The Watcher will make his long-awaited return in season 2 of Marvel Studios' What If...? when the animated series begins streaming on Disney+ on December 22. And in the spirit of the holiday season, we recently learned that we'll be invited to unwrap a new episode nightly for nine nights.
Today, some new details have emerged about " What If... The Avengers Assembled in 1602?" According to scooper @CanWeGetToast, the episode will deliver "a mix of magic and steam punk," while "the villain of the episode will be Empress Hela with the 1602 Destroyer and her army of Yellow Jacket soldiers."
We'd assume that's a nod to Ant-Man villain Yellowjacket and it's undeniably intriguing to wonder how What If...? will put a new spin on an iconic comic book series (the last time the show did that was with Marvel Zombies).
The Marvel 1602 comic book was written by Neil Gaiman with art by Andy Kubert, and reimagined iconic superheroes in the Elizabethan era. Set in 1602, the story unfolds in an alternate Marvel Universe where familiar characters such as Nick Fury, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man exist in a world of magic, intrigue, and political machinations.
The discovery of a mysterious anomaly threatens the fabric of reality, prompting Queen Elizabeth I to enlist these individuals with superhuman abilities to uncover the truth. The series cleverly blends historical elements with the superhero genre, and we're guessing this story will be used as a basis for What If...?'s interpretation.
"Season two of 'What If...?' continues the journey as The Watcher guides viewers through the vast multiverse, introducing brand new and familiar faces throughout the MCU," reads a brief synopsis which was released alongside a trailer last month. "The series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles."
"Featuring fan-favorite characters this season like Nebula, Hela and Happy Hogan, episodes are directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews with executive producer AC Bradley as head writer."
Are you excited to watch What If...?'s second season later this month?
While not confirmed, we have good reason to believe these are the titles of each episode and the order they'll be released:
• What If... Nebula Joined the Nova Corps? (December 22)
• What If... Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes? (December 23)
• What If... Happy Hogan Saved Christmas? (December 24)
• What If... Iron Man Crashed into the Grandmaster? (December 25)
• What If... Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper? (December 26)
• What If... The Avengers Assembled in 1602? (December 27)
• What If... Hela found the Ten Rings? (December 28)
• What If... Kahhori Reshaped the World? (December 29)
• What If... Strange Supreme Intervened? (December 30)