WARNING: The following contains spoilers for What If...? Season 1, Episode 2, "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord," streaming now on Disney+.
One of the most exciting elements of a multiverse-hopping series like What If...? is that it presents the chance to meet countless variant incarnations of beloved characters, showcasing just how different (and similar) they can be at their core. This extends beyond the universes' heroes by spotlighting new and interesting variations of the vilest villains.
In "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord?," the now space-based Wakandan hero ends up recruiting a number of previous villains to his version of the Ravagers -- including the Mad Titan himself, Thanos.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thanos was the definitive villain of the Infinity Saga (the first decade of films from Marvel Studios). His quest for the Infinity Stones and his mission to use them to wipe out half of all life in the universe was the driving force behind many of the film's overarching connections. His ultimate success in Avengers: Infinity War cemented his place in the modern pantheon of pop-culture villains. Thanos was finally defeated in Avengers: Endgame, suffering two demises as the heroes reversed his actions and restored the galaxy. But due to the multiversal potential of a show like What If...?, the MCU villain has the potential to return in new forms -- as he does in "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord?."
In this reality, an error by Yondu's men resulted in the capture of a young Prince T'Challa instead of Peter Quill. Quickly taking to the boy, Yondu traveled the galaxy with him and quickly became influenced by him. Soon, the Ravagers had left their pirating ways to become a more heroic force in the galaxy again, even saving multiple planets across the universe -- largely due to T'Challa's leadership and ability to inspire loyalty in even the darkest of enemies. Nominal villains in the core MCU -- such as Taserface and Korath -- were more easily swayed to the side of good. However, perhaps the biggest get was this universe's Thanos, revealed also to be a Ravager. As he explains to new recruit Korath, he'd begun the same mission as he had in the core-MCU.
But in this reality, encountering T'Challa and learning about his mission to save the universe inspired Thanos to do the same. There are still hints of the innate darkness Thanos has always possessed -- he still speaks fondly of his plan to eradicate half the galaxy and, at one point, reveals a brutal side while fighting against the Collector's Agents (this world's version of the Black Order, who were known as the Children of Thanos in the MCU). But he's also far more jovial, trading barbs with some and, according to T'Challa, even taking up gardening -- a reference to the "happy ending" Thanos briefly experienced as a farmer at the beginning of Avengers: Endgame. He's even shown to have had a happier life with Nebula, settling their differences and having a tense but loving relationship with her.
It's one of the most unexpected elements of "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord?," an episode that already throws a lot of curveballs at the audience. A heroic Thanos is a rarity even in the multiverse, where most worlds consider Thanos the chief threat regardless of the full circumstances around them. It's refreshing to see a version of Thanos who not only learned to control his dark side but has never fully escaped it. If this reality were revisited, he might even get the chance to break bad. But as it stands now, Thanos joining the Ravagers and becoming a genuine hero is one of the most pleasant surprises in a reality full of them.
New episodes of Marvel Studios' What If...? debut Wednesdays on Disney+.