The One Line In What If...? Episode 5 That Had Fans Teary-Eyed
Marvel's latest Disney+ series "What If...?" has been a welcome treat for many reasons. In line with the overarching multiverse theme of Phase 4, the series explores alternate realities within the MCU. Fans have loved seeing what could have happened had our favorite heroes made some different decisions, and the show's animation makes for a very engaging viewing experience.
However, there's one more reason why "What If...?" is so beloved, and it holds a bit more weight than the rest. This series is the last time audiences will see Chadwick Boseman in his iconic role of T'Challa/Black Panther.
Boseman sadly died of cancer in August 2020. However, he recorded his lines for the series prior to his death, giving fans one last chance to see him as the beloved character. Boseman has appeared in two episodes of "What If...?" so far and is set to appear in four total. One scene featuring Boseman during Episode 5, though, has left audiences teary-eyed.
T'Challa has poignant words about death
"What If...?" Episode 5 covers an entirely new terrain for the MCU: zombies. In the episode, we see what would happen if a zombie virus born in the Quantum Realm came to Earth and infected the population — including some of our favorite Avengers. Bruce Banner, Peter Parker, Sharon Carter, Bucky Barnes, and T'Challa are among those who are uninfected.
However, some are not so lucky, including Tony Stark and Happy Hogan. Peter, no stranger to loss, expresses his sadness on losing more of his loved ones. T'Challa has some kind words for him, though: "In my culture, death is not the end. They are still with us, as long as we do not forget them."
In "Captain America: Civil War," which debuted the Black Panther character in the MCU, T'Challa says a similar version of the same line in conversation with Natasha Romanoff after the tragic killing of his father, King T'Chaka. However, the line holds more weight now since Chadwick Boseman's own death. T'Challa's words are true in the MCU and in the real world, too — Boseman's work lives on, and we certainly will never forget him.