The final release of the MCU in 2024,What If…?season 3, has proven that one character has claimed the year for themselves despite not appearing in a single feature film. As theMarvel projects of 2025come into view, audiences are viewing 2024 in retrospect. Admittedly, the year was a strange one concerningMarvel Studios' 2024 movie slate, with onlyDeadpool & Wolverinebeing released theatrically. That said, Marvel still pumped out four TV shows in 2024.
The first wasEcho, with the story setting upupcoming Marvel TV showslikeDaredevil: Born Again. Then there wasX-Men ‘97,a continuation of the animated series from the 90s. Later,Agatha All Along, a spin-off ofWandaVision,subverted expectations by being an overly enjoyable entry into the franchise’s supernatural sect.What If…?season 3’s storyconcluded the animated multiversal series in December 2024, providing many stories and characters with fun twists on the MCU. ViaWhat If…?season 3, one character was solidified as the focus of 2024.
Marvel’s Year Was About Big-Name Returns
The Movies & Shows Of 2024 Focused On Returns To The MCU Franchise
Although Marvel Studios’ 2024 slate was a change of pace for the MCU, the slate was about big names returning to the franchise.Echogave the first proper MCU story to Wilson Fisk/Kingpin afterHawkeye, withX-Men ‘97bringing back the iconic animated versions of the titular team’s members. The return of mutants continued withDeadpool & Wolverine, as the former character appeared in the MCU for the first time and the latter saw the return of Hugh Jackman by the time of the film’s ending.
Deadpool & Wolverine Ending Explained
Deadpool & Wolverine’s ending is filled with multiversal stakes, insane cameos, and big teases for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Marvel cameosalso focused on returning characters, from Dafne Keen’s X23 and Wesley Snipes’ Blade to Jennifer Garner’s Elektra and Channing Tatum’s Gambit.Agatha All Alongprovided a return for Billy Maximoff after his apparent death inWandaVision, andWhat If…?season 3 consisted of several multiversal cameos. Evidently, 2024 was not only a reset year for Marvel Studios before 2025’s huge slate, but also one that ushered in massive returns for huge characters.
Agatha Harkness Was A Surprisingly Big Part Of 2024’s MCU Slate
Despite these many big-name returns, Agatha Harkness proved to be a big part of the MCU’s 2024 slate. The character appeared in her own solo series, which was critically acclaimed and proved to be one of thehigher-ranked Marvel TV showsamong fans. Then, Agatha received another big focus inWhat If…?season 3, episode 2 in which she clashed withEternals' Celestials. In this episode, Agatha briefly became a Celestial, proving how important she was to the show.
Regardless of the reduced release schedule, Agatha appeared in a big way in 2024. The MCU placed a big focus on the character and even set up the character to appear again in eitherAgatha All Alongseason 2or a Young Avengers project. In light of massive returns, Agatha stood tall as one of the MCU’s biggest 2024 characters, as proven by her own show andWhat If…?season 3.
What If…?
Cast
What If… ? is an animated anthology series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which features fan-favorite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor, and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer, features signature MCU action with a curious twist. The show sees Uatu the Watcher, an omnipotent being that observes the events of multiple universes from afar as they unfold, unable to interfere. However, things shift when an entity peers beyond the veil, jeopardizing the multiverse.
