The first season of Marvel Studios' What If...? was met with praise and even garnered three Emmy nominations. The series explores alternate timelines that show what would happen if certain major MCU events occurred differently. With the MCU being so interwoven, it's interesting to think how the movies could be different if one detail was changed.
These details don’t need to be changed, but it offers ideas that could be worth exploring in future episodes. With the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it seems What If…? has become a more important piece in the larger MCU puzzle. As such, some movies could benefit from the What If...? treatment.
10 What If... Obadiah Killed Tony Stark? (Iron Man)
In Iron Man, Obadiah Stane steals Tony Stark's arc reactor and leaves him for dead. Luckily, Tony is able to save himself with the arc reactor Pepper Potts gave him and stop Obadiah. But, what if Tony wasn't so lucky?
Iron Man is the one that started it all in 2008, so this would change the entire scope of the MCU. It's hard to imagine this universe without Tony, but that's also what could make this scenario interesting to see. Would someone else try to fill his shoes? Would Obadiah be a larger villain? What would this franchise even look like without the Earth's best defender?
9 What If... Captain America Was Taken Out Of Ice Earlier? (Captain America: The First Avenger)
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=1.5)
Captain America: The First Avenger ends with Steve Rogers waking up in the year 2011 and learning he's been asleep for the past 70 years. But, what if S.H.I.E.L.D had discovered Captain America earlier?
Steve could have potentially reunited with Peggy Carter or teamed up with Howard Stark and Hank Pym while they were young. Steve could have found Bucky and stopped Hydra from infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D a lot sooner than he did, which would have its own ripple effects. It could even work the other way around. What if Steve hadn't been discovered until hundreds of years after 2011? What would that universe look like?
8 What If... Tony Stark Didn't Fall Back To Earth? (Avengers)
When Tony Stark guided a nuclear missile through a space portal at the end of Avengers, he wasn't sure if he'd survive the trip. Luckily for fans of this franchise, he did. But, what if he hadn't been so lucky?
If Tony hadn't fallen back through the portal and survived the explosion afterward, this would’ve put Iron Man in space. There, the possibilities are endless. There could have been an Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy team up. Perhaps Tony could have made his way to Xandar or even Sakaar, he and the Grandmaster do seem like they'd get along.
7 What If... The Illuminati Survived Wanda's Attack? (Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness)
For years, fans wanted to see John Krasinski play the role of Reed Richards in the MCU. In the second Doctor Strange movie, fans got what they asked for. However, Wanda ripped him to shreds. What if he and the other members of The Illuminati survived Wanda's attack?
This could be a good way to see Krasinski and the rest of The Illuminati reprise their roles. With such an epic lineup, this one would be criminal not to explore further. With Fantastic Four announced to be released in November 2024, fans should expect to see these characters in future MCU projects.
6 What If... Tony And Steve Never Made It Back? (Avengers: Endgame)
In Avengers: Endgame, when Steve and Tony went back to 1970 to retrieve the Tesseract, there was a small chance they wouldn’t make it back. What if they never did? They wouldn't be there to fight Thanos at the end of Endgame, meaning the Mad Titan would likely win.
At the same time, Thanos would only be walking away with five infinity stones, not six. If Tony and Steve did get stuck in the '70s, there's the possibility they could've devised a plan to help the other Avengers while stuck in the past. There would also be potential for a Tony and Howard Stark team up, which would be very interesting to see.
5 What If... Tony Had Killed Bucky? (Captain America: Civil War)
In Civil War, it’s revealed that Bucky is responsible for the deaths of Tony's parents, which leads to an epic showdown between Iron Man, The Winter Soldier, and Captain America. Tony managed to blow Bucky’s metal arm off, but what if he took it even further?
This one might seem a little dark, but that wouldn't be too off-brand for What If...?. If Tony had killed Bucky, how would that have changed the dynamic of the MCU? Would Steve be able to forgive Tony, or would he seek revenge for the death of his best friend? Who knows what the rest of the franchise would look like if these two had stayed enemies.
4 What If... Scott Never Got Stranded In The Quantum Realm? (Ant-Man And The Wasp)
At the end of Ant-Man And The Wasp, Scott gets stuck in the Quantum Realm when the Pyms are snapped away by Thanos. However, if Scott didn’t get stuck in the Quantum Realm, he wouldn’t have thought to use time travel in Endgame. So, what would the outcome be if he never got stuck?
The Infinity Saga works like a series of dominoes toppling on top of each other. Each event leads to the next, so it'd be interesting to see what would happen if a very important domino were removed. Would Scott also have been snapped? Would Tony still discover time travel? This scenario could prove just how important every piece of the puzzle is.
3 What If... Wanda Died Instead Of Pietro? (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)
Near the end of Age of Ultron, Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver is riddled with bullets while saving Hawkeye's life. But, what if Quicksilver did see it coming and instead, his sister wasn't so lucky? Wanda plays such an integral role in the MCU, both as a hero and a villain, so it'd be interesting to see how her early demise might change things.
Perhaps there's a similar character arc in Quicksilver, and he goes down the same road Wanda did. An evil speedster could be a formidable foe within the MCU. While there would be much to explore with Pietro's character, there would also be the question of, "who becomes the Scarlet Witch?"
2 What If... Peter Went To Wanda For The Spell? (Spider-Man: No Way Home)
When Peter Parker had his identity doxed, his whole world turned upside down. This led him to Doctor Strange, who cast a spell to make everyone forget Spider-Man's true identity. What if Strange had listened to Wong and forced Peter to seek help elsewhere?
The only other magical being Strange knows would be Wanda. Things went wrong when Strange performed the spell, imagine how bad things could have gone had Wanda performed it instead. Wanda is no stranger to mind control, so she could have very easily completed Peter's wish, but at what cost would it come? Perhaps another Westview but on a global scale, which is a truly terrifying thought.
1 What If... The Other 50% Got Snapped? (Avengers: Infinity War)
With the snap of his fingers, Thanos erased half of the universe from existence, leaving the other half to figure out a way to reverse the effects and save the people. Audiences saw this plan play out successfully in Avengers: Endgame, but what would it look like had the other 50% been snapped instead?
This potential What If...? episode idea is a fan favorite. Would the other 50% be able to defeat Thanos? Perhaps this scenario would prove that it had to be the Avengers who survived to defeat Thanos and everything had to happen exactly as it did. Or, perhaps not. The other 50% may figure out a way to stop the Mad Titan.