Marvel Studios' WHAT IF...? (2021)

[Derek Metaltron]

I have been quite tempted to try and create Doctor Who Target style prose novels for these episodes to expand them more, and this one especially has some fun concepts.

Rhodes is the character whose fate I am most concerned about. Without Tony or Natasha he's likely to have been trapped in the War Machine armour.

Also Peter will be dead. Remember he's the boy in the Iron Man toy helmet Tony saved at the EXPO. Ergo no Spider-Man.

[Frontier]

And this is exactly why spoilers:

I didn't want to see this type of portrayal of Hank. He does one bad thing and people come telling how he was always this terrible dude who would've already done those terrible things if better people weren't around him. Goddammit, there is a world of difference between "being a dick" and "being a murdering psychopath". Like, he just kills Thor because Fury might recruit him. It is mind boggling to me that people can say MCU Hank would've definitely killed multiple people just because of misplaced anger and grief. No he fucking wouldn't have. But you know, we gotta have that mentally unstable guy from the comics. That's the only way to make him interesting./s I never said anything about heroism. It has got nothing to do with anything.

end of spoilers

spoilers:

I've seen people point out that this shows that Scott was a better choice to be Ant-Man despite the fact that this is a mentally broken Pym who lost everything. Like, do you think Scott would be so happy-go-lucky or stable if he lost Cassie?

end of spoilers

[Oswin]

I have been quite tempted to try and create Doctor Who Target style prose novels for these episodes to expand them more, and this one especially has some fun concepts.

Rhodes is the character whose fate I am most concerned about. Without Tony or Natasha he's likely to have been trapped in the War Machine armour.

Also Peter will be dead. Remember he's the boy in the Iron Man toy helmet Tony saved at the EXPO. Ergo no Spider-Man.

Would Peter have been there though if Tony was dead?

[Derek Metaltron]

Would Peter have been there though if Tony was dead?

The EXPO was going ahead without Tony anyway since his birthday issues, Pepper was essentially in charge of the company. That said if Pepper and Rhodes became aware of Tony dying you would think they'd would put things on hold. I suspect Justin would still want to one up Tony, even after his death, with Vanko probably still taking advantage after the god bled.

Ultimately it would depend on whether news of Tony's death got out in time for Justin's unveiling of War Machine at the EXPO.

[CosmiComic]

spoilers:

Movie Hank is a dick. Period. Recruiting a at the end of his rope ex con trying to put his life back together to do a job his daughter was over qualified for kinda proves he's a dick. That it worked out for everyone doesn't change that. It does put a spotlight on his overprotective nature regarding Hope. Hope getting killed in a SHIELD mission is the kind of thing that would make him heel turn. Note that in 2 movies Hank's concerns after his wife goes MIA are more about recovery of his property and the rescue of his Wife. All his concerns are personal. He does not have the heroic drive of the 616 Pym. He didn't go into independent heroing after quitting SHIELD. Nor did he reach out to SHIELD after Fury took over. He just sat on his tech and held a decades long grudge instead. The greater good doesn't seem to be much of a concern for him and neither do other people who aren't related to him. Note that MCU Bill Foster quit because he couldn't stand the guy. Without the balancing influence of his wife and daughter MCU Pym is definitely heel material.

end of spoilers

I don't think he'd turn evil without them. And not every super being needs to be an "independent superhero".

But I never liked him gatekeeping his daughter being a hero.

spoilers:

I've seen people point out that this shows that Scott was a better choice to be Ant-Man despite the fact that this is a mentally broken Pym who lost everything. Like, do you think Scott would be so happy-go-lucky or stable if he lost Cassie?

end of spoilers

Are they trying to justify spoilers:

not properly adapting Hank & Jan?

end of spoilers

Would Peter have been there though if Tony was dead?

Was he there because of Tony?

[Cyke]

Just saw this last episode and I was absolutely hooked. That's all I have to say about it.

But to the older posts about T'Challa being a Mary Sue, I've no qualm with anyone disliking the episode, but T'Challa indirectly allowing catastrophic, intergalactic death and dooming Earth by his own freewheeling automatically disqualifies him as a Mary Sue.

[Witchfan]

I think that this animated version of Black Widow performed better that Scarlett did in live action. Does anyone else agree with me?

[Metro]

I saw no difference besides the fact one is animated and the other isn't

[Vic Vega]

I think that this animated version of Black Widow performed better that Scarlett did in live action. Does anyone else agree with me?

I have noticed that many of the MCU actors recruited to do voice work for the show have been kinda underwhelming with the notable exceptions of Dijiman Honsu, Sam Jackson and Clark Gregg.

Not sure why that is happening however. Bad Voice Direction, No Voice Direction (did the actor just submit a tape of the first take they did and go about thier business?), lack of interest in the job by the MCU actors?

You generally got better performances from pro voice actors. Looks like voice work is harder than it always seemed.

Makes one appreciate Justice League Animated Series Voice Director Andrea Romano even more. All her celeb voice casting worked.

[ChrisIII]

Did they sort of imply that this version of Coulson was gay? Granted, I think most of the MCU stuff that implied he isn't is from AOS (Not only the Cellist but also May later on) which is now in kind of canon limbo.

[Gorthon616]

Did they sort of imply that this version of Coulson was gay? Granted, I think most of the MCU stuff that implied he isn't is from AOS (Not only the Cellist but also May later on) which is now in kind of canon limbo.

People like 'shipping men on Cap for some reason.

[Frontier]

It just dawned me thinking on the fact that we didn't see Blonsky in the episode...but without Hulk beating him and the need for Sterns' serum, he keeps his powers and doesn't become The Abomination. So does he join the good guys here?

Did they sort of imply that this version of Coulson was gay? Granted, I think most of the MCU stuff that implied he isn't is from AOS (Not only the Cellist but also May later on) which is now in kind of canon limbo.

I think he's just that much of a Captain America fanboy.

[j9ac9k]

I have noticed that many of the MCU actors recruited to do voice work for the show have been kinda underwhelming with the notable exceptions of Dijiman Honsu, Sam Jackson and Clark Gregg.

Yeah, voice acting isn't the same as acting in live-action. It's happened a lot when celebs end up voicing cartoons, I find. Their voices lack a certain push that would be bad in live-action, but is needed to match the cartoon characters' acting.

Did they sort of imply that this version of Coulson was gay? Granted, I think most of the MCU stuff that implied he isn't is from AOS (Not only the Cellist but also May later on) which is now in kind of canon limbo.

I think Phil's just a big fanboy. And there is a running joke about how beautiful Thor is. ("space angel" that he is)

[Jokerz79]

Yeah, voice acting isn't the same as acting in live-action. It's happened a lot when celebs end up voicing cartoons, I find. Their voices lack a certain push that would be bad in live-action, but is needed to match the cartoon characters' acting.


I think Phil's just a big fanboy. And there is a running joke about how beautiful Thor is. ("space angel" that he is)

Besides Thor's an Alien and if it's an Alien it's not gay.

[Cyke]

I have noticed that many of the MCU actors recruited to do voice work for the show have been kinda underwhelming with the notable exceptions of Dijiman Honsu, Sam Jackson and Clark Gregg.

Not sure why that is happening however. Bad Voice Direction, No Voice Direction (did the actor just submit a tape of the first take they did and go about thier business?), lack of interest in the job by the MCU actors?

You generally got better performances from pro voice actors. Looks like voice work is harder than it always seemed.

Makes one appreciate Justice League Animated Series Voice Director Andrea Romano even more. All her celeb voice casting worked.

I don't necessarily agree with the following comment, but it did make me chuckle enough that I think it's valid: "Michael Douglas sounded like he was playing a Michael Douglas impersonator."

To that end, while I feel like many of the MCU have done a decent job so far in this series, the one low point was Rooker's performance (more disappointing because I love the guy so much). And I don't think he was phoning it in either, just that he didn't get good direction.

I'd also criticize Ruffalo's voice acting but he always sounds so disinterested in the movies (or in anything really) anyway. I know this is an unpopular opinion but I just really don't like his Bruce and never have. I just don't get how he has all this success as an actor, but obviously something's clicking with his fans.

Edit: I just realized that the three actors you point out have more voice acting experience than many other MCU actors
- Djimon Honsou played T'Challa himself in Marvel Knights' Black Panther
- Sam Jackson has the Incredibles
- Gregg played Principal Coulson in the Spider-Man cartoon

Still though, despite all the experience in the world, voice direction is important.

I think Phil's just a big fanboy. And there is a running joke about how beautiful Thor is. ("space angel" that he is)

Phil would probably fist-bump Scott Lang after they both salute "America's Ass."

Plus, Coulson commenting on Thor's beauty ensures how secure he is in his masculinity, just like Drax (and in his own snide way, Tony as well).