‘What If…?’ Season 2 Introduced Bill Foster’s Goliath to the Avengers
‘What If…?’ Season 2 kicked off, and so far, two episodes have aired. The first one showed us a glimpse of what could have been if Nebula had joined the Nova Corps and defected from the Black Order on time, and the second one showed not only what kind of danger Peter Quill could pose but also gave us a glimpse of the new alternative lineup of the Avengers. One of the new ‘What If…?’ Avengers is Bill Foster’s Goliath that we’ve already met in the MCU. So, let’s explore his character in a bit more detail.
Bill Foster was introduced in the first Ant-Man movie
While employed at S.H.I.E.L.D., Bill Foster worked with Hank Pym on Project G.O.L.I.A.T.H., where he could grow to at least twenty-one feet by using Pym Particles. A falling out with Pym led Foster to leave the project before Pym’s departure from S.H.I.E.L.D.
Years later, S.H.I.E.L.D. tasked Foster with investigating a Quantum Anomaly in Argentina. He discovered that Ava Starr, the daughter of his late friend Elihas Starr, caused the anomaly. Elihas’s work with a Quantum Tunnel resulted in his death and that of his wife, leaving Ava exposed to Quantum Energy during a tunnel overload.
Encountering the orphaned Ava in an orphanage, Foster, a friend of her father, offered her a stuffed bear as a gift. Ava struggled to control her newfound powers, but Foster helped her control them. Becoming Ava’s surrogate father, Foster vowed to find a cure for her condition. Despite his efforts, S.H.I.E.L.D. conducted tests on Ava, turning her into their lethal assassin.
Luckily, Ava was eventually saved, and even though we knew that Foster had the potential to use his Pym-particles-induced powers, he didn’t really show up anymore after his debut as Goliath; well, that is, until ‘What If…?’
Bill Foster is a member of Avengers in ‘What If…?’
In the second episode of ‘What If…?’ Season 2, Peter Quill descends to Earth and starts causing chaos. He was sent by his father Ego to detonate the celestial seedling and spread the Expansion. Realizing this Howard Stark and Peggy Carter know that they need to assemble a team of superpowered indidualvs to stop the Celestial threat, one of the first people that they called was the renowned scientist, Bill Foster better known as Goliath.
As Goliath, Foster has all the same powers and abilities as his MCU and comic counterparts. He has the ability to increase his size to incredible height and, with it, all of his physical attributes, such as strength and durability, scale with it. Goliath, like the rest of the Ant family, has a specialized suit that allows him to utilize and control his powers better.
We could see Goliath attempting to trap young Peter Quill under a metal roof, but the boy’s celestial powers proved to overwhelm him; Goliath also took part in the battle at the Mojave Desert against Ego’s Stone Men. He was successful at clearing the first few waves but was eventually overwhelmed before Peter had a change of heart and destroyed his father.
Who are the new Avengers in ‘What If…?’?
Bill Foster is not the only new Avenger; by the end of the episode, it was clear that the new lineup of Earth’s mightiest superheroes has gotten a few additions. Besides Bill Foster, fans can look forward to seeing Han Pym in his usual role as Ant-Man, T’Chaka the king of Wakanda, as Black Panther. Wendy Lawson will be filling in for Captain Marvel as Mar-Vell, Bucky Barnes joined the team as Soviet contribution as Winter Soldier, lethal assassin with the heart of stone.
Peggy Carter will be filling in for Captain America, and Thor appears soon after Peter Quill gives his electrical contribution to the team. Mar-Vell’s cat, Goose, is also present in the lineup, which feline fans of the MCU will certainly appreciate. Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!
