What If Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Nebula’s New Role and the Gritty Xandar
Well, well, well, if it ain’t the second season of What If hitting the screens! And lemme tell ya, this first episode sure don’t disappoint. If you was hopin’ for somethin’ fresh in the world of superheroes, then this episode’s right up your alley. You know, with all this talk ’bout superhero fatigue and Marvel bein’ a bit tired lately, What If sure comes through like a breath o’ fresh air. It’s like when you’re tired of the same ol’ food, and then someone hands you a dish you ain’t never tasted before—pretty exciting, huh?
Now, Episode 1, it’s got Nebula, but not the same Nebula we know. Oh no, this time she ain’t with the Guardians or fightin’ alongside the Avengers. She’s a part of the Nova Corps, one o’ them righteous soldiers fightin’ for justice on a Xandar that’s a far cry from the one we saw in the movies. It’s a tough, dark place, kinda like somethin’ straight outta Blade Runner, if you ask me. Xandar’s under a big ol’ shield to keep Ronan the Accuser from wreckin’ havin’ his way with the planet.
Now, you might be wonderin’, “What’s all this about Yondu?” Well, Nebula’s investigatin’ a murder, yep, someone done killed Yondu! She’s on the hunt to figure out who, but there’s more twists than a country road. She ain’t alone in this though, she teams up with Howard the Duck (who’s a hoot, by the way) and Korg, the big rocky fella. They all got their own skills, and trust me, it’s a fun ride watchin’ ’em work together. But here’s the kicker—ain’t no clear answer at the end of this episode about who did the deed. Kinda leaves you hangin’, like when you know there’s more story to tell but gotta wait for the next chapter.
The vibe of this episode’s dark and gritty. You can feel the weight of Nebula’s journey in every scene. She’s got her hands full, tryin’ to figure out who’s behind the murder in a world that’s already been turned upside down. It’s a world where Ronan, that big bad guy, beat Thanos. Can you imagine? A whole different world where Thanos ain’t the top dog. That’s somethin’ you don’t see every day.
And about them Avengers in the episode… Now, there’s this bit where we get a taste of what might’ve happened if the Avengers had assembled way back in 1602, but lemme tell ya, they sure don’t look much different from the ones we know today. I was hopin’ for some fancy Renaissance-style versions of ’em, but nope, they look almost the same as always. Kinda a letdown, but hey, the action still made up for it.
This episode really stands out from the first season. It’s got more action, more of them sneaky Easter eggs, and the animation? Oh honey, it’s lookin’ sharp. Every little detail’s on point, and you can tell the folks behind this episode put their heart into it. It don’t feel rushed or cheap, it feels like they took their time to make somethin’ special.
So if you’re a fan of Marvel and all them superhero stories, What If Season 2, Episode 1 should definitely be on your watch list. It ain’t your typical Marvel stuff, but that’s the beauty of it. It’s like sittin’ down with an old friend and hearin’ a story you never heard before. Ain’t that just the best?
Tags: [What If, Season 2, Episode 1, Nebula, Nova Corps, Yondu, Xandar, Blade Runner, Marvel, Animation, Easter Eggs]
