Marvel’s What If…? Season 3, Episode 4, finally takes its ideas above and beyond with a scenario that’s so out of this world that not even fans of the show would’ve been able to have predicted what was going to take place within this episode, and while it may seem like a lot is going on, it’s still a fun ride and adventure that we’re taken on.
This episode is a continuation of Season 1, Episode 7, titled “What If… Thor Were an Only Child?. This was an episode that I personally didn’t take a liking to, as it felt odd compared to the episodes that had come before, but during the final moments of that episode, Howard the Duck took Darcy on a date. This episode shows us whether or not that date was successful.
WHAT (IF) THE DUCK?
This is the first episode where Marvel Animation has genuinely given it a title that fits what the episode was about, but even with them being able to stick the landing on a title that’s not misleading, I still ended up being very surprised by what I was met with. The episode opens up with Darcy in a hospital bed as she’s handed an egg, with Howard the Duck by her side.
There are many questions that I would love to ask, such as, “Did Darcy deliver that egg?” But those are questions for another day. Right now, the focus is on what this episode is actually about because, while it would’ve been cute to have watched Howard the Duck and Darcy parent this egg, it would’ve made for a boring episode. Instead, we’re thrown into the galaxy as the two newlyweds get invited to the Grandmaster’s intergalactic cruise to celebrate.
This is where it seemingly feels like the writers all looked at each other and said, “What ideas can we throw at the wall in hopes of it sticking?” For some, what takes place in this episode might slightly seem like too much, making it seem incoherent, but for me and some others, it becomes quite clear what this episode is. A true What If…? scenario.
WHAT IF… EVERY VILLAIN RETURNED?
What’s so special about this egg that not only makes The Grandmaster want to eat it, but almost every villain we’ve ever seen goes out of their way to get their hands on it? Well, if the concept of Howard the Duck and Darcy getting married and having a kid wasn’t ridiculous enough, then to add on top of it, their kid was born during a rare alignment of the nine realms, which they’ve dubbed “The Convergence,” which means their child is essentially this cosmic entity.
The rest of the episode is essentially this huge cosmic duck hunt (pun fully intended), as characters such as Thanos, Nick Fury, Zeus, the Black Order, Kacelius, and much more are all after this egg. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s a joyous ride as we watch these two characters without any special powers or abilities go up against the likes of all these villainous and menacing characters.
This episode also sees the return of Frost Giant Loki, with him advertising this resort, but unfortunately, with him bringing all this danger to their front door, Laufey doesn’t seem like he’s going to fund Loki’s grand expenses.
MUSIC ALWAYS SAVES THE DAY
Although this episode seems to be all over the place, it’s met with the best needle drop of the season yet with KISS’ “I Was Made For Lovin’ You.” This sequence felt like it was pulled straight out of a Guardians of the Galaxy movie, as the song is basically the key to Howard the Duck and Darcy’s egg becoming this weapon, which ultimately annihilates almost everyone.
What makes this episode worth watching is that it’s purely set up for the finale, in which their child, Byrdie, voiced by Natasha Lyonne, will have a very prominent role. It’s possible to argue that an episode like this wasn’t needed to introduce an original character, but it has been shown that Marvel Studios loves providing all the attention to their original characters.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This episode will not be everyone’s favourite and feels odd why this was a pitch that even got accepted, but it feels like a breath of fresh air that knows it just wants to be this crazy adventure across space. It might not be the best use of introducing a new original character for a final season of the show, but for me, it worked out pretty well, and episodes like these are more than welcome.
New episodes of What If…? arrive daily on Disney+ up until December 29. Check out the trailer below:
