Caution: spoilers ahead for What If...? episode 6
Here are all the MCU and Marvel Easter eggs as What If...? episode 6 rewrites another chapter of superhero history. Following last week's zombie extravaganza, What If...? returns to more familiar territory, focusing on how the MCU might've changed if Tony Stark and Erik Killmonger crossed paths in Afghanistan, but those hoping Marvel would ease up after 2 straight episodes of doom and destruction get a rude awakening. Killmonger takes a different (but no less bloody) path toward the same overarching goal of vengeance upon Wakanda, causing a far graver outcome than he managed in Black Panther.
Drawing from across MCU canon, What If...? episode 6 twists strands from Iron Man and Black Panther, incorporating plenty of voices fans will recognize. Returnees include Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Jon Favreau, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Don Cheadle, and Andy Serkis. Tony Stark is once again voiced by Mike Wingert, while Pepper Potts, General Ross and Shuri also have new actors.
What If...? episode 6's Easter egg haul is perhaps the most eclectic yet, delivering jokes at the MCU's expense, real-world meta allusions, and deliberate parallels to past movies. These are all of the Marvel references made during Erik Killmonger's remixed rise to power.
Iron Man 2008 Scenes Repeated
What If...? episode 6 opens in near-identical fashion to 2008's Iron Man, with Tony Stark riding a military transport through Afghanistan. The soldiers taking a backseat photo copies the live-action movie scene virtually word-for-word, gang signs included, and the Ten Rings attack closely follows Jon Favreau's original direction. Strangely, What If...? changes a few minor details along the way. Some dialogue is removed (no doubt for pacing purposes), and the song played inside the truck is no longer AC/DC's "Back In Black."
Why Killmonger Is In Afghanistan
The MCU's Erik Killmonger is a highly decorated Navy SEAL, but his presence wasn't felt until a decade after Iron Man's big screen debut. Killmonger serving in Afghanistan pulls straight from Black Panther's dialogue, in which the villain mentioned touring the Middle-Eastern state. What If...? reinterprets Killmonger's vague MCU backstory to bring he and Stark together in the same place at the same time.
Tony Stark's MCU Highlights
Past What If...? episodes included brief animated recaps of what should have transpired in MCU continuity, before delving into the alternate scenario proper. Killmonger's story is no different, and we witness a cartoon Tony Stark building his very first rudimentary Iron Man costume, assembling the Avengers during the Battle of New York and, snapping Thanos out of existence in Avengers: Endgame.
Killmonger Steals Happy's Promotion
Striking up an immediate BFF relationship with Erik Killmonger, Tony Stark appoints the soldier his new chief security officer. Happy Hogan quips to Pepper, "that was supposed to be my promotion." This line is a nod toward Iron Man 3, where Happy actually did get promoted to Stark Industries' head of security. Apparently, he had his eye on the gig a while beforehand.
Christine Everhart (& Leslie Bibb) Return
What If...? seems to like Leslie Bibb's MCU character, Christine Everhart. The journalist made her live-action debut in 2008's Iron Man, interviewing Tony Stark before getting up close and personal later that evening. Everhart returns in What If...? under slightly different circumstances, asking a question at Stark's press conference, but not making that same one-on-one connection. The reporter is again voiced by Bibb, who was also heard in Doctor Strange's What If...? episode.
Killmonger Prevents Iron Monger
The plot of 2008's Iron Man sees Obadiah Stane attempt to usurp Tony Stark as Stark Industries' CEO by arranging the Ten Rings assassination hit. When Stark survives, he makes the transformation into Iron Monger and takes a DIY approach instead. Thanks to Killmonger, however, the Obadiah problem is solved inside a few short minutes. Erik has already deduced Stane was responsible for the Afghanistan attack, and exposes him in full view of the world's press. As a result, Stane never makes the leap to becoming Iron Monger, and one MCU problem is successfully averted.
The Ten Rings Logo
Killmonger whips out his receipts to prove Obadiah Stane's guilt, and the faint outline of a Ten Rings logo can be seen among the files - right next to an image of the aspiring Stark Industries CEO. It's the same logo used throughout the MCU, but now holds a deeper significance following Shang-Chi & The Legend of the Ten Rings.
Happy Hogan's Boxing Career
After Stane's plot is revealed, Happy Hogan activates bodyguard mode and drops the double-crossing villain with a mean right hook. The scene is a nod to Happy's pre-MCU boxing career, which is his backstory in the Marvel comic books too. What If...?'s zombie episode also referenced Happy's skills in the ring.
Killmonger Takes Pepper's Job Too
Not content with stealing Happy Hogan's promotion, Killmonger accepts Tony Stark's offer to become his new chief operating officer following the abrupt firing of Obadiah Stane. Pepper Potts overhears the exchange and, just like Happy, isn't especially pleased. This scene is a homage to Iron Man 2, where Pepper herself landed the coveted COO gig, but that was before Killmonger started collecting Stark Industries jobs on his Infinity Gauntlet of employment.
Tony Stark Predicts His Death (Again)
In Avengers: Endgame, several Robert Downey Jr. lines foreshadowed his final act sacrifice. Tony Stark almost certainly realized defeating Thanos would cost his life, warning Steve Rogers how "time messes back" and, with his trademark dark humor, claiming that reversing the snap would result in the Avengers' "collective demise." Although events play out differently in What If...?, Stark once again predicts his own death, comparing himself and Killmonger to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Tony Stark Wants To Be Sundance
Another interesting detail in Stark's "Butch & Sundance" metaphor comes when he clarifies "I'm Sundance" as Pepper walks away. This might have something to do with Sundance being played by Robert Redford - the MCU's own Alexander Pierce, the Secretary of Defense who clashed with Stark after the Battle of New York. Tony wanting to be Robert Redford creates a moment of meta comedy that only What If...? could get away with.
A Rhodey Retcon
It's widely known that the MCU originally cast Terrence Howard as Rhodey in 2008's Iron Man, only for Don Cheadle to take the role from Iron Man 2 onward. What If...? episode 6 takes place during Iron Man's timeline, but when the animated Rhodey makes his first appearance, the character is Cheadle's version. Marvel fans wouldn't have expected anything else, but it's interesting that the franchise is attempting to rewrite the current War Machine into early MCU history.
Tony Stark's Ford Hotrod
Tony Stark's beloved Ford Flathead Roadster appears in both Iron Man and Iron Man 2 - a classic car that the billionaire loves to tinker with when he's not being rich, acting like a playboy, flexing his genius or doing philanthropy. When Tony and Killmonger enter Stark's workshop, the Hotrod can be spotted at the very end of a sports car lineup.
Tony's Jericho Repulsor Tech
Also in Tony Stark's workshop, Killmonger curiously picks up a prototype he identifies as "repulsor tech." Repulsors are the main palm-mounted weapons Stark wields on his Iron Man armor, and it's fascinating to see his early repulsor designs in What If...?. Stark explains to Killmonger how he wanted to condense the Jericho missile into a portable firearm - Jericho being the reason Stark was visiting Afghanistan in the first place.
A Dum-E Cameo
Stealing the repulsor gun right out of Killmonger's hands is Dum-E, the robot Tony Stark built as a prodigious youngster. Dum-E appears throughout the MCU alongside his inventively-titled partner Dum-U, usually aiding Tony in building more wacky creations.
Howard Stark's Definition Of Peace
Killmonger quotes Howard Stark as saying, "peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy." This quote was first spoken by Tony during his interview with Christine Everhart in Iron Man. Killmonger echoing Howard proves the Wakandan has done his research in What If...?
Michael B. Jordan's Anime Love
Killmonger finally triggers his masterplan, subtly dropping his combat drone project into conversation with Tony Stark. Perusing the designs, Stark is taken aback by the exaggerated aesthetic, to which Killmonger explains, "I like anime." The line was very likely inspired by Michael B. Jordan's own interest in Japanese animation, which led to Killmonger's MCU costume being based on Vegeta's Saiyan armor from Dragon Ball Z. Jordan has also spoken of his love for Naruto, Attack on Titan, and more.
Gundam Wing
Another of Michael B. Jordan's top anime picks is Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, which receives a direct mention in this week's What If...? episode. The "Gundams" of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing are hi-tech battle mech units, not entirely unlike the drone army Killmonger builds - hence why Stark compares the design to "the world's most expensive Gundam model."
Paul Bettany's JARVIS Voice
Most of What If...?'s MCU alumni are easy to spot, but hiding in episode 6 is Paul Bettany, reprising his role as Tony Stark's AI, JARVIS. Bettany's voice can be heard in the background while Tony and Killmonger are taking a break in the workshop.
Killmonger Gets Iron Man's Test Video
Back when Tony Stark was building his first full armor in Iron Man, he would film test runs to document the process. The same happens while Tony and Killmonger work on the Liberators in What If...?, but this time it's the latter starring in the demo reel. The home movie style is consistent in both scenes, suggesting What If...?'s engineering montage was absolutely intended as a tribute to Tony crafting Iron Man's suit in the main MCU.
Tony's Arc Reactor Idea
Spitballing engineering ideas with Killmonger, Tony Stark considers powering the combat drones using miniaturized arc reactors. In another life, Stark implanted an arc reactor into his chest, avoiding death after the missile explosion in Afghanistan. Scaling down the technology successfully, arc reactors would later power each of Stark's Iron Man armors. Alongside the prototype repulsor from earlier, this What If...? line highlights how the "Iron Man" concept is still rattling around in Tony's brain somewhere. Nevertheless, it's strange that alt-Stark would dismiss the miniature arc reactor as "dumb" when his prime MCU counterpart was defined by it.
Killmonger's Royal Ring
With Tony dismissing the miniaturized arc reactor as a mere flight of fancy, Killmonger suggests melted down vibranium as a power source, producing a ring from around his neck. Though he claims the trinket was picked up as a black market impulse buy (a lie to prevent Stark discovering Erik's true lineage), this is the Wakandan royal ring worn by Killmonger's father, N'Jobu. A young Erik took the ring after N'Jobu's death and wore it as a necklace until arriving back in Wakanda as an adult.
Captain America's Shield
When Tony Stark tells Killmonger than the western world's last batch of vibranium was used up "during the war." He is, of course, talking about Captain America's shield, which Howard Stark constructed from the famously hardy Wakandan metal.
Vibranium's Iron Man 2 Homage
Examining Killmonger's vibranium ring, Tony throws up a hologram of its atomic structure, surrounding the room with bright blue atoms. This visual is designed to mimic the Iron Man 2 moment where Tony's father (from beyond the grave) helped his son discover a replacement for palladium.
Age Of Ultron's Wakanda Reference
The first tease of Wakanda in the MCU came via Avengers: Age of Ultron, which mentioned the country by name and listed Ulysses Klaue's vibranium-stocked HQ as " Salvage Yard, African Coast." Many fans immediately suspected Klaue would become deeply involved with Wakanda in the MCU, and so it ultimately proved. What If...? copies Avengers: Age of Ultron by once again using the "Salvage Yard, African Coast" as a text description.
Klaue's Age Of Ultron Mercenary
Though Ulysses Klaue does the talking (as if he'd let anyone else do it), another familiar face can be spotted at the Churchill shipyard base. The goon wearing a black band around his head appeared in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where he was portrayed by Bentley Kalu.
Killmonger's Upgraded Sonic Taser
As per Killmonger's designs, the vibranium deal between Ulysses Klaue and Rhodey is interrupted by the arrival of Black Panther. This allows Michael B. Jordan's villain to not only steal the precious metal, but also get rid of T'Challa. To kill his cousin, Killmonger uses a weapon he calls the "sonic taser," which Obadiah Stane tortured Tony Stark with in Iron Man. Killmonger's version is obviously a more lethal upgrade.
The Iron Man 3 Holographic Crime Scene
Tony Stark uses JARVIS to record a holographic replay of the Churchill incident, thus proving Killmonger has betrayed him. This very same technology was used in Iron Man 3 to recreate the crime scene of a deadly theater bombing.
Tony Stark's Control Bracelet
In the prime MCU, Robert Downey Jr.'s character wears a bracelet allowing remote control of his Iron Man armors. A very similar bracelet is used to activate the Liberator drone in What If...?, marking a third instance of Iron Man technology used for non-Iron-Man purposes in episode 6.
Tony Stark Can't Stop Dying
Like Kenny from South Park, dying is rapidly becoming Tony Stark's gimmick in the MCU. Stark experienced a vision of his own death in Avengers: Age of Ultron, then kicked the bucket for real in Avengers: Endgame. Since premiering in August, What If...? has killed Tony Stark via poisoning, zombie virus, and now vibranium spear. Perhaps the What If...? writers had a competition to see who could give Iron Man the most inventive death scene.
Tony Stark Can't Avoid His Ultron Fate
In spite of the massive diversion Tony Stark's life takes in What If...? episode 6, he still repeats the same big mistake from Avengers: Age of Ultron. In live-action, Tony created an Iron Legion to protect the world, but his vision was hijacked by Ultron, proving AI couldn't be trusted for safeguarding Earth. Despite not becoming Iron Man, What If...? sees Stark build an army of Liberator drones, which essentially serve the same purpose - designed for good, retrofitted for evil.
Killmonger Carries Klaue Into Wakanda
Stark isn't the only character who can't seem to avoid fate during What If...? episode 6. In Black Panther, Killmonger used Ulysses Klaue as an ally right up until entering Wakanda, at which point Erik lived up to his nickname and slaughtered Andy Serkis' character on the spot, marching the corpse into Wakanda as a trophy. Even though Killmonger's plan in What If...? is completely different, the Klaue aspect remains untouched. Just as Tony Stark was always destined to inflict Ultron upon the world, Erik Killmonger was always destined to murder Ulysses Klaue.
Mt. Bashenga
Killmonger snakes his way into T'Chaka's heart by recalling stories of Mt. Bashenga, and this little tug on the king's emotions has the desired effect. Mt. Bashenga is where the vibranium meteorite crashed into Wakanda, and where Black Panther battles his cousin in primary MCU continuity. This vital location was named after Wakanda's original Black Panther, and the man who first thought the heart-shaped herb looked tasty.
T'Challa's White Outfit
When Killmonger meets T'Challa on the ancestral plane reserved for those who ingested the purple herb, the former Black Panther is dressed in a white ceremonial outfit. It's almost identical to the costume Chadwick Boseman wears when visiting the ancestral plane himself in Black Panther, even though he was on the other side of the conversation back then.
Killmonger Becomes The Gold Black Panther
In Black Panther, Killmonger seized the throne from his cousin and forcibly became the new Black Panther, adopting a similar suit to T'Challa but with gold adornments instead of silver. After taking the heart-shaped herb in What If...?, Erik is clad in more or less the same modified suit from live-action.
"Avenge Tony Stark" Poster
In this fracture of the multiverse, Tony Stark never became Iron Man or helped form the Avengers, but his unfulfilled destiny is referenced by this poster, which tells the American people that only they can avenge Tony Stark's death. It's a tragic mirror of the MCU narrative we know and love. Whereas Tony Stark once promised if he couldn't save the world, he'd be damn sure to avenge it; now his colleagues are now asking the public to avenge him.
Killmonger Just Became The MCU Palpatine
The many MCU fans who also enjoy a spot of Star Wars might've noticed how similar Killmonger's What If...? plan is to Emperor Palpatine's. Both create artificial armies and play two sides against each other, fighting for one while secretly arming the other, all with the ultimate intention of seizing power when the dust settles. Now Killmonger just needs to return... somehow.
What If...? streams every Wednesday on Disney+.
Key Release Dates
-
Eternals
Release Date:2021-11-05 -
Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
Release Date:2022-05-06 -
Thor: Love and Thunder
Release Date:2022-07-08 -
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Release Date:2022-11-11 -
captain marvel 2
Release Date:2023-07-28 -
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Release Date:2023-02-17 -
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release Date:2023-05-05
