Marvel’s What if…Episode 1

Today will be a challenge for me (Ethan Stranger), as I have decided (in my own opinion) to review each episode of Season 1 of Marvel’s animated Series (What if…). To be honest, I was all hyped for the series, but like several reviewers, I was mostly disappointed with the episode length of each episode, as I felt like they were retelling the original story from the films, but in a more rushed/cramped kind-of style, as I felt like there was more to the story to be explored and there were also very strange/little changes that made each episode away drift from the main MCU timeline, but having spoiled myself in watching a leaked trailer of Marvel’s What if…S2, it looks to be a massive improvement over the 1st season (judging by the leaked trailer I saw). Now then, let’s get reviewing through all of S1 of Marvel’s What if…(as well as find something to relate to within each episode). 

In the 1st episode of Marvel’s What if Series, we’re introduced to “Captain Peggy Carter (Picture: Bottom Right Corner)”, and man-oh-man, did it happen so fast one minute, they were repeating when Steve Rogers was about to go through the Super-Soldier Transformation, next minute, Steve gets injured and after Howard Stark turns down a chance of a lifetime to become a  Super-Soldier (cause he’s the buttons guy), Peggy Carter goes through the transformation, thus Captain Carter is born (wonder why they don’t simply call her Captain Britain), as I mention, everything happened so fast (like then, fast forward, where’s Captain Carter saving Bucky and the Howling Commandos) and suddenly Steve Rogers in a Tesseract-powered Iron man suit (Dubbed: HYDRA Stomper, Picture: Bottom Left Corner), that right there, is the future for combat.

Surprisingly (in Captain Carter’s Universe), the Red Skull decides to use the Tesseract to summon  “The Champion of HYDRA” instead of making weapons (sounds a bit weird, even for the Red Skull standards), but then Captain Carter manages to push back the creature into the portal that it came from and then finds herself in the Future, but in Episode 9 of What if…(in a post-credit scene), she reunites with Steve (who’s in cryogenic sleep while still inside the HYDRA Stomper). Judging by the leaks I’ve seen for S2 of the What if…Series, it looks like Captain Carter’s story will continue forward (and let's see where it leads too). 

The concept of Captain America donning Iron Man-like Armor isn’t anything new, Writer Mark Gruenwald introduce the concept during his final Captain America storyline (Fighting Chance), in which the super-solider serum begins running out within Cap’s body, thus Tony Stark builds him this exoskeleton armor (Picture: Bottom Right Corner) for him to move (Highly doubt we’ll see Captain Peggy Carter don clanky armor like that), Also, throughout (another fun fact), throughout Gruenwald's Cap Run, Pegg Carter (Picture: Bottom Left Corner) was old and later drafted as a Member of the Avengers Support Crew (mainly in charge of telecommunications), plus, Peggy Carter was old and Cap was young (at the time, Sharon Carter was thought dead, Bernie  Rosenthal called it quits with Cap, but the 2 remained good friends as Cap was dating Rachel Leighton/Diamondback, who in my opinion, is a perfect romantic match for Captain America, as the duo are quite adventurous and had strong romantic feelings).

Check Out my “Diamondback in the Rough: The Rachel Leighton Story and Captain America: By Mark Gruenwald” posts  

I figure the concept for Captain Carter for the What if…series is also based around the real-life women that serve during WWII, as women were taken mor eof a backseat role (mostly doing either mechanical or nurse-related jobs), there were some women soliders/pilots during the WWII, but I believe Captain Carter (despite fictional) represents a Woman’s dream to be out on the frontlines when it comes to War, besides Captain America represents on what every solider should be (as well as represent the American people, representing the American Dream as well, The freedom to strive to become all that you dream of being, Being Captain america is my America Dream) and that’s what Captain Carter is doing as well (in a way), being Captain Carter is (perpahs) every woman’s dream (especailly for my so-called “former High School crush who left me for a marines, married a marine (because they’re such buffy showoffs and never apologize)”, read more about that in my “High School Crushes: Preparing for Love” post.  

And now it’s time for me to tell the tale of me meeting a “real Captain Carter (Picture: Upper Left Corner)” (long before Marvel made Peggy Carter a super-soldier), this variant of Captain Carter was Captain of my High School’s Dance Team during “our senior of High School”, (I briefly mentioned her in my “Let the Music Play Post”), and in many ways was like Marvel’s Captain Carter, an inspiration for many (especially for young girls you wanted to have a future in making dancing their dream career), in my opinion, she was the best Dance Celeb captain ever, even better than the dance celeb captain from my junior year of HS (and my trumpet selection leader during my Senior year of HS Band), as Captain Carter (Picture: Bottom Left Corner) was very cheerful, positive, a good companion towards her fellow Dance Celebs (and especially to me, I’ll admit, I had a crush on her, but as I mentioned in my “Let the Music Play Post”, it just ended up being a “beautiful friendship”), though imagine if the 2 of us renacted this scene from Marvels…What if series (Pretty sure that Real Captain Carter’s “Brother Carter” will have his doubts). 

“I just wanna say (to the Real Captain Carter), again, thank you and the rest of the Celebrity Dance team for making my final years in High School enjoyable and memorable, wherever you are now and whatever path you’re on now, D would’ve been proud of you. I do apologize that my travels had prevented me from ever having a reunion with you and the rest of the Dance Team and I know that I haven’t been sending you girls updated emails on my travels like I used to in the past, it’s just I’ve been having my ups and downs in life (as well as dealing with the loss of my beloved Grandpa, worried about if I have a place in the world anymore and I’m sure you girls are very busy nowadays), but don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine, I’m sure you’re already fulfilling your dream. Like I said, thank you and the rest of the Celebs for all the good times" (as scrawny Steve Rogers would say “Let’s hear it for Captain Carter”).  

 

(one last thing…Whatcha Gonna Do, it’s just the name of a song, don’t worry about it)

What if…(Captain America) Scenario-based Stories: The part of the blog where I talk about various other Multiversal possibilities concepts within the animated series (who knows, maybe these tales could either be made into actual comics or episodes for the animated series) and remember…anything is possible in a multiverse (thus allows us to get creative in a twisted way).

1. What if…Bucky Barnes became Captain America during WWII: While Bucky Barnes did become Captain America for a while in the comics (but that was in the present day though), so imagine what would’ve happened if “Bucky Barnes became Captain America during WWII”, thus making Steve Rogers the sidekick in the universe 

2. What if…Captain America hadn’t been frozen in Time: Inspired by the comic (somewhat) of the same concept (Picture: Bottom Center), imagine what would’ve happened if Steve Rogers was never frozen, obviously, he would’ve married Peggy Carter (thus given birth to Sharon Carter), this alternate MCU universe could also adapt several elements from various Captain America Storylines like Steve Englehart’s Nomand story arc as well as Mark Gruenwald’s Captain America No More and The Fighting Chance Storylines as well

3. What if…Steve Rogers became The White Wolf: In this universe, imagine what would’ve happened if Wakanda’s War Dogs (instead of SHIELD agents) discovered the frozen Captain America and brought him back to Wakanda, however (in this universe), Steve Rogers suffers amnesia (having been frozen for so long that he even has no memory of his past life or for the fact he’s Captain America, thus King T’Chaka decides to help Steve Rogers rebuild his life as “The White Wolf” and becomes the leader of the War Dogs (as well as serves as a Brother figure to the young T’Challa). Besides a variant version of John Walker (permanently) becoming the New Captain America (alongside his partner, Lemar Hoskins/Battlestar), the duo themselves could come into conflict with the War Dogs (mistaken for terrorists), what would steve rogers do?    

4. What if…Captain America led an army of Super-Soldiers during WWII: Inspired by the comic of (somewhat) of the same concept (Picture: Bottom left Corner), imagine what would’ve happened if Abraham Erskine wasn’t assassinated and with that, the US Government begins to fund more of Project: Rebirth, thus giving Captain America his own platoon (including Bucky Barnes, The Howling Commandos and (even) A Teenage Isaiah Bradley), all of whom are now Super-Soldiers. This Alternate MCU reality could also introduce the (Original) Nick Fury (Picture: Bottom Right Corner) & the concept of his son, Marcus Johnson (Nick Fury Jr.), as well as What if Captain America disappeared during the Vietnam war (and during that time, Super-Soldiers are known as “The WhiteStar (Picture: Bottom Center)”, in honor of Cap, as well as explore if Carol Danvers and James Rhodes becoming platoon members of the White Star, Killmonger becomes a Miilant Black Activist who opposes the White Star (which results of him getting killed). When Captain America awakens in the modern day, he forms a new team (dubbed: Stars and Stripes from Gruenwald's Cap Run) and runs into conflict with SHIELDS White Star and a Monstrous Hulk (based on Marvel’s Ultimate Universe), the point with this universe is what if…everybody wants to be a Super-Solider (thus eliminating many superpowered beings and replaced with super soldiers) 

5. What if…Captain America became a Werewolf: Inspired by Mark Gruenwald's infamous cap story arc (Man & Wolf), imagine what would’ve happened if (during WWII) Captain America becomes a werewolf (plus this Alternate MCU Universe should add some horror-like elements into the world of Captain America (read the on link below to learn more about Cap’s Horror days):

https://www.cbr.com/captain-america-comics-horror-comic/

Upon awakening in the modern day (while still a werewolf), Captain America becomes the leader of SHIELD’s supernatural team, S.T.A.K.E. (Special Threat Assessment for Known Extranormalities), as they combat various Horror-themed threats that have taken over the world (all caused by Morgan Le Fay). Plus (in this universe), “What if…SHIELD joined forces with the Masters of the Mystic Arts” (Especially when up against the supernatural). 

https://www.cbr.com/captain-america-werewolf-capwolf/

(Read here to learn more about Captain America becoming a werewolf) 

6. What if…Captain America teamed up with Thor during WWII: Imagine if the plotlines from both “Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor Films” were merged into one big movie, meaning what if Thor was banished to Earth during WWII (this variant version of Thor could borrow elements from his Ultimate Universe counterpart, picture: Bottom right Corner), like him adopting the alter ego (Thorlief Golmen), he’s a psychiatric nurse who claims to be the Norse god of thunder and later wears a “Bio-Mech Suit and wields an Axe hammer” (created by Howard Stark), thus Thor allies with Cap, Bucky and the Howling Commandos against the Forces of HYDRA (plus we could see a Loki/Red Skull team-up, how could that affect Asgard).

(click here to listen to somebody’s else concept based on this What if…Tale) 

 

7. What if…Captain America became the 1st (Space) Avenger (My Personal favorite): This is centered in an alternate MCU universe, where Captain America (literally) gets beamed into space (along with the Red Skull, who still holds the Tesseract), Cap lands on Knowhere, where (after curiously confused/wondering about), he finds sanctuary amongst “The Collector”, who then later knocks out Cap and puts in out on display within his collection while in Cytogenetic sleep. As for the Red Skull (who managed to hang on the Tesseract when beamed into space), instead of being the guardian of the soul stone on vormir, he’s instead at the mercy of Thanos, who then enslaves Red Skull by using the Tesseract to make weapons for his forces. As the years go on, eventually Red Skull manipulates The Black Order to kill Thanos, thus takes control over Thanos’s forces and dons an Uru-metal-made battle armor that’s powered by the Tesseract (picture, bottom right corner) and soon begins to spread the influence of HYDRA across the Galaxy. Sometimes in the mid-1990s (around the time of the Captain Marvel Movie), The Kree now have a divided civilization (after Red Skull killed Ronan and the Supreme Intelligence), thus several Kree citizens have decided to side with Red Skull while other rebels, also the events of 2019s Captain Marvel happen differently, as the Skrulls (along with several Kree Rebels) are at war with the Red Skull and his Cosmic HYDRA forces, however, around that time, Captain America is finally free from the collector, thanks to Mantis (who serves the Collector in this universe) and these children, (N'Kalla and Jo-Venn, Picture: Bottom Center). Upon learning about the Galaxy under HYDRA’s rule, Cap begins to form a rebellion and heads to earth to defend it from a cosmic-powered Red Skull. Although succeed in driving Red Skull from Earth, Cap reveals he will not rest until the influence of HYDRA from the galaxy is eliminated for good, thus the Rebellion is renamed the Cosmic Avengers (which is more based on DC’s Legion of Super-Heroes due to the large roster), Plus an Elderly Peggy Carter forms SWORD (made up of both SHIELD  agents and various aliens individuals or races), serves as the Benefactor to the Cosmic Avengers & mother figure to N'Kalla and Jo-Venn, a variant version of Scott Lang becomes Ant-Man in the 1990s (within this alternate universe) and a character from the comics (Jack Flag) appears (as the 2 have been members of the GOTG in the comics), a preteen Monica Rambeau gains her superpowers (more similarly like her comics counterpart) and a variant version of Bucky Barnes who landed the Red Skull’s ship during WWII and got frozen in time, had been founded by SHIELD and joins Cap’s Cosmic Avengers, while donning a “HYDRA-Stomper-like Armor, made form Uru-metal and equipped with Asgardian-like technology” 

Cosmic Avengers Members: Captain America (Leader), Cosmo the Space Dog, Howard the Duck, Valkyrie, Mantis, Groot, Young Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Yondu, N'Kalla, Jo-Venn, Korg, Gamora, Nebula, The Inhuman Royal Family, The Eternals, Talos, Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Korath, Thor, The Warriors 3, Lady Sif, Loki, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Spectrum (Monica Rambeau), Jack Flag, Goose the Flerken and the Hydra-Stomper (Bucky Barnes)    

So who else out there wants to share their own Fan-Fiction What if… Scenario-based Stories (featuring either Captain America, Bucky Barnes, or Peggy Carter), until then

Ethan Stranger says…Excelsior (and Captain Carter wants you all…)

“Plus The (Real) Captain Carter and Company (Including Myself, Ethan Stranger) also want y’all to help save the Multiverse as Well (For D)”