Kamala Kahn aka Ms. Marvel is coming the MCU, but it is still unclear exactly what her connection to Captain Marvel will be. The super-powered teen's origins may involve Carol Danvers in the comics, but given the cinematic universe's preexisting entries, the creators of the Disney+ series need to get creative should Captain Marvel play a similar part in her onscreen story.
Written by G. Willow Wilson, the Ms. Marvel comics follows Kamala Kahn, a sixteen year old fan-fiction-writing Pakistani-American, who gains superpowers thanks to the Inhuman-making Terrigan Mist. After hallucinating her idol — Carol Danvers in her Ms. Marvel persona — Kamala emerges from her Terrigan cocoon, Kamala finds she has transformed into the hero, thigh high boots and all. After returning to her own form, Kamala continues her mission of protecting her beloved Jersey City community, assuming the moniker of "Ms. Marvel," a nod to her favorite super hero. Carol eventually hears rumors of her name resurfacing and, despite her initial desire to "meet this [...], upstart girl who's taken [her] name" eventually teams up with Kamala, giving her blessing for the name's continued use before flying off.
However, such an exchange isn't likely to occur within the MCU because, in the films, Carol Danvers has never gone by "Ms. Marvel." Carol's onscreen origins differ wildly from the character's comic book counterpart, so it is possible that the series will have to make a few tweaks to connect her to Kamala. However, the architects of the MCU will also have to contend with a timeline where Captain Marvel's pre-Avengers: Endgame adventures have been largely off-world and unknown to the general public. Therefore, even Kamala, her biggest fan in the comics, may not even know who she is.
That is not to say that the Ms. Marvel show — led by newcomer Iman Vellani — may choose to have Kamala's Captain Marvel obsession stem from Carol's participation in Avengers: Endgame's final battle. Perhaps Captain Marvel would more widely known to the general public at the start of Phase 4, quietly inspiring her future protégé. Even in the context of the MCU, it would make sense that Carol, a war hero, might be called "Captain" while young Kamala, a citizen without military experience, would simply use the "Ms." prefix, more subtly paying homage to her idol. There is also the possibility that the MCU's creators will simply hold off on giving Kamala her superhero name (and having her meet Captain Marvel) in the show's first season, despite it being in the title — after all, even after five films, Wanda has never been officially referred to as the "Scarlet Witch."
While it is possible that Brie Larson, who has expressed interest in exploring the Kamala-Carol relationship in interviews, will make a cameo in the Disney+ series, it is more likely the characters will first connect in Captain Marvel 2. Carol's future in the MCU is ready for a new direction and linking her to Kamala might help. Captain Marvel, set in the '90s, involved characters significantly older and otherwise occupied in the MCU's present status quo, leaving room on Captain Marvel 2's character roster — a list that may well include Kamala Kahn. Ms. Marvel's addition to that film would be unsurprising, especially since Carol has already had previously inspired the young Monica Rambeau during her first solo outing. Additionally, by holding off on a team up, Ms. Marvel would have the space to build Kamala's world in a Spider-Man: Homecoming sort of way before launching her toward larger threats.
The Kamala-Carol connection is so effective in the comics due the the characters coming together despite their stark differences. Carol's story largely deals with the large and intergalactic while Kamala's is more localized and Earth-bound. Carol Danvers is often focused on the "bigger picture" and Kamala, a defender of her friends and neighborhood, is motivated by her interactions with real and struggling people. Both women could benefit from having the other involved in their story, so hopefully, their comic book relationship will somehow be preserved in Ms. Marvel and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
