In the MCU’s continued efforts to translate the comic pages onto the screen, they’ve resorted to adapting a creative concept. With Phase 4 expanding the multiverse, there’s been a sense of curiosity if certain moments went differently. With this series, the audience gets a glimpse into alternate scenarios of key MCU moments. Through the medium of animation, the storytelling becomes more ambitious and increases the scope of the series. There’s also plenty of potential creativity from the premise that each episode manages to fulfill to a certain extent.
The variety of the multiverse provides a variety in character personalities, with a wide array in the number of changes. Some characters relatively stay the same such as Killmonger and Zombie Slayer Spider-Man, while others drastically change, such as Frost Giant Loki and Doctor Strange Supreme. With each episode, there’s a definite focus on specific characters. In some instances, such as for Jane Foster and Ultron, the targeted focus allows them to become compelling characters. The amount of characters that appear in the series is massive and showcases the vast scope of the MCU throughout the years. There’s difficulty in choosing a specific character that stands out, as the various variants such as Captain Carter and T’Challa Star-Lord are on the same scale of greatness. The Watcher himself is an engaging narrator that showcases his massive power as the show progresses. Even with the various changes in these alternate universes, the spirit of the characters remains the same.
In a multiverse of stories, there’s a need to take some risks in the deviations of alternate universes. While a few episodes are generally optimistic and light-hearted, there are plenty of dark turns and tragic endings. With a long-standing criticism of the MCU being too light-hearted, these more depressing stories are a welcome change of pace. In all episodes, they capture the ambiance of the films perfectly. There’s a delicate balance between the individual episodes and their interconnectedness towards the end of the season. While some episodes make more alterations than others, they all work well in being unique while feeling connected in the larger MCU multiverse. Despite some of the endings, there’s potential for expansion on some of these universes in the future.
With many MCU actors reprising their roles, it creates a sense of continuity between this series and the live-action efforts of the MCU. Regardless of whether it’s an A-list actor or a relatively obscure actor, all of the returning MCU actors put in the same amount of effort into their performance in this show. In most cases where an actor couldn’t reprise their role, their voice actor stand-ins can emulate the emotions and inflections of their respective characters. Of these stand-in actors, some notable examples include Josh Keaton as Steve Rogers and Lake Bell as Black Widow. In addition, the animation is impressive and captures the likenesses of the actors in their live-action form. As the show is animated, the action is more creative and visually spectacular on a larger scale.
Overall, What If…? is a spectacular companion piece to the MCU’s expansion into the multiverse. The production value shines, along with the animation allowing for plenty of creative scenarios that would be difficult to emulate in live-action. Like in the comics, the changes of certain events lead to unique stories, both positive and negative. The ambiance of the episodes matches those in the films, along with the further appreciation for certain MCU characters. As the walls of the MCU multiverse shatter, hopefully, it leads to more screen time with some of these variants of beloved MCU characters.
INDIVIDUAL EPISODE REVIEWS – WORST TO BEST
- What If… Thor Were an Only Child? = 8/10
Despite being the weakest episode of the season, it’s still plenty of fun and provides a sense of levity. Party Thor feels in line with the more comedic version of the character established in Thor: Ragnarok, though with a lower amount of responsibility. Like what WandaVision did for Darcy, this episode makes Jane Foster into a likable character. Her relationship with Thor is fun and compelling (and hopefully translates into Thor: Love and Thunder), with their chemistry being strong. Characters such as Captain Marvel, Loki, and Maria Hill have their moments to shine, on top of the vast amount of cameos. Unfortunately, the conflict and repercussions of Thor’s partying are downplayed and hampers the emotional weight.
- What If… Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark? = 8/10
Killmonger gets to shine in this episode and gives a glimpse into a scenario where he obtains power. Serving a similar role to Palpatine in the Star Wars prequels, Killmonger cleverly manipulates both sides to be the ultimate victor. The chemistry between Killmonger and a weapon-crazy Tony Stark is on-point due to their similarities. While not as much as other characters, Pepper becomes somewhat more compelling as a watchdog towards Killmonger. The disappointing part of the episode is how the entire episode is merely a set-up for a story that is waiting to get out and bloom. For what the episode offers, it does a great job at highlighting the dangers of weapons for war.
- What If… Captain Carter Were the First Avenger? = 9/10
For the start of the series, this episode is plenty of fun and filled with action-packed scenes. This episode is also a “what if?” for Captain America: The First Avenger, if it had more compelling characters and immersed with a lighter tone. Peggy Carter is a compelling super-soldier, with the body to match her bravery. Howard Stark is a loveable pseudo-sidekick to Captain Carter, as regular Steve Rogers is a likable underdog. The greater focus on the simplistic good vs. evil dynamic enhances the emotional weight while capturing the ambiance of World War II. Unlike the primary MCU universe, there’s some build-up to the need to overcome prejudice, with Captain Carter’s actions reflecting the social commentary response.
- What If… the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes? = 9/10
A compelling MCU murder mystery that highlights Black Widow and Nick Fury. The gradual takedown of the various members that made up the Avengers Initiative is fascinating but somewhat disturbing. Like all great murder mysteries, the build-up and payoff are satisfying, with some level of sympathy towards the culprit once revealed. Black Widow once again gets to showcase her top-tier spy and sleuthing skills, while Nick Fury makes for an intriguing detective. Coulson also gets some memorable lines throughout the episode. Even with the amount of depression that comes from the murders of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the episode also highlights the optimism of hope.
- What If… Zombies?! = 9/10
In this interpretation of a zombie apocalypse, various characters of various significance get their moments to shine. More so than the films, this episode showcases the appeal of Spider-Man, and how his eternal optimism influences his heroism. Major characters like Bruce Banner and the Wasp feel grounded and complimented with comic relief from the likes of Kurt and Happy Hogan. While there isn’t much innovation to the zombie genre here, the strength of the character chemistry makes this episode stand out. Seeing certain heroes as zombies also shows their level of harmfulness from a different perspective. Tonally, there’s a sense of growing tension as more characters become succumbed to the zombie virus.
- What If… the Watcher Broke His Oath? = 9/10
Similar to the battle of New York in the first Avengers film, there is plenty of epic moments and action in this season’s finale. The best part of the episode is the references and connectivity to previous episodes. Each character in this team-up stands out, with their chemistry showing plenty of strength. However, the epic battle starts slow and gradually increases in scope. The slow build does become worthwhile once the twists occur as the fight progresses. The clashing of these characters contains some of the best visuals and action scenes of the season. Also, like the first Avengers film, this is a team-up that’s begging to continue at some point.
- What If… Ultron Won? = 9/10
Now here’s the threatening Ultron that should have been in Age of Ultron. The amount of intimidation that comes from Ultron’s destructive escapades showcases how much of a threat he poses to humanity. With Ultron showcasing his full potential, it leads to the Watcher finally showcasing his massive amount of power. As the final human survivors of their universe, Hawkeye and Black Widow have the right amount of gritty and groundedness, with a similar dynamic to their variants in Avengers: Endgame. This episode also perfectly captures the “end-of-the-world” ambiance portrayed in various post-apocalyptic stories. Seeing the literal shattering of barriers is amazing and foreshadows the madness coming in future MCU projects.
- What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands? = 10/10
With the amount of creativity in its portrayal of dark magic, this episode is a satisfying tease for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Similar to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, this episode effectively displays grief after witnessing a death. In addition, it showcases how that grief can become dangerous, even with the best intentions. As with the first Doctor Strange film, the visuals are creative and showcase plenty of variety. There’s an appeal to seeing this misguided Doctor Strange and how it leads to an internal conflict that goes externally. Wong and the Ancient One are charming as usual, with a newfound appreciation for Christine Palmer after the number of deaths she goes through. More so than any episode this season, this episode highlights the significance of “absolute points” in a universe.
- What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord? = 10/10
While this episode is fantastic in its own right, there’s an extra layer of emotional appeal due to this series being the last project for the late Chadwick Boseman. This episode works well as a futuristic version of the Robin Hood legend, with T’Challa and the Ravagers doing good for the masses. T’Challa is a lovable rogue in-universe and in general, as he makes for a compelling Star-Lord that has more of a moral compass than Peter Quill. Working well off of T’Challa is the Ravagers, with each member getting their time to shine. Carried over from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the loving bond between Yondu and Star-Lord, with T’Challa having more friendly chemistry with Yondu. In this pool of episodes filled with tragedy, it’s nice to have a scenario where an alteration can breed plenty of positive impacts.
SCORE: 9/10
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