Well, we’re now batting under .500 with the release of episode 5 of What If…? Season 2, “What If… Captain Carter fought the Hydra Stomper?”
The first episode is horrible, episodes two and three are really good, last episode ain’t good, and this one had potential but it’s more weak writing.
So in this episode, it’s a continuation from last season where Peggy Carter replaces Captain America. This episode takes place after The Avengers movie, again where instead of the real Cap, Captain Carter leads The Avengers to victory. It’s a take on Captain America: The Winter Soldier where instead of Bucky getting brainwashed by the Russians and becoming The Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers got captured by the Russians while operating the Hydra Stomper.
More bad writing
So in the 616 MCU, Bucky is thought dead/goes missing and becomes the assassin known as The Winter Soldier. Okay, that’s believable. But in this universe, we’re supposed to believe that Steve Rogers goes missing inside a big hunk of junk? For like 50 years? Seriously? And no one knows what or who it is?
Or how about why not send Iron Man after the Hydra Stomper? You know, Iron Man which is an advanced form of the same technology 50 years later?
Instead? Send in Black Widow who has no powers and Captain Carter. That makes sense.
More bad writing: In the scene where Captain Carter and Steve Rogers get surrounded by the robot neighbors, why don’t they just fly up, up, and away? They could have flown to a nearby location and simply waited for the Red Room to show up. And let’s be thankful the Red Room Black Widow assassins were trained to shoot by Storm Troopers.
Also how about that ending? Captain Carter has had enough, she’s too tired of everything, so she’s just willing to die right then and there. Good thing that resets RoboSteve who flies away but not before Black Widow can fire her Batman grappling gun 1000 feet in the air! Talk about a close call! So Steve flies away and blows up the floating Red Room ship which is defenseless. Good thing.
We’re not done there as while saying goodbye to Black Widow to go search for Steve who has to be alive, Captain Carter is ported away. Where’s she end up? The Avengers 1602.
Final thought: “What If… Captain Carter fought the Hydra Stomper?” was an okay-ish episode. It had promise, but again the writing is just so weak. It seems as if the show is really rushed for whatever reason. I think if they took some more time with the story and fleshed thing out, it would be a lot better.
Oh, I have to comment on the high Rotten Tomatoes score. It’s just like The Marvels: Only the diehard Marvel stans are watching so of course as they like everything the score will be through the roof. If Kevin Feige through a pile of shit on their plates, they would still eat it. So that’s what they keep getting. Me? I refuse to eat it and send it back demanding what I expect from them: the best.
