The last time we saw Wanda (Scarlet Witch) and Vision, Thanos used his Infinity Gauntlet to revert time a few seconds to prevent Wanda from destroying the Mind Gem. As he reverted time, he plucked the mind gem off Vision’s forehead. This destroyed his frontal lobe and Vision fell to the ground lifeless… so to speak, considering he is a Synthezoid, or synthetic lifeform.
Recently, Disney+ launched Wandavision — featuring Wanda and Vision. Things are not as we might have expected in this series. The first episode is set as a 1960s sitcom that resembles “Bewitched.” Each episode, the Westview town is set a few years forward. We see the sitcom changing to a 70s TV series in a short span of time.
We also see Wanda becoming 4 months pregnant from one scene to the next, out of the blue. She is talking to Vision, and in just a second she looks at her belly and becomes surprised that she is pregnant. There is some really weird stuff going on here.
As you watch the episode, it becomes crystal clear that there is something going on beyond the facade of a sitcom. From time to time, Wanda becomes aware of tiny glitches in the system. Then she gets distracted, and her mind resets back to the sitcom programming.
Sometimes she hears a voice that says: “What are they doing to you, Wanda.” This is a clear indication that Wanda might not be fully aware of what is happening, or fully in control. She shows signs that she is controlling this town of Westview. Sometimes Vision says something she disapproves, and you can clearly see that the scene that just happened repeats itself but evidently editing what Vision had just said to be more in tune with Wanda’s opinion or will.
From the first episode, I had already figured out that the sitcom was a self-contained pocket universe of sorts. This is later confirmed in Episode 3.
This means there is a lot to be revealed in the remaining 6 episodes of the series. Who is behind what happened to Wanda? What is the purpose of this pocket-universe?
In Episode 3, there is one character that is revealed to be out of place. Geraldine doesn’t belong in Westview. She is not a resident.
When Wanda talks about her twin babies, she mentions she was also a twin. Her brother Pietro. Geraldine seems to be affected by the pocket-universe programming, but at some level she remembers who she is and what her mission is. When Geraldine hears the name Pietro, this triggers her true memories and she acknowledges to know Pietro, and says Ultron killed Pietro.
Wanda here also seems to be aware of her true-self to a degree as she confronts Geraldine and asks her what did you just say? Who are you?
Wanda acknowledges with this questioning that she knows Pietro died, and that Ultron killed him.
When Wanda looks at Geraldine’s collar, you can notice the S.W.O.R.D. emblem. Wanda seems to recognize what the emblem is, and expulses Geraldine through some kind of portal out of the pocket-universe.
There is an actual scene that shows Geraldine being catapulted out of a portal high in the air out of what looks like a cathoid ray tube pattern around a bubble or forcefield that has enveloped a town in the real MCU world. By the way, Geraldine is actually Monica Rambeau — for those who follow comics, she was the third character to don the name Captain Marvel, and most commonly known as Photon. Potentially a New Avenger.
For those who don’t read comics, S.W.O.R.D. stands for Sentient World Observation and Response Department; and it is the space-counterpart of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. So the stakes here are super interesting for what we should expect in Wandavision and moving forward in the MCU — whether in the films or Disney+ upcoming series.
Especially, because S.W.O.R.D. was actually introduced into the Marvel comics in Astonishing X-Men (Vol. 3) #6 — created by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday. Wanda and Pietro are not mutants in the MCU, but they were in the comics until the MCU introduced them as non-mutants. For some odd reason, the comics went ahead and retconned them to be at par with the MCU — which to my opinion was the dumbest decision ever. They had been known to readers as mutants for several decades.
Anyway, bringing an organization created in an X-Men comics title to Wandavision spells possible ramifications to our favorite mutants now that the X-Men are officially joining the MCU.
Episode 4 comes out next week in January 29, 2021.
THOUGHTS
I am not sure what to think of Wandavision or what to make of it. I have read over 3000 Marvel comics, and know for a fact that the MCU is heavily modified from what we read in comics.
It is evident that Vision was destroyed by Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. Yes, there was some timetraveling in that movie, but when Hulk snapped his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet he simply returned to life (in the present) those who had perished 5 years ago when Thanos snapped his fingers. That means that Pietro is still dead. Vision is still dead. Black Widow is still dead.
So how is Vision alive in Wandavision?
We don’t know yet what has happened between Avengers: Endgame and Wandavision; or how S.W.O.R.D. is involved; or other parties.
We have seen Hydra mentioned a couple of times in the first three episodes. We have seen the Wentworth’s department store in one of the episodes which is a reference to Deidre Wentworth (aka the villain known as Superia). One of the glitches in the system shows a mysterious person wearing a bee protective uniform — which is a clear reference to A.I.M (Advanced Idea Mechanics).
It is possible these are merely easter egg elements, and nothing to do with the Wandavision plot itself.
In Wandavision, both Wanda and Vision have no memories of when they got married — which is suspect. So far the sitcom shows some sort of time manipulation because they start somewhere in the 50-60s, and each episode advances the sitcom in increments of 10 years or so.
In the comics, Wanda and Vision were married in Vietnam. The one who marries them is Immortus (Giant Size Avengers #4).
Time later, Wanda became pregnant in Vision & Scarlet Witch (2nd series) #3.
She gave birth to Thomas and William in Vision & Scarlet Witch (2nd series) #12.
So to a degree, the MCU director is somewhat recreating this limited series — but heavily modified and ignoring tons of history and characters involved in the original stories that led to this marriage and birth.
One thing is constant though in the life of Wanda and Vision. Immortus.
Immortus — who presided the marriage of Wanda and Vision — is the old personna of Kang the Conqueror. It is possible that Wanda and Vision falling in love was a manipulation by Immortus all along (in the comics) as he came to collect the fruit of his plans with Wanda in Avengers West Coast #60-62.
Kang is supposed to be a distant descendant of Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four from the 31st Century. Formerly known as Nathaniel Richards, the young Kang was fascinated by the heroes of the 20th century. When he found Dr. Doom’s time machine, he modified its technology to travel through time.
Why is Kang the Conqueror relevant to the MCU? Well, there is a rumor that Kang is already a character in Avengers: Endgame. What?!
In the comics, the younger personna of Nathaniel Richards (Kang) arrived to the 21st Century. He took the identity of Iron Lad — using a self-built suit similar to Iron Man’s.
Remember that unknown teen seen during Tony Stark’s funeral in Avengers: Endgame? That’s the teen many suspect is Nathaniel Richards — who might soon don the Iron Lad identity. This guy below is completely out of place in the funeral. No one knows who he is or why he is there. Some fans think this is an easter egg that will be used later as a reference. Kang was already in the Avengers film as a teenager. Looks like something a timetraveler would do… to visit the funeral of one of his historical heroes of the past.
If true, Wandavision is the fourth step for the creation of The Young Avengers.
With Wandavision taking place many years in the past, and she getting pregnant super fast, and time moving forward in that forcefield independetly from the real world… it seems Thomas and Williams might become teenagers by the time that bubble collapses; or at some point in the MCU.
The first steps that lead to the Young Avengers: A known Young Avenger character currently exists in the MCU: Cassie Lang — the daughter of Ant-Man (Scott Lang). She is now a teen in Avengers: End Game after Ant-Man escaped the Quantum Realm to land 5 years after the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).
Now we have the confirmation that Wanda gave birth to William and Thomas in Wandavision Season 1, Episode 3.
The next pebble for Young Avengers will come in Fall 2021 when HAWKEYE lands in Disney+. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) will have a protégé or sidekick named Kate Bishop (played by Hailee Steinfeld).
So the idea is that Marvel might be considering a Young Avengers film or Disney+ series at some point by adding the building blocks that lead to that team’s foundation: the teens that become heroes.
In the comics, the Young Avengers follows the events of the 2004–2005 storyline “Avengers Disassembled” where Wanda (mind-controlled by Dr. Doom) attacks the Avengers Mansion resulting in the deaths of Vision, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye.
What’s interesting is that Marvel nor Disney have announced a Young Avengers film nor a Disney+ show titled so. Will it be part of Phase 5 or Phase 6 of the MCU? Only time will tell. But it is very curious that all these young avenger characters are starting to pop into the MCU.
These were the original characters that formed The Young Avengers:
- Iron Lad (Young Kang)
- Wiccan (aka William)
- Speed (aka Thomas)
- Patriot (Elijah Bradley)
- Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)
- Stature (Cassandra Lang)
- Vision (Jonas)
- Hulkling (Son of Captain Mar-Vell of the Kree & a Skrull princess)
Of course, I might be wrong on Kang or Immortus being involved in Wandavision, but if Tommy and Billy are officially born, it is not too far fetched that Iron Lad, Kang or Immortus might be appearing in the MCU. Especially now that we know that the Fantastic Four are joining the MCU; and that Avengers: Endgame created multiple timelines.
Kang the Conqueror has plagued the lives of the X-Men, Avengers, Fantastic Four and other teams for decades in several stages of his life: as his youngest self Iron Lad, Scarlet Centurion, Rama Tut, Kang the Conqueror and his eldest self Immortus.
So far it has been revealed by Marvel / Disney that Kang the Conqueror (played by Jonathan Majors) is the antagonist in the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania film (TBC). But I wouldn’t be surprised to see a younger or older version of Kang pop up soon.
Hope you enjoyed this article. Please, support Blizzplanet via PayPal or Patreon, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch for daily Blizzard games news updates. |
 |
