CAST

Jeffrey Wright
Anthony Mackie
Mark Ruffalo
Teyonah Parris
Oscar Isaac
Simu Liu
David Harbour

Review

The third season of Marvel’s What If…? kicks off with a bold and visually interesting premiere that’s a tribute to mech anime and kaiju battles. For fans of shows and movies like Voltron, Godzilla, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Power Rangers, or even Transformers, this episode might feel like an affectionate homage. But I’m not excited by giant robot combat, the execution is not quite right with the Marvel Universe’s usual tone. I know that’s the point of the What If series to mix and match the MCU with other unrelated things but the execution here is not the best.

The premise, featuring Sam Wilson’s Captain America leading a team of “Mech Avengers” to stop a rampaging Hulk after a failed cure experiment, is ambitious. In fact, I love the idea of a Gama war but again Mech suits and Kaijus are not really my thing. The episode delivers on scale and spectacle, with larger-than-life battles and vivid animation that embraces the grandeur of the mech genre. Yet, for me, the reliance on mech suits as the heroes’ main source of power feels like a departure from the core essence of what makes some these characters compelling.

One of the highlights is the inclusion of underutilized Marvel heroes like Moon Knight, Shang-Chi, and I’d even count Monica Rambeau in the lot. Their presence injects fresh energy into the episode, and it’s exciting to see them share the spotlight. Moon Knight’s mech is pretty cool. However, the ensemble cast, while impressive, occasionally feels more like a showcase for Marvel’s deep bench of characters rather than a cohesive narrative. The story struggles to balance its tribute to mech tropes with meaningful character development, leaving some interactions feeling more like marketing pitches than organic storytelling.

For fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), this episode may spark mixed reactions. The visuals and action sequences are undeniably thrilling, but the emphasis on giant robot battles might not resonate with everyone. That said, What If…? continues to demonstrate its willingness to take risks and explore uncharted territory within the MCU, even if those risks don’t always pay off for every viewer.

While “What If…The Hulk Fought the Mech Avengers?” brings striking visuals and a new concept to the table, the choice of concept – mech tropes – might alienate viewers who prefer the traditional superhero dynamic. Still, the episode’s creative ambition and the return of Moon Knight and Shang-Chi hint at intriguing possibilities for the rest of the season.

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