According to Comicbook, Disney+ and Marvel Studios recently delivered a sneak peek at the new What If…? episode. The new episode is set in the Marvel world of 1602, where the franchise has set countless stories during the pre-colonial era. In 1602, the beloved heroes known to all trade in their capes and tights for period-appropriate clothing. The episode will not be a complete adaptation of the comics because it will incorporate 1602 versions of MCU characters rather than comic ones. Also, it seems history itself will hang in the balance if the 1602 timeline is allowed to survive according to the clip. 

In a statement to Comicbook, writer Ryan Little (War Pigs) said, “I’ll always remember the first time I read Neil Gaiman’s (Good Omens) original 1602 Marvel comics series in high school. We filled this episode with 1602 iterations of characters from across the MCU to share with everyone that same fun Neil created when first exploring Elizabethan Marvel in his original run.”

According to Comicbook, the episode of the series has been in the works for quite some time. Series director Bryan Andrews (Avengers: Endgame) says, “We needed to find the right time to do it. It’s so fun to see such different versions of these characters—Loki and Happy are true highlights in this episode.” 

 “All storytelling, from the first cave drawings to the modern cinematic universes, is about connection, asking your audience: ‘Is this your story, too?'” In a recent statement executive producer AC Bradley told ComicBook, “The same holds true when adapting beloved storylines and IP. I first seek out the human story—the heart. The world of 1602 is one of chaos and confusion with our MCU heroes trapped in an alternate history. The burning questions are: How did they end up here? How can they restore their world?”

The 1602 comics were published in 2003 by Marvel Comics. The episode, titled “What If… the Avenger Assembled in 1602?”, will be available to stream on Disney+ on December 29th.