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One of the breakout characters from the first season of What If…? was Captain Peggy Carter, who became her universe's equivalent to Captain America and would ultimately help save the multiverse from Ultron. She is back in the fifth episode of What If…?'s second season in what is, unfortunately, one of the season's weakest episodes.
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for What If…? Season 2, Episode 5*
Recap
The episode opens on The Watcher, still repairing the damage caused by Ultron in season one, when he decides to revisit Captain Carter after being transported back to her universe. Since season one, her path has followed a similar one to Captain America's in the main MCU universe, from her leading The Avengers in the Battle of New York to joining SHIELD and working with Natasha Romanoff.
On her latest mission to investigate the cargo ship Lemurian Star, Carter and Widow discover the Hydra Stomper suit onboard with Steve Rogers still alive inside. Rogers attacks the pair, instead, destroying the ship and fleeing before Carter is able to speak to him.
It is later revealed by Nick Fury that Rogers and the Hydra Stomper disappeared in the early 1950s during an attack on the final Hydra base in operation by Rogers and his close friend, Bucky Barnes. However, it was suspected by SHIELD that Rogers survived, was captured by the Red Room, and brainwashed into becoming one of its most dangerous weapons. Despite this, Carter is adamant that Rogers can be saved if she has the chance to speak with him.
As Fury is speaking with Carter and Romanoff, the Hydra Stomper attacks the Triskelion to kill his former friend, Secretary of State Barnes, while Brock Rumlow and several SHIELD agents attempt to get the Secretary to safety. Carter is able to stop Rogers with the help of Romanoff, who brings the incapacitated Rogers to a secluded island off the coast of Scotland avoid SHIELD's detection.
The pair are able to reboot Rogers' suit, though they learn each reboot reduces his chances of survival each time. He eventually awakens, appearing to have successfully shaken the Red Room's brainwashing, and offers to take Carter and Romanoff to find the Red Room's headquarters that has been able to avoid detection for decades.
The trios journey takes them to a former KGB testing and training site meant to be reminiscent of a small American town. While Romanoff investigates the area, Carter and Rogers take the chance to catch up when the animatronic townspeople begin to attack the trio.
It is eventually revealed that Rogers' brainwashing was never broken and the whole thing was a setup by the Red Room's leader, Melina Vostokoff. She orders Rogers to attack Carter while multiple Black Widow agents go after Romanoff, slowly reducing the fake town to rubble.
After a destructive fight, Carter is able to break through to Rogers momentarily, prompting Rogers to take off toward the Red Room's flying headquarters. Romanoff is also able to fend off the other Widows, but is struggling against Melina when she notices Rogers flying toward the Red Room. She fires her grapple at the Hydra Stomper and attaches it to Melina, who is dragged into the Red Room as Rogers begins to destroy the flying command center.
In the aftermath, Rogers is once again presumed dead but Carter is not convinced and is determined to find him. Romanoff offers her assistance when Carter disappears through a portal in the ground, baffling both Romanoff and The Watcher.
Review
While the episode does not do anything poorly, it feels like one of the more uninspired episodes from What If…?'s two seasons. It effectively just mashes together elements from Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Black Widow's respective narratives in what can feel more like a “best of” episode highlighting well-known points from both films.
The ending stinger does help make up for it, but more on that later.
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The voice cast also helps make up for narrative shortcomings with strong performances all around, especially from the retuning stars. Hayley Atwell once again leads the charge with her earnest and charming performance as Peggy Carter, one which continues to endear her to audiences across live action and animation. Samuel L. Jackson, Sebastian Stan, Frank Grillo, and Rachel Weisz deliver, as well, though there screen time is more limited compared to Atwell.
It is Lake Bell who is the other standout performance of the episode as Natasha Romanoff, a character Bell has voiced in both seasons of What If…? She continues to channel Scarlett Johansson's attitude with each voice over session, though this episode may be one of her best outings of both seasons.
Ending Explained
As derivative as the rest of the episode can feel, the closing moments of the episode help make up for it significantly.
While Romanoff and The Watcher stare bewildered after Carter's disappearance, the super-soldier awakens in a dark forest when she is approach by two figures. The first appears to be Nick Fury, though his garb appears to be from the Elizabethan Era, followed shortly after by Scarlet Witch in similar dress. Fury and Witch remark how Carter will be the one to save their world, while Carter calls out for The Watcher in confusion.
This is a clear setup for the season's penultimate episode, which is set to adapt Neil Gaiman's 2003 limited series Marvel 1602. As the title suggests, the series was set in a 17th century Europe and American Colonies populated by era-appropriate versions of Marvel characters such as Doctor Doom, Captain America, and Black Widow.
While it remains to be seen where What If…? will take its version of Marvel 1602, what is clear is Captain Carter will have a big role to play in saving it from whatever danger has emerged.
Should you stream What If…? season 2 episode 5?
This episode may be the most skip-able episode of the season out of the five episodes released, outside of its ending stinger. The majority of the episode's narrative doesn't do anything new or offer that different a twist on the Winter Soldier or Red Room narratives to really stand out from its sources of inspiration from the main MCU universe.
That said, the ending stinger is at the very least worth catching if for no other reason then it clearly sets up something big for both Captain Carter and the universe she has been transported to.
What If…? season two is available to stream on Disney+.
