MARVEL WHAT IF 2x02 Breakdown! Easter Eggs & Animation Details You Missed!

If you’re struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor BetterHelp. Click
betterhelp.com/newrockstars for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy with a licensed professional specific to your needs.
Marvel Studios' What If Season 2 Episode 2 frame-by-frame analysis!
What If 2x02 What If Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes delivers on an 80s team up of some old-school Marvel characters with a ton of Easter Eggs and references to ET, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ant-Man. Jessica Clemons breaks down all the subtle animation details and Easter Eggs hidden throughout this episode, including interesting design choices with Star Lord, the Winter Soldier, and more!
Check out our sweet, sweet merch! www.NerdRiot.shop
Subscribe | Enable ALL push notifications 🔔
New Rockstars: newrockstars.link/NR-Sub
The Deep Dive: newrockstars.link/DD-Sub
The Breakroom: newrockstars.link/BR-Sub
Follow New Rockstars​:
Instagram: ​ / newrockstars
Facebook: ​ / newmediarockstars
Twitter: ​ / newrockstars
Patreon: ​ / newrockstars
About New Rockstars:
Hey everyone, welcome to the official New Rockstars KZbin channel! We got you covered with our in-depth analysis of every movie and television show you love! Don’t forget to subscribe and enable all push notifications so you never miss a podcast, breakdown, or theory.
PATREON PRODUCERS:
Comically Inclined Studios
Ladmia
LookNoHands
Karen Wang
Rick Denmon
RXJedi
Written by: Jessica Clemons
Executive Producer: Erik Voss / eavoss
General Manager: Zach Huddleston
Director of Programming: Brandon Barrick
Head of Production: John Costa
Post Production Supervisor: Riley Auskelis
Staff Editors: Drew Coombs, Joshua Steven Hurd
Editors: Aaron Carrion, Ed Vilderman
Camera Operator: Dashiell Hamingson
For business inquiries please contact [e-mail]

[@WaxedPlums]

Jessica keeps saying that Howard is going to be dead soon in this universe, but I’d like to think that with Bucky having his arc in this episode, Howard will probably not die, at least at the same time or in the same way as he does in the main universe.

[@TheRealYDA]

Unless (Like you Indirectly stated), Him Dying is an Absolute Point 🤔

[@kareempai2846]

there were other super soldiers aswell that russia made... if not bucky then its them.

[@YURISHIK0]

Maybe HYDRA will Brainwash bucky again.

[@kolethmanu]

@@TheRealYDA I don't think it is in this universe

[@NoPawn]

I was coming here to make the same point.

[@tylerjenkins5393]

It’s a small detail but I love that Howard’s solution to the seed is the same as Tony’s solution to the time stone… “put it in the garbage disposal”. It’s small but I thought it was funny and cute.

[@nomo1680]

i also noticed this :D

[@mauricebarry8858]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who got that!

[@da2001]

My favorite detail, too Like father, like son

[@-Cash-Inc]

Beat me to it 😂

[@soleillajourstaggs2025]

So glad I'm not the only one who thought if that

[@daltonweakly]

I hope we come back to this universe in future episodes. I was really surprised by how much I liked this cast

[@robinlight]

Its the same people that play the live action.

[@daltonweakly]

@@robinlight Yeah. Just didn’t expect them to gel together so well.

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Same

[@claymathewselevator8121]

@@daltonweaklyagreed

[@toonasag]

Ya, they make a fun team

[@Marvelousgamer7697]

This episode was surprisingly great, in my opinion. Of course it felt rushed but that's just because they have a time limit of only what 26 minutes to work with and for what they had to work around with its time constraints I'm surprised they put an episode as good as this one out! 8/10!

[@darkneon5637]

Nice

[@jerryminta9678]

Surprising? This is one of the most anticipated episodes

[@BrysonRyenn]

@@jerryminta9678Some don't think this episode is that good

[@jerryminta9678]

@@BrysonRyenn those ppl make 35k a yr. They don't know good shit.

[@Souphover]

Yeah marvel has been Ass lately

[@SheriffOutlaw]

Let's hope What If... continues on after season 2. I am enjoying the alternate timeline stories

[@Dimensioneer88]

We are at least getting a Season 3. In fact, they JUST announced a season 3 episode centered around Namor possibly in WW2.

[@arnGBA005]

I love the easter egg of Peter standing in front of the fair stand with the raccoon dolls and choosing one to be his best friend. The one he chooses looks like Rocket, which was his best friend in GOTG.

[@JunkieRemix]

I’d believe that Howard doesn’t die in that universe since he was able to get through Bucky, I mean unless they capture him again and then he kills them but I’d assume here that Howard isn’t killed by Bucky but just old age

[@thekueken]

Agreed. Even if this was way back, I'd be surprised if they didn't keep tabs on Bucky. Mar-Vell might lend them some tech? And T'chaka / the Wakandans may help with the deprogramming, if he lets them / decides to seek help to escape his programming...

[@mk_vqz4086]

There were other winter soldiers in Siberia

[@connorschultz380]

​@@mk_vqz4086but they were made with the super solider serum taken when stark died, in other words, they can't exist yet

[@Alejandroigarabide]

Bucky didn't want him dead. Bucky was just an instrument. Those who wanted Howard dead in the main timeline will probably use other means now.

[@kiidkif2009]

Oh shit yea caus now they lost "their" winter soldier ​@@Alejandroigarabide

[@LegendaryHopOnBaby]

Peter's ship lands outside of Grand Central Terminal, where the team-up shot from the first Avengers film takes place.

[@mcdonciii]

Seeing the Winter Soldier is always good, the creep atmosphere around him and the looks he gives, they did good with him. Adding that the actor behind him is Sebastian is just an extra, always a pleasure, hope to see more of him

[@Pointman11111]

And his theme when we first see him

[@tristankingcooldudewhite8392]

It's like Ego turned his own son into Tetsuo, á la "Akira", which, coincidentally, came out in 1988. Who knew? And if you thought the anime vibes were over, Peter uses the Spirit Gun technique from "Yu Yu Hakusho".

[@tristankingcooldudewhite8392]

Oh, and Ego is rocking that Snake Plissken hairstyle, y'know, cause he's played by Kurt Russell. So meta.

[@jpagcaoiliauemb9199]

This episode is also an homage to the movie Akira (the classic anime), which also came out in 1988. In the same way that episode 1 was a tribute to Bladerunner as much as to the detective film noir genre. The animators/filmmakers owe much to these two groundbreaking movies.

[@RzorFox]

I thought the same!

[@SS-rk2me]

You glossed right over Howard talking Bucky down by talking about Steve. Best part!

[@Reddy315]

I am surprised Thor didn't have any interaction with the space stone/the tesseract given it was originally in his dad's vault!! love that the containment cell that was made for the hulk, which briefly held loki and thor now incarcerated peter quill!

[@tobiaslawrence8928]

I'm surprised Thor was serious in this. I love how they went back to pre-lovevand thunder Thor

[@zacharybartolo5111]

At the moment, he was more concerned about the child god and his father who was threatening to assimilate the entire universe.

[@patax144]

​@@tobiaslawrence8928he just lost his family and his home in Asgard, of course he was more serious.

[@tobiaslawrence8928]

@@patax144 I know that, I'm talking about in the movie continuity.

[@gajaan316]

At this point in time, this is the first Thor movie Thor (or even hella before that since Thor 1 was in like 2010). He's pretty brash, impatient, war hungry and really just cant wait to be king. Of course not all of these characteristics are here in this episode. He probably didn't lose Odin, Loki, Frigga, Sif or anyone important after Egos attack here (they presumably have seeked refugee somewhere), but it was nice to see this type of Thor again. Very serious, knowledgeable on the space lore and vast universe beyond Earth, and the only comedy coming from him is not understanding human customs or sayings

[@edgararevalo1685]

The unlikely teams up is what makes these What If episodes so good and still be logical according to the timeline

[@jam_toast1]

In the sacred timeline we just can’t have some of these team ups even during big events like endgame. We’re still a little limited by time periods though, but the team up at the end of each what if episode does get around that

[@nailinthefashion]

I love when they make a Pym seem super cool and relevant. I always think of them as ulterior characters

[@WhiteRaven696]

This episode was pretty amazing. I hope that Mar-Vell and the Starks’ deaths all get avoided in this reality. Also, I personally think it should’ve been Peggy to wake Bucky up, not Howard.

[@larsespeland6068]

coulda been cool, like scarlet and the hulk

[@LKYHGaming]

It’s kinda ironic that it is Howard who wakes him up since Bucky is the one who killed Howard in the main timeline.

[@angienoland6879]

Well Yon-Rog is a prisoner on Xandar, so the events of Captain Marvel are probably altered.

[@t84t748748t6]

@@angienoland6879 thats a different dimension/timeline

[@robinsmet3387]

That closing scene + the Avengers theme = GOOSEBUMPS! Such a great episode again.

[@thisisnancybot]

I like Hank, but I honestly feel like What If? has the most fun with him.

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Agreed

[@Ikajo]

Well, Michael Douglas isn't exactly young. There are limits to what he can do. In animation, those limitations disappear.

[@nailinthefashion]

​@@Ikajothat's true but my favourite stories with him have him enable others, not center the action on himself. Like the Scientist Supreme plot, he didn't exactly do too much until he did a bits and bobs

[@blackwhyloreign441]

Young Peter doing the Kahmehameha wave to obliterate his evil pops was epic!

[@kingdnd50]

Nah it was spirit gun

[@blackwhyloreign441]

@@kingdnd50 💯

[@codyhoney9101]

I believe that Hank flirting with Wendy is a slight nod to the American President, a movie where Michael a Douglas is the president and Annette Benning is his love interest. Their flirting is very similar in that movie.

[@mkdemigodzillawarrior]

You know, now I kind of want to see an episode where they found Steve much earlier around this time period. That way, he and Peggy could restart their relationship and then possibly free Bucky.

[@burneyboys02]

This was a very fun episode. I've been waiting for the full MCU debut of Goliath and damnit that suit looks so good. I hope we see him in live action and at Avengers Campus very soon.

[@claudia9339]

this episode felt SO good

[@devinwolken]

Wait, if the winter soldiers heart was changed, wouldn’t stark and tchaka be free from death by him? Or would they just send a different winter soldier?

[@decoderhacker4062]

T’Chaka was killed by Zemo in the main timeline

[@jflores85]

Timeliness change with small choices

[@mystickyonyourface]

​@jflores85 ya you will def be late if you go changing plans and ish... timeliness is key

[@SaikouENT]

I would have liked the title to be 'What if Yandu gave Peter to Ego' Peter didn't really attack. He was attacked and i.m.o. responded and defended himself the way an 8 year old Celestial might.

[@jeffehren]

"We are the World" was in 1985 and for relief in Africa. It had nothing to do with the Cold War. It was orchestrated by Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones, inspired by Harry Bellefonte. It was also a Grammy winner. Referencing that and MTV seems to just be buzz words to say "we're in the 80s" And in 1988, Sammy Hagar was in Van Halen. Though Thor does seem to be more of a David Lee Roth type.

[@ThatStarWarsGuyyy]

Me and one of my best friends loved this episode, especially seeing Winter soldier Bucky again!! 😅😂 Can’t wait for the rest of the episodes!

[@DemiDemon94]

This was honestly my favorite what if...? episode so far it was just so good, but they're waaay to short. I'm always begging for more at the end.

[@elijahulrich2023]

This is a hot take, but I like this Avengers team better than the one we got in 2012.

[@robinlight]

🙄

[@Deadpool-ri3rq]

I actually kinda agree!

[@Spinosaurus44]

I think I like both, I guess what really attracts me to this one is the unexpected team up that somehow just works.

[@spinny003]

Noh

[@OctoOzzy]

Also one more easter egg is when we first see bucky his distorted echoey scream plays

[@johndowning5826]

Howard also said “ I get enough of that from my own (sons)” 13:20 So Tony wasn’t the only one? Explains why Tony was confused about Maria’s pregnancy back in endgame..

[@snarktwain644]

I cannot wait for all of these characters and teams to join together in the final episodes

[@phatkiddre]

This is a dope domino effect because with Bucky out there he wasn't able to kill Howard Stark and how will that moment effect Tony's future!

[@ironfeige5517]

Season 2 delights again. I teared up a little when Peter hugged Howard. Wendy Lawson had some great lines but nowhere near as good as the lines used to draw Noir Nebula.

[@gamersouls3546]

I need 100 seasons of what if

[@RichieManuta-tj2wl]

This episode had so much to do and I'm impressed that, not only was it coherent but also enjoyable and I'd like to see more from them. Very good contrasts and parallels (Pym against Goliath, Stark, Peggy and Bucky, Thor and Bucky's murderous intent against the others, Hope and Peters loss, Ego and Pym being parents; howard as well but this was mostly for jokes). Still rushed but I love this team, very good.

[@ontheair6401]

I like that the stuffed animal that young Peter awards himself at the fair is a raccoon...just like his future best friend

[@angelmolina9667]

Did Howard say “Sons” 👀

[@Reddy315]

given that this episode takes place 1988, if howard and peggy successfully convince winter solider to understand his real identity as bucky and remove hydra's brainwashing, he might not end up killing howard and maria, tony stark's parents in 1991!

[@ked49]

Probably not, it is a canon event

[@mojuri4]

An episode like this gives me hope that Marvel can bank on dope cartoons if they're consistent. I could definitely see an Invincible-like success in the MCU's future

[@juanalatorre9871]

This episode was so good, I low key wanna go back to this universe and see what the future of this universe is with different avengers and star lord and wasp teamups, maybe even star lord would have a shrinking suit as well

[@qa649]

I like the call back to infinity war where howard says to put the seed in the garbage disposal just like tony said about the time stone

[@AlexisAdrian00]

Loving S2 so far!!

[@user-bm9yt3oj8y]

0:43 also the extensive inclusion of the F-14 s are definitely a purposeful nod to Top Gun to keep with the 80s themes. Must have been a blast for the animators

[@everettcienkus2989]

In the episode, you can see Lawson loading the tesseract into the ship from 6:56-7:00

[@jonahnichols1]

When Howard says "yeah great, blame the absentee father, I get that enough from my own son" it sounds like he said "sons" am I the only one hearing that or does Tony have a brother in this universe?

[@skydivingintofiction7532]

Ego's use of the Earth's environment to make Zombie duplicates reminds me of Transformers Prime, when Unicron used the Earth to make small versions of himself. He was Earth's core at the time

[@RyanHaney55]

I like how little Star-Lord landed where Banner said "That's my secret, Cap. I'm always angry."

[@samuelburton302]

Peter blowing Ego away gave me all kinds of feels. Reminded me of a cool move you'd see in Gundam, or an anime like Yu Yu Hakasho

[@nickname3380]

Hank is my favorite Antman 🤷‍♂️

[@munkduane]

In another Universe, Hank DID "get with" Wendy. See the film "The American President " ;)

[@PressureProPh]

I love LOVE LOVE THIS EPISODE

[@Nico12420]

This episode opens a lot of possibilities! Star-lord became a literal cosmic being and I think he and Hope will be together because he never met Gamora and the events of Captain America The Winter Soldier won't happen exactly the way it was supposed to because Bucky remembered Steve so Civil War might not happen!

[@J.O.R.D]

It's insane to know how far Ego could of spread without Earth's mightiest knowing about it if he got what he wanted

[@WinterSo1dier]

Wait, did Howard say “I get that enough from my own sonS?!” Did they just make Arno Stark MCU canon?

[@ghostnerddd133]

"Soon to be dead howard" that got me 😭

[@ShawnUusiku]

When ever bucky is in Winter soldier time it's always a pleasure to watch him

[@gamingsailor5]

I like Hank Pym!

[@LordMegatron84]

Is it just me or by the end of this episode does it feel like their shipping Hope and Quill?

[@thekueken]

Not sure if I find it worrying to jump to shipping with an 8-yo Peter (born in 1980) and a 9-yo Hope (born in 1979) and seeing how Hank acted like he was about to adopt Peter, making them potentially grow up as siblings?

[@LordMegatron84]

@@thekueken yeah that’s true

[@IsiahBradley]

Jessica, THANKS again for this holiday duty!!!! I think "What If...?" S2 thus far is better than some recent Marvel movies!!!!!

[@microscopic.caterpill]

Jessica Jones wasn’t in this episode

[@scottmcarthur207]

The egg doesn’t land in front of city hall. It lands (coincidentally) where the Avengers famously assemble in the 1st movie

[@ReginaldTAP3]

Did young Quill’s ship land exactly where the first Avenger’s team-up shot occurred from the first film?

[@WinnieDPue]

Yes, right outside the upper level of Grand Central Station

[@eliasbjorkqvist7120]

Yeah I felt like they could have brought in the red guardian instead of the winter soldier

[@Animeninja124]

I was looking forward to this episode ☺

[@Dr.Beetlejuice110]

Another great episode!!!

[@johnmanuel332]

This szn been really good so far 🗣️

[@ThePoisonFurry]

I love the 80s Avengers, the lineup is awesome

[@BrienBellJTS]

1:43 Ego’s ship crashes in front of Grand Central Station on Park Avenue, the same avenue that was the main focus of the Avengers’ battle against the Chitauri in The Avengers-and Grand Central in the real world is adjacent to the Met Life building, which is replaced by Stark/Avengers Tower in the MCU.

[@nicholasgarrick8855]

I love how they made ego like unicorn creating manifestation of himself , even a kaiju sized avatar.

[@iroman2334.]

Great videooo🎉🎉 love this channel 🎉❤❤

[@tajlindermiral6234]

“Soon to be dead Howard” 😅

[@skittles7306]

Loved it!❤❤❤

[@jakattak2403]

awesome! as usual.

[@tonyhudson9792]

You failed to mention that Star Lord hit his dear ol dad with a spirit gun attack from Yu Yu Hakusho 😂😂😂

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Loved this

[@mancest]

Hank Pym and Wendy Lawson's flirting could be a call back to the American President (1995) where Annette Benning and Michael douglas (actors who played those two characters in live action) were romantically involved.

[@BretMuckdogs]

Thank you Jessica!

[@riagrix]

“Like men do” 😂

[@spinny003]

🤮

[@JaydenTsui-fe3sc]

This was the best i have been looking forward to this

[@tomlouie2855]

1:40 the spaceship crash lands on Park Ave South, and stops in front of Grand Central Station, not City Hall.

[@littlerosie7631]

I hope all of you guys will have great Christmas and have a fabulous time with your family!⭐️☃️🎅🏽🎄❄️🦌💜

[@rhettdownen6873]

You’re amazing Lulu!

[@SuperBrad327]

Love this episode 2 for 2 so far

[@janminglee3004]

Noone is talking about how strong Hank Pym and his ants are? Hanks army stopped Quill just like how he stopped Kang in Quantumania. He always has a contingency plan.

[@cholten99]

Much stronger second episode - this one was excellent! Though, when they kept talking about celistial powers I kept expecting Ikaris to turn up. The celestials are there in '88 too but, again, everyone forgets they're around...

[@silentsigher]

This was a amazing episode

[@ianbrown3948]

So Starlord could of kept his powers in Gotg vol 2

[@benjaminmattey3263]

Ego is still alive which is why he's still got powers here

[@kindplanet1]

Thor literally said That wasn’t the real Ego, Ego the living planet still lives, which I must destroy

[@justinpepchinski5725]

It sounded like Howard says "I get that enough from my own SONS" or is it singular? It sounds plural to me !

[@_Tree]

Fun fact........in the versions of the MCU that were aware of, Peter Quill's mother lived not too far from my hometown of St Louis. 💯💯💯

[@kramermariav]

Id like to see more of this team

[@carlin90]

Peter’s ship crashed in front of Grand Central Terminal. The site of the Chitauri attack in Avengers. Not city hall.

[@_proxhe_6341]

Quill also takes a raccoon plush from the game he smashed and hugs it. Alluding to his bond with Rocket regardless of the alternate universe 🙌🏽💛

[@Muhammadaain]

Great episode the chemistry really worked, amazing cast and the return of the avengers theme, oooo my spine was shaken.

[@mvtt.y]

I really enjoyed this episode!

[@omrisadovsky]

honestly, that was such a good episode. got me really happy to recognize all the good moments from the past and all the legendary people who got to shape my own life. love it so much

[@Jordacar]

I’m glad they gave us a scene pairing Lawson and Pym to give us an ‘American President’ reunion.

[@its_louie313]

Just watched it and now I get to watch this. I guess I got my Christmas present early 🥹🥹😂😭

[@drewe2331]

Kinda wished Red Guardian would've showed up...

[@claymathewselevator8121]

That would’ve been cool

[@7eddiii]

i wanted that too but bucky was a much better choice

[@ilankutsman4965]

There's one plot hole, I think, in this episode. How did Thor get to Earth? He said the other realms were destroyed, so no Bifrost. Do you see giant space goats tied to a viking ship?

[@LineOfThy]

I think he said ravaged, and we do see heimdell using his powers without the bifrost - so a similar situation to Infinity War, but with Thor instead of Banner might’ve happened.

[@thekueken]

Himinbjorg, Heimdall's little abode at the end of the Rainbow Bridge, sits just outside / at the very edge of Asgard. There is a chance it wasn't or was destroyed last by Ego's assimilating "terraforming", when Asgard likely also fell last of the other realms... I am more curious about Ego having visited Asgard in the past and mating with an Asgardian, completely unnoticed by Odin or Heimdall, to leave his seed there for Peter to activate....

[@7eddiii]

heimdall can summon the bifrost like he did for hulk in infinity war

[@kindplanet1]

Not really, we know Thor said Earth/midgard was the last realm left. So just before he saw Kid Peter Quill destroy Asgard, Heimdall sent Thor to the last remaining realm, which would be Earth. Thor landed probably somewhere in Europe considering it took him 24 hours to find the seedling and then track Peter quill, or he could’ve landed in Missouri

[@nailinthefashion]

MULTIverse...

[@DarienDennis1]

Nobody ever talks about that young star lord is carrying a stuffed raccoon around Coney Island

[@amboutte7918]

Awesome , like usual! Happy Christmas to all who celebrate, those who do not have a great day ;-) !!