10 Best What If…? Stories in Marvel Comics, Ranked

Marvel Comics is celebrating 50 years of its iconic anthology series What If…? by releasing an eight-part miniseries chronicling even more alternate universes. The basic premise, as the title suggests, is that the all-powerful Watcher takes the reader across the multiverse to see how small changes in the main Marvel Universe can have significant consequences. The series offers drastic departures for both familiar characters and storylines, unlike anything readers could have imagined. These stories can range from exciting to heartbreaking, to terrifying, and to just plain absurd. With Marvel’s What If…? comic anniversary coming up, now is the perfect time to look over the series’ best storylines over the past five decades.

What If…? is a series that plays into fans’ constant speculation over what could have been if characters and events were changed ever so slightly.

10) What if Spider-Man Had Rescued Gwen Stacy?

One of the most pivotal moments in comic book history is when Spider-Man failed to save his beloved Gwen Stacy from the Green Goblin. However, in this alternate universe, Spider-Man swooped down and grabbed Gwen, ensuring that her neck wouldn’t snap from the recoil of his webbing. Afterward, Spider-Man reveals his secret identity to Gwen and the two marry. Unfortunately, Green Goblin had exposed Peter’s identity to J. Jonah Jameson, who crashed their wedding with the police to arrest the hero. Peter is forced to go on the run to protect himself and his loved ones. It’s a bittersweet yet believable tale in which Peter saves his one true love at the expense of his personal life.

9) What if Doctor Doom Became a Hero?

All it took for Doctor Doom to not become a villain was a rare moment of humility. In college, Victor heeded Reed’s warning about his unstable experiment, which would otherwise have scarred his face. With his face and friendship with Reed still intact, Victor saves his mother’s soul from Hell. He then ushers in an age of prosperity for Latveria. Victor even marries his childhood crush, Valeria. However, the demon Mephisto demands a replacement for the soul of Victor’s mother. Mephisto gives Victor three choices for replacement souls: his own, the people of Latveria, or Valeria. Still possessing a huge ego, Victor regretfully condemns Valeria to Hell. The story is a fascinating character study on how, even as a hero, Doom’s ego will always be his downfall.

8) What if the Avengers Became Pawns of Korvac?

Easily one of the darkest What If…? stories involves a different conclusion to the “Korvac Saga.” In the original storyline, the villain Korvac siphoned the Power Cosmic and was only stopped when his love interest, Carina, rejected his advances. In contrast, this alternate universe has Carina join Korvac, and together they destroy the Avengers. He then resurrects Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and makes them his brainwashed pawns, prevents the gods from interfering, and challenges the Watcher. When the Watcher tries to form one last resistance movement against Korvac, the villain destroys the entire universe. Few Marvel stories have such a bleak ending, and it shows why Korvac is such an underrated villain.

7) What if Magik Became Sorcerer Supreme?

Magik is among the most powerful magical heroes in Marvel Comics, and this alternate universe has her reach her full potential. Instead of joining the New Mutants and X-Men, Magik runs away because she wants to keep them safe from her chaotic powers. She soon finds herself becoming the apprentice of none other than Doctor Strange. The focus of the story is Magik and Doctor Strange’s growing companionship, as well as Magik’s learning to overcome her trauma from years spent trapped and abused in Limbo. The story has Magik in a state of peace and hopefulness that she’s rarely been afforded in the main continuity, making it even more cathartic.

6) What if Elektra Had Lived?

Although nowadays Elektra is alive and well, her initial death at the hands of Bullseye back in 1982 was one of the most impactful events for Marvel Comics at the time and destroyed Daredevil. In contrast, in this story, Bullseye dies during a failed prison escape attempt, which ensures that he and Elektra would never have their climactic duel. Kingpin still tries to have Elektra assassinated for refusing to carry out his hit on Daredevil’s friend Foggy Nelson. Naturally, none of Kingpin’s other assassins could compare to Bullseye, so Elektra easily defeats them. Ultimately, Daredevil and Elektra get the life they could only dream of in the main continuity, running off together to live the rest of their lives in peace.

5) What if Spider-Man Joined the Fantastic Four?

The very first What If…? comic revolved around what would have happened if the Wall-Crawler’s first meeting with Marvel’s First Family had gone differently. Whereas in the main continuity, Spider-Man doesn’t join the Fantastic Four when he realizes they don’t get paid, in this alternate universe the Wall-Crawler is convinced to join the team. As a member of the newly renamed Fantastic Five, Spider-Man becomes an indispensable teammate who’s vital in defeating villains like Vulture and Red Ghost. However, Invisible Woman ends up quitting the team and marries Namor because she feels that her teammates are neglecting her because of the addition of Spider-Man. It’s a fun, action-packed story that perfectly establishes the concept of the What If…? series.

4) What if Phoenix Didn’t Die?

Sometimes, a person surviving can bring about the deaths of countless more. Jean Grey’s death during the “Dark Phoenix Saga” is among the most impactful moments in comic book history, but What If…? asked what would have happened if her death had never occurred. Instead of sacrificing herself to save the galaxy, Jean suppresses the Phoenix Force. However, when Galactus arrives to devour Earth, she once again taps into the Phoenix Force to save the X-Men. While this allows Jean to defeat Galactus, the unlimited power drives her mad, and she destroys not just the X-Men but the entire universe. This What If…? story did a great job at emphasizing the original story’s theme on the inevitable corrupting nature of absolute power.

3) What if Captain America Wasn’t Revived Until Today?

For context, this What If…? story’s definition of “today” was its publication date of 1983, twenty years after Captain America was originally thawed out of the ice. Without Captain America’s return during the 60s, the Avengers soon disbanded. When Captain America is eventually unfrozen, he finds imposter versions of himself and Bucky enforcing a new nationalist and bigoted regime in the United States that targets marginalized groups. Of course, the real Captain America wouldn’t stand for this, and he joins a rebellion against the tyrants that warped the ideals of America. The comic has a powerful and timeless message: it’s up to every person to ensure that America lives up to the ideals of life, liberty, and justice for all upon which it was founded.

2) What if Wolverine had Killed the Hulk?

Wolverine made his first appearance as the Hulk’s antagonist, and this alternate universe shows what would have happened if the mutant had successfully killed the Jolly Green Giant during their initial confrontation. Magneto is impressed by Wolverine’s feat and recruits him into the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Wolverine’s first mission is to infiltrate the X-Men and pave the way for the Brotherhood’s attack. However, the X-Men and Jean’s kindness towards Wolverine ultimately lead him to sacrifice his life to save her from the Brotherhood. This is one of the best stories that examines how the X-Men gave Wolverine a sense of belonging and helped him realize that he’s more than just a killing machine.

1) What if Spider-Man and Mary Jane’s Child Had Survived?

One What If…? comic gave Spider-Man the one thing Marvel has never granted him: a happy ending. In this incredibly emotional story, Peter and MJ’s daughter doesn’t die during childbirth. Instead, Mayday Parker grows into a heroic, iconic character who inherits her father’s spider powers. Once her powers manifest, she becomes the wall-crawling hero Spider-Girl. This amazing What If…? story did more than debut the beloved character Mayday Parker; it kicked off the entire MC2 comic line, with over 100 issues chronicling the tales of Spider-Girl and numerous other next-generation heroes. No other What If…? alternate universe had the chance to expand and evolve like this one, and even now, Mayday is one of the most beloved versions of the Web-Head in the multiverse.

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