All Eighteen Episodes What If? Episodes RANKED!

What If? is a brilliant show that has limitless possibilities, but, as always, some of the possibilities are more interesting than others! And, of course, some of these episodes execute these possibilities much better than others. I'm ecstatic to see the future of this show moving forward, but I do hope they start to be a little more consistent with their episodes, as some of the episodes of this show are the best things Marvel has ever made, and some are mediocre at best. Anyway, without further ado, I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker present to you: All Eighteen What If? Episodes RANKED!

18: Season 1, Episode 7 - "Thor Were an Only Child?"

This is easily the most hated episode of What If?, and for absolutely good reason. Why on earth did this get chosen, of all things, as a premise for an episode? Partying for half the episode for no reason? Yeah, that's exactly what I hoped to see in this episode. Yipee. I'm absolutely jumping for joy at such a great premise. Just kidding, what a preposterous prospect that would be! Let's move on so I can actually talk about a good episode before I go mad and think Asgard is a place instead of a people.

17: Season 2, Episode 1 - "Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?"

This episode shows a different perspective of the evils of the Nova Corps, which I never was all that interested in. Regardless, this was a fun watch. Nebula was awesome and hardcore, as always, but this wasn't a premise I was too interested in, so it had to be placed near the bottom of this list.

16: Season 1, Episode 2 - "T'Challa Became A Star-Lord?"

This was a pretty cool mix of the fun of Guardians of the Galaxy's ecstatic energy and the regality and chivalry of Black Panther. However, I had to suspend my disbelief a few too many times in this episode. Big Daddy, reformed Thanos made no sense—I know T'Challa is a masterful influencer and negotiator, but Thanos is too unrelenting in the fulfillment of his mission, and his sudden tonal shift makes absolutely no sense; as much as fun dad Thanos is super fun to see. Basically, this episode is less unhinged Guardians of the Galaxy—which isn't my favorite because I love them for how unhinged they are...

15: Season 2, Episode 5 - "Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper?"

This isn't an episode with an interesting premise, but the execution was top-notch (and about as good as the premise could get). The undeniable highlight of this episode was the snappy banter between Peggy Carter and Natasha, and that friendship is something I'd like to see come back in the future. Seeing Peggy's heartbreak over Steve's turn to evil was also compelling, but it could've been much more emotional if they had committed more like Season 1, Episode 4. Ultimately, this is a rather mediocre episode, but it's certainly better than the last few.

14: Season 2, Episode 2 - "Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes?"

Seeing Peter Quill go full-out with his celestial powers was fantastic, but as soon as he started to be redeemed, the episode kind of just started to fall flat. I loved the motley crew that was assembled to take on Quill, but the conflict itself made the episode collapse when Ego just became the villain. This could've been one of my favorite episodes, but, in the end, it just wasn't too interesting.

13: Season 1, Episode 6 - "Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?"

This was a premise that I never knew I wanted, but that was absolutely brilliant. Now, the problem with this episode? It barely delivers on its premise because, quite frankly, it ends when things are getting good. This episode would inevitably rank higher if they did a follow-up in Season 3, but, as it is, this episode is easily the most significant missed opportunity of the entire show.

12: Season 2, Episode 9 - "Strange Supreme Intervened?"

As much as this could've been a great episode, it has one fatal flaw: why the heck are the only heroes featured in this episode Captain Carter and Kahhori? This may have been a tremendous and climactic battle as it was, but like the previous episode on this list, it was an absolute missed opportunity.

11: Season 1, Episode 5 - "Zombies?!"

This episode is tons of fun and one of the most iconic episodes of the show! I mean, this episode is literally getting its own spin-off show! As fun as it is, it has one major flaw: it forgets about, well, emotional weight. Like zombies themselves, this episode is brainless. People die left and right in this episode, but nobody cares! While the action is fun and flashy, the utter lack of emotion in this episode is at the least jarring and, at the most, blatantly offensive, particularly when juxtaposed to the previous episode of the season, which is perhaps the most emotional thing Marvel has ever released. Ultimately, this episode is the epitome of bipolarity—a cautionary tale of having too much action and not enough heart. Where Doctor Strange lost his heart in the previous episode, this entire episode lost its heart. And its brains, I guess.

10: Season 1, Episode 1 - "Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?"

This is basically the first Captain America film with just enough bizarre twists to make it stand on its own as an above-average episode of What If?. The dimensional octopus monster coming out of the portal was, well, something else, and I love how Peggy still loves Steve when he's a weaker, not Super Soldier guy who hides behind a suit of armor. This was a perfect, simple enough episode that did a great job of introducing the show to the viewer, as predictable as it was at times.

9: Season 2, Episode 8 - "The Avengers Assembled in 1602?"

This episode has heaps of fantastic Avengers action in a whole new era we haven't seen before! That's enough for me to rank this episode halfway high on this list. This episode is more like what the final episode of the season should've been instead of a double-girl boss showdown against Strange Supreme. This was a solid episode of What If?, but it wasn't quite a top-tier episode of the show.

8: Season 2, Episode 6 - "Kahhori Reshaped the World?" 

I would absolutely adore it if this story were to be a feature-length film that really delved into the story and culture of the Native American people. A Native American tribe with powers of the spirit world against Spanish conquistadors? Yes, please! This episode has an entertaining and fantastic premise for an episode, but it's more interesting on paper than in practice. I'd love to see more of Kahhori because of this episode, but, unfortunately, this episode doesn't do the fascinating idea justice to rank any higher on this list.

7: Season 2, Episode 3 - "Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?"

This episode may be silly and relatively inconsequential, but that doesn't mean it is terrible—it's such a fun episode! It's one of the most fun of the entire show! Seeing Happy Hogan as a Hulk in an absurd episode about saving Christmas? It was an absolutely joyful journey and one of my favorite episodes of the show, as insignificant as it may seem.

6: Season 2, Episode 7 - "Hela Found the Ten Rings?"

As someone who adores Shang-Chi and Thor: Ragnarok, I find this episode incredibly intriguing. It basically tells the story of the first Thor but with Hela. Hela teaming up with Wenwu was fun to see, and Hela going against Odin was certainly climactic. In the end, this is easily one of the best episodes of the season and the show because it tackles a fascinating episode and out-there premise! This episode is the first episode of this ranking so far that had a fantastic premise and lived up to said premise to its fullest!

5: Season 1, Episode 9 - "The Watcher Broke His Oath?"

This episode makes for a bombastic finale to What If's premiere season! It focuses on the Guardians of the Multiverse as they attempt to defeat the all-powerful Infinity Ultron using the AI of Hydra to defeat Ultron. However, once defeated, Killmonger turns on the Guardians, using the Infinity Stones in a climactic final fight that caps off the season climactically in a great episode!

4: Season 1, Episode 3 - "the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?"

This episode tackles a mysterious plot in which an unknown villain attempts to break apart the Avengers one piece at a time. This leads to a brutal episode that constantly leaves the viewers on the edge of their seats until the final, grand reveal that Hank Pym was behind the entire conniving scheme. This episode fully displays the true strength that can come with an experimental show akin to What If?, and for that, it deserves a place in the top five.

3: Season 2, Episode 4 - "Iron Man Crashed Into The Grandmaster?"

This is easily the most fun and humorous episode of the entire series! Seeing Iron Man, Korg, Valkyrie, Gamora, and The Grandmaster all in a single episode made for one of the funniest things Marvel has ever produced! Instead of fighting in a coliseum like in Thor: Ragnarok, this episode focuses on a "chariot racing" tournament that makes even Star Wars's pod-racing look relatively calm. This episode also gives us the very-much-missing origin story for Season 1's Gamora, making it a rather important episode in the grand scheme of the show, as much of a sidequest as it may seem. Concludingly, this is a brilliant episode of What If?, and one of my favorite episodes of Marvel television!

2: Season 1, Episode 8 - "Ultron Won?"

This episode reminded me just how menacing of a villain Ultron is, and having him savagely kill Thanos once he has the Infinity Stones was tons of fun! Seeing the Guardians of the Multiverse and Ultron duke it out in a fiery final episode was simply phenomenal! This could've been a feature-length film for all I care—it was that incredible! But there's one episode that is more emotionally climactic than this one.

1: Season 1, Episode 4 - "Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?"

Not only is this easily my favorite episode of the entire show, but it is also one of Marvel's most remarkable works in general. I don't even care about Christine, but seeing Doctor Strange's immense emotional grief about the events of the episode was emotionally raw and resonant, and it gave me chills, unlike anything I've ever seen from Marvel before or since. This episode is leagues above all the others and makes me desperately wish for more masterpieces from this show in the near future, with Season 3 (kind of) on the horizon.

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The Verdict

The Reel Ranking:

18: Season 1, Episode 7 - "Thor Were an Only Child?"
17: Season 2, Episode 1 - "Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?"
16: Season 1, Episode 2 - "T'Challa Became A Star-Lord?"
15: Season 2, Episode 2 - "Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper?"
14: Season 2, Episode 5 - "Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes?"
13: Season 1, Episode 6 - "Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?"
12: Season 2, Episode 9 - "Strange Supreme Intervened?"
11: Season 1, Episode 5 - "Zombies?!"
10: Season 1, Episode 1 - "Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?"
9: Season 2, Episode 8 - "The Avengers Assembled in 1602?"
8: Season 2, Episode 6 - "Kahhori Reshaped the World?" 
7: Season 2, Episode 3 - "Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?"
6: Season 2, Episode 7 - "Hela Found the Ten Rings?"
5: Season 1, Episode 9 - "The Watcher Broke His Oath?"
4: Season 1, Episode 3 - "the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?"
3: Season 2, Episode 4 - "Iron Man Crashed Into The Grandmaster?"
2: Season 1, Episode 8 - "Ultron Won?"
1: Season 1, Episode 4 - "Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?"

Common Consensus:

18: Season 1, Episode 7 - "Thor Were an Only Child?"
17: Season 2, Episode 3 - "Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?"
16: Season 1, Episode 6 - "Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?"
15: Season 2, Episode 1 - "Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?"
14: Season 1, Episode 1 - "Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?"
13: Season 2, Episode 5 - "Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper?"
12: Season 2, Episode 4 - "Iron Man Crashed Into The Grandmaster?"
11: Season 2, Episode 2 - "Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes?"
10: Season 2, Episode 9 - "Strange Supreme Intervened?"
9: Season 2, Episode 6 - "Kahhori Reshaped the World?" 
8: Season 1, Episode 5 - "Zombies?!"
7: Season 1, Episode 3 - "the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?"
6: Season 1, Episode 2 - "T'Challa Became A Star-Lord?"
5: Season 2, Episode 8 - "The Avengers Assembled in 1602?"
4: Season 2, Episode 7 - "Hela Found the Ten Rings?"
3: Season 1, Episode 9 - "The Watcher Broke His Oath?"
2: Season 1, Episode 4 - "Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?"
1: Season 1, Episode 8 - "Ultron Won?"