WandaVision has arrived and has officially kicked off Phase 4 of the MCU in a new mysterious, yet comedic light
WARNING THIS ARTICLE WILL CONTAIN MAJOR SPOILERS AND PLOT POINTS FOR WANDAVISION EPISODES 1 & 2
WandaVision welcomes our titular heroes as newlyweds who have just moved to a city called Westview. After getting us up to speed, we learn that August 23rd is a special day, but neither Wanda nor Vision can quite pinpoint exactly why this specific day is special. As we go along we find our heroes struggling to fit into this new living space, this city and adjusting to their new life, and impressing Vision’s boss.
We get subtle nods to Avengers: Infinity War when Wanda accidentally breaks a plate on Vision’s head which doesn’t affect him at all in which Wanda says “my husband and his indestructible head” which would be a nod to Infinity War when Wanda destroyed the Mind Stone in Vision’s forehead to then have Thanos revive him and literally destroy his head by pulling the Mind Stone out of it. In turn, Vision replies “my wife and her flying saucers” which could be taken as a nod to Thanos’ ships and destructive gears the Black Order used to get through Wakanda’s barrier shield. This could be a reach but let’s just roll with it for now.
The show does a great job at showing how timeless sitcoms are even in 2021 and WandaVision does a great job at honoring the sitcoms they’re using as inspiration as each episode takes place in a different decade thus honoring a specific sitcom from that time period. More so, Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen shine exceptionally well in these sitcom-inspired roles. From comedic timing to the lingo that was used in each specific time period, it’s like both actors were born to be sitcom actors, and while live studio audiences are usually undermined and ignored, filming both of these episodes in front of a live studio audience only added to the authentication of what Marvel Studios wanted to present.
Both actors looked beautiful on screen in their time period outfits, so a huge shoutout to the design team for fitting our beloved actors so well.
Beneath all of the comedic sitcom exteriors lies a much deeper mystery that still needs to fully unfold. And that is where are Wanda and Vision? Why are they here? and Where did they come from?. The supporting cast of characters only adds to that mystery and the writers do an exceptional job at using the supporting character’s dialog and interactions in order to accomplish that goal. Additionally, having both Wanda and Vision trying to maintain this charade of them being a normal couple, with normal lives often conflicts with the said charade and that’s something that’s more prominent in episode two of the series.
In episode two is when the mystery of the series really starts to deepen as the surrounding members of Westview start to notice that things are a bit off. Characters like Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau notices things are a bit weird as well as the character of Dottie who seems to be keeping a keen eye on both Wanda and Vision. Dottie even tells Wanda that she’s heard about her and her husband Vision but she never gets the chance to reveal what she’s heard as the radio interrupts their conversation and we hear Jimmy Woo asking Wanda where she is and who is doing this to her.
This is a scene that’s been used in promotional footage to emphasize that there’s a much greater figure at play than Wanda’s own mind. Characters like Agnes and Herb tease that a little bit when they both drop separate lines referring to the villainous Mephisto. In a response to Dottie’s line “the devil’s in the details”, Agnes says to Wanda “that’s not the only place he is”.
On the flip side of that, when talking to Vision, Herb offers him a piece of Big Red chewing gum. Now, this could mean absolutely nothing but could also be another nod to Mephisto as he’s Marvel Comics’ version of The Devil who’s usually depicted as a person with red skin and red clothing. Calling him “big red” could be a way of teasing him before he makes his debut later on in the series.
While WandaVision is entirely its own entity, it doesn’t shy away from making deeper references or callbacks to certain characters in the MCU. Going back to episode one, we get an infomercial about the “Toast Mate 2000” which when put to use, you can hear Iron Man’s repulser sound effect. Right when the toaster is about to finish toasting, it starts ticking like a time bomb, now this could be one of many nods to the MCU or a foreshadowing to what’s going to happen later on this season, let me explain.
Other than being created by Stark Industries, a clear and obvious nod to Tony Stark (or maybe even Howard Stark given that this episode takes place in the 50s), the toaster ticking like a bomb could be both foreshadowings to how things in this series will explode or implode since we’re technically in Wanda’s mindscape.
And a nod to the first Avengers film when we find our heroes bickering with one another and Banner tells Tony that the group is a ticking time bomb, which in turn they were. To reach even further, seeing how this is happening INSIDE Wanda’s mind, we can forcibly tie it back to Avengers: Age of Ultron where Ultron tells Wanda, “you’re going to tear them up, from the inside”.
Additionally, the ticking could also be another nod to Wanda and Pietro losing their home and family to Tony Stark’s military weaponry which destroyed Sokovia, and the missile which landed in the twin’s home which left the twins waiting days for it to go off but it never did.
We can even dive deeper into this infomercial due to the tagline used as the selling point “forget the past, this is your future”. This could be a nice play on what’s happening in this show and Wanda’s mind. She forgetting her past which has been filled with nothing but trauma and emotional distress and loss; a complete sense of sadness if you will.
The nods and references within these first two episodes of WandaVision don’t stop there. When Vision is holding the meat tenderizer which has a cunning resemblance to Mjolnir. As Vision holds it, it can be taken as a nod to Age of Ultron when Vision hands Thor his hammer, thus proving his worth to The Avengers that he is on his side in the fight for the greater good.
But wait, there’s more! WandaVision is filled to the brim with nods to older Marvel characters and even had a nod to Genosha. Before we dive deeper into that part, we have Wanda and Vision prepping for a magic show during the local talent for “for the children”. Wanda and Vision are in their home practicing their magic act under the monikers of “Glamour and Illusion”. Wanda brings out the “Cabinet of Mysteries” which has the Mind Stone painted on it with it some effects coming out of it.
Just more nods to Vision’s Mind Stone and how both Vision and Wanda have deep ties to this Infinity Stone. Going back to Glamour and Illusion, both are classic Marvel comic book characters with Glamour specifically having deep ties to the X-Men and the island of Genosha, more specifically mutants. Glamour in the comics is a depowered mutant and a citizen of Genosha.
Genosha has a long history with the mutants and the X-Men we’ll save that deep dive for another day but seeing how this series is party inspired by the House of M storyline and Marvel now wanting to use Wanda as a way to introduce mutants into the MCU, this nod to the character of Glamour cannot be overlooked cause it also serves as a way for Marvel Studios to fully retcon Wanda Maximoff as being an enhanced being to a full-blown mutant.
Additionally, it could be a way of introducing Wanda’s father Magneto as he is the ruler of Genosha in the House of M storyline. And in that storyline is where Wanda is taken to after her nervous breakdown in which she then has a mental breakdown thus eliminating all mutants. It is very possible that Westview, wherever it is located, could be the MCU’s version of Genosha.
To tie it all together and to make it all make sense, I’m sure many of you reading this might be asking “well where does Illusion come into play?”, well, Illusion is simply a human magician in the Marvel Comics mythos and is also married to Glamour hence why Vision and Wanda would take up the names in order to put on their magic show.
As for the rest of the nods, we get a nice nod to Baron Von Strucker who we all know used the Mind Stone to conduct experiments on Wanda and Pietro thus unlocking their latent mutant abilities prior to us fully meeting them in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The Hydra symbol on the watch and the line “he’ll make time for you” can be taken as the time Strucker spent conducting these experiments on his subjects including Wanda and Pietro. I think this is just a tease for what’s to come later on when we revisit Wanda and Pietro’s experiments during that time. We’ve seen that in the trailers and tv spots.
After it’s all said and done by the end of each episode, that’s where the mystery further develops, and it’s tied more to the outside world and what’s happening with whoever is watching Wanda do her bidding in her mind. Additionally, before the second episode ends we see Wanda is now pregnant. They once again hear a thudding noise outside of their home thus forcing them to check on it once again as this same thudding noise was bothering them the night before.
As they walk out they see the mysterious beekeeper that’s been teased and shown during WandaVision’s marketing campaign. But it seems like the beekeeper isn’t as mysterious as we might think as Wanda recognizes the beekeeper thus forcing her to alter this current reality and by doing that, she changes the landscape once again. Now the series is in full color and so are our heroes.
WandaVision in its first two episodes sets up a greater mystery that longs to be explored. Even though this approach is new and different for Marvel Studios, and could possibly turn some fans away, especially if they aren’t familiar with the storylines they’re adapting. In a world where we spend over a year without any Marvel content, I think they lingering, but the underlying mystery of WandaVision will keep new and old viewers intrigued enough to keep watching and coming back for more.
Lastly, to add more of a deeper connection to House of M, during the WandaVision credits, we see what seems to be the inside of a motherboard or maybe the inside of Vision’s head, I’ll leave the debate up to you. Either way, WandaVision’s credits bear a huge resemblance to House of M and how the artwork of the series depicts Wanda altering reality to her choosing. It’s a nice touch in my opinion and comic book readers will love the subtle nod.
Behold, Wiccan and Speed are coming to WandaVision confirmed! WandaVision is streaming now exclusivley on Disney+!
For more movie/tv news and reviews make sure to keep it locked right here at The Nerdy Basement. And while you’re here, consider supporting us on Patreon. It’s a simple way of supporting us so we can keep on providing you with your Nerdy News!