A What If...? Season 2 Episode Will Introduce A New Mohawk Superhero To The MCU
The animated Marvel series "What If...?" for Disney+ is a fascinating concept for fans of the superhero multiverse. Thanks to powers that defy all laws of physics, time, and space, there are endless directions that Marvel could take for any number of their stories. Of course, the events presented in the Marvel Cinematic Universe phases are considered canon, but "What If...?" takes all of the hypothetical questions fans debate amongst one another and bring to life what would have happened had the canonical events taken a different direction. The first season explored theoretical questions like "What if Captain Carter was the first Avenger?" or "What if Killmonger rescued Tony Stark?"
Ahead of its premiere, Marvel has announced "What If...?" season 2 will introduce a brand-new superhero named Kahhori, created specifically for the show. Unlike most of the heroes in the MCU, Kahhori has no comic book origins, which makes her inclusion even more special.
Marvel
The episode marking her arrival will ask the question, "What if the Tesseract fell to Earth and landed in the sovereign Haudenosaunee Confederacy before the colonization of America?" Here's the synopsis:
"The Tesseract takes on a new life and a new mythology, transforming a lake into a gateway to the stars and leading Kahhori, a young Mohawk woman, on a quest to discover her power."
The episode was written by Ryan Little, and created in close collaboration with members of the Mohawk Nation. Historian Doug George and language expert Cecelia King were brought on board to ensure cultural authenticity. The entire episode will feature the Mohawk language and is informed by the Akwesasne region, currently colonized as upstate New York.
Kahhori is here to stay
Kahhori's (pronounced 'KAH-HORTI') introduction technically happened earlier this month (via Murphy's Multiverse), when some eagle-eyed fans noticed that the upcoming collection of Marvel Funko Pop memorabilia featured the never-before-seen character on their soda cans and as a vinyl figure. Luckily, Marvel officially made the announcement today, to put everyone's speculation to rest. Mohawk historian Doug George told Marvel he is excited for viewers to see the episode. "It tells a remarkable story from a Native-Mohawk perspective which is truly unique and historical, and will give the viewers a new, challenging, and entertaining perspective on this land's first peoples," George said. "The story is dramatic, the characters fully realized, and the action sequences are breathtaking." George continued praising the episode, saying, "The episode is exceptional in another sense — it is done with the complete cooperation of the Mohawk people from dialogue to adornment."
According to Ryan Little, "Kahhori is a real, Wolf Clan name, meaning 'she stirs the forest' or is someone who motivates those around her." Marvel is calling this episode her "debut adventure," which seems to imply this won't be the last we'll see of her character. "Kahhori will have to live up to her name to recruit powerful allies into the fight to save her people and change the course of history forever," said Little.
Marvel's "What If...?" season 2 does not yet have an official release date, but if they're already dropping merch for it, then it's likely coming sooner than we realize. The Funko Vinyl Soda collectible will be on sale on March 29, 2023, exclusively at Walmart.