Caution: spoilers ahead for What If...?'s season 1 finale
What If...? there was just one more collection of animated MCU Easter eggs to pore over? Disney+'s What If...? has given Marvel fans an enthralling, offbeat ride through alternate paths the MCU franchise could've taken. Captain Carter instead of Captain America, Thor growing up without Loki, T'Challa joining the Ravagers in lieu of Peter Quill, Tony Stark being an entitled and egotistical billionaire who dies in the end (that last one might not count, actually) - all fascinatingly fresh takes on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But What If...? wouldn't be a Marvel story if there wasn't a big ol' crossover at the end.
Last week's What If...? episode introduced a reality where Ultron succeeded in inhabiting Vision's body and was consequently able to defeat the Avengers, achieving his aim of protecting the Earth by *checks notes* getting rid of humanity. Things really got wild when Ultron took possession of Thanos' Infinity Stones and began spreading his anti-life rhetoric across multiple universes. Finally, The Watcher was forced to intervene, and episode 9 has an idea... an idea to bring together a group of What If...? season 1 characters to become something more. The lucky winners are Captain Carter, Star-Lord T'Challa, Erik Killmonger, Gamora, Party Thor, Strange Supreme and, late to the party, Black Widow.
The Watcher's team successfully beat Ultron and protect the multiverse, but they do so whilst dropping one final batch of inter-dimensional Easter eggs for fans to enjoy. There are callbacks to previous episodes, of course, but also tributes to MCU movies, Marvel comic nods, and casual name-drops. These are the Easter eggs we found in What If...? episode 9.
The Lemurian Star
What If...? season 1 began by adapting Captain America: The First Avenger but with Peggy Carter in the leading role, so it's fitting that the finale kicks off by animating that movie's sequel. The What If...? season 1 finale opens on the Lemurian Star - the SHIELD vessel from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Peggy attacking the same boat as Steve Rogers implies that since accidentally jumping into the modern day, Captain Carter's MCU arc has played out more or less identically to Captain America's.
Georges Batroc (& Peggy Giving Crossbones' Briefing)
Captain Carter's briefing introduces the hijackers' top mercenary, Georges Batroc. Played by Georges St-Pierre, Batroc appeared in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Disney+'s Falcon & The Winter Soldier TV series. The same actor returns to lend his voice in What If...?'s season 1 finale.
Not necessarily an MCU Easter egg (but an intriguing detail nonetheless), Peggy is giving the Lemurian Star mission briefing herself. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Crossbones does the honors while Steve Rogers listens alongside the other soldiers. Peggy handling the pre-match talk suggests she's a more active member of SHIELD than Captain America in the MCU.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Parallels
Beyond the presence of the Lemurian Star and Batroc, What If...? episode 9's intro sequence contains many other parallels to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Peggy's briefing dialogue is almost identical to Crossbones', while Black Widow teasing her super soldier pal about potential love interests happened with Natasha and Steve in live-action. Peggy mimics Steve's jump from the plane, and Batroc challenges Captain Carter to fight without her shield, which is the same gambit he made with Rogers (just as unsuccessfully).
Captain Carter's Sequel Costume Copies Captain America
When Captain Carter debuted in What If...?'s season 1 premiere, her costume was blue with Great Britain's red, white and blue Union Jack emblazoned across her torso. During the Lemurian Star mission, she's wearing a sleeker, more subtle uniform with a smaller, silver Union Jack design. This is exactly the same fashion evolution Chris Evans made between the MCU's Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, with his colorful American flag changing to gray.
Peggy's A Good Dancer Too
When Batroc politely requests Captain Carter do battle with fists instead of a solid vibranium Frisbee, she happily accepts, replying, "I'm a pretty good dancer too." This line is a callback to Peggy and Steve's promise to share a dance in the MCU, which Cap had to miss due to being trapped under a glacier for several decades. As excuses go, that's a pretty good one.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Ships
Better late than never, as What If...? returns to episode 2's cliffhanger ending. Ego the Living Planet is absorbing Peter Quill at his Dairy Queen workplace, and Ravager M-Ships are fighting back. The leading vessel looks suspiciously like the Milano Quill flew in his original MCU timeline.
GOTG2's Blue Goo Dairy Queen
Absorbing his son's power, Ego has covered the Dairy Queen establishment in a big lump of glowing blue goo, which rips directly from James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. When Kurt Russell's live-action Ego triggered his masterplan, the seeds he spread across the galaxy began sprouting blue gunk, resulting in the very same Dairy Queen visual What If...? uses.
Nidavellir & Eitri
In a brand new What If...? universe, The Watcher drops in on the odd couple of Tony Stark and Gamora. He finds them on Nidavellir - the neutron star introduced in Avengers: Infinity War when Thor needed a new weapon and constructed Stormbreaker. We also see a brief glimpse of animated Eitri, who was played by Peter Dinklage on the big screen.
Gamora Has Thanos' Armor & Weapons
The Gamora variant chosen to join The Watcher's anti-Ultron squad is adorned very differently to how MCU fans will remember Zoe Saldana's character. Indeed, What If...?'s Gamora is wearing the golden armor of her adopted father, Thanos, and now wields his double-ended blade also. The Watcher refers to Gamora as "destroyer of Thanos," which implies she offed her old man and swiped his gear. This also explains why What If...? episode 9 shows Eitri destroying the Infinity Gauntlet.
Tony Stark's New Hulkbuster Gear (What If...?'s Lost Episode)
Alongside Gamora is Tony Stark, wearing an altered version of his Hulkbuster armor from Avengers: Age of Ultron. Many What If...? fans will be confused at this point, and that's due to a planned season 1 episode that was mysteriously dropped. Reportedly called "What If...? Iron Man Landed On Sakaar," this episode likely explains how Stark and Gamora come to be best friends.
Wrap A Suit Of... Yeah, We Get It
Stark just can't help himself, selling Gamora on the idea of wrapping a suit of armor around the galaxy, not just the world. Iron Man has said this famous MCU quote before in What If...?, but the line was first spoken in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
"Not you, Stark"
The Watcher brutally dismisses Iron Man with "not you, Stark" before returning his attention to Gamora. This is surely What If...? riffing on both Tony's neutron star-sized ego, and his role as the center of Marvel's Cinematic Universe.
Shuri's Vibranium Gauntlets
Picking up from What If...? episode 6, Shuri and Pepper Potts lead a rebellion against Killmonger's rule of Wakanda, only to find The Watcher has already whisked Erik away. As a young Shuri bursts into the Wakandan throne room, she's briefly seen carrying vibranium laser gauntlets. These quickly became Shuri's trademark weapons after being featured in the likes of Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame, and she clearly had the lethal gloves built at a much younger age than most parents would approve of.
What If...? Copies Thor: Ragnarok's Screaming Scene
As The Watcher transports Party Thor from Las Vegas to his multiverse HQ, the Asgardian screams wildly before realizing he's in a pub surrounded by others staring at him. In Thor: Ragnarok, a captured Thor is whisked through a dizzying tunnel to meet The Grandmaster. Once again, Chris Hemsworth screams, then opens his eyes to see a crowd of confused onlookers when the ride is over.
Doctor Strange, Thor's Bartender
Assembling in Strange Supreme's inter-dimensional pub, the sorcerer greets his new comrades from behind the bar, prompting Thor to ask for a beer. Strange magics up a beverage for the thirsty Asgardian, and this is a clear nod toward Thor: Ragnarok, where Benedict Cumberbatch would whisk up unlimited ale refills for Thor in Sanctum Sanctorum.
The Watcher Is A Cosmic Nick Fury
Jeffrey Wright's Watcher explains that he initially sought one great hero to save the multiverse from Ultron, before realizing he needed a team instead. This speech riffs on Nick Fury's famous "there was an idea" monologue from 2012's The Avengers - particularly the bit about becoming "something more."
The Council Of Guardians
The Watcher officially dubs his What If...? superhero team the "Guardians of the Multiverse," which is plainly a play on "Guardians of the Galaxy." Although there's no Guardians of the Multiverse team in Marvel comic lore, there is the much-less-catchy Council of the Guardians of all Galaxies. Functioning precisely as the name implies, this group was essentially a multiverse squad made up of various Guardians of the Galaxy members, making them the closest counterparts for What If...?'s Guardians of the Multiverse.
Strange Supreme Copies Wong's Infinity Stone Explanation
Naturally, Strange Supreme is left to explain the Ultron situation and fill the heroes in about the Infinity Stones' limitless power when brought together. The explanation he gives is very close to Wong's demonstration in Avengers: Infinity War, including the mystic PowerPoint presentation and lines like "each control an essential aspect of existence."
Doctor Strange's Duplication Spell
While fighting Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Strange channeled Naruto Uzumaki and used a duplication spell to generate dozens of clones, all capable of attacking individually. Strange Supreme employs the same technique during the opening phase of What If...?'s climactic Ultron battle, with Party Thor tossing his hammer toward the android and Strange multiplying it, creating hundreds of Mjolnirs that clang into Ultron's metallic frame.
Captain Carter Hitches a Ride
Captain Carter hitches a ride on T'Challa's back to launch an aerial attack against Ultron. Her positioning and the framing of this shot closely mirror when Carter rode Steve Rogers' Hydra Stomper all the way back in What If...?'s opening episode. The robot was a little more roomy.
Captain Carter... Is Worthy?
Gliding back down to the planet's surface, Captain Carter briefly seizes the handle of Mjolnir as it flies through the air. Since both are in motion, it's impossible to say whether Captain Carter is worthy enough to momentarily lift Mjolnir, or whether she just grabs the hammer as it crashes to the ground. Either way, this scene is almost certainly a nod to the iconic Avengers: Endgame moment where Captain America took up Mjolnir against Thanos.
Yondu's Sticky Fingers
Nabbing the Soul Stone right out of Ultron's chest, T'Challa remembers one of Yondu's wisest teachings - "never doubt sticky fingers." The duo used their "sticky fingers" technique back in What If...? episode 2 to seize the controller for The Collector's cages.
Zombie Cap, Falcon & Hawkeye
When Strange Supreme opens a portal and dumps a dimension full of zombies directly onto Ultron's head, hawk-eyed viewers will be able to spot episode 5's zombie versions of Captain America, Falcon, and Hawkeye at the front of the deluge.
Black Widow's Ivan & Alexei
The Guardians of the Multiverse meet Black Widow from the same post-apocalyptic world Ultron hails from, and she's naturally suspicious about this collection of Avenger variants. To prove her friendship with Natasha's alternate self, Captain Carter name-drops "Ivan" and "Alexei." Natasha's biological father was first mentioned when Red Skull referred to her as "daughter of Ivan" in Avengers: Endgame, while Alexei is a nod to Red Guardian, who debuted in Black Widow.
Black Widow Trusts Three People
Peggy also claims that her universe's Black Widow trusts only 3 people, herself being one of them. Hawkeye is obviously another, but the third character is a matter of debate. Nick Fury makes a strong case, but the line might also reference Yelena Belova - Natasha's sister introduced in Black Widow. Though they share an incredibly close bond, Natasha never mentioned Yelena during her 10 years+ in the MCU, but this What If...? line might go some way toward rectifying that.
Avengers: Endgame's Infinity Stone Chase
The fight between Ultron and the Guardians of the Multiverse breaks down into a scrappy chase for the removed Soul Stone, with the heroes working together to keep the orange gem from Ultron's cold clutches. The sequence is essentially a rewrite of the final Avengers: Endgame battle, where the Avengers played keep-away with Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet.
Avengers: Age Of Ultron Battle Homage
The Guardians of the Multiverse surround Ultron and each take a turn beating on their metallic opponent - Peggy with her shield, Gamora with Thanos' sword, Strange with mystic blasts, etc. The way the camera pans around while each hero delivers their signature attack feels remarkably like the Battle of Sokovia in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where the Avengers faced off against a tsunami of Ultron bots inside a collapsed church.
Avengers: Infinity War's Thanos Battle
Continuing to draw from MCU Avengers battles of the past, What If...? season 1's finale sees the heroes hold down Ultron using Doctor Strange's mystic chains, while Gamora's Infinity Crusher attempts removing the stones from Vision's body. This is something of a sibling scene to Avengers: Infinity War, where Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Gamora, Drax and Mantis hold back Thanos while Iron Man rips the Gauntlet from his hand. They would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for that pesky Star-Lord.
And 2012's The Avengers Isn't Left Out Either
Completing the full set of Avenger movie tributes, the camera pans around each Guardian of the Multiverse in a circular formation, just as it did in 2012 when the original Avengers team assembled in New York City. This scene was glimpsed in What If...?'s trailer, but packs way more punch with the proper context.
Red Guardian's Shield Breaks (Peggy's Doesn't)
In a neat example of What If...?'s attention to detail, Red Guardian's shield shatters under pressure from Ultron's Infinity Stone power, while Captain Carter's remains resolute. This is a subtle indication of how Cap's shield (both Carter's and Rogers') was made from vibranium, while the Russians built Red Guardian's from regular metal.
Zola Wants Hydra's Domination
Internally introducing himself to Ultron, Arnim Zola (voiced again by Toby Jones) recalls how he sought Hydra's domination once upon a time. This line calls back not only to Captain America: The First Avenger, where Zola worked as a subordinate of Red Skull, but also to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which revealed Zola had nurtured Hydra's presence within SHIELD since the end of World War II.
Killmonger's Black Panther Musical Theme
Killmonger betrays his fellow Guardians of the Multiverse and seizes the Infinity Stones for himself, because of course he does. When the villain turns around and reveals his new Ultron-inspired form, there's a brief pipe-based musical cue, very similar to Ludwig Göransson's Killmonger theme from Black Panther.
Arnim Zola's Comic Book Form
When What If...? reintroduced Arnim Zola inside Ultron's body in last week's episode, many interpreted the hybrid as a tribute to Zola's comic book history, where he exists inside an artificial body. What If...? season 1's finale dives even deeper down that rabbit hole, with Arnim Zola inside Vision's physical form, but appearing through a screen in the android's stomach. This is the closest Toby Jones' MCU character has come to his most famous comic book appearance.
Peggy Carter's Endgame Ending
After the battle is over, Captain Carter asks The Watcher whether it's possible to return to her original time, begging, "haven't I earned my happy ending?" The scene is essentially Peggy being tempted by the same choice Steve Rogers faced after helping defeat Thanos, except he didn't ask permission, and took the Quantum Realm Express straight to Peggy Carter's house in the past.
The World Needs Captain America/Carter
According to The Watcher, Peggy's future timeline needs Captain Carter, and if her narrative continues progressing down the same MCU road after Captain America: The Winter Soldier's events, the big man in the sky isn't wrong, Peggy is still to face Thanos, redeem someone she loves, and fight for liberty against the Sokovia Accords.
Nick Fury's Makeshift Avengers
Since Ultron's original world is a lost cause, The Watcher agrees to leave Black Widow in the universe from What If...? episode 3, where an angry Hank Pym killed off Nick Fury's potential Avenger recruits, and Loki decided to invade after helping uncover the culprit. What If...?'s season 1 finale continues that story, with Loki fighting who he calls "replacement Avengers." These apparently include Captain America (who Pym couldn't kill under several tons of ice), Captain Marvel (who Fury still had the pager for), and... er, that's it.
Peter Quill Gets To Be Star-Lord
Returning to the moment he was dropped off, T'Challa resumes defending the Missouri branch of Dairy Queen from Ego. In a cute moment, he gives Peter Quill one of Star-Lord's trademark pistols, temporarily allowing him to become a proper Guardian of the Galaxy.
Is Steve Rogers The New Winter Soldier?
What If...? episode 9's post-credits sequence sees Peggy Carter confronted with the Hydra Stomper again, which is what Batroc's mercenaries were trying to get their hands on in her universe. Black Widow confirms there's a person inside, giving Peggy hope of reuniting with Steve. This feels eerily like what happened to Bucky Barnes in main MCU continuity, and Steve did get captured by Hydra during What If...? episode 1. The post-credits scene hints that when Peggy Carter took Steve Rogers' place, Steve Rogers took Bucky Barnes' place, and this universe's retelling of Captain America: The Winter Soldier will pit lover against lover, rather than friend against friend.
What If...? will return for season 2 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
