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How to Watch the Marvel Movies in Order
From World War II to a war across worlds, Disney+’s new Marvel animated series What If…? knows how to deliver a thrilling tale. This week’s installment is “What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?,” an adventure that combines the Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther franchises for a story that’s out of this world. This heist episode has a lot of surprises and even more emotional impact. There’s a lot going on in this one, and all of it is fantastic.
This is also an episode that deserves its own checklist of Easter eggs. That’s the name of the game when the Collector is involved, because that guy loves hoarding Marvel items even more than Marvel fans. And yes, Benicio del Toro did return to lend his voice to one of the weirdest characters in the MCU.
So, what exactly is seen in Taneleer Tivan’s collection? And could any of those items hold clues for what’s next in Marvel’s Phase Four? Let’s break down all the trinkets, weapons, and living beings we saw in the Collector’s collection.
The Orb of Morag (and the Power Stone)
This episode starts out just like Guardians of the Galaxy did—except six years earlier (GOTG took place in 2014 and this episode takes place around 2008) and with a completely different Star-Lord. That Star-Lord is T’Challa, the superhero we know as Black Panther. And what’s he after? A very familiar orb in a very familiar temple on a familiar planet. And like its main MCU counterpart, this orb should contain the Power Stone. It almost makes its way into the Collector’s collection, but ol’ Taneleer Tivan gets a dose of karma before he can properly store the orb.
Cosmo
Like in Guardians, Cosmo has a cameo in What If…? where he can be seen in a cell in the collection. In the comics, Cosmo was launched into space by the Soviet space program, got very lost, and gained mental powers. He ended up on Knowhere where he became the chief of security. Cosmo was a longtime ally of the Guardians in the comics, and we need more of him in the MCU!
Dark Elf
Mr. Tivan also has a Dark Elf on display, similar to what’s shown in Guardians of the Galaxy. If you’ll recall, the Dark Elves were the main protagonists of 2013’s Thor: The Dark World. They hail from the realm of Svartalfheim, they really hate Asgardians, and they love living up to their ominous name.
Howard the Duck
Of course a trip through the collection would not be complete without an appearance from Howard the Duck. This cult favorite Marvel Comics weirdo first appeared in the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy. He followed that up with a cameo in Guardians 2 and—still cannot believe this is real—a few milliseconds in the final war scene of Avengers: Endgame. Here he is again in What If…?, voiced by Seth Green once more. Howard gets a bit more screen time in this episode, even if it’s still just one scene. But he uses his time well! He repeats a variation of what I guess is his catchphrase, which was first said in GOTG2: “When you’re outta luck, always go duck.”
Also, an Easter egg within this cameo: Howard’s sitting on an Eames Lounge Chair, an iconic piece of midcentury design and furniture.
Arm of a Kronan
When it comes time for the Taneleer to fight Star-Lord (a.k.a. Cha-Cha, a.k.a. T’Challa), the verbose villain pulls weapons from his massive collection. That includes wearing the arm of a Kronan rock alien like it was a Hulk hand. But this isn’t just any Kronan arm. The jerk mentions that he hacked it off the corpse of a “terribly chatty” Kronan. Could he be talking about Korg, the chatty Kronan voiced by Taika Waititi?! Probably, and that’s why the Collector deserves what he gets!
Collector's arsenal
When the battle starts, ol’ Collecty summons his arsenal—which includes a lot of shocking trophies. He has Captain America’s shield and Mjolnir (but who lifted it and put it in that trophy case?). He also has an array of swords and daggers, including…
Malekith's dagger
… the dagger used by the leader of the Dark Elves, Malekith. Remember him? He was played by an unrecognizable Christopher Eccleston in Thor: The Dark World. Now his dagger’s been taken and archived on Knowhere (and that implies that this reality’s Malekith probably isn’t in good shape).
Hela's helmet and Necrosword
The big gun in Tivan’s arsenal isn’t a gun at all. It’s a sword—a Necrosword. This helmet and sword were part of Hela’s (Cate Blanchett in Thor: Ragnarok) personal armory, and now they’re part of Taneleer’s cosplay collection. The Necrosword is a major deal in current Marvel Comics, playing a major part in the King in Black crossover event earlier this year. In the comics, the Necrosword is an ancient weapon forged by the ancient deity Knull. The ancient Necrosword was actually the very first symbiote—y’know, the evil goo that turns humans into monsters like Venom and Carnage.
In the MCU, the Necrosword is—as far as we know right now—another name for Hela’s Nightsword, the weapon she wields in the comics. However, the reveal that Hela’s weapon is a Necrosword could have major implications for future Marvel movies. There’s the fact that the weapon is literally the stuff that symbiotes are made of in the comics, and this could be a way to bring Venom into the MCU at some point. But more immediate—Gorr the God Butcher carried the Necrosword, too. Christian Bale is playing Gorr in Thor: Love and Thunder. Will we see the Necrosword return in next year’s Thor movie? Maybe!
