‘What If…?’ Season 2 Review: Marvel’s Antidote From Within
“Even the darkest of hearts can come to know peace.”
Amidst an unfortunate stretch of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) releases, reception ranging from lukewarm to downright disliked, Marvel Studios offers a distraction of sorts in the form of their hypotheticals-based animated series What If…? The second season has the chance to serve as an antidote for Marvel fans and, in a way, a reminder as well - there are still untapped compelling stories and characters within this universe.
It may be a while before the mainline universe entries build back up to a point of mass intrigue (though they may never again reach the height of the Avengers movies), but this show promises potential to do so, in the least. Marvel fans, hold out hope.
Episode one capitalizes on this ideal, situating viewers within the Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) setting, spring-boarding off the idea that Ronan succeeded in overthrowing Thanos and that, as a result, Nebula decided to join the Nova Corps. It’s here that the aforementioned feeling of hope is truly fostered; the Guardians films are standouts in the MCU canon, and the third film, which released this past summer, is the most well received entry the franchise has seen in this recent phase of releases. It’s clever to send viewers back to this era with the opening episode, and that nostalgia goes a long way. Tie that in with an interesting concept as-is, and you’ve got a solid opening entry.
The Guardians crew, even with some swapped voice-actors, are a comfort to return to once again. Especially in a timeline prior to the Endgame/post-Endgame chaos, the simplicity and familiarity, even with the What If changes, is great. This concept is definitely one of the more specific, odd-ones-out of the season, though, and so it may not appeal to everybody. Fair enough for a show built to find the sweet spots between things that have already been done and things that they’d never do, but still, it may not land with everyone.
Episodes four and eight feel much more widely concerned, and should go down as favorites when it’s all said and done. The former, aside from dominantly featuring Iron Man (an immediate and eternal win), returns to a franchise favorite location from Thor: Ragnarok, roping Gamora in as well to really seal the deal. The latter, episode eight, really pushes the boundaries of the shows’ concept, considering a reality in which the Avengers first assemble all the way back in the year 1602.
The episode sees the core concepts of the team exercised in a unique setting in timeline; it’s a testament to what makes the Avengers so special and compelling in every iteration, no matter the context or setting. In simply being such an outlandish idea, too, it feels like a full extension of What If’s potential. There are no limits to hypotheticals, of course, and it’s nice to see the showrunners loosen up and take that truth to task.
Again, the main Marvel release timeline is facing a real dilemma right now. Since Endgame, they’ve posed more questions for fans than answers; empty resolutions instead of satisfying ones. Prior to this recent stint, almost every Marvel project was, in the least, somewhat well received on the critical front.
As of late, we’ve seen multiple duds in that regard; an overarching hollowness that has undoubtedly carried over into equally disappointing reception from fans, which reflects in the box office, and so on. It’s a line of dominos that is falling continuously for Marvel, and if there is an answer at all, it may be found in the philosophy behind the eighth episode of What If. Perhaps, really, the show as a whole.
On the topic of critical reception, What If’s second season just so happens to be the highest rated Marvel Studios release of the entire year. It currently holds a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is 30% higher than their last theatrical release (The Marvels) and even a solid notch above Guardians 3, which is still easily their most favored theatrical release in years. The show sits above Loki’s second season as well; clearly, a chord has been struck among the masses. Why is that?
Well, it seems clear: people are ready for Marvel to take chances again. What If’s entire concept is essentially based on that charge. The show postulates ideas that spawn as a result of these storytellers asking compelling questions and, most often, compelling questions have compelling answers. There is an antidote to Marvel Studios recent slump, and they’ve already got it in hand.
The rest of this second season is only further proof in the pudding. Episode two sees an alternative universe in which Peter Quill is a villain with a vendetta against earth after Yondu went through with delivering him to Ego, as was originally planned. He faces off against a unique Avengers squad featuring the likes Hank Pym and Howard Stark, in addition to series mainstay Peggy Carter and Avengers frequent Thor.
That adventure is chased by what is essentially a Christmas special featuring Happy Hogan, Justin Hammer, and, for the first time in the MCU, a purple Hulk. Without diving into the specifics (do yourself the favor and watch it), the third episode utilizes the momentum from the first and second and delivers a great deal of fun and fresh intrigue. Not every episode is this good, but the fact that an episode like this even exists is an awesome win for Marvel fans. All of this, and the visual presentation remains consistently great, as well as the complex and varied voice acting and character presentations across the board. There is no reason to be reserved about this one; by all means, dive in.
The aforementioned Marvel fans should find themselves more than satisfied with What If’s second season. After a long year of hits, misses, and just about everything in between, Marvel has rounded it off with a string of certified successes that suggest the studio and its storytellers may have gas left in the tank after all.