What If...?

Let's begin near the end.

The final act of a tragic story.

When you've seen as many wars as I have, you get used to it.

The hard part is watching worlds fall that don't need to

because a hero can no longer rise to meet their moment.

But I swore an oath. And so I watch.

In every variation of this universe,

Riri Williams is its last best hope.

But in every one I've watched,

no matter how hard she fights, and how long she struggles,

she always fails.

Always.

You're late.

Patrols are everywhere.

And I'm not exactly popular with the Iron Federation, so...

Well, blowing up their convoys probably didn't help.

You have the money?

You have my score?

Strictly analog, just like you asked.

This looks intact. How many more can you get me?

You're willing to risk a lot

for someone who doesn't strike me as the baking type.

Unless the rumors are true,

and what you're really cooking up is a weapon.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I'm just looking to make a Bundt cake.

Tread carefully, Williams.

'Cause once the Federation has you in its sights, the story's over.

Nothing personal.

It's just business.

Yeah, well, that's the problem with everyone these days.

You never know who's real and who's a fake.

Come on, come on. Why won't it start?

Fake! Fake!

Aah!

Guess that one was real.

Y'all keepin' it real, too? Bingo.

Come on! Come on!

Come on! Come on, just start.

Please be a hologram. Please be a hologram.

Okay. I guess not.

Who are you people? What the hell is goin' on?

I'm Admiral Ying Nan with the Alliance.

He is coming about. Mystic support!

Captain Valkyrie, let's move.

Welcome to Earth.

What's left of it anyway.

Time.

Space.

Reality.

It's more than a linear path.

It's a prism of endless possibility,

where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities,

creating alternate worlds from the ones you know.

I am the Watcher.

I am your guide through these vast new realities.

Follow me and ponder the question...

"What if?"

The end of the world began with a birth of the Celestial

that had been gestating deep beneath the surface.

In this universe,

the Emergence occurred years before the Eternals could unite to stop it.

But one man saw the chaos as an opportunity.

The brilliant but ego-maniacal engineer, Quentin Beck,

who took over Stark Industries.

What followed was a long and protracted war

between an alliance of resistance fighters and Beck's Iron Federation.

And with victory within his grasp,

Beck was determined to ensure the Alliance took its last breath before he did.

The Alliance is down to their last brigade.

Go to their base

and end them.

We pick up all kinds of stuff floating around here.

Drink?

This used to be someone's, and now it's just...

wreckage.

Hard to see what we have to drink to.

We are still here.

After the Emergence, that seems as good a reason as any.

So why am I here?

Or did y'all go through all this trouble just to make me feel special?

Our ears on the ground say

the magnetron you acquired from the Power Broker

is for a weapon of great interest to us.

A weapon to destroy the Vision.

So, what, you've been spying on me?

Yes.

For a long time, actually.

Our intel indicates

your weapon powers down Vibranium, decouples it.

But to take out a synthezoid, you are going to need

a lot more than one busted part from a Kiddy Cake Cooker.

Wow, okay. Y'all really have been spying on me.

We just saved your life. I think you can trust us.

Well, that's the thing.

I don't trust anyone.

And from what I've heard, the Alliance is kind of a sinking ship.

Hmm. Well, you are right about that one.

Our ship sank a long time ago.

The Vision has ravaged our forces across the Federation.

This base is all that remains of the Alliance.

Just when you thought things couldn't get any more hopeless.

The planet may have been destroyed,

but the world carries on.

What you decide to make of the pieces...

...well, that is up to you.

Damn, this is...

Everything?

Everything you will need to build your weapon.

That is, of course, if you're interested.

A lot of people died for all of this.

If you really think there is no hope left in this world,

then make some yourself.

Y'all got any snacks?

I work better with brain food.

Admiral, we have incoming.

What's the molecular density?

Reads as variable.

Eyes up, everyone! Secure the perimeter!

- Nothing gets through to the lab. - Let's go.

- Go, go, go! - Two by two, two by two.

He is already here.

Copy that.

How long do you think you'll need to build that weapon?

- About 12 hours. - Hah!

Well, how long do I have?

Seven-and-a-half minutes.

I'm sorry, what?

That's how long the Vishanti protection spell is going to hold.

No. What? What?

Seven-and-a-half minutes. Really? Really?

Sorry, Casper.

You're not getting through. At least not for the next five minutes.

Guess I need to be an engineer and a magician. Cool.

Just building a totally theoretical weapon on the fly. What could go wrong?

Come on. Come on. Come on.

Cool, cool! Tick tock, Riri!

In seven-and-a-half minutes.

You can't grill a hamburger in seven-and-a-half minutes,

but sure, fine!

Come on. Come on. Come on!

Yeah. Yeah, come at me, you dead-eyed son of a--

What?

No, no, no, no, no, come on, come on, let's go!

Increase the frequency wave, reverse the polarity.

Come on, let's go!

You did it.

Without his guard dog,

Beck's illusions are gonna have a lot less bite.

Perhaps there's a little hope left in this world after all.

Good, we will need it.

This location has been compromised.

We will need to wipe away any last traces of our operation and move out.

What about the rest of the crew?

He killed them all.

Reverse the polarity. Come on, let's move! Reverse the polarity. Come on, let's move!

Reverse the polarity. Come on, let's move! Reverse the polarity. Come on--

This shouldn't be possible!

Reverse the polarity. Come on, let's move!

Who the hell is Riri Williams?

Our fallen allies came from many lands,

but they united for one cause.

May their sacrifice be a light of hope seen across the stars.

- Light the fuse. - Mm.

Where's Riri?

She's lost so much.

Friends, family, the world she once knew.

She's clung to this fight to sustain her.

But in the end, it will be the fight that kills her.

As it always does.

The Vision news has spooked Beck.

He's reinforcing his Iron Legion on every province in the Federation.

Any chatter on the encrypted channels?

Dead silence. We are all that is left.

Hmm. Well, it's only a matter of time before Beck finds us, too.