Marvel’s What If…? has problems in its alternate universes

What If…? picks up where Loki left off in discussing the meaning of the Multiverse and Variants. While Loki focuses primarily on 2012 Loki and Variant Sylvie, it also addressed that numerous alternative events could make universes similar or wildly different.

What If…? tells independent stories, each episode focussing on a more similar turn out of events, such as Peggy Carter becoming Captain America to the drastically divergent zombie apocalypse.

Marvel’s What If…? had the potential to dive into alternate universes, answering questions the MCU never got the chance to ask. Instead, What If…? became a question of how far the audience could push their suspension of disbelief regarding the differently portrayed worlds.

One of the aspects that were so specific about the characters in the MCU is that their life experiences, choices, and actions helped define them. What If…?  is meant to suggest what could happen if one choice or one action was different. However, the results do not always fit what viewers know about the characters already.

Characters that never interacted in the MCU suddenly have an episode devoted to their dynamic in alternate realities. As interesting as it may be to see fan-favorite characters in different environments or interacting with new people, it sometimes seems like the show is trying too hard to show differing universes.

The series asks questions that pose a completely different world than what occurs in the Sacred Timeline. Although What If…? shows a direct answer to each episode’s title question, the show lacks follow-through.

The episodes have not shown the long-term effect of these decisions or actions. While the main plot may have been completed, there are still aspects of the story that would have started a chain reaction for future events.

The various realities the series portrays are entertaining individually. Still, it has yet to be shown if these versions of the characters will impact the MCU movies or the Multiverse storylines the films may portray.

Although the series may have its issues, What If…? is a helpful guide to understanding the wide range of alternative realities that can exist at once and how to better grasp the Multiverse concept.