Marvel's What If..? merch seemingly revealed a new character for the series that has yet to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Instagram user lasvegasfunkoholics posted the images of the new Funko Soda Kahhori, which features a woman who appears to be of Native American descent. While the character seems to wear a heroic outfit and pose, it isn't clear who she is. According to lasvegasfunkoholics, the Funko Soda Kahhori is street dated for March 8. While lasvegasfunkoholics' initial post has been removed, the images appeared on the MarvelStudiosSpoilers Subreddit.
Who is What If..?'s New Character?
Several commenters on Reddit discussed the new character, debating her identity. Several theorized she could be a version of one of the heroes from the already announced What If..? Season 2 episode adapting the 1602 comic run, which depicted several heroes in the Elizabethan era. As for which character, some speculated she could be the 1602 version of Echo, as she's set to appear in her solo series soon after debuting in 2021's Hawkeye. Others thought she could be a version of the Native American Captain America Joe Gomez from The United States of Captain America #3 by Lipan Apache writer Darcie Little Badger and Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation artist David Cutler.
Another user posited she could be Kushala, a Ghost Rider from the 1800s and a Sorcerer Supreme. In 2021, Marvel began an eight-part series of new comics centering on her. Ghost Rider: Kushala was co-written by Jaime Luis Gomez, also known as Taboo in the Black Eyed Peas, and B. Earl with artwork by Guillermo Sanna and Vanesa del Rey and colorist Jordie Bellaire. That series saw Kushala travel through time to protect her ancestral line.
What If..? Inspires Live-Action MCU Films
Since its debut, What If..? has teased potential timelines that have occasionally bled into Phase 4's live-action films. MCU head Kevin Feige told the creative team behind Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to watch the series for inspiration in creating the chaotic world. As What If...? director Bryan Andrews explained, "[The film's creative team] had kernels of ideas, so Kevin [Feige] had them watch our stuff and was like, 'You guys better watch out, cause this shit's good.' And they came out of that meeting just going like, 'Oh my God, what are we gonna do for a movie?' [Laughs] I think they borrowed a lot from what we were trying to do in that episode, which is crazy." What If..?'s Peggy Carter/ Captain Britain variant made a live-action appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
What If...? Season 2 is expected to premiere in 2023 on Disney+.
Source: Instagram, Reddit