Recap, Ending Explained & Easter Eggs

Warning! This submit comprises SPOILERS for What If…? Season 3, episode 5What If…? Season 3, episode 5 includes a very darkish alternate model of the MCU, with an ending even The Watcher finds onerous to observe. Starring Riri Williams as considered one of this timeline’s final heroes, it is all she will do to maintain preventing again towards the darkish forces which have taken over a actually damaged world. Nonetheless, the ending includes a main twist, one that would have dire penalties past this lone actuality.

In contrast to Darcy and Howard the Duck’s wacky adventure seen in What If…? Season 3, episode 4, this new episode is way extra severe, set in a dystopian model of the MCU the place the Emergence that was prevented in 2021’s Eternals was profitable, leading to a damaged planet the place one Marvel villain specifically was capable of seize energy within the aftermath. To that finish, this is our breakdown of What If…? Season 3, episode 5, the shock ending defined, and the largest Easter eggs and references we discovered all through the brand new episode.

What If…? Season 3 Episode 5 Spoilers & Key Story Takeaways

“What If…The Emergence Destroyed The Earth?”

Uatu reveals Riri Williams’ Ironheart is the final greatest hope in each variation of this darkish new actuality, however that she fails each single time.
Riri meets with Sharon Carter’s Energy Dealer who sells her a straightforward bake oven which can assist her construct a brand new weapon.
Attacked by White Imaginative and prescient and a group of Iron Legionaries (although some are solely holograms), Riri is rescued by “The Resistance”: Normal Ming Nan, Okoye, Wong, and Valkyrie.
Uatu reveals that Tiamut emerged nicely earlier than the Eternals may come collectively to cease it, breaking the Earth within the course of.
Mysterio used the chaos to take over Stark Industries and rule the world utilizing his hologram tech and the Iron Legion, creating the brand new Iron Federation led by his enforcer, White Imaginative and prescient.
Nearing his last days, Mysterio wished to make sure the Resistance fell earlier than he did, sending White Imaginative and prescient to annihilate them earlier than he died.
With the Resistance’s assist, Riri builds her weapon and kills White Imaginative and prescient, although she and those that saved her are the one members of the Alliance left.
Turning White Imaginative and prescient’s synthezoid physique into a brand new go well with, Riri turns into half-human and half-synthezoid, permitting her to see by way of Mysterio’s illusions (quickly).
Mysterio finally good points the higher hand after killing the final of the Resistance and practically kills Riri, eager to take her go well with to extend his life.
Uatu intervenes, encouraging Riri to maintain preventing. Riri stands up and phases by way of Mysterio, taking his nanites and defeating the dystopian dictator earlier than producing an enormous Avengers image within the sky to convey hope to those that nonetheless reside on the damaged Earth.
A trio of Watchers witnesses Uatu breaking his oath but once more, and so they all agree that they need to now watch The Watcher going ahead.

How Ironheart Defeated Mysterio Defined

(And Why The Watcher Acquired Concerned…)

Even with her new suit made from White Vision’s parts turning her right into a half-human, half-synthezoid hybrid, Riri’s spirit was damaged by Mysterio with the reveal that he’d murdered her associates within the Resistance. Unable to maintain preventing any longer, it is Uatu who reveals that Ironheart’s spirit is all the time damaged and Mysterio all the time emerges the victor each single time he watches throughout all variations of this actuality. Nonetheless, Uatu decides to interrupt his oath, encouraging Riri to maintain preventing and stand up, massively altering this actuality’s total destiny.

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What If Season 3 Cast & Character Guide

What If…? returns for its last season with an unlimited solid of characters plucked from each disparate nook of the continually increasing MCU.

Listening to Uatu’s phrases, Riri stands for one final push, phasing by way of Mysterio’s physique and taking all of the nanites that had been protecting him alive. Flying up into Earth’s orbit, Riri generates a large Avengers image for all to see as Uatu watches on. Nonetheless, the shock twist is that Uatu is being watched by a triumvirate of Watchers referred to as the Eminence, Incarnate, and The Executioner. Displeased that Uatu has broken his oath once again, the trio agrees to maintain watching their fellow Watcher, suggesting that he could quickly face the results of his interventions.

What If…? Season 3 Episode 5’s Largest Easter Eggs and References

A number of Connections Is This Darkish New MCU Actuality

There are a handful of MCU references, Easter eggs, and appearances in What If…? Season 3, episode 5. Listed below are all the largest ones we discovered on this darkish new actuality:

Iron Legion—First seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark created the Iron Legion to help the Avengers. Nonetheless, on this actuality, Mysterio co-opts the drones to function his Iron Federation after he takes over Stark Industries.
Sharon Carter’s Energy Dealer – Her darkish flip having been revealed in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sharon Carter continues to be the Energy Dealer on this actuality, proven promoting Riri a straightforward bake oven to make use of for her weapon. As such, it is a good signal Sharon could quickly return to the live-action MCU.
An Alternate White Imaginative and prescient – It appears Imaginative and prescient was equally killed and repurposed right into a White Imaginative and prescient on this actuality, identical to in the primary MCU as seen in WandaVision earlier than the Imaginative and prescient Wanda created shared his reminiscences with him.
Love and Thunder’s Asgardian Skiff – The Resistance is proven saving Riri and bringing her aboard an Asgardian skiff, the identical one seen in Thor: Love and Thunder (minus the large screaming goats).
Casper The Pleasant Ghost – Combating White Imaginative and prescient to purchase Riri time to construct her weapon, Wong refers back to the synthezoid as “Casper”, a reference to the basic pleasant ghost character.
Final Mysterio – Mysterio’s new look in What If…? Season 3, episode 5 does carry some resemblance the comics’ Final Mysterio, the identical variant who introduced Earth-616’s Peter Parker and Earth-1610’s Miles Morales collectively for the very first time on the web page.
Grasp of Illusions – As he dies, Mysterio refers to himself as “The Grasp of Illusions.” This is identical moniker the villain calls himself within the comics as nicely.
A Trio of Watchers – This new trio of Watchers may very nicely be the identical three Watchers first proven in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, seen listening to the tales of Stan Lee.

New episodes of What If…? Season 3 are releasing every day at 3amET/12amPT on Disney+.

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What If… ? is an animated anthology sequence set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe which options fan-favorite characters, together with Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Physician Unusual, Killmonger, Thor, and extra. The brand new sequence, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head author, options signature MCU motion with a curious twist. The present sees Uatu the Watcher, an all-powerful being that observes the occasions of a number of universes from afar as they unfold, unable to intervene. Nonetheless, issues shift when an entity friends past the veil, jeopardizing the multiverse.