Warning! This article contains spoilers for What If…? season 3 episodes 5 and 6.
What If…?has followed Uatu the Watcher’s experiences watching the multiverse, but the show also throws a spanner in the works when it comes to theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)’s biggest wars to date. On the larger scales of comic book superheros, the MCU is pretty early in its storytelling journey, having begun in 2008. Meanwhile, comics and superheros in comics have been around for many more decades, with companies like DC and Marvel entering a peak in popularity in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.
Today, audiences look to more accessible mediums to indulge in stories about superheroes, but the excitement and enthusiasm remain the same. However, with the transition from the comics to the big and small screens, there have been adjustments to make the stories stand out to contemporary audiences. And inWhat If…?season 3, Uatu, a Watcher,broke a marvel rule that has been around since the species was first introducedin 1964.
The Watcher Broke His One Rule Twice In What If Season 3 (Again)
Uatu Has Grown Weary Of His Oath As A Watcher
What If…?uses Uatu as a framing device, having this character narrate and describe alternate realities which diverge from the Sacred Timeline. Without his observance, and the resulting sharing with the audience, there would be no thorough exploration of the Multiverse for the MCU, aside from the minor explanations provided in the TV shows and films which address the Multiverse. However,Uatu’s role as a Watcher is to stand by, watch, and never interfere. This is the fate of Uatu, but asWhat If…?shows, it is not what he wants.
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Instead, Uatu appears to be prone to emotion and sensitivities in a way that makes him vulnerable and upset when watching bad things happen. And, when he feels that he has spent long enough sitting by and watching, Uatu decides to take matters into his own hands and begin acting. InWhat If…?season 3, episode 5, Uatu steps in to helpRiri Williams, aka Ironheart, to avoid certain death at the hands of Mysterio. And in season 3, episode 6,Uatu directly interferes with a situationthat could have spelled certain doom for young Kwai Jun-Fan. It appears that, clearly, the Watcher is tired of watching things go wrong.
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Uatu Chose A Weird Time To Break The Rules
But, the Watcher has only recently decided to get off the bench and actually play. Before now, he did have brief encounters with humans and aliens, but most of his time was occupied by simply watching as things happened. This means the Watcher witnessed billions of lives being devastated. However, it feels odd that despitewatching half the universe of the Sacred Timeline be obliterated, or the Multiverse falling apart, the Watcher never thought to act. Evidently, it was never a question of power and ability.
The Watcher was able to speak directly to Riri and lift her out of a pitiful indifference to death, and to help her overcome Mysterio. His other rescue was when he flicked one of the guards into the other just before they pushed Kwai Jun-Fan to near certain death. So, did he not care about the other catastrophic and apocalyptic wars? It does not make sense to have Uatu get disillusioned by such small moments, when there was far bigger opposition with higher stakes and the cost of human life. Despite this, he continues to fight on inWhat If…?and could evenappear in an MCU live-action filmif his change of heart persists.
What If…?
Cast
What If… ? is an animated anthology series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which features fan-favorite 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, features signature MCU action with a curious twist. The show sees Uatu the Watcher, an omnipotent being that observes the events of multiple universes from afar as they unfold, unable to interfere. However, things shift when an entity peers beyond the veil, jeopardizing the multiverse.
