Warning: This article contains spoilers for What If…? season 2, episode 1.
The firing of Jonathan Majors as Kang was a monumental development that will change the MCU as we know it, and yet the franchise goes on. Just days after Majors’ removal, Marvel Studios released What If…? season 2 — the opening episode of which, coincidentally, sees another powerful character done dirty.
The sophomore run of the animated anthology series is titled “What If… Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?” and imagines a universe where Thanos was usurped as the most dangerous man in the galaxy by Ronan, leaving Nebula (Karen Gillan) free to become a good guy and join the Nova Corps. Nebula helps police the planet Xandar, which in this reality is protected from Ronan by an impenetrable forcefield. The downside is that cabin fever has set in with the Xandarian populace and the planet has become a hive of scum and villainy, to quote another Disney-owned franchise.
When Yondu (Michael Rooker) is discovered dead, Nebula does her best Harrison Ford in Blade Runner impression and plays detective to unravel a greater conspiracy ⏤ aconspiracy that goes all the way to the top…
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What If…? season 2 brings back a Guardians of the Galaxy veteran, only to assassinate their character
Nebula is tasked with getting to the bottom of this mystery by Nova Prime (Julianna Grossman, replacing Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Glenn Close), who has become her mentor in this reality and is instructed to use any means necessary. Nebula breaks Yon-Rogg (Captain Marvel‘s Jude Law) out of the Kiln in order to help her hack into the Xandarian mainframe to protect it from the incoming data breach. However, Yon-Rogg double-crosses her and steals the codes he needs to bring down the dome and let Ronan in.
It’s then revealed that Yon-Rogg is only a lackey and is really working for none other than Nova Prime. The Nova Corps chief has apparently become disillusioned by the downfall of Xandarian society within the forcefield and so believes letting Ronan rule the planet is the only way to save it. Besides, she says, he’s also promised she can still be in charge when he takes over. Luckily, Nebula explains that she’s actually triple-crossed both of them — she knew something was up when Nova Prime instructed her to use full force, which goes against the Nova Corps code.
Within the confines of this episode, the reveal that Nova Prime is the villain is a neat twist given that it’s so unexpected. However, in the grand context of the MCU, this is a huge disservice to a character who has previously been portrayed as nothing but a heroic individual. Her defining characteristic in Guardians is that she will do anything to protect her planet from Ronan, even allying with Star-Lord and the Ravagers. It would be unthinkable that she would do something so treacherous and cruel simply for personal gain.
Although not seen since 2014, the Sacred Timeline’s Nova Prime presumably died during Thanos’ unseen attack on Xandar, during which he reclaimed the Power Stone, as detailed in Avengers: Infinity War. We didn’t wait nearly a decade to see her again only for her to be betrayed like this, even if she is a variant of the version we knew.
What If…? season 2 airs daily through Dec. 30 on Disney Plus.