Today’s episode of What If...? doesn’t take us to a world that’s drastically different from Earth-616, but by asking "What If... Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?" we get to head to a reality where Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are celebrating Christmas likely somewhere between the events of The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Iron Man is hosting the Avengers Holiday Gala and Happy Hogan has been tasked with making sure it all runs smoothly. Darcy Lewis, seeking college credit, is lending a helping hand but it’s not long before Iron Man 2 villain Justin Hammer soon crashes the party!
With J.A.R.V.I.S. undergoing maintenance, Hammer and his goons take control of Avengers Tower and the Iron Legion. Why? Well, he’s out for revenge and has learned Tony Stark has Hulk blood in his laboratory. He wants to use it to become a powerful supervillain, prompting Happy to do a Die Hard and travel through the building’s air vents to get to that before Hammer can. Maria Hill, meanwhile, is shot and incapacitated by the gloating baddie.
Poor, hapless Happy accidentally injects himself with that Hulk serum, causing his leg to “Hulk Out” and turn purple. He slowly continues to transform and ends up leaping out of the tower to confront Hammer and save both Maria and Darcy.
This new Hulk - credited as "The Freak" by Marvel Studios in a nod to a very obscure comic book story where Happy takes on that moniker after being transformed - proceeds to make short work of the Iron Legion in an epic fight sequence. Hammer, realising he’s outgunned, dons the Hulkbuster armour and a fight ensues until The Avengers - dressed for the holiday party - intervene. They initially attack Happy, but when they realise it’s their friend and not a rampaging monster, Tony immediately takes apart Hammer’s suit.
The villain falls from Avengers Tower, but Happy intervenes and saves him - it’s the holidays and he wishes goodwill to all men…even the bad ones! It appears Happy is now stuck in his Hulk form but, much to Tony’s delight, that means he has a very formidable new bodyguard and Happy is the bodyguard he’s always wanted to be. Thor, meanwhile, arrives late to the party.
Make sure to stick through the credits as well because there’s a fun voiceover with Darcy briefly singing a Marvel-themed Christmas carol!
In terms of returning cast members, we have Jon Favreau as Happy "The Freak" Hogan, Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis, Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye.
Those MCU vets are joined by Mick Wingert as Iron Man, Lake Bell as Black Widow, and Josh Keaton as Captain America.
What did you think about this holiday-themed episode of the animated series?