Black Widow, and fans are now enjoying a different type of MCU content with the animated series What If…?.
What If…? is an animated anthology series that explores what would have happened if some of the most important events in the MCU happened differently, essentially being the first look into the multiverse and its different timelines. These scenarios can be created by something as simple as a character making a different decision or just something happening differently around them, creating a new branch in the multiverse and resulting in stories such as Peggy Carter becoming Captain Carter, T’Challa becoming Star-Lord, Doctor Strange becoming evil, and the world being taken over zombies. What If…? episode 6 went back to retelling key moments from the MCU through Tony Stark (voiced by Mick Wingert) and Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), years before the latter’s arrival at Wakanda.
What If…? episode 6 explored a timeline where Killmonger saved Tony Stark from the Ten Rings in Afghanistan, making way for an alliance between these two. Together, Stark and Killmonger created a humanoid drone and a drone army made of vibranium, but Killmonger had other, secret plans, all so he could take T'Challa's place as ruler of Wakanda. Sadly, Killmonger’s return to the MCU wasn’t as exciting as fans expected, and as much as they would like to see him again in Black Panther 2, his brief time in What If…? proves that’s not the best idea, and bringing him back would end up hurting the character.
Killmonger was introduced in Black Panther, where it was revealed that he was T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) cousin. Killmonger has been named by many as the end of Black Panther, he announced Wakanda would share its technology with the rest of the world.
Killmonger went through a complete journey in Black Panther, was given clear motivations, good reasons to do what he did, and his actions impacted those of the hero once he was defeated. In addition to that, Killmonger’s ending was beautifully done, so bringing him back in Black Panther 2 wouldn’t do justice to his story, as happened in What If...?. Although there are a couple of ways through which Killmonger could return in Black Panther 2, all of them feel like a waste of the character’s potential and risk undermining what Black Panther did with him. Ultimately, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever doesn’t need Killmonger’s presence at all nor does he need to return as his story is complete, and What If…? was proof of how underwhelming having him back can be.
