At the end of “Ms. Marvel” Episode 4, Kamala Khan travels back in time and lands on the night of the Partition when Sana loses her mother. Episode 5 reveals to Kamala what really happened to her great-grandmother Aisha, as well as shows us her past. This further establishes the significance of the bangle.
‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 5: Recap and Ending – What Happened With Aisha?
Episode 5 starts by showing the Indian Independence and the Indian Partition. It is during this period that one night, Aisha, whom we last saw escaping from the Ten Rings tomb with the bangle, is found sleeping on a rose field by Hasan, the owner of the field. He gives her shelter, and soon they fall in love. Aisha gives birth to their daughter, Sana (Kamala’s grandmother).
A few years later, Aisha is discovered by Najma at the rose field, who tells her that now that she has finally been found, they (the Clandestines) can finally return to their home in the Noor dimension. However, Aisha, who has found a new home with Hasan and Sana, doesn’t want to return. So she tells Najma that she has hidden the bangle and that recovering it will take some time. She is given time until sundown the next day. So if Aisha wants to escape, she will have to do so before then. Once she returns home, she urges Hasan that they have to join the rest of the Muslims who are leaving India and moving to Pakistan, a new country that was created during the partition of British Occupied India. She also puts her bangle on little Sana’s wrist, telling her that it will keep her safe.
The next night, on the way to the station, Aisha tells Hasan about the bangle and her true magical nature. As they arrive at the station, Aisha realizes that she is being followed by someone and tells Hasan to take Sana and get on the last train to Pakistan. As she makes her way away from Hasan and Sana, Aisha comes across Najma, who is very upset with Aisha and what she has done and stabs her fatally before vanishing into the crowd. Meanwhile, Hasan loses Sana in the crowd just before getting on the train. Aisha can hear Sana yelling, “Ammi!” (mother) and “Abbu!” (father), but she is unable to move due to the pain. As she breathes her last, she magically activates the bangle in Sana’s hand while looking at a photograph of Hasan and Sana. The bangle starts emitting bright bluish-purple light and brings forth Kamala Khan right in front of Sana in the middle of the station (the last scene of “Ms. Marvel” Episode 4).
Aisha tells Kamala to find Sana and to put her on the train with her father. She gives woeful Kamala the photograph and dies. In the huge crowd, Kamala is able to find Sana but isn’t able to locate Hasan. She then uses her powers to construct a path for Sana to reach her father. However, the path turns into a “trail of stars” that guides Sana to Hasan. Kamala realizes that she is the trail of stars that her grandmother used to talk about. As Hasan and Sana get onto the train and it leaves the platform, Kamala is transported back to the present.
Kamala opens her eyes to the present and finds that the Veil of Noor has opened. One of the Clandestines turns to dust as she gets close to it. Realizing that the veil will kill everyone if not closed, Kamala uses her powers to try and close it, but to no avail. Najma is about to walk into the veil, which will kill her too. So Kamala requests her to stay back for her son, Kamran, who needs her. Realizing the wrong that she was going to do by leaving Kamran back, Najma sacrifices herself by closing the veil. This, in turn, transports her powers across the world to Kamran, who is in Jersey City. Meanwhile, Kamala’s mother, Muneeba, and grandmother, Sana, also arrive at the place of action only to find out about Kamala’s powers. Kamala gives Sana the photograph that Aisha gave her. An emotional Sana smiles, looking at it, while Muneeba is astonished by her daughter’s powers. Kamala takes their permission before going to see Kareem, who tells her that he is available for help anytime. He even gives her his red scarf. Then Sana, Muneeba, and Kamala return home together, their bond strengthened by their past.
Back in Jersey City, Kamran arrives at Bruno’s place and tells him that he needs a place to hide from the Department of Damage Control. This is when a DODC drone locates them from outside the window. And when Kamran uses his powers to destroy it, the store beneath, where Bruno worked, gets blown up.
Episode 5: Easter Eggs Explained
The Partition of India: The Partition of India (the division of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan) has been aptly portrayed in the episode. The chaos cannot be highballed, nor can it be comprehended. It led to the displacement of around 15 million people and the deaths of approximately 1.5 to 2 million of them. The trauma that the event caused echoes to this day among the people of both India and Pakistan. Ms. Marvel, in showing it, has certainly gained a whole new level of significance, one that contributes to and compliments Ms. Marvel’s character arc as well.
Kamala’s Broken Necklace: Towards the end of “Ms. Marvel” Episode 5, Kamala’s mother Muneeba finds Kamala’s necklace, but it’s broken now. The shape of the necklace now resembles Ms. Marvel’s logo as we know it. This is another addition to her superhero costume. With each episode, as Kamala gains her true identity, her costume also approaches completion. Episode 6, the final episode of Season 1, will surely show Kamala in her full Ms. Marvel costume.
Kamran Gets His Powers: In the comics, Kamran, a dormant inhuman, gets his powers after being exposed to the Terrigen Mist. In the “Ms. Marvel” series, it is her mother, Najma, who passes on her powers to him. Although different in origin, the powers in the comics and the show are similar. But we have to wait to see if his entire body can emit the energy like in the comics or just his hands.
Fawad Khan makes His Marvel Debut: Popular Pakistani actor Fawad Khan makes his debut as Sana’s father, Hasan. His arrival was long-awaited, and it is great to finally see him, especially for his fans in Pakistan and India.
We know that Najma is dead. We also know that Kamran has powers of his own. So, will he, after knowing that his mother is no more, turn against Kamala? There is also the DODC that is still tracking her as well as anyone related to her, including Kamran and Bruno. Be that as it may, “Ms. Marvel” Episode 6 will be Kamala Khan’s final test to become Ms. Marvel before she shows up again in “The Marvels” alongside her idol, Carol Danvers, AKA “Captain Marvel.”
See More: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 4: Recap, Easter Eggs, & Ending, Explained – Who Are the Red Daggers?
