Warning! This article contains spoilers for Marvel Zombies.
Marvel Zombies is one of Marvel’s most gruesome shows, and the final episode’s Avengers massacre proves it. A spinoff of Marvel’s animated series What If…?, Marvel Zombies explores a reality in which Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, has infected the universe with a zombie virus. Some of Earth’s mightiest heroes remain, however, including Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel, Shang-Chi, Yelena Belova, Moon Knight-Blade, and a few more.
How can a handful of heroes stand up to the power of the Scarlet Witch and her undead army, however? There was no way every remaining superhero was going to survive, and not just because Marvel Zombies is one of Marvel’s few TV-MA projects. In the final episode, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes wage one last all-or-nothing battle against the Queen of the Dead, with Kamala as the lone survivor.
During an interview with ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan,director and writer Bryan Andrews and executive producer Brad Winderbaum discussed Marvel Zombies’ violent, bleak, and mind-bending ending (Kamala wakes up in an alternate reality in which everything seems fine, but it is decidedly… not), the difficulty of finding the right narrative balance, and whether there’s any chance Marvel Zombies’ story will continue in the future.
Bryan Andrews: We always knew it was going to be this. The question was how much to show at the end of the bleakness. At first, we had a version that was really subtle, but when we were putting it up on reels and getting editor feedback, they said, “Hey, maybe go for it a little bit more, so people feel more of a gut punch.” I was totally cool with that, but I was very protective of not making it feel too overdone or too cliffhanger-y. I think we found the perfect balance. There’s a bleakness to it, and yes, we know what happens after. So if enough people watch this and yell loudly enough, maybe we get to do the next one.
Brad Winderbaum: Yes, yes. Subscribe to Disney+ and watch the show; maybe we’ll have the opportunity to tell more stories. Bryan and I talk all the time about this universe, and the lore is very rich. It’s like listening to a D&D campaign sometimes when we’re on the phone.
Bryan Andrews: Some of the images in mind will blow your mind, and they’re not even in the show yet. That’s why we’d need another one. I like that it has lore. It’s a rich world, and we want it to feel like Lord of the Rings in its storied history. There’s so much going on in different places, with things you might only get a hint of, but behind it all, there’s this massive history. Building on that is exciting.
What This Means For Marvel Zombies’ Future
Spider-Man decapitating zombies with his webs in Marvel ZombiesCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios
The end of Marvel Zombies‘ final episode certainly leaves room to explore more. Can Kamala Khan break free of the Scarlet Witch’s distorted world, or is this the one time the Avengers truly lose? With the power she stole from “Infinity Hulk,” Wanda is now basically unstoppable, reality hers to write as she pleases.
There are plenty of questions left to answer, including how RiRi Williams managed to survive that episode 1 zombie bite, and whether Kamala will be able to break free of her happily-ever-after fantasy. Andrews confirmed that he and his co-writer, Zeb Wells, already know what happens next, but it’s clear that a renewal for Marvel Zombies isn’t a done deal.
Our Take On Marvel Zombies’ Cliffhanger Ending
Marvel Animation’s latest offering is the perfect antidote for anyone suffering from superhero fatigue. The combination of the zombie genre and the interesting ways Andrews and Wells have interpreted these well-known characters makes for an undeniably gruesome, fun, and compelling viewing experience.
I’d love to see the show get a second season, not just because that ending leaves a lot of loose threads, but because Marvel Zombies is one of Marvel’s most creative recent endeavors. Much like What If…?, this story isn’t restricted by the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s extensive history, and as such, it’s free to build its own lore and continuity.
That said, I do agree with Andrews’ point that the ending struck the right balance between getting closure for this season and leaving the door open for more. It’s a cliffhanger, yes, but it doesn’t feel like the one featured in Avengers: Infinity War.
This version of the Scarlet Witch is arguably even more terrifying than non-zombie Thanos. If there are infinite universes, shouldn’t there logically be some realities in which the heroes cannot win? Whether Marvel Zombies is renewed for a second season or not, that’s an interesting question for this usually hopeful franchise to explore.
All episodes of Marvel Zombies are now streaming on Disney+.
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