“Party Thor” had teenage hijinks and mishaps galore, but did the What If…? Episode #7 cameo set up a threat that could connect to the greater MCU? CAUTION: SPOILER ALERT.

THE PLOT

The idea behind this episode is what happens if Loki is not adopted by Odin, and, therefore, the God of Mischief is not there to help forge Thor into a hero. Apparently, the result is a Marvel/Disney version of every teen party movie you have ever seen. Thor and his friends are left with no supervision, and they throw an intergalactic kegger on Earth. They let the party get out of hand, wreck the place, and they have to clean it all up before Mom gets home. 

The episode’s saving grace is in the final moments with an unexpected cameo.

AVENGERS #55

Although the face was concealed in shadow, all indications are that it was Ultron, and he is wielding the Infinity Stones. However, he lifts his helmet to reveal the Mind Stone in his forehead, which means that could have been Vision. 

That mysterious cameo could very well have been Ultron inhabiting the body he built for himself in the course of Avengers: Age of Ultron. The What If…? teaser art features what appears to be a Medieval Vision carrying a lance and wearing a knight’s armor that resembles Ultron’s vibranium body. It could be a signal that this world gave birth to an Ultron that succeeded in creating his new form and merging with the Infinity Stones. Having all six stones could be enough for him to return to Earth-616 to accomplish what his variant could not.

Fans have been waiting for Ultron to reappear in the MCU. The show’s last episode teased his arrival in the infamous boat scene with Klaw taken straight from AOU. That could send fans on a hunt for Ultron’s first appearance in Avengers #55. 

This has been a popular seller for the past couple of weeks, but the fair market values are still affordable. The low and mid grades are selling for between $50-$100 for raw copies, and the last graded Avengers #55 was a 9.2 that brought $500.

CAPTAIN MARVEL #12

The seventh episode of What If…? delivered a fistfight that MCU fans have been debating since Endgame: who would win between Captain Marvel and Thor?

Although both Thor and Carol Danvers had been in the comics since the Silver Age, the two did not have a formal altercation until 2019’s Captain Marvel #12. Being Carol’s title, she naturally proved the stronger of the two and defeated a hammerless Thor Odinson. I don’t anticipate this suddenly becoming a red-hot issue, but those piecing together the What If…? keys may find this to be an interesting addition.

Looking for a copy? These are dirt cheap with most graded copies selling for less than $30. You can’t get one shipped and graded for that price.

AN EPISODE OF LEVITY

What If…?’s showrunners had said that the Party Thor episode would be one of the sillier entries in the series. It comes as a break from the harsh drama of Serial Killer Pym, Strange Supreme, and Marvel Zombies, and many fans will welcome the return to a lighthearted comedy. The real treat will come in the follow-up episode to see what Ultron/Vision does with the Infinity Stones.

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