If you follow the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), you’re probably already familiar with the animated series What If…? on Disney+. The concept is super fun: exploring alternate realities (the Multiverse) where a small event can completely change the whole story. In the MCU, we’ve seen a few pretty dark episodes, like Doctor Strange destroying his own universe over heartbreak, and a zombie outbreak infecting the Avengers.
To be honest, it’s nothing compared to the comic version! The What If comic series, which has been out since 1977, frequently goes over the top. Many What If MCU stories were originally far too terrifying, brutal, and traumatic for Disney and Marvel Studios to ever risk adapting on screen.
Curious how crazy these stories can get? Get your mind ready, here are five of the most brutal Marvel What If tales!
Marvel’s What If Stories That Will Never Make It Into the MCU
5. What If Spider-Man Had Murdered Kraven the Hunter?
Spider‑Man is known as a hero who always holds back and has a principle not to kill. But in the comic What If? Spider‑Man #1 (2011), that principle crumbled.
The story starts from the “Grim Hunt” saga, but instead of showing mercy, Spider‑Man kills Kraven the Hunter. This decision shatters Peter Parker’s psyche completely.
He eventually abandons his Peter identity, becomes a cold‑blooded murderer, kills Norman Osborn (the Green Goblin), and adopts a new identity as the new “Kraven.” Imagining a beloved childhood superhero turning into a psychopathic killer? Obviously, the MCU will never take that route.
4. What If Norman Osborn Wielded the Infinity Gauntlet?
Instead of Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet to balance the universe, Norman Osborn (the Green Goblin) used it purely to inflict suffering on others.
In the story What If? Infinity – Dark Reign (2015), Osborn captures all the Infinity Gems and becomes the “Goblin King.” He and his rogue army methodically hunt down and slaughter Earth’s heroes one by one. Most disturbingly, he leaves Spider‑Man alive just to torment him psychologically—forcing Peter to watch the horrors of Gwen Stacy’s death repeatedly. The irony is that Osborn perishes absurdly after using the Gauntlet to erase his father’s existence, which retroactively means Norman Osborn was never born.
3. What If Mister Fantastic’s Wife Died During Childbirth?
Not all dark What If tales are full of bloodshed; some are purely heartbreaking. In What If? #42 (1983), Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic) is delayed bringing back a cure from the Negative Zone, causing his wife Sue to die while giving birth to Franklin Richards.
Sue’s death throws the Fantastic Four into chaos. Overwhelmed with grief, Reed abandons his scientific curiosity and goes back to the Negative Zone alone, intending to die and take the villain Annihilus with him. The story feels too grim for a Disney+ animated series.
2. What If the Heroes Lost the “Atlantis Attacks” Event?
While Disney+ tried a zombie theme, this What If? #25 (1991) pushes the horror genre into extreme body horror territory. In the original comic, the heroes manage to defeat the serpentine god Set; however, in this alternate version, they fall instead.
Nearly all of Earth’s superheroes are transformed into serpentine mutations. The few surviving heroes—such as Doctor Doom and Sabretooth—are brutally massacred. Even more horrifying, the god Set brainwashes a female hero, forcing her to become his “bride” and bear his monstrous progeny. The narrative is filled with visceral mutations, profound violations, and disturbing scenes of the deity consuming heroes whole—a tale that would never pass Disney’s censors.
1. What If Jean Grey (Phoenix) Didn’t Perish?
This is one of the most traumatic What If tales ever read by young Marvel fans in the 1980s. In What If? #27 (1981), the “Dark Phoenix Saga” takes a different turn. Rather than sacrificing herself, Jean Grey—whose cosmic power had been stripped—remains alive.
Unfortunately, the Phoenix Force inside her awakens again and she becomes ravenous. Unable to control herself, Jean massacres the X-Men! She kills teenage Kitty Pryde, then Polaris, and even her own boyfriend Cyclops. She also cripples Professor X’s mind. Seeing her friends butchered, Wolverine gives up and lets himself be killed. Jean then destroys Earth and devours the entire universe, making this the darkest possible ending for a MCU What If if the X-Men were ever included.
Insane, right? Which of these five tales do you think is the scariest? If you had to pick one to see turned into a film, which story would you want to watch? Feel free to drop your comment below!
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