by Miller C. Lashbrook
Simply asking what would have or could have gone different is an idea reach with narrative possibilities; coupling it with the the revelation at the end of Marvel’s Loki however brings cool possibilities to the table along with story potential for the main universe going forward. And with rumors abound about Spider-Man: No Way Home in December and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in March, What If…? has gone from a neat show to essential viewing for the MCU.
This first episode sets the stage for a show that is bold, beautiful, and action packed. Without credits the episode clocks in at just over 29 minutes but it feels like at least an hour’s worth of story. If you are at all a Marvel fan, you need to be watching this show. Without spoilers, all I can say is that this first episode is everything I wanted.
SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT
We could only begin our venture into the vast multiverse with two things: one, a stellar intro from Jeffrey Wright as the Watcher, two, the First Avenger. This time around though, the First Avenger is not Steve Rogers aka Captain America, but rather Agent Peggy Carter aka Captain Carter.
In a change that made me tear up, this world’s nexus event is Peggy saying that she would like to stay in the room. And as the head writer said in an interview with The Direct, “even in 2021, a woman staying in the room” is a nexus event. This episode highlights how some of the greatest heroes are those that step up even when they aren’t wanted.
This show is a testament of the fact that even getting two seasons of her own show, Hayley Atwell still has a lot to offer in the role of Peggy Carter and it would be a shame if we don’t see her cross back into live action in a future project.
I do not have much else to say about the first episode other than, wow! My expectations have been met and exceeded, and I cannot wait for next week’s episode starring the late Chadwick Boseman. 5/5 Tesseracts 🧊
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