CROSSBONES ALERT: Let’s Talk About That What If…? Spoiler
Have you had a chance to see the newest episode of the Marvel Studios animated series What If…? It was released for streaming on Disney+ yesterday, Wednesday, August 25th, 2021.
If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to see “What If… Earth Lost Its Mightiest Heroes” yet, and you don’t want to see any spoilers, than consider leaving this page now.
Return of Crossbones
In this episode, we got to see the return of Crossbones, voiced by non-other than Frank Grillo himself!
Photo: Disney+
Crossbones first appeared in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, when it was revealed that while he was ostensibly a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, he was actually loyal to HYDRA, serving the evil Alexander Pierce (played by Robert Redford in Cap 2, although this character is mentioned several times in this What If…? episode, he does not appear… hmmm… I have high hopes, Marvel Blog True Believers, high hopes).
Photo: Marvel Studios
In 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, Crossbones returns, now wearing a mask and seeking vengeance against Captain America. During the conflict in Lagos, Crossbones detonates the bomb that Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) sends away, saving Cap’s life (but killing multiple innocent bystanders).
However, in this timeline, we see Crossbones working alongside Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Although he appears to be more of a good guy in this timeline, he does name-check Pierce, suggesting that his loyalties may be questionable in this chronology as well as on the Sacred Timeline (although this is something of a debate in my house)!
More Crossbones to Come?
Is this the last we’ve seen of Crossbones in the first season of What If…?, Marvel Blog True Believers? I don’t think so! With Captain Marvel arriving in the final moments of this episode, it seems as though there’s more story to tell… and in an interview earlier this year, Grillo said he wasn’t sure how many episodes Crossbones appeared in.
Photo: Disney+
Will we be seeing more Crossbones before the end of the season? What other Marvel Cinematic Universe characters do you hope make an appearance in future episodes!
We’re waiting to hear from you! Let us know in the comment section.
