Marvel Studios has officially unveiled a new addition to its roster of superheroes. Kahhori, a Native American character, is set to make an appearance in the upcoming second season of the highly anticipated animated series, What If…?.
While the release of the said season on the Disney+ platform may not be imminent, fans have been kept informed through leaks, rumors, and merchandise releases. As such, there is a general understanding of what the upcoming season will entail. And thanks to Marvel Studio’s official press release, we now have a better understanding of Kahhori’s story and her part in the grander scheme of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Read the complete press release below.
Meet Kahhori, The Newest Super Hero in Marvel Studios’ ‘What If…?’
‘What If…?’ asks what would happen if the Tesseract fell to Earth and landed in the sovereign Haudenosaunee Confederacy before the colonization of America.
Marvel Studios’ animated anthology streaming series What If…? flips the script on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, reimagining famous events from the films in unexpected ways and creating a multiverse of infinite possibilities. Those possibilities continue to expand in the second season, as Marvel Studios introduces new stories, and new Super Heroes, to the MCU. We are excited to share a look at one of those new characters: the all-new Marvel Super Hero Kahhori.
What If…? asks what would happen if the Tesseract fell to Earth and landed in the sovereign Haudenosaunee Confederacy before the colonization of America.
The Tesseract takes on a new life and a new mythology, transforming a lake into a gateway to the stars and leading Kahhori, a young Mohawk woman, on a quest to discover her power.
Written by Ryan Little (What If…? ), the episode was created in close collaboration with members of the Mohawk Nation like historian Doug George and Mohawk language expert Cecelia King to ensure cultural authenticity. The episode takes place in the Mohawk language and is informed by the history of the Akwesasne region in what is now upstate New York.
Doug George is excited for viewers to see the episode. “It tells a remarkable story from a Native-Mohawk perspective which is truly unique and historical, and will give the viewers a new, challenging and entertaining perspective on this land’s first peoples. The story is dramatic, the characters fully realized, and the action sequences are breathtaking,†says George. “The episode is exceptional in another sense–it is done with the complete cooperation of the Mohawk people from dialogue to adornment.â€
Added Little, “I had a wonderful writing mentor who worked extensively with the Indigenous community in upstate New York, and I was excited to draw on that experience to build an entirely original corner of the MCU with storylines for new Indigenous heroes written from a place of respect for past generations and optimism for future ones. Kahhori, pronounced ‘KAH-HORTI,’ is a real, Wolf Clan name, meaning ‘she stirs the forest’ or is someone who motivates those around her. In her debut adventure, Kahhori will have to live up to her name to recruit powerful allies into the fight to save her people and change the course of history forever.â€
Director Bryan Andrews (What If…? ), Executive Producer A.C. Bradley (What If…? , Ms. Marvel), Story Editor Matthew Chauncey (What If…? ) and the entire production team also worked with members the Mohawk Nation to design Kahhori’s look and environment, and to help incorporate traditional Mohawk music to use in the score.
Kahhori marks a significant new edition to the pantheon of Marvel Super Heroes. Ahead of her debut on Disney+, FUNKO is celebrating Kahhori with a special glow-in-the-dark Funko Vinyl Soda that teases the new hero’s cosmic powers.
The Funko Vinyl Soda collectible will be on sale March 29, exclusively at Wal-Mart retailers.