Marvel’s What If…? animated series wraps up with Season 3, just as it hits its stride. Initially designed to explore alternate realities within the MCU, What If…? struggled to distinguish itself, often rehashing familiar MCU plots.
However, Season 3 embraces the weird and unexpected, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible within the multiverse.
The show’s early seasons featured familiar characters and scenarios, but the latest season throws caution to the wind, with episodes like “What If… 1872?” (a Western mashup) and “What If… Howard the Duck Got Hitched?” (a chaotic, offbeat adventure).
The Watcher, voiced by Jeffrey Wright, is finally given room to evolve, moving beyond his cosmic role to explore humanity and heroism.
While the series initially played it safe, leaning on well-known MCU elements, Season 3 breaks free from this mold, experimenting with bizarre and uncharted territory. It’s a wild and fun finale to a show that, despite its flaws, embraced the absurdity of the multiverse.
Though it’s ending, What If…? leaves behind a legacy of missed opportunities, with characters like Shang-Chi, Kate Bishop, and the Eternals getting their time to shine in ways the MCU has largely ignored.
The series concludes with a look at alternate takes on iconic characters, hinting at the creative potential of animation in the MCU.
