Disney + has been producing amazing content as of late, from the Stars Wars series Mandalorian and the animated series Bad Batch down to Marvel Studios’ s WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki, Disney’s new streaming service has become the go-destination for fans of the shows and of pop culture in general. Disney is continuing their winning streak for fans with a new animated series from Marvel entitled What If…? that has dire implications for the MCU.
The series dives into alternate storylines and possible outcomes if the stories that we love from the MCU were written differently. With Marvel’s direction of diving into the Multiverse and alternate reality storylines, this series is a great way of introducing such a concept for fans to enjoy. The trailer for the new series just dropped this July 9 and we were able to spot some possible alternate stories that we might witness. Here are a few of our theories that we are looking forward to the most on episodes that might come out from What If…?:
1. What If T’Challa Was StarLord
The trailer spends a relative amount of time giving us a picture of this possible episode where instead of Peter Quill, Yondu abducts the future king of Wakanda. This particular story opens the door for a lot of changes in the MCU including the dynamics of The Guardians of the Galaxy as well as the fate of Wakanda.
This episode alone already has us wondering how T’Challa would do things differently as Starlord which may include a possible romantic relationship with Gamora, humorous scenes with Yondu, and of course a possible epic battle of outrageous proportions against the Celestial being, Ego. It is also worth noting that the late Chadwick Boseman will return to lend his voice as T’Challa as the
2. What If Peggy Carter Took The Super Soldier Serum
A Captain Carter would be a very exciting story to follow as one of the original agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., takes on the superhero mantle this time around. We can only imagine the ramifications that this storyline would take us on, given the political viewpoints at that time on women — similar to DC’s Wonderwoman. There is also an additional alteration in this storyline as Steve Rogers remains as that skinny little kid but is also given a chance to fight baddies this time inside an Iron Man suit created by Howard Stark himself.
There is no doubt that Peggy Carter would make for a great Captain America as she has shown her strength lies beyond her physical attributes. It would also be great to see her stand toe to toe with villains such as the Red Skull and come out victorious while providing a sense of pride for women everywhere.
3. What If Killmonger Teams Up With Iron Man
The new trailer for What If…? starts off with the iconic scene from the start of the first Iron Man film (the movie that started it all for the MCU). Tony Stark is in an army convoy which suddenly gets ambushed by members of the Ten Rings and just when a Stark missile is about to explode, this version finds Tony being saved by Erik Killmonger. Yes, Erik Killmonger, Black Panther’s arch-nemesis. This particular episode leaves the most questions in our minds including the fate of Iron Man given that he was spared from his kidnapping and the eventual creation of the arc reactor and his inspiration for the suit of armor. There is also the most obvious detail in this alternate reality that begs us to question if Killmonger has actually become an ally for the good guys.
4. What If The Avengers Become Flesh Eating Zombies
One of the more out-there concepts may be a story that injects zombies into the MCU, turning our favorite heroes into undead beings. This is not a foreign concept however when it comes to comic books for it has been used as an actual plot and storytelling device in some issues including a series entitled Marvel Zombies. What If…? gives us a sneak peek into this story where we find Bucky Barnes battling it off with a zombified version of his best friend Captain America. Put aside the outrageousness and almost goofy nature of the story, it is still without a doubt a pretty cool concept to see zombified superheroes.
5. What If Doctor Strange Battles With an Evil Version of Himself
Remember that one short scene in Avenger’s Endgame where Captain America battles with a past version of himself? Now, imagine the battle of epic proportions that may occur when one of the most powerful sorcerers in the MCU, fights against an evil version of himself. The trailer of What If…? gives us a possible peek into such a battle that puts together Doctor Strange against another Doctor Strange. As of writing, this is the episode that we have little clues about especially in regards to the reasons for such an encounter. We are however hyped up to see this one-of-a-kind all-out battle that literally showcases one’s own personal battle with himself.
Phase 4 of the MCU has just begun with 4 feature films set for 2021 kicking off with The Black Widow this July 9, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on September 3, Eternals on November 5, and Spiderman: No Way Home on December 17. Furthermore, there is a plethora of MCU shows on Disney + with WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier now available, Loki’s last episode dropping on July 14, Marvel’s What If…? on August 11, and Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye to be released by late 2021. All these points to a busy year for Marvel executives and producers and an exciting year indeed for fans of the MCU.
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