This holiday season, Marvel Animation’s What If…? is shaking up its usual weekly schedule, instead releasing a new episode daily. Fans have already witnessed Hulk battling the Avengers and Agatha’s Hollywood adventure with Kingo. Now, the latest installment pits the Red Guardian against the Winter Soldier.
The highly anticipated Thunderbolts film, slated for release in 2025, will bring together the Red Guardian and Bucky Barnes, portrayed by David Harbour and Sebastian Stan.
What If…? Season 3 Episode 3 will surely generate buzz around these characters and their upcoming big-screen adventure. This strategic timing is likely to further fuel fan enthusiasm for the Thunderbolts movie.
What if the Starks Never Died?
Winter Soldier killing Tony Stark’s parents is one of the biggest story arcs in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it is one of those events that really stuck with fans as it spiraled into Iron Man versus Captain America. What If…? Season 3 Episode 3 opens with this particular scene…but in this universe, things have gone much differently, all thanks to the Red Guardian.
The Red Guardian wants in on a big mission but instead, he’s being asked to pose as a senior data manager in Ohio, and General Dreykov decides to defrost the Winter Soldier for more important work, and that doesn’t sit right with the Red Guardian as jealously brews, and so, he decides to take matters into his hands, interrupting Bucky Barnes’ mission to kill Howard and Maria Stark.
The fight between the Red Guardian and the Winter Soldier is certainly entertaining especially considering how different these two characters are from each other. The loud-mouth Red Guardian who speaks his mind versus the broody Winter Soldier – this might just be our favorite episode of Season 3!
After the Stars survive, the two set out on a mission together, and once again, this duo steals the show and you might just briefly forget about the ongoing narrative in Episode 3.
This episode was largely different from the first two and focuses on two characters who have so much potential in the MCU, and a big fan following too. It was a good move!
There is plenty of action too, and it is executed in classic Marvel fashion, the one that existed earlier in the franchise. So, for the longstanding fans, this episode is surely going to be a treat. Will be see more the Red Guardian and the Winter Soldier interacting in Thunderbolts? Time will tell!
Also Read: What If…? Season 3 Episode 2 Review
Conclusion
What If…? Season 3 Episode 3 is a classic action-packed installment to the season, and so far, it is the best episode, setting the bar relatively high. Have you watched it? Let us know in the comments.