The eighth episode of Marvel’s What If…? is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. I’ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, now’s your chance to stop reading.

Marvel’s What If…? features fan-favourite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer and Brad Winderbaum as an executive producer, explores hypothetical stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It focuses on non-canonical stories like what happens if Peggy Carter became Captain Britain and if T’Challa/Black Panther was abducted by the Ravagers instead of Peter Quill/Star-Lord.

You can check out my previous breakdown of Marvel’s What If…? Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6 and Episode 7 here.

If you haven’t, you can check out my previous breakdown and easter egg articles for WandaVision Episode 1 and 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8 and Episode 9.

For The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns for Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6.

For previous breakdowns of Loki episodes, check out Episode 1 here, Episode 2 here, Episode 3 here, Episode 4 here, Episode 5 here and Episode 6 here.

Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia, we were recently lucky enough to participate in a roundtable interview with Marvel’s What If…? Executive Producer Brad Winderbaum, Head Writer AC Bradley, and Director Bryan Andrews. You can check out that interview by heading over here.

Recently, we also interviewed Marvel’s What If…? Editors Graham Fisher and Joel Fisher, Animation Supervisor Stephan Franck, and Head of Visual Development and Character Design Ryan Meinerding. You can check out that interview by heading over here.

Ultron Took Control Of Vision’s Body Before The Avengers Could

It looks like the trajectory of this universe changed from the events of 2014’s Avengers Age Of Ultron. Ultron obtained Vision’s body before the Avengers could. He took over Vision’s body and laid waste to Earth.

He turns the world into a wasteland by launching the world’s nuclear warheads.

Ultron Kills Thanos By Cutting Him In Half

Thanos arrives on Earth to get the Mind Stone, but Ultron simply kills him by cutting him IN HALF.

Ultron With The Infinity Stones Is Much Scarier Than Thanos

Ultron personally destroys Asgard, The Sovereign, Sakaar, Ego, and Xandar. He even encounters Captain Marvel on Xandar and easily kills her.

Sure, Thanos killed half the population of the universe by snapping his fingers but it almost killed him in the process.

Ultron destroyed the universe with his own hands.

Ultron Grows So Powerful That He Can Sense The Watcher

Ultron grows so powerful that he can see the Watcher watching him and thus becoming aware of the multiverse, causing the Watcher to be afraid. According to the Watcher, this has never happened before.

The Red Guardian’s Shield

While searching for Arnim Zola’s files at a KGB base, Black Widow finds the shield of Red Guardian. Red Guardian is Alexei Shostakov, who was played by David Harbour in Marvel’s Black Widow movie. This is a cool easter egg, considering that we’ve never seen this shield in any of the MCU movies so far.

Avengers Endgame Easter Egg

In Avengers Endgame, Black Widow sacrificed herself by letting go of Hawkeye’s hands to fall to her death. The same scene is mirrored in this episode of What If, with Hawkeye in Black Widow’s place instead.

This version is a bit bleaker in that Hawkeye’s last words before falling to his death is that he “doesn’t want to fight anymore”, revealing his broken will.

You can watch the original Avengers Endgame scene below:

The Watcher Vs Ultron

Ultron breaks into the space between universes and fights the Watcher. The Watcher goes toe-to-toe with Ultron, proving that he’s a cosmic-level being that’s not to be trifled with. However, he’s ultimately overpowered as well.

There’s A Universe With Steve Rogers Becoming President; The Ultimate Universe?

Near the end of the episode, Ultron and the Watcher enter a universe where Steve Rogers AKA Captain America is becoming the President of the United States.

This has happened before in the comics, but not in the main 616 universe. It happened in the Ultimate universe line of comics, where Steve Roger did become President during the United We Stand story arc in the Ultimate Comics The Ultimates Issue 16.

The Episode Ends With The Watcher Asking For The Help Of Doctor Strange Supreme

The best What If episode yet ends with the Watcher asking for the help of Doctor Strange Supreme from Episode 4. We already know that they will be teaming up with Party Thor from the previous episode (see below).

That’s all for this week, folks. Until next week for the What If Season 1 finale, Excelsior, true believers!