What If...? returned to Disney+ today with its second season and an episode titled "What If... Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?"
We learn that, in this reality, Ronan the Accuser betrayed and killed Thanos, leaving Nebula floating through space and facing certain death. Instead, she was rescued by the Nova Corps and enlisted as a corpsman.
When Ronan arrived on Xandar, there were no Guardians of the Galaxy to oppose him and Nova Prime was forced to activate an impenetrable shield around the planet which would remain there for 50 years. Unfortunately, it's bathed Xandar in darkness and turned it into a Blade Runner-esque city which the Nova Corps protect.
The story begins with Yondu being murdered, prompting Nebula to investigate. She finds some schematics on him and heads to a casino run by Howard the Duck. There, we see Groot, Miek, and Korg all working, along with an angry Drax who loses his cool with a slot machine.
Howard helps Nebula deduce that these are schematics for the shield surrounding Xandar and Thanos' daughter is forced to break Yon-Rogg - a returning Jude Law - out of prison to help her infiltrate the facility.
He betrays her and is revealed to be in cahoots with Nova Prime. She set up Yondu's murder and used Nebula because she knew only a cyborg could get what they needed; the cowardly Nova Prime plans to open the shield for Ronan as he's promised she'll stay in charge of the planet.
Badly wounded, Nebula returns to Howard for help and assembles a team - which also includes Korg, Miek, and Groot - to save the day. A fight ensues and we learn Nebula knew of Nova Prime's plan all along as she gave herself away when she told the hero to figure out what happened to Yondu by any means necessary.
Using the Ravager's Yaka Arrow, Nebula and her friends defeat the villains and Nova Prime falls to her death after trying to gun down the corpsman. Ronan's ship is destroyed - with him on board - when Nebula closes the shield on it and, as the sun rises on Xandar, she vows to continue protecting the planet.
In terms of returning cast members, we had Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Jude Law as Yon-Rogg, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Seth Green as Howard the Duck, Taika Waitti as Korg, and Peter Serafinowicz as Garthan Saal. The only recasts are Julianne Grossman as Nova Prime and Fred Tatasciore as Groot (they replace Glenn Close and Vin Diesel, respectively). This marks the first time Law has played Yon-Rogg since 2019's Captain Marvel.
What did you think about the What If...? season 2 premiere?