In the wake of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” the MCU has shifted its focus from Infinity Stones to the ever-expanding Multiverse. Alternate versions of characters, branching timelines, and the collision of separate worlds have become the norm in the franchise. One of the productions to use the Multiverse concept the most is the animated Disney+ series “What If…?”, which sees the Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) — one of the most important characters introduced in the MCU’s Phase Four — shine a spotlight on timelines far, far away from the main MCU. Some of these worlds are fun excursions from Earth-616, while others are a bit more outlandish and downright terrifying.
On a show where a universe overrun by a zombie virus has taken center stage (and is soon to get its own spin-off that won’t follow the “Marvel Zombies” comics), it’s not out of the question that “What If…?” could feature a frightening episode dedicated to a “Darkhold: Iron Man”-inspired world. All of the key pieces are already established in the MCU to make this story work. Iron Man, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) are major players in the MCU, and the Darkhold has appeared in such efforts as “WandaVision” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” Perhaps the Avengers and other heroes could also appear, doing their best to combat Tony’s nightmarish, human-eradicating Iron Man suits.
Until the MCU decides to embrace the body horror of “Darkhold: Iron Man” — assuming it ever does at all — fans can at least count on the comic itself to deliver in that regard.
