Marvel animation boldly goes further into unexplored multiversal territory with What If…? season 3, offering a kaleidoscope of alternate realities and unexpected character dynamics. From mech battles and Hollywood rituals to the Ducks’ relationship – which was zoophilia let’s be honest – and Old West gunfights, the series leans heavily into its “anything goes” premise, both trying to be an anthology series and an episodic tale with a unifying thread and theme. While the ambition is there, this season is a mixed bag.

One of the season’s biggest departures is its shift from reimagining O.G. MCU movie moments to creating entirely new narratives. While this opens up creative opportunities, it also makes some episodes harder to connect with, especially if you enjoy seeing familiar characters in alternate versions of their most iconic stories. One example of that for me is episode 1, “What If…The Hulk Fought the Mech Avengers?” it’s a love letter to mech anime and kaiju battles, which is great and unexpected, but as I mentioned in my review I am not a fan of that genre. The oversized mech suits and Kaiju action scenes do not hit the mark.

Similarly, Episode 2, “What If…Agatha Went to Hollywood?” takes an absurdly fun premise and delivers a visually intriguing but ultimately forgettable entry. While Kingo’s role is nice, it feels more like a quirky distraction than a fully fleshed-out story. I don’t expect to like every alternate reality, but the story still needs to be more engaging and fun to watch.

Thankfully, the season did pick up for me with its later episodes. Episode 5, “What If…The Emergence Destroyed the Earth?” is a standout, blending stunning visuals and a compelling post-apocalyptic narrative that had shades of Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 5. The shattered Earth, ruled by Quentin Beck’s authoritarian regime, offers an opportunity of making it a visual feast while exploring the survival and rebellion of those that are left in that universe.

The two-episode series finale – because that’s apparently what it was -, “What If…The Watcher Disappeared?” and “What If…What If?”, is close to the type of episodes I was looking for this season, diving deeper into The Watcher’s (Jeffrey Wright) role in the multiverse, amazing action scenes, and compelling characters to follow blending clever callbacks to earlier stories, with the high-stakes drama I wanted. The episodes do the job for a season finale but not quite for a series finale.

I was happy that season 3 was spotlighting lesser-known / newer MCU characters, but I was also annoyed about the weak stories that they were given. Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac), Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), and Red Guardian (David Harbour) are fun to see in their respective episodes, giving them a chance to step into the limelight but it is a double-edged sword. Because we don’t have as long a history with them their what if episodes don’t hit the same, which is why the stories they featured in needed to stronger. Which is also why season 3 felt more like a marketing tool to push upcoming MCU projects rather than an organic exploration of “what if” scenarios.

Ultimately, What If…? Season 3 offers a colorful, genre-hopping ride that will appeal to fans who revel in the MCU’s weirder corners. However, its uneven execution and lack of connection to familiar MCU touchstones might leave some fans disappointed. For those who stick with it, the later episodes deliver the kind of multiverse-spanning chaos and payoff that remind us why this series remains a unique part of Marvel’s expanding universe.

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