Throughout its three-season run, What If…? has introduced a lot of intriguing concepts, characters, variants, and possibilities in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Season 3 finale features cameo appearances by a considerable number of variants of several well-known characters. However, one of them in particular is likely to draw the attention of fans as it suggests that the entire multiverse could be in danger. This particular variant belongs to Deadpool, who was brought into the MCU with the 2024 feature Deadpool & Wolverine.
What If…? Season 3 finale teases a Deadpool variant to kill the MCU
In the final moments of What If…? Season 3, while the Watcher / Uatu narrates about how infinite realities can spawn from a single choice and create phenomena above our imagination, variants of several prominent characters appear on the screen, including a heavily armed variant of Deadpool. This is reportedly the iteration of the Merc with a Mouth that appears in the Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe limited comic series.
These comics are set in a universe where Deadpool ends up in a mental health facility, where he is tortured by Psycho-Man as the latter hopes to turn the mercenary into an underling. However, the process transforms Deadpool into a nihilistic and destructive force. He kills Psycho-Man and sets out to eliminate heroes and villains alike. He murders the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and even entities like Thanos, Silver Surfer, and the Watcher. Eventually, the series embraces the meta aspects of the character wholeheartedly. It is implied that Deadpool takes out the creators of the comics (writer Cullen Bunn and artist Dalibor Talajic) and threatens the readers.
Notably, Deadpool and several of his variants appear in Deadpool & Wolverine. So, it can be safely stated that the groundwork for this genocidal variant has already been done. His appearance, no matter how brief, in the What If…? finale potentially sets up multiple avenues of exploration of which future MCU projects can take advantage.
