What If? (2×01) What If… Nebula Joined the Nova Corps? Review

For our review of the last episode of What If?, click here.

The first season of What If? saw Marvel Studios’ first forray into the world of animation deliver plenty of new avenues in terms of storytelling thanks to its multiversal premise. For the most part, it delivered. Though nowhere near perfect, it was only a beginning as to where these stories may go. All looked upon by an entity known as The Watcher, its procedural format made way for an underlying story in the hopes of connecting them all. Ending on a cliffhanger, however that story goes remains to be seen as this first episode of season 2 continues in a procedural direction as it saw Nebula join the Nova Corps. In this universe, Ronan the Accuser betrayed Thanos and took Gamora with him, leaving her alone. Picking her back up was Nova Prime who gave her purpose by recruiting her for the Nova Corps.

Nebula, now a corpsman for the Nova Corps, was part of a team investigating Yondu’s murder on Xandar. With most of the Nova Corps looking past Yondu, she took it more personally. Taking her experience with Yondu and Xandar, Nova Prime empowered her to investigate by any means necessary. Little did she know, Nebula’s investigation would take her through the seedy underbelly of the planet and tasking a surprising face to help. What Yondu died protecting was merely a part of a larger conspiracy that connected her past and present while putting Xandar and its people in jeopardy. Once pulled from the darkness and into the light, as she got closer to the truth, what she found forced to question her purpose and what she believed in.

Essentially becoming Yondu over the course of the episode, Nebula assembled her own team, which included Howard the Duck, Groot, and Korg, to take on Nova Prime and the heart of Nova Corps. Leading to an exciting and action-packed climax, she reminded us that she should not be underestimated as she also had plenty of tricks up her sleeve. The result was never in doubt but how the episode sets up this different version of Nebula was interesting as it takes her in a noire direction. A bi-product of the series’ format, it would have been nice to see more of her on the case. However, the short running time gave the episode such a tight window to navigate.

In the end, the best part of the episode was its performances. Karen Gillan takes Nebula to a different level, giving nuance and depth to who originally was known to be a cold, emotionless, blank slate of a character. That depth only helps to pull viewers further into her journey as she took full advantage of being at the forefront for the first time. Meanwhile, Seth Green as Howard the Duck and Taika Waititi as Korg tempered the tone nicely as the comic relief. Strong writing ultimately guided the was but for those who find the latter to be an acquired taste, this episode will not change anything.

Detective/Yondu Nebula is just right.

still courtesy of Marvel Studios

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.