What If...?

[ART!]

So, I think it is good to think of "What If..?" episodes as short stories rather than novels. The short story, as a medium, makes great use of implied story, rather than explicit story.

I don't know: they had 30 minutes - a lot of it consisting of exotic visuals - so I feel like they could have spared 30 seconds (or - gasp - more!) of dialogue to suggest why Strange was more emotionally available, especially considering not being emotionally available was one of his defining characteristics in his origin story.

 

[Umbran]

I don't know: they had 30 minutes - a lot of it consisting of exotic visuals - so I feel like they could have spared 30 seconds (or - gasp - more!) of dialogue to suggest why Strange was more emotionally available

Sure. But, they "could have" done tons of stuff. Every single member of the audience will have their own list of things they "could have" done.

I am generally okay with unresolved questions in short stories. They are a mainstay of the form. It is a variation of, "Not everything has to be tied up in a neat bow."

 

[ART!]

Sure. But, they "could have" done tons of stuff. Every single member of the audience will have their own list of things they "could have" done.

I am generally okay with unresolved questions in short stories. They are a mainstay of the form. It is a variation of, "Not everything has to be tied up in a neat bow."

Sure, but how much of those "could haves" would be as relevant as "why is this character whose origin hinges on his emotional unavailability now suddenly emotionally available?" Maybe that aspect of the character just stands out to me.

The storytelling in that episode is good enough that this flaw doesn't throw off my enjoyment of the other aspects of it, but I still consider it a flaw.

Anyway, like a lot of people, I found the ...Zombies episode tonally jarring. Also, is there any suggestion in the episode about how Thanos - seen as a zombie at the very end - gets zombified?

EDIT: I assume he goes to Wakanda for the Mind Stone, and doesn't have enough of the other Stones already to not get infected.

 

[embee]

Thanos should really do some recon before he goes down to the planet. Maybe send a rover.

That's also the fatal flaw in every episode of Star Trek.

Just because it's a Class M planet doesn't mean that there aren't harmful pathogens present.

 

[Ryujin]

That's also the fatal flaw in every episode of Star Trek.

Just because it's a Class M planet doesn't mean that there aren't harmful pathogens present.

It even implies that there WOULD BE harmful pathogens present, because that's part of life.

 

[Stalker0]

Also, is there any suggestion in the episode about how Thanos - seen as a zombie at the very end - gets zombified?

A fair question, considering what stark had to do for a “drop of blood”, what earth zombie could actually spread the disease to Thanos…even before you consider the stones he already has

 

[BRayne]

A fair question, considering what stark had to do for a “drop of blood”, what earth zombie could actually spread the disease to Thanos…even before you consider the stones he already has

Pym or Janet maybe?

 

[embee]

It even implies that there WOULD BE harmful pathogens present, because that's part of life.

Given our own history of inadvertently destroying ecosystems via exploration, not to mention the "twist" ending of "The War of the Worlds," Away Missions run directly contrary to the Prime Directive.

 

[MarkB]

A fair question, considering what stark had to do for a “drop of blood”, what earth zombie could actually spread the disease to Thanos…even before you consider the stones he already has

Some of his army are pretty big and bitey. Maybe the disease spread to them, and through them, thence to Thanos.

 

[Dire Bare]

Hope should have normal-sized and disabled her rig as her last dying act after dropping the kids off. She knew what was coming. T'Challa should not have flown his plane over the giant zombie. We all saw that coming

You're right, of course, but . . . then we wouldn't have gotten a Giant-Woman Zombie! Which was cool! People make bad calls all the time in real life, so to have an Avenger make a bad call when being swarmed by tiny zombies trying to eat her . . . . I'm fine with it.

Thanos should really do some recon before he goes down to the planet. Maybe send a rover.

Hah! Definitely! He's pretty arrogant though, so I think it's in character. Another bad call.