The MCU has no shortage of superhuman heroes on their roster. From mutants like Mystique to the blind Daredevil who has superhuman hearing, Stan Lee seems to have the best ability at creating unique superhumans. However, Kamala Khan, AKA Ms. Marvel is a different story. Kamala, a 16-year-old Pakistani-American obsessed with the Avengers, is gifted with the same powers as Captain Marvel. With these powers, Kamala takes on the alias Ms. Marvel. She struggles to balance her human responsibilities to her family with her hero responsibilities to protect her community from evils in the universe.
With the highly anticipated release of the Disney+ original series Ms. Marvel approaching, the series has revealed quite a bit through its trailer. Kamala Khan is not only the first Muslim superhero to enter the MCU, but is the first Muslim superhero to enter the mainstream media. Not only does this break new ground for the MCU, but it breaks new ground for the Muslim community, getting the representation they deserve in the superhero genre. That said, the biggest change that the MCU has made to Kamala’s character is the source of her power. While the comics pin Ms. Marvel’s powers to her genes, given the ability to extend her limbs, change her appearance, and shape-shift, the Ms.Marvel series shows Kamala Khan’s powers coming from her Nega Bands. Here’s a guide to what Nega Bands are exactly.
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What is a Nega Band?
The Nega-Bands are ancient relics from the Kree Empire. The bands have the power to convert psychic energy into physical energy. Whoever wears the bands is granted the powers of energy manipulation and super strength. The first bearer of the Nega Bands was Captain Marvel, who chose to get rid of the Bands as the power from the gauntlets trapped her in negative space. These gauntlets were passed on by Captain Marvel through a number of other bearers, including Rick Jones, eventually dropping into the hands of Kamala Khan. While some may see the Bands as a bit of a crutch to Ms. Marvel’s character, as she has no power without them, it makes for an interesting premise, leaving the audience wondering how they will connect Kamala with Captain Marvel.
How Did Kamala Khan Obtain a Nega Band?
After Captain Marvel realized the Bands were not a good fit for her, she abandoned the Nega Bands. The Nega Bands passed from person to person before eventually finding their way into Kamala’s attic where she discovered the gauntlets. The Nega Bands gave her the same powers as Captain Marvel. Fate aligns for the youngster as she finds confidence in herself and her identity through the Nega Bands, connecting with her hero and role model, Captain Marvel, on a much deeper level. While there are other sets of bands in the Marvel Comics universe, one of which landed in the lap of the beloved Star-Lord, Kamala is gifted with the exact bands that Captain Marvel wore.
What This Means for Ms. Marvel in the MCU
As opposed to the original comic origins of Kamala’s powers originating from her genes being mutated, Ms. Marvel is instead choosing to include the Nega Bands into the storyline. While many comic books fans of the original Ms. Marvel are not so pleased with the changes that the MCU has chosen to make to the character, even choosing to eliminate her ability to stretch her limbs to great lengths, this new direction seems to work better in incorporating Kamala’s character into the MCU more seamlessly and connect her more closely to Captain Marvel. As Kamala’s character is expected to appear in the Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels, it only makes sense to connect the characters more closely. More than that, a Giant Freakin Robot exclusive suggests that Kamala’s powers will undergo a shift in The Marvels. What better way to do that than to pass down a relic from a role model hero to a teenage Avengers fan.
