Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Marvel's What If...? episode 5.

The first season of What If...? is failing to resolve one of Marvel's long-standing issues with its key driving force – the all-powerful Infinity Stones. Despite being the key motivators behind much of the drama throughout several Marvel movies, the objects have been dogged by a sense of narrative confusion. Despite having an opportunity to put those concerns to bed once and for all with the new animated series, it seems that the MCU is instead continuing old mistakes.

The Infinity Stones have been arguably the most significant objects in the entire MCU to date. Each stone grants the holder power over an essential aspect of existence, namely: Space; Mind, Reality, Power, Time, and Soul. Wielded together, the user is capable of remaking existence to his or her will. During the Infinity Saga, for instance, the titan Thanos was able to harness the Infinity Stones to eradicate half of all life in the universe. Given the dire consequences if the stones should fall into the wrong hands, their protection has been a priority for several superheroes over the years.

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Although the ramifications of using the Infinity Stones are clearly outlined during the tragic ending of Avengers: Infinity War, there remain some serious question marks over the objects. Specifically, throughout Phase 1, the exact powers and abilities imbued by a particular Stone were often unclear, with the effect often conveniently changing according to the needs of a plot of a particular movie. This retconning of what a particular stone could do led to some confusion throughout early Marvel movies. This is a trend that, unfortunately for viewers, has continued with What If...?

Thanos Infinity Stones Feature

A clear example of this can be found in What If...? episode 5. In this particular episode, the world is overrun with a zombie virus that even affects the Avengers. As survivors struggle to find a cure, it is revealed that one of the only deterrents for the zombie hordes is a low-level frequency emitted by the Mind Stone. Not only is this the first time that this ability is mentioned in the MCU, but it is also suspiciously convenient that it serves to repel zombies. This follows a trend established in movies like The Avengers: Age Of Ultron, in which the Stone seems to pick up new powers almost at will – such as the ability to grant sentient life to a computer program.

While the Mind Stone is the most obvious example from What If...? it's by no means the only time that an Infinity Stone has developed extra powers in order to further a particular plot. However, the fact that this trend is continuing in the new animated series suggests that the MCU still hasn't figured out a way to resolve the problem. It makes sense for some of the most mysterious and powerful objects in the universe to have hidden secrets. Nevertheless, the continual retconning of the Infinity Stones' abilities is a frustrating element across the whole of the MCU.

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Marvel's What If...? releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

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