History Recap / WhatIfS2E1WhatIfNebulaJoinedTheNovaCorps

* AssholeVictim: Thanos is killed by Ronan in this episode, which fortunately, means the Snap won't happen in this universe.

** Midway through the episode, Korg, Miek, and Howard are shown playing a game of Rock Paper Scissors together, referencing Korg's joke about the game that he made when meeting Thor in ''Film/ThorRagnarok''.

* DeathByAdaptation: When last being seen in the Sacred Timeline, Yon-Rogg was spared by Captain Marvel and sent back to the Kree with a warning that she was coming to them. Here, he was slammed to death along with Saal by Korg.

* AdaptationalComicRelief: In ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}'', Yon-Rogg was a stoic NoNonsenseNemesis who followed the Kree Empire's will and ruthlessly hunted Skrulls all across the galaxy. In this universe, he's shown to be more of a witty DeadpanSnarker who engages in banter with Nebula while working with him, though he's still just as evil here as his main universe counterpart is. Which leads to...

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: After Garthan's group believes they took care of Nebula, they cull most of the remaining Corpsman down to those loyal to Nova Prime and Ronan. Unfortunately for them, this makes Nebula's group job of raiding Nova HQ much easier.

* KansasCityShuffle: Nebula quickly figures out that she is being set up and hatches her own plan. However, she has to first convince the conspirators that they won and it is safe to open up the shield. She is successful but almost dies in the attempt. Once Yon-Rogg is sure that Nebula is dead and the surrender genuine, he convinces Ronan that the Kree have won and it is safe to take over the planet. Ronan thus walks right into the trap set by Nabula.

* ArcWords: "I took an oath." Nebula holds onto her Nova Corps oath, showing that she still has honor despite her Black Order background.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Nebula destroys Ronan, the shield is protecting Xandar, and Irani Rael is dead, with Nebula smiling after seeing the sun before heading off.

* HellholePrison: The prison holding Yon-Rogg is not much better than the Kiln in the Sacred Timeline. Nebula has to verbally waive all rights and liability to get in.

* InstantExpert: Nebula can wield Yondu's Yakka arrow almost as well as he can with no prior training.

* WretchedHive: Xandar has become one of these after five years of under the shield

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!!! '''Alternate take on:''' ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'' and ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}''

!! "What If… Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?"

* BecameTheirOwnAntithesis: Irani Rael goes from a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who strived to keep the citizens of Xandar safe, to a corrupt and desperate dictator who chooses to sacrifice her own people to a genocidal terrorist for the sake of maintaining her power.

* TheChessmaster: Nebula was not only able to figure out Irani Rael‘s corruption and intention to betray Xandar to Ronan, but she also set up a trap to kill Ronan and stop the invasion by having the shield close as soon it opens, destroying the ''Dark Aster'' with it.

* CyberpunkWithAChanceOfRain: In keeping with the general style of the episode, the weather on the shielded Xandar is shown as dark, cloudy and dreary at best. In both the opening scene where Nebula finds Yondu's body and the scene where she breaks Yon-Rogg out of the Kiln, it's pouring with rain.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Nebula destroys Ronan, and the shield is protecting Xandar and Irani Rael is dead, with Nebula smiling after seeing the sun before heading off.

* FaceHeelTurn: Irani Rael, due to Xandar being in dark times for the past five years living under the shield, she chooses to cooperate with Ronan and allow him to invade the planet, in exchange for letting her keep her position as leader.

* HeelFaceTurn: Nebula’s redemption came earlier in this timeline than in the Sacred Timeline, due to Gamora and Thanos being killed by Ronan and her being found and given a new lease on life by the Nova Corp.

* INeedAFreakingDrink: When Nebula returns to Howard's casino, she states she needs a drink. And a gun. And an arm.

* InstantlyProvenWrong: When Howard sees the schematics from Yondu's arrow, he states no one knows what they are...just before Korg reveals that he knows what they are.

* LockAndLoadMontage: Howard and the Rock-Paper-Scissors do one when Nebula recruits their help, ending with Kork doing a LampshadeHanging on their dramatic posing.
* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Par for the course for Nebula, who treats being so badly damaged that her internal circuitry is exposed, she's missing an arm, and she can barely stand like a minor inconvenience best mended by [[INeedAFreakingDrink booze]].

* MythologyGag: The use of Garthan Saal is the primary dirty Corpsman and his despising Nebula is possibly a twisted nod to his comic book counterpart, who was also a villain ... because he was driven mad with grief after ''Nebula'' destroyed Xandar.

* NoodleIncident: Nebula apparently arrested and imprisoned Yon-Rogg at some point in this universe, with her having to break him out to make use of his services.

** The whole premise of the episode is similar to ''{{Franchise/RoboCop}}'', with Nebula rebelling against her superiors when she finds out they want the planetary shields down so Ronan can finish what he was going to do after killing Thanos, the Black Order, and Gamora. To top it off, she even paraphrases the title protagonist's "Serve the public trust Protect the innocent Uphold the law" motto with that of the Nova Corps' creed.

** During the climax, [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKingIISimbasPride Nebula urges Irani to take her hand, only for to reject it in favor of shooting her, causing her to fall to her death]].

* TookALevelInJerkass: According to Nebula, after Xandar used a impenetrable force field around the whole planet to hold off Ronan for 5 years, it ended up bringing up the worst in the planet, and it is shown as the once prosperous planet was reduced to a cyberpunk place with a dark atmosphere and even a raunchy casino.

* WeCanRuleTogether: When the shield opens and the ''Dark Aster'' is about enter Xandar's atmosphere, Irani tells Nebula that it is not too late for the latter to join the former. Naturally, she refuses.
* WretchedHive: Xandar has become one of these after 5 years of under the shield

!!! '''Alternate take on:''' ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014''

!!! '''Alternate take on:''' ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014''

* GreaterScopeVillain: The threat of invasion from Ronan causes the Nova Corps to buckle under the pressure and go dirty. However, despite the threat he poses, Nova Prime is treated as the BigBad due to her conspiracy to sell Xandar out to Ronan instigating the whole story. Tellingly, Ronan gets disposed of quickly while Nova Prime gets the climactic final battle.