The animated series What If...? has concluded its third season, wrapping up its run on Disney+ with the finale episode titled "What If... What If?" This finale kept the focus on the core cast introduced throughout the series, allowing for character development, nostalgia, and multiversal madness to collide.
Beginning with the younger Uatu, known as the Watcher, the episode revisits his introduction to the Cosmic Order led by The Eminence, who presses Uatu to embrace his role as merely an observer. The Watcher questions the value of this passivity and vows to intervene when necessary, something he has done multiple times, leading to his eventual label as a heretic. Throughout the episode, he references saving various heroes like Steve Rogers and Nick Fury, and the stakes rise significantly when Infinity Ultron, voiced by Ross Marquand, makes his presence known.
Uatu's pivotal choice to save Captain Carter, voiced by Hayley Atwell, who is captured by evil Watchers, showcases the moral dilemmas faced by the characters. The ensuing battle brings all the players together, including Kahhori and Storm, as Uatu assembles the Exiles to take on their dark counterparts. When The Eminence combines with The Incarnate and The Executioner, the stakes grow even higher as they threaten to erase every variant from existence.
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have showered the series with both applause and criticism. Season 3 currently holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 75% from critics; compared to previous seasons, this is significantly lower, as the first two seasons held scores of 89% and 90%, respectively. The audience score also dropped drastically to 54%. Critics perceived this season as lacking the creative spark of its predecessors, leading to contrasting reactions from viewers.
Among the season's standout moments is Captain Carter’s heartbreaking sacrifice, where she uses her newfound powers as a cosmic being to stop The Eminence. Her act not only saves her friends but also emphasizes the series' recurring themes of identity and purpose—notions first explored within the Eternals' narrative arc. Uatu ends up sharing his name, “I am Uatu,” signifying his acceptance of individuality against the backdrop of his cosmic responsibilities.
Throughout the climactic sequence, there are stunning visual callbacks to the comic book lore, such as the classic "Kirby Krackle" energy effects. These visual elements celebrated the attention to detail and history behind the Marvel franchise, bridging storytelling layers from comics to animated series.
The finale also features many iconic variants, among them: Ironheart as the Punisher, Samurai Ghost Rider, and various other creative mashups. These characters encapsulate exciting possibilities for future narratives within the MCU if Marvel chooses to explore these exciting iterations. Uatu’s closing narration hints at many more stories yet untold, leaving ample room for speculation around potential continuations or spin-offs from the series.
Despite its mixed reviews, What If...? Season 3 undeniably captivates viewers, intertwining various character arcs, and providing closure to long-running dialogues within the Marvel universe. This season’s exploration of multiversal possibilities enriches the narrative scope, cementing the series as both ambitious and reflective of the expansive storytelling potential Marvel is famous for.
Looking forward, Marvel Studios executives hinted at larger narratives converging within the MCU continuum, leaving fans both hopeful and eager for what may lie beyond the animated world of What If...? The creative team suggested there are "bigger universe reasons to culminate it now,” stating future developments would clarify the thread between this series' conclusion and the overarching Marvel narrative.
What If...? Season 3 is streaming now on Disney+, and with significant anticipation, viewers await what thrilling challenges and narratives the Marvel universe has yet to reveal.