As seen in previous episodes of Marvel’s What If…?, a handful of episodes have previous MCU plots and themes meshed together to create new multiversal stories that are familiar while still exploring new territory in these alternate realities revealed by Uatu the Watcher. This includes “What If…Hela Found The Ten Rings?” as it’s essentially the first and third Thor films mixed with Shang-Chil and the Legend of the Ten Rings. However, the episode ends with an exciting new status quo for this alternate version of Hela who was banished to Earth, finding inner peace and how to offer mercy as a new Asgardian goddess.

How Hela Became A New Goddess In The MCU

A Goddess of Death (And Life)

Much like her brother Thor Odinson in the main MCU, Hela was banished to Midgard by Odin rather than being imprisoned in Hel. Likewise, her crown and source of power were stripped away, only to be claimed by one who could extend mercy (not unlike Thor’s hammer Mjolnir). Facing none other than Xu Wenwu’s Mandarin and the Ten Rings who offered an alliance, Hela ended up making her way to the mystical realm of Ta-Lo where she learned how to fight and seek inner peace as one of their guardians.

Having discovered her inner desire to claim the freedom to choose her own path which she never had as Odin’s daughter, Hela faces her father when he arrives on Midgard to claim the Ten Rings after learning of their ability to kill Asgardians from Heimdall. Joining Wenwu, the duo defeats Odin, though Hela ultimately offers her father mercy. This act restores Hela’s crown while also transforming her into a Goddess of Death with a newfound appreciation for life, choosing light to fight the darkness both externally and within.

How Odin Was Defeated In What If…? Season 2

Ta-Lo Training, Mercy, and the Power Of The Ten Rings

Choosing to stand with Wenwu, Hela used her new Ta-Lo training to great effect. She effectively used Odin’s own power against him while also bending the very air to wield a collection of firey knives, all while Weneu continued to assault the All-Father with the cosmic Ten Rings. Working in tandem, Hela and Wewu were able to separate Odin from Gungir, his mighty spear and source of power.

Using the powers of light she had learned from the guardians of Ta-Lo, Hela was able to remove Gungir from Odin’s grasp. At the same time, the All-Father was unaware of Wenwu striking from the other side who’d brought the Ten Rings together to deliver a massively powerful punch that brought Odin to his knees. Furthermore, once Hela offered Odin mercy and regained her crown, Gungir also became hers with Odin’s surrender, conceding the throne of Asgard after realizing that his daughter had grown on Midgard far more than he ever could have expected.

Hela and the Ten Rings’ New Empire Explained

Guardians of the Nine Realms And Beyond

Having earned the throne from her father, Hela and the forces of Asgard joined with Wewu and the Ten Rings, becoming a powerful empire of cosmic guardians traveling the universe to protect the Nine Realms and beyond. As such, it’s certainly an epic new status quo that massively changes the course of events in this reality compared to what’s seen in the main MCU. Case in point, the episode ends with Hela and Wenwu going to war against Thanos himself during his conquest of Zen-Whoberi, the implication being that Gamora never became the Mad Titan’s daughter, subsequently changing her entire life trajectory.

Hela and Wenwu’s alliance presumably changes other heroes’ existence as well. After all, it’s unclear what Hela’s rule means for the existence of her brothers Thor and Loki in this alternate reality. Likewise, Wenwu’s new role as a protector of the Nine Realms alongside the Goddess of Death suggests he likely did not settle down with Ta-Lo’s Ying Li, meaning that Shang-Chi and Xu Xialing might never have been born in this reality. However, it does seem as though the entire universe was better off thanks to Asgard and the Ten Rings’ alliance and new empire.

Will Hela Return In Marvel’s What If…Season 2?

Will Hela Encounter Strange Supreme And/Or Captain Carter?

As it stands, it’s unclear if this new and redeemed version of Hela will return in future episodes of Marvel’s What If…? season 2. However, it does seem as though the season finale will serve as a crossover of heroes motivated by Strange Supreme’s return. Furthermore, other heroes have been teased to return such as What If…?’s brand-new Marvel hero Kahhori as well as Captain Carter who’s currently in another reality apart from her own. Either way, this hopefully won’t be the last audiences see of this exciting new variant of Hela in the MCU multiverse.