Entertainment
Ms Marvel episode 5 packs emotion with partition history – but confuses fans with laws of time travel-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro
Only one more episode to go!
Kamala is transported to a vision of the partition at the end of episode four (Picture: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios)
Warning: spoilers ahead for Ms Marvel episode 5.
The latest episode of Ms Marvel has provided a far more detailed account of Kamala’s (Iman Vellani) ancestors than she was previously aware of, revealing the hardships they endured during the partition.
The tale has been dubbed ‘emotional’ and ‘so powerful’ by fans… although some have been left scratching their heads over the laws of time travel and how they correspond to the previously-established rules in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).
With only one episode to go – with the season finale dropping on Disney Plus next week – it will be intriguing to see how this week’s cliffhanger will be resolved, particularly the newfound abilities imbued upon Kamran (Rish Shah).
We can’t wait to see Kamala suit up in the grand finale!
Kamala’s family history revealed
Throughout the show, Kamala’s family history has been discussed, although certain details of the tale were shrouded in mystery.
It turns out Najma was behind the disappearance of Aisha, Kamala’s great-grandmother (Picture: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios)
When episode five began, it seemed possible that the entire instalment was going to focus solely on Kamala’s ancestors in the early 1940s in British-ruled India.
The opening moments of the episode featured a segment about the partition, before transitioning into the show – following Kamala’s great-grandmother, Aisha (Mehwish Hayat).
In episode three, Kamala learnt that Aisha was part of a group called Clandestines, or Djinn, who were exiled from the Noor dimension.
By episode five, Aisha is on her own, sleeping on the ground when she is discovered by a man called Hasan (Fawad Khan).
After Aisha initially gives Hasan the cold shoulder, the pair eventually fall in love, marrying and welcoming their daughter, Sana, Kamala’s grandmother.
Years later when Sana is a child, Aisha is forced to face Najma (Nimra Bucha), another Clandestine who wishes to use the Bangle to return to their dimension.
Aisha and Hasan flee with Sana, along with scores of other people trying to make their way to Pakistan during the partition.
What are the laws of time travel in the MCU?
In Avengers: Endgame, it’s made clear that the laws of time travel aren’t what many of the superheroes initially thought, as they travel back in time to retrieve Infinity Stones to reverse the Blip caused by Thanos.
The Avengers went on a time-travelling mission in Endgame (Picture: Marvel/Disney/Kobal/Rex)
When they go back to the past, it isn’t the case that if they change something, then their present will be altered.
Rather, if anything is changed in the past, then this will create a new timeline that branches away from the original timeline, as there are many parallel timelines occurring concurrently.
However, this rule appears to have been ignored in the latest Ms Marvel episode, as several fans pointed out.
After Najma stabs Kamala’s bangle, the teenage superhero is transported to the time of the partition in British-ruled India the 1940s, when numerous people are trying to board the last train heading to Karachi, Pakistan.
Kamala discovers the direct hand she played in the past (Picture: Daniel McFadden/Marvel Studios)
Kamala’s great-grandmother, Aisha, is stabbed by Najma, while her daughter Sana – Kamala’s grandmother who’s just a little girl at the time – is separated from her father, Hasan, Kamala’s great-grandfather.
The story in Kamala’s family went that Sana followed a ‘trail of stars’ to be reunited with her father, prompting speculation that Aisha helped her daughter and husband reunite before disappearing herself.
However, it turns out that the trail of stars was actually created by Kamala when she was transported to that moment, helping Sana after finding the lost little girl.
By the logic of Avengers: Endgame, this should mean that Kamala created a new timeline where she was involved in saving her grandmother… but this doesn’t seem to be the case.
As such, plenty of fans were confused, with one tweeting: ‘Ermmmmmmm how did Kamala travel back to the past and save her own grandmother??? MCU has already established that’s not how time travel works in this universe…’
‘I liked the alternate timeline/alternative universe idea of time travel but I’ve always hated ‘closed loops’ time travel. Marvel better expand on this in future projects and sell it to me. How do both types exist in the MCU?’ another wrote.
Someone else said: ‘I just need an explanation for how time travel works because my brain cannot understand the complexity,’ while another speculated that the creators of Ms Marvel dropped a clue that time travel would be involved when Kamala’s best friend Bruno (Matt Lintz) was dressed in an outfit that appeared to take after Back to the Future’s Marty McFly.
There’s a new superpowered being in town
Kamala isn’t the only one with luminescent abilities, it’s been revealed.
Kamran’s new powers are revealed (Picture: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios)
After the Veil was opened, killing one of the Clandestines, Kamala insists to Najma that the Veil has to be closed, encouraging her to reunite with her son, Kamran.
Najma then does indeed have a change of heart, but sacrifices herself to close the Veil, seemingly transferring powers to Kamran in the process.
Kamran goes to Bruno’s home for refuge, only to discover he’s been followed by a drone.
It’s there that he first exhibits the full force of his powers, shocking Bruno with the discovery that he’s in the vicinity of yet another superpowered being.
Ms Marvel is available to watch on Disney Plus with new episodes released on Wednesdays.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Marvel unveils new gay ‘fearlessly femme’ Spider-Man and he’s so fierce
MORE : Ms Marvel has reminded me how grateful I am for my Muslim friends
Entertainment – MetroRead More