The 7 best variants in Marvel's What If...? season 2

5. Queen Hela

Imagine the fierce and formidable Hela, whom we last saw meeting her dramatic end in Thor: Ragnarok, back in the court but, this time, playing a whole new ballgame. Instead of sending her to the dreary depths of Hel, Odin banishes her to Midgard (our Earth) instead - just like he did with Thor in the early days of the MCU in Thor.

This change of scenery does wonders! No longer confined to the shadows, Hela finds herself face to face with none other than The Mandarin and his legendary Ten Rings (as seen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). There, she undergoes quite the character journey, learning more about who he is (or who she could be), the importance of things other than ruling, and she even trains with the Guardians of Ta-Lo. It's like watching your favorite villain turn over a new leaf while leaving all the badassery intact. She evolves into an awe-inspiring Goddess of both Life and Death, wearing a beautiful all-white armor that screams power and elegance. Who would have thought that Hela could get even hotter? And, you know, cooler? I do not apologize for that awful pun.

Hela – now Queen Hela – graciously accepts the throne of Asgard and teams up with The Mandarin and the Ten Rings. She starts building an empire that stretches across the universe putting herself on top of the list of the most powerful beings in the multiverse. And if you're into redemption stories, hers is a treat. Moving away from her dark past in the main MCU timeline, Queen Hela's journey towards redemption is not just satisfying, it's freaking exciting.