A part of Disney’s “Phase Four” televised serials for their streaming service, Disney+. WandaVision shares its continuity with the Marvel’s film franchise and takes place after the unfortunate events of Avengers: Endgame. WandaVision is the first miniseries released in a line of projected projects coming out.
Beware of SPOILERS!!
Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience
“We are an unusual couple, you know?”
“Oh, I don’t think that was ever in question.”
Wanda Maximoff and Vision, Ep. 1: Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience
Starting out as a black and white show, we see Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) newly married and moving into a home in the town of Westview in what looks like the 1950s. They are attempting to blend in even though Vision is an android and Wanda is telekinetic with reality-warping abilities. Wanda and Vision struggle to figure out why a date on their calendar is marked with a heart and its importance. Wanda believes it’s their anniversary, but we actually find out that Vision is supposed to have his boss, Mr. Hart (Fred Melamed) and his wife (Debra Jo Rupp) over for dinner. Wanda and Vision struggle to hide their powers as they try to make last minute dinner plans for their unexpected guests, with the help of their nosy next door neighbor, Agnes (Kathryn Hahn), dinner is set. Things become heated during the dinner as Mr. Hart and his wife grill Wanda and Vision on where they came from and what their story was. Unexpectedly, Mr. Hart chokes on food and Wanda commands Vision to help him. After dinner is wrapped up, Vision points out that they in fact have no anniversary or wedding bands, even though they seem to be obviously married. They decided that that day would be their anniversary and Wanda conjures wedding bands for the both of them. This all seems to take place on a fictional sitcom, which is evident when the “episode” comes to an end with someone writing in a note book sporting the S.W.O.R.D. insignia. “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience” is setup similarly like I Love Lucy (canned laughter and even a commercial for Stark Industries included), and we are left scratching our heads about what’s going on.
Fun Fact: Some episodes of WandaVision was indeed filmed in front of a live audience.
DOn’t Touch That Dial
Episode 2, named “Don’t Touch That Dial” seemingly now takes place sometime in the 1960s, and begins with Vision and Wanda talking in bed about odd people in Westview. Believing that the towns people were referring to them, they go to bed. The next morning Vision is practicing a magic routine for the towns talent show fundraiser. Wanda serves as his assistant, who he makes disappear, as Vision expresses his unease and worries about the routine, Wanda consoles him and explains that this is so they can fit in with their neighbors.
While Wanda heads to a committee meeting for the fundraiser, Vision goes to another meeting for the town watch at the library. Wanda doesn’t make it far after hearing a crash in their front yard. Upon investigating, she spots a toy helicopter, but something is “wrong” with it. Instead of being black and white like the rest of the world, it’s in color.
Agnes startles her, and they end up going to the meeting together. Agnes warns her about Dottie Jones (Emma Caulfield Ford), who is the head of the committee, can make her life within the town much easier. At the meeting, we see how demanding Dottie is and meet Geraldine (Teyonah Parris), who says that she has no idea why she’s at the meeting, and Wanda concurs, as she is feeling just as out of place.
Meanwhile, Vision is at the library for the town watch meeting. They wish to exclude Vision, siting that it’s a members only meeting. However, he ends up hanging around nonetheless and asking a slew of questions about the town watch’s policies. They offer him food, but he quickly refuses, saying that he doesn’t eat food. Catching his mistake, he attempts to cover this slip of the tongue and is instead offered a piece of gum. Rather awkwardly, he chews the gum when one of the other attendees pats his back causing him to accidently to swallow the gum which wreaks havoc on his inner mechanical workings.
Back at the committee fundraiser meeting, things aren’t going much better. They are cleaning up after the meeting, and Wanda is trying to get on the good side of Dottie. Dottie says that she has heard things about Wanda and Vision, and before she could explain what that was, a garbled voice can be heard coming through the radio sitting nearby. The voice askes, “Wanda? Can you hear me? Who is doing this to you, Wanda?” however, the radio short circuits cutting the transmission, a glass, which Dottie was holding also shatters, cutting Dottie’s hand. Once again, it’s “wrong,” instead of being black and white, the blood is visibly red. Seemingly unfazed, Dottie jokes about getting blood stains out of white linen and walks away.
At the fundraiser, Wanda begins to panic backstage at the talent show waiting for Vision. When he finally does show up, he staggers backstage, almost as if he’s drunk. Wanda goes out onto the main stage to introduce Vision, who continues to stumble and stagger. As he bumbles his way through the magic routine, he ends up using his abilities to the dismay of Wanda. Quickly trying to contain the chaos, Wanda using her own powers so that explanations could be practical and likely to answer any questions that their audience might have. During the finale, they make Geraldine appear in the cabinet, which was originally supposed to make Wanda disappear. Poor Geraldine is obviously confused, but the audience is ecstatic. When they return backstage after their routine, Wanda finds out that Vision has gum clogging up his gears and she corrects the problem. Now sober, Vision and Wanda try to make their escape, but are stopped by Dottie and are actually awarded Best Comedy Performance.
Back home, they celebrate their performance. When Wanda walks to the kitchen, she is called back, upon turning around it is revealed that she’s pregnant. They hear a sound outside their home, and go out to investigate. A man in a beekeeper suit and surrounded by bees exits the manhole. Wanda appearing angry at the appearance of this unknown man, utters “no,” and the scene is rewound to the point where they find out that their pregnant. Wanda asks if this is really happening, in which Vision responds that it is. The scene becomes colorized, and as the scene comes to an end the voice from the radio is overheard again, repeating the phrase, “Who is doing this to you, Wanda?“
Now in Color
With another time jump, we enter the 1970s and WandaVision is “Now in Color.” They get in contact with OB/GYN Dr. Stan Nielsen (Randy Oglesby) so a panicked Vision can ask unusual questions surrounding the pregnancy. Confused by the oddness around the questions, Dr. Nielsen concludes that Wanda is approximately four months pregnant, but in reality it has only been twelve hours.
Vision walks Dr. Nielsen out, and requests that he keep Wanda’s pregnancy a secret. Agreeing to this, Dr. Nielsen leaves and Vision spots Herb (David Payton) and Agnes hanging out nearby talking. However, something strange is happening, Herb is trying to cut his concrete wall with garden trimmers. Vision point it out, and Herb simply thanks him but continues to cut his wall with the impractical trimmers.
When Vision heads back inside, he tells Wanda what Herb was doing only to find that Wanda’s stomach is even bigger now. Later in the day, Wanda starts preparing the nursery for the impending arrival of a baby when she starts to feel kicking. This causes her to accidentally use her powers to bring some paper butterflies to life. Surprised by this, she comments that she didn’t do any of this on purpose. They continue with their conversation and land on the topic of baby names. Vision wants the name Billy for a boy, while Wanda is settled on the name Tommy. Playfully, they banter about the names for their future child. Vision does the math to figure out the due date for Wanda, and he says at the current rate the pregnancy was progressing, she should be due in about three days.
Still preparing for the arrival of their child, Vision practices changing a diaper on an baby doll while Wanda times him. Their preparations are interrupted by Wanda experiencing false labor, unfortunately, this causes her to lose control of her powers again and all of their appliances go haywire. They end up losing power, but Vision learns that not only did they lose power but so did the entire block. Wanda points out that if this is happening with false labor, what’s going to happen when the she really goes into labor? She continues to share her concerns about the neighbors finding out about them and Vision says that something is really wrong with everything. The scene rewinds, and instead of Vision expressing something is wrong, he simply comforts Wanda. As they begin to relax, Wanda once again experiences some labor pains, only this time it’s the real deal. They try to work through it with breathing exercises which was supposed to calm Wanda, but ends up calming Vision instead. Everything is ok until it begins to rain inside their house, hiding under a table they wait it out. Wanda uses her powers to dry everything off while Vision uses his superspeed to go get the doctor.
As Wanda concentrates on her growing labor, she hears an odd sound coming from the nursery. Going to investigate, she is startled by someone knocking at the door. Trying to keep her unusual pregnancy under wraps, she hides her tummy with a huge jacket before answering the door for Geraldine. She has come for the aide of Wanda because a pipe had burst in her home and she wanted to borrow a bucket. Agreeing to help Geraldine, Wanda goes to grab a bucket, only to have several more contractions, and with each one her jacket changes. Unaware of the craziness that’s currently happening, Geraldine begins to tell a story about her work as an actual stork that was painted earlier in the nursery, has come to life and is walking about the living room. Wanda works hard to get rid of her neighbor when she realizes that the stork is seemingly immune to Wanda’s powers. When Geraldine enters the nursery, she realizes that Wanda is pregnant as she goes into full-blown labor. Meanwhile, Vision is at the doctor’s house, grabs him and speeds back home.
Geraldine assists Wanda during her labor and notices that the house is on the fritz. She consoles herself, explaining away the craziness with a logical explanation. Geraldine is able to deliver Wanda’s baby boy and hands him over to Wanda just as Vision and Dr. Nelson arrive. With Geraldine and Dr. Nielsen in a separate room, Wanda hands Vision Tommy as Vision transform into his android self. At this lovely moment, Wanda begins experiencing labor pains again and delivers a second son, Billy.
After all the excitement, the four adults are in the living room with Vision and Dr. Nelson holding Tommy and Billy. Vision once again escorts Dr. Nielsen out, who mentions that his planned vacation was probably not going to happen because “small towns are hard to escape.” Puzzled, Vision sees Herb and Agnes once again near his yard gossiping. Curious, he asks what they’re talking about. Agnes begins gossiping about Geraldine and how she’s new to town with no family, husband, or home. Vision clearly finds this information confusing.
Inside, Wanda reveals to Geraldine that she is also a twin. This causes Wanda to be overcome with emotion at the mention of Pietro Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), before singing a Sokovian lullaby to her newborns. Visibly confused, Geraldine reminds Wanda that Pietro was killed by Ultron in the Battle of Sokovia. This remark catches Wanda off guard, and she quickly grows angry and confrontational. Wanda demands that Geraldine repeat what she had just said, and Geraldine avoids the question by offering to take a shift to look after the babies. However, Wanda isn’t having it and see that Geraldine is wearing a S.W.O.R.D. necklace, becoming more demanding Wanda continues to ask who Geraldine is and the symbol on her necklace.
Vision heads back inside after an odd encounter with Agnes and Herb about Geraldine outside. When he heads inside, he asks about Geraldine and Wanda, eerily nonchalant, explains that she had to rush home.
However, after an odd cut between Geraldine leaving and Vision coming back inside, we find ourselves looking at Geraldine surrounded by agents and a helicopter.
We Interrupt This Program
We leave WandaVision behind and are introduced to Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) post Thanos’ Snap and being reconstituted in a hospital. The hospital is in chaos, nurses and doctors running about as people return causing the hospital to be in a frenzy. Monica tries to piece together what happened and asks a doctor about her mother, Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch). She believes that her mother is recovering from surgery, however, the doctor informs Monica that her mother died from cancer three years ago, which is two years after Monica disappeared from the snap.
Monica finds herself at S.W.O.R.D. Headquarters trying unsuccessfully to use her ID badge to enter a door. A security guard begins to question her when he is interrupted by Director Hayward (Josh Stamberg), he corrects her and says that he is just the “Acting Director.” Hayward also spends sometime informing Monica on everything she’s missed during the five years she missed because of the snap. Monica though is specifically interested in the space program, but Hayward shuts her down, saying that S.W.O.R.D. has moved on to robotics, nanotech and other sentient weapons. She objects to this, reminding Hayward that the O and R in S.W.O.R.D. means observe and report. Hayward comments on the fact that space is full of unknown threats, referring to Thanos, but Monica mentions that their has always been threats in space but also allies, referring more specifically to the Kree and Skrulls (from Captain Marvel). When they arrive at Hayward’s office, he comments that she should have been named as Maria’s replacement after she died. Pointing out that S.W.O.R.D. was built from the ground up by Maria herself, however, Monica mentions offhandedly almost that Hayward was the logical choice and they move on to Monica’s assignment. The FBI needs help on a missing persons case, but Monica balks at this assignment, insisting that she ready to get back to work. But Hayward is hearing none of it, and says that she’s been “grounded” for the time being per her mother’s protocol. Monica accepts this mission reluctantly.
We find ourselves in New Jersey outside Westview. Monica meets up with FBI Agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), he explains that their is a weird circumstance surrounding this case, as their missing persons was actually in witness protection. However, now all of his friends, family and known associates have never heard of him. Agent Woo introduces Monica to the local Sheriff, who adamantly claims that the town of Westview doesn’t exist. While they are all standing in front of a billboard saying Welcome to Westview.
Agent Woo and Monica both quickly realize that they are not just simply dealing with a missing person, but in fact a missing town. Monica asks Woo why he hasn’t gone in to investigate, and he states that there is some kind of force field surrounding the entirety of the town and it doesn’t want Woo to go through. Monica takes out a S.W.O.R.D. drone and flies it toward to town and why don’t they have the same forgetfulness as the Sheriff does in regards to the town. It seems that anyone with a personal connection to the town seems to forget about the people and the town completely. Monica gets interference from the drone, and realizes that it has disappeared. It had vanished behind the barrier. Monica gets a closer look at the barrier and reaches out to touch, only to be pulled through the barrier.
About 24 hours later we see Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), who as since received her PhD since her days with Jane Foster in the Thor/Avenger movies. She’s being transported in the back of a truck with several other scientist who specialize in different fields. Darcy figures out that S.W.O.R.D. has no idea what they’re dealing with, or what kind of threat this might present. They all arrive at the S.W.O.R.D. Response Base, which is just outside Westview, she watches as a drone flies to the barrier and disappears. Darcy quickly finds radiation and other readings that are originating from the barrier and town. She plugs in her equipment and is able to receive images from Westview, this prompted her to ask for an old T.V. from the S.W.O.R.D. agents.
An agent suits up in a hazmat suit and proceeds to step down in the sewers, Hayward explains to that it’ll lead them into the town. Woo is not happy about this, he’s concerned that the barrier maybe even in the sewers, and that they simply don’t know enough about the field surrounding the town. That it’s reckless to send in another agent when Monica hasn’t returned yet after she disappeared into the town. Hayward wants a visual of the town and his agents inside when they hear laughter from inside one of the tents. Upon investigating, they find Darcy with an old T.V. seemingly watching an old sitcom. Woo asks who’s on screen, and Darcy replies that “it looks like her.” Darcy questions whether or not Vision was supposed to be dead (Vision technically died in Avengers: Infinity War), and Hayward questions where the signal is coming from. Darcy says that it’s coming from inside the town. and Woo asks if the universe created a sitcom starring two Avengers, but all Darcy can confirm is that the signal is coming from inside the barrier. Hayward orders that all footage be reviewed and analyzed.
Woo starts putting a board together for all the information to be gathered about the citizens/agents and other persons of interest inside. They can confirm the identity of Wanda and Vision and subsequently places their photos on the board. Woo mentions in his notes the recurring presences of hexagons and adds later: Why sitcoms? Is Vision alive?
One by one, they are able to identify the town’s people, such as Mr. Hart, Vision’s boss, who is revealed to be Todd Davis. They continue to analyze the television shows when Darcy notices Monica sitting on a bench during a scene. Darcy gets an idea, and tells Woo that she might be able to bounce a signal to the radio on Wanda’s table and speak with her. Another agent then brings Woo an image of the drone that’s now a helicopter and in color. They have no real answers to these evident changes.
Woo and Darcy do end up trying to reach Wanda when she’s at the committee fundraiser meeting and Darcy comments that Monica has a “speaking part” now. They use the opportunity to reach Wanda with the radio but both are disappointed when the sitcom simply jumps to another part. Unknown to them that Wanda had altered that point in the show. Woo and Darcy unfortunately believe that their equipment malfunctioned.
Somewhere else, the suited-up agent that went down into the sewer has been transformed into a beekeeper and the tether snapped before transforming to a jumping rope.
Meanwhile, Darcy and Woo continue to observe the sitcom, questioning why each episode seems to jump a decade. They hear Geraldine mention Ultron, and Woo asks if that’s the first time something or someone was referenced from their reality, and Darcy confirms. They witness Wanda’s realization that Geraldine isn’t who she that she was before the sitcom simply jumps to the end credits with no sign of Geraldine. Just then the alarm begins blaring on the base.
Inside WandaVision, Wanda questions Geraldine about how she is aware of Ultron, and who she is. Geraldine stands by the answer that she’s simply Wanda’s neighbor and friend. Wanda isn’t satisfied with that answer, and casts Geraldine out of Westview.
Wanda begins to slowly realize what’s happening around her, but chooses to ignore the obvious signs and even goes as far as “editing” them out of the sitcom. Anything that isn’t right for her, or even “off-script” she rewinds the sitcom up to the point where everything goes wrong for a do-over. She looks at her children, Billy and Tommy as Vision comes back inside, and asks “Where is Geraldine?” We see agents rush to Monica’s side as Wanda answers Vision’s question, telling him that she had to rush home. While this isn’t the first time we see mishaps and skips in this near perfectly crafted bubble of WandaVision, this is one of the first times where we see reality seeping through. Specifically, when Wanda sees a dead Vision.
Wanda and Vision have a sweet moment, where Vision says that they can go wherever they want, but Wanda says “No, we can’t.”
Outside WandaVision, medics are taking care of Monica after being thrown out of Westview. She keeps repeating that it’s all Wanda. We see Wanda and Vision sit down in front of their T.V. with their children and the show ends.
On a Very Special Episode…
With another decade jump, we find ourselves in the 80s. Wanda and Vision are struggling to get the twins to sleep, Wanda even tries to use magic on them, only for it fail. Just as they express that they both need help, Agnes appears, almost catching Vision in his true form. She explains that she heard the babies crying and wanted to offer some help, but Vision is suspicious of this. She offers again, at which Vision declines, which confuses Agnes, and she asks Wanda if she wants her to “take it from the top.” Now both Wanda and Vision are confused and Agnes asks again, almost like they’re actors recording. Wanda quickly puts an end to the break in character and allows Agnes to help her with the babies. Vision is disturbed by what he just witnessed, but Wanda assures him that everything is fine.
The twins stop crying, which catches the attention of all three of them. However, the babies are missing from their cribs, as Wanda and Vision are questioning what is happening, a voice calls for them and standing behind them are their boys, now five years old. Agnes just remarks on how fast kids grow up.
Outside Westview, Monica is being evaluated and questioned about her experience inside what is now being called the Westview or Maximoff Anomaly. Monica describes the experience as a “pain” and she could feel Wanda’s voice in her head. She continues by saying that their was another feeling, a hopelessness, which later she described the feeling further as “grief.” As Monica is undergoing a brain scan, Woo and Darcy inform Monica that a briefing was taking place in ten minutes. Darcy points out that Monica’s scan are blank, and a doctor asks Monica for more blood, but Monica is done with the testing and begins to dress for the briefing.
During the briefing, Hayward classifies Wanda as the “principal victimizer.” Woo defends Wanda when Hayward only points out her destructive tendencies, and provides a history of Wanda as an Avenger. Hayward labels Wanda as a terrorist, but Monica defends Wanda. He’s quick to use Monica’s description of her experience back at her, but Monica also says that she only survived everything because of Wanda. In order to sway the agents to his side, Hayward shares previously classified footage of Wanda breaking into a S.W.O.R.D. facility where Vision’s body was being held. He explains that approximately nine days prior to this briefing, Wanda infiltrated the facility, stole Vision’s body and resurrected him. Woo points out that because Wanda stormed the S.W.O.R.D. facility that she was in breach of the Sokovia Accords, Hayward informed them further that she also breached Vision’s living will. Vision didn’t was want to be anybody’s weapon and his will echoed that. Woo asks how she even managed to bring Vision back to life, and Darcy wondered what would happen if Vision learned the truth.
Inside WandaVision, the twins are hiding something from their parents, Wanda discovers that Billy and Tommy found a dog and snuck him inside without asking for permission. Vision comes home and remains in disguise, Wanda asks why he’s still in his human form and Vision says he has a feeling that someone might be popping by. Right on cue, Agnes comes through the back door with a dog house, which adds to Vision’s suspicions. Agnes if they’ve picked a name out for the dog, and the dog somehow short circuits an outlet, thus the name Sparky was given to him. Wanda magically creates a collar for Sparky and causes Vision to freak out because she made no effort to conceal her abilities from Agnes who is still within the room. Wanda tells him that she’s tired of hiding her powers and tells him that he shouldn’t hide too. This prompts Vision to ask Wanda what she might be hiding from him, they’re conveniently interrupted by Billy who is asking again if they can keep Sparky. Wanda and Vision remarked that they are not ready for a puppy, and wouldn’t be until the kids were at least ten years old. With a knowing look between the boys, they age themselves up magically, despite the objections from their parents.
Darcy refers to the sitcom-verse and the barrier as “The Hex,” because of the recurring presence of hexagons, which was noted on their info white board. Woo asks about the twins, and if they’ve been identified yet, but Monica says that everything that’s happening with The Hex is real and the twins are indeed Wanda’s children. Darcy and Woo point out that Wanda’s powers usually revolve around illusions, that creating something real and creating matter would typically be far beyond what Wanda’s capable of. Monica also points out that Wanda held her own and displayed some serious power when she went toe-to-toe with Thanos, which Woo responded that Captain Marvel nearly did the same, which caused Monica to pause briefly. Darcy asked Monica if Captain Marvel received her abilities from an Infinity Stone, but Monica cuts that conversation short saying that she wasn’t going to talk about Captain Marvel.
Monica notices images of the drone they sent into the Hex earlier, and asks to be shown to the lab. There, she finds the 70s style clothing she was found in when she was thrown out of Westview. Darcy and Woo asks if they’re being mind controlled to see the clothing, but Monica assures them what they’re seeing is real. Grabbing Woo’s gun, she shoots the outfits and the bullets bounce off, leaving them untouched. Monica tells them that she was wearing a Kevlar vest when she entered The Hex, which leads to them concluding that Wanda isn’t creating illusions, instead she’s rewriting reality to fit her narrative and the current aesthetic theme.
At Vision’s job, Vision tries teaching Norm (Asif Ali) how to use the internet when the entire office gets an e-mail from S.W.O.R.D. and everyone in the office begins reading it at once. The e-mail is from Darcy, asking for advice regarding the perimeter around Westview and that radiation has been found. The office believes its a joke, and Norm tells him to write something back because he’s the “office’s funny man,” and that “none of it is real.” He shuts the computer off with his abilities and alters Norm’s mind. The person playing Norm pleads with Vision and to get “her” to stop. He becomes frantic and begins yelling at Vision to get her to stop, and Vision turns Norm back into his sitcom self.
Back home, Wanda and the boys are playing with Sparky. The boys ask where Vision is and Wanda lets them know that he’s at work. The twins begin debating on what day it is because they believe it’s Saturday, but Wanda assures them it’s Monday. Not listening to Wanda, she then comes up with Vision having a work emergency and needing a break. The twins sadly ask if Vision needed a break from them specifically, but Wanda comforts them, telling them that that isn’t the case. The twins ask Wanda if she has a brother, and she lets them know that she does, but he is “far away from here.” Their talk is interrupted when Sparky starts barking at the door, Wanda goes outside to investigate and allowing Sparky to run around outside.
A 90s era drone is flying over Westview, and Hayward is able to get a visual of Wanda. Woo points out that the drone is out of frame, but Darcy says that Wanda is controlling the shot. Monica tries to communicate with Wanda, but instead Wanda is angry at the invasion. Monica says that her controls aren’t working, only for us to find out that Hayward is piggy-backing and has another agent controlling the drone. He orders an agent to fire a missile at Wanda and the feed is lost. Angry, Monica stands to question Hayward and his actions.
They are interrupted by an alarm, and a nearby agent explains that The Hex has been breached again. Everyone rushes to the boarder to see Wanda coming out of Westview dragging the destroyed drone. Wanda gives S.W.O.R.D. a warning to stay out of her home and to leave her alone. She tells them that she won’t bother them if they don’t bother her, but Hayward mentions that she has an entire town hostage. Monica approaches and Wanda turns defensive, threatening to use her powers against Monica. However, Monica tries to get through to her that she isn’t a threat and is actually an ally and only wants to help. Wanda wants to know how Monica can help her, not fast enough in her answer, Wanda angrily says that she has everything she wants and goes back into Westview. As she re-enters, The Hex goes from semi-transparent to glitching and red.
As if nothing happened, Wanda and the boy search for Sparky only to find Agnes holding him and wrapped up in a blanket. She explains to the boys that she found him in the azaleas and couldn’t stop him (fyi, azaleas are poisonous to dogs). They argue whether not Wanda should use her powers to “fix the dead.” Agnes, who is shocked, asked if Wanda can actually revive the dead. Wanda uses this to teach her boys a lesson about the rules of life, explaining that they can’t reverse death, no matter how sad it makes them. Maybe use your own advice, Wanda?
After comforting the boys, Vision confronts Wanda about what happened with Norm. He tells her about the pain, loss and desperation that Norm was feeling and shrugs off any attempt at a distraction, plainly telling her she cannot control him. Angrily, she snaps back with, “Can’t I?” Wanda tries to leave and attempts to end the conversation by literally rolling the credits, but Vision refuses to let the argument go. Going as far as questioning what’s outside Westview. Things get pretty heated, and they both get into battle stances and hover above the ground.
The argument is effectively cut short when someone rings the doorbell. Wanda answers and appears to be shocked. At the base, Darcy is watching the latest broadcast as Vision questions who is at the door. A stunned Darcy remarks at how Wanda re-casted Pietro (Evan Peters), who shares an emotional moment with Wanda before ending the episode.
All-New Halloween Spooktacular!
New episode, new era and this time we’re in the 90s to early 2000s. Halloween has come to Westview and the Maximoff’s are prepping their costumes for the night. Their is still a tangible rift between Wanda and Vision, and Vision ends up going on his own to attend the neighborhood watch, leaving Peter…oops sorry, Pietro and Wanda to look after the boys.
Back at the Response Base, Monica is absolutely livid at Hayward for ordering an execution for Wanda. Darcy on the other hand teases Hayward for almost being killed by his own men (because Wanda controlled them to aim at Hayward). This leads to Hayward questioning Darcy about who she truly works for, in which Monica vouches for her. Woo even gets into it with Hayward, saying that he shouldn’t get into a war he cannot win. However, Hayward is convinced that killing Wanda is the only course of action but Monica is afraid that this might cause some repercussions and they should convince Wanda to drop the barrier instead. Hayward believes that Monica can’t be objective considering her history with Captain Marvel and orders the removal of Woo, Darcy and Monica from the base. However, they are able to sneak away when Woo and Monica overpower their escorts.
The twins use Pietro’s superspeed to steal candy from everyone and smash pumpkins without being seen except by Wanda. Wanda spots Herb and asks about Vision, but he hasn’t seen him. Vision on the other hand, has wondered into a part of Westview where things seem off. There’s a woman repeatedly placing Halloween lights up with a tear streaming down her face.
After the candy stealing antics, the boys get a lecture from Wanda and ordered to return the candy back. Tommy finds out that he has the same powers as Pietro.
Back at base, Woo, Darcy and Monica find out that Hayward to tracking Vision through vibranium decay. Monica tells Woo and Darcy that she will be re-entering The Hex in the next hour. Darcy tries talking Monica out of it because no one has re-entered The Hex and she is risking re-writing her DNA. But Monica remains firm about re-entering The Hex, determined to help Wanda. Woo ends up accompanying Monica, while Darcy stays behind to breach the remaining firewalls, in which she finds a file labeled “Cataract,” and e-mails it to Woo.
We go back to Wanda who is having a serious conversation with Pietro. He reveals that he knows that she’s controlling the town and she needs to open up. She tells him that she has been feeling alone and hopeless. Facing him, she’s terrified to find a bullet pierced Pietro for a split second before turning back to normal.
Vision is still in an eerie part of Westview, eerie even for Halloween. He encountered a stuck Agnes, and reverts her to pre-sitcom Agnes. She recognizes the Avenger, but Vision doesn’t know what an Avenger is, he is also told that he’s dead. Agnes claims that “all is lost” before laughing manically and Vision turning her back and she drives away.
After his encounter with Agnes, Vision becomes more and more determined to cross the perimeter into the real world. As he approaches the edge of town, Hayward orders his troops to the perimeter and Darcy joins them. They watch in horror as Vision begins to push himself through the barrier and begins to immediately decay. Darcy tries to help Vision, but Hayward has her handcuffed to a car. Billy, who is trying out his new found powers, hears Visions screams and tells Wanda. Billy also tells Wanda that Vision is surrounded by soldiers and that he maybe dying.
Freezing everything, Wanda expands The Hex, and overtakes the S.W.O.R.D. base and personnel. She transforms the base into a carnival, and is able to save Vision. Hayward and his men flee from the expanding perimeter but leave Darcy behind who is also taken by The Hex. Woo and Monica have escaped the expansion, having left earlier to meet a contact so that Monica can re-enter The Hex. Meanwhile, Hayward reaches out for assistance.
Fun Fact: Wanda, Vision, Billy, Tommy, and Pietro (Peter) are dressed in classic versions of their comic-book costumes.
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Wanda wakes up in bed without Vision by her side. Still in her Halloween costume and feeling guilty for her anger, she decides to go on a “quarantine-style staycation.” Billy and Tommy are complaining that their game controller are constantly changes from Wii, Game Cube, Atari and even turning into Uno cards. That’s not the only thing that’s changes either, the milk changes too, cycling through the time periods that WandaVision has gone through like the game controllers. Billy and Tommy asks what Pietro meant by mentioning Vision’s death, but Wanda simply disowns him and that he isn’t their relative.
Vision is waking up in the middle of the field having been put back into The Hex. He quickly recognizes Darcy and Vision awakens her true self. They highjack a nearby vehicle and escape the traveling circus.
Outside of Westview, Hayward is assembling a retreat with his remaining units. Nearby, Monica and Woo receive the e-mail that Darcy sent that about Cataract, which reveals that Hayward was unsuccessfully trying to bring Vision back. Once again, breaching Vision’s living will. They meet with Major Aly Goodner (Rachael Thompson), who is delivering S.W.O.R.D.’s most heavily armored space rover, which they theorize will be able to breach The Hex in safety.
Alone, Wanda begins to notice more and more objects and furniture jumping between time periods. She confesses that she has no idea how to fix things. At Agnes’ house, Billy points out how unusually quiet Agnes is on the inside, apparently having inherited his mother’s gifts. Tommy asks if their mother will be ok, and Agnes attempts to comfort the boys.
Monica prepares to re-enter The Hex, as the vehicle collides with the barrier, they realize the the force field is matching the density of the rover. Becoming useless, Monica abandons the rover before the vehicle can be re-written and decides to breach the barrier herself. Pushing herself through, she is bombarded by severe resistance of the barrier, she is also confronted with voices of her past sitcom-self. With one final push, she is able to emerge from the barrier with radiation drastically changing her DNA.
Darcy explains Vision’s past life to him, from his time with Tony Stark as his AI assistant J.A.R.V.I.S., to his birth as Ultron’s creation as well as his death at the hands of Thanos. But Vision remembers none of this. He begins to wonder how he can still exist and his reason, but Darcy assures, after watching WandaVision the sitcom, that Wanda and Vision are meant to be together. Darcy and Vision begin heading back into Westview, but are obstructed by a road crew and children walking across the road. Patience wearing thin, Vision decides to phase through the van and fly home.
Monica has found herself at Wanda’s and attempts to warn her about Hayward’s plans. At the mention of Hayward, Wanda angrily confronts Monica. Their fight spills into the street and Monica unsuccessfully tries to get Wanda to let go of her past. Siting her own grief of losing her mother, Maria, she hopes that her telling Wanda this will hopefully bring her around. However, Agnes comes out and escorts Wanda away, saying to Monica that she’s overstayed her welcome.
Wanda realizes that Agnes’ home is off. Their is a children’s program playing on the T.V., unfinished sandwiches on the counter, bug crawling on the curtains, and a bunny chewing on some paper bedding. Wanda asks Agnes where her children are, in which she is told that they’re in the basement.
Wanda goes down to the basement which is not in fact a basement, but a gothic lair. Agnes reveals herself as a witch, whose name is actually Agatha Harkness. Agatha uses her magic to enthrall Wanda, which makes her see visions of Agatha messing with Westview and its town’s people. including killing Sparky, sending Pietro to her, and the manipulation of the talent show. The kicker, she shows these visions in the theme of a music video-esqe style with the song “Agatha All Along.”
An ad starts playing for Nexus antidepressants, in mid-credits we see Monica snooping around Agatha’s house and finds an entrance to the basement’s lair, only to be caught by Pietro.
Previously On
It’s been fun playing pretend for a while, hasn’t it, Wanda? But it’s time to look at some real reruns.
Agatha (Agnes) Harkness
We watch as Agatha Harkness is being placed on trial during 1693 Salem Witch Trials, but she isn’t on trial for being a witch. Instead her coven has placed her trial for using dark magic. Bound to a stake, she claims to her mother and coven leader, Evanora (Kate Forbes), that she has no control over her magic and hasn’t broken any of their rules. However, the coven doesn’t believe her and proceeds with an execution, but Agatha absorbs their powers using dark magic and kills her executioners. Evanora takes it upon herself to try to kill Agatha herself, but fails and is also killed by Agatha.
In present day, Wanda is trying to attack Agatha, only to have her attempts thwarted by runes placed in the basement. Agatha taunts Wanda with opening up to the fake Pietro and comments on the fact she couldn’t get the real Pietro because he died on another continent. She is fascinated with Wanda’s powers and the Maximoff Anomaly. Thousands of spells casted simultaneously, spanning miles and even going beyond the limits of Westview. Agatha wants to know where she got these powers and their origins.
We are transported into Wanda’s memories, starting at her early childhood in Sokovia. We meet her parents Olek and Iryna Maximoff (Daniyar and Ilana Kohanchi) have a luggage size collection of television classics, with the intent of selling them. However, it’s revealed that their is a hidden compartment behind the wall filled with more DVDs, including Wanda’s favorite, The Dick Van Dyke Show. Their is gunfire, as Iryna glances out the window to the war-torn streets as they sit down to watch T.V. As they are watching, a bomb explodes and the building crumbles around them. Another bombs tears through the house as Wanda and Pietro hide under a table, their parents dead, and they stare at an unexploded bomb in their living room with Stark Industries written on the side of it. They are stuck under the table for a full two days waiting for the bomb to explode. Wanda believed that the bomb was defective, but Agatha thinks that Wanda’s had abilities since birth and saved her and her brother.
Still determined to find the origins of Wanda’s powers, they find themselves at the HYDRA base when Pietro and Wanda were experimented on with one of the Infinity Stones, the Mind Stone. Although there had been no survivors with HYDRA experimenting with the Mind Stone, Wanda still volunteered as a test subject. During the test, the Mind Stone detects Wanda’s presence and explodes, turning from blue to yellow, and shows Wanda a vision within the stone. While reviewing the footage for the experiment, there is a jump-cut within the feed which omits the explosion and the Mind Stone enhances Wanda’s natural abilities as well as giving her powers to re-write reality.
Agatha transports them to the New Avengers Facility, the very first home Wanda and Vision shared. Once again, Wanda is watching sitcoms on T.V. and Vision encourages her to open up about her traumatic past. We learn how deeply ingrained her grief and trauma is and that it always seems to find its way into her conscious, no matter how deeply she buries it. Vision shares because he’s an AI he doesn’t grasp emotions such as loss, grief, or sorrow, and nor does he share any familial connections. With this share of experience of isolation and grief, they are able to bond emotionally.
With Vision’s death, Agatha comments that she now has no one in her life. That she is alone in the world, and that that was her first thought after his death. It’s what drove her to break into the S.W.O.R.D. Headquarters, and demanding to see Vision’s body, stating that at the very least he deserved a funeral or service. She meets Director Hayward, who escorts her to an operating theater. On the table and being disassembled, was Vision, horrified at what she as seeing, Hayward explains that S.W.O.R.D. has an legal and ethical obligation and the value of vibranium to disassemble Vision, making Vision S.W.O.R.D. property and making Wanda unable to retrieve the remains for burial. Devastated at this fact, she shatters the glass separating her and the theater, she flies down to inspect Vision. Hayward tells the guards to stand down to allow Wanda that moment. She tries to sense Vision, but can’t, knowing that he’s truly gone, she leaves without any incident (FYI, this is opposite of what Hayward told people during the briefing in which he said that she stole Vision’s body to resurrect him).
After leaving S.W.O.R.D Headquarters, Wanda drives to Westview to an empty lot that Vision purchased. He had prepared to spend the rest of their lives together with the purchase and making of plans for a home placed on the lot. She opens a deed to the house that contains the plans and a handwritten note from Vision, “To grow old in. V” that had been written in red ink with a heart around it. Overcome with emotions after burying the experience deep, in pain, grief, sorrow and hopelessness, a wave of red energy cascades out of her body, which constructs a house on the empty lot. Another explosion of energy converts Westview into the 1950s time period, enthralling the town’s people, erects the barrier around town, and reconstructs a new Vision out of thin air.
Wanda finds herself on a television studio set, with Agatha sitting in the audience gallery, clapping. Agatha vanishes into thin air and we hear Tommy and Billy screaming for help. On the street, Agatha has the boys as hostages. Now having the knowledge of the powers and abilities that Wanda has, Agatha scolds Wanda for using her abilities with understanding the dangers or how dangerous it was to do what she did. She calls Wanda’s magic, Chaos Magic, and her psionic abilities might make her the mythical “Scarlet Witch.”
As the mid-credits roll, it’s revealed that Hayward used a sample of Wanda’s power from the destroyed drone. This has given him the ability to finish the Cataract project and a White Vision awakens.
The Series Finale
The Scarlet Witch is not born, she is forged. She has no coven, no need for incantation.
Agatha (Agnes) Harkness
Everything comes to a head in the season and series finale, Wanda attacks Agatha so that her kids can escape and head into the house. Agatha tries to strike a deal with Wanda, she can absorb the Chaos Magic and allow Wanda to live in this fake paradise of Westview with her family. Temporarily subduing Agatha, Wanda is confronted by White Vision who tries to kill her. Vision saves her, and Wanda expresses regret for the Maximoff Anomaly, but Vision understands why she did it. They prepare to fight for their home, Agatha versus Wanda and Vision versus White Vision.
Inside Agatha’s house, Monica is confronted by the fake Pietro, who we find out is an actor names Ralph Bohner who was hired and controlled through a puka necklace by Agatha. Monica removes the necklace and reverts fake Pietro to actor Ralph. It turns out that he is the actual owner the house and not Agatha.
At S.W.O.R.D.s Retreat Base, Woo has been caught and is being interrogated by Hayward. He boasts to Woo that without visual proof of Vision’s resurrection and the termination of Wanda, he would be able to cover everything up. Meaning he wouldn’t have breached anything legal such as Vision’s living will and the Sokovia Accords. Woo threatens FBI action if he continues this route in his cover-up of the Maximoff Anomaly. After being thrown into a hay bale, Woo escapes and contacts his FBI allies at Quantico.
Agatha ambushes Wanda, revealing that the Dark Hold (a witch’s grimoire that Agatha currently owns) has an entire chapter dedicated to the Scarlet Witch. According to it, it says that the Scarlet Witch is forged and isn’t bound by coven or incantation. The Scarlett Witch is more powerful then the Sorcerer Supreme and is destined to destroy the world. Wanda rejects any similarities between her and the Scarlet Witch. Agatha releases the controlled town’s people who beg and plead with Wanda to let them go. Affected by the pleas of anguish, she releases another force of energy which becomes bands of energy around the people’s necks and begins to suffocate them. Billy senses his mother’s outburst, and they rush to her aide.
Wanda quickly releases the town’s people and begins to destroy The Hex. The barrier opens up and Hayward’s soldiers storm in to eliminate Wanda. As The Hex begins to fall, Vision, Tommy and Billy begin to disintegrate, which causes her to stop removing The Hex. The Maximoff family faces off with Hayward’s people, White Vision, and Agatha. Agatha attacks the troops and Wanda cushions there fall. Wanda and Vision go after White Vision and Agatha, and leave Tommy and Billy to take care of Hayward’s people.
With Billy’s telekinesis and Tommy’s super-speed, they are able to re-direct Hayward’s troops aim toward Hayward. Hayward gets out of the car with the intention of shooting the kids. Monica blocks the bullets except for one, which is blocked by Billy. Quickly, he gets into a nearby vehicle so he could run them over, but Hayward is stopped by Darcy who hits him with a food truck (go Dr. Lewis!).
Meanwhile the two Visions are duking it out and find themselves in a library. They decide to negotiate peacefully and declares that his prime directive is to destroy Vision. However, both admit that they aren’t the real Vision and now are at a stalemate. White Vision never had a Mind Stone, and thus no memories, unlike Vision but even his memories have been altered to fit Wanda’s narrative. He theorizes that his true memories have been stored somewhere in order to maintain control over him, Vision restores White Vision’s memories and he thus becomes the real “Vision” and promptly flies out of Westview. Wanda’s Vision rejoins Wanda and the boys so they can fight Agatha.
With the Maximoff’s reunited, Wanda ambushes Agatha and casts the illusion that they are back at Agatha’s execution in 1693. The corpses of the deceased witches are resurrected but instead of attacking Agatha, they recognize Wanda as the Scarlet Witch, The Harbinger of Chaos. Once again, Agatha offers Wanda a deal, she can keep playing house if Wanda gives Agatha her Chaos Magic. Seemingly agreeing to the terms of the deal, Wanda bombards Agatha with her powers and Agatha continues to absorb it. Vision tries interfering because he knows that if she continues throwing her powers away if could kill her. As the fight goes on Wanda become weaker and weaker and even her psychical appearance begins to change, her face becoming more drawn and mummy-like.
At what appears to be the end for Wanda, it is only a diversion, with Agatha winding up to attack back she finds that she can’t. Her powers don’t work. During the fight, Wanda had casted runes onto The Hex making Agatha powerless. Knowing she’s essentially beat, Agatha tries to convince Wanda that she needs her. That she can teach Wanda spells and what being the Scarlet Witch entails. Wanda isn’t hearing it though and absorbs her power back as well as Agatha’s. Wanda begins to transform and become the mythical Scarlet Witch.
With Agatha beaten, Agatha warns Wanda about her unparalleled abilities, and offers herself to be tutor. But Wanda doesn’t want that and changes Agatha into her Agnes persona and trapping her in Westview. The Hex begins to break further down and the Maximoff’s return home so Wanda can say her final goodbyes to her family. She puts the boys to bed, thanking them for letting her be their mom. Vision and Wanda go into another room as The Hex’s barrier continues to shrink. They share a heartbreaking moment when Vision asks what he is, and Wanda shares her answer. Saying that Vision was a piece of the Mind Stone living within her, that he was a body of wires and blood and bone that she created, and he encompassed her sadness and hope, but also her love. He mentions that who knows what he might be next considering he was voice with no body, a machine and not human, and now a memory made real. As the barrier starts to close in Vision says that they’ve already said goodbye once, so this time they’ll say hello.
With The Hex gone, Vision, Tommy, Billy, the house, and Wanda’s version of Westview goes with it. Walking back to downtown Westview, the people who Wanda once controlled are glaring at her as she walks to Monica. Monica mentions that with Wanda’s power of resurrection she would’ve brought back her mother. Wanda apologizes for everything that’s happening, admitting that she still has a lot to learn in regard to her powers. When an authority figure shows up, Wanda and Monica say their goodbyes and Wanda flies away, pausing to see the Westview welcome sign before leaving.
In the mid-credits scene, we see Monica reunite with Woo who has taken over the investigation from Hayward, who is being escorted out of a local theater in handcuffs. An agent comes out and says that they’re waiting for her inside. When she goes in the theater, there is no one inside except for Monica and the agent. The agent says that she was sent by a friend of her moms (Nick Fury), and reveals herself as a Skrull. She asks where does he want to meet and Skrull points upward as Monica smiles knowingly and excitedly. In the post credit scene we are shown that Wanda lives somewhere isolated. We see sitting on the front porch waiting for her kettle to boil. We watch as she goes inside to pour herself a cup, however, we leave Wanda in the kitchen only to see the Scarlet Witch studying the Dark Hold intensely but is interrupted when she hears Billy and Tommy call out for her help and the scene ends.
Final Thoughts
WandaVision kicked off the Disney+ serials and it was beautifully done. Not only did we explore Wanda and Vision’s complex relationship as well as the trauma Wanda went through after losing her parents, brother, and lover as well as her trying to understand the significance of her abilities. This is also the first time we hear Wanda being called the Scarlet Witch, which as never been uttered aloud previously. She had always been referred to as Wanda or The Twins up to this point except for when Elizabeth Olsen is referred to as the Scarlet Witch in the credits. Obviously, these show are meant to be gateways for the future movies that in the works such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which Elizabeth Olsen has been verified in being in as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch.
Their were a lot of neat Easter eggs, such as the classic costumes that they wore at Halloween, the advertisements that played which were not only a neat additive but were also Easter eggs within themselves (i.e. the toaster which blinked similarly like the bomb that fell on the Maximoff’s home in Sokovia), and even Wanda’s speed pregnancy which could be related to Mephisto.
Overall, I think I rate WandaVision a 4.2/5, it was wonderful and focused on characters that weren’t typically a strong focus in the movies. Also aesthetically, it was interesting how the style of sitcom was a callback for Wanda’s safe space. Sitcoms made her feel safe and even at home and had significant importance not only to her childhood with her parents but also a moment with Vision when they bonded. In my opinion, I think Marvel’s focus on traumatized persons and how they handle said trauma is managed pretty well, even if they’re sometimes superpowered.
With Falcon and the Winter Solider out now and it doing as well if not better than WandaVision, as well as Loki coming out in June. When done well, more can be told through a series compared to a movie which only has approximated time slot of up to 3 hours.
What are your thoughts of WandaVision? Did you enjoy it? Let me know!!
Until next time – Cheers!
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