What If…?  is the latest Marvel Studios project to arrive on our small screens on Disney +.

The animated anthology series, created by Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia writer A.C. Bradleyand Marvel vet Bryan Andrews flips the script on the MCU as following the creation of the multiverse in Loki’s first season finale, What If…? reimagines famous events from the films in unexpected ways.

In last weeks episode of What If…?, Marvel took an extremely dark and somber turn as Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) doomed the entire universe.

The dark streak continues in episode five of the animated series, as it truly leans into the more horror/gruesome tropes. Set during the events of Infinity War, episode five offers a totally difficult challenge as earths surviving heroes take on the Undead Avengers as Marvel Studios introduces us to ZOMBIES!!

The Watcher brings us to a universe where our Mighty Saviours are now the destroyers. It’s very reminiscent of The Walking Dead as these zombies are unambiguous and empty shells all wanting to do one thing to feast on flesh. 

Turning all of Earth’s mightiest Heroes into flesh-eating monsters has giving the MCU new abilities and challenges, they get to play with new styles and tones which have never been seen in a marvel project before. 

“Two weeks earlier, Dr. Hank Pym journeyed into the Quantum Realm, searching for his long-lost wife. But in this universe, Janet van Dyne contracted a quantum virus that corrupted her brain. So when she finally reunited with her husband after thirty long years…”

The watcher

What If… Zombies?!

Synopsis

When The Avengers are infected by a zombie plague, surviving heroes search for a cure.

Review

The “What If…?” moment that causes Zombies is Hank Pym traveling to the Quantum Realm to rescue his wife Janet Van Dyne. Though he discovers that she’s picked up a nasty virus, which when they return runs rampant and infects the larger population. As the Avengers fall so does Bruce Banner, he falls straight through the Sanctum’s staircase with a warning that Thanos is coming. 

Bleecker Street is deserted, so Bruce is left to wander. Soon enough as seen in Infinity War he encounters members of the Black Order and, like in the film, is unable to transform back into the Hulk to fight them. 

Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Wong show up to fight, however alarm bells start ringing as Bruce realises that they are now Zombies. 

The episode then sees the surviving superheroes banding together to find a cure. The only ones who managed to save themselves  are Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames), Okoye (Danai Gurira), Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp), Bucky (Sebastian Stan), Happy (Jon Favreau), Kurt (David Dastmalchian) and Hope (Evangeline Lilly). 

Spider-Man is filming zombie survival videos from New York rooftops, involving Happy hilariously. Thanks to all the movies Peter has watched, his cinematic brain helps the remaining Avengers fight off Zombies and ultimately stay safe for the time being. I absolutely loves Peter’s Zombie guides.

As the episode proceeds, trouble and losses increase and the remaining Avengers have to find a solution to put a stop to this massacre, as Earth’s Deadliest Heroes awaken. 

The Zombie angle is certainly an interesting take and I’m thrilled that these decaying heroes still retain their powers and abilities, which make for some fun encounters. This episode also feature tons of undead horror, especially when seeing iconic characters being torn, ripped and chopped apart. The bloody consequences truly bring something new to the MCU table.

This episode truly seems pulled and inspired from Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s Marvel Zombies: Resurrection comic book series.

The Zombies have Assembled and are now streaming on Disney +