By showcasing Storm from the X-Men wielding Thor’s magic hammer – Mjolnir – the trailer for Season 3 of Marvel’s What If…? created an unexpected connection with Avengers: Secret Wars. That’s because, in the comic books that inspire the MCU’s saga-ending crossover movie, Storm was also worthy of the God of Thunder’s powers.
What Is Marvel’s Battleworld in Secret Wars?
The original 1984 Secret Wars crossover event was relatively straightforward. In this story, Marvel’s biggest heroes and villains were transported to Battleworld by the Beyonder for cosmic combat to prove themselves in the ultimate arena. However, in the 2015 version of Secret Wars – the main inspiration for the upcoming film – was far more complex and universe-altering.
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In the 2015 Secret Wars storyline, the multiverse faced destruction through “incursions” — catastrophic events where universes collided, as was featured in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. After stealing the power of godlike beings called the Beyonders, Doctor Doom salvaged fragments of destroyed realities to create a new Battleworld. This patchwork planet became the last remnant of the Marvel Multiverse, ruled by Doom as its self-proclaimed “God Emperor.” With Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom, the big baddie of the “Multiversal Saga,” it’s safe to assume something similar will happen in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
This new Battleworld created by Doom was divided into distinct domains, each representing a fragment of destroyed realities. These territories were governed by appointed Barons or Baronesses, with strict borders between them. To ensure order in his new world, God Emperor Doom used a creative police force, the Thor Corps. These warriors served as Doom’s law enforcement across all domains.
Each member of the Thor Corps proved their worth by wielding their own version of Mjolnir. As expected, the Corps included various incarnations of Thor from across the multiverse. However, the team also featured surprising members like Gamora, Groot, and Storm. So, with Storm holding Mjolnir for Season 3 of What If…?, Marvel Studios could be teasing her presence in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Avengers: Secret Wars May Debut the MCU’s Live-Action Storm (& Other Mutants)
While Marvel Studios is keeping their Avengers: Secret Wars plans under wraps, Storm’s appearance in What If…? is another clue to their big-picture plans. Kevin Feige recently confirmed at D23 Brazil that the X-Men will play a significant role in the MCU’s future, particularly after Secret Wars. This marks a shift from Marvel’s previous approach, as they already have “a clear vision of the story arc before and after” Secret Wars, unlike the post-Endgame era where they had to “start over.” So, if the next Saga of the MCU is being faced as a continuity of sorts by Marvel Studios’ president, the Mutants will likely be an essential part of the next Avengers movies.
Battleworld can be the place where Marvel ties up all the loose threads concerning Mutants they left behind in the “Multiversal Saga.” The Ms. Marvel show confirms Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan is a Mutant in the MCU – and not coincidentally, The Marvels also has a mid-credits scene where we are taken to a different timeline and meet Beast, one of the fan-favorite members of the X-Men. As Kelsey Grammer, who voiced Beast for the mid-credits scene, is in talks of returning to the MCU, it’s clear Feige is laying the groundwork for a significant Mutant invasion.
The most significant piece of the puzzle came with Deadpool & Wolverine. The movie reinstated Hugh Jackman as Logan, allowed Ryan Reynolds’s Wade to travel to the Sacred Timeline, and explored how previous iterations of Mutants ended up in the Void, the end-of-times dimension from Loki. So, in a sense, the Mutants are already part of the MCU. All they need to now is a crossover event like Avengers: Secret Wars to bring them into the Sacred Timeline.
With all that in mind, the timing of Storm’s appearance in What If…? is particularly strategic, as it introduces audiences to a powerful version of the character that could easily transition into live-action for Secret Wars. So, if Doctor Doom indeed breaks the MCU’s multiversal and builds his Battleworld, What If…? will already have introduced a powerful X-Men character the audiences can cheer for. We saw the same strategy applied to Hayley Atwell’s “Captain Carter,” who got her start in What If…? Season 1 before getting a heroic live-action spotlight in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Marvel’s What If…? Season 3 will debut on Disney+ this December 22, with eight episodes released daily until December 29. As for Avengers: Secret Wars, the movie hits theaters on May 7, 2027.