A new trailer for Marvel Animation’s “What If…?” just dropped, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to change forever. With the release of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the MCU has finally collided with the X-Men franchise after years of teasing. Now that Marvel’s favorite mutants are finally on the table, anything is possible in the third and final season of this animated series, and the arrival of one character in particular is proof of that. That’s right — just as the rumors suggested, X-Men leader Storm has officially arrived in the MCU, with this variant wielding Thor’s trusted hammer, Mjolnir. If you weren’t excited about Season 3 before, then this final tease likely changed your mind.

We don’t see much of Storm (voiced once more by “X-Men ’97” actor Alison Sealy-Smith) in the trailer. In fact, she doesn’t even show up until the very end, after the “What If…?” title card drops. But what we do see — the mutant goddess channeling lightning through Mjolnir — is a dream come true for Marvel Comics fans everywhere. “I am Storm, the Goddess of Thunder,” she chants before striking her tentacled opponent appearing from a rift in the fabric of the multiverse. If you watched the trailer and wondered why there were no distinct Thor (Chris Hemsworth) variants lurking around, this final sequence was the answer. 

Given how great a job Marvel Animation just did with “X-Men ’97,” we have no reason to believe they won’t handle Ororo Munroe (check out Storm’s entire backstory here) with just as much care. Considering the distinct and thrilling Sealy-Smith is reprising her role, the character is in the safest of hands.

But as cool as it is to see Storm as the new Thor, does this season of “What If…?” hold any comic book weight? After all, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is the new Captain America because he debuted as Cap in the comics. Likewise, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) became a female Thor in “Thor: Love and Thunder” because that was a direction the character went in Marvel’s comic book universe. But what about this Thor-ified Storm? Has the X-Men’s resident goddess actually ever held Mjolnir? It may surprise you that Storm is indeed among the few who have wielded Thor’s hammer before, even if it was only originally on one distinct occasion.

Back in 1985’s “X-Men Annual” #9, Storm is tricked by Loki to use a hammer of his own invention called Stormcaster. At the time, Storm’s powers had vanished, and so the former X-Men tried everything she could to get them to return. Stormcaster works like a charm and helps her to be a hero (and feel complete) again. Eventually, Storm realizes that Loki is only using her and that the powers come with a dark price. So, with Thor’s help, Storm uses Mjolnir to destroy Stormcaster. But the question remains, did Storm actually wield Mjolnir in Stormcaster’s destruction, or was Thor the one in control? It wasn’t until 2023 that we got our answer.

In “Immortal Thor” #4, we learn that it was actually Storm who wielded Thor’s magical hammer, and because she has been deemed worthy, she can do so again. Each time she does, she dons a Thor-like armored appearance, asserting herself once again as the Goddess of Thunder. This sets a comic book precedent for this exciting “What If…?” reveal, and it gets us even more excited for Storm’s triumphant entry into the MCU.

Of course, Storm’s appearance as the new Thor isn’t the only thing worth getting excited about concerning “What If…?” Season 3. The trailer also reveals a handful of other exciting developments, such as a team-up between Howard the Duck (Seth Green) and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), the return of the white Vision from “WandaVision,” and even a journey into the MCU’s version of the Wild West. 

But easily one of the coolest features is the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers”-inspired sequence that shows Sam Wilson as Captain America uniting his own team of Avengers in a MegaZord-like giant robot to battle some of their latest enlarged opponents. Talk about a dream come true.

The trailer for “What If…?” Season 3 notes that this will be the last season — “One Last Watch,” as the tagline reads — which can only mean that the Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) and his team of multiversal Avengers are going to need all the help they can get. There’s likely so much more in store here than Marvel is willing to show us, and we can’t wait to see how it all plays out.