Marvel's "What If?" series

[Wavicle]

On 9/8/2021 at 6:33 PM, Techwright said:

Spoiler

Zombie Thanos already had the Time Stone, but that's why Ebony Maw was dispatched to Bleeker Street. 

 

 

Spoiler

Thanos got the Time Stone some time after the Bleeker Street fight.

 

What's there to explain?

Edited September 12, 2021 by Wavicle

[DougGraves]

Before I bother watching this episode - does a hero fight another hero in it?

[Techwright]

5 hours ago, DougGraves said:

Before I bother watching this episode - does a hero fight another hero in it?

Only very briefly, like for a few seconds of confusion.  No this is definitely a villain verses the heroes kind of episode.

 

Good episode, in my opinion.  Definitely took things in an unexpected direction.  I do have a grievance with one element of the episode, though, although it is minor in light of the whole.

Spoiler

I'm not happy by how they glossed over the frame-up at the vibranium theft.  Both Waukanda and the USA would be pouring over that room looking for detailed forensic evidence (fingerprints, DNA, angles of attack, etc.) long before pointing fingers of blame.  Seeing a unique gun into the hands of a dead man is not cause to start a war without so much more.

 

Likewise glossing over Eric showing up and saying "Yeah, I'm USA special ops, and we're at war, but I love Waukanda!" is not enough.  Public renouncement of his US rank and citizenship, severing all ties with the past should have come first.  Yes, I know T'Chaka had a guilty conscience.  Still need the clean break.

 

 

Anyone else notice that each episode the Watcher seems to be brought more and more into the spotlight?  A previous episode had him spotted by one in the story, this episode, I think, is the first time he's not been just a ghostly image in the background.  Makes me wonder if they're building towards something.

 

[Techwright]

Episode 7 thoughts:

 

Spoiler

I personally found this to be the weakest episode of the series so far.  Nothing weighty to it, save for the very ending.  Even the "T'challa as Star Lord" episode felt a bit weightier than this.  About the only interesting thing was the number of guest voice actors reprising their roles from the live action version.

 

That had to have been the longest Bifrost portal travel in history.  The number of clean-ups and repairs would take days.  Even Quicksilver would not reverse things that fast.  I felt like I was watching a Looney Toons cartoon rather than a light-hearted episode of "What If...?".

 

That said, the ending clearly will have effect for the next two episodes, and I'm quite liking the idea.  Seeing the Watcher genuinely surprised was unexpected and fun, as well.

 

[Mr. Vee]

It was about what I expected, pointless and dad jokey 

Spoiler

but the big question I had with it - how did he have Mjolnir? Does leaving Loki with the frost giants transform the whole concept of worthiness in that universe to keg stands or something?

 

[Glacier Peak]

I think the real plot hole that needs addressed here is...

 

Spoiler

If only the worthy can lift Mjolnir, why is Captain Marvel still breathing? Shouldn't the weight of a dying star collapsing create enough force to prevent her diaphragm from expanding to inhale air? I NEED ANSWERS PEOPLE, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SUSPEND DISBELIEF! 🤣

 

[Ulysses Dare]

21 hours ago, Mr. Vee said:

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but the big question I had with it - how did he have Mjolnir? Does leaving Loki with the frost giants transform the whole concept of worthiness in that universe to keg stands or something?

 

 

20 hours ago, Glacier Peak said:

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If only the worthy can lift Mjolnir, why is Captain Marvel still breathing? Shouldn't the weight of a dying star collapsing create enough force to prevent her diaphragm from expanding to inhale air? I NEED ANSWERS PEOPLE, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SUSPEND DISBELIEF! 🤣

 

 

The answer is simple. The worthiness test is a curse placed on Mjølnir by Odin after Thor disobeyed him. Clearly that never happened in this timeline.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Ulysses Dare

[biostem]

1 hour ago, Ulysses Dare said:

The answer is simple. The worthiness test is a curse placed on Mjølnir by Odin after Thor disobeyed him. Clearly that never happened in this timeline.

In light of the events of Ragnarok, what are the actual capabilities of the hammer, then?  Just a very heavy/dense/hard hammer that returns to its user?

[Wavicle]

I think realistically, it's a mistake on the part of the writers, but for our purposes...

There IS an enchantment on Mjolnir in that timeline, but it's clearly not about worthiness. More like, "Only Thor Is Worthy To Wield This Hammer" until they let Ultron/Vision wield it (my prediction, not a spoiler).

[Techwright]

4 hours ago, Ulysses Dare said:

 

 

The answer is simple. The worthiness test is a curse placed on Mjølnir by Odin after Thor disobeyed him. Clearly that never happened in this timeline.

 

I almost posted this, then I saw you answered it.  Spot on.  But then I saw Wavicle's note and realized it is correct, too, as exhibited by the setting down of the hammer.

 

2 hours ago, Wavicle said:

I think realistically, it's a mistake on the part of the writers, but for our purposes...

There IS an enchantment on Mjolnir in that timeline, but it's clearly not about worthiness. More like, "Only Thor Is Worthy To Wield This Hammer" until they let Ultron/Vision wield it (my prediction, not a spoiler).

Only Thor and elevators.  We mustn't forget them.

[Hyperstrike]

On 8/16/2021 at 2:24 AM, Heraclea said:

Yes, it's derivative.  I nevertheless enjoyed it thoroughly.  Back to the drawing board.....

Sorry, I just completely fail to respond to "derivative".

ALL literature is derivative.  Variations on the same tales, retelling the same things, over and over again in different ways.

Also, it missed the point.

This is "WHAT IF?".

Being derivative is THE POINT!

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

On 8/15/2021 at 3:37 AM, DougGraves said:

I assume the portal tentacle monster ending was a salute to the Hellboy movie.

 

No, it was a shout-out to our friend from Independence Port, right down to the "who ordered the Calamari" running gag.

(Probably).

Edited September 28, 2021 by ThaOGDreamWeaver

[biostem]

I want to see them delve into more, IMO, interesting "What If" scenarios, but I fear what we'll get are only things that are "relevant" to the MCU or today's pop-culture.  I would really love to see episodes that incorporate the X-Men & Deadpool, since Disney owns them now.

 

For instance:

 

What if the X-Men came to assist the Avengers during the battle of New York?

 

What if Deadpool swung down to save a plummeting Gamora, thereby denying Thanos the soul stone?

 

 

 

 

[Techwright]

Episode 8 dropped and it is a doozie!  (and yes, hero vs villain)

 

17 hours ago, biostem said:

I want to see them delve into more, IMO, interesting "What If" scenarios, but I fear what we'll get are only things that are "relevant" to the MCU or today's pop-culture.  I would really love to see episodes that incorporate the X-Men & Deadpool, since Disney owns them now.

 

For instance:

 

What if the X-Men came to assist the Avengers during the battle of New York?

 

What if Deadpool swung down to save a plummeting Gamora, thereby denying Thanos the soul stone?

 

 

 

 

 

Give it time.  Marvel-Disney is playing the long game, and doesn't want to rush those characters into the MCU.  They are moving that way, however.  Eternals next, and strong evidence that the Fantastic Four will arrive in the next year or two.  X-men unfortunately will be later than that.  Deadpool, that one I'm not certain about.   But What If...? has the potential to run for years, dropping a new season after every major shift in the MCU.

 

 

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

On 9/16/2021 at 1:55 AM, Techwright said:

 

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Anyone else notice that each episode the Watcher seems to be brought more and more into the spotlight?  A previous episode had him spotted by one in the story, this episode, I think, is the first time he's not been just a ghostly image in the background.  Makes me wonder if they're building towards something.

 

 

That was... perceptive of you, wasn't it?

 

The overarching season arc's been hinted at by the trailers. I suppose if there's a moral to this one - and a timely one...

...actions have consequences. So does inaction. Observing a thing changes the thing you're observing: what if it watches you back?

[GraspingVileTerror]

So, has anyone wondered "Who is the Watcher even talking to all the time?"  It would have just been the audience, but the latest episode confirmed the narration is actually diegetic.  Does that mean that we as audience members are going to get spoken to directly Dead Pool-style by the end of this, or are there other Watchers watching The Watcher?

[Hyperstrike]

On 9/30/2021 at 10:45 PM, GraspingVileTerror said:

So, has anyone wondered "Who is the Watcher even talking to all the time?"  It would have just been the audience, but the latest episode confirmed the narration is actually diegetic.  Does that mean that we as audience members are going to get spoken to directly Dead Pool-style by the end of this, or are there other Watchers watching The Watcher?

Technically, Uatu is speaking for the benefit of the other Watchers.

As we are beings who have purview outside the Marvel Multiverse, this makes us "Watchers" as well.

[Ulysses Dare]

14 hours ago, Hyperstrike said:

As we are beings who have purview outside the Marvel Multiverse, this makes us "Watchers" as well.

So the answer to "Who watches the Watchers" is 'Us"?

[Hyperstrike]

2 hours ago, Ulysses Dare said:

So the answer to "Who watches the Watchers" is 'Us"?

*Glowy Eyes And Deep Voice*  DURNED TOOTIN!

[Techwright]

SEASON FINALE: Episode 9

 

NOTE: If you've not seen it yet, there is a tag scene in this one, the only one in the season.

 

Just watched this, and found it a heap o' fun.  I should have made popcorn.  I'm sure I could get nitpicky on some details, but I would only point out two.  First,  if you've been reading the background of the series, you'll know there was to have been a 10th episode, but it is delayed until season 2.  I wish this sequence of events had not happened, because a lot from that episode affects the season finale.  The finale is still quite watchable, however, and there's nothing one cannot come up to speed on quickly.

 

To see details of what I understand that missing episode to be see here below.  Note that there are significant spoilers for the season finale in the description:

Spoiler

The episode was supposed to be something like "What if Gamora became the Thanos of her universe?"  In the finale, we see Gamora with the armor and weapon of Thanos, and some sort of device that can destroy infinity stones as long as it is powered by the soul stone.  With no previous explanation for that, it left me wondering why they picked the soul stone to steal and not the time stone which could have undone all of their efforts.  The machine seems to be the explanation, but I guess we'll have to wait for season 2 to get a clearer understanding of why the soul stone is it's power source.

 

Tony Stark appears to play a major role in the missing episode as well, along with a rather unique-looking armor.

 

The second detail I wish to point out is:

Spoiler

The infinity stones.  I'm very confused at this point regarding how they are supposed to work in a multi-verse.  As I understood it from "Loki", infinity stones of one universe will not work in another (and there's also some sort of dampener at the TVA that prevents all infinity stones from working within its walls).  In "What If...?" however, we're shown stones from at least two separate universes interacting with each other and acting upon a third universe.  We're also given to understand that the Ultron of "What If...?" can use his infinity stones in any universe or in the realm between them.   Marvel is usually very careful in the details, so I have to assume for the moment that they're just confusing in explaining all those details and rules that govern their multiverse.