What Can Fans Expect From The Three 'Marvel Zombies' Halloween Specials?

The Marvel Animation series Marvel Zombies, a spin-off from the season one What If..? episode 'What If.. Zombies?!', proved popular with audiences when it arrived on Disney Plus in 2024. The series followed a group of well-known characters trying to survive in the aftermath of a zombie outbreak, while dodging the clutches of the zombie leader, the Dead Queen, aka a zombie-fied Scarlet Witch.

Since it's debut, fans have eagerly awaited news on a season two. While there's been no news on a full second season yet, the Marvel Television panel at New York City Comic-Con revealed that the Marvel Zombies universe is set to continue in the form of three Halloween specials airing over the next three years: Marvel Zombies: The Winter Soldier in 2027, Marvel Zombies: The Fist of Khonshu in 2028, and Marvel Zombies: The Last Guardian, arriving in 2029.

With the first special early in production, there was little to reveal aside from the titles, but let's look at a few theories regarding what fans can expect in the three specials.

'Marvel Zombies: The Winter Soldier'

As the title implies, the first of the Marvel Zombies specials will focus on Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier. Bucky appeared as one of the survivors in the initial 'What If..Zombies?!' episode, and is responsible for Zombie Captain America being sliced in half.

During the battle with the Zombie Scarlet Witch towards the end of the episode, Bucky is thrown far into the distance by the witch. However, important note, we do not see him actually die. Neither 'What If.. Zombies?!' or the Marvel Zombies spin-off series have been shy about killing off favourites, so Bucky's lack of a clear cut death scene feels significant. Many fans expected Bucky to appear, alive, in Marvel Zombies.

As it turned out, Bucky did not appear in Marvel Zombies. However, the brief summary of Marvel Zombies: The Winter Soldier described the special as exploring 'What Bucky's been up to', hinting that he did in fact survive his encounter with the Zombie Scarlet Witch/future Dead Queen in 'What If.. Zombies?!'. Therefore, the special will likely follow Bucky attemping to fight his way back to whatever remains of the original group, or seeking out other survivors to join up with.

'Marvel Zombies: Fist of Khonshu'

In the Marvel Universe, Khonshu is a fictional Moon God heavily inspired by Konsu, the real-life Egyptian God of the Moon. In the MCU, Khonshu chooses Marc Spector as his avatar, transforming him into the warrior Moon Knight and using him and his alternate personality, Steven Grant, to do his bidding on Earth after falling out with the Gods.

In the alternate universe of Marvel Zombies, Khonshu has instead chosen Eric Brooks, aka the Vampire/Vampire hunter Blade, as his avatar, creating a character referred to as Blade Knight for marketing and merchandise purposes. Khonshu, as a friend of the Night Traveller, instructs Blade to aid Kamala Khan in finding a way to launch a recovered transmitter into space, hopefully alerting the Nova Corps to send help for the zombie-infested Earth. Unfortunately, Blade Knight is seemingly vaporised by Zombie Thor in the Marvel Zombie finale.

With Blade dead, Khonshu will need a new Avatar, and many fans are assuming that the Marvel Zombies: Fist of Khonshu special will pick up from this point. Marc Spector has not been seen in the Marvel Zombies world so far, so it is possible the special will have Khonshu locate and choose him, a sign of some things being destined even across universes. However, taking into account the upcoming reunion of the MCU Defenders lineup in Daredevil: Born Again season three, some fans are taking the 'Fist' in the special's title as a clue, guessing that Khonshu may choose Danny Rand, aka Iron Fist, as his new avatar.

We'll probably learn more as the special approaches release in 2028.

'Marvel Zombies: The Last Guardian'

The third and currently final special, Marvel Zombies: The Last Guardian, will debut in 2029. This one has less material available with which to guess a potential plot, but the title and it's familiar font suggests the special will have something to do with the Guardians of the Galaxy.. or at least one of them.

So, who is the last Guardian? Many early guesses suggested Rocket or Groot, but if the events of the Marvel Zombies are canon to the specials, we can rule them out, as they were killed by Zombie Thanos in Thor's flashback. Considering the Marvel Zombies world has some events and timeline comparisons in common with Avengers: Infinity War, we can probably also rule out Gamora, as Zombie Thanos has all six Infinity Stones in his possession.This means that the last Guardian is either Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis, or Nebula.

We can't wait to learn more and see how these stories unfold over the next few years.

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