What If? Gives Fans A Glimpse At What Galactus Could Be Like In The MCU

Did the latest episode of Marvel's What If...? reveal what the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Galactus will be lik? A lot of Marvel fans certainly think so. The latest episode of What If? pondered the dire question of "What If... Ultron Had Won?" In that doomsday version of the MCU, Avengers: Age of Ultron ended much differently, with Ultron successfully merging with The Vision's body and laying waste to Earth. However, conquering Earth isn't enough for Ultron: when the evil A.I. discovers the scope of the larger universe beyond Earth, it creates a galactic threat on the level of Marvel's Galactus! 

MAJOR SPOILERS Follow! 

Now, just to be clear: the entire reason there's even a question about whether or not Galactus shows up in What If? Episode 8 is because the visual you see above - which may indeed look like Galactus - is not in fact Marvel's infamous planet-eating entity. In "What If... Ultron Won?" Ultron, as stated, annihilates most of Earth's population as part of his grand vision of "peace." When Thanos finally comes to Earth to complete his Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos gets slain and Ultron gains the power of the Infinity Stones - the power to bring his "peace" to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

After Ultron has wiped out all opposition in the MCU, he becomes rudderless without purpose for his programing - that is, until he discovers that there is some other entity watching over his universe: The Watcher, Uatu. 

Once Ultron becomes aware of Uatu's existence, the danger goes from a universal threat to a multiversal threat. Ultron manages to use the Infinity Stones to break through the wall of the Multiverse, into The Watcher's space in between the universes. What ensues next is a Looney Turnes-style chase across different dimensions of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, as Ultron tries to seize The Watcher's power. 

Unfortunately for Uatu, Ultron has the power of the Infinity Stones at his disposal, and an artificial brain that can learn at a horrifying pace. Ultron is quickly able to match The Watcher's power - and in one such display, Ultron increases himself to god-like size and literally eats an entire universe. 

Surely the makers of What If? knew that Marvel fans would draw the Galactus association from this Ultron scene; by now, fans should know that the series isn't above teasing us in that way. The fact is that while Galactus is a character MCU fans definitely want to see, Marvel Studio has all the reasons in the world to wait on his debut. After all, Fantastic Four is still on the horizon, and beyond the debut of Doctor Doom in the MCU, Galactus is the villain fans really want to see in that particular franchise. 

Marvel's What If...? is now streaming on Disney+.