This submit accommodates spoilers for episode eight of Marvel’s ‘What If…?’

In physics there’s what’s often known as the “observer effect,” whereby an object or system is modified merely by observing it. On Marvel’s What If…? every episode has been witnessed by an apparently omniscient narrator often known as The Watcher, who seemingly believes himself to be above this easy rule. He’s seen the Avengers murdered, zombies overrun the galaxy and Steven Strange fully destroying his personal universe, however the Watcher has all the time avoided doing something that will change the end result — till now.

The twist on this episode is that in Age of Ultron, the titular villain managed to get management of the Vision physique earlier than it woke up because the hero everyone knows and love, taking it over after which, the world and even gaining the Infinity Stones. Somewhere in all this the Avengers are killed, apart from Natasha and Clint, lastly giving us that Black Widow and Hawkeye journey we should always have had years in the past. I haven’t been the most important fan of both character, however right here they’re plenty of enjoyable regardless of the grim circumstances.

The actual star right here, nevertheless, is Jeffrey Wright’s Watcher character. We nonetheless know little about him, or the faction he serves. The Watchers, as a bunch, have solely appeared in live-action throughout a brief scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. What If…? has been our first correct introduction to the idea and, after eight episodes, we’re nonetheless principally at midnight about them.

But this week’s installment did shed some gentle, no less than. We know that our Watcher has taken an oath to by no means intervene with the issues he sees, although to whom we nonetheless don’t know, nor are we made conscious of doable penalties of breaking that vow. And we now know he’s emotionally invested within the universes he observes, if solely based mostly on his response to Clint not discovering the folder they want within the KGB archives (fortunately, Natasha is there to save lots of the day).

However, that observer impact comes into play whatever the Watcher’s intentions, as his omniscient narration is overheard by the powered-up Ultron, who seeks him out and assaults. In the method Ultron turns into conscious of the multiverse, which explains his sudden look on the finish of final week’s episode. Previews for the finale trace at some type of multiversal team-up, one involving Captain Carter, Party Thor and the opposite altered characters we’ve met over the primary eight episodes.

While it’s definitely a enjoyable idea — there’s a whole comedian sequence known as Exiles a few multi-reality group comparable to this — it raises questions on what, precisely, season two might be about. It’s already been confirmed, however Marvel has proven it’s not likely fascinated by working What If…? as an anthology sequence just like the comedian it’s based mostly on. The occasion on making it a part of the bigger canon has led to the present having its personal inner continuity, although it’s unlikely it will likely be wanted to grasp the bigger Marvel Cinematic Universe.

At least we hope it stays a side-story of the MCU: the ability ranges within the battle between The Watcher and Infinity Ultron places even the large conflicts proven within the final two Avengers movies to disgrace. (Especially after Thanos is offed fairly unceremoniously.) It’s a bizarre escalation in scale provided that the teased villain of Phase IV, Kang the Conqueror, hasn’t even made a correct look but.

Marvel Comics has a deep, expansive mythology and it’s good to see the MCU lastly discover a few of these outer reaches. But proper now the present method to continuity feels a bit of cramped, and in peril of getting in its personal approach. Hopefully, subsequent week’s finale will see the Watcher absolutely break freed from his oath, and possibly assist What If…? shed its remaining ties to its live-action counterparts to do one thing really new.