Marvel’s animated series What If…? takes fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on an unlikely journey through different universes, where a single decision or event changes the course of history itself. The audience’s companion and the series’ narrator is the Watcher. Known as Uatu, the Watcher has a strict vow of non-interference that keeps him from stepping in, no matter how heartbreaking the unfolding events may be.
But as proven by What If…?, that vow comes at a dire cost. There are many instances where a being of Uatu’s power could have stepped in. His assistance could have saved countless lives, and more than one universe.
10 He Should Have Kept Ego From Reaching Peter Quill
One of the first episodes of the series, What If… T’challa became a Star-Lord? is relatively light-hearted compared to other installments in the show. Instead of taking Peter from Earth as requested by Ego, Yondu kidnaps Prince T’challa. But it’s not a bad thing. As Star-Lord, T’challa turns the Ravagers into a force for good and even manages to reform Thanos. This comes at a cost. The ending of the episode displays Ego tracking down his son Peter on his own.
The outcome of the meeting isn’t revealed, but this Peter Quill is a simple employee of Dairy Queen, likely with no real family of his own. He would be an easy target for Ego. Using Peter, Ego would have completed his grand plan of expansion. The Watcher should have kept that from happening and protected Peter in some way.
9 He Should Have Kept Yellowjacket From Killing The Avengers
The Avengers are a force for good that proves to be instrumental in the fight to protect Earth from all threats, including but not limited to Thanos. As Yellowjacket, Hank Pym doesn’t particularly care about that. He just seeks to avenge his lost daughter, Hope, so he kills the Avengers off, one by one.
Uatu should have stepped in from the moment Pym targeted Tony Stark. His death inexorably changes the course of history. Similarly, Thor’s death will have echoes all over the universe, as Loki will most likely not be able to handle Hela on his own.
8 He Should Have Kept Loki From Taking Over The World
In the aftermath of Thor’s death, Loki arrives on Earth with an Asgardian army, seeking vengeance. Yellowjacket is eventually captured, but Loki isn’t willing to just go away. He takes over the world, the Asgardians now obeying him due to Thor’s loss.
Loki’s magic and Asgardian forces are powerful, but without Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the planet will undoubtedly be left vulnerable to otherworldly attacks. Even with Captain Marvel and Captain America there to form a new team, it will be next to impossible to save the Earth from Thanos.
7 He Should Have Prevented Doctor Strange From Seeking To Resurrect Christine
In What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead Of His Hands?, the accident that originally maimed Stephen Strange claims the life of his lover Christine Palmer. Once he acquires the Time Stone, Doctor Strange can’t help himself and embarks on a campaign to bring her back. It’s a futile effort, as according to the Ancient One, Christine’s death is an absolute point in time.
Resurrecting Christine would mean Strange never become a sorcerer and the paradox would destroy the universe. Strange refuses to listen to his old mentor, and the two of them fight. Uatu could have stopped all the ensuing tragedies if he’d just stepped in when Doctor Strange first made his decision to resurrect his lover.
6 He Should Have Kept Doctor Strange From Corrupting Himself With Added Power
After countless attempts to bring Christine back and his confrontation with the Ancient One, Stephen tracks down the Lost Library of Cagliostro where he spends centuries absorbing magical beings and acquiring more knowledge. Unbeknownst to Stephen, the Ancient One used the power of the Dark Dimension to split him in two. A second version of the Sorcerer Supreme exists, one that accepts Christine’s death.
Eventually, the two face each other in battle, but despite Stephen’s best efforts, his evil counterpart absorbs him. This leads to Stephen gaining enough power to finally achieve his goal of resurrecting Christine. Things don’t go in his favor. The universe falls apart, and Christine dissipates in his arms minutes after her resurrection. Uatu should have stopped it all from happening. He could have kept Doctor Strange from being corrupted by his lust for power or at least prevented him from absorbing his other self.
5 He Should Have Saved Doctor Strange Supreme’s Universe
Even after Doctor Strange Supreme resurrects and loses Christine, his universe isn’t completely beyond hope. He desperately tries to keep everything from falling apart, only to see the Watcher observing him. He begs for help, believing the Watcher has the power to save his universe. The Watcher acknowledges this but does nothing, abandoning Doctor Strange Supreme to his fate.
4 He Should Have Done Something To Stop The Zombie Virus
In What If… Zombies?!, Bruce Banner arrives on Earth to let his friends know about the imminent threat of Thanos. He has more immediate problems. During Hank Pym’s attempt to save his wife from the quantum realm, she infects him with a zombie virus. Other the next weeks, the virus spreads all over the world, claiming the lives of many Avengers. Uatu should have intervened when it became obvious that the zombie virus would consume the whole planet, and that Earth’s heroes were propagating the problem instead of stopping it.
3 He Should Have Helped The Wakandans Against Thanos
Bruce teams up with the few people who remain standing – Bucky Barnes, Spider-Man, Okoye, and Sharon Carter – and finds out the potential cure to zombification may be within the Mind Stone. Vision, who has been hovering between good and evil since Wanda’s transformation into a zombie, commits suicide and offers them the stone. Unfortunately for them, a zombified Thanos is waiting in Wakanda.
It’s unclear what zombie Thanos would do with the complete Gauntlet, but his goals may have changed. As a zombie, Thanos would want to feed his insatiable hunger, and the Gauntlet would allow him to do that, plunging the world into an unending circle of death. Once again, Uatu should have stopped it. Perhaps he could have helped the Wakandans against Thanos. The small group of remaining Avengers has next to no chance against Thanos, but with some assistance, the Wakandan army could have claimed the Gauntlet and eliminated the virus using it.
2 He Should Have Revealed Eric Killmonger’s Plan
It seems unlikely that a Watcher would break his vow for the sake of one person. But in the case of Tony Stark, he probably should have made an exception. As pointed out in the episode What If… Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?, Tony’s work is essential for the natural course of history. Without the age of Iron Man, things go awry for everyone.
Tony eventually dies at Killmonger’s hands, and a war breaks out between Wakanda and the United States. With Shuri and Pepper teaming up at the end, it’s expected that Killmonger’s ploy will be revealed, but that won’t solve the long-term problems already created. Uatu should have intervened, even if it was in a subtle way by revealing Killmonger’s plan and allowing Tony to confront him in a safer environment.
1 He Should Have Helped The Avengers In The Main Canon
While exploring the alternate universes is very interesting, fans of the MCU remain bound to the main universe. Even with Iron Man and the rest of the Avengers there to save the day, the Watcher could have intervened on countless occasions. Even the slightest change – such as freeing Nebula and keeping Gamora from leading Thanos to the Soul Stone – could have led to the Snap never happening. The Blip has brought many of the dead back, but not everyone was so lucky. Similarly, Asgard would have appreciated the aid of a being like Uatu in the fight against Hela.
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