Following the last episode, which was great, it’s again downhill with the “What If… Hela Found the Ten Rings?” episode which is a take on Thor and Thor: Ragnarok and Shang-Chi
I actually thought the episode was going to be what if Hela found the actual Ten Rings — not the organization — so that’s my mistake.
Anyway, it’s more dumb jokes aimed at males. It’s a continuation of the dumb MCU retcons. It’s another episode that is forgettable. It’s similar to the dumb Tony Stark Grandmaster episode, which is also a take on Taika Waititi’s garbage. It’s like they couldn’t think of a better idea so they came up with mashing Thor and Shang-Chi. This is what if there should be no limits.
Marvel fans deserve better
So this episode continues the nonsense from Thor: Ragnarok where Hela is first given Mjolnir and not Thor. It’s also a continuation from Shang-Chi where the Ten Rings are some goofy spinning circles instead of the much better presentation in the comics, actual rings. However, the MCU had to give Hela Thor’s hammer first because she is female, and regarding the Ten Rings in the MCU, the MCU audience is too stupid to know the difference between the Ten Rings from the comics and the Infinity Stones, so hence why they change things up in the MCU (doubt me? look it up).
So the episode takes place before Thor was born and continues from that mural scene in Ragnarok. Instead of Odin sending Hela to the underworld, he sends her to Earth, à la the Thor movie. So as Odin destroyed Mjolnir, à la Hela in Ragnarok, when he banished Hela to Earth, he also took away Hela’s helmet, which removed her powers, and he also sent the helmet to Earth, a la the Thor movie. So, again similar to the Thor movie, it’s raining and Hela finds her helmet, which is stuck in the mud (lol) but she can’t move it, because she’s not worthy.
So she comes upon the Ten Rings. She has no powers. They kick her ass, but Wenwu falls in love with her (lol). She escapes. She finds the secret magic kingdom. She trains. Heimdall can no longer see her. Heimdall informs Odin. Odin thinks the humans killed her. Odin wages war on the Ten Rings. Hela returns. Hela has a change of heart and her helmet flies to her and she becomes Hela The White. Along with Wenwu, she takes down Odin as all the Asgardians stand there and watch (no Heimdall; no Warriors Three, etc.). Instead of desiring to rule over the entire universe, Hela decides to free the universe so everyone can also now have a chance at choosing their own destiny. Hela, the Asgardians, the Ten Rings, and everybody else are now coming for — Thanos! — who is shown with Gamora as a child because Gamora didn’t get to choose what she wanted to do as well!!! The end.
Final thought: It’s more M-She-U cringe. The first 20 minutes are rushed and full of cringe moments. It starts getting good with the Odin battle, but it doesn’t make too much sense. More sloppy writing. The end is also cringe. Taika Waititi’s MCU characters are all forgettable and Shang-Chi isn’t far behind.
