After WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, What If...? has been another successful Disney Plus television show for Marvel. Despite being the first animated offering on the platform from Marvel, with episodes that were shorter than those of the live-action shows, What If...? captured the interest and imaginations of audiences.
Many original cast members from the MCU lent their voices to the show. What If...? featured vocal performances by Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayley Atwell. Sebastian Stan, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Michael B Jordan, Paul Bettany, Paul Rudd, and many many more familiar faces from the MCU. What If...? also introduced Westworld star Jeffrey Wright as the voice of The Watcher, the all-seeing narrator of the show.
With most of the episodes featuring self-contained stories, it's natural that many fans found themselves preferring some episodes over others. While not the only website to feature user ratings and opinions, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has a very active userbase, known for being loud about their opinions. While not an objective or definitive list, it's interesting to look at their user ratings for each episode, and see which episodes scored the lowest, and which the highest.
"What If...Thor Were An Only Child?" (6.6)
This episode focuses on a world in which Loki was returned to his family as a baby instead of being kept and raised alongside Thor. Without Loki around, Thor learned different lessons and grew into a different kind of prince--the kind of prince who would try and throw an out-of-control intergalactic worldwide party on earth. This is a very fun episode, with most of the original cast of Thor--including Chris Hemsworth clearly having a great time--reprising their roles. However, like the party it portrays, the episode might have been a bit too much fun for some of the fans on IMDb, who gave it a lower ranking due to its perceived silliness.
"What If...Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?" (6.8)
The very first moment in the MCU gets turned on its head in this episode. Instead of Tony Stark being captured and going through the experience that leads him to become Iron Man, he is rescued by Black Panther's Killmonger. A different future begins to move forward, especially as Killmonger is slowly revealed to have had his own agenda all along. The episode features an interesting concept and a great vocal performance by Michael B. Jordan. However, many reviewers seemed to find the episode a bit too rushed, with too much going on to fit in a thirty-minute episode. It's possible they just wanted more from one of the MCU's best villains.
"What if...Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?" (7.0)
The premiere episode of What If...? came out with a bang, introducing a world in which Peggy Carter gets injected with the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers. The episode is not simply a remake of Captain America: The First Avenger with Peggy Carter in place of Steve, but rather it takes familiar characters and plotlines and transforms them for her unique character and situation. In the grand tradition of cases where a woman takes the place of a male hero, while some reviewers have valid criticisms of the episode, others merely seem upset that Peggy is as capable a hero as Steve was.
"What If...Zombies?" (7.9)
Possibly one of the most anticipated episodes of the series, this episode follows a universe in which a zombie plague is accidentally brought back from the quantum realm, infecting civilians and heroes alike. Surviving heroes, including Hope, Peter Parker, and Bucky, team up to try and find a cure. This episode has both comedic and dramatic elements and has also been praised by fans and critics alike for the artistic rendering of the zombies themselves. Some reviewers wanted the episode to be longer, while others again found it too "silly" for their liking.
"What If...The World Lost It's Mightiest Heroes?" (8.0)
In this universe, as Nick Fury attempts to recruit the Avengers, he is shocked as they get killed off one by one in front of him as he recruits them. The concept itself is interesting, and the episode does a good job at being more suspenseful than some of the others in season one. There are throwbacks to the original solo movies and origin stories of each of the Avengers as well as to The Avengers itself. While already a solid episode, it would probably be equally as interesting if a bit longer.
"What If...T'Challa Became A Star-Lord?" (8.0)
In the second episode of the series, the Rangers accidentally pick up T'Challa from Earth instead of a young Peter Quill. They decide to keep him around, and T'Challa grows up to be Star-Lord--although a very different Star-Lord than the one audiences already know. Following in the footsteps of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the episode is action-packed and funny, filled with appearances from familiar characters, including a particularly hilarious version of Thanos. There is also an emotional undertone throughout the episode, as it features one of the final performances by the late Chadwick Boseman.
"What If...The Watcher Broke His Oath?" (8.7)
The season finale of the show becomes a culmination of all the episodes that came before, with The Watcher bringing together these new versions of familiar characters for different universes to aid him in a final battle. It's fun and interesting, as it often is with grand superhero team-ups, to see these characters interact and respond to one another. Finales rarely garner a 100% satisfaction rate among fans, but this one rated pretty highly on IMDb--fortunate, as the show has already been confirmed to have a season two in the works.
"What If...Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?" (9.0)
In this bleaker, darker episode, Doctor Strange loses his love Christine in a car accident instead of the use of his hands. In his grief, he turns to magic to try and bring her back. Things go very differently than they do in the story audiences know. This episode is dark, riveting, and often heartwrenching. Its portrayals of grief, power, and madness clearly resonated with many viewers.
"What If...Ultron Won?" (9.2)
The penultimate episode of the series asks what would happen in a world where Ultron got a hold of the device that created Vision. In this version of events, Ultron defeats the Avengers and acquires all the Infinity Stones, leading him to travel throughout the universe trying to wipe out all life until finally, the Watcher finds himself the one being Watched. With a combination of grand action and poignant quiet moments, the episode was a hit with fans and built up excitement for the finale.