History Recap / WhatIfS2E3WhatIfHappyHoganSavedChristmas

* AirVentPassageway: Lampshaded. Happy crawls through one on his way to Tony's vault, and in the process complains that he repeatedly said Tony that the massive ducts were a security risk.

* DemandOverload: In-universe. Clint gets the last Iron Man action figure and refuses to give it to any of the clawing parents at the toy store. A possible ShoutOut to the Christmas movie ''Film/JingleAllTheWay''.

* InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn: J.A.R.V.I.S is under maintenence while W.E.R.N.E.R is no help at all. Maria Hill is out of action for most of the fight and Darcy can only assist behind the scenes, and the Avengers had their own stuff going on. Happy is forced to tangle with not only Justin Hammer and his cronies, but a hacked Iron Legion on his own until the end, but he at least has Hulk blood running through his veins to level the playing field; albeit by accident.

* MyNewGiftIsLame: Tony gets Steve Iron Man thick socks. Hammer is not impressed, but his Russian mook is.

* BitByBitTransformation: Happy's transformation into the Freak after accidentally getting injected with the Hulk's blood happens this way, with his leg being the first to transform and the rest of his limbs and body following as he gets even more stressed out.

* PassThePopcorn: When the Avengers finally get to Stark Tower and see the mutated Happy Hogan, they all team up to fight him... except for Bruce, who cheerfully watches what's happening while munching on a Christmas cookie.

** "StandardSnippet/OdeToJoy" plays when Darcy opens the vault, just as it did when the hacker Theo finally gets Nakatomi's vault open.

* InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn: J.A.R.V.I.S is under maintenence while W.E.R.N.E.R is no help at all. Maria Hill is out of action for most of the fight and Darcy can only assist behind the scenes, and the Avengers had their own stuff going on. Happy is forced to tangle with nlt only Justin Hammer and his cronies, but a hacked Iron Legion on his own until the end, but he at least has Hulk blood running through his veins to level the playing field; albeit by accident.

* InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn: J.A.R.V.I.S is under maintenence while W.E.R.N.E.R is no help at all. Maria Hill is out of action for most of the fight and Darcy can only assist behind the scenes, and the Avengers had their own stuff going on. Happy is forced to tangle Justin Hammer, his cronies, and a full Iron Legion on his own until the end, but he at least has Hulk blood running through his veins to level the playing field; albeit by accident.

* TheCavalryArrivesLate: Thor only shows up after the whole thing is done and over with, though he thinks he only missed a party.

* AirVentPassageway: Happy crawls through one on his way to Tony's vault.

!!! '''Alternate take on:''' ''Film/IronMan2'' and ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron''

In a world where the Avengers Tower is under attack, not by Ultron, but a familiar foe of Tony's company, panic ensues throughout the tower's personnel as Justin Hammer gifts terror and mayhem to everyone in the tower on Christmas Eve. Worse, Jarvis is not available and the Avengers are not present to counter the threat immediately. It is thus up to Happy Hogan to stop Justin and put an end to the nightmare before Christmas the corrupt businessman has planned for the security team.

* BitByBitTransformation: Happy's transformation into the Freak after accidentally getting injected with the Hulk's blood happens this way with his leg being the first to transform and the rest of his limbs and body following as he gets even more stressed out.
* BobFromAccounting: Darcy gives Bernard from Accounting the call-sign "Puffin-1," while Happy gets "Puffin-2". Bernard is also referenced by Black Widow and Captain Carter in the [[Recap/WhatIfS1E9WhatIfTheWatcherBrokeHisOath Season 1 finale episode]].

* DemandOverload: In-universe. Clint gets the last Iron Man action figure and refuses to give it to any of the clawing parents at the toy store. A possible ShoutOut to the Christmas movie, ''Film/JingleAllTheWay''.

* GermanicDepressives: Hilariously PlayedForLaughs with W.E.R.N.E.R., a bizarrely German AI Tony developed that Darcy attempts to inject into the Hulkbuster to wrest control away from Hammer. Except W.E.R.N.E.R. is worse than useless because of his ''uniquely German nihilism.''

* HowWeGotHere: The episode begins with the Avengers, most of them donned in Christmas costumes, fighting a huge, muscular purple man not unlike the Hulk before the Watcher pauses in the middle of the action, narrating to the viewer if they're wondering who this guy is before we go back two hours.

* TheIntern: Darcy, as always, but in this case, at Stark Industries. It's become such a {{running gag}} that Maria Hill asks her if she's ever had a real paying job. Darcy says no.

* PassThePopcorn: When the Avengers finally get to Stark Tower and see the mutated Happy Hogan, they all team up to fight him...except for Bruce, who cheerfully watches what's happening while munching on a Christmas cookie.

** Hulked Hogan chasing Hammer while yelling, alá [[WesternAnimation/HeavyMetal Hanover Fist]].
** One of Tony's many JARVIS substitutes is an A.I. named [[Creator/WernerHerzog Werner, and speaks in a melodramatic German accent]].

** Happy [[AirventPassageway crawling through the vents]] and complaining about how this was just supposed to be a fun Christmas party, just as [=McClane=] does.

** The elevator opens on the bad guys' floor and inside is a body with a note taped to it. It's an artificial body, but the homage is there.

!!! '''Alternate take on:''' ''Film/IronMan2'' and ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron''

->''"Ah, isn't this nice? No better time of year. You know, let me tell you one of my favorite Yuletide stories...\\
'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town\\
The Avengers were busy fighting a brand-new superpower\\
The stockings were hung by the chimney... Well, not anymore."''