WHAT IF... THOR WAS AN ONLY CHILD?: Head Writer AC Bradley Says Episode 7 Is "Chock Full Of Cameos"

WHAT IF... THOR WAS AN ONLY CHILD?: Head Writer AC Bradley Says Episode 7 Is "Chock Full Of Cameos"

The title for Episode 7 has been revealed as "What If... Thor Was An Only Child," and head writer AC Bradley and director Bryan Andrews are teasing countless cameos - including more of Howard the Duck!

By LiteraryJoe - Sep 21, 2021 12:09 PM EST
Filed Under: What If
Source: Toonado

All fans have known about What If...? Episode 7 is that it centers around "Party Thor," which is vague enough to leave viewers curious about what could cause this fun variant. That answer has now been revealed with the title of the new episode, What If... Thor Was An Only Child?, and it looks like Loki was the party-crasher all along!

While speaking exclusively with EW, head writer AC Bradley explained why they are so excited to "let Thor throw a party" and detailed exactly what makes this version of the God of Thunder so different to the one we know. More excitingly, she also revealed that there will be a number of cameos in the episode, name-dropping one of them as Howard the Duck.

According to Bradley, Seth Green returned to voice Howard the Duck for What If... Thor Was An Only Child? after having so much fun with What If... T'challa Was A Star-Lord?

Check out the teaser trailer for tomorrow's episode, and scroll down for the comments from head writer AC Bradley.

"I love the Thor-Jane relationship, and we wanted to play around with that part of the love story without the framework of tragedy. The story took root from a love of '80s and '90s rom-com and party films. After so many serious episodes, what's the most fun we could possibly have? And the answer to that is: Let Thor throw a party.

Anyone who has siblings knows that that relationship affects us greatly growing up. So in the MCU, Thor grew up with Loki, literally the god of mischief, always running into trouble, so Thor became the good prince, the good son. Without his brother dragging him into trouble, Thor had to find it on his own, and so he grew up a bit differently — still our lovable hero, but his interests are less about becoming king of Asgard and more about becoming perhaps the party prince.

This episode is chock full of cameos. A lot of the lines are improvised by the actors. It should be Easter egg heaven. I hope people have fun with the one this week because it's not as bombastic world-ending as other episodes. The mandate for me when I was writing it was, I just want to have fun, I just want to be silly. It's a lot sillier than anything you'd see in the MCU. It should be an episode to watch with a beer.

Seth Green came in to record as Howard the Duck. I was walking him through the episode like, 'It's really fun and zany, and it's kind of like a throwback to Can't Hardly Wait.' And the man very politely nodded and went, 'Yeah, I've seen it.' And it wasn't until the drive home that I was like, 'Oh frick, he was in it! I just pitched him his own movie.'"

What do you guys think of this development? Are you excited to see more of Howard the Duck, or are you more curious about who the new cameos could be? Be sure to share your thoughts in the usual spot!

 

Enter the multiverse of unlimited possibilities. Marvel Studios' first animated series, What If...?, starts streaming August 11 with new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+. “What If… ?” features fan-favorite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer, features signature MCU action with a curious twist.

Marvel Studios' What If...? premieres new episodes each Wednesday, only on Disney+.

WHAT IF...? Season 3 Adds Natasha Lyonne In Superhero Role - Is This Who She'll Play In THE FANTASTIC FOUR?
Related:

WHAT IF...? Season 3 Adds Natasha Lyonne In Superhero Role - Is This Who She'll Play In THE FANTASTIC FOUR?

WHAT IF...? Season 3 Trailer Features The Surprise Return Of An MCU Spider-Man Villain
Recommended For You:

WHAT IF...? Season 3 Trailer Features The Surprise Return Of An MCU Spider-Man Villain

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 9/21/2021, 12:32 PM
That's a lot of reading for my little brain.
dracula
dracula - 9/21/2021, 12:35 PM
Really this has got to be the most random episode.

If Odin doesn't raise Loki, Thor becomes an even bigger dude bro

rewatched the episodes

What If... Ranking

Top Tier

1.What If... Zombies?
While the idea is very much a gimmick story, they use that gimmick to it's full potential and since they didn't feel the need to bring the story to some kind of ending, events were just allowed to play out at a good pace. Really if George A Romero did a superhero zombie movie, id say it would be something like this.

2.What If...The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?
This is one that despite a complicated story, they used their time very well. For sure had the best time management in the season. Had a good mystery. Only reason id say it needs more time would be because it would be nice to see where the story goes from here.

Mid Tier

3.What If...T'Challa Became A Star-Lord?
Probably the most simple and for lack of a better word, cartoon of the series. Went back far enough for their change so that they would not be restricted by any film's events. They just told a completely self contained story that fits the run time. Plus the comedy fit the Guardians style.

4.What If...Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead Of His Hands?
This episode has a great premise, one of the strongest of the series, but it's another victim of just not having enough time to tell the story they are trying to tell, really could have done this one episode as a two parter and it could probably be the best of the season. Needed time with Strange before the time reversal stuff started, maybe be less repetitive with the time travel scenes. Maybe keep Palmer alive longer for the last one before dying later on.

Lower Tier

5.What If...Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?
Honestly it's just not that interesting of a premise, it leads to some cool stuff with potential for a more interesting follow up, but getting to that stuff takes some major leaps in story logic. It does handle it's run time well.

6.What If...Captain Carter Became The First Avenger?
The story's biggest issue is simple, it's over stuffed. They try to get through the entire story of Captain America The First Avenger into less than half and hour, giving really just a cliffs notes version of it. Mostly being some cool action scenes and not enough character moments kept in. Personally think it would be a lot stronger if they ended story with her and Steve rescuing Bucky and the Howling Commandos, while filling the runtime with more character stuff after she gets the serum.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 9/21/2021, 1:21 PM
Anyone else having issues with comments not posting?
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 9/21/2021, 1:52 PM
@CorndogBurglar - judging from how empty the comment sections were the last day or so (atleast when I looked), I think its a pretty big issue
marvel72
marvel72 - 9/21/2021, 1:55 PM
@CorndogBurglar - Last night I commented on a few articles and there was zero comments.

Its been better today though.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 9/21/2021, 2:08 PM
@bkmeijer @corndogburglar @marvel72 - I believe it should be fixed now, it was a site issue.
Slotherin
Slotherin - 9/21/2021, 2:47 PM
@CorndogBurglar - I was definitely
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 9/21/2021, 1:53 PM
With every episode it was pretty clear what the threat was gonna be, so I really wonder what (or who) its gonna be here
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 9/21/2021, 4:03 PM
@bkmeijer - Part of me is wondering if this won't end with Watcher/Strange Supreme beginning the crossover by picking up Thor.


On another note, with Howard the Duck in the Collector episode and now he's in the Grandmaster episode which is supposed to be cameo central, could we finally see an interaction between the two elder brothers?
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 9/21/2021, 10:34 PM
@LiteraryJoe - I do wonder if we get to see some Elders interact. Could be Collector is also just hanging out qt the party like Grandmaster
nmasterofnaught
nmasterofnaught - 9/22/2021, 6:19 AM
@LiteraryJoe - I swear i've seen a deleted scene or something of the two of them in a scene together? Infinity War?

Maybe I dreamed it up.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 9/22/2021, 6:44 AM
@nmasterofnaught - Haha to be honest I looked it up after you said that and it doesn't look like it. I don't always watch the deleted scenes though so maybe it exists in the universe, or maybe it's the Mandela Effect lol.
nmasterofnaught
nmasterofnaught - 9/22/2021, 7:18 AM
@LiteraryJoe - Lol, I literally went looking for it as well to post as a gif or something, but it was more than likely a photo-manipulation. Probably.

I feel like there was an end-credits scene where they just sit next to each other & don't even talk. I've seen a lot of BTS stuff - so more than likely - I am just going crazy. Maybe there is such a thing as too much content. xD
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 9/22/2021, 7:37 AM
@nmasterofnaught - There is no such thing! Consume the data!
Slotherin
Slotherin - 9/21/2021, 2:58 PM
I wonder if this will highlight a positive effect of Loki as an antagonist to Thor since he tested Thor and therefore pushed him to be who he is in other continuities.
Perhaps without Loki, Thor wasn't as challenged nor manipulated into dangerous situations that tested and pushed him to be mighty.
Without Loki, Thor spends more time partying and in leisure.
Sure, challenged as a warrior in some capacity, but without things like being tricked into Jotunheim.
This is a Thor who didn't get banished to Earth presumably and never met SHIELD nor the Avengers.
With Strange being in some trailers, I'm thinking maybe he comes and plays a similar role to Loki but one Thor either doesn't pick up on or immediately distrusts since he isn't USED to being around someone more like Loki.

I can only hope.
Slotherin
Slotherin - 9/21/2021, 3:01 PM
@Slotherin - I also wonder if Loki is gonna be dead or have survived and lived in Jotunheim instead of Asgard. And in the case of the latter, would this be a physically tougher Loki and not a magic user?
Of course, I suppose then he's just a small frost giant and not worth more than a quick throwaway joke
Slotherin
Slotherin - 9/22/2021, 6:16 AM
There's something pleasant about being right
RealTurner
RealTurner - 9/21/2021, 6:03 PM
Biggest "damage" this series does is to plot armor. "Remember that time XX was easily killed by YY in a situation when they would normally ZZ?" Panther, Stark multiple times, Hope, Banner, the list goes on of easy-peasy kills. Cheapens the stuff they have survived and makes plot armor more obvious when they have to go back to relying on it.
nmasterofnaught
nmasterofnaught - 9/22/2021, 6:26 AM
@RealTurner - You could argue plot armour is just the luck of the draw. Statistical probabilities in endless permutations of infinite variations of multiple universes. Anything & everything is possible. A "1 in 14 million alternate realities."

This show, shows us a few of some of the rest. Although I do think this episode is the dumbest - had GotG Mantis cameo, but isn't this set around Thor 1? I still had a laugh & thought it fun.
Slotherin
Slotherin - 9/22/2021, 6:28 AM
A bit too cartoony at times for my liking and some characterizations like Surtur whilst funny were hard to process...
Still, it was a good filler and feel good episode.
Captain Marvel spoke for half the series when she said "you're operating at an 8 and I need you at a 4"

Still, that end was pretty cool.
View Recorder