MCU What If...? - 7 Biggest Takeaways From Episode 1
A strong, though flawed start to What If...? on Disney+.
WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki were all unique MCU series in their own ways, and What If…? is now once again something entirely new for the franchise.
After 13 years, 24 movies, and three Disney+ series, the MCU is now big enough to break off from the main continuity and into the multiverse, honouring a time-honoured Marvel Comics tradition in the process.
The first episode of the new series asked the question, "what if Peggy Carter became the First Avenger rather than Steve Rogers?" This is a question that, obviously, has huge implications not just for the characters involved, but for the universe in general.
As an introduction to the newest property from the MCU, the first episode of What If…? did a lot of things right, but there were also several aspects that kept it from being perfect.
From the animation style, to new characters, and the general feel of the series from the first, there are several things that can be taken away from the first episode that could affect the near and far future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and inform what we can expect from the rest of the series.
7. The Voiceovers Are Very Hit Or Miss
There was a lot of speculation and controversy surrounding the fact that there were so many of the MCU cast returning to voice their characters in What If…?, but a few of the biggest stars in the franchise wouldn’t be. Among others, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Dave Bautista will not be starring in the Disney+ show.
Immediately, this put a focus on the voice acting in general, and in the first episode of the series, this was very hit or miss across the board.
Hayley Atwell marked her return to the MCU with as strong a performance as she has ever given to the franchise. She was clearly loving life as a superhero, and it showed in her performance even behind an animated face. Similarly, Ross Marquand and Josh Keaton brought The Red Skull and Steve Rogers to life in a way that you’d struggle to even know it wasn’t Hugo Weaving or Chris Evans.
However, the same couldn’t be said about the entire cast. Though Dominic Cooper and Sebastian Stan, the latter in particular, have been wonderful additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years, neither brought their A game to the first episode. They both felt wooden and completely disengaged from the material, and hopefully Bucky can be brought to life a lot better in the Marvel Zombies episode.