Comic book fans like to imagine scenarios in which the events and the lives of their favorite heroes turned out very differently. Since 1977, Marvel has been publishing the What If…? series that portrays various hypothetical scenarios putting well-known characters into new situations.
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Thanks to the upcoming Disney+ animated series, What If…? now draws even more attention to itself and could perhaps capture the imagination of new readers. They have a lot to choose from since there are hundreds of scenarios, some of which are decades old but still belong among the best this comic book storyline has ever produced.
10 The Fantastic Four Have No Powers
Marvel has shown multiple times that a superhero doesn't need special powers to achieve extraordinary things. However, its most famous heroes, such as the Fantastic Four, all have powers. This What If? shows how very different the lives of the Fantastic Four could have been if they hadn't gone on their fateful space mission.
They would succeed in building a large business and set up an intergalactic research facility. Even more importantly, they would defeat a monster from space by using their intelligence, not their powers. If anybody could pull this off, it's the superfamily.
9 Phoenix Didn't Pass Away
Jean Gray's death presented a shock for many readers as well Jean's fellow X-Men. But considering what might have happened otherwise, Phoenix's passing was probably for the best.
As Jean slowly succumbs to her power in this What If? scenario, she loses control over herself and starts hurting people. For example, she kills Kitty Pryde! And that's just the beginning. By dying, Jean had protected those closest to her from further harm so one could argue her death wasn't in vain.
8 Elektra Survives
Unlike Phoenix's potential survival, Elektra living on would have a positive impact on the Marvel universe. Matt Murdock was devastated when she died. Had she survived, as this story suggests, both Elektra and Daredevil would have been much happier. They would have left New York behind and start a new life somewhere else.
The comic also proved once and for all that Elektra was a good person at heart. She refused to kill Foggy Nelson as Kingpin had ordered her and had to run because of it. These aren't the actions of a heroine who cares very little about others.
7 Venom And Punisher Make A Duo
Venom is best known for being connected to Spider-Man or Flash Thompson (who even joined the Guardians of the Galaxy with the symbiote!). However, this intriguing scenario poses the question of what would happen if Venom joined Frank Castle aka Punisher.
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Surprisingly, it would all work out for good since Punisher would control Venom and would use him to fight against criminals and corrupted people even more effectively than before. Putting together the two morally gray characters was a stroke of brilliance and makes for a delightful read.
6 Spider-Man Doesn't Fight Crime
With great power comes great responsibility, as Spider-Man and all his fans will know. But before he became a costumed crime-fighter, Peter Parker simply wanted to make some money by using his newfound powers to fight in a ring. He only became a better person when he lost his uncle and realized what he needed to do.
In this scenario, Spider-Man's life journey is very different. He doesn't fight crime and decides to become a star instead. Unsurprisingly, he lets fame and success blind him and it takes a lot more time for Spider-Man to realize his responsibilities. All fans of Spider-Man shouldn't miss out on reading the story as it reveals a different facet of his personality.
5 Gwen Stacy Survives
Elektra's potential survival isn't the only time the comics toyed with the idea of what would have happened if an iconic character hadn't died. Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker's first true love and her death had changed things forever.
Had Gwen stayed alive, Peter would have been much happier… but he also would have become a fugitive. His secret identity would go on to be public knowledge and they would try to arrest him at his own wedding! Plus, fans of Peter's and Mary Jane's romance would be deprived of their favorite couple.
4 Spider-Man No More
Getting bitten by the radioactive spider has changed Peter Parker's life forever. But things could have been very different if the spider bit someone else. This scenario toyed with the idea that the spider powers went to Flash Thompson or Betty Brant instead.
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It proved that not everybody would be able to handle the responsibility. Flash was completely useless at being a costumed crime-fighter and Betty refused to accept the powers because she couldn't deal with them. The scenario reminds all the readers that Peter Parker is unique in many ways, not just because of his powers.
3 Hulk Smart, Bruce Not
The usual state is that Bruce Banner is a genius and Hulk… not so much. However, one What If? scenario twisted this around and had Bruce be angry and Hulk intelligent. Some of the best scenarios presented a different side of popular, well-known heroes, which is exactly what this one did.
It was intriguing to discover unknown aspects of Banner's behavior and see him act in a completely different way than usual. Unfortunately, Bruce wasn't a good person in this story as he didn't treat his wife Betty well at all.
2 Captain America Never Gets Frozen
Steve Rogers' life changed forever when he was frozen and woke up decades later. Both the Avengers and Captain America would have been very different if Steve stayed in his original timeline. He would go on to eventually become the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. after Nick Fury's death.
That proves that Steve Rogers has what it takes to be a team leader no matter which time he lives in. Of course, in the MCU, Steve had managed to return to the 1940s so he still got to live this version of his life to a certain degree.
1 Jessica Jones Joins The Avengers
Jessica Jones is known for mostly flying solo. She only has a few close superhero allies in the comics, such as her husband Luke Cage. She refused the Avengers' invitation to join them but had she said yes, her life could have been very different, as this scenário proves.
It showcases that one person can indeed change the world as Jessica helps stop the events of Avenger Disassembled. She also starts dating and marries Captain America which would be an interesting couple to see in the MCU considering the character differences between them.
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