has officially made her on-screen debut in the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel. Played by Iman Vellani, Kamala Khan's arsenal of powers in the MCU is drastically different from her comic counterpart. This has led to the character becoming a hot topic amongst Marvel fans.
In Ms. Marvel, Kamala's powers are a product of her Muslim and Pakistani heritage, but her comic book abilities have a much different source. These abilities are unique to Kamala Khan's comic variant and have yet to make an appearance in the MCU. However, some of them are referenced in Kamala's on-screen abilities throughout the Disney+ series.
6 Inhuman Genetics
A big reveal at the end of Ms. Marvel centers on Bruno telling her that her DNA appears to be mutated. This establishes Kamala as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first official Mutant if you don't count Professor X or Scarlet Witch. However, in the comics, Kamala's DNA points to a much different group of superhumans.
Kamala's powers in the comics trace back to the Inhumans, a race engineered by the Kree. Her abilities aren't unlocked until the Inhuman king Black Bolt unleashes Terrigen Mist, making her body radically alter its form. The Inhuman gene in Kamala also grants her super strength and super speed.
5 Size Alteration
The finale of Ms. Marvel features a sequence where Kamala enlarges to fight off the forces of the Department of Damage Control. Many fans noticed her drop the phrase, "Embiggen," which is a direct reference to this similar ability in the comics. There, Kamala's change in size is a huge part of her superhero identity.
This ability of Kamala functions very similarly to Ant-Man, allowing her to grow or shrink in size proportionally. In the comics, these powers are a metaphor for Kamala's adolescence, though in the show her growth is only used as a defense mechanism against a government force that wants to dispel of superhumans.
4 Stretching Limbs
Kamala's other iconic superpower from the comics is her ability to stretch her limbs like Mr. Fantastic. Also known as elongation, Kamala and Reed Richards are the only Marvel heroes capable of this (unless you count Super Skrull, who combines The Fantastic Four's powers). However, this ability is absent from the Disney+ show.
Many Marvel fans were disappointed to see one of Kamala's most iconic powers absent from her MCU appearance. However, the abilities from Kamala's bangle reference it by letting her project her limbs to be much larger. This makes her more similar to DC's Green Lantern than Marvel's own smartest man alive.
3 Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is an integral part of Kamala's character arc in the comic books. When first exposed to the Terrigen Mist, Kamala lacks control over her powers, which causes her to shapeshift into Carol Danvers. While this was once Kamala's dream, she later learns to appreciate herself and becomes proud of fighting as Kamala Khan.
Kamala has, however, used shapeshifting every so often in the comics. At times, she's used it to impersonate other Marvel characters like Tony Stark. In the post-credits scene of Ms. Marvel, her transformation into Carol Danvers is referenced when the two switch places, with Carol finding herself in a Captain Marvel fan girl's bedroom.
2 Healing Factor
Much like many other heroes throughout the Marvel universe, Kamala Khan has the ability to heal herself. This ability has yet to carry over to the MCU, but given the recent reveal of Kamala as a Mutant, it's possible she could end up sharing this ability with characters like Wolverine or Deadpool.
However, Kamala's healing factor operates differently from most other heroes. Her healing happens at a rapid speed, allowing her to survive bullet wounds. However, overusing her healing factor causes Kamala to become fatigued, or her powers to even weaken as a result of her cellular reconstruction.
1 Bruno's Tech
Just like in Ms. Marvel, Bruno Carrelli is a key ally to Kamala Khan. Once he becomes aware of Kamala's superhero abilities, he uses his inventiveness and intellect to craft her superhero gadgetry. Despite being a teenager, Bruno proves himself to be somewhat of a Tony Stark-in-training, which is certainly true of his onscreen version.
Among Bruno's various equipment made for Kamala is a suit made of bio-kinetic polyester, allowing her to stretch it with her abilities. He also modified a set of bangles for her with secret compartments that Kamala uses to store various items, like her cell phone. Hopefully, the MCU Bruno will continue to evolve as a tech savant for Kamala's superheroism and play an integral role in future storylines.
Ms. Marvel is currently available to stream on Disney+.