When I took the assignment to write this article, I fully expected to recommend only one or two episodes of Marvel’s What If…? season 2. The first season had been erratic at best, leaving me with trepidation instead of excitement about the return of the show.
I’m not sure what happened in the writing room between seasons one and two but a choice seems to have been made to be more imaginative, to create fascinating combinations of heroes, and to focus on the supporting characters more than the headliners.
All nine of the episodes are worthy, perhaps save one, and that has rewards of its own.
Warning: Minor Spoilers Below
(But I’ve tried not to give away any major plot points.)
My Awards For What If…? Season 2
Favorite Episode: “What If…Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?”
It’s a homage to Die Hard. It’s a love letter to Happy Hogan, who always seems to be one step behind the heroes, and it has the best banter between Happy and Darcy. It’s a terrific holiday episode with a few twists and turns. The villain gets his comeuppance, order is restored, and Happy gets to be the hero.
Most of all, it is fun, something notably lacking in season 1.
It’s an episode that should become a holiday staple.
Most Valuable Player: Captain Carter
If there’s a star of What If…? Season 2, it’s Captain Peggy Carter. Not only does she star in “What If…Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper,” a direct sequel to last season’s debut episode, but it’s also a reworking of the best Marvel movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This time, it’s Peggy confronting a brainwashed and recoded Steve Rogers in the Hydra Stomper, with a terrific assist from Lake Bell’s Black Widow. The friendship between Steve and Bucky is not forgotten either, though this is not the series for Stucky fans. There are several callbacks to the Black Widow movie as well, including the appearance of the Red Room.
Not to be content with a single appearance, Captain Carter is also at the center of the penultimate episode, “What If…The Avengers Assembled in 1602,” trying to save yet another universe from destruction. The Peggy/Steve relationship has another wallow-in angst, there are swordfights, and one more sacrifice.
Hitting the trifecta, Captain Carter teams up with the season’s best new player, Kahhori, in the finale, “What If… Strange Supreme Intervened?”
If you love Peggy Carter, as I do, this is the season for you.
Best New Character: Kahhori
Kahhori is introduced in “What If…Kahhori Reshaped the World?” She’s a young Mohawk woman in the 15th Century who becomes bathed in Tesseract energy, which crash-landed in her world after Ragnorak. She’s a protector filled with power and righteous fury, taking on the potential destroyers of her land and culture, even taking the battle to Queen Isabella of Spain. The sequence in this episode where those touched by the Tessaract engage in a sort of running of the bulls is amazing, and it gives Kahhori a chance to revel in her newfound powers.
I love this character. Her team-up with Captain Carter in the finale is perfect, as they take on more and more powers that don’t corrupt them but give them a chance to win.
The Episode With the Most Easter Eggs: The Finale
That’s “What If…Strange Supreme Intervened?” by a wide margin as the cameos are so fast and furious that I lost track of them all. Not only are there characters from all over the multiverse but the weapons of the multiverse also come out to play.
If you can spot all of them in a single watching, you absolutely qualify for a No-Prize.
Best Villain Redemptions: Nebula and Hela
Nebula stars in the debut episode, “What If…Nebula Joined the Nova Corps,” a science fiction crime noir that proves how many genres this series can contain. It’s tense, atmospheric, has several plot twists, and features a new team of ‘losers’ that save the planet. I need more stories in this world.
Continued belowWhile Nebula’s redemption is sort of expected, given who she became, Hela’s is not. In “What If…Hela Found the Ten Rings,” instead of imprisoning Hela, Odin banishes her to Midgard without her power. Her helm is tossed to Earth, too, stuck until presumably Hela becomes worthy. As the title states, her redemption comes with training from an unexpected source, training that makes her superior to this version of Odin. It’s nice to see him get a comeuppance but even better to show what Hela might have become if Odin hadn’t been, well, such a jerk.
Best Alternate Avengers: 90s & 1602 Teams
I tried to choose between the team assembled by Nick Fury in the ’90s in “What If…Peter Quill Attacked Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” and the 1602 Avengers mentioned above but I couldn’t. How could I choose between a team that featured Mar-Vell herself along with Hank Pym trying to redeem the Winter Soldier and a swashbuckling team of Merry Men led by Rogers Hood with Loki reciting Shakespeare?
They’re both great remixes of Marvel’s Cinematic Heroes.
Craziest Episode: “What If…Iron Man Crashed Into the Grandmaster?”
Tony Stark and the Grandmaster in a Death Race featuring Stark armor that transforms into the ultimate race car? The Grandmaster hamming it up while cheating and changing the rules? Angry not-yet-heroic Gamora being roped into the same race? YES.
Now add in a million Stark quips and you have some idea of the episode. My favorite was referring to Gamora as “Lady Grinch.” Mick Wingert as Stark portrays the quickness and tone of the character without sounding like an imitation. Gamora’s redemption seems a little easy, but I’ll let that slide.
Conclusion: Recommended
I grew used to waiting for the other shoe to drop in season 1, as tragedy seemed inevitable. That made the season kind of a slog. But What If…? season 2 is full of fun and makes for an entertaining watch. If you haven’t watched yet, it’s perfect for binge-viewing.
