What If? episode 5 is now available on Disney Plus, hitting the MCU with a zombie apocalypse. This is one of the more “out there” episodes so far, presenting a future that changes the trajectory for most of the Avengers. It’s similar to episode 3 in this respect, which was one of the best episodes we’ve seen so far. Set during the events of Infinity War, episode 5 offers a different take on what could have happened. Is the zombie version of the MCU’s arguably best movie any good? This is the What If? episode 5 review.
What If? episode 5 review
Episode 5 starts with Bruce Banner being sent back to Earth after the Hulk’s encounter with Thanos at the start of Infinity War. However, instead of having Doctor Strange and Wong meet him in the Sanctum Sanctorum, he is alone and left to wander the streets of a deserted New York City. Soon, he encounters members of the Black Order and, like in the film, is unable to transform into the Hulk to fight them.
This is where What If? episode 5 takes a different path from Infinity War, with Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Wong showing up to fight, but with the caveat that they are now zombies. This is an alternate reality where a zombie virus has struck the planet, with the transmission rate accelerated due to the (still superpowered) Avengers.
The episode sees the surviving superheroes banding together to find a cure. Spider-Man, Bucky, Wasp, Ant-Man, Sharon Carter, and Okoye are the main heroes of this story. The scenes quickly, as is the case with most What If? episodes so far, and the heroes reach a facility with the hope of creating a solution. Unfortunately, things do not go to plan, and there’s a plot twist that sends the heroes in another direction.
The zombies angle is an interesting take on things and I’m happy to see the superpowered zombies retain their abilities. It makes for some fun encounters between heroes who haven’t fought in the MCU movies. However, the pacing of the episode feels very hurried and there’s no time to build any tension, which doesn’t really work for a piece of zombie apocalypse media.
All in all, What If? Episode 5 is a fun romp that highlights some overshadowed heroes of the MCU who now get their time to shine in this animated piece. The superpowered zombie heroes are another exciting highlight, with Wanda, Captain America, and Iron Man standing out. It adds a new level of appreciation (and terror) to the MCU’s most powerful beings, and it makes you glad that they are on the side of the good. However, the pacing is too fast and the abrupt ending sacrifices a satisfying conclusion.
Rating: 7/10
