Notice! This article contains spoilers for What If...? season 3.
And if...?
concluded its final season and, over eight episodes of adventure, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
the most experimental show of. And if...? premiered in 2021, when the Multiverse Saga was still in its initial phase. The animated series took familiar characters from the MCU and placed them in new and unusual settings to create stories that would normally be difficult to piece together or diverge from the rest of the Sacred Timeline.
Over the course of the show's three seasons, Uatu the Watcher has observed the farthest corners of the vast multiverse and witnessed strange and spectacular events. However, this was not without incident. The third season marks the culmination of Uatu's vigil and the adventures of recurring characters like Captain Peggy Carter, with a strong selection of episodes to say goodbye to the series.
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Episode 1 - "What if... The Hulk fought the Mech Avengers?"
Although this adventure began in season 3, it was the weakest episode of the season. It focused on a story that included Sam Wilson as Captain America, teaming up with a variety of other heroes such as Moon Knight, Shang-Chi, Nakia, and even Red Guardian, which was an interesting team-up after the Avengers were disbanded. . And while it included these heroes teaming up to fight in big, matching mech suits like Power Ranger Megazords fighting a Hulk that looked like Godzilla, it didn't feel as original as some other stories.
Bruce Banner's line saying "On your left" and Sam Wilson's "Avenger Assemble" are great callbacks and play off moments of Avengers: Endgamebut it also highlights that this story had less impact. It was a solid start to the season, but things got significantly more interesting and fun later And if...? Season 3, Episode 1.
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Episode 4 - "What if...Howard the duck was sheltered?"
There's no doubt that this episode is a lot of fun. Howard the Duck marrying Darcy from Thor movies and then meeting Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster on a leisurely cruise, there is much to appreciate and enjoy. Likewise, the variety of cameos from characters like Dormammu, Yondu, Fury, Frost Giant Loki, the Black Order, and Thanos, to name a few, made this a star-studded episode.
The premise is also highly creative, with Howard and Darcy having an egg they must protect and then an epic fight sequence at the end. However, this episode also feels like a bonus adventure rather than something pivotal to the rest of the series. Yes, it features Birdy the Duck, but beyond that, it felt like a wild episode to use so many crossovers, especially halfway through Season 3.
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Episode 2 - "What if... Agatha went to Hollywood?"
Another episode that was fun, as well as feeling like a much-needed sequel to Eternals story since the characters were missing from the MCU, episode 2 was a solid And if...? Prohibited. Things get crazy and wacky when Agatha Harkness is a movie star with a secret agenda to steal the power of the Celestials. Meanwhile, she hires Kingo, the Eternal, to accompany her in a film.
Yes, everything is wild and crazy, but it's done in an environment and in a way that makes it all make sense. Kingo and Agatha are the perfect characters to make this plot come true, while also inserting a great dance into the middle of the episode. It's also great to see Howard Stark involved as the young, energetic version that was previously seen in Captain America: The First Avengerand Agent Carter.
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Episode 6 - "What if... 1872?"
This was one of the most ambitious episodes of And if...? Season 3, with Shang-Chi and other familiar characters appearing in a Wild West setting in the year 1872. Shang-Chi serves as the main hero, teaming up with Kate Bishop as a pair of righteous cowboys. In addition to minor criminals like John Walker causing trouble, the duo searches for the mysterious criminal mastermind, the Hood.
Both Shang-Chi and Kate have their own reasons for tracking Hood, and along the way they meet a boy named Kwai Jun-Fan. This episode features a strong twist and an incredible, unexpected duo to create a truly remarkable adventure in the final season of And if...?. It also offered a potential hint for Iron Fist's future in the MCU when it was revealed that young Kwai is Iron Fist, and for the season finale, with the Vigilante being captured by his own kind.
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Episode 3 - "What if... Red Guardian stopped the Winter Soldier?"
A pivotal moment in the MCU was when the Winter Soldier, aka Bucky Barnes, kills Tony Stark's parents under the orders of HYDRA. This incident causes Tony to enter a period of intense rebellion, sadness, and struggle as he attempts to carry on his father's legacy while also coming into his own. However, in And if...? season 3, episode 3, events play out a little differently. In other words, the Red Guardian, another agent of HYDRA and the Red Room, intervenes to stop Bucky from killing the Starks.
The fight between Red Guardian and the Winter Soldier was great, and with the inclusion of Bill Foster as Giant-Man, it took the story to the next level. There's also a lot of humor shared between Bucky and Alexei, which makes this episode stand out, and a tribute to Thelma and Luisawhich builds on the unique comedy and humor of a story set in the early 1990s. Fun, action, and a unique combination that teases an exciting team-up in the next Rays* movie it all adds up to make this one of the strongest episodes of season 3.
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Episode 5 - "What if... the emergency destroyed the Earth?"
Another episode that builds on the world-shaping narrative that was left open-ended in EternalsEpisode 5 explores how humans continue to survive after the Emergency occurred with Tiamut hatching from the Earth's core and setting out in search of her kind. In this dystopian landscape, Riri Williams presents herself as a rebel against powerful enemies like White Vision and her new master, Mysterio.
The exploration of Riri's extraordinary intelligence, her ability to use White Vision's remains to combine with her organic material and become a human synthetoid, and the twists with Mysterio make this a particularly strong episode. There were a few characters that could have used more focus and attention, like the Power Broker, Valkyrie, and Wong, but the sight of an Avengers logo at the end and the Watcher being put on guard make this episode one of the best ever. the series to date.
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Episode 7 - "What if... the watcher disappeared?"
The penultimate episode of season three sees things improve significantly. This episode brings together some of the most interesting characters in the series, with Captain Carter, Birdy the Duck and Kahhori, all accompanied by the mutant Storm, who in this reality is actually a variant of Thor. This core team makes perfect sense in the series, and their team functions much more effectively than the other female team that was included. Avengers: Endgame.
Episode 7 and is a true showcase of the strengths of the And if...? series, highlighting two original heroes from the series and two variants of MCU characters. It also builds on all the elements that have come before, and the inclusion of the team searching for Infinity Ultron to help them find and track down the Watcher is an exciting and fun callback to the first season. and that makes perfect sense in this format, as animation makes it easier to tell an epic story of fantasy, multiversal exploration and unbridled imagination.
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Episode 8 - "What if... what if?"
Between the final two episodes of And if...? In season three, it's very close between them, but the ending has some elements that make it definitely the best. While it doesn't include an epic team of various heroes and villains like previous Season 3 episodes, it does retain the core team introduced in Episode 7. Regardless, And if...? series, Captain Carter is the closest thing the series develops to a main character, and her bond with the Watcher makes them an important pairing. However, when the Watcher is in trouble, Captain Carter relies on her closest allies to help save him, and that's exactly what happens.
Much of the episode features an all-out brawl between the heroes and the superior Watchers, and the entire battle is beautifully animated. There are also big twists that give the heroes an advantage. Although this is the final episode of the series, it feels hopeful and bright, with the series hinting that these characters could return to the MCU as part of Avengers: Secret Wars. But even in isolation, episode 8 stands out as the best episode of And if...? season 3.
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- Release date
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February 14, 2025
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- Release date
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July 25, 2025
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- Release date
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July 24, 2026