What If...? Season 2: The New MCU Hero's Cosmic Powers Are Deeper Than You Think
Marvel Studios premiered Season 1 of "What If...?" on Disney+ during the latter half of 2021. Each episode tells a standalone story revolving around some sort of significant alteration to the primary Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity, conceivable through the multiverse's infinite possibilities. Ahead of "What If...?" Season 2's release on December 22, the official Marvel website profiled a new superhero named Kahhori, who will be introduced as the protagonist of an upcoming episode.
The Tesseract, in this particular episode's timeline, ends up in the territory of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which, in real life, consists of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca Nations. Specifically, the Tesseract transforms a lake into a cosmic gateway of sorts, which is where Kahhori obtains her superpowers. The debut trailer for "What If...?" Season 2 includes some brief footage of Kahhori, revealing that the superpowers she receives from the Tesseract Lake seemingly allow her to open up large blue portals.
While her powers' precise utility remains unspecified, this footage of Kahhori near the trailer's end is accompanied by narration from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) during which the word "time" is emphasized, suggesting she may be able to move objects through spacetime.
Kahhori could be a powerful addition to the MCU
Marvel's profile of Kahhori ahead of her introduction in "What If...?" Season 2 emphasizes the fact that real-life members of the Mohawk Nation contributed to her episode, which features dialogue entirely in the Mohawk language. Among its Mohawk contributors are language expert Cecelia King and historian Doug George.
"Kahhori, pronounced 'KAH-HORTI,' is a real, Wolf Clan name, meaning 'she stirs the forest' or is someone who motivates those around her," said the episode's writer, Ryan Little. "In her debut adventure, Kahhori will have to live up to her name to recruit powerful allies into the fight to save her people and change the course of history forever."
This latter comment includes two key points about the MCU's newest hero. First, Little is referring to her "What If...?" episode as the character's debut, opening up the possibility for additional appearances down the line. Second, the notion that Kahhori will change history further hints at her superpowers' considerable potential. While altering history could always be as simple as defeating a dangerous bad guy, it's more likely that her cosmic powers — which seem to involve time travel — will literally alter her universe's timeline.