Marvel Subtly Included A Sad Peter Quill Easter Egg In What If

Warning: This article contains spoilers for What If...? episode 2.

Marvel's What If...? includes a sad Peter Quill Easter egg, showing Star-Lord's lonely future working at a Dairy Queen after the Ravagers leave him on Earth. What If...? episode 2 creates a big shakeup in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Ravagers take T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) from Earth instead of Peter Quill (voiced by Brian T. Delaney). This change brings prosperity to the universe. T'Challa's Star-Lord helps the Ravagers become the Robin Hoods of the galaxy, fighting for the less fortunate instead of trying to line their own pockets. Additionally, Thanos (Josh Brolin) joins the Ravagers and gives up his life of crime. Because of T'Challa, Thanos realizes there are other ways to bring balance to the universe besides his deadly finger snap from Avengers: Infinity War.

Marvel's change also has other consequences. Because Peter stays on Earth, What If...? erases the events of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Instead of becoming a galaxy-traversing outlaw, Peter takes a job as a Dairy Queen employee. Without the Guardians of the Galaxy by his side, the one-time Star-Lord is an easy target for Ego (Kurt Russell), Peter's Celestial dad. Ego wants to use Peter's Celestial power to help him take over the universe, and now no one's around to stop him. Without any Marvel heroes aiding Peter, Ego's plan could turn out to be more devastating than Thanos' finger snap.

Marvel also includes a sad Peter Quill Easter egg in What If...?. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 shows a bit of Ego and Meredith Quill's (Laura Haddock) love affair. Of course, Ego later put a tumor in Meredith's brain so she wouldn't distract him from his plan to take over the universe. But in 1980, the pair were happy and having fun. After going on a drive, the two wind up at a Dairy Queen, and Ego reveals he planted one of the seeds he hopes to spread throughout the universe nearby. As shown by the Dairy Queen's identical signs in both What If...? and Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Peter works at the same restaurant.

The Dairy Queen Easter egg is a sad callback. Up to this point, Peter's mom has died, he's been denied his trip to the stars, and he's slinging ice cream for minimum wage. In addition, Peter likely has no idea he's working at the same Dairy Queen his mom and dad visited way back when. He's also not aware that the location connects to his mom's demise. After all, Ego kills her so she wouldn't take him away from his plan for his seeds to grow throughout the universe. The place has all that history, and Peter has no idea.

Now the location may be even more tragic. Because T'Challa's Star-Lord changes the timeline in What If...? episode 2, Ego ends up finding Peter at the Dairy Queen. Peter tells him that the restaurant is closed, but Ego doesn't flinch. "What, Peter? Can't spare a little time for dear old Dad?" Ego replies. Now, Ego may be planning Peter's demise at the same place that's so connected with his mother's. It's fitting that Peter works at an ice cream store because Marvel gives him some cold treatment.

More: The MCU Just Fixed A Guardians Of The Galaxy Mistake

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