Marvel Animation’sWhat If…?series has finally redeemed the most disappointing and awkward mistake from 2019’sAvengers: Endgame. The Russo brothers’Avengers: Endgameis widely regarded to be the pinnacle of theMCU, rounding off over a decade of storytelling as the penultimate movie of the Infinity Saga. However, this doesn’t mean the Phase 3 crossover event wasn’t without its issues, and one moment in particular has persisted as one of themost cringe-worthy moments in the MCU’s history.
Avengers: Endgamemarked the conclusion of the Avengers' battle againstJosh Brolin’s Mad Titan, Thanos, culminating in the dramatic Battle of Earth. This brought together the majority of the heroes in the MCU for the first time, allowingsome unexpected partnerships and teams to form on the battlefield, but one didn’t have the impact Marvel hoped. Now, however,What If…?season 3’s emotional and intense double-finalehas redeemed this awkward moment, laying the foundations for a much stronger interpretation of one iconic Marvel Comics team.
Avengers: Endgame’s A-Force Tease Hurt The MCU
Several Female Heroes Banded Together During The Battle Of Earth
After Peter Parker’s Spider-Man failed to get the Infinity Gauntlet to its destination duringAvengers: Endgame’sBattle of Earth, he was met by Captain Marvel, who had just obliterated Thanos' ship with ease. While Parker doubted that Carol Danvers would be able to take on Thanos' forces alone, the Scarlet Witch, Okoye and several other female heroes band together to help her. Whileit was understandable that Marvel Studios would want to shine a light on some of its most formidable women, this moment, perhaps teasing aversion of the A-Force team, felt seriously unearned.
A-Force is an all-female superhero team that first came together during Marvel Comics’Secret Warsevent in 2015, and has since become a regular fixture.Characters including Captain Marvel, Okoye, the Scarlet Witch, Shuri, Valkyrie, the Wasp, Gamora and Nebula could easily join an A-Force team in the MCU, butAvengers: Endgame’sall-female team-up moment felt too much like pandering. This has damaged the introduction of newfemale heroes in the Multiverse Saga, including She-Hulk, Monica Rambeau, the Scarlet Scarab and Captain Carter, among others, which is the opposite of what Marvel intended.
What If…? Season 3’s Finale Featured An All-Female Superhero Team
Captain Carter Has A New Team In What If…? Season 3
Avengers: Endgame’sA-Force tease hurt the MCU’s subsequent female heroes, even when a new all-female team comprising Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan formed in 2023’sThe Marvels. However,What If…?season 3 might have finally broken through, as episode 8, “What If… the Watcher Disappeared?,” introduced Captain Carter’s new superhero team. Once a Guardian of the Multiverse and an Avenger in her world,Captain Carter now operates as an “Exile"alongside Kahhori, Byrdie and Storm, the Goddess of Thunder.
Alison Sealy-Smith
“What If… the Watcher Disappeared?”
Captain Carter’s Exiles team seemed to be the remnants of anew version of the Guardians of the Multiverse, which Carter may have formed with Kahhori after fighting Doctor Strange Supreme inWhat If…?season 2.The Exiles teamed up with Infinity Ultron to travel to the Fifth Dimension and save Uatu from the other Watchers, gaining the abilities of the Watchers in the process and becoming some of the most powerful beings in the multiverse. This formidable new all-female team certainly redeemsAvengers: Endgame’sA-Force moment.
Marvel Now Has The Perfect Opportunity To Bring A True A-Force Into The MCU
Captain Carter Has Already Debuted In Live-Action
While Captain Carter sacrificed herself inWhat If…?season 3’s finale to save Uatu the Watcher, her super-powerful team survived, and could easily make the move to live-action in the Multiverse Saga. Marvel Studios already debuted a live-action version of Captain Carter in 2022’sDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and sinceHayley Atwell has been confirmed to be returning inAvengers: Doomsday, it’s possible a new Captain Carter could appear.InDoomsdayorSecret Wars, Captain Carter could even be leading an honest-to-goodness A-Force team.
The MCU’s Historic 2023 Flop Finally Sets Up The Superhero Team The Franchise Failed 4 Years Ago
The MCU tried and failed to setup this superhero team years ago, but 2023 has given the franchise a new chance at introducing the group.
This would be a fantastic evolution forCaptain Carter, who has received some undue criticismsince appearing inWhat If…?. Bringing a formidable all-female team into live-action, whether it be the Exiles or an actual A-Force team, would also finally allow us to move on fromAvengers: Endgame’smost embarrassing and unearned moment, as now it finally has been earned.What If…?season 3 had some problems, but the debut of this powerful team of women was very exciting.
What If…?
Cast
What If… ? is an animated anthology series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which features fan-favorite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor, and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer, features signature MCU action with a curious twist. The show sees Uatu the Watcher, an omnipotent being that observes the events of multiple universes from afar as they unfold, unable to interfere. However, things shift when an entity peers beyond the veil, jeopardizing the multiverse.
