Who Is Kahhori? The MCU’s Newest Superhero Explained

Kahhori will be introduced as a new MCU superhero in Marvel Studios’ What If…? season 2. Based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, What If…? explores alternate realities in the MCU’s multiverse, investigating what might have happened if pivotal choices in the MCU’s history had been made differently. The series was in development by Marvel Studios Animation in September 2018, and What If…? season 1 premiered on Disney+ in August 2021, featuring many returning actors and characters from the MCU’s live-action stories. However, the highly-anticipated What If…? season 2, set to premiere on December 22, 2023, will also introduce a character never seen before in the MCU.

While What If…? season 1 introduced audiences to variants such as Peggy Carter’s super soldier Captain Carter, T’Challa’s Star-Lord, Doctor Strange Supreme, and an only child version of Thor, What If…? season 2 is set to debut more exciting heroes in the animated universes of the MCU. A 1980s Avengers team including Hank Pym’s Ant-Man and T’Chaka’s Black Panther, a version of Nebula working with the Nova Corps, and a version of Tony Stark who traveled to Sakaar will all be featured in What If…? season 2, as well as a brand-new MCU hero. What If…? season 2’s trailer provided a first look at the MCU’s newest upcoming superhero, Kahhori.

Marvel’s Kahhori Is NOT From The Comics

What If…? season 2’s Kahhori is a brand-new and original character for the MCU, having no basis in Marvel Comics whatsoever. This isn’t the first time that Marvel Studios has created original characters for the MCU, as the likes of Phil Coulson, Darcy Lewis, Layla El-Faouly, and Miss Minutes were all created especially for the MCU. However, Kahhori’s power set and storyline in What If…? season 2 perhaps make her one of the most significant original MCU characters, as she will introduce viewers to a culture that has seldom been represented on screen, and hark back to the early days of the MCU by being connected to the Tesseract.

Marvel’s Kahhori History Explained

It’s unclear which of What If…? season 2’s nine episodes will introduce Kahhori to the MCU, but some of her character history has already been revealed by Marvel Studios. One episode of What If…? season 2 will explore what happens when the Tesseract falls to Earth and lands in the sovereign Haudenosaunee Confederacy before the colonization of America. The Tesseract will transform a lake into a gateway to the stars, and imbue Mohawk woman Kahhori with some extraordinary gifts. The episode was created by Ryan Little in collaboration with members of the Mohawk Nation to ensure cultural authenticity, and will be delivered in the Mohawk language.

Mohawk historian Doug George praised What If…? season 2 for portraying Kahhori’s story from a Native American perspective, noting that the episode was created “with the complete cooperation of the Mohawk people from dialogue to adornment.” Writer Ryan Little mentioned that, as well as Kahhori’s name being pronounced ‘KAH-HORTI,’ her name is significant as it translates to “she stirs the forest,” which may refer to her newfound abilities imbued by the Tesseract, and her power to motivate others to join her cause. Kahhori is an exciting addition to the MCU’s Phase 5, and her level of power could change the shape of the MCU forever.

Marvel’s Kahhori Powers Explained

Though not much has actually been revealed about Kahhori’s power set in the MCU’s What If…? season 2, the first trailer has showcased the new hero using her abilities for various purposes. It appears she gains her abilities after being exposed to the transformed water of the lake that the Tesseract fell into, seemingly granting her powers not dissimilar to those of Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel. When her powers are activated, Kahhori’s eyes and body paint glow a vivid blue, creating an ethereal quality that emanates into a portal she appears to have opened, and in structures that bear similarities to those created by Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel.

Kahhori isn’t the first MCU superhero whose powers have been derived from an Infinity Stone, so her appearance in the MCU’s Phase 5 proves that the Infinity Stones are still important in the MCU’s multiverse, despite Earth-616’s being destroyed by Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver had their abilities enhanced by the Mind Stone, the Mind Stone then powered Vision’s vibranium body, while Doctor Strange used the Time Stone on numerous occasions, and the Power Stone was once wielded by the Guardians of the Galaxy. Captain Marvel’s own abilities came from a Tesseract-powered engine, so it’s possible Kahhori’s abilities will be similar to Danvers’.

Kahhori’s Role In What If…? Season 2 Explained

What If…? season 2 will detail Kahhori’s origin story as a new superhero in the MCU, giving viewers the chance to see her gain her abilities, and begin to learn to control them. However, What If…? season 2’s trailer has shown that Kahhori will, at some point, team up with Hayley Atwell’s Captain Carter in a crossover adventure. Together, the pair will take on a variant of Josh Brolin’s Thanos, who appears to be equipped with the Infinity Gauntlet. If Thanos is on his quest for the Infinity Stones, Kahhori and the Tesseract will likely be a target for the Mad Titan.

As a significant new addition to the MCU’s Phase 5, it’s likely that Kahhori’s What If…? storyline will span multiple episodes, just as Captain Carter and Doctor Strange Supreme’s did in What If…? season 1. This will give audiences a chance to really get to know the original MCU character, and avoid her storyline in What If…? season 2 feeling rushed. It’s possible that one episode could explore her origin story, while further installments will bring her into contact with other heroes, and terrifying villains. What If…? season 2 will deliver even more of the entertainment and fun that season 1 did, but Kahhori might bring some real drama.

Will Kahhori Join The Live-Action MCU?

Currently, there has been no confirmation from Marvel Studios regarding Kahhori’s future following the release of What If…? season 2, but it is entirely possible that the new hero could crossover into the live-action MCU. A variant of What If…? season 1’s Captain Carter appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as the leader of Earth-838’s Avengers and member of the Illuminati. This means that other variations on characters introduced in What If…? could certainly make the leap to live-action, including Kahhori. Nevertheless, only time will tell how popular the new superhero is in What If…? season 2, and what her MCU future might hold.