“What If…?” Ultron Built a Suit of Armor Around The Multiverse

SPOILERS ahead for What If…? Episode 8

The idea of a villain winning a war, especially in superhero projects, tend to be on the rare side. This means when they do occur, they have a much greater impact than if the heroes win. We saw it in Empire Strikes Back, and we saw it in Infinity War, and now in What If…? we see the villain winning with its mission. Although audiences do not know how it did it, within this episode, Ultron was able to build its new vibranium body, and The Vision never became an Avenger.

Shortly into this episode, however, is when the story takes a jump where I was not expecting one. Rather than Ultron fighting the remnants of The Avengers in a post-apocalyptic world and universe, the episode yada–yada’s over that part shows some nuclear destruction and skips to Ultron looking over a conquered Earth. After Thanos arrives on Earth and is sliced in half the long way, Ultron completes his collection of infinity stones and sets his sights on conquering more than just Earth.

Ultron expands its conquests to the other planets as well and after it completes this, the evil android notices The Watcher. Along with the eternal viewer being spotted, Ultron also witnesses the ever-expanding multiverse. Considering how much we know about Ultron already, it is not surprising to learn that it wants to create its version of “peace” throughout the multiverse as it did on Earth, Asgard, Sakaar, Sovereign, and Ego.

The Watcher, who rightfully fears for Ultron’s destruction within the multiverse, puts all his time and energy trying to make sure the universe where the android is from puts a stop to it. This means Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff must find a way to defeat Ultron. They travel to the Hydra base in Siberia, where their super-soldiers were trained, and download the last copy of Arnim Zola’s electronic conscious. The agents of SHIELD transfer Zola’s programming into an Ultron sentry bot so they can try and dismantle the army and the big silver menace from its internal network.

In order to ensure humans have a chance, and because he is emotionally exhausted from all that he lost due to Ultron, Clint sacrificed himself to take out the sentry of Ultron bots. This leads to the most stunning and beautiful shot of the entire series, and it just so happens to include my boy Hawkeye, so I can’t be too mad about it.

Clint and Natasha’s plan does not work, not because Zola is not powerful enough, but because Ultron is not on any of their planets. Audiences find out that Ultron was able to infiltrate the in-between area where The Watcher is able to do his… watching. The eternal being and the cybernetic tyrant have a duel throughout the multiverse and we see them fighting in Times Square, Wakanda, Medieval times, some sort of forested area, and in outer space. The amount of time and energy that went into this episode’s animation style is unparalleled to any other episode. It was such a beautifully drawn episode, there really is nothing else that can be said.

This fight between Ultron and The Watcher, who looks to be on board with intervening now, is fully garbed with some armor as he handles himself very well against the infinity stone bearing Ultron. As the two have their interplanetary and interdimensional warfare, Ultron ends up getting the upper hand and taking over the space where The Watcher did his… watching. The Watcher is now locked out of the one job he was sworn to do, and that is where he finds Doctor Strange Supreme from What If…? Episode 4. The two look to be starting a team-up in order to prevent Ultron from destroying the multiverse, and I am EXCITED!

The fact that I was right about the episodes being connected makes me so happy. I also have loved the increasing involvement and presence that The Watcher has had. This eternal spectator started as a silhouette in the background disguised within city and landscapes. Then we would see his mouth moving; then we saw his skin color, then we saw the full being himself. This growth and developments were so carefully done and did not go unnoticed by many, including myself.

How this final scene shapes up the season finale next week is yet to be seen, but I know I will be tuning in to see this climactic end of the story.

Marvel’s What If…? is now streaming exclusively on Disney+.