The following contains spoilers forMs. MarvelEpisode 6, “No Normal.”Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have become accustomed to certain things happening in MCU projects. Villains aren’t always strictly evil, heroes aren’t always beacons of virtue — and there are going to be scenes during the credits. While not every episode of a television series produced for Disney Plus has had scenes in the credits like the movies do, so far, every series has employed at least one scene.
ForMs. Marvel, that scene comes in the middle of the credits for the Season 1 finale of the series. It gave fans a cameo, a potential tease for the future, and left fans wanting more. It’s really the perfect mid-credit scene without confusing or alienating fans of the MCU, and it sets the standard for how the franchise should use this device going forward.
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Ms. Marvel’s Mid-Credit Scene Provides A Perfect Tease
TheMs. Marvelmid-credit scene continueson sometime after the events of the series. It doesn’t necessarily take place immediately after what happened with Kamala Khan and her friends. It’s not made clear exactly how long after the big finish for the show this moment occurs, but that’s okay. In the scene, Kamala’s bangle, which has been a point of mystery for her throughout the show, starts to glow. Just as the audience starts to wonder what might be making it glow unprompted, Kamala is seemingly teleported away, and someone else appears in her place.
Carol Danvers, otherwuse known as Captain Marvel, suddenly finds herself in the middle of Kamala’s bedroom, looking around in confusion at all the images of herself on Kamala’s walls. It’s the kind of moment that has to be incredibly trippy and confusing for Carol, and Brie Larson conveys that perfectly.
The scene provides the audience with a cameo they suspected — and hopes — would come during the events of the show. The two characters are connected in name, and by virtue of Kamala’s interest as well. It also teases a character whom the MCU audience is already familiar with, potentiallysetting up the events ofThe Marvels, where the two characters are expected to share the screen. It’s a perfect tease, because it pays off rumors surrounding the show without giving the audience a “gotcha” moment, rewarding them for staying. It also doesn’t suddenly introduce a character no one in the audience has heard of, which some MCU mid-credit scenes have been known to do. Rather, it gives them a chance to see a familiar face and anticipate how that character might connect.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Does The Opposite
MCU fans only have to look toDoctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madnessto see the difference in a mid-credit scene.The mid-credit scene inMultiverse of Madnessclearly exists solely to introduce the new character that appears, rather than necessarily tease new events or create connections. In it, a woman in purple stops Stephen Strange on the street and informs him that she needs him to help her stop an incursion of universes. She then uses a blade to literally cut a hole in the universe and take him through it.
The woman in question isplayed by Charlize Theron, but she’s only recognizable to comic book fans; those who know Marvel through the films alone have absolutely no context for this moment. There is no mention of her name or any context that would help someone unfamiliar with her character to know who she is. She’s credited as Clea if fans read through all the credits, but by then, non-comic book readers are simply left perplexed by the scene, only knowing that the multiverse is still in play in the MCU.
UnlikeMs. Marvel’smid-credit scene, this one doesn’t add to the intrigue of the story, nor is it a reward for audiences who stuck around. There’s no other confirmedDoctor Strangemovie yet, so it’s unclear if the scene is meant to set up another chapter of his story, or a future Avengers team up, or something else. There’s also no information about Clea’s blade, while with Kamala’s bangle, the audience has at least seen it in action before — andseen it cause her to travel through time and space at that.
Mid-credit scenes in the MCU overall have been hit or miss depending on how familiar the audience is with the characters, or just how much pay off there ends up being from the scenes in the future.Ms. Marvelis certainly a step in the right direction. It sets up potential connections, giving fans room to theorize until the next installment comes out.
Ms. MarvelandDoctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madnessare currently available to stream on Disney Plus.
