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Charnice Horne is a Gen Z writer who strives to make cultural criticism pieces at the intersection of politics and pop culture. This is often reflected through her writings on the website and her fun takes on films and television. She is a recent Political Science graduate from North Carolina looking to make even bigger waves at The Cinema Spot. 🙂
Marvel Studios Animation’s What If…? Season 2 has been an interesting season, to say the least. This series, while fun, sometimes can start off to be a little bit slower than what was intended. The first couple of episodes of What If…? Season 2 have not necessarily been all that the show is hyped up to be, often becoming a little too predictable. The constant happy endings to various stories are the formula we commonly see and are aware of within consuming the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). One of the most disappointing things is the lack of depth in the earlier episodes of this season, whereas the episodes are supposed to show various realities and situations that deviate from the original timeline of the franchise.
Keeping all of this in mind, the most recent episode of What If…? titled, “What If… Kahhori Reshaped The World?”, has completely taken what is meant by the What If …? series and completely rebranded it into a whole new thing. This is one of the few episodes in the entire series to follow up on what the entire point of the series is, to explore different realities and stories apart from the main Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only does the story of Kahhori (voiced by Devery Jacobs) explore a new story. It also gives us a story set in a very real reality in which things were not always happy in the world, not to mention this story is not even in English at all. The episode is almost entirely in the native Mohawk language, Kanien’keha. The narrative wants you to become fully immersed in Mohawk culture and language. People can learn more through this fictional world because of the historical undertones presented within this episode. Ultimately, this episode is a true standout in a season where the typical Marvel formula seems to continue to prosper.
The Importance of Diverse Storytelling
Upon watching this episode, it was profound and interesting in how the story does not shy away from discussing the colonization of indigenous land, and showing how horrible it was in the most family-friendly way possible. Although there are moments where the show potentially could have done just a little better, it is still a bonus that Marvel, in creating original characters, is not afraid to shy away from the truth of how dark American History has been, especially for Black and Brown people. This story is intriguing because it is not afraid to go there about just how damaging colonization was to many indigenous people including, within the context of this story, the Mohawk tribe. Koharri is a promising protagonist who is not afraid of her strength and in many ways is ready to take on her enemies in ways that her allies are not. In the face of opposition, Koharri stands strong and is ready to go into battle. She is essentially the very embodiment of what we all came to love about the Marvel Cinematic Universe to begin with.
Not only is this appreciated in this story alone, but also in other stories like Black Panther and Shang Chi, both stories of which further contribute to the importance of showing history and diverse storytelling within the writer’s room. These stories are very important and matter within the context and confines of not only comic book movies but films in general. There is a direct correlation between positive representation within society and the personal psychology of individual humanity. Various studies have proven that representation can produce positive psychological output and inspiration. It was also great to be able to watch the first indigenous character on screen be properly adapted as a character and have her shine. Most viewers, upon watching this very moving episode, might find themselves wanting to see Kahhori and the Mohawk people be further adapted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
We must continue to see this diverse storytelling, these images need to be reflected to everyone within society. Positive representation and portrayal in television only further help create even better futures for those who aspire to be great themselves and also enjoy watching pieces where they can personally relate to the characters they love through shared cultural and life experiences. Characters like Kahorri, Shang Chi, and T’Challa among the many other diverse characters introduced during the newer phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are just proof that these original storytelling pieces are headed in the right direction. Stories such as these essentially say that to grow we must learn from the past, with a hint of cultural connectivity for all viewers alike.
Marvel…More Of This Please
The success of this story and episode lies in one very simple fact: original storytelling. Many Marvel fans alike can and will appreciate the fact that this episode is essentially the introduction of a new and diverse character with a strong story and purpose behind her. Many people are ready to see those stories that do not always end up happy, and many fans would prefer our heroes experience some form of true devastation and loss before the cliche happy cinematic endings. Create more original characters with depth. Provide the audience with more stories that show these newer characters experiencing struggle regarding their actual cultural upbringing, stories that everyone including marginalized populations can directly identify with. Continue hiring creators of color who want to give us these diverse episodes and films that reflect not only their own culture but also their immense creativity.
That is what “What If… Kahhori Reshaped The World?” does within this series. It gives us a story with world history tie-ins, explains the faults of what happened in human history, and gives us hope for a potential future within the cinematic universe where things could be different in a fictional land under a fictional narrative. This episode gets back to what fans fell in love with originally, original characters with a story that gives the casual viewer hope and inspiration to do great things in life. This episode is one of the best episodes in history, and as a huge Marvel fan, I can only hope that we see more diverse storytelling and the queen herself Kahhori in our future.
Charnice Horne is a Gen Z writer who strives to make cultural criticism pieces at the intersection of politics and pop culture. This is often reflected through her writings on the website and her fun takes on films and television. She is a recent Political Science graduate from North Carolina looking to make even bigger waves at The Cinema Spot. 🙂
This article was edited by John Tangalin.