IN REVIEW: MARVEL’S WHAT IF…? (S1 – EP8) What If… Ultron Won?

Synopsis: Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton seek to destroy killer-robot Ultron following a cataclysmic event.

The Story

After last week’s comic relief of Thor being a party boy. This week’s episode of What If…? takes a darker tone and asks. What if… Ultron had won? Indeed, while trying to answer this question. We get given a similar scenario to the Zombies episode of a few weeks back in which we saw the Avengers pretty much on the back foot. Only this time it is only Black Widow and Hawk Eye who remains after Ultron pretty much dispenses with Iron Man.

So, while Black Widow and Hawk Eye search through the archives of the KGB to find a means of defeating the killer robot. Ultron has done away with Thanos and taken the infinity stones and set about purging the multiverse of all life.

Voice Acting

We get some solid acting in this episode from all the main characters. Jeremy Renner and Lake Bell work well together as Black Widow and Hawk Eye. And Ross Marquand does a brilliant job of voicing Ultron. But the real surprise of this episode is how much Jeffrey Wright gets to do as The Watcher. In every episode thus far. The Watcher has been a fairly passive character in that he has just been the narrator and storyteller. However, the plot twist in this story sees The Watcher having to participate a lot more as Ultron comes after him. Wright does a brilliant job of conveying The Watcher’s confusion and fear at suddenly finding himself placed in harm’s way.

Overall

This is another strong episode showing us a more darker tone to the Marvel Universe by showing us what may have happened if the Avengers had dropped the ball. We get some really strong acting performances and some brilliant plot twists. We also see a return for Toby Jones as Arnim Zola who is apparently earth’s last best hope of defeating Ultron. 

Overall. A really fun episode, which once again does not give us a happy ending or wrap the story up. Which is a nice change of pace and also quite ballsy on the part of the writers. As to how I think it will end. Well. I think I’d rather keep you all guessing.