You can't name a character in the MCU without thinking about the tragedy that either birthed them or continues to follow them. Tony Stark, for instance, had to endure losing both of his parents and his mentor, unknowingly lost his best friend to an alien replicant, had to give up his happy ending, then finally sacrificed himself to save the world. And Stark is just one character.
Plenty of Marvel characters have endured equal losses, and it's a shame their stories don't receive positive resolutions. The silver lining, however, is that a few of them have in animated format. Marvel's What If series has rewritten the saddest of stories, offering wholesome narratives in their place. These are some of the most famous MCU stories retconned in animated format.
The Stark Family
In the MCU, a brainwashed Bucky Barnes assassinates Howard and Maria Stark. It's just how history plays out. Their deaths leave Tony Stark orphaned, albeit in Obadiah Stane's care. He's practically alone, though, since Stane manipulates him the first chance he gets. That causes all sorts of problems for Tony, such as addiction and commitment issues. Fortunately, Stark isn't destined for suffering in every universe.
In Season 3 of Marvel's What If, the Red Guardian stops Bucky Barnes from killing the Starks. It's not his intended mission, but he inadvertently saves them. Audiences always assume the Red Guardian is a vicious killer because of his associations with Mother Russia, except he's a good guy.
By preventing the Starks' murders, Alexei saves the family a lifetime of misery. On top of that, Tony Stark never bears a grudge against Bucky Barnes, making the crux of Captain America: Civil War nonexistent. Iron Man could've leaned in either direction during the debate due to his conflicting philosophies, although learning that Barnes killed his parents made siding with the government easy. Without that motivator, though, Stark probably would've switched sides and potentially changed the course of MCU history.
Hela
It should go without saying that Hela drew the short stick in life. At her conception, she became Odin's puppet to manipulate. The Lord of Asgard trained his daughter to become the Goddess of Death without giving her a childhood. Odin subsequently used her as a weapon throughout her life, but only as long as she served a purpose. Afterward, Hela became disposable. The good news is Hela receives the ending she deserves in Marvel's What If.
In the second season, Hela winds up on Earth. The distinct difference in that universe is she's the Asgardian cast out instead of Thor, but it works out in the end.
After enduring a similar, growth-filled journey, Hela becomes worthy of her original abilities. On top of regaining her worthiness, her powers receive an overdue makeover. They go from the dreary black they were before to a shining white with gold accents. The icing on the cake is Hela uses her reforged abilities to take Odin down. She follows her victory up with a crusade across the Nine Realms to free the oppressed—a move uncharacteristic of the Goddess of Death.
Gamora
Gamora arguably lost the most in the MCU. Between forfeiting any chance at happiness with Peter Quill to watching Thanos execute her family and friends, her life has been nothing but pain and hardship. Not to mention Gamora's adopted father sacrificed her for an Infinity Stone—talk about a way to cap things off.
The good news is that Gamora gets the justice she deserves, much like her animated cohorts. During an episode about Tony Stark landing on Sakaar instead of returning home during the Chitauri invasion, he finds himself face-to-face with Gamora. They have conflicting goals while in The Grandmaster's race but eventually join forces. Once they do, the pair manufacture a plan to take down the Mad Titan, which works. Gamora gets the satisfaction of defeating the tyrant who ruined her life, and there's no longer a genocidal maniac trying to destroy half the universe.
Captain America: Brave New World premieres in theaters on February 14, 2025. The Thunderbolts releases on May 2, 2025.