Following the creation of the multiverse at the end of Loki Season 1, What If…? explores the various branching timelines of the multiverse, where noteworthy events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are reimagined, creating infinite possibilities shown to us by a being known as the Watcher (Jeffery Wright).
Created by A.C. Bradley, this is the first animated MCU entry, a full-on anthology series following multiple characters we have known and loved as they go on completely different journeys rather than the ones we know so well. This has happened many times in comics and we were introduced to the idea in the Loki series, but now we get to see it expanded on a much larger level with multiple characters and storylines.
After watching the whole first season I can happily say this is a very ingenious and fantastic series. Once again Marvel knocks it out of the park, continuing their streak of excellent shows. While this series is very different from the previous three shows in terms of style and structure it is still amazing in its own way. Due to the unique nature of the series my review is going to cover each of the 9 episodes individually without going into major spoilers.
Episode 1
The first episode is “what if Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) became the first Avenger instead of Steve Rogers (Josh Keaton.)” It is a fast-paced yet fun retelling of The First Avenger. Hayley Atwell shines as the newly dubbed Captain Carter and not only kicks serious ass in extremely well-crafted action, but she has a great spark of personality that made me love the character more. Also, seeing Steve in the Hydra Stomper was really cool, giving us a unique version of Iron Man in the era of WWII. While the episode definitely retreads the events of The First Avenger condensed in a shorter run time I do like all the cool additions and twists to the story along with beautiful visuals and fluid action, oozing with charm and a bit of emotion.
We also get a good look at the animation that combines 3D and 2D, similar to Spiderverse, which is the same throughout the whole series but increases in quality depending on the story. This episode was definitely a good start that sets the stage for the mind-bending adventures that lay ahead, though it could have benefited from a slower runtime.
Episode 2
The second episode is “what if T’Challa became Star Lord?” This was one of the best episodes of the series, featuring the final performance of the late Chadwick Boseman. It takes a similar approach to episode 1 in which it retells some events of a previous MCU film (Guardians of the Galaxy) but the pacing isn’t super fast. This episode takes more time with its story and characters. Because of that, we get a very fun adventure with good performances, fantastic animation, great heart, some hilarious twists, and excellent action that we get to fully absorb.
Seeing Chadwick Boseman play T’Challa again was very emotional as he delivers an amazing performance of a new variant of Star Lord that is more loose and relatable, as well as actually becoming the legendary outlaw that Quill was trying to be, changing the universe for the better in many ways. Michael Rooker returns as Yondu and steals some scenes as he shares awesome chemistry with T’Challa in the most unlikely pair up in the MCU that actually works, most likely due to the fantastic writing.
There are other surprises in this episode but I won’t get into it due to spoilers but I think people are definitely going to consider this episode one of their favorites. This isn’t the only episode Chadwick Boseman voices for because he is also in three other episodes and he delivers his best in all of them. Rest In Peace, Chadwick Boseman. Not only will you be remembered as an amazing Black Panther but also an amazing variant of Star Lord that people can look up to.
Episode 3
The third episode is “what if the world lost its mightiest heroes?” where all the Avenger candidates are all targeted and killed by a mysterious assassin before they even got to assemble. It’s the first episode of the series that takes a very dark turn, showing our favorite heroes being killed in shocking ways within a week.
It’s an excellently crafted murder mystery episode, featuring great performances, excellent tension, gorgeous animation, and jaw-dropping twists. It’s an emotionally raw episode that will hit fans hard and make them feel bleak. It’s an episode that really lingers in your mind, especially with its ending, showing how things could go if the Avengers never had the chance to unite, all because of one change or Nexus event.
Episode 4
The fourth episode is “what if Doctor Strange lost his heart instead of his hands?” where the fateful car accident results in the death of Strange’s lover, Christine. He seeks to bring her back through magical means no matter what the cost, is even if it means destroying reality itself.
This is yet another dark episode that includes tragedy, devastation, and moral conflict, and it is all handled so perfectly beyond anything I could have imagined. It’s amazing how emotionally ruthless and aggressive this episode is as we follow Strange down his dark path becoming a variant dubbed as “Supreme Strange,” making dangerous choices that lead to horrifying consequences.
We witness spectacular animation that takes full advantage of the mystical nature of the character and goes all out, giving us gorgeous and mind-bending visuals, making the episode feel like a large epic rolled into one. This episode hits hard not only because of spectacular writing but a truly amazing performance by Benedict Cumberbatch. He gives so much life to this new variant of Strange that you feel and understand what he is going through, despite how wrong his actions are. Next to T’Challa’s episode, this is one of the best episodes of the series and probably my personal favorite for its commitment to its story and the emotional impact it has. Also, it’s definitely worth mentioning that the music in this episode and throughout most of the series is spectacular and very well done for each episode.
Episode 5
The fifth episode is “what if… Zombies!?” where Bruce Banner ends up on an alternate earth where a zombie apocalypse has affected the world and many of our beloved Avengers have turned into flesh-eating zombies, leaving the remaining heroes to search for a cure.
The dark trend continues with this episode, an adaptation of one of the most famous alternate universe storylines in comics: Marvel Zombies. And while it isn’t a completely accurate adaptation it was still an amazing episode that hits hard with emotion, action, and lots of surprises. Similar to episode 4, this episode takes full advantage of its premise, especially in terms of emotional weight like the best zombie media. The performances from all the surviving heroes are really strong, adding heart, drama, and some humor that makes them so compelling.
The highlight character of this episode was definitely Spider-Man (Hudson Thames), who brought the most heart and emotion out of everyone. The animation fits the tone of the episode, being dark, dirty, and gloomy like a zombie horror. This is a character-death-heavy episode that is guaranteed to break a lot of people’s hearts and really shows just how ballsy this series can go with its multiversal story.
Episode 6
The sixth episode is “what if Killmonger rescued Tony Stark from being kidnapped by the Ten Rings?” We are given a new unlikely pairing of one of the most beloved heroes and most beloved villains as they take on very different paths that change the course of history forever. While not as strong or aggressive as the previous episodes this is still a mature episode with dark twists, merging elements of the Iron Man and Black Panther worlds in interesting ways.
The main focus of the episode is Killmonger, reprised by Michael B. Jordan, and he once again proves why he is a top-tier MCU villain. He is ruthless in this episode as he orchestrates a new plot to achieve the same goals he had in Black Panther, and uses Tony Stark’s ego and resources to accomplish them. We see a classic tale of deception through the perspective of a villain, which certainly makes this episode stand out among the rest, as well as featuring even more gorgeous animation on display. It was great to see Jordan absolutely rock it again as Killmonger, finding out what it would be like if he succeeded. The only issue I had with this episode is some of the voice acting for certain characters.
Episode 7
The seventh episode is “what if Thor was an only child?” where he never grew up alongside Loki on Asgard, resulting in Thor becoming a massive party animal, deciding to have an intergalactic party all across Earth that goes out of control, prompting certain residents of Earth to try and put a stop to it.
After having several emotionally grueling episodes a lighter-toned episode was needed to lift spirits, and it did it with this absolute blast of an episode that fits the style of Thor Ragnarok, my personal favorite MCU film. We have great interactions between various characters, some great humor, hilarious action, and gorgeous visuals, making for a wild episode that gives us the perfect breather after such intense episodes.
Chris Hemsworth is brilliant as Party Thor bringing fantastic life to this variant of the character and shares awesome scenes with other characters including Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Captain Marvel (Alexandra Daniels), and even a Frost giant variant of Loki (Tom Hiddleston). There are many many fun cameos and easter eggs littered throughout this episode for all fans to enjoy and have a great laugh. It’s an awesome episode that ends with a surprising cliffhanger that sets up the next two episodes.
Episode 8
The eighth episode is “what if Ultron won?” where Ultron destroys most of the Avengers, destroys Earth, acquires the infinity stones to destroy the universe, and then sets his sights on the multiverse.
This was a rather quick episode in comparison to the rest of the series, focusing on Black Widow and a worn-down Hawkeye as they find a way to destroy Ultron while Ultron infiltrates the Multiverse and combats the Watcher, who up until this point has never intervened in prior events. Despite being a quick episode it doesn’t come short, being impactful on an emotional level as well as gorgeously animated, featuring many stellar shots.
This episode was a more accurate depiction of the Age of Ultron storyline than the movie and truly showed how dangerous of a villain Ultron could be if he was to become a godly being with limitless power. We see him commit terrible atrocities in this universe and then see him go further by infiltrating the multiverse, seeking to destroy all of it as part of his flawed programming. This in turn sets the stage for the grand finale.
Episode 9
The ninth and final episode is “what if the Watcher broke his oath?” where the Watcher forms a multiversal team consisting of Captain Carter, T’Challa Starlord, Supreme Strange, Erik Killmonger, Party Thor, Black Widow, and the newly added Titan Gamora (from an unfortunately cut episode due to the pandemic) to stop Ultron and protect the multiverse.
What better way to cap off the first season of this wild series than bringing together all the multiversal stories in an epic crossover. It’s an action-packed episode with fantastic character interactions, more fun surprises, and once again gorgeous animation that goes to wild levels, giving us a satisfying conclusion to the first season.
What If…? is truly a unique entry of the MCU that directly follows its comic roots in creating many alternate universes, giving us a look at what to expect in the MCU with the multiverse being a primary story arc. It shows us that there is a lot of creative stuff that could be ahead, and endless opportunities to create new stories that could either connect to the main universe or stand alone on their own. And whether it ends up being delivered through live-action or animation, I look forward to seeing what comes next. I am going to give What If…? an A.
One last thing…
There is one last thing I do want to say regarding the series, and this may result in me getting a lot of hate messages. I’ve seen a lot of brutal, unnecessary hate for the series throughout the Instagram community, the fandom, and even among certain individuals in the film community. I get it if it’s not everyone’s bag compared to some of the other Marvel films and shows we have had, but the reasons some people are giving to hate on the show are honestly fucking stupid and make no sense. There’s no need to be so damn brutal towards the series, especially when it is a first-time experiment the MCU is trying, one that could end up being its own thing as well as partly impact the main movies in creative ways.
Are there ways they can improve? Absolutely, but it doesn’t help when there is just nothing but toxic blasting and nitpicking instead of giving proper feedback like any thinking human would do. And most importantly, let the people who do enjoy it actually enjoy it rather than attack them. That is all.
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