Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel.
The ongoing Disney+ series Ms. Marvel tells the origin story of the new superhero through Kamala Khan's experiences. The series has introduced several brilliant characters who are helping her understand her new powers and what they mean for her future.
The most intelligent characters like Bruno and Nakia are thankfully Kamala's biggest supporters, but some individuals like the villainous Najma can be cunning, too. As fans wait to see the next step in the protagonist's exciting journey, it's the perfect time to look back and determine the smartest characters on the show so far.
10 Zoe Zimmer
Zoe quickly became one of the least likable characters in Ms. Marvel after she was first introduced. She plays the stereotypical role of the popular snooty student who thinks they're better than people like Kamala and even makes this painfully obvious when she bullies her during a dodgeball match.
There's no moment in the series that has highlighted her intellectual capacity, as she's mostly known for her followers and her parties. The one thing she's so popular for is her popcorn video, which, despite not being shown onscreen, is clearly not anything life-changing or revolutionary.
9 P. Cleary & Sadie Deever
The irritating duo from Damage Control, Cleary and Sadie, have been hunting down Kamala ever since the incident in Avengercon. They obviously have bad intentions and they're not exactly subtle about it. They believe that Kamala is out hurting people when she's clearly trying to save them.
The pair have access to their department's highly advanced technology, tracking devices, and a whole team of people, which is why it's hilarious to see them still failing to find Kamala (and offending several people in the process). They may be smart enough to know where to look, but not quite intelligent enough to realize they're after an innocent teenager with a good heart.
8 Muneeba Khan
To say that Muneeba is an overprotective mother almost feels like an understatement, as Kamala can't seem to do much of what her peers do thanks to her parenting style. That's not to say she's a bad mom, as she does genuinely love and care for her daughter, even if the way she shows that can be frustrating at times.
The way she has shown that she's smart in the series is through her instincts. When Kamala snuck in through her window after Avengercon, Muneeba was already waiting in her room. She also gives sage advice when her daughter confesses that she's up against the world. That said, it would be great to see her loosen up a bit.
7 Yusuf Khan
Kamala's dad is definitely less uptight compared to Muneeba, but he does take a more passive role when it comes to parenting her, often just going with whatever his wife says. He also has that cheesy sense of humor that only dads have, so while his jokes aren't exactly smart, they are funny in an adorable way.
A moment that highlights his intelligence takes place during Aamir's wedding when he tells Yusuf that he's worried about his finances. Yusuf reminds him that he has made the right decision by choosing love, which is only part of the heartfelt advice he gives to his son. In an ideal world, he would give life-changing monologues like that to Kamala, too.
6 Aamir Khan
Since he's Kamala's older brother, Aamir tends to enjoy much more freedom compared to her, which can be frustrating at times. He does try to be a good sibling to her despite his busy schedule preparing for his wedding, though, as he can recognize when she's upset about something (like Avengercon).
It's not too far-fetched to imagine that his reaction to meeting Kamran was a ruse to protect Kamala's feelings about getting caught on a date. Aamir definitely deserves more screentime, as he injects lightheartedness into any scene he's in.
5 Kamran
Kamran is initially introduced as Kamala's dreamy crush who has recently moved to her school. Of course, comic fans knew that Kamran is more than just the new student, as he's harboring a treacherous secret about his mother and the Clandestine. In that way, he can be manipulative and wily.
He can also keep up with Kamala's pop culture references and shows his wittiness during their flirtatious conversations. His quick thinking about his accent, when confronted by Aamir, was also impressive. However, it's disappointing that he realized too late just how much danger he's putting Kamala in by lying to her like that.
4 Najma
Although it didn't seem like it at first, it's easy to see now that Najma is a villain who will stop at nothing to use Kamala's abilities to get her and her group home. She was likely the mastermind behind Kamran's manipulation of Kamala, which thankfully backfired.
She knows a lot about Kamala's heritage and their family's past and uses this information to get close to Kamala, convincing her to use her powers to transport them back to the Noor Dimension. She isn't smart enough to just give the protagonist more time, however, and resorts to violence against an innocent teenager in an attempt to get what she wants.
3 Kamala Khan
Unlike straight-A students, Kamala spends a lot of her time daydreaming and keeping up with the latest news about her favorite superheroes like Captain Marvel. It may not be conventional intelligence, but her wealth of knowledge about the Avengers and their actions will surely come in handy during her own journey to becoming a superhero.
She can also be smart about not rushing decisions, as seen in the way she hesitates to help the Djinn, especially when she learns that there could be deadly consequences for innocent people. It would be satisfying to see her become more confident and learn to trust in herself more, which will hopefully happen as she embraces her new abilities.
2 Nakia Bahadir
It's incredible to watch Nakia at work during her campaign to become part of the board in their mosque. Her masterful persuasive tactics even convince Kamala's dad to vote for her instead of his best friend. She recognizes that things need to change and is self-assured enough to understand that she can enact those changes.
There's a gut-busting scene that underscores Nakia's wit and intelligence, which happens when Damage Control representatives barge into the mosque looking for the masked superhero. Nakia confronts them and reminds them that they need a warrant, apparently remembering these rules from Law & Order reruns. Nakia will hopefully support Kamala after learning about her secret identity, despite seeming hurt by the fact that the protagonist kept it from her.
1 Bruno Carrelli
The smartest character in the series so far is none other than Kamala's reliable best friend who has a huge crush on her, Bruno. Not only does he excel in school enough to get into a prestigious program at Caltech, but his help is also invaluable to Kamala while navigating her newfound abilities.
From designing a techy part of her costume for Avengercon to researching the Djinn, there's more than one moment that highlights Bruno's intellect. He could even tell that something was off about Kamran, even though most of that negative perception was coming from jealousy.