What If? (2×05) What If… Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper? Review

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

This latest episode of What If? checks back in on one of the fixtures of the Guardians of the Multiverse, Captain Carter. Now back in her universe, she had essentially assumed the role of Steve Rogers as this universe’s version of Rogers had long since been presumed dead, however, that may not be the case. On her latest mission with Natasha Romanov/Black Widow, they were faced with the titular Hydra Stomper, an entity responsible for many of the world’s worst acts of terror. Little did they realize, it was Steve Rogers who was operating the Stomper. This revelation unsurprisingly left Carter in a compromising position, still holding on to her feelings for Steve in spite of his alleged actions. Supposedly operating under the control of some unknown entity, she believed that there was a part of Rogers in the Stomper and that he could somehow be saved. Enacting a new plan, it was unclear what his endgame was but Captain Carter was going to stop him. Teaming up with Black Widow and capturing Rogers, she learned that the Stomper suit was what kept him alive for decades and what continued to keep him alive. And at the bottom of it all, was the infamous Red Room.

In order to find help for Rogers, the key ultimately lied in the elusive Red Room. Seemingly in a moment of lucidity, he, Carter, and Black Window made quite the team as they tracked down the Red Room and its leader Melina (Rachel Weisz) who was behind everything. Giving Natasha an opportunity to iron out some issues with her sort of mother, Rogers would also have to make a decision on what he wanted to be as his relationship with Carter laid in the balance. Experiencing plenty of loss in her life, perhaps they were just not meant to be but that did not make it any easier for her. Though as far as she was concerned, this was only the beginning of her story as a cliffhanger saw her transported to a different universe and greeted by different versions of Nick Fury and Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch.

If this is the only way we get more Peggy Carter content then so be it. Now, the underlying storyline begins. Meanwhile, the animation has been ramped up to another level this season as it knocks yet another climax and action set piece. While the consistency of the stories so far isn’t quite there, it’s that underlying story that matters.

still courtesy of Marvel Studios

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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.