What does that ‘Ms. Marvel’ finale mean for Kamala’s future?

The final episode of Ms. Marvel‘s first season is already sparking rumors.

The first season went out with a bang and, in its final moments, provided some major revelations about Kamala Khan. The titular character of Disney Plus’ latest series is still discovering herself, and a reveal in the last episode could indicate some of what the MCU has planned for her future.

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Ms. Marvel.

What does the Ms. Marvel finale mean for Kamala’s future?

The way most fans see it, the finale to Ms. Marvel‘s first season can mean one of several things. The Captain Marvel tie-in was all but inevitable, as is the eventual inclusion of Kamala in Captain Marvel vehicles. That tiny, easily-missable link to the X-Men franchise is far more thrilling for fans of the beloved mutant organization, and could indicate a big change in both the MCU and Kamala’s futures. Kamala could also connect to a popular team of superpowered youths, one whose members have been slowly joining the MCU via Disney Plus releases and supporting roles in theatrical films.

The Marvels

The first, most obvious path for Kamala’s future ties her to the hero she’s named after — Captain Marvel.

The next film in the Captain Marvel franchise is titled The Marvels, a name that indicates that at least two “Marvels” will appear in the movie. Marvel has already confirmed that Kamala will be one of these, alongside Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers and Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau. The 2023 film is intended as both a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel and a continuation of the story in Ms. Marvel. Very little is currently known about the film’s plot, but the released cast lists — which include Velvet Buzzsaw and The Handmaid’s Tale‘s Zawe Ashton alongside Iman Vellani and Larson — are already stirring up hype.

The X-Men

It was there and gone in an instant, but fans of the late 90s X-Men animated series caught Ms. Marvel‘s nod to the beloved series. In the final moments of the first season’s last episode, Bruno reveals to Kamala that her blood contains a mutation. This phrase is soundtracked by a coy nod to the beloved show’s memorable theme, a connection that X-Men fans immediately jumped on.

The X-Men have yet to officially join the MCU, largely due to licensing issues with the popular property. Rights to Professor X and his powerful mutant team were only recently acquired by Disney, which previously forced the property to remain separate from the MCU at large. The same can be said for Deadpool, a character that, up until recently, was off-limits for Kevin Feige. Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Studios officially brings the X-Men and Deadpool into the MCU fold, and provides Disney and Marvel with the opportunity to take advantage of these massively lucrative properties.

The X-Men shout-out in Ms. Marvel could mean big things for the MCU’s future. The presence of that classic theme in an MCU release seems to indicate that the franchise is looking ahead to a future with the X-Men in it, and those X-Men may have official ties to Ms. Marvel‘s young hero. If this is true, could we be facing a future in which Kamala Khan joins the X-Men?

Kamala doesn’t have major ties to the X-Men in Marvel comics — instead possessing a link to the Inhumans — but that doesn’t mean the MCU doesn’t intend to change things up. The cinematic universe is well known for putting its own spin on existing properties, and the X-Men is one of Marvel’s most popular and enduring. Pair this with news of a revival of the 90s X-Men cartoon, as well as Professor X’s cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the MCU has made it clear that the X-Men are coming our way soon.

Fans are now imagining a future in which Kamala joins the X-Men, departing her solo series for a crossover role in a live-action X-Men release. It’s a thrilling possibility, but it would be a pretty massive departure from what most viewers expect. Which, in our opinion, is a good thing. The MCU needs some fresh, surprising content after several somewhat stale releases, and blending these two lucrative properties could be just what the franchise needs.

The Young Avengers

Another possibility proposes an entirely different superhero team. The MCU has been laying breadcrumbs for the creation of the Young Avengers for more than a year now, with the very first members of the team arriving in 2021’s WandaVision. From there, a new Young Avenger was introduced via almost every single Disney Plus release. Billy and Tommy were introduced in WandaVision, Eli was introduced in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Kid Loki was introduced in Loki, and Kate was introduced in Hawkeye. On top of these new youthful heroes, America Chavez and Cassie Lang were introduced via the Ant-Man films (plus Endgame) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Almost every member of the original comic book team has already made their MCU debut, leaving fans of the comics to pine after an eventual Young Avengers film or television series. A number of young heroes are gaining prominence in the MCU, with the aforementioned characters joined by the likes of Kamala, Love from Thor: Love and Thunder, and Heimdall’s Asgardian son, Axl. An absolute throng of children s finding their footing in the sprawling media franchise, and we can’t help but feel that Marvel is laying these teenage roots for a reason.

That reason is almost certainly headed our way in the form of a dedicated Young Avengers spinoff. It would probably suit the franchise best in show form, rather than film, if only due to the amount of character growth any story following teens necessitates. With so many potential members scattered across the MCU’s various vehicles, it seems practically criminal for the franchise to ignore the stellar potential of a teenaged team of heroes.