Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Eyes of Wakanda
Marvel’s Uatu the Watcher just made his 5th MCU appearance. In Marvel’s new Eyes of Wakanda miniseries, The Watcher can be seen in the show’s final episode. However, this incredibly brief cameo with no dialogue is not the first time Uatu has been seen in the MCU’s various animated projects.
In Eyes of Wakanda, the stories of Wakanda’s secret agents known as the War Dogs are revealed throughout history. This includes an incredibly pivotal mission, one with great ramifications for Wakanda’s future. Sure enough, Uatu can be seen observing this key event, though I can’t help but wonder if The Watcher’s newest MCU appearance might be leading to something bigger.
The Watcher Makes His 5th MCU Appearance In Eyes of Wakanda
Eyes of Wakanda episode 4 takes place in both 1896 and 2396 A.D. After a familiar vibranium axe is recovered by the War Dog Kuda and Wakanda’s Prince Tafari in 1996, the last Black Panther confronts them, traveling back in time from 500 years into the future.
This future Black Panther claims that the axe must be returned so that it can end up in Erik Killmonger’s possession, as it kick-starts the chain of events that results in King T’Challa opening Wakanda to the world, sharing its technology and resources for the first time, as seen in 2018’s Black Panther.
The reason this is so important is that the MCU’s “Last Black Panther” is from a dark future timeline where Wakanda remains isolated. This resulted in the entire world falling to an invading alien horde, with Wakanda being the last nation to fall, when the entire planet being united at the onset could have made a difference.
As such, it makes sense that such a pivotal timeline-shifting moment would be worthy of The Watcher’s observation, who is briefly shown near the beginning of Eyes of Wakanda episode 4, shortly after Kuda and Tafari first retrieve the axe.
Uatu’s Other MCU Appearances Explained
Including his more predominant role in Marvel’s What If…? voiced by actor Jeffrey Wright, Uatu has been featured in every animated MCU series released thus far.
In the series of animated shorts starring Baby Groot, Uatu makes an appearance and narrates I Am Groot Season 2, Episode 5, detailing an ancient prophecy involving the adorable Guardian of the Galaxy.
Likewise, Uatu makes a brief non-dialogue cameo in X-Men ’97 episode 5, appearing unseen in the night sky above the Hellfire Gala. Tragically, Uatu’s observation is explained due to the brutal mutant massacre that takes place by the Tri-Sentinel, an attack that ended with the death of Gambit.
Uatu also makes a quick appearance in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s finale. In this alt-timeline set apart from the main MCU, Uatu observes the moment when Peter Parker truly becomes Spider-Man, shortly after Doctor Strange tells Parker that he seems ready to embrace his life as a hero (a pivotal moment worthy of cosmic observation if there ever was one).
Is This Marvel Animation’s Stan Lee Cameo Replacement (Or Something Bigger?)
It certainly seems like enough of a pattern has emerged where we can safely assume Uatu will always have some sort of appearance in the MCU’s animated projects. Even if it’s just a quick appearance sans dialogue, fans should probably keep their eyes open for The Watcher from here on out whenever a new animated show is released on Disney+.
It certainly seems as though Uatu has become this cosmic replacement for the MCU’s classic ongoing cameo appearance from the late Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee. Seeing as how Stan Lee met with a trio of Watchers in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it’s a pretty fun idea overall.
However, I’m now also wondering if perhaps something bigger is on the horizon for Uatu. After all, Marvel’s What If…? recently came to an end with its third season at the end of 2024, the MCU series where Uatu served as narrator and a full leading protagonist.
I’m very curious as to how the end of the Multiverse Saga might affect Uatu as a cosmic observer who isn’t above breaking his vows and intervening, something that was certainly proven by What If…?’s series finale. Of course, a live-action appearance from Uatu in Avengers: Secret Wars, naturally played by Jeffrey Wright, would be incredible.
That said, I do think it would be fascinating if Marvel Animation had some sort of major crossover of its own, one that ties all of its projects together before the Multiverse Saga’s end. That way, Uatu’s appearances in every MCU animated project could be more significant than simple cameos, and could instead build into something really epic.
At any rate, I’m excited to see where Uatu the Watcher shows up in this year’s Marvel Zombies, and potentially in the next seasons of X-Men ’97 and/or Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
All episodes of Marvel’s Eyes of Wakanda are now streaming on Disney+.
Eyes of Wakanda
6/10
- Release Date
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2025 – 2025
- Network
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Disney+
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Winnie Harlow
Noni (voice)
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Larry Herron
Memnon (voice)
