, but it does it in an interesting way. Sure, not all of it’s perfect, but neither is The MCU. So it’s only fair to discuss it in an appropriate way: with a Top 15 list. Let’s do that.
(By the way, spoilers. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend watching
WandaVision.)
15. Wanda searches for her kids
Beginning with a small bang, I chose a post-credits scene. While
WandaVision has a few, the final one drives home what makes The MCU great: creating more questions while simultaneously answering a few. It’s worked for the franchise since 2008, and I don’t see it stopping. And why wouldn’t it? It’s effective teasing!
The scene begins with Wanda in a shack prepping tea or coffee (I’m not sure which). As she heads inside and walks over to the kettle, we’re greeted to another Wanda, dressed in her Scarlet Witch attire, flipping through a magic book. We wonder who the real Wanda is, what she’s doing and why. And judging by her sons calling for help, it’s safe to say that Billy and Tommy are alive. Fancy that.
I know this technically ruins the resolution of the final episode, since Wanda’s arc was learning to let go, but this is intriguing. On one hand, we have questions about Wanda’s presence of mind, as well as how her twins are alive. On the other hand, we know she’ll rescue them. It’s a cheap way to establish
her teaming with Doctor Strange, but it’s still a cool moment that keeps everyone hooked. Also, Wanda looks dashing in her costume!
14. “Stop it!”
The first two episodes of
WandaVision (and much of the third) aren’t anything special, hence why most of the moments won’t be from them. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy them, but their more traditional nature makes the show’s first third a little weak. Nevertheless, they have their moments, as well as occasional chuckles. They also have instances where the seeds of creepiness are planted, and this is apparent in Episode 1’s dinner scene. More-specifically, the climax of it, where Vision’s “boss” nearly chokes to death.
It begins innocently enough: after getting passive-aggressively grilled by the boss’s wife on Wanda and Vision’s marriage, a typical 50’s sitcom trope, Vision’s boss begins chocking on a hash brown. As his wife chides him to “stop it”, we know he’s not acting. Even the audience laughter stops, and the camera zooms in. All the while, the boss’s wife’s chiding turns into a subtle cry for help, which gets creepier when you realize Wanda has the final say. It’s tense and uncomfortable, even if Vision eventually saves him.
I especially like this moment for two reasons: first, as I said, it’s uncomfortable. Considering that Wanda’s made a sitcom bubble where all of Westview are her puppets, that the bubble is already bursting so early on, even if for only one moment, causes contemplation and introspection on the ethics of it all. And two, it’s not funny seeing a man nearly choke to death on food. I know he and his wife were badgering Vision and Wanda about children, but almost-murder’s not a trade-off. It makes the situation that much more alarming.
13. Wanda announces her pregnancy/“No!”
Building off of what I said about Episode 1, Episode 2 is also relatively-uninteresting. It has more narrative depth, at least by sitcom standards, but the “drunken talent show” shtick, while humorous, goes on for way too long. Additionally, the fake-outs of “Will Westview discover their secret or not?” don’t hit the bullseyes you’d expect, even if they’re on-the-nose. Still, there are two moments that make it worth your time. The first is when Wanda hears a weird voice on the radio, and for a split second the illusion is broken. The second comes at the end, as it keys you in that something is off.
Like the last entry, it begins innocently: after reminiscing on their talent show, Wanda and Vision realize they’re about to be parents. Before they can celebrate, a mysterious noise from outside interrupts them. As they investigate, they see a beekeeper emerge from the sewers. He turns to them, specifically Wanda, and we suspect that she’s hiding something. We never find out what that is, however, because she immediately utters “no” and rewinds time.
When I first saw this, I baffled and confused. I knew a little about the comics this was based on, but I didn’t expect Wanda to have this much agency. Seeing her rewind time was actually frightening. Not even the decision to turn the sitcom reality technicolour could make up for it. I see you, Wanda! You aren’t fooling me!
12. Darcy’s reintroduction
I have to be honest: I didn’t like Darcy in the Thor movies. Nothing against Kat Dennings as an actress, but she was always an unfunny snide-mouth. She also ate into the movies’ quality with her presence, such that I was waiting for her to either die, or leave. So when I watched Episode 4 and realized she was going to be in it, I dreaded the worst. Little did I know that the writers were aware, hence rectifying the problem. Darcy’s still a snide-mouth, but at least she’s useful now? And funny? If her reintroduction’s indication, I’d say so!
What makes her work is actually-competent writers sculpting her dialogue. When she’s introduced in the back of a truck, she asks intelligent questions about the other specialists. And when she doesn’t care for one of them showing attitude, she snipes him with a clever retort. Not to mention, her witticisms are actually funny. Seriously,
listen to them yourself!
But what drives Darcy’s reinvented character home is that she’s actually useful. She does stuff! Relevant stuff! Of her own free-will! And she isn’t afraid to show up her male colleagues! I don’t know where this Darcy came from, but more please!
11. Hayward’s men turn on him
Right from his introduction, it was pretty clear that Kevin Hayward sucked. Whether it was his explanation of how Wanda created The Hex, or how he treated Wanda as a weapon, that Agent Wu, a mild-mannered individual, struggled to not speak ill of him spoke volumes. That Darcy had a perfect swipe for him strengthened that. So it wasn’t surprising that his most-satisfying comeuppance, aside from his actual comeuppance, came when Wanda threatened him. It was the only time she exited The Hex to do it, too.
Basically, Wanda witnesses Hayward’s drone hovering above her and her sons. Despite censoring everything, it’s clear that she’s not happy. This is confirmed when she leaves The Hex, tosses the drone at Hayward’s feet and gives him an ultimatum: leave her alone, or she kills him. To prove she means business, Wanda mind controls his snipers to turn on him, all but pulling the trigger. Smooth.
I know this is supposed to reinforce that Wanda’s “the antagonist”, but I think this is an effective role reversal. It not only shows how powerful Wanda is, it also creates tension and suspense. You originally think Wanda’s done for, but then you remember her power. And suddenly, on a dime, Wanda now has leverage. That she turns Hayward’s men on him briefly is a bonus.
10. Monica Rambeau reappears
While
The Avengers: Infinity War and
The Avengers: Endgame touched on the blip and the reverse blip, not much was known from the perspective of regular people.
Spider-Man: Far From Home humorously poked fun, if only briefly, but the full weight of half the world suddenly re-materializing was never really felt. Fortunately,
WandaVision does that. It gives us it in the opening of Episode 4, centring it in a hospital. And it shows that through the eyes of Monica Rambeau, who happens to be the daughter of Maria Rambeau.
The scene even begins by focusing in on the words that Captain Marvel said to Monica as a child, using them as the voiceover as Monica rematerializes. Everything then gets hectic as she witnesses the scramble of people panicking. As Monica searches frantically for her mother, we see people bump into each other, patients witness strangers appear without warning and the hospital staff trying to piece everything together. And then we get the big bombshell: Monica’s mother died three years prior from cancer. What’s worse, Monica had disappeared two years before that, having been a victim of Thanos’s blip.
This is heartbreaking, but it’s also clever. Not only does it show the trauma Thanos had created, it also establishes Monica as immediately sympathetic. This is someone who’d disappeared with the impression that her mother had recovered, only to return to find out that she’d died. What’s worse, she wasn’t able to say goodbye. This is supposed to parallel her aloneness with Wanda’s, but even on its own it’s effective. Which is important, as she’s supposed to be relatable.
9. Wanda VS Monica
Episode 7 is where everything starts falling apart. Wanda, who’s spent the last 6 episodes trying to keep everything together, is sinking into depression. Her grooming’s falling by the wayside, and she’s no longer able to keep composed. Perhaps the most telltale sign is her fight with Monica. If nothing else, this is where everything starts to come to a boil.
The battle is short and straightforward: Monica enters Wanda’s home. Wanda, having already not trusted Monica, yells at her to leave. When she begins explaining herself, Wanda then tries flinging her away for a second time. But that doesn’t work, so Wanda and Monica part. End fight.
Despite the shortness of it, two important details are noticeable. One, we witness Monica’s newly-acquired powers in action, having crossed through The Hex three times. And two, Wanda showing her powers in front of the neighbours shows her mental decay. Because while the previous episodes had her “hiding” her abilities, she’s now so far down the rabbit hole that she no longer cares. Then again, given what we find out about The Hex, perhaps the neighbours don’t care? Or maybe Wanda’s grip on them is loosening?
8. Wanda expands The Hex
Rewinding to the previous episode, this is when everything starts falling apart for Wanda. Her grip on Westview’s fading, the cracks in her reality are showing, Vision no longer trusts her and her supposed twin brother isn’t what he’s cracked up to be. What’s worse, there’s impending doom coming from outside The Hex. So, what does a woman who craves control do when she lacks it? Simple: she tries holding onto it.
That’s what this is about. After realizing that Vision’s trying to escape The Hex, she freezes time and expands The Hex. In doing so, she not only saves Vision from dying, but she also engulfs half of Hayward’s camp. She even sucks in Darcy, who’s been restrained to a military jeep, in the process. It’s a great moment with plenty of funny tidbits (military soldiers becoming clowns, anyone?), but it highlights how creepy this Hex experiment is. Because if it can be expanded, is anyone really safe?
No, and that’s the point. Wanda’s grief is so powerful that it’s consuming everything. Not to mention, she’s manipulating everything too. That last part is now obvious, and we see that she’s the one behind this mess. But why? What could she gain from holding an entire town hostage? Well…stay tuned.
7. Vision and Wanda’s argument
Episode 5 of
WandaVision is where the show becomes great. For one, it features some of the best character moments, including a few with Billy and Tommy. And two, it has possibly the best end-twist of any episode, which I’ll be covering shortly. However, I have to go with the most-heated moment in the series. It’s been built up to for a while, and it’s the point of no return for Wanda and Vision. Their whole dynamic shifts afterward, and while it never comes to this level of aggressive again, it’s clear that something’s now irreparable until the finale.
After Wanda consoles her sons on the death of their dog, Vision confronts Wanda about a conversation he had with a supposed co-worker. As Wanda pretends to not hear Vision and the “credits” play, Vision gets more and more accusatory. Finally, when she’s brushed him off a few too many times, he screams and levitates in anger. Wanda follows him, trying to deescalate without giving in. It’s a brief moment of fear, giving off the impression that their argument will become violent.
While nothing comes of the squabble, it’s noteworthy because this is when Wanda’s hold on Vision starts loosening. It wouldn’t fully fall apart until the next episode, but we’re still left wondering if Vision and Wanda will separate. We’re also left wondering if this is the only curveball to Wanda’s reality. But we all know that it’s about to get worse. Speaking of which…
6. “They recast Pietro?!”
You knew I’d cover this eventually. I was actually debating putting this higher, since it threw everyone off in a pleasant way. I was even surprised, and I knew it’d happen beforehand because I didn’t watch the show immediately. But it gets knocked down a bit because the twist in Episode 9
left fans so divided that they’ve ruined my enjoyment somewhat. I still like this moment, but I digress.
Taking place right after Wanda and Vision’s argument, Wanda’s greeted to a ringing at the door. She tries convincing Vision that she didn’t orchestrate it, which he, obviously, doesn’t buy. But when Wanda opens the door to find someone who looks like her dead brother, except not really, everyone, including Vision, is confused. Even Darcy utters the now-infamous
“They recast Pietro?!” line. And then the episode ends, giving everyone time to reflect on what’d transpired.
This is brilliant on multiple levels. Thematically, it makes sense that Wanda would be desperate enough to want to see Pietro again, keeping in-line with her grief. Narratively, it’s a perfect time to reintroduce Pietro. Business-wise, it makes sense given Evan Peters’ portrayal in the Fox-produced X-Men movies,
which Disney now owns. But humorously, even if it leads to a dead-end, it’s funny seeing Pietro Maximoff return.
5. Wanda ejects “Geraldine” from The Hex
Now we officially return to the first third. Remember when I said that the first three episodes wouldn’t be covered extensively because they weren’t as interesting as the later ones? Episode 3 is probably the most exciting, but my point remains. It does, however, feature one of the best cliff-hangers, thanks to a line from “a side-character”. Let’s talk about that, shall we?
Episode 3’s pretty par for the course for Wanda and Vision, except with more happening. Wanda’s pregnant with rapidly growing twins, and the hijinks that ensue create some really neat and cute moments (including one of the show’s funniest jokes). When Wanda gives birth and confesses that she had a twin named Pietro, Geraldine casually name-drops Ultron and seals her fate. Wanda then responds by rejecting her from The Hex, which we see again in more detail in Episode 4. Yikes!
This is chilling to watch, but it’s also the first time we suspect that Wanda has more control over her world than we thought. It also clues us in that Geraldine, whose real name is Monica Rambeau, is also hiding something too, even if she “doesn’t know” what it is. In any other situation, it also would’ve made Wanda into a straight-up villainess, since we, initially, don’t even see what happened to Geraldine. And when we finally do? Well, it becomes even more unsettling!
4. The Ship of Theseus
Many people criticize the finale for copping out. They cite the fight between Wanda and Agatha, Pietro being a dead-end and White Vision as typical “MCU-isms”, stating that they detract from the story. I don’t agree (
especially about Pietro), but the one area no one complains about is the confrontation between White Vision and Hex Vision in Westview’s library. Especially since it subverts expectations. I even did a PowerPoint
presentation on it for a course. Because I’m a nerd.
Beginning like any fight, complete with destruction, Hex Vision and White Vision realize that they’re evenly matched. The two then decide to start talking about existentialist philosophy. More specifically, about The Ship of Theseus, where they conclude that they’re both the real Vision. Hex Vision then restores White Vision’s memories, and White Vision leaves. Problem solved.
There’s lot to discuss here, but this debate is the crux of Vision’s in-show arc. Additionally, not only is it in-character for Vision to be discussing metaphysics, even if the location’s on-the-nose, it highlights how memories outlive the physical. Besides, who’s the real Vision? The Vision based in memories, or the Vision that contains his remains? To quote the show, “Neither is the true ship…both are the true ship.”
3. Saying goodbye
Keeping with the themes of Wanda’s grief, the finale of
WandaVision is a heartbreaker. It not only closes Wanda’s arc, allowing her to accept the loss of Vision, it also “makes right the wrongs”. And it’s sad. Yeah, I said it: a show about a witch and an android saying goodbye made me cry. Who says The MCU can’t be emotional?
Beginning with Wanda and Vision tucking their children into bed, we move to the TV room where it started. From here, Wanda and Vision have their final conversation as The Hex begins disintegrating. As the house starts reverting back to its original state, Vision mentions that he’s not good at saying goodbye, to which Wanda says that “[They’ll] say hello again”. And then Vision disappears for a third time, with Wanda willingly letting him go. Cue the emotional fireworks.
This moment cemented Wanda and Vision as The MCU’s best couple. I’d always liked the two of them, but their chemistry never had time to properly coalesce because of time restraints.
WandaVision fixed that by making their relationship the focus and giving it breathing room, showing how affectionate they were for one-another. It makes sense, therefore, that their goodbye was touching. That it’s played over the grief leitmotif helps.
2. “It Was Agatha All Along!”
Right when we were introduced to Agnes the Nosey Neighbour, it was clear something was off about her. Why does she always pop in at the most-convenient times? How does she always know that Wanda needs help? And how come she always has the perfect remedies? That scoundrel couldn’t possibly be hiding something, right? Well…yes. And her reveal is part of the fun.
Following Wanda’s fight with Monica, she discovers that Billy and Tommy haven’t returned from their visit to Agnes. She goes to investigate, winds up a dungeon, and is immediately held hostage. Agnes then reveals herself to be Agatha Harkness, a witch who wants Wanda’s magic for herself. And then we get a musical
montage of how “she was secretly pulling the strings”, including convincing an actor to play Wanda’s dead brother. Oh, and she killed Sparky too! What a demon she is!
I know that Agatha’s presence adds little to Wanda’s situation. I know that her motives aren’t well thought-out. And I know that, save for the final showdown, she isn’t all that important or interesting. But I don’t care, because her theme song slaps. It’s also the best one in the show, which is a bold statement considering the show’s awesome jingles.
1. Wanda creates The Hex
You were waiting for this, weren’t you? It’s the big reveal, and it changes the dynamic of the series. This is the moment that drives Wanda to do what she does in
WandaVision. Forget her past in Sokovia, or her conversation with Vision following Pietro’s death. Forget even her experimentation by HYDRA, or her initial reencounter with Vision’s fragmented body. No, this is the emotional high-point! Bless it for that!
The entirety of Episode 8 involves Wanda reliving her trauma, all spearheaded by Agatha. In the final memory, the one Wanda states is too painful to relive, we see her drive to Westview to the spot where she and Vision were going to grow old in. As she starts crying, we see that all of her trauma has been too much to bear. Wanda snaps, constructs her own reality, takes Westview hostage and rebuilds Vision with her grief. Suddenly, all those hijinks make sense. And in a twisted way, Wanda becomes the victim.
The scene is also really sad. Between Wanda’s grief and the show’s two musical motifs playing in-tandem, we really feel for her. Was Wanda justified in her behaviour? Not really. But is she sympathetic? Yes, because she deserves a happy ending. This is the pinnacle of everything, and it’s why I love
WandaVision.
*****
Well now, that was a fun, if not exhausting, list! In case anyone wondered why I omitted the
commercials, it’s because none of them, save one, were exceptional. And with the
theme songs, I picked the best one and talked about it.
Anyway, that about does it for me. See you next time!
