Marvel hit a new milestone after releasing their first ever animated series “What If…?” exclusively on Disney+. This series touches on MCU’S idea of the multiverse and educates fans on how it works before transitioning into phase four of Marvel movies. Marvel divides their movies into phases to help organize them by similar content. For example, phase four is going to cover the abnormality and complexion behind many vast universes. 

The multiverse is an infinite amount of alternate universes that are caused by events that affect the timeline in which a universe is on. In this new animated project the director, Bryan Andrews, focuses on a new variation of previously known Avengers, the name for the heroes in the MCU. For example, we are introduced to characters like Captain Carter, a new variation of Captain America, as well as Spider Strange, previously Doctor Strange. 

Every episode focuses on one of the new rostered Avengers and goes into their backstory about how they ended up becoming a variation of another hero. It is very intriguing to find out what decisions heroes’ made that caused their reality to be rewritten. This series does an excellent job of storytelling and retelling the stories from past movies that we know them but with twists. These 30 minute episodes are especially beneficial for watchers with a short attention span. 

One of the most notable examples of an alternate reality takes place during the iconic scene of Howard Stark turning Steve Rogers into Captain America. However after suffering an injury, Peggy Carter stepped in his place in the super soldier project which was not how the original scene had gone. Just that slight change completely rewrote the reality viewers once knew.

Other than the great use of storytelling and dialogue, the animation they decided to go with is a smart choice to help recreate the same atmosphere inside comic books. The animation style is constant throughout the first two episodes that have aired. Everything within these episodes looks exactly what a person might imagine if a comic book were brought to life. 

Lastly, the show is narrated and hosted by, “The Watcher”, voiced by Jeffrey Wright,  and every episode he introduces fans with a new intro. The Watcher’s job is to monitor, observe, and compile all knowledge on all aspects of the universe without any interference. Fans are speculating the origins of who he is and what role he plays in the MCU or if he is someone we already know. Regardless it was a great use of introducing a new character.

So far after the first two weeks since its release on August 11, Marvel directors have done an excellent job capturing and portraying one of the most complex ideas they have come up with into a single show. With great designing techniques to amazing screenwriting, this show is definitely recommended to any Marvel fans who are questioning where in the storyline Marvel is after previous Disney+ shows WandaVision and Loki.