I had many expectations going into Marvel’s What If…? Episode 2. Still, I couldn’t anticipate how enjoyable it would be and how emotional I would become listening to Chadwick Boseman be the Star-Lord. Narratively speaking, the episode was a bit rushed for my taste. I can easily watch a whole series starring Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa as each of the Avengers, but that didn’t stop me from loving this episode.
One of the first things you’ll notice is how well the animation is on this new production. Especially if you see the characters’ facial animation, you’ll see remarkable work done by the animators. There is no point in the episode where I felt that the visuals were not matching the audio, a lot of animated content suffers from poorly tuned lip-sync, but Marvel did a great job here.
Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa as Star-Lord
If you haven’t seen the episode yet, I’d suggest watching it before we discuss anything further. If you’re worried about not seeing the first episode, you don’t need to because each episode is self-contained.
Of course, there will be significant spoilers ahead because I really want to talk about this episode in detail.
Chadwick Boseman nails his character once again, and I was utterly engrossed in the performance. Did he play a rather Boy Scout, straightforward, and honorable Star-Lord? Yes, he absolutely did. Is it not close to what the movies and comics portray Star-Lord as? That is also true.
I would’ve loved it if they threw in some gray areas to the character, as they did with Chris Pratt’s Peter, the original Star-Lord in the MCU. However, the whole plot around the character is well done and very enjoyable.
The quality of the voice acting here is phenomenal. Chadwick Boseman brings a certain charm to the role and is great at delivering his lines with ease.
It also helps that the animation is top-notch here, it doesn’t take you out of the moment at all, and after a while, you forget that you’re watching an animated show.
Extra What If?
There is also a subplot involving Thanos in this episode. That’s right, The Mad Titan returns, and as someone who was going in blind, it took me by surprise. Seeing that purple giant again in a role that is not about killing half the universe and more about redeeming himself and a slight comic relief was a good surprise. The way Josh Brolin’s Thanos played off other characters was enjoyable, especially his banter with Nebula was a highlight.
Michael Rooker, as Yondu returns to reprise his role and does a phenomenal job.
Overall, it was terrific to see Chadwick Boseman return to his role as T’Challa. The episode was made enjoyable thanks to his performance, but also the performance of his co-stars. There are many characters in this episode, and if you’re a Marvel fan, you’d love to see them all.
My only complaint is that the episode could have been the whole movie, and I’d still watch it twice in one sitting. The pacing was fast, and I can understand why the creators needed to do that, but the fan in me demands more.
As a longtime fan of the MCU and a more recent fan of Black Panther, it was a pleasant experience hearing the definitive Black Panther return. It was a worthy tribute to a good actor and an even greater man. Wakanda Forever!
