She didn't just stay in the room. She stayed in the machine. That one choice—stepping up when Steve Rogers couldn't—didn't just change a movie; it basically rewired how we look at the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. When we talk about Peggy Carter What If storylines, we aren't just talking about a "gender-swapped Captain America." That’s a lazy take. Honestly, it’s about how one person's refusal to sit on the sidelines creates a tidal wave across time and space.
Marvel’s What If...? series on Disney+ kicked off with "What If... Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?" and it wasn't an accident. It was a statement. The showrunners, including head writer A.C. Bradley and director Bryan Andrews, knew Peggy was the heart of the early MCU. By putting her in the Super Soldier program, they didn't just give her a shield; they gave her the agency that 1940s bureaucracy tried so hard to strip away.
The Choice That Created Captain Carter
Steve was supposed to get the serum. We all know the drill. But in this reality, a simple decision to stay in the splash zone during the experiment changed everything. An infiltrator attacks, Steve is injured, and the serum is going to waste. Peggy jumps in.
It’s fast. It’s messy.
The transformation is more than physical. While Steve became a symbol of hope, Peggy became a symbol of defiance. The US government in the 1940s wasn't exactly thrilled about a woman being their peak physical specimen. They sidelined her. They called her a "delicate" thing even though she could literally flip a truck. It’s this specific tension that makes the Peggy Carter What If narrative so much more grounded than the standard superhero origin. She isn't just fighting Hydra; she’s fighting the very people who signed her paycheck.
Breaking the "Mirror Image" Myth
Some fans originally worried Captain Carter would just be Steve Rogers with a British accent. That didn't happen. Peggy’s fighting style is brutal and efficient. She uses the shield like a projectile weapon in ways Steve didn't master until years later. If you watch the animation closely, her center of gravity is different. Her tactical mind—honed by years in British Intelligence—means she approaches a battlefield like a chessboard.
- She doesn't wait for permission.
- She leverages her "invisibility" as a woman to strike from the shadows before going loud.
- The relationship with Steve shifts from "soldier and his girl" to "super-soldier and her tactical support" via the Hydra Stomper suit.
This reversal is fascinating because it keeps the soul of the characters intact while flipping the power dynamic. Steve remains the moral compass, but Peggy becomes the physical force of nature.
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Why Season 2 Upped the Ante
If Season 1 was the introduction, Season 2 of What If...? turned Peggy into the definitive anchor of the Multiverse. We saw her face off against a 1602 version of the world and deal with the fallout of the "Strange Supreme" saga.
It’s here that the Peggy Carter What If version truly eclipses the original MCU Peggy. In the main timeline, Peggy lives a long life, helps found S.H.I.E.L.D., and dies of old age. It's a "good" life. But the Multiverse Peggy is a nomad. She’s a woman out of time, but unlike Steve, she doesn't seem to be looking for a way back to a quiet life. She embraces the chaos.
Think about the episode "What If... Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper?" It’s a direct parallel to The Winter Soldier. But instead of Bucky being the brainwashed assassin, it's Steve. The emotional weight is staggering. It forces us to ask: is the tragedy of the "Star-Spangled Man" inevitable, regardless of who wears the uniform?
The Connection to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
We have to talk about the live-action crossover. When Hayley Atwell showed up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as a member of the Illuminati, the internet lost its mind.
"I can do this all day."
She said the line. Then, she got sliced in half by her own shield.
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It was polarizing. Some fans felt it did the character a disservice to kill her off so quickly. However, it served a massive narrative purpose. It proved that the Peggy Carter What If variants aren't just "safe" cartoon characters. They are real, they are powerful, and in the grander multiverse, they are at risk. It added stakes to the animation because we realized that "our" Captain Carter from the series is just one version. There are others who fail. There are others who die.
The Cultural Impact of the Union Jack Shield
Symbolism matters. Peggy’s shield features the Union Jack, not the Stars and Stripes. This small change shifts the context of her heroism from American exceptionalism to a more global, Allied perspective.
Interestingly, Marvel didn't just leave this in the show. They've pushed Captain Carter into the comics (notably the 2022 Captain Carter miniseries by Jamie McKelvie) and into games like Marvel Strike Force and Marvel Future Fight. She has become a brand unto herself.
Why we keep coming back to her:
- Hayley Atwell's performance: She breathes a specific kind of regal but gritty life into the voice acting.
- The "Underdog" status: Despite being a super-soldier, she’s still an underdog in a patriarchal military.
- Visual Flare: The 1940s aesthetic mixed with high-tech steampunk (the Hydra Stomper) is just cool. Period.
Addressing the Critics
Not everyone is a fan. Some argue that the MCU is leaning too hard on "What If" scenarios to avoid moving the main plot forward. Others feel Peggy is being overexposed at the expense of other characters like Sharon Carter (who arguably got a raw deal in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier).
But here is the counterpoint: Peggy Carter was the first female lead of a Marvel TV show (Agent Carter). She has always been a trailblazer. Using her to explore the multiverse feels like a natural extension of her being the "Mother of S.H.I.E.L.D."
The Peggy Carter What If episodes aren't just filler. They are character studies. They ask how much of our identity is tied to our circumstances and how much is tied to our "inner vibranium."
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Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the Captain Carter lore, don't just stick to the Disney+ show. There is a whole ecosystem of content that fleshes out this specific variant of Peggy.
Check out the 2022 Captain Carter Comic Run
Written by Jamie McKelvie, this five-issue miniseries explores what happens when Peggy is pulled out of the ice in modern-day Britain. It deals with modern politics, her legacy, and the struggle of being a woman out of time in a world that has moved on without her. It’s much more grounded than the show.
Watch the "Making Of" Specials
On Disney+, the Assembled episode for What If...? gives a lot of insight into the character design. They talk about why they chose her specific armor and the physics of her shield throws.
Track the Easter Eggs in Season 2
If you re-watch Season 2, look for the subtle nods to the Agent Carter TV show. The creators went out of their way to reward long-time fans who stuck by the character during her ABC days.
Keep an eye on Avengers: Secret Wars
While nothing is confirmed, the rumors of the Multiverse Peggy returning to the big screen are constant. Given the character's popularity, it’s highly likely she will play a role in the climax of the Multiverse Saga.
Peggy Carter proved that you don't need to be a "Man Out of Time" to be a hero. You just need to be the person who refuses to leave the room when things get dangerous. Whether she's an agent, a founder, or a Captain, she remains the most consistent moral compass in a multiverse that is increasingly spinning out of control.