What If...?: Why the Watcher cannot interfere in the events of others? Explained

What If...? is a Marvel Studios animated series that showcases different scenarios of the MCU, where key events from the movies happen in a different way. The series is narrated by a mysterious and powerful cosmic entity called the Watcher, who observes the events of the multiverse from the Nexus of All Realities.

The Watcher draws inspiration from a Marvel Comics character named Uatu brought to life by the creative minds of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby back, in 1963. Uatu belongs to an extraterrestrial race known as the Watchers. These beings have pledged themselves to observe and record the histories of civilizations without ever intervening in their affairs.

The Watcher’s oath of non-interference is a recurring theme in the What If...?series, as he often encounters situations where he is tempted to intervene or is requested for help by the characters he observes. However, he always declines to do so, stating that he cannot impose his will on the natural order of things or change the course of fate.

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Unraveling the mysteries: The Watcher's oath of non-interference in What If...? series

The Watcher swore an oath to never interfere, after a tragic mistake. The reason for this oath is that the Watchers once tried to help a less developed civilization by giving them nuclear technology. However, this resulted in a catastrophic war that destroyed the planet and its inhabitants.

The What If...? series follows The Watcher, a cosmic being who observes the multiverse from the Nexus of All Realities. (Image via Marvel)

The Watcher faces challenges with his oath of non-interference. It forces him to question his role as an observer and guardian of the multiverse.

What If...? series explores choices, fate, and accountability as themes through various scenarios that show how different choices can lead to different outcomes, some better and some worse than the original ones. The Watcher’s narration provides commentary and insight on these stories, as well as hints at his own character development and motivations.

Disclaimer: the next section contains possible spoilers.

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When did Watcher break his oath of non-interference?

In the What If series, The Watcher breaks his oath for the first time in episode 8, What If… Ultron Won? (Image via Marvel)

The Watcher’s oath is not unbreakable, however, he has violated it on rare occasions in both the comics and the series.

In the comics, he has assisted the Fantastic Four and other heroes against cosmic threats such as Galactus, Thanos, and the Celestials, sometimes by giving information or advice, and sometimes by directly joining the battle. He has also shown kindness and sympathy for some of the characters he watches, such as Spider-Man and Jean Grey.

In the What If...? series, he breaks his oath for the first time in episode 8, What If… Ultron Won?, when he faces an alternate version of Ultron who has obtained all six Infinity Stones and has wiped out all life in his universe. Ultron detects the Watcher’s presence and discovers the existence of the multiverse, thus becoming a danger to all realities.

The Watcher’s narration provides commentary and insight on What If...? stories. (Image via Marvel)

The Watcher tries to stop him but is defeated and forced to escape. He then gathers a team of heroes from different universes, called the Guardians of the Multiverse, to fight against Ultron. He also helps them by transporting them to different locations and providing them with weapons and tactics. He even saves Black Widow from being erased from existence.

The Watcher’s decision to interfere in this case is justified by the fact that Ultron poses a threat to the entire multiverse and that no one else can stop him. The Watcher also admits that he has broken his oath and that he may face consequences for his actions.

He expresses sorrow for not intervening sooner, as he could have avoided some of the tragedies that occurred in some of the universes he watched.