*Spoilers Ahead for “WandaVision” Episodes 1 and 2.
Marvel is back! After a long wait (564 days, to be exact), the Marvel Cinematic Universe is up and running again, but not with its signature formula of huge CGI battles and quipping heroes. For the first time ever, there’s a canon Marvel television miniseries that directly ties into the movies. “WandaVision” is exclusive to Disney+, and it certainly isn’t like anything we’ve seen before in this universe. For starters, nobody really has a clue what’s happening.
For those who don’t know, Vision, the ultra-powerful android who was created from the artificial intelligence of Tony Stark’s Iron Man suits and an Infinity Stone, was dead last time we saw him in “Avengers: Infinity War.” And unlike most of the heroes who “died” in that film, Vision was one of the few who didn’t come back. So when the opening shot is of Wanda Maximoff (aka Scarlet Witch, one of the most powerful Avengers and Vision’s love) and Vision on their wedding day, while in a ‘50s sitcom-style filter, it’s a little bit puzzling.
What’s even more puzzling is that Wanda and Vision don’t know what’s happening either. They can’t seem to remember when they got married, or how they met, or this mysterious heart symbol on their calendar. Everything is a mystery to not only the characters, but the audience as well. Many fans have speculated as to why our favorite duo are transported to different eras of sitcoms, and those speculations are what I’m going to be talking about today. Here are some of the theories for the mystery behind Marvel Studios “WandaVision.”
1. Wanda Maximoff is creating this alternate reality
Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen in “WandaVision” (Marvel Studios, 2020).
While not quite explored in the films, it came as no surprise to comic book readers when Wanda turned back time in the ending of the second episode. This essentially confirms that this distorted reality is being controlled by the Scarlet Witch herself, at least to some extent. She has created many realities in the comics before, most notable in “House of M,” where she creates a reality where everyone’s wishes come true. It could be argued that she is doing the same here, but with herself.
This suburban life with Vision in which problems can be wrapped up in under thirty minutes would make sense as an ideal life for Wanda, as she has been surrounded by so much loss regarding her loved ones, and especially Vision. What’s even more intriguing about this theory is that if it indeed does follow the “House of M” storyline, that it can end in a groundbreaking way. The end of “House of M” consists of Wanda saying “No more mutants,” erasing mutants from the world. Marvel has been working to integrate the X-Men into their movies for a while now, so could they pull a twist on the basis of “WandaVision” by having her say something along the lines of “Create more mutants?” Only time will tell, but this certainly is an intriguing—and likely—theory.
2. S.W.O.R.D is trying to help Wanda
“WandaVision” hints at its angles and progression right from the start (photo: Marvel Studios).
In the second episode, it became increasingly clear that someone is trying to contact Wanda. A beekeeper came out from a manhole seemingly looking for her before she turned back time, and someone from the outside world asked Wanda, “Who is doing this to you?” from the old time radio. Some pretty obvious easter eggs point to the conclusion that S.W.O.R.D is trying to reach her, the space counterpart to Nick Fury’s S.H.I.E.L.D organization. S.W.O.R.D stands for Sentient World Observation and Response Department (although it has been confirmed that the “W” stands for “Weapons” in the MCU). It’s insignia is a sword, as you might have guessed.
But this symbol has shown up many times in “WandaVision’s” short premiere. Once on the notebook of the mysterious figure watching Wanda’s sitcom, once on the back of a colorful helicopter in a black and white world, and once on the back of the beekeeper’s suit. If Wanda did create this alternate reality, then perhaps S.W.O.R.D is trying to stop her from destroying anything by infiltrating her world, by doing anything from contacting her through a radio or sending a S.W.O.R.D agent from a manhole.
It’s been confirmed by the trailers that one of Westview’s residents isn’t who they say they are. We knew that something was up with Geraldine, a mysterious new character that Wanda met during a neighborhood planning committee, when she told Wanda, “I don’t belong here.” It was a very jarring thing to say, although Wanda brushed it off as she just didn’t belong in the committee. But that double meaning makes a lot of sense when you realize that “Geraldine” is confirmed to be Monica Rambeau, a S.W.O.R.D agent/future superhero. We were introduced to Monica in “Captain Marvel,” as Carol Danvers’ friend’s daughter. She’s grown a lot since then, and seems to be working for S.W.O.R.D in the trailers. Maybe she was sent into Wanda’s reality to help her, but ended up getting intertwined in the sitcom structure? Who knows, but Monica Rambeau is one of the biggest mysteries of the show.
3. Mephisto is controlling Wanda
The show’s ’50s sitcom motif brings a new angle to the MCU (photo: Marvel Studios).
Many have suspected that although Wanda does have some control of her world, someone more sinister is pulling the strings. Many suspect that the villain Mephisto is behind Scarlet Witch’s delusion, which would honestly explain a lot. Mephisto is basically a devil, and he has major links to Wanda in the comics. He uses part of his soul to create Wanda’s pregnancy, and when her twins are born, he takes them from her, causing her to spiral and eventually lead her to the events of “House of M.”
Well, we know that Wanda became mysteriously pregnant at the beginning of the episode, and things are already building up to the “House of M” storyline. And not to mention that during the committee meeting, Agnes, Wanda’s nosy neighbor, makes an extremely peculiar joke. Dottie, the meeting leader, says, “The devil is in the details.” Agnes then leans over to Wanda to say, “That’s not the only place he is.” This leads us to think that Mephisto is behind it all.
These new Disney+ shows really help build suspense with it’s week-by-week schedule. Unfortunately, this means that we have to wait a long time before we get a lot of concrete answers. Nonetheless, these theories seem pretty likely to come true, considering little Easter Eggs and symbols are never meaningless in the MCU.
