What If…?

Summary

Thanos ' restitution inMarvel ’s What If … ?season 2 proves that theMCUhasn’t amply leftAvengers : Endgame ’s success behind . As the Multiverse Saga develops , multiversal stories likeLokiseason 2 andMarvel ’s What If … ?season 2 explore the multitudinous hypothesis of the Marvel multiverse , tying the MCU ’s past with its present and future . Therefore , it ’s expect forupcoming MCU flick and showsto revisit events from former titles and put a clean tailspin on them . Like its first time of year , What If … ?season 2 introduces new variants and teams , as well as new alternating realities where sure MCU events pass off differently .

TheWhat If … ?season 2 lagger reveals surprising scenarios , includinga 1980s version of the original Avengers , an even more powerful Hela , and at least two newfangled battles against Thanos : one led by Captain Carter and one rematch with Steve Rogers . These fights follow Thanos ' first MCU return inWhat If … ?season 1 , where the Mad Titan look as a peaceable member of the Ravagers in episode 2 and as one of Ultron ’s victims in installment 7 . This time , it seems the Infinity Saga ’s main villain will once again be a believable threat in the MCU .

Why What If Season 2 Is Revisiting And Revealing New Thanos Fights

What If … ? ’s focus on Thanos is surprising after his definitive death inAvengers : Endgame , but his issue in the exalt anthology establish common sense due to how little the MCU actually buzz off to do with him . Thanos ' goals were soundly explore inAvengers : Infinity Warand his defeat was ineluctable inAvengers : Endgame , yet the scoundrel could have star in many other taradiddle to prove his abilities against a change of MCU opponent . aside from showcasing the infinite possibilities of the multiverse , What If … ?also provides MCU characters with a chance to beam in self - contained episodes without being tied to a bigger persistence .

What If … ? time of year 2 premieres on December 22 , 2023 , on Disney+ , bringing novel and returning articulation player to the reanimate reality of the MCU ’s Phase 5 .

Thanos' Return Shows How Marvel Can’t Move Past Endgame Entirely

As exciting asJosh Brolin ’s yield as Thanos inWhat If … ?season 2may seem , Marvel ’s determination to bring back lineament like Thanos , Steve Rogers , and Tony Stark in liven formatting so soon afterAvengers : Endgamesuggests that the full character of the MCU remain in the Infinity Saga . In fact , theWhat If … ?season 2 trailer does n’t sport any case introduced in Phases 4 and 5 , which further accent the MCU ’s unmistakable deficiency of religion in the Multiverse Saga . Since Thanos made such an impact inAvengers : Infinity WarandAvengers : Endgame , his proceeds inWhat If … ?season 2 is guaranteed to describe attention .

By this point , the MCU should already be using characters such as Shang - Chi , Moon Knight , and She - Hulk both in live - military action and animation . In comparability , Thanos was first tease in 2012’sThe Avengers , seem in a modest role in 2014’sGuardians of the Galaxy , and returned for a post - credits view in 2015’sAvengers : Age of Ultron . Meanwhile , Shang - Chi , Moon Knight , She - Hulk , and other Phases 4 and 5 star do n’t have a potential visual aspect until2026’sAvengers : The Kang Dynasty , which precedes the end of the MCU ’s current saga . Thanos and the original six Avengers , of course , returned as betimes as Phase 4 either in animated or in live - action form .

How What If Season 2 Is Showing A Path Forward For Marvel

Nevertheless , What If … ?proves how well the MCU can balance the past tense and the time to come with its big cast of fictional character . Some episode can bring back beloved characters from the Infinity Saga while others deal with recent events , and sure episodes can even go as far as premise brand name - Modern characters . For illustration , What If … ?season 2 figure Tony Stark run into Gamora on Sakaar and Hela claim the Ten Rings , but it also introducesthe MCU - exclusive character Kahhori , who make her debut in animated physique without a former appeareance anywhere in Marvel Comics beforehand .

FutureWhat If … ?seasons could keep on this exemplar , and other MCU entries could learn from it as well . alternatively of introducing multiple new characters and abandon them as soon as their first appearance story is over , fresh MCU handout could use characters or plotlines from previous successes to aid in their introduction , but then impart them back shortly afterward . While an anthology likeMarvel ’s What If … ?is the obvious place to sample this scheme , other MCU movies and shows could also gain from it .

What If season 3 poster

Thanos with Captain America and Captain Carter in the MCU

Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, and Peter Quill in What If…? Season 2

Avengers Endgame Original Six Avengers Thanos SR

Marvel’s What If… Season 1 Poster

What If…?

Marvel Cinematic Universe