What If…? “What If… Captain Carter Was The First Avenger?” Review

Season 1 Episode 1 “What would have happened if Peggy Carter and not Steve Rogers took the super-soldier serum at the start of World War II.”

What I Liked?

1. The episode opens up with narration from The Watcher, explaining the multiverse and different alternate timelines separated from the main Marvel Cinematic Universe in which 1 moment could change the entire timeline. This episode begins with The First Avenger and a take on what would happen if something goes wrong, in this time Steve being shot just before he gets the serum which causes Peggy to take it instead. After this scene, it feels authentic to the time with the higher-ups in the army being disappointed that a woman is not their savior.

2. My next point is literally the design that Howard Stark made for the suit for Peggy Carter, it showcases Peggy’s loyalty to the United Kingdom and showcases the Union Jack flag across the torso, and the shield, a little subtle change made the shield stand out from the normal main timeline shield.

3. We then get a taste of Peggy’s abilities when she single-handedly takes down a Hydra convoy, taking out multiple vehicles and soldiers, as well as dismantling a taller more brute-like Hydra soldier by snapping his leg and knocking him out with a single punch. Just amazing.

4. I also really loved the subtle changes and teases on the train scene wherein the main timeline, Bucky would fall and go on to become the Winter Soldier. They jump onto the train and Bucky slips off but Peggy catches him by the arm and pulls him up, Bucky states “you nearly ripped my arm off” which is a nod to Iron Man ripping his arm off in Civil War. The scene is pretty similar in terms of everything except the train blows up with Steve in his Iron Man armor.

5. The ending also was changed slightly, instead of Steve going down in the plane and going into the ocean, Peggy Carter pushes back a giant squid-like creature and goes through a portal, we then skip ahead in time to Avengers 1 where the portal opens up and Peggy meets Nick Fury and Hawkeye.

What I Disliked?

1. My first dislike is the animation style, I’m not 100% sold on it yet, I think I need a couple more episodes to fully get used to the animation style as I’m pretty much sold on the animation style from Star Wars.

2. The colonel of the army, throughout the entire episode he just kept pushing this “woman-agenda” onto Peggy, I get that it was the times but it was just straight-up annoying, this character alone let down the episode of being a 10/10.

Favorite Moment

My favorite moment would definitely have to be the debut of Steve Rogers in a prototype Iron Man suit, just so reminiscent of Iron Man one. He came in when Peggy and the rest were pinned down, loved the design, the entrance, and Steve inside the suit. We then get a class scene where Steve is flying and Peggy is riding on his back and she jumps onto about 3 planes and takes them down in a great swoop.

Alternate Timeline or Main Timeline?

For episode 1, I have to say I prefer the alternate timeline to the original, this was just amazing and had some great action scenes and some great changes like Bucky or Steve not becoming the Winter Soldier.

Standout Character

Peggy Carter was literally perfection in this episode.

The Verdict

Overall an amazing start to what seems to be a future great series to watch. The what if that Peggy would become the first Avenger is very interesting and something I’d want to explore more of, maybe in a live-action format. The action was insanely great, especially for an animated project.

Rating: 9.8/10

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