Marvel Is Introducing an Entirely New, Original Superhero in ‘What If…?’

The Marvel Cinematic Universe will debut its first wholly original hero, Kahhori, in What If…? season 2. Since first launching in 2008, the MCU has worked on adapting countless characters from Marvel Comics to the big screen but hasn’t debuted any original heroes so far. However, the MCU has created original characters before. The top example is Gregg Clark’s Phil Coulson, who appeared in multiple MCU films and also headlined a solo series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He was so popular that he was actually adapted from the movie realm into Marvel Comics after his introduction.

Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), Luis (Michael Peña), Ralph Bohner (Evan Peters), and Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård) are also all examples of characters created for the MCU. Additionally, characters like Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) and Xu Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) are semi-original, in that they were based on multiple characters in the comics, or their story was completely retconned from their comic book origins. However, every superhero in the MCU has had some basis in Marvel Comics.

What’s different about Kahhori is that she is not adapted, based on, or inspired by any Marvel Comics character. Not only that, but she’s also not just a supporting character or a sidekick, but a full hero in her own right. Naturally, viewers are excited and curious about the first-ever wholly original superhero to appear in the MCU.

Who is What If…?‘s Kahhori?

On March 9, Marvel announced that Kahhori is a new superhero coming to the MCU in What If…? season 2, which is set to debut sometime this year. Fans of the show know that each episode of the anthology series explores one of the countless alternative timelines that would arise if events in the Marvel universe had turned out differently. According to Marvel’s official website, the episode that will introduce Kahhori will explore what would happen if the Tesseract found its way to the Haudenosaunee Confederacy before the colonization of America.

The Tesseract is discovered by a young Mohawk woman named Kahhori, and the powerful space stone leads her on a journey to discover her power. It is unclear who will voice Kahhori, but the episode will be written by Ryan Little, who shared that he consulted with members of the Mohawk Nation to ensure the episode would provide an authentic and accurate depiction of Native American culture. Mohawk Nation historian, Doug Greg, said of the episode:

It tells a remarkable story from a Native-Mohawk perspective which is truly unique and historical, and will give the viewers a new, challenging and entertaining perspective on this land’s first peoples. The story is dramatic, the characters fully realized, and the action sequences are breathtaking. The episode is exceptional in another sense–it is done with the complete cooperation of the Mohawk people from dialogue to adornment.

As the first original MCU character and one who will hopefully be an authentic representation of Native American culture, Kahhori’s upcoming debut is very exciting.

(via Marvel.com, featured image: Marvel)

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