The MCU’s television lineup has had its ups and downs, to put it mildly. Shows like WandaVision and Loki have garnered significant acclaim for their character explorations, with the recent <em>Wonder Man</em> joining the ranks of successful series. In contrast, Ironheart, Secret Invasion, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law faced heavy criticism, while the first season of Daredevil: Born Again received mixed reviews.
A recurring theme in the criticism has been the creativity, or lack thereof. The aforementioned successful shows all innovate on the traditional MCU formula, while the less successful series tend to revisit familiar territory, feel uninspired, or contribute little to the overall MCU narrative. However, one show that truly defied expectations regarding what a Marvel series can be, with a premise that consistently offers refreshing stories, is What If…?. As the title indicates, this anthology series explores hypotheticals to their fullest extent, leading to intriguing team-ups and some of the most spectacular battles in the MCU.
What Is ‘What If…?’ About?
What If…? may have three seasons, but you don’t need to start from Season 1 to grasp the show. This animated series follows the same concept as its comic book counterpart, with The Watcher, Uatu (Jeffrey Wright), guiding viewers through numerous alternate scenarios where a minor change can initiate a butterfly effect that completely alters the MCU as we know it. This includes an episode where T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is taken by The Ravagers instead of Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), and his royal upbringing enables him to confront many of the universe’s greatest threats, such as persuading Thanos (Josh Brolin) to abandon his genocidal mission and become a hero.
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In doing so, What If…? not only forms unique teams and character dynamics but also highlights each character’s different strengths. This means that even if these stories are not strictly canon to the MCU, they provide audiences with deeper insights into the characters while maintaining their core essences. For any fan of the MCU, this makes What If…? feel like essential viewing. It also creates an experience where a newcomer can begin with any episode that piques their interest, since each title features a twist that shapes its narrative, from “What If… Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?” to “What If… Hela Found the Ten Rings?” While interconnected arcs exist throughout the three seasons and even delve into Uatu’s origins, most episodes stand alone.
‘What If…?’s Animation Creates Some of the Most Epic Battles in the Entire MCU
What If…? demonstrates that one of animation’s greatest strengths is its ability to amplify scale and emotional cinematography. What If…? feels like a comic book brought to life, even incorporating Ben Day dots in several battles. Similar to how the Spider-Verse films embrace comic aesthetics, What If…? utilizes these techniques beyond their original purpose of shading to convey the cosmic scale of power on display, with Uatu’s energy enveloped in them. Particularly in episodes like “What If… Ultron Won?” where Ultron (Ross Marquand) gathers all the infinity stones and aims to annihilate the entire multiverse, What If…?‘s animation combined with its non-canon storytelling allows for stunning and destructive conflicts that would be impossible to replicate in live-action MCU.
The favorable narratives generated an almost cult following for certain concepts, eventually leading to “What If… Zombies?!” becoming its own four-part series on Disney+. Thus, even starting from that episode can transport you into a completely different universe that merges many of What If…?‘s best elements. Ultimately, perhaps the greatest disappointment of What If…? is its limited three seasons since it could theoretically continue indefinitely. Nevertheless, the episodes provided are among the finest storytelling and creativity showcased within the entire MCU, making it one of Marvel’s most successful productions to date.
