MCU fans got their first look at Cate Blanchett's Hela from Thor: Ragnaork in her animated return to the MCU with What If...? Season 2 on Disney+.
After nine episodes of wild alternate universe stories, Season 2 of What If...? will feature more than two dozen newly confirmed MCU heroes and villains when the series returns to the streaming service.
One of the earliest confirmed stars as part of that group was Cate Blanchett's Hela, the fan-favorite villain from Thor: Ragnarok who made a profound impact with her reveal as Thor's half-sister in the Infinity Saga's Phase 3.
And Season 2 is confirmed to be even crazier than its predecessor, there is still very little imagery or promotional material teasing what's on the way.
Hela Merch Unveiled Ahead of What If...? Season 2
Recently surfaced photos of officially-licensed Marvel merchandise shows off Hela's new design that will be seen in Season 2 of Marvel Studios' What If...?.
The pictures show off a Funko Vinyl soda can featuring Hela - voiced by Cate Blanchett - sporting a new look, one that appears Asian-inspired. This seems to line up with past reports indicating that she will star in an episode with both Odin and the Mandarin, while her Ten Rings-esque outfit could indicate she may even team up with the latter:
Laughing Place also reported on Hela's What If...? episode through an interview with director Bryan Andrews who promised that this episode will bring "Hela as you’ve never seen her before."
How Will Hela Add to What If...? Season 2?
Hela was only mentioned briefly in Season 1 of What If...?, with her helmet being seen as part of the Collector's exhibit on Knowhere in Episode 2 alongside the late Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa Star-Lord. But now, Cate Blanchett will have the chance to fully bring the character back into play for the first time, sporting a thrilling new look that's seen in this image.
While it's difficult to tell what kind of plotline Marvel will give Hela based on this image alone, anticipation is building to see what she'll do in her first adventure alongside her father, Odin, along with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' big bad in the Mandarin.
But with plenty of other challenges that the Marvel team has to face for Season 2, having the Goddess of Death involved should only add a new level of depth to the universes that haven't been explored yet.
What If...? Season 2 is expected to debut on Disney+ sometime in 2023, but no specific release window has been shared yet.
