Over the course of its decade-long existence, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has created a wide roster of characters and storylines that interconnect in ways few other franchises can. Through their films, they've been able to build off of this foundation in fabulous ways.
However, films are expensive. In order to continue this trend, the powers that be wisely turned to animation to explore crazy questions and bring a beloved comic series to life. What If...? featured some returning MCU actors to reprise their roles while also creating some truly wild and memorable storylines. Here is a list of how the first season measured up.
9 What If... Thor Were An Only Child?
It's understandable to see how this is the most disliked episode from the first season. It has a much different tone than the previous episodes in that it's lighter and doesn't take itself all too seriously. For the most part, Thor acts like a privileged frat boy that cares about nothing other than partying.
In many respects, it's an extension of the irresponsible tendencies he has when Loki was actually around. However, besides being unnecessarily silly, the episode does provide great context to see Thor and Captain Marvel face off long before Natalie Portman became the new Thor.
8 What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?
On paper, this episode seems like a great idea. Tony Stark and Killmonger are two characters that would never interact under normal circumstances, so seeing their stories collide is pretty much what this show is all about.
However, rectifying Killmonger's larger mission within the context of his time with Tony Stark felt contrived and didn't exactly fit together all too well. The ending felt a bit forced and awkward as the story tried to fit Wakanda into what had been a personal character struggle between Killmonger and Tony.
7 What If... Captain Carter Was The First Avenger?
Right out of the gate, this show started with a great episode. The only reason it ranks as low as it does is that the show's quality only went up from its premiere. In many ways, Peggy Carter never really got her due. Sure, she had her own period piece show and many cameos, but this was the first time she got the superhero treatment.
What's even more incredible is that it led into a Captain Carter live-action appearance in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. And besides the awesome World War II superhero action, this episode featured a renewed character dynamic between her and Steve Rogers.
6 What If... The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?
This episode was a bit tricky to pin down. Most episodes put the premise right in the title, so audiences knew what to expect even before pressing play. However, this episode was built primarily off of a mystery, so the title was left vague in order to keep the mystery hidden.
In the end, it was mainly about Hank Pym getting revenge on the Avengers for the death of his daughter. It was a pretty cool murder mystery MCU style that showed how dangerous he could have been by taking out each incredibly strong hero one at a time.
5 What If... Zombies?!
It says a lot about the zombie episode of the show that its title is just a single word. Marvel's Zombies was a popular comic miniseries that spawned an entire lineup of follow-ups, so it's not surprising that they took this alternate-reality opportunity to adapt the storyline.
Besides embracing the horror of the genre, the episode took the opportunity to create some truly great moments such as Scott Lang's severed head, Spider-Man using Doctor Strange's cloak, and a truly unstoppable zombified Scarlet Witch.
4 What If... T'Challa Became Star-Lord?
In terms of the overall season, this episode was definitely middle of the road. It featured a great opportunity to reform some characters such as Thanos and Nebula. However, what truly allowed the episode to stand out was its nostalgia for Chadwick Boseman's final MCU appearance.
Fans knew just how much he loved the character, and he had to have known that his time to portray T'Challa wasn't infinite. He truly gave his all in the performance, so there's no surprise that it was recognized by the Emmy Awards when he won.
3 What If... Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead Of His Hands?
Character stories have always been at the center of what the MCU is all about. Any studio can produce a big-budget CGI spectacle. But it takes another thing to make audiences care about the characters in the middle of all those special effects.
This episode had the most heart out of any in the first season. It showed just how easily Doctor Strange can fall down an evil rabbit hole to use his powers for dark purposes. Also, it showed how The Watcher can be more than just a narrator, foreshadowing where the series was headed.
2 What If... Ultron won?
This is the episode that broke the show's story wide open. A lot of MCU fans felt as if Ultron never probably got his due in his Avengers film. This episode changed that as it not only allowed him to up Thanos, but then go right after The Watcher as a multiversal threat.
It also happens to be one of the simplest "what if" questions the show proposes, as Ultron originally planned to inhabit Vision's body before things went sideways for him. Furthermore, it also offered a touching twist to the sacrifice Black Widow and Hawkeye had to make in Endgame.
1 What If... The Watcher Broke His Vow?
And this is episode is where it all came together. On its own, this episode is actually kind of meaningless. The audience wouldn't care too much for all of the characters if not for the fact that they premiered in their individual episodes.
Fans got to see their stories and connect with them before bringing them together for a final battle. The animation was phenomenal as the Avengers took on a seemingly all-powerful Ultron. Plus, things played out in an expected but still great way as Killmonger tried to steal power for himself and the zombies returned. All in all, the episode was absolute mayhem and pretty much gave fans exactly what they wanted from the show in preparation of a What If...? season 2.