Avengers Murders Teased In New What If…? Trailer

Marvel’s What If…? has released a new trailer, which teases the darkest episode of the series yet. In the new trailer for What If…? Episode 3 we learn that the premise for the new story is “What If… The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?” a tale that will explore the ramifications of what would’ve happened in Marvel Cinematic Universe if the Avengers members had never lived to come together and defend Earth (and later the galaxy) from threats like Loki. However, other promotional materials for Marvel’s What If…? episode 3 have definitely suggested that this premise will go even deeper than we think it will.

“What If… The World Lost its Mightiest Heroes? Discover the answer to the question in the next episode of Marvel Studios’ #WhatIf , streaming tomorrow on @DisneyPlus“.

Before releasing this trailer for What If? episode 3, Marvel Studios also put out a pair of promotional posters for the episode, which seem to highlight two characters: Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Black Widow (Lake Bell). This trailer above makes it clear what kind of role Nick Fury will play in this story – but it’s much more subtle with how it shows off Black Widow.

One of the episodes of What If…? we heard about early on (and saw teased in trailers) is a storyline about what would’ve happened if Natasha Romanoff had never left the Red Room to become a SHIELD agent, an Avenger, and (in the end) a galaxy-saving hero. Well, even though this new trailer doesn’t quite spell it out, it seems pretty heavily implicated in the line on the computer screen (“An unknown assassin targeted the team.”) that Black Widow will be the one who kills off the Avengers.

That would be a fitting twist on MCU continuity, in which Natasha Romanoff sacrificed her own life just to help her Avengers teammates undo the horrors that Thanos did. Natasha killing her teammates instead of dying for them would be a cathartic experience for MCU fans who have hated the way Black Widow was killed off. Trailer footage of Black Widow in action also suggests there could be another surprise twist in What If…? Episode 3: the rise of Marvel Zombies. It could be that with the Avengers gone, whatever Loki and his master Thanos did cause life and death to be perverted in some way that creates zombie life. Thanos serving death in such a way would be a great comic Easter egg to fans.

Marvel’s What If…? Episode 3 streams on Disney+ this Wednesday.