Editor’s Note: The following contains Ms. Marvel Episode 1 spoilers. Ms. Marvel debuted on Disney + just this week, but it’s already given MCU fans plenty to chew on, given how jam packed it is with Easter Eggs. While the most recent MCU series Moon Knight all but ignored the rest of the Marvel universe to focus on Marc Spector’s (Oscar Isaac) story entirely, Ms. Marvel is relishing its position as a series able to comment on the events of the MCU from almost an outsider’s perspective. This is why fan girl Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) is our window into all things established about the superheroes in the Marvel world, and why the first episode is an MCU Easter Egg feast for the ages.
The Youtube Channel
Immediately from the start of the series, we’re thrust into Kamala’s world of superheroes and art and she has creatively recreated the Avengers: Endgame battle with Thanos by drawing it and animating it for her Youtube page. In the battle montage, she includes Captain America, complete with his broken shield, as well as Wanda, Valkyrie, The Hulk, Iron Man and Thor. She also, of course, describes Captain Marvel’s big moment in the battle where she storms in, breaks apart Thanos’ ship and beats him up a little. It’s a cude nod and a clever way to underline her love for Captain Marvel. Also present in the montage is Hawkeye, Okoye, Groot (referred to as Mr. Tree in the Avengers-Con scene), Gamora. Within the montage there is a sneaky Easter Egg to Thomas Edison, a supervillain named Gregory Knoxx who accidentally became the scientist’s pet after he mixed up Edison’s DNA with his cockatiel, in trying to clone him. This is particularly important as later on we see Kamala sitting near an Edison Electronics sign.
The Youtube channel name itself “Sloth Baby Productions” is a nod to Kamala’s stuffed animal from the first issue of the Ms. Marvel comic. The sloth shows up later in the episode on a T-shirt she is wearing, and there is even a stuffed winged sloth present in her room in the show. There’s even a video about Ant-Man and the Wasp’s love life, before Kamala reveals that most of the information she has on the superheroes is through Scott Lang’s podcast “Big Me, Little Me”. Kamala’s hunch that Thor is actually a gamer is something that we as an audience know to be true from Avengers: Endgame.
Kamala’s Life
At Kamala’s home, the line that her father (Mohan Kapoor) says to his son Aamir Khan (Saagir Shaikh) about him praying too much is actually ripped from the first issue of the Ms. Marvel comics. Kamala’s room too is full of Easter Eggs, particularly references to Captain Marvel, with there being comic art on her wall that is directly from the Captain Marvel comic books. Kamala’s sporting a pretty great shirt with The Wasp, Valkyrie and Captain Marvel on it, although it’s unclear why it’s this pairing that has caught her attention. Kamala’s guidance counselor being called Mr. Wilson is a nod to the creator of the Ms. Marvel Comics G. Willow Wilson and her name also propped up on the school board listing the founders. These are all basically comic book writers and artists involved in the creation of Ms. Marvel comics and a great way for the show to acknowledge their work. The plaque lists Wilson, Stephen Wacker (editor), and artists Adrian Alphona, Jamie McKelvie, Nico Leon, Ian Herring, Tikashi Miyazawa and writer Joe Caramanga.
While discussing her costume for Avenger-Con with Bruno (Matt Lintz), we see that Kamala’s bag is adorned with Avengers pins. Their discussion about which superhero she should dress up is a pretty fun one, and we get to see an illustration of Dr Strange and Captain Marvel merged as one. This could be the show referencing the Captain Marvel Issue 28 where Carol learns magic from the Sorcerer Supreme. The idea for a zombified Captain Marvel is also from the comics as Marvel’s Zombies: Resurrections. We get to see Brie Larson‘s Captain Marvel in all her glory when Kamala tries on her costume, marking the first non illustrated superhero we see in the series.
Kamala’s parents also come in with Hulk outfits for her, which is a clear nod to the green Avenger. In Kamala’s fantasy sequence, not only do we see her stick the superhero landing from so many comic book films, but there’s also Bruno in the backdrop dressed like Tony Stark with matching glasses (EDITH) to show for it.
Avengers-Con
In reality, when she sneaks out, she is wearing an Avengers shirt and goes to attend Avenger-Con at Camp Leigh which was the military base where Steve Rogers was chosen for the super serum in Captain America: The First Avenger. Captain America is also showcased on a hilarious artwork that is pointing out “America’s ass”, a quip Scott Lang made in Avengers: Endgame. There’s a man dressed as Drax at a stall selling “The Peter Quill Story” which are both references to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and a tribute to Natasha and Tony.
The Asgard Pride shirts shown are just one of the many hints the series drops about a possible Valkyrie-Captain Marvel pairing, from similar rainbow motifs in their illustrations to the drawing of Carol and Valkyrie seemingly locking eyes in Kamala’s Youtube video. Tessa Thompson has said that Valkyrie finds her queen in Thor: Love and Thunder, and it is becoming increasingly likely that it will in fact be Larson’s Carol Danvers. There’s also a man dressed in Asgardian ware, selling tourism tickets to New Asgard, which is the place on Earth Asgardians settled down in after losing their planet in Endgame.
Zoe (Laurel Marsden), the most popular kid in her school is also there dressed in an inaccurate, by MCU standards, Captain Marvel costume. Although eagle eyed comic readers would recognize it as Captain Marvel’s first costume in her original run in 1977. Although her powers have changed significantly in the MCU, the Avengers-Con scene where Kamala first tries her powers, is a great way to link to the character’s elongating powers from the comics, as Kamala saves Zoe by embiggening her arm although in the series its through a more Green Lanterns’ look.
Then there is the post credit scene where we see the return of Spider-Man: No Way Home actor Arian Moayed reprising his role as Agent P. Cleary for the United States Department of Damage Control. The end credit scenes feature several nods to the iconic artwork of the original. Ms. Marvel 2014 run.