Iman Vellani on the weight and honor of being the MCU’s first Muslim superhero

The first episode of Ms. Marvel, starring Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, received rave reviews on Wednesday, with many calling the presentation a breath of fresh air within the MCU. In the show, Kamala is a Pakistani American teen experiencing several challenges as she navigates her new life as a superhero. The debut episode packs tons of personality, plenty of visual treats, and teen romance that will make your heart pitter-pat.

Being the first MCU’s first Muslim superhero comes with a lot of responsibility. Recently, Vellani spoke at length about playing Kamala and the advice she’d received from people who have been playing the Marvel game for some time.

“I’m honestly so privileged that Marvel trusts me to bring a character like Kamala to life,” Vellani tells Variety. At the same time, she says, “There’s so much weight that comes with being the first of anything.”

She also told the outlet that she got plenty of solid advice from leaders at Marvel, who are thrilled to have her be a part of the team. “They’re like, ‘You don’t go to work thinking that you’re the first Muslim superhero; you just go to work and have fun,'” Vellani recalls.

Sana Amanat, who co-created the Ms. Marvel comic featuring Kamala Khan with writer G. Willow Wilson, spoke about the show’s creative process and how they were free to reflect Kamala’s Muslim background whenever possible.

“Every time we would have a Muslim reference or Brown joke, and Kevin is like, ‘What is that? Is it Brown?'” Amanat says. “When we said, ‘Yes,’ he’s like, ‘Alright, great. More of it.’ He was really supportive of having that flavoring, because he knows that’s what makes it very unique and special.”

In addition to pulling story elements directly from the comics, the team behind Ms. Marvel consulted a cultural advisor to help craft crucial aspects of the character’s heritage. The result is a celebration of the Muslim faith in America (Jersey City, to be exact) and how it informs Kamala’s motivations and desire to break free of tradition. It’s not just a plot point, it’s a significant part of who Kamala is, and so far, it’s respectful and refreshing.

The most significant change to Kamala is her powers, which activate after she applies a family heirloom to her arm. Amanat attests that there’s more to it than that, but fans will have to wait for answers. “What makes her powers unique and special, is not just coming from this bangle, but from something much bigger and much more personal,” Amanat says. “That resonates a lot more intensely, at least for me, for Kamala’s story.” Originally, Kamala received her powers after encountering Terrigen Mist, making her an Inhuman. You may recall that the Inhuman initiative didn’t go so well for Marvel a few years back, so it makes sense they would change Kamala’s origin to include other elements.

The first episode of Ms. Marvel is currently streaming on Disney+, with new episodes arriving every Wednesday until the series concludes.