10 Marvel Comics What If Storylines The MCU Needs To Adapt In What If…? Season 3

Several storylines from Marvel Comics’ run of What If…? could be adapted for the third season of Marvel Studios’ animated Disney+ series in the MCU. The first series of What If…? stories in Marvel Comics released in 1976, and featured Uatu the Watcher narrating alternate realities to the main Marvel Universe in which small changes make the narrative run very differently to what was already established. Marvel Studios adopted this idea for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, premiering What If…? season 1 in 2021, after Loki season 1 introduced the concept of the multiverse to the MCU. Marvel Studios continued the popular series with What If…? season 2 in December 2023.

Marvel Studios’ What If…? had explored alternate realities and variant characters such as Captain Carter, Strange Supreme, T’Challa’s Star-Lord, Nebula’s Nova Corpsman, 1988’s Avengers team and MCU original superhero Kahhori, among many others. With What If…? season 3 on the way, there are many more variants from Marvel Comics who could soon make their way into the MCU. With five decades of What If…? storylines to draw from, Marvel Studios is in no shortage of ideas for future alternate narratives, and many of them would fit perfectly into the established world of the MCU, even though the continuity of Marvel Comics is vastly different from the live-action and animated adaptations.

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10 What If… Spider-Man Had Joined The Fantastic Four?

Released By Marvel Comics In 1976

The first ever alternate storyline introduced in Marvel Comics’ What If…? back in 1976 was “What If… Spider-Man Joined the Fantastic Four?” This story saw the Fantastic Four recruit Peter Parker’s Spider-Man as a means to solve his money problems, marking the debut of the Fantastic Five, but his growing popularity ousts Sue Storm’s Invisible Woman from the group, who permanently leaves for Namor’s underwater kingdom. The Fantastic Four are set to debut in the MCU in Phase 6, so this would be a great tale for Marvel Studios to adapt, especially since Spider-Man was brought into the MCU by being recruited for the Avengers by Iron Man.

9 What If… Captain America Hadn’t Vanished During World War Two?

Released By Marvel Comics In 1977

In the main timeline of the MCU, Steve Rogers’ Captain America was thought dead during World War II after battling the Red Skull, and he wouldn’t be found and revived until the 2010s. In 1977’s “What If… Captain America Hadn’t Vanished During World War Two?,” Captain America and Bucky Barnes succeed in bringing down the Red Skull, and continue to fight crime, with Rogers eventually becoming the first Director of SHIELD. A version of Steve Rogers who became the Red Room-controlled HYDRA Stomper has already been shown in Marvel Studios’ What If…?, so it would be great to explore a version who continued being a hero after WWII.

8 What If… Shang-Chi, Master Of Kung Fu, Had Remained Loyal?

Released By Marvel Comics In 1979

Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi is a fairly new addition to the MCU, debuting in 2021, and he hasn’t yet been seen in an episode of What If…?. It’s possible What If…? season 3 could adapt 1979’s “What If… Shang-Chi, Master Of Kung Fu, Had Remained Loyal?,” though, as this fits perfectly into Shang-Chi’s MCU timeline. After being trained by his father, Xu Wenwu – the wielder of the Ten Rings – a 14-year-old Shang-Chi was sent to kill the Iron Gang’s leader, but ran away following the act. If Shang-Chi had stayed, he likely would have inherited the Ten Rings from his father, but surely wouldn’t have become a hero.​​​​​​​

7 What If… The Punisher Killed Daredevil?

Released By Marvel Comics In 1991

On January 10, 2024, Marvel Television’s Defenders Saga shows, that previously released on Netflix, were folded into the MCU’s timeline, suggesting shows such as Daredevil, Jessica Jones and The Punisher are now canon to the MCU. This perhaps means that future What If…? episodes will focus on events that happened in these popular Marvel Television shows, potentially adapting 1991’s “What If… The Punisher Killed Daredevil?” In Daredevil season 2, Frank Castle shoots Matt Murdock’s Daredevil, who thankfully survived. If Daredevil had died, however, a war of superheroes may have begun as it did in the Marvel Comics storyline, with potentially even Spider-Man getting involved in the battle against the Punisher.​​​​​​​

6 What If… The Hulk Had Evolved Into The Maestro?

Released By Marvel Comics In 1995

For several years, there have been calls for Marvel Studios to revert Bruce Banner’s Hulk to his savage form from the MCU’s early days. An episode of What If…? based on 1995’s “What If… The Hulk Evolved Into The Maestro?” could perfectly bring this ruthless but intelligent Hulk into the MCU. In the main Marvel Comics continuity, the Maestro is an evil version of the Hulk from an apocalyptic future, so seeing the MCU’s Bruce Banner transform into this version of the Hulk, perhaps in response to trying to cure himself in The Incredible Hulk, or his Smart Hulk transformation going wrong in Avengers: Endgame​​​​​​​, would be truly thrilling.

5 What If… Namor Grew Up On Land?

Released By Marvel Comics In 2005

Despite being one of Marvel Comics’ original heroes, Namor didn’t appear in the MCU until 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and is yet to make an appearance in What If…?. Marvel Studios changed Namor’s history for the MCU, placing him and his people in Talokan instead of Atlantis, and adapting their physiology to be vibranium-based, akin to the Wakandans and the Black Panther. This means he never would have had the opportunity to grow up on land like in 2005’s “What If… Namor Grew Up On Land?,” but this would still be an interesting storyline to explore, particularly after introducing Namor’s utter hatred for the surface world in Wakanda Forever​​​​​​​.

4 What If… Bruce Banner Had Landed On Sakaar Instead Of The Hulk?

Released By Marvel Comics In 2007

Thor: Ragnarok loosely adapted Marvel Comics’ Planet Hulk, with the Hulk finding himself on Sakaar after banishing himself in Avengers: Age of Ultron. In Marvel Comics, the Illuminati exile the Hulk, but he becomes Sakaar’s Emperor and returns to Earth to wreak havoc in World War Hulk. However, 2007’s “What If… Bruce Banner Had Landed On Sakaar Instead of the Hulk?” saw the Hulk revert to Banner after thinking Sakaar was peaceful, though he is quickly killed. Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok would have been very different if the Hulk had never become the Grandmaster’s champion, and perhaps could have ended with Banner’s demise, significantly impacting the future of the MCU.

3 What If… The Skrulls Succeeded In Their Secret Invasion?

Released By Marvel Comics In 2009

In Marvel Comics’ original timeline, the superheroes of Earth managed to thwart the Skrulls’ plans to take over the Earth, but 2009’s “What If… The Skrulls Succeeded in Their Secret Invasion?” twisted this completely. After the disappointing performance of Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion on Disney+, an episode of What If…? based on the series could help to redeem the show somewhat, and provide some insight into what would have happened had the Skrulls managed to invade the planet and subjugate humanity. This would be a great way to address one of the MCU’s lowest-rated storylines, and could potentially fix some of the mistakes of the Phase 5 series.

2 What If… Tony Stark Had Become Doctor Doom?

Released By Marvel Comics In 2010

Doctor Doom hasn’t yet been introduced into the MCU, but he has been heavily rumored to be appearing before the Multiverse Saga ends, creating the opportunity for this iconic What If…? storyline to be adapted. “What If… Tony Stark Had Become Doctor Doom?” saw Stark’s mind transferred into fellow college student Victor Von Doom’s body, leading to Stark being deported to Latveria, and Doom relishing the riches of Stark Industries. This led to them swapping their roles in a fantastic and introspective story that would be great to see unfold in Marvel Studios’ What If…?’s future seasons, potentially even marking a strong debut for Doctor Doom in the MCU.

1 What If… Loki Wielded Mjolnir?

Released By Marvel Comics In 2023

One of Marvel Comics’ most recent What If…? storylines, “What If… Loki Wielded Mjolnir?,” would be the perfect story to adapt in a future episode of Marvel Studios’ What If…?. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki became a bona fide God in Loki season 2, but he surely has infinite variants across the multiverse who are still villains, so adapting this storyline could see an evil Loki take control of Asgard by wielding Mjolnir instead of his brother, Thor. Several versions of Loki have been seen in previous What If…? episodes in the MCU, so this would be a great way to continue this theme and fully demonstrate his prominence across the multiverse.