MARVEL’S WHAT IF…? AN INTRO TO THE MCU’S FIRST ANIMATED SHOW
By Lee Parham
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is expanding again, this time into the realm of animation with the latest Disney+ series What If…?.
What If…? is based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name that debuted in 1977. With each issue of the anthology storyline, a new ‘What If…?’ scenario was posed.
Each comic would follow one minor detail being changed from a classic Marvel storyline. The first issue was titled What If Spider-Man had Joined the Fantastic Four?
While the modifications would differ in scale, no matter the size of the aberration, the changes would cascade into an entirely different timeline with major ramifications for the Marvel universe.
The MCU’s adaptation uses the same exact gimmick in an episodic format, with each episode exploring an alternate reality revisiting an existing Marvel plotline, albeit with a small change.
The events of What If…? are overseen by The Watcher, a mysterious extraterrestrial who can peer into the vast expanse of the multiverse. The Watcher, also known as Uatu, is voiced by Jeffrey Wright.
With the inception of the multiverse in the season finale of Loki, a countless number of branch timelines were born with an array of stories throughout the nine-episode premiere season of What If…?
Episode 1 sees Peggy Carter, the famous love interest of Steve Rogers/Captain America, receiving the super soldier serum during World War II after Rogers is injured.
This event leads to Peggy becoming Captain Carter in place of Steve Rogers while wielding the iconic shield. Steve Rogers now uses an archaic Iron Man-esque suit called the Hydra Stomper to fight.
Episode 2 follows Yondu picking up Star-Lord from Earth as a child, but instead of taking Peter Quill, they abduct T’Challa from Wakanda, preventing him from becoming the Black Panther.
Other episodes of the show follow additional MCU legends in new scenarios. One timeline features a reality where Gamora takes over for her father Thanos while wearing his armor and wielding his sword.
T’Challa’s kind heart instills new sensibilities within Yondu and the Ravagers as they pursue more than just crime. The late Chadwick Boseman reprises his role as T’Challa in his last performance.
Avengers: Age of Ultron’s titular villain is featured prominently on the poster in the body of The Vision with all of the Infinity Stones, implying he might have succeeded with his evil plot.
A Tony Stark plot variation includes one in which he’s saved by Killmonger, the main villain of Black Panther, before the Ten Rings have a chance to abduct him in the first Iron Man film.
The popular Marvel Zombies comic will be adapted in What If…?, including zombified versions of Captain America and Iron Man. Spider-Man will get a zombie-hunting suit featuring Doctor Strange’s cape.
Another episode envisions a reality where the Avengers didn’t split up after the events of Captain America: Civil War, meaning the full team was together for Thanos’ invasion of Earth in Infinity War.
Doctor Strange will reportedly battle an evil variant of himself, Black Widow will live in an apocalyptic world, and potentially many other storylines will occur in the first season of What If…?.