WARNING: The following contains spoilers for What If...? Season 1, Episode 7, "What If... Thor Were an Only Child?," streaming now on Disney+.
Marvel Studios' What If...? has shown its fans that anything is possible within the multiverse. From T'Challa becoming Star-Lord to Doctor Strange becoming a more significant threat than Thanos, it's hard to say what could happen next. But even in the ever-changing waters of the multiverse, there are still universal constants that each episode has made sure to include. In the show's seventh episode, that constant can be seen with Thor's mother, Frigga, which not only showcases her influence but shows that she was gone far too soon.
The episode features a version of Thor that was never raised alongside Loki. As a result, Thor grew up to be a party animal with no regard for common courtesy. By the time he reaches Earth, his parties are a galactic event that sees aliens appearing from all corners of the universe. But while Thor has a good time, he only parties hard so long as his mother isn't there to see it.
Towards the episode's conclusion, Jane Foster goes to inform Frigga of the fact that Thor's activities are causing catastrophic results. Almost immediately, she sees to it that Thor fixes his mess with a gentle threat. However, this threat is enough to get the God of Thunder in gear. At first, his party guests don't care that he wants to end the party. However, the minute he says that his mother is coming, everyone changes their attitude as they help to clean up their messes. Not only is the scene hilarious, but it also shows how much influence the All-Mother has.
This influence can also be seen in the prime MCU timeline in small ways. For example, she is the only one who can calm the All-Father when he is at his angriest. This is shown in Thor: The Dark World, where Odin claims that Loki will be locked in the dungeon for an eternity because Frigga pleaded for Odin not to kill him. She also has a massive influence on her children, especially Loki. While he wasn't her real son, she still treated him as such, even teaching him her illusion tricks.
In her most significant act in the MCU, Frigga also helps Thor find his inner worth after falling into a massive depression following his failure to kill Thanos. Through her words alone, she is able to remind Thor that he's still a hero, and because of the strength she gave him, Thor was able to call Mjolnir, validating his worthiness. Her death in Thor: The Dark World had all of Asgard mourning and was felt for years after.
Frigga's power is shown in the comics, as she leads Asgard during the War of the Realms. While this won't be seen in the MCU, Frigga's influence is far from forgotten, Her presence demands respect from all those who hear it, and she has the power to back up her authority. While What If...? does a fantastic job of showing what type of mother she was like, it's hard not to think about how she was taken from the prime timeline far too early.
A new episode of What If...? airs each Wednesday on Disney+.