How Marvel’s ‘What If…?’ Is Paying Tribute to Chadwick Boseman in its Latest Episode

Meaghan Darwish August 18, 2021, 11:15 am

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Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa in Marvel's What If...? — Marvel Studios/Disney+

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for What If…?, Season 1, Episode 2, “What if… T’Challa Became Star-Lord?”]

The first episode of Marvel’s What If…? to feature the late Chadwick Boseman has finally arrived and the MCU is celebrating the actor in a special way.

The installment sees Boseman’s Black Panther character T’Challa accidentally taken by the Ravagers of Guardians of the Galaxy as a child. They mistake him for Peter Quill, the boy who later grows up to become Star-Lord.

Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa in Marvel's Black Panther

Black Panther (Credit: Matt Kennedy /© Marvel / © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection)

The scenario places Boseman’s T’Challa in space as he makes the universe a better place with the help of Yondu (Michael Rooker) and some other familiar faces. The episode is just one of four from the season in which Boseman’s vocals will play a role, but this particular entry is receiving a special dedication to the actor who died in August 2020 after a secret battle with colon cancer.

The tribute comes at the end of the episode as the credits begin to roll. A special title card states: “Dedicated to our friend, our inspiration, and our hero Chadwick Boseman.”

The actor appeared in a handful of Marvel’s live-action films as T’Challa including the Oscar-nominated Black Panther, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.

Marvel's What If...? Dedication to Chadwick Boseman

(Credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

“It really devastated all of us when we found out,” What If…? executive producer Brad Winderbaum told TV Insider about Boseman’s death. “None of us knew that he was sick when we were working with him. But even more humbling was the realization that he knew he was sick when he did the project.