‘What If…?’ is a tantalizing glimpse of future Avengers lineups | Engadget

The following incorporates spoilers for episode 5 of ‘What If…?‘ (and a tiny spoiler for ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘).

The fifth episode of Marvel’s alternate universe anthology program on Disney+ is a star-studded affair, bringing again Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan and Mark Ruffalo to voice their characters surviving in a world overtaken by the undead. (No Tom Holland, although.) This journey’s level of divergence takes place through the occasions of Ant-Man and the Wasp, main as much as the occasions of Infinity War. It’s the largest What If…? but, in each forged and idea, and it additionally sheds a lightweight on some characters nonetheless ready for his or her day within the highlight.

Janet Van Dyne contracts the zombie plague within the Quantum Realm and, when rescued, finally ends up spreading it to her husband and Scott Lang and issues escalate from there. Even the Avengers find yourself contaminated, leaving the duty of saving the world to characters who weren’t formally a part of the workforce, like Wasp, Winter Soldier and Spider-Man. They’re joined by supporting characters like Sharon Carter, Okoye, Kurt and Happy Hogan. Bruce Banner is there too, however with out the assistance of the Hulk. Just like in Infinity War, he refuses to emerge, leaving Bruce largely defenseless.

The episode additionally provides us a darker tackle the Vision and Scarlet Witch, one which has much more which means if you happen to’ve watched all of WandaVision. There’s additionally a nod to The Falcon and Winter Soldier, when zombie Sam Wilson will get lower in half. Bucky finds himself unfeeling about the entire thing, probably as a result of this model of the characters haven’t had time to bond the best way their live-action counterparts have.

Without Captain America and Iron Man to take the reins, the function of chief falls to, nicely, nobody, actually, with this motley group of heroes and side-characters working as a collective. It appears to work for the workforce for essentially the most half, although they ignore Peter Parker’s recommendation to not break up up with disastrous outcomes.

In truth, Peter is the star of the present right here, regardless of his actor being unavailable to voice him. Just as he was in Infinity War, the child is a stable workforce participant who greater than pulls his weight in fight. But that is additionally the primary time we get to see different heroes work together with him on a extra private degree. He isn’t simply Tony Stark’s mascot right here, as a substitute the workforce finally ends up seeking to him for ethical help, the best way they could have as soon as admired Steve Rogers. It’s a pleasant glimpse of what Peter will be freed from Iron Man’s shadow, a thread that shall be extra absolutely explored on this December’s No Way Home.

In the teaser for the upcoming Eternals film, one of many characters, Sprite, asks who will lead the Avengers now. Though the reply is unlikely to return out of that individual film, this most up-to-date What If…? suggests just a few intriguing prospects. While Peter kinds the guts of the workforce right here, plenty of the pondering falls to Bruce Banner. He’s a personality that’s gone underused within the MCU to this point, because of Universal holding the movie rights. A whole lot of his improvement has needed to occur off-screen, however beginning with 2018’s Thor: Ragnarok and persevering with with the upcoming She-Hulk present, he’s gently getting nudged to the forefront of the Avengers. With Captain America, Iron Man and Black Widow lifeless and Thor off in area, he’s the pure option to take the reins as one in every of two OG workforce members left (and if you happen to’ve seen Shang-Chi, it appears he might have already got).

Ultimately, like all What If…? episodes this installment doesn’t truly matter to the grander MCU, although its open-ended nature raises the opportunity of a sequel — and given what number of Marvel Zombies comics are on the market, it’s nearly assured we’ll see this actuality on Disney+ once more. But for followers who don’t take care of this week’s horror parts the story continues to be a worthwhile tease for a way a post-blip, second technology Avengers roster may operate.