WARNING: The following contains spoilers for What If…? Season 1, Episode 1, “What If… Captain Carter Were The First Avenger,” streaming now on Disney+.
The first episode of the multiversal anthology series What If…? has premiered and asks the question, “What if…Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?” The episode chronicles Peggy Carter’s adventures after becoming the super soldier of World War II when an accident leaves Steve unable to undergo the procedure. When Peggy emerges from the rebirth chamber, she’s not only taller; her entire body is enhanced, showcasing the strength she has gained from the formula. As she goes on adventures with the Howling Commandos and Steve Rogers, taking on Hydra, more evidence is presented that may reveal a secret to the Super Soldier Serum and Captain America’s powers.
In Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rogers is frail and sickly but has strong moral character and a good heart. As a result, he becomes the perfect candidate for Dr. Abraham Erskine’s super soldier program. Taking the serum enhances his body and his internal fortitude to stand up for what’s right. But the main factor that separates him from soldiers like John Walker is that he was unhealthy before undergoing the procedure.
When Walker takes the Super Soldier Serum in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he’s already at peak physical condition and health. As a result, the serum makes him potentially stronger than Rogers. That said, he isn’t as righteous as Steve, meaning that when he takes the serum, his aggression is unstable, leading to him murdering a person. While his temperament is on full display in the series, his feats of strength aren’t. However, in What If…?, Captain Carter uses her abilities in ways that Steve never does.
During the episode, Carter’s abilities allow her to flip over Nazi tanks and even take on tentacled creatures with her bare hands. However, while Steve is undoubtedly strong, his greatest feats of strength hardly compare to Peggy’s. For Steve, the serum ensured that the inner strength he carries within matches him on the outside. But for Peggy, the serum showcases other capabilities that couldn’t be shown through Steve.
With Peggy showing her extensive strength and powers, it becomes clear that the serum doesn’t enhance everyone to the same level of strength. It’s a steroid that adds to whatever is already there. Physically, Steve is the perfect candidate because he demonstrates the full extent of the serum, turning nothing into something. But for people like Peggy, the serum pushes her abilities and skills beyond peak human capabilities. This could also be a large part of why the serum is so hard to replicate. It can adapt to a person’s physiology and enhance them accordingly, which as Walker shows, is still far from perfect even after decades of research.
Captain Carter is a hero through and through. Now it’s confirmed that she is still one with or without the serum. The same can be said for Steve, who finds a way to help with the skills and tools he is given even without the serum. This trait follows him as Captain America when facing Thanos’ army with nothing but a hammer and broken shield. The serum’s effects on Captain Carter display why Erskine is so diligent in picking a candidate. The serum enhances even the healthiest person beyond what is believed possible. If it’s in the wrong hands, it could be disastrous for everyone whether or not there is a war. Thankfully, there are other Captains in other realities to ensure that doesn’t happen.
To see Captain Carter’s adventures, the first episode of Marvel’s What If…? is streaming now on Disney+.
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