We now have two episodes of Ms. Marvel under our belts and it’s already incredibly high on my favorites list. Iman Vellani is incredibly charming and endearing as Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel herself. These first episodes heavily featured Kamala’s ‘normal life’ along with her receiving and adjusting to her new powers. So far there haven’t been direct references to the villains of the series, however, there have been many hints. It was reported that the series would feature two villains: the N.I.C.E. organization and a version of the ClanDestine.
N.I.C.E. doesn’t have a history in Marvel Comics, but they may be based on K.I.N.D. from the Ms. Marvel: Mecca storyline. You can find out more about their inspiration and possible connection to Damage Control in Vin’s latest reading guide!
The ClanDestine however has appeared in Marvel Comics before, with a rich history. If they are in the show, then the MCU version will most likely feature many changes from their comic book counterparts, but starting from the source material may give us a hint of who they are and how they could factor into Ms. Marvel.
ClanDestine Comic Origins
First appearing in Marvel Comic Presents (May 1994) before getting their own series, the ClanDestine is a family of super-powered individuals descended from a Djinn. Their story dates back to 1168 A.D. when Adam of Ravenscroft suspiciously recovered from a near-fatal accident. Being told he was meant for so much more than peasanthood, the people of Ravenscroft retitled him Adam of Destine.
Adam joined the Third Crusade under Richard the Lionheart, as in King Richard from Robin Hood. He escaped many injuries, with resulted in him becoming overconfident and cocky. Eventually, he was captured by Al Kadhdhaab, a warlord.
Al Kadhdhaab desired a large gem that a wizard named Sujanaa min Raghbah had. The gem was wanted because it granted wishes and bestowed power to the wielder. Adam ended up tricking the wizard Raghbah and taking the stone, but not before being stabbed by the warlord. After an epic battle with Kadhdhaab, the gem cracked open releasing Elalyth, a genie. Expressing her love for Adam, she granted him immortality and invulnerability, allowing the two to have a happy ever after. Well… sort of.
While Adam of Destine and Elalyth were madly in love, Elalyth wasn’t allowed to leave the magical land of Yden. The same place she was held captive by Raghbah. Adam and Elalyth raised three of their children together, however, at some point a family estate for ClanDestine was established in Ravencroft, Adam’s birthplace.
Throughout the centuries, Adam and Elalyth gave birth to many children, with each progeny having superpowers along with advanced longevity and invulnerability. The family became known as ClanDestine. For generations they were villains or anti-heroes, that is until the youngest two children force them into reluctant superheroism. Speaking of the children… the love birds had a lot.
The Children of ClanDestine
From what I can gather, there are at least 15 children that Adam and Elalyth had! It seems like a lot, but when you factor in the hundreds of years they had together, it doesn’t seem so drastic. As the children of Adam of Destine and Elalyth, each child developed a certain set of powers.
The setup seems similar to the structure that Marvel Studios have with The Eternals, where each individual has a specific power, therefore a particular role within the family, along with the same advanced longevity and invulnerability as their father Adam. While we could go through the long list of children, I’m going to concentrate on those I think are the most likely to have a version of the character appear in the MCU.
The first born of Adam and Elalyth was Jasmine (Kay Cera) a.k.a. Cuckoo, born in 1192. The powers bestowed to her were those of exceptional psychic abilities, such as telepathy, telekinesis, and neuralkinesis. The last power has allowed her to live over 800 years by jumping her consciousness into other bodies when she is mortally wounded. The ability to astral project and alter memories seem like fantastic powers that will come in handy for a villain!
Thaddeus was born a year after his sister Jasmine and had the ability to absorb the strength and attributes of any animal. The animalistic adaptation gives him superhuman strength, speed, and agility turning Thaddeus into a fierce warrior. Thaddeus doesn’t shy away from battles, joining the ranks of the Knights Templar and fighting in the Crusades at one point!
Albert was the third born child but came hundreds of years after his two older siblings. While his childhood may have been rather uneventful, his powers of healing (biokinesis) were needed with a sibling-like Thaddeus. He did not have the same sense of adventure as his other family members, eventually using his powers towards a greater purpose, eventually becoming a monk.
Maurice was born in 1695 and blessed with super strength and the ability to create energy from his hands. While he doesn’t have a rich history in the comics, he seems like a good sibling to include in Ms. Marvel because his powers would mimic Kamala’s. Using Maurice as a foil as someone who has more control over the energy his hands make would be interesting to see, especially as Kamala is learning to control her powers. Seeing similar powers may convince both the ClanDestine and Kamala that they are closer related than either one thought.
Newton, born in 1774, is a brainiac child with his gift of superhuman intellect. He is responsible for some of the most important technology that the ClanDestine use. He develops the Relative Strangers Protocols, which allow for the protection of the secret identities of his relatives. His hope is that he and his siblings can lead relatively normal lives. Newton also possesses the power of interdimensional travel, which could be pretty darn handy for a family of villains. Also, a good power to have when the multiverse is now in full swing.
Samantha, otherwise known as Argent, is the youngest of the Destine children, with the exception of the twins. She is able to construct metal armor around her, which is described as ectoplasmic projections. With the armor, she can project shields, blades, and even wings if she needs them! She is a skilled fighter and could be useful in a fight against Ms. Marvel!
The structure of the family stayed relatively the same until the birth of the youngest two of the ClanDestine. That was when ClanD went from zero to hero faster than Hercules on his way to Mount Olympus.
Rory and Pandora: The New Faces of ClanDestine
The twins developed their powers earlier on in life than their older siblings. Rory develops powers of gravity manipulation while Pandora can manipulate light, however, their powers only work when they are near each other. Taking on the names of Crimson Crusader and Imp, the duo set off to fight crime. Finding themselves in some trouble, the rest of ClanDestine were forced to hunt them down, eventually following young Rory and Pandora into the superhero life.
It would be awesome to see even more young heroes beginning their adventures so quickly in the MCU, with the ClanDestine serving as an antagonist of the series, I doubt we will see that happen.
However, if a version of this family is indeed in Ms. Marvel, how will they factor into the series?
[Possible spoilers for Ms. Marvel are discussed below]
ClanDestine in Ms. Marvel
With all of the above in mind, it seems likely that any possible appearance of the ClanDestine in Ms. Marvel will differ greatly from the ClanDestine in the comics. Marvel has done this many times, drastically changing and combining comic book characters to suit the MCU. They may share a name or general idea, however, who makes up the family, the origin of how they came to be, and even the powers they exhibit could be vastly different.
After watching episode two, it seems like Kamran (Rish Shah) and his mother Najma (Nimra Bucha) are the introductions of the ClanDestine into the MCU. Kamran, who is also Inhuman like Kamala in the comics, ends up working for a villain, Lineage who desires to destroy all humans. Even if they have changed Kamran and Najma to ClanDestine, the hatred for humans and desire to destroy them could remain intact, however, instead of Inhumans, Najma and her family may descend from the djinn just as ClanDestine does.
It is clear that Najma has a connection with the bangles, having appeared in the visions Kamala receives in episode two. As well, neither Kamran nor Najma show up until after the bangles are activated and Kamala is filmed using her powers. Perhaps Najma is the MCU’s spin on Elalyth, the djinn that began the ClanDestine? Having her be the villain, searching for the bangles tied to the source of her powers allows Marvel Studios to streamline this family’s onscreen lore, while also including a new group for further exploration in additional projects.
With the bangles also coming from Kamala’s great-grandmother, does that hint at a familial connection? Could the shame that Kamala’s great-grandmother brought to the family be that she aligned herself with the ClanDestine?
As hinted by Aamir (Saagar Shaikh) in episode one, djinns are something that is scary and creatures Kamala may need protection from. So it could be that Kamala’s great-grandmother had a history with ClanD, which Najma and Kamran could play on with Kamala. Providing her with information about her great-grandmother and feeding into Kamala’s desire to belong by claiming that familial connection might just be part of Najma’s plan.
Or could it be possible that Namja and the bangle are tied into the Terrigen mist and the larger Inhuman lore? As writer Alex Perez theorized, it is possible that the bangle houses a Terrigen crystal, helping Kamala tap into her Inhuman abilities. This aligns with what Bruno (Matt Lintz) said Kamala’s powers radiate from.
In episode two, Bruno indicates that her powers come from inside her, not from the bangles. It seems that the bangles unlocked Kamala’s true potential, be it ClanDestine or Inhuman. Personally, I’d love for it to be Inhumans and Terrigen Crystals in the end so that Inhumanity can finally begin.
Whatever reason they have to be causing trouble for Ms. Marvel, ClanDestine seems like formidable foes. I hope that during the series we see their powers in action, watching how they work like a well-oiled machine that has been around for hundreds of years. There is always the chance that Marvel Studios use the name but nerf the powers, but after gathering info on the crew, I hope to see them ripped straight from the pages.
If you would like to know more about ClanDestine, please check out the recommended reading list created by Vin. If you like what you see feel free to check out Vin’s ever-growing list of in-depth reading guides! What are your thoughts on the ClanDestine? Excited to see them in the MCU? Share your thoughts with us over on Twitter!
Recommended Reading:
- ClanDestine (1994) #1-12
- Marvel Comics Presents (1994) #158
- X-Men: Clan Destine (1996) #1-2
- ClanDestine (2008) #1-5
- Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #33
- Daredevil Annual (2012) #1
- Wolverine Annual (2012) #1
Ms. Marvel airs Wednesdays only on Disney+!
Source: Marvel Fandom: ClanDestine
