Who is Waleed? Farhan Akhtar's character from 'Ms. Marvel'
If you've been watching Ms. Marvel on Disney+ Hotstar, you know what we're talking about. But, for the unversed, here's a little low-down. Ms. Marvel's Episode 4 aired last week and introduced us to a few new characters, one of them being Waleed who is essayed by none other than Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar. Here's what we know about the character.
Why does this story matter?
Marvel's latest superhero series Ms. Marvel debuted on June 8. It features 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian actor Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel—the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) first Muslim superhero. The coming-of-age series narrates the life of Khan who discovers a bangle passed on to her from her grandmother. She soon realizes that the bangle is actually the source of unknown cosmic energy.
So, where did Waleed come in?
In the fourth episode of Ms. Marvel, Khan took a trip to Karachi with her mother. While exploring the city, she ventured into the abandoned area of a train station and ran into Kareem (Aramis Knight) who, after some interrogation, befriended her. He took her to the secret hideout of the Red Daggers (protectors of civilians). That's where she met Waleed (Akhtar), their leader.
And, what's his role?
"My name is Waleed. Your great-grandmother's story is of legend. When you're ready, we have a lot to discuss," Walled had introduced himself to Khan. Waleed briefly trained Khan to control her powers and also helped her decode a message on her bangle. However, when the bad guys attacked the hideout, Waleed apparently died trying to protect Khan. Talk of letdowns.
Information on Red Daggers, Waleed's gift to Khan
Kareem plays a prominent role for the Red Daggers according to the Marvel comics, which was probably why Waleed was written off. However, during his brief appearance, Waleed gifted Khan a vest which brought her even closer to her actual costume shown in the comics.
Watch Akhtar's entrance here
Akhtar's MCU debut, fan reactions, details on Episode 5
In the coming episodes, we expect to find out whether Waleed really dies or makes a magical return. Moreover, Akhtar's appearance as the leader of the Red Daggers marked his MCU debut! Netizens absolutely loved Akhtar's appearance. A user posted, "Looking very much at home as a #marvel character @FarOutAkhtar in ep 4 of #msmarvel. Yea!" Episode 5 lands on Disney+ Hotstar next Wednesday.
