The MCU multiverse suggests another Avenger could have survived Iron Man's Endgame snap. The Infinity Stones, used in Marvel's What If...? season 2 finale, prevent a major crisis, but Captain Carter, the one wielding them survives without consequences, unlike Bruce Banner's Hulk or Iron Man's death in Avengers: Endgame.
Captain Carter survived the Infinity Stones' snap
In Avengers: Endgame, Earth's Mightiest Heroes collect the Infinity Stones to bring back the lost ones. Thanos immediately attacks them, attempting to restart reality. Iron Man uses the Stones to erase the Mad Titan and his forces, as confirmed by Doctor Strange that it was the only way the day could be saved. However, What If...? Season 2 suggests another MCU hero could have wielded the Stones as well that is Captain Carter.
In What If...? season 2's finale episode, Captain Peggy Carter uses the Infinity Stones from the previous season's finale which were used by Infinite Ultron and Erik Killmonger to fight Strange Supreme. She integrates Killmonger's armor and Stones into her suit, providing similar protection as the standard Infinity Gauntlet or Tony Stark's nano-gauntlet. Strange uses dark magic to knock the Stones from Carter's grasp, making the showdown intriguing.
Kahhori, a Tesseract-powered warrior, who was fighting Strange alongside Captain Carter, uses her powers to return the Stones to Carter, while she uses her powers to defeat Strange. Carter grabs all the Infinity Stones and punches the corrupt demon, temporarily knocking him out. Carter suffers no injuries or critical damage, suggesting she must have been protected by the Super Soldier serum, despite her armor providing some protection.
Why didn't Captain America defeat Thanos in Avengers: Endgame?
Captain Carter's impressive feat raises questions about Steve Rogers' Captain America's ability to survive the snap that killed Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame. If Peggy survived without damage, Captain America would be fine due to their shared Super Soldier status.
Doctor Strange's belief that Iron Man wielding the Stones was the only path to victory is still valid, as Tony Stark had the nano-tech to take and wield the Stones before Thanos realized. The decision was more a matter of time and circumstance as opposed to ability, despite the new evidence provided by What If...? Season 2 and Captain Carter.
All episodes of Marvel's What If...? season 2 are now streaming on Disney+.
