Marvel What If…? Episode 9 Review

For nine weeks, Marvel’s given us our first look at the new MCU Multiverse with their animated series, What If…? At first, it looked like this show would be an anthology series. We’d look at an alternate version of the MCU every episode, then move on. However, all that changed when Marvel threw us a universe-sized curveball. In one universe, Ultron beat the Avengers, got the Infinity Stones, and killed almost everyone. Worse, he learned how to travel to other universes and stood poised to wipe out all life in the multiverse. Not even the Watcher could sit back and do nothing. It was time for him to step in and save the multiverse. But first, he was going to need a team.

Multiversal Avengers, Assemble!

The first few minutes of the episode pick up where we last left off: the Watcher and Strange Supreme need to assemble a team to stop Infinite Ultron. Thus, they recruit heroes from several of the worlds we’ve seen throughout the season. The exceptions being the universe where the Avengers all died, and the zombie universe. The latter for obvious reasons.

However, there’s one member coming from a universe we never got to see: one where Gamora somehow beat Thanos. Rumor has it that that story was supposed to be in the first season, but got pushed back, leaving fans left in the dark for the moment. After catching everyone up to speed, the Watcher dubs his new team…the Guardians of the Multiverse.

While I can understand why he’d give them that name, I don’t like it. It seems better to have something with the Avengers in it. Considering that this is the multiverse equivalent of the Avengers first assembling, it would be appropriate. Alas, there’s no time to worry about that, as the threat of Ultron comes knocking.

The Final Battle For the Multiverse Was…Okay.

The team’s fight against Infinite Ultron ends up taking them back to his original universe, where they’re joined by Black Widow, who’s now the last sentient being left on Earth. With her help, they come close to beating Ultron, but fail to destroy the Stones. Turns out, the MCU’s Infinity Stones don’t just work outside their universe; they’re unique, meaning any attempts to destroy them with another universe’s tech won’t work!

In the end, it doesn’t matter: Natasha fires a well placed arrow into Ultron, uploading Zola into him and ending Ultron for good. Then Killmonger pulls the classic double-cross, and he and Zola get sealed away in a pocket of reality, forever engaged in a tug of war for the Stones. Justice!

As far as battles go, this one met all the basic tenets of the MCU. Strange Supreme showcased how magically jacked he was several times, even opening a portal to the zombie universe! However, the overall final battle felt…meh. Considering how it’s supposed to be for the fate of the multiverse, we shouldn’t feel like that. Yet, the final battle of Avengers: Endgame carries more emotional weight. Marvel could’ve gotten a lot more creative with it, if you ask me.

What’s Next for the Multiverse?

With the battle over, the Watcher sends everyone back to their respective realities while Strange Supreme guards Killmonger and Zola. However, he gives Natasha a well-deserved reward. Rather than send her to her dead universe, he lets her move to the one where the Avengers never rose, letting her reunite with some of her old friends. As for Captain Carter? The post-credits scene teases that an old friend might be waiting for her.

Speaking of friends, a big highlight of the episode was the relationship Captain Carter and Natasha had. They were firm BFF’s in their universe, and certainly acted like it. However, there was also some romantic subtext going on between them that I think a lot of people will pick up on. I don’t know if we’ll see Captain Carter again, but if we do, I think I now ship her and Nat together.

As for T’Challa, this marks the final time we may see him in the MCU, due to Chadwick’s passing. The worst part is that there could’ve been a Star Lord T’Challa spin-off series, were he still alive. Maybe in another universe, they’re enjoying that right now. For the rest of us, though, we have to wait for season two to travel the multiverse some more.

As far as season finale’s go, I think the action could’ve been a lot better. Still, at least the show tied everything together, so I have to give it credit for that.

I Give “What If…The Watcher Broke His Oath?” A 3/5

Click here for more MCU stuff

Check out more comic stuff

Marvel What If…? Episode 8 Review

So, I’m just going to get down to the nitty-gritty for this. The MCU multiversesa has just given us a villain capable of destroying it I’m the form of Ultron. Who, as you recall, was able to push the Avengers to the breaking point in his short existence. Whose legacy would fracture the Avengers and lead to their loss against Thanos. Now, the Watcher’s found a universe where Ultron’s become a mechanical god and defeated almost everyone. And as we saw at the end of last week’s episode, he’s not stopping there.

What if…Ultron Won and Became a God?

In this iteration of the MCU, the Avengers failed to stop Ultron. He managed to upload his mind into what should’ve been the Vision’s body, and curb-stomps humanity before bringing about Judgement Day.Then things get worse: Thanos shows up, and…see for yourself.

With all the Infinity Stones and an inorganic body immune to radiation, Ultron uses the Stones to curb stomp the rest of the universe. It’s a preview of just what would’ve been in store for the main timeline if the Avengers had lost.

Then, things get even worse. For the entire multiverse.

Black Widow is Last One Standing

As Ultron continues wiping out all life, we learn he missed Hawkeye and Black Widow. Back on Earth, they work together to find a secret weapon to help them destroy Ultron: Dr. Zola’s AI. However, due to circumstances beyond their control, the unlikely trio fails in even doing this. Worse, this universe’s Hawkeye, already broken by the loss of everyone he knows, sacrifices his life to give Nat and Zola a chance to escape.

This was a very tough moment to watch, even if it was visually stunning. It also represents a great parallel between the two characters fates in the main universe. However, while Black Widow fans might be happy, Hawkeye fans won’t be. Especially since he died once before in the comics.

All of that, though, is only secondary to the main focus of the episode. Ultron becomes the first multiversal threat that the MCU faces. And it’s partially the Watcher’s fault.

Peekaboo, Ultron Sees You

Having decimated his native universe, Ultron has a moment where he goes “Oh no, what do I do now?” However, thanks to the Stones (and the Watcher’s own narration), he becomes more aware of the universe around him. He can see the Watcher from behind the fourth wall separating him from the rest of the multiverse.

The idea of a character breaking the fourth wall isn’t a new concept, but rarely is it played so menacingly. The Watcher, for all his power, is terrified when he learns Ultron knows about him. That terror turns to desperation as he watches Nat and Barton almost give up, wanting to intervene so badly, but held back by his oath.

Then, Ultron does the impossible. He breaks the walls between universes and attacks the Watcher. In a treat for longtime Marvel fans, we see the Watcher unleash his full power against Ultron, and the fight is Shonen anime levels of action. This was my favorite moment of the entire episode, and we got to see the show’s animators use the medium to its fullest extent. The sight of Ultron growing large enough to devour an entire Galaxy is something I’d never thought I’d see, but was amazing to look at.

In the end, not even the Watcher can stop Ultron, leaving the AI free to wipe out all life in the multiverse. But all is not lost.

Multiverse Spanning Avengers, Assemble

There’s an underlying point to this entire MCU, one that was also made clear in Loki. If left unchecked, a threat in one universe could become a threat to the entire multiverse. Thus, the TVA was founded to keep the number of timelines down to a minimum. But the TVA’s methods weren’t right. Luckily, there is a better idea in place. An idea involving remarkable individuals and fighting battles others never could.

The Watcher knows that what’s at stake goes beyond his oath. However, he also knows he can’t make things worse. So, why not create a team of multiverse-spanning Avengers to protect it? Because that seems to be what we’re headed for. And the Watcher’s already got his first recruit: Strange Supreme, who we last saw getting his universe destroyed.

This has to be the best episode of What If…? thus far. The action was superb, and it’s bringing all the disparate stories together into one plot. I can’t wait for the finale next week! Multiverse Avengers, assemble!

I Give “What If…Ultron Won?” a 4.5/5

Click here for more MCU stuff

Check out more comic stuff