Let’s Talk about What If…? Episode 3-2
Quick! Name the most entertaining character in the MCU!
I know that this is a divisive topic with no one right answer.
Still, I suspect that if I answered, “Agatha Harkness,” I’d receive more than a handful of nods of agreement.
This character has delighted us when she’s good and helpful, deceitful and unhelpful, and morally ambiguous and dead.
She’s just plain fun, and Marvel knows it. That’s why Agatha Harkness goes to Hollywood in a very special episode of What If…?
Let’s talk about Marvel’s What If…? episode 3-2, the one with Kingo and the Bollywood/Hollywood dance-off.
Just Enjoy the Pictures
A quick glance at this article tells the entire story. This is quite possibly the most visually spectacular What If… episode to date.
Honestly, this one’s in the conversation for the prettiest animated episode in the history of television. I’m not even joking.
Marvel pulled out all the stops in this timeless take on classic Hollywood tropes.
Then again, Marvel has an ace in the hole here: eternal characters.
Harkness is the “younger” of the two stars here, with Kingo, a literal Eternal, playing her enemy/frenemy in the story.
So, the story can be set at any time and place of Marvel’s choosing, and the writing team selected Hollywood’s Golden Age.
The conceit here is that Agatha has conquered Tinseltown and become an iconic actress, albeit one harboring a secret.
Currently, the witch is working on a film with a new producer, someone named Howard Stark. Yes, him.
Their film tells the story of The Celestials, the creators who built the Eternals, who we learned in the movie are alien robots.
Agatha knows there’s a Celestial under the Earth and is planning a spell to steal its power. She’s using a movie set to do it.
Stark considers Agatha a curiosity, as she seems capable of magic. Meanwhile, poor Jarvis plays the put-upon Assistant Director.
The interplay between Stark, Agatha, and Jarvis is impeccable and clearly done by someone who loves 1930s screwball comedies.
The rapid-fire dialogue and endless wave of punchlines aren’t something I could do justice here.
I’d just be posting quips for hours. Instead, what I’ll say is that this is THE must-watch episode of What If…? to date.
Seriously, out of all of them, this one’s the most approachable and instantly engaging…as long as you remember Kingo.
The Kid Stays in the Picture
Agatha recognizes that the third act’s final scene isn’t working.
Jarvis makes several sarcastic suggestions about going bigger, each of which Stark laps up and chooses to do.
Meanwhile, Agatha thinks she needs a foil, someone her equal, and she has just the Eternal in mind.
In the film and comic books, Kingo is the Eternal who doubles as a legendary Bollywood actress.
Since Agatha needs Kingo, Jarvis persuades him to come to the Stark Pictures lot.
Kingo’s dialogue makes it clear that he knows who Agatha is and that she’s up to something he fully intends to stop.
Moments later, filming begins, and it’s Kingo performing an impressive Bollywood number.
He’s joined by at least 25 supporting dancers. Honestly, it may be closer to 50. There are so many it’s hard to count.
Not to be outshined, Agatha appears at the top of a giant set of stairs.
She toe-taps her way down and starts dancing a number that would make Gene Kelly jealous.
Also, a similar number of backup dancers magically appear for Agatha.
I’ll leave you to speculate how everyone on the set this day already knows the impromptu musical numbers.
I also have questions about craft services, the set creations, and even how bathroom breaks work in some of these costumes.
We’ll just presume Agatha has cast some sort of spell and go with it, though.
The entire sequence is ridiculously over the top and vaguely reminds me of Xanadu for some reason.
As Kingo and Agatha make contact for the first time, the wards of a spell show on the floor. Something’s up.
How Can We Be Lovers If We Can’t Be Friends?
Kingo surprises Agatha by revealing he’s fully aware of her evil plan. To Agatha, that’s a delightful tidbit.
As a reminder, Agatha’s witch powers require someone to attack her first, as we witnessed in WandaVision and Agatha All Along.
The Witches’ Road trap wouldn’t work unless someone tried to zap. Sure enough, Kingo tries.
As fireworks shoot from his hands, a scornful, dismissive Agatha describes his powers as “finger pistols.” She’s not wrong.
Kingo defends his finger guns, which leads to dancers doing a mocking “pew pew” move. I laughed hard.
Soon afterward, Agatha reveals that she’s taken the powers of every other Eternal. Kingo has walked into a trap.
Before Agatha can finish her newfound foe and take his powers, Howard Stark yells “CUT!”
They’re invited to his Hollywood party at his mansion. During the downtime, Agatha reveals she’s not nefarious.
The Eternals aren’t dead. They want Agatha to succeed. Allegedly. Why Kingo would take her at her word is a mystery.
Anyway, the duo agrees to team up…but only after Agatha promises him a three-picture deal with Stark.
At this point, Arishem the Celestial tells them both that they’re going to die. He’s on his way.
At the party, Agatha and Kingo stand above the Hollywoodland sign and note that Griffith Observatory would be the perfect spot.
The team can shoot the film, take the Celestial’s power and stop Arishem from destroying the Earth.
Stark may have purchased the observatory to bring this scene to life. He’s…pretty rich.
Alien Robot and Witch vs. Celestial
Filming begins on the final sequence, which Kingo believes is his ritual sacrifice. Wards appear everywhere as Agatha works her spell.
By this point, Stark knows the secret identities of both and mainly only cares for patenting purposes. I guess that’s how he gets rich.
Anyway, Agatha takes the underground Celestial’s power as filming continues.
The power proves too much for Agatha at first, but she ultimately ascends into an ethereal Celestial of her own.
I think. It’s not totally clear, but even Jarvis is impressed, calling it “the greatest footage ever shot.”
Then, Arishem appears behind her, and we’ve got us a superpowered showdown.
While Agatha does well at first, the Celestial suddenly pounds her.
Realizing she can’t win a slugfest, Agatha shoots and misses with her newfound abilities…or does she?
Agatha has intentionally aimed behind the Celestial to create wards strong enough to undo even Arishem. And she does!
Fresh from victory, Agatha goes a little power-mad, demanding that everyone kneel before her.
Jarvis quickly concedes, while Stark mentally counts his impending Academy Awards.
Thankfully, Kingo talks to her in a language she can understand: the love of the movies.
Somehow, his speech isn’t as corny as it sounds, partially because Kingo plays to Agatha’s narcissism.
Kingo pitches that she’s just been looking for the right collaborator, and his words ring true. She agrees.
We quickly cut to the red carpet premiere of Cosmic Queen, which is sure to be a blockbuster.
Agatha and Kingo claim that they created a movie that changed the world, and they even hint at a sequel.
Other Celestials may be seeking revenge, which sounds like a setup for a later episode this season. I cannot wait.
This episode was a masterpiece.
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