What If…? Season 2 is once again one of the most incredible shows to come out of the MCU. Check out our thoughts below!
Hey All!
What If…? returns this holiday season and with a special release schedule of a new episode dropping each day starting December 22 and ending December 30. Returning as its narrator and guide is Jeffrey Wright (HBO’s Westworld) as Uatu The Watcher. I had the pleasure of watching the full season of the 9 episodes in advance of its release.
Much like the first season, and the show’s comic book series counterpart, most of the episodes’ storylines provide an alternate take on preexisting events; in the case of this show all of the preexisting events are derived from the Marvel Cinematic Universe with many of the preexisting characters being voiced by their live action counterparts.
Also, like the first season, the episodes begin as standalone stories with seemingly no real connection to each other but as the season progresses more is revealed at the end of each episode. The animation style and quality remain the same as the first season as does the approximate thirty-minute runtime length of each episode.
This season’s batch of episodes is a mix of alternate takes on stories and brand-new stories. Some stories take a classic film concept and apply it to the Marvel Universe; “What if Nebula joined the Nova Corps?” takes the cyber noir style of Blade Runner and applies it to a standalone story while “What if Happy Hogan saved Christmas?” unabashedly, and admittedly within the episode, is just Die Hard.
Some episodes mash preexisting stories and give an alternate take; “What if Hela Found the Ten Rings?” mashes the premises of Thor and Shang-Chi the same way that “What if Captain Carter fought the Hydra Stomper?” which mashes Winter Soldier and Black Widow; each taking existing plots and changing the settings and characters to create different and compelling stories. And then “What if The Avengers Assembled in 1602?” and “What if Strange Supreme Intervened?” both take actual alternate universes that are completely mashed together to create an even more complex alternate reality in which the stakes have compiled over the season to an ultimate conclusion.
There is one very unique episode; “What if Kahhori Reshaped the World?” which not only is not derived from any previous MCU story but establishes a completely new character and mythos in Marvel. Kahhori is a Mohawk Native American woman who, in the midst of a Spanish invasion in pre colonized North America, happens across a mystical fountain which through cosmic power grants her and several others of her tribe the power to fight an invasion and oppression in a way that is more emotionally impactful than expected.
As a standalone story in an alternate universe, it is a beautiful way to imagine a revised history of the world and group of people who suffered horrific oppression and genocide. Additionally, the episode is completely subtitled due to the characters speaking both Spanish and Mohawk which adds a very appreciated level of authenticity.
This newest season of What if…? matches the quality and creativity of the first season and creates a wonderful connection by using returning characters, including and especially fan favorite Captain Carter voiced by returning MCU veteran actress Hayley Attwell. The episodic nature and animated format once again provides a wonderful detour and escape in bursts just long enough to not linger but still be impactful. “What if…?” remains an excellent addition to the overall story thread which can be consumed either by itself or interweaved with the MCU.
“What if…?” never becomes vulgar or inappropriate for younger audiences but also does is not executed in a way that is condescending to more mature audiences and thus is enjoyable for all ages and is a very welcome gift for Marvel fans this holiday season.
Sign up for Disney Plus to check out this incredible show! All episodes are streaming now!
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