WHAT IF...? - 6 SPIDER-MAN Questions We'd Like To See Marvel Studios Ask In Season 3

WHAT IF...? - 6 SPIDER-MAN Questions We'd Like To See Marvel Studios Ask In Season 3

As rumours swirl that What If...? season 3 will feature a surprise appearance from a classic Spider-Man villain, we're diving into the ways the wall-crawling wonder could factor into the Multiversal show.

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Jan 16, 2024 12:01 PM EST
Filed Under: What If

We recently learned that What If...? season 3 will likely feature an appearance from Spider-Man: Far From Home villain Mysterio. It's unclear how the villain will factor into the series but common sense says Peter Parker will also appear. 

The wall-crawler has starred in his own MCU trilogy, two Avengers movies, and even found himself helping Iron Man out in Captain America: Civil War. As a result, there are heaps of alternate realities which explore the different ways Peter's life might have played out.

In this feature, we've come up with some concepts we believe you'll find in equal parts amazing and spectacular. Or maybe just plain daft. Then again, that's the fun of a series like What If...?, isn't it?

To take a look at the Spider-Man stories we'd like to see in What If...? season 3, click on the "Next" button below. 
 

6. "What If... Spider-Man Wasn't Blipped?"

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In Avengers: Infinity War, Peter Parker "died" in Tony Stark's arms when he turned to dust. However, it's hard not to wonder how differently things may have gone had he been among the half of the universe who survived. 

For starters, Spider-Man would be on the Guardians' ship with Tony and Gamora, only to eventually return to Earth where he'd discover his Aunt May, friends, and girlfriend had all turned to dust. We saw the impact that had on Hawkeye, so Spidey being a very different man by the time Avengers: Endgame rolled around is inevitable. 

There are a lot of exciting directions this episode could take us in and we'd bet on this episode ending with Spidey being the one to use the Infinity Gauntlet in Iron Man's place.
 

5. "What If... Mysterio Lived?"

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We're still not 100% convinced that Quentin Beck didn't somehow survive the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Tony's glasses confirmed his heart stopped beating, though, and he hasn't been seen since (making it safe to assume Mysterio did indeed meet his maker). 

If he'd lived, then perhaps the Master of Illusions found a way to convince the world he's a hero. Peter, detained by the Department of Damage Control, means we'd be free to follow Mysterio as he attempts to navigate his newfound role as one of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes...faking it as he makes it. 

This has the makings of a fun episode and one with the potential to also shed some light on a reality where Spider-Man's secret identity perhaps wasn't revealed to the world. 
 

4. "What If... Spider-Man Had Been Recruited By Captain America?"

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In Captain America: Civil War, we learned Iron Man had been keeping an eye on the young Peter Parker. Needing to gain the upper hand over Steve Rogers, Tony didn't think twice about enlisting a teenager to help fight his battle. 

Marvel Studios dropped the ball by failing to take a closer look at that and, in this reality, we'd like to see Spidey join forces with Captain America instead. 

That would change the entirety of Civil War as we know it and finally give us an on-screen battle between the wall-crawler and Iron Man. Spider-Man remaining in his homemade suit is also a given, giving his role in the airport battle a much different feel. 
 

3. "What If... Spider-Man Never Went Into Space?"

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A similar premise to the episode mentioned at the top of this feature, this one would instead shift the spotlight to a reality where Peter never took that joyride into outer space alongside Iron Man and Doctor Strange. 

Spidey played a pivotal role in that fight against Thanos; without him, the heroes on Titan probably wouldn't fare quite as well. Crucially, as one of the Avengers still on Earth, it's possible - under Captain America's leadership - Peter had the potential to help turn the tide against the Infinity Gauntlet-wielding baddie. 

It's hard to say how far this idea could be stretched but there has to be a story worth telling. 
 

2. "What If... The Vulture Won?"

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In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter Parker proved himself a true hero when he stopped The Vulture. Pulling himself from beneath that rubble, the teenager crashed Adrian Toomes' plane and stopped the villain from stealing some of The Avengers' most dangerous tech. 

If Peter had perhaps remained buried (a tragic end for the hero), then we'd see The Vulture unleash those weapons on the world. That could spell doom for Earth's Mightiest Heroes and turn Toomes into a true force to be reckoned with. Heck, maybe he'd even be added to the list of those in What If...? who have killed Thanos!

Either way, Mysterio coming into play is a must as is finding out how much the world would suffer without the wall-crawler around to stop his greatest enemies.
 

1. "What If... Spider-Man Became Man-Spider?"

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If Marvel Studios simply wants to have fun with a Spidey-themed episode, then this is absolutely the way to go. Man-Spider - either a six-armed Peter Parker or a literal "Man-Spider" - is a fun concept which, sadly, we don't ever expect to see in live-action. 

It's hard to say what would lead to this transformation taking place. Honestly, it might not matter because we'd just enjoy seeing The Avengers battling a mutant Spider-Man!

The benefit of a show like What If...? is that it can head down some bonkers routes. Man-Spider is a silly idea but one which, in animation, we already know works really well (if you haven't watched those episodes of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, make it a priority). 
 

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TheFinestSmack
TheFinestSmack - 1/16/2024, 12:22 PM
6 reasons...6 arms in the thumbnail...
Vigor
Vigor - 1/16/2024, 12:32 PM
@TheFinestSmack - haha
WhatIfRickJames
WhatIfRickJames - 1/16/2024, 12:24 PM
What if there wasn't this list
Batmangina
Batmangina - 1/16/2024, 12:27 PM
Are they even allowed to use Spider-Man on DisMarv streaming?

I'd like more fan service with the other two Sony Spideys - shit, drop Miles Morales in that bitch.

There's multiverse in comics for 50+ years - if they're going to [frick] it up in the cinema at least give us some fan service cartoons. FFS.

CerealKiller1
CerealKiller1 - 1/16/2024, 12:48 PM
He was in the first season of What If and has his own animated show coming to the streamer
grendelthing
grendelthing - 1/16/2024, 4:53 PM
@Batmangina - Yes. There are specific instances where Disney can use him. A single 30ish minute episode of What If should qualify.

"[Sony] has the exclusive rights to utilize the "Spider-Man" character... to (a) develop and produce live action or animated theatrical motion pictures (each, a "Picture") and live-action television series (and also animated television series with episodes longer than 44 minutes)."
Batmangina
Batmangina - 1/16/2024, 5:44 PM
@grendelthing - Then bring it on! Just don't do any of Wilding's dumb ideas. 😂
Vigor
Vigor - 1/16/2024, 12:32 PM
They could do what if for 6 more seasons with the amount of possibilities are out there. Show can't be terribly expensive to make
JFerguson
JFerguson - 1/16/2024, 12:33 PM
Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is basically going to be What If Spider-Man didn’t belong to Sony
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 1/16/2024, 12:45 PM
There's a rumor out there that a few of these what ifs are only there to make these 6 questions look sinister enough. It was almost right there but I hear a tree and lack of creativity [frick]ed that up.
Origame
Origame - 1/16/2024, 12:57 PM
Wow this is very spider centric. And very dumb.

6) why limit it to just spiderman? If he didn't snap then that means the story progresses almost exactly the same way. Only difference is Tony might pre emptively give Peter the Edith glasses before going (no way is Tony bringing Peter on the time heist both for his safety and the fact he brings no advantages other than being another body).

5) if you genuinely think it's possible beck is alive this destroys that possibility.

4) captain america would never do that. Not only does cap not have the resources Tony had to track down peter and identify him as spiderman, he'd never recruit a kid. You guys fail to understand Tony recruiting Peter was meant to show the flaws in his side of the argument. How many other kids will be drafted into this war simply because they "have powers"?

3) well considering they lost with spiderman, it stands to reason they'd just lose without him too. Closest thing is strange might not think of bringing him to the final battle, but since he brought the wasp, the asgardians, the wakandans, and everyone at the battle at wakanda, it's pretty likely he'd consider bringing him. Ffs, he even brought Howard the duck.

2) nah, if toomes won you'd just see a huge crime wave in New York that the avengers wouldn't even notice because it's so small scale. Again, missing the point of homecoming and why spiderman ultimately chose not to be an avenger. The avengers are concerned with larger, global threats. They didn't notice toomes because he was basically a guy selling guns in a van.

1) man spider actually might be fun to explore. And I think what if is the best place to do it. Really can't see them doing that in the movies, especially with them teasing the symbiote suit.
Slotherin
Slotherin - 1/20/2024, 1:20 PM
@Origame - pretty solid points all around. notably that Cap wouldn't do that and it was a point of Tony's desperation.

I don't see the 6 arm or man-spider happening in anything other than animation or a weird spin-off outside main Spider-Man movies in sony stuff so What If would be the place for sure
Rosraf
Rosraf - 1/16/2024, 2:32 PM
Depending on when F4 finally debut, they should go real old school and do "What If... Spiderman joined the Fantastic Four?"
kirklazarus87
kirklazarus87 - 1/16/2024, 2:36 PM
What IF....? Spider-Man: The Animated Series got a season 6
Slotherin
Slotherin - 1/20/2024, 11:12 AM
@kirklazarus87 - what if Spectacular Spider-Man kept going?
SheepishOne
SheepishOne - 1/16/2024, 3:29 PM
A few things I'd like to see

1) What if Bruce never worked it out with the Big Guy? - basically what would Endgame have looked like if Hulk was never smart.

2) What if Captain America did the final "snap" - what would the fallout of Endgame be if Iron Man didn't die, and Cap never officially passed the shield on to Sam. Thor becomes the one to return the stones and Mjolnir.

3) What if Mysterio survived? - I actually really like this suggestion. No Way Home basically doesn't happen, and Mysterio perhaps enlists a Sinister Six made of exclusively MCU Spidey villains.

4) What if T'Challa survived? - maybe a controversial one, but I'd like to see what Black Panther vs Namor looks like with T'Challa as King of Wakanda.

5) What if the real Mandarin was behind the attacks in Iron Man 3? - pretty much Iron Man 3, but with the actual Mandarin, rather than Killian and Trevor

6) What if Kang assembled the Avengers? - they might actually do something like this in Kang Dynasty (assuming that movie doesn't get renamed), but what if Kang hand-picks "evil" Avengers from alternate realities and timelines to fight the OG Avengers. Superior Iron Man, Captain Hydra, Red Hulk, Unworthy Thor, Ronin (Hawkeye), and a Black Widow who embraced her past and doubled down on the killing. You could even have some surprise appearances like Symbiote Spidey, Sorcerer Supreme Mordor, and characters like that. And they all have to fight the MCU prime Avengers.

There are a lot of interesting questions to ask around the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Blade, and characters like that as well. But these are some questions I'd rather see than some of the less interesting stuff they've been exploring.
Slotherin
Slotherin - 1/20/2024, 1:25 PM
@SheepishOne -
1. I would love more What Ifs on the Hulk/Banner relation/condition
2. Love it.
3. When you put it like that Ya got me.
4. That is an interesting one. I think at this point they're safe to try but I understand they may face backlash
5. I'll take any excuse for some Iron Man v Mandarin
6. Sonofabitch, ya got me again
DENNISsystem
DENNISsystem - 1/16/2024, 5:21 PM
“Don’t say I went as Spider-Man!!! I was Man-Spider!!!!”
marvel72
marvel72 - 1/16/2024, 10:30 PM
What If? Miles Morales was Spider-Man.

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