Warning: Spoilers for Ms. Marvel episode 6
In spite of its mutant tease, Ms. Marvel has already proven that Iman Vellani’s character can’t join the MCU’s first X-Men team. Before the Ms. Marvel finale, Kamala Khan was never even counted as a candidate for a roster spot, but a line from Bruno Carrelli changed everything. Following Marvel’s shocking confirmation of Mr. Marvel’s status as a mutant, Kamala joining the X-Men has seemingly become a new option for her MCU future after The Marvels.
Apparently, Ms. Marvel’s X-Men link was set up from the start. When it was established that Kamala’s bracelet triggered latent abilities she already had within her, it was theorized that Marvel was gearing up to confirm that Kamala – like her comic counterpart – is an Inhuman in the MCU. Instead, Marvel went in a different direction and connected her with the ClanDestines. Now, it’s known that there was another factor at play. Her family members don’t share the same abilities as Kamala because her genes possess a “mutation”. Thanks to this reveal, Marvel’s Earth-616 universe has its very first mutant hero.
Taking this route with Kamala opens new doors for her character. It was originally thought that she’d be on the Young Avengers lineup, but she can technically join the X-Men now. However, how the show ended her story demonstrates the very reason why Kamala doesn’t belong with the team. Traditionally, the X-Men are depicted as a group of outcasts. The original group of five, who were mostly orphans or kids who had been rejected by their respective communities, joined Professor X’s mutant school in search of acceptance and a way to come to terms with their gifts. Ms. Marvel, though, doesn’t need that anymore. By the end of season 1, her family and closest friends are fully aware of her powers. Together, they make an excellent support system for Kamala that members of the X-Men typically lack.
Will Ms. Marvel Be Part Of The MCU’s X-Men?
Putting Kamala Khan on the X-Men team would allow the movie to draw upon at least one existing MCU character, but it doesn’t exactly need her any more than she needs them. The X-Men’s corner of the Marvel Universe boasts dozens of heroes who could be solid choices for the team, which is partly why it seems unnecessary for it to look outside X-Men comics for potential recruits. So, while she could theoretically be on the team, her mutant connection alone doesn’t mean it will happen. After all, not all of Marvel Comics’ mutant heroes are X-Men.
With Ms. Marvel’s story taking away any reason Kamala would have for leaving home and becoming a student at Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, her chances of joining the Young Avengers haven’t diminished. However, a meeting with the X-Men shouldn’t be ruled out. After Marvel creates its first X-Men team, a crossover of some kind could see Kamala meet some of her fellow mutants at some point in Phase 5.
