Marvel 'What If' Episode 3: Best Meme Reactions on Avengers Dying, Easter Eggs and MORE

The third episode of Marvel's "What If...?" decided to take a rather extreme turn. Although at first glance, it looked like the episode begs the question "What if the Avengers never were?" it might actually be deeper than that.

This episode pretty much upturns the entire Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and fans have quite a few thoughts. Read on to know what went down on the third episode and some sneaky Easter eggs hidden in plain sight.

Marvel 'What If' Episode 3 Recap

As a formal warning, the rest of this article will be filled with spoilers. Proceed accordingly.

Marvel's "What If...?" Episode 3 was around the same time "Iron Man 2" was set. Nick Fury and Natasha Romanoff were about to bring Tony Stark into the SHIELD fold but they had to help him fight the symptoms of palladium poisoning from his arc reactor instead.

Unfortunately, Tony died a second time around in the MCU, as he was accidentally killed with the same injection, Den of Geek said.

When Agent Coulson found the Mjolnir out in the desert, Hawkeye trained his bow and arrow on an approaching Thor. However, his finger "slips" and he killed the God of Thunder. Hawkeye soon died as well.

Natasha sought the help of Betty Ross to find out more about Tony's suspicious death. In Betty's lab, they examined the antidote and syringe and Natasha found Bruce Banner hiding in the lab. Bruce Hulks out but then he exploded and died.

Loki, who found out about Thor's death, threatened to invade Earth and Nick struck a bargain with the God of Mischief to get to the bottom of all the murders before he proceeds with his plan.

A dying Natasha tipped Nick and Loki and the two found Hope Van Dyne's, the Wasp's, grave. Hope became a SHILED agent but unfortunately died in the Odessa mission which Natasha went on as mentioned in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." Hope was attacked by Bucky Barnes who shot her through the stomach and killed the engineer she was with.

Upon confornting the murderer who had been killing off Nick's potenital Avengers, it is revealed it's Hank Pym. Filled with anger and grief, he goes on a murder rampage as the yellow Jacket.

'What If' Episode 3 Easter Eggs

A parallel to the entire Phase One of the MCU, quite a few Easter eggs referring to the original films were hidden here and there.

Tony sat in the hole of a donut, his interaction with Nick Fury basically a play by play of the live-action "Iron Man 2," down to its dialogue, Screen Rant mentioned. The Mjolnir shot in the episode was also a direct copy from "Thor." And Hawkeye hanging around keeping an eye on the God of Thunder's hammer was also very similar to the original film, the main difference is Barton's arrow was a killing blow.

Two "Captain America" characters also made it to the episode: Alexander Pierce, the Head of SHIELD revealed to be HYDRA sleeper agent, and Jack Rollins, Crossbone's right-hand man.

In the comics, Betty Ross is Bruce Banner's love interest and the MCU tried to make Natasha and Bruce have a connection in the films, making this episode the first time the two cross paths.

Agent Phil Coulson is still a superhero loving fanboy, revealing his log-in password as "#SteveSteveSteveIHeartSteve0704." To drive home the fanboy trope, the "0704" is Stever Rogers' birthday: July fourth.

As a nod to Stan Lee, Bruce's work uniform was from Stanley's Pizza Parlor.

"What If...?" Episode 3 and other earlier episodes can be streamed on Disney Plus, with new episodes launching every week on Wednesdays.