What If…? episode 3: What’s hidden in plain sight in episode 3

The “Whodunit” that marks the third episode of What If…? is a smorgasbord of Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1–and Phase 2–callbacks.

More from Disney Plus

• Will Loki air a new bonus episode tonight? (November 16, 2023)
• Hawkeye season 2: Everything we know about a potential new season
• Loki season 2: All 6 episodes ranked from worst to best
• Loki season 2’s Marvel Cinematic Universe connections explained
• Ranking the unrankable: Top 10 The Clone Wars episodes, ranked

With episode one of What If…? , viewers were treated to a feminist retelling of Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). For the second, it was both Guardians of the Galaxy movies mashed up with Black Panther. But with this third episode, entitled “What If… the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?”, it combines plot elements from three different movies, and references at least three more. And when you combine that with the fact that it’s a murder mystery? Well, let’s say your humble writer had his work cut out for him.

That means we have a lot to go over. So let’s not waste any chit-chat and take a deep dive into what What If…? episode 3 had to offer, including the real reasons behind how this alternative universe became so different from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (and, of course, SPOILERS).

Fury’s Big Week

Prior to Avengers: Endgame (2019), the assumption was that each Marvel Studios film took place in the same year of their release in theaters. Thus, it was believed that The Incredible Hulk was set in 2008 (the same year as Iron Man), Iron Man 2 took place in 2010, and Thor happened in 2011. But this episode of What If…? postulates that the events of Iron Man 2, Thor, and Incredible Hulk all happened concurrently during the same week. But before you accuse What If…? of pulling a “retcon,” it seems there’s evidence from the movies themselves to back this up.

Iron Man 2 actually takes place six months after the first Iron Man movie. It’s also that same movie where Tony Stark (Mick Wingert) has a drunken birthday party, hence why he’s nursing a hangover at Randy’s Donuts when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Natasha Romanov (Lake Bell).

In a deleted scene from Marvel’s The Avengers (2012), Tony’s S.H.I.E.L.D. dossier lists his birthday as May 29, 1970. It also states he was CEO of Stark Industries until 2010, which fits as he promoted Pepper Pots to that position in Iron Man 2, as well. Since Tony’s birthday in 2010 fell on a Saturday, and since this episode opens on “Monday,” that means three things. First, that Tony went on a two-day binder after leaving his own party. Second, this means that, according to this episode, both The Incredible Hulk and Thor also took place during the year 2010.

There’s also a case to be made for Thor taking place at the same time as Iron Man 2. Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) finding Mjolnir in the New Mexico desert in Thor was also Iron Man 2‘s post-credit scene. Saying The Incredible Hulk also took place around the same time is a bit of stretch, though, but not implausible. You could say Tony’s meeting with General Ross (Mike McGill) during The Incredible Hulk post-credit scene is set after Iron Man 2, based on how it’s implied that Stark is working with S.H.I.E.L.D., something he only agreed to do at the end of Iron Man 2.

Still, “What If… the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?” probably took some liberties in order to enhance the drama and the mystery. Nevertheless, it serves as a reminder of just how interconnected the Marvel Universe really can be.