Quickfire Reviews | ‘What If…Kahhori Reshaped the World?’
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Annlyel James 
Annlyel reviews Marvel’s What If Multiverse in WHAT IF…KAHHORI RESHAPED THE WORLD?
Representation matters. It’s why I love the MCU so much. I remember the days when Black Widow was the only female superhero until Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, which came out six years into the MCU’s run. I remember when Rebecca Hall was supposed to play the primary antagonist in Iron Man 3. Instead, they chose to turn her role into a nothing-burger and make Guy Pearce’s Aldrich Killian the main villain. I remember when there weren’t any Avengers that were POC until Avengers: Infinity War. I remember when it took ten years for a Black superhero to get a solo movie in Black Panther in 2018. For a female superhero movie, it took eleven years until we finally got Captain Marvel in 2019.
MARVEL-LOUS DIVERSITY
Since 2019, I have watched the MCU embrace diversity in a way that I never imagined. There have been female-led superhero movies and shows. Black Widow, The Marvels, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. There have been bold and inspired race-swapping decisions such as changing Namor’s story in which he hailed from Atlantis. And changing it to where his story would be inspired by the Yucatan Mayans. The MCU had its first Asian superhero-led movie in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. And the list of the rise in diversity could honestly go on and on.
Now, the MCU has created another original character in the indigenous-American superhero, Kahhori. Her episode of What If…? is not only beautifully animated and powerful, but her origin story is truly magnificent. The MCU has created a new superhero so cool that I desperately want to see her in live-action one day.
REPRESENTATION
Not only did the MCU create this mesmerizing character, but to have the episode be spoken in Iroquoian throughout its runtime was heartwarming, to say the least. With the lack of indigenous-American representation in media, it is decisions like this that can be so beautiful to witness. I know what it feels like to see a superhero that looks like you are saving the day. When I was little, Storm was my favorite female superhero. Now I get to see the powerful women of Wakanda, or Valkyrie, or Makkari, or Monica Rambeau with her beautiful, natural curls on the big screen. Honestly, it’s still mind-blowing.
Representation matters. I know I said that at the beginning of this post, but this episode of What If…?, which is truly one of the best in the entire series, is a testament to why the MCU will always have a special place in my heart.
Marvel’s What If…? is now streaming on Disney Plus with episodes released daily until December 30.
Annlyel James is a Senior Correspondent of The Future of the Force. She is passionate about Star Wars and Marvel but loves a wide variety of movie genres. Aside from her role with Future of the Force she also writes for her blog: annlyelonline. Follow her on Twitter where she channels the Force frequently!
