MCU What If...? - 10 Biggest Takeaways From Episode 5
8. Hope
There was a time when Hope van Dyne as the Wasp was being considered as one of the original Avengers in the MCU, as she was in the comics. This never came to pass however, and it took until 2018 for her to bring the superhero persona to life, and until 2019 before she actually appeared in an Avengers movie.
In this universe however, after being a part of the cause of the zombie virus, she became an integral member of the team. She was key to leading the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, she saved Bruce Banner from Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Wong, and turned giant to save her team from an army of zombies.
Aside from being Wasp’s name, hope was also a key theme throughout the entire episode, and was summed up perfectly in her conversation with Spider-Man. The two characters bounced off each other in a wonderfully emotional way, as Peter revealed that hope is what has kept him going throughout the painful amount of loss he has suffered in his young life.
The duo of Peter Parker and Hope van Dyne isn’t one that fans would have expected or even asked for before What If…?, but after 13 years, these characters and this franchise can still spring a few surprises.