Spoilers What If...? season three discussion thread

[The Nth Doctor]

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At long last, the third and, tragically, last season of What If...? is finally here. Much like Lower Decks, I'm greatly saddened that the show is already coming to an end when I feel like there's an almost unlimited story potential and the show could go on for years (production cost aside). Yes, we get the consolation prize of Marvel Zombies next October, but since I'm not the biggest zombie fan, that doesn't do too much for me (although the casting and story potential built around it does sound promising). I'm still holding onto hope that we'll get some kind of 1602 adaptation/continuation but I guess that ship has sailed for a number of reasons.

Just like last season, we already know the titles of the season and have general sense of each story, but I miss the mystery of not knowing each episode prior to release that we experienced in the first season. I loved us puzzling over the trailers and trying to figure which clips belonged with which clips and trying to piece together each episode until the reveal of the episode. Hell, I took it to the level of avoiding the episode title when I hit play so I could be surprised in the opening minutes. I know it's a small thing and I'm probably in the minority on that count, but I really do miss puzzling out the mysteries. Granted, we still don't know the full extent of the premises for some of these episodes so I'll try to take comfort in that.

With that in mind, which episodes are people most looking forward to seeing? For me, it's a tie between "...Agatha Went to Hollywood?" (because more Agatha is always a blessing!) and "...Howard the Duck Got Hitched?" (because more Darcy is always a blessing!...yeah, Howard, too).

 

[JD]

I like mech stuff, so I'm very curious about The Mech Avengers episode, and I've wanted to see Howard The Duck in a bigger role since his Guardians cameos, so that's definitely tied with Mech Avengers for the episodes I'm most interested in.

 

[Tuskin38]

The episod one is out

 

[Nerys Myk]

Hulkzilla vs Gammaron vs the Transvengers.

 

[JD]

I thought the episode was really good. It has some cool mech vs monsters action, but what was nice was that the real focus was on Sam and Bruce's friendship, and Bruce having to confront what he did when he accidently created the Apex.

 

[Tuskin38]

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[The Nth Doctor]

I thought the episode was really good. It has some cool mech vs monsters action, but what was nice was that the real focus was on Sam and Bruce's friendship, and Bruce having to confront what he did when he accidently created the Apex.

Yup, I agree with all of this. The focus on their friendship also makes it easier to look past the sheer silliness and implausibilities of both the mechas and the gamma monsters. Either way, it was also cool to see a completely different Avenger line-up with Sam, Monica, Bucky, Shang-Chi, Alexei, Melina, Nakia, and Moon Knight (presumably Steven...?).

But my biggest takeaway from the episode is how much I loved the chemistry between Sam and Monica, even if Anthony Mackie and Teyonah Parris probably didn't record together. Makes me want to see a proper team-up with those two characters in live action, even if "our" Sam and Monica exist in two completely different environments. Maybe we'll get to see more interactions between them in the upcoming Avenger films.

I also loved the 80s retro cartoon show at the beginning of the episode. I'm a sucker for stuff like that!

 

[Booji]

I want more Agatha and Kingo now! That was a frickin riot

 

[JD]

I also loved the 80s retro cartoon show at the beginning of the episode. I'm a sucker for stuff like that!

Yeah, I was kind wishing they had done the whole episode in that style.
The second episode was a lot of fun, I never would have thought of mashing up Agatha Harkness, and The Eternals, but it really worked. I wasn't real clear at the end if Agath gave up her Celestial power, or just decided to live as a human?
I'm kind of surprised that they're using so much from The Eternals after it was such a disappointment. I enjoyed it, so I'm happy to see the people making the MCU aren't ignoring it, I'm just surprised because I figured once it was such a disappointment at the box office, they would just pretend it never happened.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

"It must feel strange for such a primitive being to suddenly possess a power so cosmic."
"Oh, honey, cosmic is just my size. Haven't you seen the marquee? I'm a star."

The ultimate battle of the egos. Agatha vs. Kingo vs....Howard fucking Stark. With poor Jarvis caught smack in the middle. And that's before Arishem arrives on the scene.

This was such a damn blockbuster of a time! I loved the hell out of this episode and its ultimate conclusion. Plus, you could tell the core cast was having the time of their lives acting out these big, excuse me, cosmic scenes. I was thrilled to see that everyone returned (including David Kaye as Arishem), one upping each other.

If each episode of this season opens up with a period-specific medium paying tribute, then I'm all for it. This season is going to be a lot of fun.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

So far ... enjoyed what I've seen. After the second episode know that I really need to watch Agatha at some stage. Probably sometime in the new year.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I figured once it was such a disappointment at the box office, they would just pretend it never happened.

Spoiler

The entire premise of Captain America Brave New World hinges upon the events of Eternals, so clearly they're not going to pretend it never happened.

 

[JD]

Yeah, that was what I was referring to this and the spoiler. I was surprised by the spoiler first, and then by this too. But I'm assuming it would probably be a bad idea to start hoping for a sequel.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Yeah, that was what I was referring to this and the spoiler. I was surprised by the spoiler first, and then by this too. But I'm assuming it would probably be a bad idea to start hoping for a sequel.

I am feeling that we won't pick up with those characters again until the big Avengers crossover movie.

 

[Tuskin38]

preview for tomorrow

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Spoiler

Looks like Red Guardian screws up Bucky’s attack on Howard and Maria to steal the super soldier serum

 

[Guy Gardener]

And here I though that Marvel had written off the Eternals?

I can imagine Kumail Nanjiani petitioned tptb to use him, but they still ignored his sexy live action abbs.

Poor bastard.

Great episode, but still a shitty movie.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

The third episode is out now. Quite enjoyable.

 

[The Wormhole]

The Red Guardian and Winter Soldier episode was great. Hilarious, absolutely hilarious.

 

[JD]

That was a ton of fun, and it's got me curious to see what they're relationship will be like in Thunderbolts*. My only complaint with this one is that it left me really curious to see how Tony Stark's life played out with his parents around for more of his life, and without Stane's influence on him becoming Iron Man. We saw an Iron Man in the Avengers scene at the end, so I guess some incident happened that still lead to Tony, or maybe someone else, becoming Iron Man.

 

[CaptainWacky]

3.1 - Did nothing for me. As bog-standard of a What If...? episode as they get, for me. I liked the animation style in the cold open and was hoping the whole episode would be like that. I don't think there was even any very good mech action. The saving grace was that Anthony Mackie gave a very good voice acting performance (some of the others were just there for one or two lines and made no impact.)

3.2 - As an Agent Carter fan (there are dozens of us) I was happy that they got Dominic Cooper and James D'Arcy in...but they both just ended up playing stock, completely over the top zany What If...? characters. So I was disappointed. The rest was fine?

3.3 - This was more like it! Yeah, they dialed up the zaniness to 11 with Alexi, but it totally worked here as David Harbour was completely up to the task and delivered one of the best voice performances in the the history of the show. And Alexi was already at an 8 on the zaniness scale in live action anyway. He actually made me laugh several times (there was some line about chicken nuggets) which rarely happens! I liked that they addressed the plothole over who ordered the assassination of Tony's parents (turns out Hydra and Stane were working together!) I liked that Bill Foster got to go Goliath and have some fun, I always thought it was strange that Ant-Man And The Wasp gave his backstory then didn't actually do anything with it. I wasn't sure if his zany female sidekick character was supposed to be someone we recognised? Anyway yeah this was good.