Exploring Possibilities: A Thrilling Journey Through Season 3 of “What If…?”

I have always appreciated the idea of What If…? It’s a legacy that extends back many years for Marvel Comics, and I never envisioned having an animated series based on the concept. Thankfully, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has existed long enough, introduced numerous characters, and established various corners of their universe, making the What If…? premise quite suitable for an anthology television series. Some might overlook it since the storylines do not influence the primary continuity, but when a What If…? truly engages you, the narratives do hold significance. The first season was enjoyable and thrilling, while the second season played it too safe, and its conclusion wasn’t as spectacular as the first. It’s regretful that the series has concluded with a third season, as I found the latest season to be an enhancement over the last.

Perhaps the series concluded because the enthusiasm and buzz for it weren’t sustained across the seasons. Disney+ released a new episode daily for season two, which extended through the holidays at the close of 2023, rendering it feel like an afterthought. They followed a similar formula for season three (and this time provided us with just eight episodes rather than last year’s nine). Although What If…? hasn’t received the marketing push like, let’s say, X-Men ’97, we can at least acknowledge its role in bridging the gap between live-action MCU and animation, initiating the area of Marvel Studios Animation on Disney+.

Season three began with “What If…the Hulk fought the Mech Avengers?” which sounds like a massive brawl but ultimately became a profound character examination of Bruce Banner’s internal conflict. “What If…Agatha Went to Hollywood?” followed Agatha Harkness’ plot to gain more power intersecting with the acting career of the Eternal, Kingo, while “What If…The Red Guardian Stopped the Winter Soldier?” explored the Russian connection between two prominent MCU characters. The romance between Howard the Duck and Darcy Lewis from the first season was revisited in “What If…Howard the Duck Got Hitched?” leading to them having an offspring that everyone in the galaxy desired. “What If…The Emergence Destroyed Earth?” depicted a post-apocalyptic tale featuring Riri Williams battling Spider-Man foe Mysterio, and “What If…1872?” created an entirely new storyline by placing Shang-Chi and Kate Bishop in a Western escapade. “What If…the Watcher Disappeared?” and “What If…What If?” served as the two-part conclusion where a trio of elder Watchers placed Uatu on trial.

The Avengers, particularly the assembly of the original team, are so integral to the MCU that the initial two seasons of What If…? hesitated to diverge from that specific segment of the MCU. This season initiated an Avengers tale in the very first episode and then progressed. What If…? has established its own continuity by this juncture, so when we encounter Captain Carter again, we inherently understand her journey without needing further exposition.

This season encompassed a blend of essentially everything that makes the What If…? notion effective. We encountered movie continuity, television show continuity, characters who never had the chance to interact, another original character in Byrdie the Duck (along with the return of last season’s original character, Kahhori), a plethora of references spanning from the Fantastic Four to She-Hulk Attorney at Law‘s Madisynn, culminating with a conclusion involving arguably the two most crucial characters in the series, Uatu the Watcher and Captain Carter.

In the previous season, I encountered an issue with too many episodes exhibiting either comedic tones or happy endings. The allure of What If…? lies in its capacity to delve into darker themes if chosen. This season tended to feature lighter episodes in the first half and darker ones in the latter, but showcased a wide variety in tone. What If…1872? might have portrayed the series’ darkest conclusion.

The first two seasons never completely embraced the concept, yet I believe what made season three so compelling was that they effectively captured the essence of strong alliances between two protagonists featured prominently in many episodes. We witnessed Howard and Darcy, Agatha and Kingo, Red Guardian and Winter Soldier, alongside Shang-Chi and Kate Bishop. And it all worked beautifully. It’s entertaining, it’s humorous, and there are numerous character-revealing genuine moments within each of them.

One of the shortcomings, at least from my perspective, is anticipating who will appear in the episode beforehand and then feeling let down by their actual contribution to the storyline. Each episode provides the actors’ details in the opening credits, and when you observe Oscar Isaac listed, you begin to wonder how Moon Knight will factor in. However, he had minimal involvement, and he could have easily been replaced by another character. Riri collaborates with a group of heroes in her episode that includes Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, but by the conclusion of the episode, I felt that they could have selected more intriguing heroes to showcase.

However, it remains a delight when actors reprise their roles, and I relished seeing characters I wasn’t sure we would encounter again played by their original voice actors. Dominic Cooper’s Howard Stark, Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson, and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki all returned this season. Unfortunately, we had the Grandmaster reappear for one episode but no Jeff Goldblum (who has portrayed him in prior episodes). I believe my two favorite highlights this time around included having David Harbour’s vibrantperformance as Red Guardian and Kathryn Hahn showcasing her Diva persona as Agatha Harkness. The most astonishing moment was experiencing X-Men ’97’s Alison Sealy-Smith voicing Storm in a genuine convergence of universes.

The most significant element of fanservice and reward for MCU followers is the Howard the Duck episode. If one can overlook the peculiarity of Darcy not only marrying Howard but also bearing his egg, that episode was brimming with charm and packed with continuity references. All characters from the Grandmaster to S.H.I.E.L.D., Dormammu, and Zeus were pursuing the exclusive offspring of a human and a duck, culminating in an extensive chase. The concluding episodes even reward us with a glimpse of the adult Byrdie the Duck.

Regarding the finale, they truly nailed the conclusion for the series. Without revealing too much, Uatu faces the loss of his responsibilities because of his repeated interferences. His solitary hope lies in a team comprising Captain Carter, Kahhori, the mature Byrdie the Duck (portrayed by Natasha Lyonne), and a variant of the X-Man Storm who wields Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. The cast is more compact in this conclusion compared to the premiere, which is preferable to having an overly populated cast serving merely as filler, unlike the season two finale. It was delightful to witness Byrdie as a fusion of Howard and Darcy, alongside Kahhori’s enduring camaraderie with Captain Carter. I only wish we could have seen what she had accomplished during that time. Storm is part of the growing X-Men presence within the MCU; although a few Easter eggs were dropped, no significant revelations regarding her existence were unveiled.

The finale unmistakably feels like a culmination of a narrative that has been developing over three seasons. Infinity Ultron, the most formidable antagonist of the series, becomes involved. Although we don’t actually see him, Doctor Strange Supreme also plays a crucial role. We not only witness Uatu’s beginnings as a Watcher but also encounter the first instance where someone addresses him by his real name. Having experienced all these alternate realities and episodes through his perspective, we develop empathy for him, siding with him rather than the detached Watchers who judge him. A significant portion of the finale features an intense brawl, which is exciting to observe, but the true highlight was what ultimately transpires between Uatu and Captain Carter.

Three seasons weren’t sufficient for What If…? (especially with the seasons being released over a week or so). It encompasses as extensive a concept as imaginable, and considering the vast array of characters and settings, I don’t anticipate the audience losing interest. The program has already shown it can revisit characters and advance their narratives without becoming overly repetitive. We received some final glimpses of stories we will never witness in a concluding montage, many of which appeared incredibly engaging. What If…? was undeniably an ambitious concept, especially if the aim was to attract fans of the live-action films to an animated show, but I would argue the series lived up to expectations, and I am satisfied with what was delivered.