Recap, Ending Explained, and Easter Eggs

Notice! This post contains SPOILERS for What If…? Season 3, Episode 2And if…? Season 3 Episode 2 imagines an alternate past where Kathryn Hahn's Agatha Harkness joins forces with a surprising MCU hero. Becoming an actress during Hollywood's golden age, Agatha formulates a plan much bigger than stealing the power of other witches, as recently seen in her live-action MCU series. Likewise, she also teamed up with Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo, the famous Bollywood actor and secret member of the Eternals.

As shown in the Marvel movie And if…? Season 3, Episode 2, Agatha and Kingo star in the same film directed by Howard Stark. However, the image is simply a ploy, a means to transform Agatha into one of the most powerful beings in this alternate MCU reality. To that end, here is our breakdown of And if…? Season 3, episode 2, the ending explained and the biggest Easter eggs and references we found.

And if…? Season 3, Episode 2 Spoilers and Key Story Takeaways

“What if…Agatha went to Hollywood?”

• The Watcher reveals that Agatha became an actress in this alternate reality during Hollywood's golden age.

• Starring in a film directed by Howard Stark, Agatha's true purpose is to perform a magical ritual to drain the power of Tiamut, the Celestial buried in the Earth's core.

• Agatha had Howard cast Kingo, the final Eternal she needs for her spell to work, as she has already subjugated and taken on the rest of the Eternals' powers.

• After a full dance/confrontation number, Kingo reveals that he knows what Agatha is really doing, but is ultimately convinced to help Agatha, who pretends her motives are altruistic with a desire to save the world. She also agrees to free Kingo's fellow Eternals once the ritual is complete (and a three-movie deal).

• Witnessing Kingo's betrayal, Arishem begins heading towards Earth to destroy the planet, which motivates Agatha and Kingo to perform the required ritual immediately.

• With help from Howard and Jarvis, Agatha successfully takes on Kingo's power, allowing her to siphon off Tiamut's and become a new Celestial.

• After defeating Arishem, Harkness is convinced by Kingo to give up the celestial power she has long sought in favor of joining him in the real world of cinema.

Agatha's Major Transformation and Future with Kingo Explained

More movie magic (and preparation for more celestials)

With Kingo serving as the final piece needed for their ritual, Howard and Jarvis transform Hollywood's Griffith Observatory into the perfect setting, painting its walls with the necessary runes and rites. Once she takes Kingo's eternal powers and energy, Agatha has everything she needs to seize the power of Tiamut, which transforms her into a beautiful, planet-sized Celestial for all the world to see.just as Arishem, the Judge, arrives to destroy the entire world.

Binding and destroying Arishem with a powerful mix of cosmic and magical power, Agatha saves the world from the Celestial. However, she now has the power she sought “all along”, having only played the role of hero to influence Kingo. That said, the real twist of the third act is Kingo successfully convincing Agatha to give up and embrace the magic of filmmaking.a way for her to finally be loved and adored. Becoming partners, Agatha and Kingo become a new important Hollywood acting duo. However, the episode ends with a cliffhanger teasing more Celestials in their path, responding to Arishem's defeat.

And if…? The Biggest Easter Eggs and References from Season 3, Episode 2

Classic Hollywood and Eternals references

And if…? Season 3 Episode 2 features a handful of fun Easter eggs and references, both to the greater MCU and Hollywood's own golden age. Here are all the biggest Easter eggs and references we found in the new episode:

• Howard Stark and Edwin Jarvis of Stark Pictures – Operating his own film studio, Howard Stark and his second AD Edwin Jarvis are voiced by their live-action counterparts Dominic Cooper and James D'Arcy.
• Hollywood Legends Several great actors and Hollywood legends from the Golden Age are referenced, including Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, and Cecil B. DeMille.
• Hollywoodland sign Howard Stark's house is next to the “Hollywoodland” sign, the original name of the iconic sign before it was renovated and shortened to just “Hollywood” in 1949.
• Cam S. Dunsdon Featured in the clapboard as a camera operator for the Agatha and Howard film, Simon Dunsdon is a real-life CG cinematographer and layout/forecasting supervisor who has worked with several studios over the years, including Marvel Studios and all three seasons of And if…?.
• “They are really cool powers” ​​- Defending her energy projection powers and finger weapons to Agatha, this is a really fun meta for MCU fans who loved her skills in Eternals (as well as those who didn't).
• Agatha stealing powers (again) Agatha's revelation that she borrowed the Eternals' power is a tamer version of her actions in Agatha all the time with the revelation that she attracted and killed countless witches throughout history to take their power.
• More Kingo Movie Posters – More Kingo Movie Posters Revealed Including Isle of Thunder, Bhangra Time, Never Cursed, and Red Heron. This is a fun nod, given that Kingo's posters have become ongoing Easter eggs in the MCU since 2021. Eternals.
• 'Movies Are Magic' Feels Very AMC – Using the power and magic of filmmaking to convince Agatha to give up her celestial power, Kingo's speech sounds a lot like Nicole Kidman's viral ads for AMC Theaters: “We came to this place… for the magic.”
• “Look for the sequence!” – Agatha tells her fans to stay tuned for the sequel as more Celestials are teased. It seems like it could be a meta-nod to what could have happened in a Eternals sequel, although a definitive sequel to 2021's divisive films seems pretty unlikely at this point.

New episodes of And if…? Season 3 launches daily at 3am ET/12pm PT on Disney+.