What If…? Missed A Huge Opportunity In Its Ending
Following the eighth episode of What If...?, the Watcher finally chose to involve himself in the unfortunate events he has always observed. Instead of fighting Ultron by himself, the Watcher recruited the help of Doctor Strange, and the two create a plan to squash the current Ultron problem once and for all. In the ninth episode, "What If... The Watcher Broke His Oath," the Watcher begins to put his plan into action.
At the start of What If...?'s ninth episode, the Watcher has selected a number of heroes to try to successfully defeat Ultron. A number of heroes have appeared throughout previous episodes of What If...?, helping tie the series together. The Watcher appears before these heroes, alerting them that they have been chosen for his mysterious mission before whisking them away to explain the issue at hand. As a reward for aiding the Watcher, it seems a few key heroes are rewarded with a happy ending. If Marvel creates a happy ending for all these characters, they'll miss out on a crucial piece of one hero's story.
What If...?'s first episode introduced Captain Carter. Instead of Steve Rogers receiving the serum to become Captain America, it was Peggy that became the subject of the experiment, and therefore, the person wielding the shield. Because the first episode recreated the events from Captain America: The First Avenger, many began to reimagine what Captain Carter may look like in the context of The Winter Soldier. The start of "What If... The Watcher Broke His Oath?" begins to put this once hypothetical sequel into motion by placing Captain Carter in the context of The Winter Soldier.
Much like The Winter Soldier, "What If... The Watcher Broke His Oath?" puts Captain Carter with Natasha Romanoff on their way to stop Batroc. In the film, Steve and Natasha get into a playful conversation about Steve's love life, where Natasha attempts to coax him into taking someone from S.H.I.E.L.D. on a date. Even though Peggy has filled Steve's role in the What If...? world, the conversation still occurs. Natasha tries to convince Peggy to go on a date with someone, though Peggy insists that the person isn't her type. Natasha teases her back by asking if his name was Steve if Peggy would've had a change of heart. Much like Steve in the film, Peggy dives out of the jet to battle Batroc on the Lemurian Star. Unfortunately, Peggy's battle with Batroc is cut short because of the Watcher's sudden appearance in the sky to recruit her for the Guardians of the Multiverse.
Once taken by the Watcher, Peggy cannot escape Steve's memory and finds herself reminiscing over the photo on display. Following her successful bout with her fellow Guardians, many of them return to their respective universes with higher spirits. A short montage shows many of them experiencing what can be considered a happy ending. Before returning to her universe, Peggy stops to ask the Watcher about her own happy ending. Aware that she wishes to return to another time where Steve is still alive and they have the potential to be together, the Watcher encourages her to remember that her universe is still in need of Captain Carter. His words prompt her to return to her universe, where she is once again placed in her battle with Batroc.
Captain Carter's battle with Batroc is cut short once again, as Natasha steps in to put him down. With Batroc out of the picture, Natasha takes Peggy further into the Lemurian Star to show her something Natasha is sure she'd want to see. Wary of any further surprises the day may bring, Peggy peaks into the eye slot and immediately recognizes the Hydra Stomper. Surprised by the sight of the suit, she is further shocked once Widow tells her that someone is inside the suit. The scene ends before Peggy is able to see who is inside the suit, but all answers point to it being Steve.
In the first episode of What If...?, Steve continued to be a hero despite not having the serum in his veins. Steve began to master the Hydra Stomper, which allowed him to fight alongside Captain Carter and his best friend Bucky Barnes. What If...?'s episode that created Captain Carter began to foreshadow how Steve could possibly make a return. Before Steve was able to reclaim the Hydra Stomper suit, he was captured by Hydra and was likely experimented on before being rescued by Bucky. This mirrors the main MCU storyline of Bucky being captured by Hydra and experimented on before Captain America saved him. While Bucky later became the Winter Soldier, now that Steve has been experimented on, is he still the hero Peggy remembers, or has he become something much worse?
If Steve is the person in the Hydra Stomper and he is now aligned with Hydra, it opens up another set of questions. Natasha was happy to show Peggy the Hydra Stomper and alert her to the fact that there was someone inside. This somewhat cheerful reaction heavily opposes the reaction she had to the Winter Soldier, meaning Steve has the potential to still be a good man inside the suit. If not, Steve and the Hydra Stomper just may not have come into contact with Black Widow in the past. In The Winter Soldier, Natasha knew of Hydra's assassin before she and Steve came across him. Comic fans are aware of the history between Black Widow and the Winter Soldier, even if the MCU didn't fully mention or explore it. Should Steve be the person inside the Hydra Stomper, does this mean there is a hidden history between Natasha and Steve? If so, it would also give Marvel the chance to explore the romantic connection between them many saw in The Winter Soldier.
Because The Winter Soldier focuses so heavily on Hydra's infiltration of S.H.I.E.LD., the presence of the Hydra Stomper should suggest that whoever is inside the Hydra Stomper will not be on Peggy's side. If the Hydra Stomper (and whoever's inside) wasn't a gamechanger, it wouldn't have been held onto for as long as it has been. The Winter Soldier was a proven Hydra asset that was only utilized in dire (and rather extreme) circumstances; it was part of the reason The Winter Soldier was considered a ghost story. The Hydra Stomper could be serving the same purpose, as the previous Hydra experimentation and known storyline proves Hydra doesn't do anything without a dangerous reason. Holding onto the Hydra Stomper (and potentially Steve), knowing how it would alter Peggy's battle strategy, is something Hydra has done before. Bucky and Steve's close friendship altered not only Steve's Hydra takedown but Bucky's own combat skills. Because Steve is the only person who could have that effect on Peggy, if Steve is the person inside the Hydra Stomper, What If...? has the potential to create the false hope of a happy reunion once again.
What If...? is now streaming on Disney Plus.
What If…? Missed A Huge Opportunity In Its Ending
Source: Pinay Diaries PH
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