Welcome to our World! Where we serve you cookies to ensure you get the best viewing experience on our site.

Did you know that you can remove censorship board-wide, use our advanced search functions, be notified when new content is posted, join our memberships, set episodes to show in any order you want & more if you are logged into your account?

Register or sign in here: ucp.php?mode=register

03x03 - What If... The Red Guardian Stopped the Winter Soldier?

Episode transcripts for the TV show "What If...?". Aired: August 11, 2021 to present.*
Watch/Buy Amazon


Reimagining famous events from the films in the MC Universe.

03x03 - What If... The Red Guardian Stopped the Winter Soldier?

Post by bunniefuu »

[The Watcher] New

York, December 1991.

The night the Winter Soldier came to

assassinate Howard and Maria Stark.

But in this universe,

how could a night so pivotal

in the lives of the Avengers,

an event whose ramifications

would be felt for decades,

how could it have

gone so differently?

[The Watcher] Time.

Space.

Reality.

It's more than a linear path.

It's a prism of

endless possibility,

where a single choice can branch

out into infinite realities,

creating alternate worlds

from the ones you know.

I am the Watcher.

I am your guide through

these vast new realities.

Follow me and ponder

the question

"What if?"

[Red Guardian] You've

got to be kidding me.

You want me to go undercover

as a Data Input Manager

- in Ohio?

- Senior Data Input Manager. Eh?

Middle management

ain't too shabby.

I am the Red Guardian. I am Mother

Russia's first super-soldier.

You know my worth, my talent,

and yet you ask this of me?

It's a pretty

top-priority mission.

Horseradish! I am no fool.

I've heard the rumors.

Whispers in the halls.

The Rook has sent new intel.

I've never heard of this crook.

Rook! It's a chess piece.

Dreykov, don't play dumb with me

when I'm obviously smarter than you.

I am speaking of the Rook,

the American sleeper agent,

- has intel on a high-value target.

- [phone ringing]

Uh, General Dreykov.

Aah! Da, Karpov.

Eh, there's a mission.

I need you to defrost the

the Winter Soldier.

The Winter Soldier? That

piece of HYDRA trash!

- I appreciate it, Karpov.

- He's not even real Russian.

Hey, hey, hey. We're

all a team here. Family.

Don't be mad that your brother

has a different mission.

Celebrate him, huh?

Huh. Maybe it's time for the Red

Guardian to spread his wings.

Go somewhere that will

appreciate my skills!

Celebrate that, Dreykov!

What you're going to do, huh?

Put in an application at

S.H.I.E.L.D.? [scoffs]

Then the Red Guardian shall

demonstrate his value once again.

All right.

["Le Chemin" by Alexandrov Ensemble

& Boris Alexandrov playing]

[grumbles]

[speaking Russian]

[console beeping]

[speaking English]

Ready to comply.

[music continues]

[screams]

- [female officer] Name?

- I am Uh

- Uh, Bob Toledo.

- Business or pleasure?

Well, I come for the

pleasure of doing business.

[both laugh]

Wise guy.

[engine starts]

[accelerating]

[car, tires screeching, thuds]

- [panting, groans]

- [shield clangs]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! The mission

is to steal the fancy serum.

No witnesses.

No m*rder. The Red Guardian is

Russia's greatest super-spy.

Anyone can k*ll.

Bang-bang, easy-peasy,

but I am the night

and I am the wind.

I am here, and then

vanish without a trace.

- No witnesses.

- Yes, witnesses.

This way Stark runs back to

his capitalist pig friends

and warns them that the revolution

is coming and he wears red.

And white.

And that you were here too. Da?

- [g*nshots, ricochets]

- Hyah!

Behold my technique.

Hyah!

[laughs, groans]

[laughs, groans]

The Red

[groans]

Technique.

[thuds, vibrating]

Well, not bad.

Boom!

[screams] Biting is cheating.

[both grunting]

[sirens approaching]

[screams]

[beeping]

[radio chatter in distance]

Oh, I have one of those, too. Heavy,

though. I left it in my luggage.

- Is that the XZ-Eight?

- Ten.

- Ten?

- XZ-Ten.

What happened to the nine?

Was there a nine? I

didn't get a nine.

[Karpov] Did you

secure the package?

One out of three ain't bad.

Negative. We secured one.

No witnesses?

There were complications.

You have failed your mission, soldier.

Your team has been compromised.

- You're on your own for extraction.

- What?

- Over.

- [groans]

Typical Red Room borscht.

They say they care, but do they?

[blows raspberry]

Mission failure? I never fail.

[knocks]

[siren blaring]

Listen up.

The name is Dr. Bill Foster. I'm the

head of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science Division

which makes me the primary

on this investigation.

Who was first on the scene?

That would be me.

- Talk to me, Ranger.

- Ranger Morales, sir.

- Mm-hm.

- Howard and Maria Stark.

Concussions, lacerations, but

expected to make a full recovery.

- Great. What'd they see?

- Um, not much.

The wife was unconscious. The

husband saw two men fighting.

Best guess would have been

a carjacking gone wrong.

"Best guess"?

Ranger, in my world, we don't

get the luxury of guessing.

Yes, but that trail of

blue Cookie Monster blood

has me thinking

it's a little worse

than a couple of knuckleheads

out for a joyride.

- Mm-hm.

- What's that gunk anyway?

This gunk can change

the course of history.

- Seriously?

- Oh, yeah.

Agents and officers,

shut down the airports, train

stations, and bus stations.

I want a hard perimeter

stretching from here to Ohio.

We are dealing with genetically,

biologically, physically,

and mechanically

enhanced super-soldiers.

These men are trained to

infiltrate and destroy.

They are capable

of the unthinkable.

To face them is to face death.

A-ha!

Foisting capitalist greed

onto the working man!

I don't blame you, sister.

You've been brainwashed

by the bourgeoisie pigs

who force you into paper

hats and servitude!

Sir. All I asked was if

you wanted fries with that.

Demand a revolution!

Seize the means of production!

The nuggets of chicken

are yours for the taking!

- Alexei

- Your masters have you slinging burgers,

but when, when, when

do you get to eat?

I'm a vegetarian, fart-knocker!

Hah. Hey, Lucy, is it?

That's a pretty name.

Listen, my friend's had a rough night.

Can we get a couple sixes and two Cokes?

Sure. I'll throw in

some extra fries.

What in the pelmeni was that?

Your idiocy triggered

my deep cover mode.

Well, knock it off, Captain

Personality. You're embarrassing us.

You're going to get us caught.

[Red Guardian] Mmm.

Mwah!

I was liberating her mind.

Breaking her mental shackles.

It's what I do.

That's it. The Rook.

The secret legend who will flip the

US hegemony like a Monopoly board.

The man who will unite the

workers and reshape history.

[chuckles]

[Winter Soldier] Alexei.

The Rook will help us. Especially

when he sees we have this.

Ha-ha! Here. The most recent

communiqué has him in Last Vegas.

It's Las Vegas.

That's what I said. It's very

rude to correct my English.

Obviously, they forgot to

program any manners into you.

[slurping]

- Now, we must acquire transport.

- [rock music playing in distance]

[tires screeching]

[spits]

Lenin smiles upon us.

These fries are pretty good.

They must be made from

Russian potatoes. Ha!

Russia's the best.

Oh.

Hm.

I'll handle this one.

Relax, relax. The Red

Guardian has this.

Are you relaxing? It's

very hard to tell.

Your eyes so angry, like

Winter Fox.

Uh, ah, how can I

help you, officer?

Just a routine check-in.

Say, where are

you fellas headed?

[stuttering]

- Sister's.

- Yes, to visit our sister.

It's her birthday.

You guys are brothers?

What'd you get your

sister for her birthday?

'Cause I cannot

for the life of me

figure out what to get

my wife for Christmas.

- Sweater.

- Television.

You got her a sweater

and a television?

Wow! That's very generous.

Nice story, but where

are you really headed?

[chuckles nervously]

Step out of the vehicle

and keep your hands

- [screams]

- Whoa! Hey!

[screech]

Really? Again with the g*ns?

I had wool over his eyes.

Target spotted. In pursuit.

Exercise caution, but get them.

Get in, cowboy.

Let's go round up

some super-soldiers.

[Red Guardian] Stop with the b*ll*ts.

You should dance with your enemies.

It is like a great

ballet of violence.

[siren blaring]

No!

[indistinct]

Where did that come from? Did

you have that the whole time?

No, no, don't sh**t!

- Dance.

- Hey! Stop swerving!

I told you. Dance!

Hey! This is federal property.

Come on, man.

Dance! Dance!

- It's jammed.

- You know

what Karl Marx said

about machines?

They make men lazy.

Stop! Stop! It's over.

Surrender yourselves.

The Red Guardian

never surrenders!

Hands off!

Dance technique!

[screaming]

[Red Guardian laughs]

Winter Fox and the Red Guardian!

Sir, what are you

You're never gonna

catch them on foot.

Whoa!

Okay, sir, I see you.

Ah, impressive.

I'm sorry, farmers!

Although of all the animals

kept by this farmer,

it is the worker who is

most brutally treated!

Again with the manifesto?

You're more brainwashed than me.

Whoa! Winter Fox. We've

got a big problem.

[Goliath] Nowhere to go, baby.

Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

Why is everything

so big in America?

- [engine accelerating]

- [Red Guardian screams]

- Sorry, chickens. Sorry, cows.

- [chickens clucking, cows mooing]

[distant mooing]

Take the wheel.

Where are you? Where are Yes!

Mwah!

We've got work to do.

Technique!

The bigger they are,

the harder they fall.

Ha-ha!

This is a quality automobile,

which is a credit to the

workers' union that built it.

- Keep going?

- Why not?

I have nowhere else to be today.

They're not

Okay, these two are either the

bravest or dumbest men on the planet.

Worse. Enhanced and dumb.

[operatic chanting]

[screaming]

- [both gasp]

- [Winter Solider grunts]

[gasps]

[helicopter hovering]

[dog barks distantly]

[crickets chirping]

[Morales] Found it!

Hmm. You're still

on the case, Ranger?

The National Park Service

is a federal agency, sir.

Besides, I once wrestled

Bigfoot with my bare hands.

- What?

- Nah, it was just a mountain lion.

But the point is, these

yahoos don't scare me.

[chuckles softly]

Uh-huh? I see you.

- Is that a Thomas Guide?

- Mm.

With a page missing.

Looks like we're

going to Vegas, baby.

[siren wailing in distance]

[Red Guardian] Hah.

This This will garner me a

commendation, maybe even a medal.

Ah!

You're hurt. Why didn't

you say something?

The Winter Soldier never

complains, only complies.

Stop it. You're scaring

the kittens. Let me.

[meows]

You know, you're supposed

to catch the b*ll*ts

with your metal arm. Hm?

How'd that happen?

How did you happen?

I come from a

family of nobodies.

Good people but then I had

the chance to become somebody.

Now, I am Mother Russia's great

protector, her Red Guardian.

Pretty good for a

boy from nowhere, eh?

I'm a nobody. I can't

even remember anything.

[Red Guardian] Nothing?

Not even my name.

[Red Guardian] I

don't believe that.

Look at you. You are

strong man with big brain.

- Close your eyes.

- No.

- Close

- No.

Closey, close.

- Okay, fine.

- Now, think. Think back.

What's the first thing you see?

[Winter Soldier] I see

I see

I see Coney Island.

See! You are somebody.

You are the great

Coney Island hero.

And the Red Guardian is

proud to fight next to you.

- Thank you.

- I'm going to steal us a new ride.

Maybe something nice.

Some heated seats, yeah?

- [phone ringing]

- [sighs]

Ready to comply.

Soldier, this is

General Dreykov.

Mission orders have changed.

You're to dispose of Agent Alexei

Shostakov, the Red Guardian.

Repeat orders, sir?

Shostakov has

become a liability.

Put a b*llet in his thick

skull and get back here.

Do you copy?

Do I need to remind you that mission

failure will not be tolerated?

No, sir.

[sighs] All these lights! Who's

paying the electric bills?

The worker, that is who.

Maybe we should play

some craps later.

You know, to blend in?

Yeah, but no

all-you-can-eat buffets.

You'll put them out of business.

Ah! A smile, huh?

[speaking Russian]

[speaking English]

Here we are. [pants]

Shield, helmet. Um

[exhales] Okay.

[inhales] Now, finally

to meet the Rook.

How do I look?

You look good. Very Russian.

May Lenin smile upon us.

[The Rook] Come

on in. It's open.

Pop the cork, will ya?

I can shuck my own

Well, you're not room

service. What's going on?

Comrade Rook, I am

the Red Guardian, sir.

This is my compatriot,

the Winter Soldier.

It is our honor to meet you.

I thought he'd be taller. Did

you think that? Is that weird?

Well, what are you?

Why are you dressed

like this? Are you a

Is he gonna sh**t you out

of a cannon later or

You are the nefarious Rook who

will bring Uncle Sam to his knees.

You will ignite the revolution

that frees the proletariat.

Wait, so you two

are Rusky spies?

What are you doing

in my hotel room?

Our mission was compromised. We

require transport back to Russia.

Whoa, I am no Russian spy. I

am a hot-blooded American boy.

You are the Rook!

You strike fear into the

hearts and wallets

I feel like I'm speaking

a different language here.

Okay, okay.

Look, I traded the Russians some

information on Stark's hunky-dory serum.

A little tit-for-tat.

And in return, you two idiots

were supposed to k*ll the Starks!

Now, I was supposed to be givin'

a tear-filled eulogy

about the fool right now,

while they scrape his

name off Stark Industries.

But instead, Howard Stark's sitting

eatin' tapioca in a hospital,

and I'm talking to you, Stupid

Siegfried and Angry Roy!

What?

You are

You are capitalist pig?

Red Room work with

capitalist pig?

Red Guardian work

for capitalist pig?

Hey, listen, husky Rusky,

capitalism is the only system

that stands for a man's right to own

his work, his life, and his happiness.

Any man who thinks money is the

root of all evil is obviously poor.

Not a country on this planet

that doesn't run on greed.

Tell me something.

You think your bosses, your comrades

give two nickels about you? Hm?

About what you want from life?

No. They don't.

[chuckles] Well, you

must be the funny one.

It's just you two, right?

Only you know about

this mission failure.

It's not something

you brag about.

[grunts]

[screams]

Hm.

I think I m*rder*d that guy.

- I'm sorry.

- He was not a nice man.

He's right, though. About

the Red Room, Dreykov

Dreykov's a pig.

All of them are.

But not you. You are a good man.

- [sighs]

- [sirens approaching]

Come on. We need to go.

[thuds, grunts]

Red Room Task Force. [grunts]

You animals.

Should we take the stairs?

Window will be faster.

- Let's go.

- Scum!

Ah-ha, adventure!

The intrepids are calling!

Ya!

Opa! Opa! Ya! Ya!

So, our Russians spare

the Starks, but not baldy?

Something about this

math isn't adding up.

[distant screaming]

- [people scream]

- [Red Guardian grunts]

A-ha-ha!

[sighs]

Nice moves. Okay.

[both panting]

- [indistinct chatter]

- Whoa!

Again with the murdering.

You were doing so well.

[slot machines pinging]

- Jackpot.

- [all exclaiming]

Mine, that's mine.

Oh, brilliant.

- Uh?

- What? I'm not getting overtime for this.

I have one last chip of my own.

- [man] Hey!

- [woman] What are they doing?

Hut, hut, hut.

[pants]

- [horns honking]

- [Red Guardian] Whoa!

[Goliath] Where are you goin'?

Oh! This guy again?

[Goliath] You can't outrun me.

- I thought we were done with the big guy.

- [siren wails]

Hey!

- [grunting]

- [tires screeching]

[grunts]

- Hey!

- [Goliath] Up you go.

[groaning]

[Goliath] Hey, little man.

[screams]

[sighs in exhaustion]

[both groaning]

Defeat the capitalist giant.

Uh-oh!

[car alarms blaring]

- Technique!

- Technique!

[Red Guardian laughs]

That's how we do it in Moscow.

Thank you.

Ah. Not bad. Pretty smooth.

Is that it? Are they gone?

Not gone. Cornered.

Get the choppers over here,

and call Las Vegas SWAT to secure

the exits on that building.

I don't want a rat

to get in or out.

Get the choppers over here.

Call Las Vegas SWAT to secure

the exits on the building.

I don't want a

[panting]

We did it. I think

we lost them

[g*nf*re]

The Red Room just arrived.

Karpov can flip my

switch. I'll be gone.

I won't remember this.

[sighs]

[phone ringing]

Ready to comply?

[Karpov] You failed your mission, soldier.

Dreykov warned you what would happen.

Dreykov?

Dreykov put out a

k*ll order on you.

Uh. Oh?

You mean he told you to

Take this and run. I'll

buy you time to escape.

No. No.

They betray me, I betray them!

The Red Room has enough

soldiers. We'll fight together.

[speaking Russian]

What is happening?

He's gonna make me k*ll you,

Alexei. He can force me.

- [continues in Russian]

- [groans in pain]

[whirring]

[in Russian]

Save yourself. This is America.

Anybody can be somebody in America.

[in Russian]

I remember that, thanks to you.

But I know who I am.

I am the friend to the

great Coney Island hero.

- [in Russian]

- [groaning]

[in Russian]

On my count, gentlemen.

[in Russian]

Three.

[in Russian]

Two.

[in Russian]

One.

[in Russian]

[echoing]

[gasps]

[indistinct screaming, g*nf*re]

[The Watcher] Fighting for

survival. For acceptance.

Fighting to be somebody.

But in the end, the

fight is never the point.

It's your friendships that

change the course of history.

Even when they end.

[Dreykov] Where's Shostakov?

Where is he?

I told ya. He's dead.

I want details. I

want to see his body.

He died a Russian hero.

[speaking Russian]

[groaning, screaming]

[Bob] You're weak, children.

Blinded by American excess.

Luckily, Coach

Bob Toledo is here

to make you fighters!

[door opens]

[Foster] An agent

recovered it at the scene.

Thank you.

But are you here to arrest me?

No.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was formed

after World w*r II.

A w*r that Russia helped us win.

We won. You helped.

Well, I wanted to see

if you'd help again.

Seriously?

[chuckles]

Man

I could be persuaded to

fill out an application.

["Avengers Theme" playing]

[Red Guardian laughs] Whoa!

[music stops]

[orchestral music playing]