She’s marvelous! She’s magnificent! She’s… a teenager from New Jersey? Don’t let Kamala Khan’s humble beginnings fool you—she’s one of the newest heroes in the Marvel Comics universe and also one of its most compelling. And now Kamala, aka Ms. Marvel, is joining the MCU thanks to her Disney+ television series, where she'll be played by newcomer Iman Vellani. Vellani will also appear in the Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels.

Fans of Marvel's Avengers video game of course also know who Kamala Khan is. But some others might be asking, why does she have Ms. Marvel’s name? What are Ms. Marvel's powers? And what might we expect from a series starring the teenage hero? So let’s take an embiggened look at the Avenger-turned-Champion and her place in the Marvel universe for some ideas. These are the topics we’ll be covering here:

• Who Is Ms. Marvel?
• Ms. Marvel’s Origin
• Ms. Marvel’s Powers and Abilities
• Ms. Marvel’s Connection to Captain Marvel
• Ms. Marvel’s Signature Villains
• Ms. Marvel's Most Heroic Moments
• Ms. Marvel in TV, Games, and the MCU

Who Is Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel?

A smart Pakistani-American geek who loves playing video games, hanging out with friends, and writing Avengers fan fiction, Kamala is the first Muslim character to star in her own Marvel Comics series.

As Ms. Marvel, Kamala is an Inhuman with the ability to polymorph all or parts of her body. She began her superpowered career as a friendly neighborhood hero, but the universe had other plans for Ms. Marvel, and she soon found herself embroiled in landmark events ranging from the superhero conflict of Civil War II to the end of the world in 2015’s Secret Wars. Through it all, Kamala retains her humor and hope thanks to the family, friends, and teammates at her side.

Ms. Marvel’s Origin

Kamala Khan was created by writer G. Willow Wilson, artist Adrian Alphona, and editor Sana Amanat in 2014’s Ms. Marvel #1.

Ms. Marvel’s story began when Kamala was a typical 16-year-old in Jersey City. Kamala often clashed with her parents over adhering to Muslim traditions and values, but she was very close to them. One night, after another argument at the dinner table, Kamala’s parents forbade her to go to a high school party. In a rare rebellion, she decided to sneak out—and everything changed.

As it would happen, a strange, transformative chemical cloud known as Terrigen Mist was drifting over the city, unleashed by the events of Marvel’s Infinity storyline. The blue gas flooded the dark streets, surrounding Kamala as she walked home alone. Her dormant Inhuman genes were activated by the Terrigen, and she was instantly enveloped in a cocoon to begin her transformation.

When she woke up, Kamala discovered she had the extraordinary ability to shapeshift her body. A new life as a hero was just beginning, but would she be able to juggle it with her old life as a normal teen as well? (Spoiler: No.)

Ms. Marvel’s Powers and Abilities

Ms. Marvel has the ability to shapeshift, whether it’s changing her appearance or altering specific parts of her body like her fists or legs. She can also change her size at will, “embiggening” or shrinking, with the proportional strength to match. Kamala also has an advanced regeneration factor that is most effective when she’s not using her shapeshifting abilities.

In addition, Kamala is a devoted fan fiction writer, and she even had the chance to tell Wolverine all about the stories she wrote about him.

Ms. Marvel’s Connection to Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers

While Kamala was inside the cocoon, she dreamed of Carol Danvers, her longtime hero, who used to go by the name Ms. Marvel before she became Captain Marvel. Kamala wished she could be just like her—tough as nails and clad in the classic black costume of Ms. Marvel (because thigh-high boots). When Kamala awakened, that’s exactly who she looked like, thanks to her new shapeshifting powers. As she dealt with the weird things happening to her body, she heard a cry for help, and saved a life while still in Ms. Marvel’s form.

Word got out that Ms. Marvel was back to her old name and costume, and Kamala decided to keep it—with her own masked likeness and take on the costume—in honor of her hero. “Maybe the name belongs to whoever has the courage to fight,” she mused. Kamala eventually received Carol’s blessing to use the name and make it her own.

Ms. Marvel’s Signature Villains

The first major story arc of Ms. Marvel’s solo series had her taking on a villain calling himself The Inventor. Preying on lonely Jersey City teenagers, The Inventor recruited them to do his dirty work. The Inventor was eventually revealed to be a man-bird hybrid who was kidnapping teens to use their bodies as power sources in his robotic experiments. Kamala defeated The Inventor with the help of her friends in her first major battle.

Her heart remains with Jersey City no matter where her adventures take her, and when an effort to gentrify her neighborhood was revealed to be the result of machinations by Hydra, she took it personally. (Especially since they used her likeness around town in advertisements.) With the help of a new friend from school, she stopped Hydra in their tracks and once again saved her hometown. She would take Hydra on again with the Champions at her side at the culmination of the Secret Empire event.

Ms. Marvel's Most Heroic Moments

Since her first transformation into Ms. Marvel, Kamala has gone on not just to save her hometown of Jersey City, but the world as well as a member of the Avengers, New Warriors, and Champions.

During the events of Civil War II, Kamala would find herself at odds with her idol and mentor Captain Marvel. Realizing that they landed on different sides of the philosophy at the heart of the conflict, Kamala chose to walk away from her hero in one of the most difficult decisions she has had to make.

After becoming disillusioned with the Avengers, Kamala quit the team to lead a new team with Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and Nova (Sam Alexander). They were quickly joined by Hulk (Amadeus Cho), Viv (daughter of Vision), and Cyclops (a time-displaced Scott Summers). Together as the Champions, they fought for the little guy, from taking down a human trafficker, to fighting militant oppressors in another country, to rescuing a group of helpless Chitauri in far off space. Kamala left the team to clear her head and take some time to herself, but the Champions team continues to grow as more young heroes vow to make a difference.

Most recently, in her newest solo title The Magnificent Ms. Marvel, Kamala traveled to a distant world to defend its inhabitants from an invading force. She discovered an ancient Kree ship in the sky, which Kamala entered alone. Inside she learned a Kree warrior had once fought the invasion back before, and Kamala was granted the warrior’s costume with abilities she’s still discovering. She saved the entire planet but returned home to personal tragedy, learning that her father is afflicted with a rare disease. Not even her superpowers nor the resources of Tony Stark can save him.

Ms. Marvel in TV, Games and the MCU

• TV: After gaining popularity quickly, Ms. Marvel made the jump to video games and animated television series faster than you can say embiggen. Kamala first appeared in cartoon form in the Disney series Avengers Assemble before going on to be a guest star on Spider-Man in the episode "School of Hard Knocks." Most recently, Ms. Marvel is featured as one of the starring characters in the Marvel Rising animated shorts and movies.
• Games: She’s appeared in mobile games like Marvel Puzzle Quest and Avengers Academy, been a playable character in Marvel LEGO games, and joined the fight in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. Ms. Marvel also plays a heavy role in Square-Enix's Marvel's Avengers, where she's depicted as a rookie heroine fighting alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is ready for a character like Kamala: young, hopeful, and selflessly brave. And Marvel looks to have found those qualities in actress Iman Vellani, who will be the first to portray Kamala in live-action. What will the future hold for Kamala in the upcoming Disney+ series—will she be saving entire planets or staying local as Jersey City’s homegrown hero? Who will fill out her cast of supporting characters? And how big of a role will Captain Marvel play, if any?

Only time will tell, but we can’t help but hope that Brie Larson makes an appearance, even if it’s just her appearance in Kamala’s first transformation, staying true to the comics. We can’t wait to find out.

November 12, 2021: This story has been updated with the latest information about Ms. Marvel.

Kelly Knox is a freelance writer who also contributes to StarWars.com, DCComics.com, Nerdist, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox to talk Star Wars, Dungeons & Dragons, and comics.

Sometimes the toughest person to find the perfect gift for is your dad. So, as the holiday shopping season is here, we've rounded up some of the best gifts for dad you can find. From useful tools like portable grills and coolers, to movies and TV shows dad will love like Star Trek, Indiana Jones, and Lord of the Rings, continue reading to find the perfect gift for your old man.

The Top 3 Must-Have Gifts for Dad

For staying at home, your dad might love to binge all of the James Bond films leading up to No Time To Die, one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. Including all of the films from Dr. No all the way to Spectre, this is the perfect Blu-ray collection for any James Bond fan. Or, if you're looking for gifts for outdoorsy dads, take a look at the YETI Hopper Portable Cooler, which can hold up to 12 cans plus ice.

Best Tools for Dad

For dads that love to get outside, check out the best tools and appliances, from outdoor portable grills to coolers.

Best Clothes for Dad

Whether he's a huge NFL fan or needs a quick pair of flip flops to slip on, clothes are an easy go-to gift for dad this holiday season.

Best Books for Dad

From the Dune books to a behind the scenes look at Star Trek – The Original Series, here's a list of books dad will love.

Best Movies for Dad

Movies are a great gift idea this holiday season. There are plenty of great Blu-ray and 4K UHD options to add to dad's film collection. Classic war movies like Saving Private Ryan are a great choice, as well as collections of iconic movie franchises like Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, and more.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Star Wars antihero Boba Fett is often likened to the cowboys of the old west, but it turns out he owes a lot more to them than just his look.

During the new Disney+ documentary, Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett, sound designer Ben Burtt explained how spurs were used to give Boba Fett his cowboy swagger.

“I jokingly said at one point, ‘Well, if Boba Fett is a bounty hunter, why can’t he wear spurs like we hear in the Westerns?’” he explained. “Although I said it half-jokingly, [sound editor] Bob Rutledge, who was in charge of the foley, actually took my suggestion of spurs and did foley footsteps for Boba.”

The result is a Clint Eastwood style swagger with the sound of cowboy spurs punctuating each and every one of Boba Fett’s footsteps.

It’s all based on the notion that Boba Fett is a classic Western antihero – the Man with No Name from the galaxy far, far away. That’s where George Lucas got his inspiration for the character.

“Boba Fett,” said Joe Johnston, art director on The Empire Strike Back. “You didn’t know who he was, you didn’t know where he came from.”

“He wears the poncho, just like Clint Eastwood,” added The Mandalorian executive producer, Dave Filoni. “He is an icon drawn out of George’s appreciation for Westerns, and I think the gunfighters of Sergio Leone's films specifically.”

It’s no secret that Star Wars takes inspiration from a lot of different movies, with Lucas paying homage to the likes of Seven Samurai as well as his favourite Westerns.

“Within the DNA of Star Wars is a deep appreciation for movies that George liked, that he was inspired by, of different genre,” said Filoni. “And so [cowboy] spurs make absolute sense when you think of it that way, as surely as Obi-Wan looks like a samurai. That makes perfect sense if you understand who the creator of Star Wars, the person that devised it all, is in George Lucas. It’s just part of the appreciation of the art form, really.”

Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett is available to watch now on Disney+.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Archvale, a hybrid RPG and bullet hell shooter, will be released on December 2 for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PC.

Available on both Humble Store and Steam, the game will also be coming to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC.

If you want to try before you buy, you'll also be able play a PC demo from tomorrow, November 13, exclusively available from the Humble Store.

Archvale is a top-down bullet hell game with an emphasis on skill-based play, but builds in traditional RPG elements. You'll be able to craft up to 200 items of weapons and armour, made from resources looted from dungeons and the enemies within. You'll also be able to apply badges for your character, which let you change your build and allow for different playstyles.

Disclosure: Humble Bundle is owned by Ziff Davis, the parent company of IGN. Humble Bundle and IGN operate completely independently, and no special consideration is given to Humble Bundle announcements or promotions for coverage.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

We've got some first looks at several upcoming Disney Plus Marvel series as part of Disney+ Day, including Moon Knight starring Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke, Ms. Marvel starring Iman Vellani, and She-Hulk starring Tatiana Maslany and Mark Ruffalo.

Disney revealed the first look, a compilation of teaser footage from each series, in its roundup video following the event. Skip to 11:55 to start with Moon Knight.

In the Moon Knight footage, Oscar Isaac can be heard sporting what seems to be a northern English accent while saying "I can’t tell the difference between my waking life and dreams." A different voice, likely Ethan Hawke's, responds “The voice in your head, it devours you.”

Isaac's character, the titular vigilante Moon Knight, suffers from a dissociative personality disorder. Disney's official description of the show reads: "The multiple identities who live inside him find themselves thrust into a deadly war of the gods against the backdrop of modern and ancient Egypt."

Moon Knight can be seen in the trailer repeatedly punching someone (or something) on the floor of a destroyed bathroom, and later jumping across rooftops in the moonlight.

In an interview with Seth Meyers, Hawke said he's playing a villain inspired by cult leader David Koresh, who led the Branch Davidians in the infamous Waco siege.

She-Hulk on the other hand appears to be going for a more comedic route. Tatiana Maslany stars as lawyer-turned-green-superhero Jennifer Walters, who inherits the Hulk's powers after a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner.

Just like the comics, Walters maintains her personality and intelligence when transformed into her superhero persona. The teaser footage briefly shows She-Hulk's purple and white outfit along with her green skin. Ruffalo will appear as his less destructive Hulk persona he adopted in Avengers: Endgame, guiding Walters through adapting to her new powers. The pair also appear in full human form for what looks like a spoof of a retro commercial advertising Walters' legal services.

Last on the first looks is Ms. Marvel, starring newcomer Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, the Muslim, Pakistani-American hero. In the teaser, Kamala says "It’s not really the brown girls from Jersey City who save the world," suggesting the show will grapple with the importance of representation of non-traditional superhero identities. The teaser also shows a shot of Muslims praying in a mosque and Kamala wearing her Captain Marvel cosplay.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Check out our roundup of every new Disney Plus show revealed during Disney Week to see what else Disney has in store for its streaming service.