In What If…? season 2 episode 6, we are introduced to a brand-new superhero, Kahhori (Devery Jacobs). “What If… Kahhori Reshaped the World?” was written by Ryan Little and directed by Bryan Andrews.
In narration, the Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) informs us that Ragnarok is Asgard’s nightmare in many realities (see: Thor: Ragnarok). The Watcher says that in the prime universe, Odin entrusted the Tesseract to a village after an age of peace. But in this timeline, Surtur (Clancy Brown) destroyed Asgard before Odin had the chance. However, the Tesseract survived Ragnarok to find a new home on Earth.
Scenes show a peaceful Indigenous tribe, harvesting corn and going about other business. But when Wahta (Kiawentiio) arrives, Kahhori runs into the forest. Wahta follows, struggling to keep up. Kahhori teases him but waits for him to catch up. The pair freeze when they come upon several human skeletons. Wahta says the elders have told them not to go near the old battlefield. Kahhori says it’s cursed because it wasn’t cleansed after the bloodshed. She says if you listen, you can hear “them.”
Wahta follows Kahhori as she continues that the lake has a great power. She says it possesses the power to take them to the Sky World. According to Kahhori, the people were fighting over the lake, when it should have brought them together instead. But Wahta insists that the lake ate people. They arrive at the Forbidden Lake. It seems unassuming.
The Cursed Lake
Then, there is the sound of gunshots. Wahta wonders if these are thunder. However, a plume of smoke reveals their village is burning. Conquistadors have taken over the village. Kahhori and Wahta are spotted by Conquistador Gonzolo (Gabriel Romero). The duo flees back to the lake, pursued by Conquistadors. But this time, they locate a glowing blue underwater lake. Kahhori and Wahta conclude that the other lake was a decoy.
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However, they must hide as a Conquistador follows them inside. He says he thinks they may have found what they’re looking for. But then the Conquistador spots Wahta. Kahhori attempts to distract him, but is shot in the shoulder. She falls into the lake and begins to sink. A Conquistador rips the jewelry from Wahta’s neck as he concludes Kahhori must be dead.
Meanwhile, Kahhori drifts through the glowing water. However, she’s soon being pulled downward: the Tesseract is at the bottom of the lake. It pulls her through to another world, where a splash of energy deposits her on the ground. A figure with glowing eyes and portions of glowing skin approaches. This is Atahraks (Jeremy White). He welcomes her to Sky World.
In voiceover, the Watcher explains. After the fall of Asgard, the Tesseract began a second life among Kahhori’s ancestors. Breaking and releasing space stone energy on impact, the Tesseract gifted its power to the lake. “Warriors, adventurers and other noble tribespeople disappeared into the waters, never to return.” Motivated by greed and grief, a battle among the surrounding nations ignited. Ultimately, the lake was declared cursed and considered forbidden.
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Sky World Adventures
Kahhori awakens in a room, her arm seemingly healed. Outside, she finds a bustling society. She wonders how it is possible. Atahraks explains that the blue light she fell through in the lake seems to “seep into” everything, including food. Over time, the energy seems to seep into the people, too. Atahraks finally introduces himself. He tells Kahhori she arrived through a portal in the lake.
Kahhori says this must be why the lake is forbidden. Atahraks says it wasn’t forbidden in his time, but considering how many people disappear into it, forbidding it makes sense. Kahhori says she must return home. When she remembers her village was attacked, she runs back to portal where she arrived. Atahraks follows her. He says that those who fall through the portal don’t age and don’t die. He says they’re meant to be there, permanently.
Meanwhile, Kahhori’s village burns. Gonzolo walks amid the plumes of smoke and fire. He monologues about how he has authority from the Queen Isabella of Spain (Carolina Ravassa). He tells his prisoners that he has come to claim the Fountain of Youth. Gonzolo identifies the Forbidden Lake as the Fountain. He demands to know its location from one of the villagers, menacing her with a pistol. But that’s when his Conquistadors return with Wahta. They tell Gonzolo they’ve found it.
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In Sky World, Kahhori climbs trees to approach the portal in the sky. Atahraks says that while she may not want to be there, the spirit of the waters brought her there for a reason. Next, Atahraks tells her to feel the spirit of the place for herself. Kahhori takes a flying leap, powered up by the Sky World’s energy. Soon, they’re both in the tree’s canopy.
Glowing Stampede
Taking in the portal above them, Atahraks tells Kahhori that many have attempted to leave. All have failed. The portal remains just out of reach. Kahhori says that means they weren’t trying hard enough. Atahraks says maybe they just found their home. Nevertheless, Kahhori attempts to use floating sticks to build a staircase to the portal. This results in multiple failures. Kahhori says this isn’t a paradise but a prison.
The call of a horn announces the hunt. Atahraks promises Kahhori she’ll love it. Soon, it’s revealed they’re hunting a type of fruit. Because it takes so long to grow, it is especially laden with energy. Next, the petals of a glowing flower are used to “activate” the fruit, which rise out of the ground like bison. The bison-fruit begin to stampede. Atahraks welcomes her to the new world as he takes off after the stampede.
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Running with supernatural speed, Atahraks and the others are able to keep up with the bison-fruit. They leap onto their backs and harvest fruits from them. But Atahraks warns Kahhori not to get in front of them. Atahraks tells Kahhori how to run extra fast. While she achieves this, she has a hard time stopping. Soon, she’s in front of the bison-fruit. She flips one of them over herself, causing fruit to rain down.
After the stampede, Atahraks and his people compare the number of fruits they respectively harvested. Kahhori has gathered many more fruits than anyone else. She says that after the stampede, she’s ready to eat. She shares her mighty haul with the others. They all celebrate her victory.
What If… Kahhori Rises?
On the other side of the lake, Gonzolo and his men survey their prize. Gonzolo asks who wants the first slice of immortality. Many of the Conquistadors enter the water, holding their rifles above their head. However, they begin to be yanked beneath the surface. Soon, all of them but Gonzolo have vanished. Gonzolo angrily declares the location to be cursed. He says he wants all of the people in chains. He plans to return to Spain.
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Meanwhile, the Conquistadors who entered the lake have arrived in Sky World. They see a bonfire and hear Atahraks, Kahhori and the others celebrating. The Conquistadors approach the celebration and draw their weapons. However, Kahhori spots them just in time. She spots their musket balls in mid-air. Using telekinetic abilities, she freezes the Conquistadors and carries them through the air towards her. When she sees one wears Wahta’s necklace, she grows enraged.
Kahhori says the Sky World has given each of them gifts. However, they’ve forgotten their origins. Kahhori cannot. She says their people are hurting. Using her powers, she tightens the grip of vines around the captured Conquistadors. Atahraks says the land wants to help Kahhori.
Kahhori says she will keep her people in front of her. Her hands glow as she reaches toward the portal in the sky. The portal begins to react. Kahhori says she’ll help her people. But she tells Atahraks and the others that they’ll be stuck there forever, unless they learn to move. A bright flash of light accompanies the relocation of the portal to the ground. Kahhori declares her intention to fight. However, Atahraks says they have a different life in Sky World, free from war. Kahhori says they do, but her people don’t.
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What If… Kahhori Found the Conquistadors?
Kahhori emerges on the other side of the lake. On the nearby beaches, Gonzolo and his men are bringing their prisoners to their offshore ships. Kahhori finds the ruins of her village in flames. She tracks the Conquistadors to the beach. Gonzolo identifies her as a witch and orders his men to fire. Kahhori knocks wave after wave of Conquistadors aside. Gonzolo orders the ships to fire cannons. While Kahhori creates a field that holds off dozens of cannonballs, one eventually makes it through and incapacitates her.
Gonzolo approaches her and draws his sword. However, as he holds Kahhori at swordpoint, he sees the glowing eyes of Atahraks and the others in the forest. Before he can swing at Kahhori, the others run onto the beach. They run over Gonzolo and push him into the sand. Atahraks approaches Kahhori. He tells her everything she said was true, so they followed her. Gonzolo attempts to reach for Kahhori and she gives him a final fatal blast of energy.
Running through the sides of the ships, the vessels are incapacitated. Kahhori personally rescues Wahta. He identifies them as thunder beings. And Atahraks tells him Kahhori is the bravest of them all.
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The Watcher’s narration tells us that many stories were spawned that day as a result of Kahhori’s decision. He continues that it wasn’t just that she made the right choice, but her unwavering conviction to that choice. The Watcher muses that this may be why heroes so seldom stop after their first victory.
The Queen
In Spain, it is reported that Gonzolo was just the first to fall. He was followed by Jacobo and the Mendoza brothers. The New World has been lost. The Queen says this is impossible, as her soldiers are unmatched and her fleets unrivaled. She asks who dares to challenge her. In response, a portal opens in her court. Kahhori leads a cadre of thunder beings through it. She taunts the Queen about having destroyed her ships.
The Queen orders soldiers to attack Kahhori. Kahhori uses her powers to make their weapons fly from their hands. She continues that the world is richer than the Queen can imagine. However, it is for neither of them to claim this richness. “We believe our health depends on your health,” Kahhori says. The Queen says she is unafraid of Kahhori’s magic, and was ordained to rule her. Kahhori lifts the Queen of the ground and moves her. Then she destroys the Queen’s throne.
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The Watcher’s narration says Kahhori and her people used the miracles of the Sky World to bring peace to their neighbors. However, that’s when Strange Supreme (Benedict Cumberbatch) arrives and introduces himself. He tells Kahhori that she made world peace in record time, and wonders if it’ll last. Then, he says he’s been looking for Kahhori for a long time.
The first six episodes of What If…? season 2 are currently available for streaming on Disney+, with new episodes daily through December 30.
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