Editor’s note: The below article contains spoilers for Ms. Marvel Episode 3.
While the first phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe focused on some of the most famous heroes and villains from comic books, the latest films and series recycle mostly unknown characters to create engaging narratives. That was true for Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow in Moon Knight, Fra Fee’s Kazi in Hawkeye, and now the ClanDestines in Ms. Marvel.
In episode 3 of Ms. Marvel, we get to know the main antagonist for the series, a group of interdimensional beings trapped on Earth and willing to do anything to go back home. While the group is known by many names, including Djinn, they also call themselves ClanDestines, a clear nod to an obscure family of enhanced people in Marvel Comics. However, instead of reproducing the ClanDestine comic book history on the series, Ms. Marvel uses the name and a few story beats to create a team of villains that is deeply connected to Kamala Khan’s (Iman Vellani) Pakistani background.
Who Are the ClanDestine?
Created by Alan Davis for 1994’s Marvel Comics Presents #158, the ClanDestine is a family of enhanced people who are all descents of Adam of Destine. Adam was born in a small Saxon village in England during the 12th century, being blessed in a dream by the Djinn Elalyth, who he mistook for an angel. Adam was granted regenerative powers and became almost invulnerable to any kind of harm, abilities he used to free Elalyth from captivity. The two fell in love, which led Elalyth to turn Adam into an immortal man. Together, Adam and Elalyth had many half-Djinn children, each blessed with superhuman resistance, slow aging, and their own unique powers.
In Marvel Comics, the Destine family just used their powers for their gains. Over the centuries, each family branch followed its own path, making the Destine lineage spread across the globe. Some members of the Destine family would become supervillains, but the newer generations joined forces with other Marvel heroes multiple times. Davis conceived the Destine family to explore the family relationships of enhanced people, so, instead of fitting the usual hero/villain dichotomy, the ClanDestine comics explored how people would actually use superpowers across the centuries. The supergroup, however, never became too popular with readers, turning the ClanDestines into an obscure entry in Marvel Comics history.
How Does Ms. Marvel Update the Supergroup?
Instead of half-Djinns blessed with a magical lineage, Ms. Marvel Clandestines are entirely Djinns. As the series explains, the MCU version of the pre-Islamic genie figures are beings from a different dimension who have been cast out for some reason. Kamala’s great-grandmother, Aisha (Mehwish Hayat), was one of these beings, and so is Kamran’s (Rish Shah) mother, Najma (Nimra Bucha). The Djinns have been wandering Earth for centuries, trying to find a way back home. And the key for the Djinns’ “Nooro”/Light dimension is a pair of powerful bracelets, one of which is in Kamala’s possession.
By changing the Djinns’ origins from England to another dimension and connecting them to Pakistani popular stories about magical genies, Ms. Marvel honors the cultural heritage of the heroine. However, even with the change, the MCU version of the ClanDestines remains a group bound by their slow aging process and sometimes selfish use of their powers. As Najma tells Kamala in the series, she will take what she wants, even if it can harm many innocents. For the time being, we don’t know much about the Clandestine’s MCU history, but depicting them as a group with a personal quest allows some moral ambiguity for Kamran and other Dijinns Kamala might meet in the future. Who knows, after knowing more about Najma’s exile, we can even comprehend what led her to such extreme measures.
Using the ClanDestine connection to Djinns to create a mystical heritage for Kamala is also a clever solution to pay homage to the heroine Marvel Comics’ origin. In the comics, Kamala’s powers don’t come from a mystical artifact but are innate abilities inherited due to her Inhuman nature. The MCU’s Kamala might not be an Inhuman, but she has some powerful blood running through her veins. And that means she could soon ditch the bracelets. After all, the series has already teased Kamala’s true power comes from the inside.
The first three episodes of Ms. Marvel are available right now on Disney+. New episodes are released weekly, every Wednesday.
Read More about Ms. Marvel:
‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 Shares a Surprising Connection to ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’
‘Ms. Marvel’ Finds Its Power Through Its Authentic Immigrant Story
‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 1: How Kamala’s Culture Is a Vital Part of Her Story
