Marvel Cinematic Universe · What If...?: Season One
What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord? — S01E02
TV · 2021 · 32 minutes · Phase Four · alternate
In 1988, young T'Challa sneaks past Wakanda's forcefield and is abducted by Yondu Udonta's Ravagers instead of Peter Quill, growing up to become the galaxy-renowned outlaw Star-Lord. Twenty years later this variant T'Challa's charisma and principles draw Thanos, Nebula, Korath, and a version of the Guardians into his orbit, and he ultimately talks Thanos out of the Decimation by proposing a plan to redistribute the universe's resources instead. The episode reimagines the premise of Guardians of the Galaxy through a hero who never became Black Panther. It is dedicated to the memory of Chadwick Boseman.
Follows on from
- Guardians of the Galaxytimeline-branch — Diverges from Guardians of the Galaxy's premise: Yondu abducts young T'Challa from Wakanda in 1988 instead of Peter Quill from Earth, reworking that film's origin story around a different hero.
- Avengers: Infinity Wartimeline-branch · optional — The episode's climax reworks Thanos's Decimation plan as established in Infinity War: this variant T'Challa talks Thanos out of the Snap decades early, a twist that nods at Thanos's established genocidal plan for the universe, though the Watcher's narration supplies enough context to follow the episode on its own.
Leads to
- What If... the Watcher Broke His Oath? — S01E09crossover — Star-Lord T'Challa, one of the finale's Guardians of the Multiverse, was introduced as the variant who was abducted in T'Challa's place.