Easter Eggs in Marvel’s “What If… Zombies!?”
The newest episode in Marvel’s “What If… Zombies” blends horror and comedy to create a bleak new reality in the vast sea of the multiverse. The episode is inspired by Robert Kirkman’s “Marvel Zombies” comic series, which tells the story of a zombie virus infecting the Marvel universe. Many Easter eggs in the episode allude to the comics and previous events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Here are easter eggs in Marvel’s “What If… Zombies!?” We promise these references won’t bite.
Black Panther’s Fate
In both the “Marvel Zombies” comics and “What If… Zombies,” Black Panther was kept alive as a food source. Both forms of media show him with one of his legs cut off, using a crutch to walk around.
Vision used Black Panther in the episode to feed a zombified Scarlet Witch. In the comics, a zombified Hank Pym hoards the Wakandan superhero to feed himself.
Black Panther did not have a leg up on the competition in either scenario.
A Familiar Spider-Man Character
In “What If… Zombies,” Peter Parker name-dropped his parents and Uncle Ben for the first time in the MCU. Currently, the only other mention of Uncle Ben in the MCU was in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”
In the film, Peter uses a suitcase with the initials “BFP” engraved on it, suggesting it belonged to Benjamin Franklin Parker. Hopefully, Uncle Ben is mentioned again in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
Cybernetic Enhancements
In “What If… Zombies,” Scott Lang was revealed to be alive as a head in a jar. In the “Marvel Zombies” comics, Janet Van Dyne suffers the same fate, with her husband Hank Pym eating all of her body except her head. It is impliable that Scott’s body suffered a similar fate since Vision was using survivors to feed his zombie bride.
Both characters soon get new forms of mobility. Scott gets Doctor Strange’s cape, and Janet gets a new cyborg body.
Fun Facts from Peter’s Video
To introduce recruits to the remaining heroes and the zombie threat, Peter makes a hilarious orientation video in a similar style to his vlog at the beginning of “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
Happy Hogan and Sharon Carter’s introductions contain some obscure Easter eggs. Peter lists Happy as a boxer, a callback to when he boxed Tony Stark in “Iron Man 2.”
In Sharon’s skillset, Peter writes that she is good at giving eulogies, referencing her speech at Peggy Carter’s funeral in “Captain America: Civil War.”
What did you think of Marvel’s “What If… Zombies!?” For more Marvel content, check out:
Marvel’s “What If…?” Interview: Making the Multiverse
Five Marvel Comics to Read Before Watching “What If” on Disney+
