The following episode has spoilers for episode 6 of What If…?
Every week, Marvel fans wait for another intriguing story to be presented as part ofWhat If…?and this week’s episode does just that. Taking fans back all the way to the origin of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the tale focuses on the events of 2008’s Iron Man and how things would have been different had Tony Stark been saved from the ambush in Afghanistan.
When Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger arrives just in time to rescue Stark in the latest episode ofWhat If…?, he changes the entire course of the billionaire’s life, robbing the world of Iron Man. But, his actions from thereon lead to certain reveals that could potentially be Marvel Studios’ way of hinting at howBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever’sstory might play out.
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Episode 6 ofWhat If…?poses the question “What If… Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?”, but fans are talking about the episode’s implications on the future of Wakanda.Killmonger was a huge part of 2018’sBlack Panther, and his appearance inWhat If…?was bound to strike a conversation about the world he belongs to. But, it has instead started a debate on who could potentially be the next Black Panther.
When the latest episode ofWhat If…?begins, it seems like Killmonger has changed his ways and is saving Stark out of the goodness of his heart. Fans have previously seen Thanos turn over a new leaf in the second episode, afterT’Challa’s version of Star-Lord convinced him to let goof his evil ways, so why can’t Killmonger do the same, right? Wrong. He has ulterior motives and plays out his plan perfectly, killing several people in the process, to go on to become the next Black Panther like he always wanted to in the 2018 film.
This episode ofWhat If…?doesn’t deviate too much from the MCU films and their plots. Of course, Killmonger saving Stark is a big step, and wipes out a huge part of the MCU’s history, but Jordan’sKillmonger himself doesn’t seem to be very different from hisBlack Panthercounterpart. He still has the same purpose in life, and even manages to kill T’Challa to achieve his goal.
That is probably the moment in the episode that stood out the most. InBlack Panther, Killmonger is unable to defeat T’Challa, but hisWhat If…?version succeeds at dethroning Black Panther, a turning point for Wakanda. This one moment brings the storyline closer to the MCU films as well, as the next installment in theBlack Pantherfranchise will also be dealing with the loss of T’Challa.
The death of Chadwick Boseman has left a huge void in the world and the MCU. The actor lost a long battle with cancer in August 2020, and a year later,Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveris back in production. While many of the stars will be returning to reprise their roles, it has already been confirmed thatMarvel will not be recasting T’Challa to honor Boseman’s memory. But, that left many fans wondering how the film’s story would be able to progress without the main character.
A lot of rumors and conspiracy theories have been floating around since Marvel announced their decision to carry forward without replacing Boseman. Many believe that Killmonger will be brought back to possibly fill T’Challa’s shoes, andJordan is definitely prepared to returnif that were the case. Other fans believe that T’Challa’s sister Shuri will be in charge, now that she is the only remaining heir. This theory is something that the latest episode ofWhat If…?also seems to support.
The minute Killmonger arrives in Wakanda, Shuri is the only one who is suspicious of his intentions. After he activates the Vibranium-powered robots and enters the battlefield to supposedly save Wakanda from the approaching threat, everyone else seems to be convinced of his loyalty to the land. With T’Challa dead, he is chosen to be the new Black Panther, and celebrated by the Wakandans.
However, that isn’t the end. Even though the villain succeeds, as with several otherWhat If…?episodes, fans are left with a silver lining in the form of Shuri and Pepper Potts. Just before the episode ends, the two seem to unite over a common enemy, while seemingly taking over the roles that would otherwise be portrayed by T’Challa and Stark. But, with the two of them gone (yes, fans have to witness Stark’s death once again), Shuri and Pepper seem to be the only hope moving forward.
Shuri’s decision to save her people from the villainous threat is something reflective of howBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever’sstory could be portrayed. It is already known that T’Challa will not be a part of the film, as confirmed by Marvel boss Kevin Feige himself. Aleaked video from the sets of the filmseems to confirm that same, too, as some sort of memorial is being put up in the throne room for the fallen king. And with his role not being recast, somebody else has to step up and take the responsibility of leading the Wakandans. Who better than Shuri to lead the way?
InBlack Panther, it was seen how Shuri was the innovator responsible for creating most of Wakanda’s technology. After her brother’s coronation, Shuri stands by his side constantly and is always ready with the next best modern piece of technology to assist him. She is also responsible for creating the Black Panther suit. After being resurrected fromthe Blip inAvengers: Endgame, Shuri even fights along the heroes in the final battle. She is definitely someone who is capable of standing on her own and would prove to be a competent leader if given the opportunity.
Apart from Shuri, several other Wakandan characters fromBlack Pantheralso return as part ofWhat If…?’slatest episode, each hinting at how things could potentially progress in the next installment of the franchise. Queen Ramonda’s tears as she screams “Wakanda Forever” and “For T’Challa” struck a chord with many Marvel fans as it was a reminder of Boseman’s death and his absence in Wakanda moving forward.
No matter whatpathBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverdecides to take, the void left behind by Boseman’s passing is something that Marvel fans cannot ignore, and the studio seems to be making every effort possible to honor his legacy. Boseman chose to battle his cancer privately, with most of his co-stars and the film’s crew being completely unaware of his diagnosis while they worked with him.
Many of the dialogues that he has spoken as part ofWhat If…?hit differently knowing that he was suffering at the time of recording them. Having to deliver those lines so close to the end must have taken a toll on him. With him gone, many of his dialogues will leave viewers emotional, and seeing him in the Wakandan Ancestral Plane intheWhat If…?episodemakes his absence from future projects that much more real.
While fans will surely miss Boseman, they are looking forward to how thenextBlack Pantherfilm carries T’Challa’s legacy forward. If Marvel decides to move in the same direction as the latestWhat If…?episode, things are looking up for Wakanda. It would be interesting to see how much of an influence this episode has on the film itself and whether any of the fan theories will turn out to be true.
What If…?is streaming on Disney Plus.
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