For five years, fans have been asking the same question: what if Thanos had snapped the other half of the Avengers? What if Tony Stark had turned to dust instead of Peter Parker? What if Steve Rogers had disintegrated while Bucky Barnes watched helplessly? What if the original six Avengers—the ones who actually beat Thanos in the end—had been the ones to disappear, leaving the survivors to pick up the pieces?
Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, has finally admitted what we’ve all been thinking: that would have been an incredible episode of What If…?
In a recent interview, Winderbaum acknowledged that the “Other Half Got Snapped” scenario is something he wishes the animated series had explored. The admission came after years of fans speculating about how different the MCU would look if the snap had claimed Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye instead of the collection of newer heroes who actually disintegrated in Avengers: Infinity War. It’s the kind of high-concept alternate history that the What If…? format was literally designed for, and somehow it never made it to air.
The potential is staggering. Without the original Avengers, who leads the fight against Thanos five years later? Does Captain Marvel arrive and immediately take charge? Does Black Panther orchestrate the resistance from Wakanda? Do the surviving Guardians of the Galaxy try to reverse the snap on their own? And most importantly, who makes the final sacrifice to undo the decimation? The dramatic irony of the original six being the ones who ultimately save the day in Endgame would be amplified to unbearable levels if they were the ones who had to be brought back rather than the ones doing the saving.
What If…? has explored plenty of fascinating scenarios—Captain Carter, T’Challa as Star-Lord, zombies, Doctor Strange destroying his own timeline—but the “Other Half” episode represents the road not taken. It would have required the show to grapple with the emotional weight of losing the MCU’s founding heroes rather than the newer characters who, at the time of Infinity War, had less established relationships with audiences. Watching Spider-Man dissolve in Tony’s arms was heartbreaking; watching Tony dissolve in Peter’s arms would have been devastating in an entirely different way.
Winderbaum’s admission suggests that Marvel is aware of the missed opportunity, which raises the possibility that we might still see this scenario explored in future seasons. The multiverse is infinite, after all, and the What If…? format allows for stories that the mainline MCU simply cannot tell. Seeing a universe where the snap claimed the original Avengers would force both characters and audience to confront uncomfortable questions about legacy, leadership, and whether the next generation is truly ready to step up.
The “Other Half” scenario also highlights what made Endgame so effective—the specific combination of characters who survived created a unique dynamic that wouldn’t have worked with any other permutation. Without Tony and Steve, there’s no tension about reconciliation. Without Thor, there’s no one to track down Thanos. Without Natasha, there’s no one to coordinate the resistance. Without Scott Lang, there’s no accidental time heist discovery. The specific survivors were as narratively crucial as the specific victims.
Winderbaum’s comments indicate that Marvel is listening to fan feedback, which is heartening for a franchise that sometimes feels like it’s operating in a vacuum. The Multiverse Saga has been messy, with Kang’s storyline imploding and Doctor Doom rising to take his place, but the animated side of the MCU has remained a playground for bold ideas. If What If…? gets a third season, perhaps we’ll finally see that “Other Half” episode. Perhaps we’ll see a universe where the snap claims the Fantastic Four, or the X-Men, or the entire population of Earth except Howard the Duck.
The multiverse isn’t just about infinite possibilities—it’s about infinite ways to break our hearts. And Marvel finally agrees that we should have seen the original Avengers turn to dust.
Explore the multiverse—stream What If…? seasons 1 and 2 on Disney+ and imagine the episodes that could have been, including the one that Brad Winderbaum wishes they’d made.
Also Read: James Gunn Is Making Hal Jordan the Space Cop You Actually Want to Call