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Marvel Entertainment's What If...? season 3 episode 4 aired via Disney+ on December 25, 2024. The segment explored the alternate storyline of Howard the Duck getting married to Darcy Lewis on a trip to Earth.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for What If...? season 3 episode 4.
The episode followed up on What If...? season 1 episode 7, titled What If... Thor Were an Only Child? This installment featured Thor throwing a massive party on Earth, where many people from across the planets and galaxies met each other. This served as the meeting point for Darcy and Howard the Duck and the first point in their relationship and eventual marriage.
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The current episode mainly focused on Howard and Darcy's attempt to protect the baby egg they had together, even in the face of intergalactic forces trying to steal it from them. At the end of the episode, they return home safe with their child Byrdie, a new character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe who now possesses cosmic powers like energy manipulation and flight.
How did Darcy and Howard the Duck get together on the show?
The beginning of What If...? season 3 episode 4 explored how Darcy and Howard the Duck got together. Their story begins in season 1 episode 7, when Howard and Darcy meet at Thor's party on Midgard (Earth). The two went on a date that blossomed into a romance, resulting in their marriage in a Vegas chapel.
The couple even had a kid, born as an egg ready to hatch, whom they cared for. They decided to take a cruise across the stars when they got free tickets from Sakaar's Grandmaster to do so. However, they ran into some trouble on the ship, when the Grandmaster poached their egg and tried to cook it into an omelet.
During this chaos, a Ravager ship descended on the cruise and stole the egg from the Grandmaster's chef. Darcy and Howard hurriedly pursued their baby and the Ravagers, sending in a distress call to S.H.I.E.L.D. on the way.
Also read: What If...? season 3 premiere ending explained: What did Bruce Banner do to defeat the Apex-Hulk?
Why did Yondu steal the egg in What If...? season 3 episode 4?
By eavesdropping on a S.H.I.E.L.D. conversation between Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, Darcy and Howard the Duck realized that Yondu was headed to the Collector's planet Knowhere to sell it off. Supposedly, the egg was a valuable item with a massive energy surge that could change the course of the universe, and the birth of the child would align with the cosmic event of the Convergence.
Darcy and Howard followed Yondu to Knowhere in one of the Grandmaster's ships. There, they realized that the wizard of the dark arts Kaecilius had already killed the Collector and usurped his position. Kaecilius took the egg from Yondu and killed him, getting ready to sacrifice the egg and its energy to his master Dormamu. The egg would be used as a vessel for Dormamu's spirit to enter the mortal realm.
Before the ensoulment sacrifice could take place, Nick Fury and Coulson arrived at the scene, prompting a full-fledged battle between the Skrulls of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Kaecilius' disciples. Using this as a diversion, Darcy and Howard reclaimed their baby and escaped again, looking for refuge.
Also read: What If...? season 3 episode 2 ending explained: Did Agatha turn against the Eternals?
Did Darcy and Howard the Duck finally find shelter and safety for their egg?
Howard the Duck and Darcy decided to seek shelter in Jotunheim in What If...? season 3 episode 4, counting on Jotun-Loki's friendship. Loki welcomed them warmly, but his father Laufey wanted the egg for himself to help the Frost Giants use its energy and prosper. Slowly, Darcy and Howard realized the extent of the danger their baby was in, as people from all across the galaxy started turning up in Jotunheim to claim the egg and its power for themselves.
The Olympian God Zeus appeared, armed with his thunderbolts. The Dark elf Malekith (featured in Thor: Dark World) also stormed in with his army of elves. Additionally, the children of Thanos also barred Darcy and Howard's way eventually even calling in Thanos to see what the egg was all about.
As this multi-dimensional army descended upon them, Howard and Darcy prepared to sing one last song to their baby. However, the egg started to glow and release surges of energy. This eventually escalated to a point where the egg destroyed all the enemy armies against it. After this, a baby finally hatched from the egg, adorned with blue feathers.
Nick Fury appeared on the scene then, having hidden and observed this whole battle from afar. He realized that Darcy and Howard were more than capable of taking care of their child, and let them be. Similarly, Laufey apologized for his mistake, realizing that even his son, Loki, had helped Howard and Darcy.
At the end of the episode, Howard and Dary returned home and placed their child in her crib, finally giving her a name: Byrdie.
Audiences can watch What If...? season 3 episode 4 released via Disney+ and associated regional platforms. The next episode of the season shall be released on December 26, 2024
