#I keep getting Wanda on top I haven’t seen wandavision but i don’t think I like it:

[agentmarcuspike]

Statistical “Which Character Are You?” Personality Quiz

thanks for letting me play @joelsversion <3

the 82% fleabag and cassie has made my life worth living

tagging a bunch of people who have probably already been tagged but that’s fine, right? @swiftispunk @psychedelic-ink @scenaaario @hier--soir @gemmahale @iamasaddie @missredherring @thetriumphantpanda

[ohmygoodnessgraciouss]

Reality Check - Chapter 4

We’re back!!  Woo!!  I’m sorry for the long wait, but we’re getting back into it!  This is a little shorter than I wanted, but I promise it’s packed with some good info! Enjoy! <3

Missed the first part?  Read it here! Need chapter 2 or 3?  Go down to the tags and click #Reality Check Masterlist !

Warning: This contains spoilers for episode 8 of WandaVision.  This takes place between episodes 2 and 3, but we do have a few hints and references to the latest episode.  

Summary: Y/N and Wanda were very close after returning in 2023.  The two bonded over the loss of their partners.  It wasn’t enough to keep Wanda grounded after she found Vision’s body though, and Wanda wants the best for her friend.  Unfortunately for Y/N, this means she’s going to be thrown into a reality she wasn’t expecting.

You ended up going to the park where you had seen Scott.  It was empty, free from everyone who was at the talent show.  That’s exactly what you wanted.  It was peaceful, quiet, and away from anyone that could ruin it.  

Or so you hoped.  

“Are you alright?” Geraldine asked you, sitting down on the bench next to you.  You hadn’t even realized you were sitting on a bench.  You were so... Out of it by the time that she was there that you hardly recognized her.

“Yes, I’m alright.  Thank you,” You said, wiping tears from your eyes.  You felt frustrated, as if nothing was going to be okay anytime soon. 

“What happened?  You seemed to get really startled back there.  Loki just watched you leave.”  She said, placing a hand on your shoulder.  It was comforting, warm.  It didn’t feel like anyone or anything else here has lately.  You wanted to collapse right then and there.  

“It seems like everyone is hiding some secret from me.  Loki refuses to answer my questions, there’s that stranger who popped up spouting nonsense about the town.  And then there’s just everything strange.  I went to the store expecting that to be fine but even that was just... Absurd.  It seems like I’m in a dream or something and I can’t wake up.” You ranted to her.  She nodded understandingly.  

“I know how you feel.  It feels like I don’t even know where I’m at sometimes.”  She said quietly.  

“Yeah, it feels like Westview has changed so much since... Since Wanda got here.”  

“What was it like before?” She questioned.  

“I don’t remember.  That’s the thing.  I don’t know what’s going on, but I haven’t been able to remember a single thing since a few days ago.  All I know is who I am and that I’m married to Loki.  I can’t remember how we got here, what this town’s like... All I know is that I don’t like Dottie or Agnes,” You laughed humorlessly.  

“Dottie or Agnes?” 

“They’ve always struck me as odd ones.  Well, Dottie is quite a-” 

“Y/n!  Geraldine!  I finally found you two, thank goodness.”  Wanda walked up to you, breathing a sigh of relief.  “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.  What’s going on?” 

“Oh, it’s nothing Wanda.  I’m just a little confused, that’s all.” 

“Confused?  How do you mean?” She asked, wanting to be a supportive friend.  

Ẅ̸̛͚̣̖̂̈͝h̸̛͍̤͓͉̯͌̑͆͘a̸̱̯̼͆̀̿t̷̻̲̓'̶̡̊̾͐s̵̨̻̫̲͊ ̸͉͍̇̕͝h̵̖͗̓̚ä̶̲̠̞́́̌͠p̸͕̞̗͚͋͑̅̅̅p̵̧̥̫̭͑͒͘ͅe̵̺͓̟͇̊̂̊̚͠ͅň̵̞̯̺̥̪̈́̌́̾į̸̭̼̜̌͐̈́ͅn̵̘͆͂͐g̷͓̪͋͊̄ ̵̺̻͓̣͂̿͂͝n̴̬͖͌̐͊͠o̶̥̩̺̫͂̒ẁ̸͍̝̯?̶͖̆̿̂̓

Darcy continued to watch the TV, taking notes as she went along.  Jimmy walked up and sat down next to her, placing a cup of coffee down for her.  “Y/N seems to be questioning everything,” She responded to his question. 

“Questioning?” 

“Yeah, it seems like she’s able to figure out something’s wrong in the neighborhood.  No one else has managed to do that yet.  Not even Wanda herself.” 

“Is it possible Wanda is the root of this?” 

“Are you trying to say she placed herself in a bubble where she’s forced to act like she’s in a sitcom with her dead love and her friend plays a small role?  I doubt it, but nothing’s out of the equation yet.  Is that coffee for me?” She smiled. 

Jimmy nodded, watching the screen.  Wanda was just about to approach you and Geraldine at the park.  He watched the screen carefully when it suddenly cut off, playing into the next scene where Wanda and Vision arrive home, talking about the day.  “Wait, what just happened?” 

“I don’t know,” Darcy responded, trying to turn the knobs on the TV screen to get a better signal.  “How did we just skip past an entire scene?” 

“I don’t think that was anything you did.  I think someone on the inside had something to do with it.  Wanda, maybe.” 

“Because Y/N was questioning it?” 

“Maybe.  Whatever’s going on, whether it’s Wanda in control or someone else, they don’t want anyone to figure it out or know what’s happening.  Including us.”  

Darcy nodded grimly.  She wanted to believe that Wanda was a superhero, an Avenger.  She was someone who pummeled Thanos and kept fighting for the good guys.  What would make her isolate a town in New Jersey?  

“Either way,” Jimmy spoke, breaking her thoughts, “Who’s that guy that keeps popping up in the background?  The one Y/N spoke to?” 

“Oh you mean Scott?  He seems to be a background character.  I haven’t been able to catch a good angle of him.  The ‘camera’ isn’t allowing me to get any good glimpses of him.  We’ve already identified most of the town though.  It doesn’t make any sense.” 

“Well, we need to keep trying.  If we can’t identify them, then that means they may be another person of interest here.” 

“Got it.  There’s one question that’s really bugging me though.” 

“What’s that?” 

“How are Vision and Loki both there?” 

~

“Oh thank God, Wanda, what happened?” You asked as she walked through the door, back into your shared apartment.  She sat down, keeping her gaze locked on the green carpeting underneath her feet.  Her eyes glistened with tears that refused to come out.  

“I saw him, but he wasn’t there anymore.”  Her voice cracked as she let out a choked sob.  Your heart crumbled into pieces as you watched the woman practically collapse.  You quickly sat next to her on the couch, pulling her into a side hug.  

“Wanda, I’m so sorry.”

“I just wanted to bury him.  It was the least he deserved after everything we went through.” She wrapped an arm around you tightly as you felt her tears dampen your shirt.  

“I know, just let it all out,” You tried to comfort her.  There wasn’t much you could say though, at least, nothing you hadn’t said before.  “At least they’re dismantling him though, right?  They’re being careful, and they’re not disobeying Vision’s wishes.  When I heard S.W.O.R.D had him,” You hesitated for a moment, “I feared the worst.” 

Wanda let out a quiet sniffle as she broke the hug.  “Me too.  That’s why I had to drive up to New York as soon as possible.  I had to make sure.” 

You nodded, giving her a soft smile.  “Did they give you a hard time about it?” 

“It wasn’t any harder than I expected,” She admitted.  “When I saw him, I knew it was over.  I couldn’t even see him.  Not in the way I remember him.” 

“But you got to say goodbye.” 

“Yeah, I did.” 

A moment of silence was shared between the two of you before she looked around the room, spotting a manila envelope by the door.  “What’s that?” She asked, walking towards it. 

“It was in the mail today, it was addressed to you.  I have no idea what it could be though.”  

She glanced at the return address before carefully opening up the envelope.  Inside was a single paper.  It was large and thick, some kind of heavy-duty paper.  Whatever it was must’ve been important.  She didn’t say anything, so you asked, “What is it?” 

“It’s... It’s from Vision.” 

~

You woke up in a cold sweat in bed.  What happened yesterday?  You turned to look next to you, finding Loki.  He was sleeping peacefully, an arm wrapped around your waist.  Things seemed different though.  

You took a look around your room.  It was brighter, and much livelier than it was before.  The sheets were a bright blue, almost matching the patches of sky you could see through the green curtains on the window.  The bedside lamps had vibrant red shades on them, matching the golden stands beautifully.  The dark oak tables they sat on complimented the room.  

You looked to get a better look at Loki.  Now you could see his black hair and pale skin in a much better light.  He was wearing a black t-shirt for pajamas.  You looked at your own clothing, noticing that you were wearing a pink nightgown.  When did you get home?  And how did you get home? 

You carefully moved Loki’s arm off of you as he shifted in his sleep.  Pulling the covers off of you, you turned to look at the clock.  It was 10:00 in the morning.  The last time you checked, it had to be around 4:00 in the afternoon yesterday.  Whatever happened between the three of you must’ve ended up in some wild psychedelic dream or a lot of drinking.  

You got dressed, slipping on a nice top and skirt that you could find.  They were (f/c), your favorite.  When did you get these clothes?  Most of your wardrobe consisted of dresses, so seeing the shirt and skirt seemed strange to you.  It didn’t matter all that much though because you heard a knock on the door as soon as you were done.  

Opening the door, you were greeted by a certain woman.  “Agnes!  Hello, how wonderful to see you!  Come in,” You smiled, stepping to the side.  

“Oh hi dear, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing.  Especially after what happened yesterday, I knew I had to stop by!” She smiled widely, laughing a little. 

“That’s so sweet of you.  But, what do you mean by what happened yesterday?” You asked, chuckling nervously.  She sat down on the couch and you took a seat across from her.  Her piercing gaze seemed to look right through you, as if she knew you had no idea what happened last night.  

“Why, with the talent show of course!  Loki came around to tell me what happened.  He seemed very distraught,” She frowned.  

You laughed nervously once more.  “Well, we just had a small disagreement that’s all.  I can’t figure out why he went to you though,” You smiled. 

“Oh don’t worry about it my dear, he was just wondering if I had any idea where you were heading off to.  He’s worried about you, you know.  You’ve been acting so strangely lately that... It’s piqued everyone’s interest at this point.” 

“Well, it’s nothing to worry about, I can assure you of that.  Quite frankly it’s something that I believe should stay between me and my husband at this point.  I’m not very comfortable with talking about it.” 

“Are you sure?  You seem very nervous right now, Y/N.  Plus, it seems like you’ve gotten very close with the new guy in town, Scott.  I’ve seen you talking with him while Loki’s not around, you sly little thing.” She winked mischievously as she laughed. 

Your blood ran cold and it seemed like everything around you stopped.  You couldn’t think of anything else, you just wanted Agnes to stop talking.  Her eyes widened as she seemed to freeze too.  She didn’t say anything as you glared at her.  

“I think you should go,” You stated.  “It’s early in the morning and I have to make breakfast.  Perhaps we can continue this chat another time,” You said, ushering her out the door.  Her eyes were still wide, yet she said nothing.  She simply walked outside, taking a turn towards her house.  

You closed the door once she was gone, breathing a sigh of relief.  It was as if the world reverted back to normal as soon as she was gone.  

~

Agatha continued her descent to her house, taking a look around as the people around her.  Herb was just walking outside.  He was getting into place, just as she wanted.  If she was going to freak Vision out she needed him by the fence on standby.  

When she made it back to her home, she walked downstairs to her basement.  It was still being built as she didn’t have the time to fix everything up just yet.  It had several runes going across the walls and she had her book in there.  She flipped through the pages, trying desperately to figure out what had just happened.  

“Interesting.” 

“So Wanda isn’t the only one with magic here.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

@emberfulclass @momoneymolife @high-priestesss @hailey-the-heathen @mochminnie @dpaccione @intricate-melody @lindseyrae20 @storminateacup15 @ilovemollyweasley @bookgirlunicorn  @chims-kookies @austynparksandpizza @yikesdameron @littleladdty @three-eyed-snail @kymera-casterwill @justsomerandompersonintheworld @followthepastelcloud @11mb0 @carolinesbookworld @grimalkynslee @from-hel-i-with-love

[kneamet]

Inspired by Wandavision. Reader is trapped in a perfect world of sitcom. However, she notices that her husband Loki is in control of everyone. I also ask for a scene that Loki goes to SWORD agents and threatens them like Wanda.

Trigger Warning: obsession, yandere, forced, kidnapping

Word Count: 2768

Character: Loki/reader

Summary: you knew that your husband was a magician, but you never thought that he would decide to create a perfect false world

POV Your

It was strange. Very strange. The world has seemed unreal to you lately. Everything was so unrealistic that I wanted to gouge out my eyes.

You looked down at your hands, feeling extremely worried. This acrid feeling burned and ate away at you from the inside out, making you feel anxious. It was very scary and unusual.

"Darling, what are you doing? Thinking about genesis?" the mocking velvety baritone whose owner was currently smiling softly at you from behind asked you. A light laugh followed his sentence. Laughter, like a crowd laughing at a joke.

You shook your head. It seemed particularly heavy now. Reflection and thoughts struck your bright, unfilled dark thoughts, head.

"Loki, what is that laugh?" you asked, turning your head to look at him. Loki only raised an eyebrow at your remark and smiled at you again, shaking his head and walking down the stairs towards you.

"I don't know what you're talking about, my sweet queen? What are you getting at?" coming up to you and touching your hair with the big hand that did the magic and gently running it through it. You blinked, leaning away from her husband's touch.

You loved his touch. So soft, so tender, so in need of the necessary love, which... What is it? Why can't you remember?

"Loki, honey, can I ask you something?" you could feel his nod as you stared at the dark screen on the off-screen TV. "What happened before we came to Westview? I can't remember, " you said in confusion, turning completely into Loki, who was looking at you with a serious look, frowning.

There was a lonely silence between you and your husband. On the top floor, the children could be heard frolicking and playing among themselves. The tension that weighed down the souls of those in the main room was overwhelming.

"Is this how pregnancy affected you? You know, I'm not an expert, but after this stage in life, girls are very suspicious of their husbands, " Loki smiled charmingly again, sitting down next to you on the blue sofa that sagged under his weight, and hugging you around the neck, kissing you on the cheek. It was a ridiculous kiss, more like a reassuring kiss.

The laughter came again. It was an unusual laugh when you see someone in front of you and they laugh. No, it was a laugh on the echoes of consciousness, which in an endless rhythm only intensified when a "funny" joke was heard. It was suspiciously strange. You felt your hands start to sweat a little.

With your lips pressed tightly together and your teeth biting the inside of your cheek, you stood up, emerging from Loki's pleasant captivity. His hands, which you so loved to touch, had to be left behind, freeing yourself from a pleasant manual captivity.

You loved Loki. He was a very interesting man... No, not a man, but a God, to put it mildly. Your beloved God, who was head over heels in love with you. He was very sarcastic and handsome: that black hair of his, which was now cut short in a perfect style; green eyes, so attentive that nothing escapes them. What can I say here, he's a God.

Grabbing your coat from the hanger and going straight up the stairs and heading straight for the door, wanting to get out and get some fresh air, as well as refresh your obsessive thoughts by going deeper into the thoughts that haunted you even at night.

"Honey, are you going somewhere?" getting up from the sofa, your husband asked obsessively, smiling at you and in an instant, teleporting, being near you, putting his hand on your shoulder.

You mastered your shoulder from his hand, shaking it slightly and not even paying attention to it, opened the door, saying:

"Get some fresh air. Keep an eye on the boys," you muttered as you closed the door behind you, not even bothering to look at your husband, who was standing there with a tense face, looking at you. It's a good thing you didn't notice.

You wanted to get out of this city. Find out what's next. Maybe we can find out from people if they know anything about you, or maybe it's just that you have a terrible memory.

But no, it can't be so terrible that you don't remember anything from the day you and Loki came to this city that seemed like an ideal city. Still, there was something wrong. Something was bothering you.

Deciding not to slow down and just walk towards the end of the city, you began to look around. You didn't walk very far, maybe fifty meters from your house, and everything was fine.

"Hi, Rob!" you shouted to your fool from work, to which he only smiled painfully at you, and your feeling only grew stronger when you saw a tear trickle down his cheek.

We need to get out of this city faster and find out from the people who live nearby if they know what's going on here in Westview.

You didn't remember when this craze to find out what was going on in this town started. Maybe when you haven't seen the kids on the playground for a couple of days in a row? Or when your friend Geraldine left so suddenly that you didn't notice? Or when the children began to grow very quickly? Or maybe when I saw the tears of the residents, when they portrayed happiness?

It was difficult. You couldn't put the details together, and your mind refused to remember your past, which you couldn't just forget. There must have been something, right? Your memories couldn't have started with you coming here with your husband, could they?

You shook your head, looking up and noticing that the main city was gone, leaving only small houses and a road that led off into the distance. Just where the STOP sign is placed. Is travel prohibited for everyone, or just for you and the people of this city?

Suddenly you stopped, clutching your head. No, no, no, what if you're imagining it? What if this is all just a game of your excited mind? Maybe you just made it all up and the people at Westview are really happy?

Squinting at the small house, your eyes only widened in fear, which was reflected in your trembling hands and your herd of goosebumps that ran down your back. The woman stood motionless, as did the man, apparently he was her husband, and she was his wife. They just stared at one point, apparently not even breathing. It was scary to see and you didn't dare approach them.

Looking around and not noticing anyone behind you, only frozen people, you stepped a little further, overcoming the road, noticing a strange, whatever it was, but it looks like a wall or some kind of dome that was blue mixed with green, similar to the colors of magic... Loki?

You knew about Loki's abilities. That he's quite a powerful mage, but could he create this dome? Was he so powerful that you didn't even know it? Your hands trembled, and so did your lower nooba. Your eyes stared at that dome-wall in amazement and tortured fear.

Your eyes widened and your mouth dropped open as you finally put together the details that had previously been a dead weight in your head.

When you touched it with your hand, you felt yourself being pulled in. It became uncomfortable. Now the question of real life was being decided, where you would learn everything about yourself and live in a world where there were no lies, or whether it would be better to stay in a world full of lies, but with your husband. Your hand has wavered in the direction of the false world. What if Loki gets angry? Did you know how evil he can be?

But no, as you said earlier, retreating now was too easy and incomprehensibly simple. To give up is to admit defeat, to remain in a world where you will always be written as a lie.

But Loki...

Shaking your head again, and finally stepping into that dome wall that seemed to shield you from the real world, you felt a pull with your foot and your whole body. So you didn't have to do anything. In any case, you will simply be thrown out of this world, soaked in lies.

As you tried to make your way through this wall with small steps, you felt how thick it was in its width and so high, although it did not bother you. Right now, all that filled my heart was a sense of freedom.

You felt like your mind was being released and memories were coming back to you from before you and Loki moved to New Jersey.

Suddenly, you felt something hit you in the back and you seemed to fly out of this wall right on the green grass with your stomach down. You groaned a little, sitting up and looking around.

There were people standing right next to you, surrounding you and looking at you in disbelief. Behind them were tents and huge body cars that flashed their headlights. Strange faces were looking at you, very worried. Your eyes went over the people very quickly before you said:

"Darcy?" you whispered, squinting against the light. She was the only person who supported you back then. Then? When?

"Y/N?"

"Help me, please save me!" you asked them, seeing how some of them began to approach you with a reliable expression on their faces, apparently wanting to help.

"I don't think you need any help, my dear queen," said a familiar soft and sweet baritone voice behind you, the sound of which your ears enjoyed. Your eyes widened and you felt fear. Inappropriate fear. Your legs are shaking. Your heart began to beat in a loud rhythm in your mind, drowning out everything except Loki's words, which were currently echoing in your head.

***

POV Loki

He did not think that his dear, dear queen would betray him. Didn't you realize that Loki did everything especially for you, wanting to dedicate every part of himself to you? Did he know that this world wasn't safe, and why did he have to create a fictional one based on your favorite TV shows, which he liked to watch with you, wrapped in a blanket on the comfortable sofa in your apartment, which he often visited earlier?

Loki loved you too much. He never wanted to hurt you, only to help you and make you feel needed and in love with someone.

He always thought you needed someone to take care of you. Yes, and take care so that you will feel like a queen. To protect, care for, and trust you, and the most important thing is to show love for you. What he missed so much.

Loki didn't like remembering the past. It was just a dark line that he crossed out when his mother died, whom he loved so much that he did not even notice the bright manipulations on her part. No, for him, she was a savior who protected him from his father's wrath.

Blinking and shifting his bleary gaze to you, his beloved queen, Loki tightened his grip on the missile that had been set upon him and his children. His favorite perfect twin boys that his beloved wife gave birth to.

They were so wonderful. Children are the flowers of life, isn't that what the Midgardians say? It seems to be. The ideal family, such as only happens in the movies, was embodied by Loki in the form of him, his beloved wife and two children.

Throwing a rocket in the direction of S.W.O.R.D., Loki lowered his head, feeling the magic that was green in color form in his hands and that was ready to kill everyone and get out of his personal life.

The contempt for people oozing out of his mouth was as ugly as it could possibly be. His gaze darted in your direction and softened slightly. The sight of you always calmed his raging mind and brought him to his senses. He took a step toward you, grabbing you in a sloppy hug, as if to show his protection.

It was nice for him to look at you. Your soft hair, in which he liked to bury his nose; your beautiful eyes, in which you could drown if you looked at them only once, and in which he was often lost. He saw you pursing your lips, frowning. Were you afraid?

Loki turned his gaze back to the agents, focusing his magic in his left hand. Magic that can cause pain.

"The rocket was a precaution. You can't blame us, Loki, " a loud male voice shouted. He didn't know him. But most likely it was the director. Loki's brow furrowed as he tightened his grip on you, doing nothing but protect you. He won't let the agents take you away. For too long, he had been alone, wandering the worlds.

"I don't think so. This is my last warning," as if a growl had escaped Loki's lips and the magic had only intensified, instilling the fear he so fiercely enjoyed. "Stay out of my house," the house he was so happy to have. A home where everyone loves him and waits for him. A house where he is respected. The house he missed. "You won't touch me, and I won't touch you," he warned, eager to get out of here and talk to his wife. They would have to have a long conversation.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. You're holding the whole city hostage, " the unknown man shouted at Loki, to which Loki only curled his lip. Contemptuously. Didn't they understand that he just wanted to be happy? That he just wants to be alone with his beloved and his children?

"I'm not the one with the weapon," Loki warned him, feeling the arm he held around you tighten slightly, and the magic only increased its power. She seemed ready to destroy everything he could see. But right now, he had you, his beloved queen, at his side, who calmed him down with just an unobtrusive presence.

"But you're in control!" a commanding voice was heard. This time it was a woman. Out of the corner of his eye, Loki watched the expression on his beloved queen's face.

"Geraldine?" ah, what a gentle and quiet voice.

"Are you still here?" the man arched an eyebrow significantly, kissing you in the hair and looking with a withering look at the ex-girlfriend of his wife, who insinuated herself into the trust and into the affairs of his family.

"Loki... I didn't know the drones were armed. But you know that, don't you?" slowly approaching him and you, the woman said in a soothing voice, like a doctor talking to his sick patient. Loki always knew there was something wrong with her. She was too suspicious. "The city is full of civilians, but you, God, have brought an S.W.O.R.D. agent into your home," Loki frowned. The blood surged in his veins. He knew that at some point, he just wouldn't hold back. "I helped your wife give birth to your children," she looked at you, and you reflected her gaze with a look of hope. Do you want to leave him? "And on some level, you realize that I'm your ally. I want to help you, " she said in a trusting tone, and Loki slightly reduced the pressure of his magic that oozed from his thin fingers.

"How? What can you offer me?" he knew what she would say. There was no answer to that question. It was all reduced to one thing. The family Loki needed.

"What do you want?" the woman asked, standing in the background with the man who had spoken to him earlier, as if taking a manipulative pose.

"I already have everything. And no one will ever take that away again," Loki muttered, releasing a large stream of energy from his hands, forcing himself to control the minds of his subordinates and aim the scope at the director of S.W.O.R.D.

Turning around, Loki grabbed your hand, squeezing it in a painful grip and helping you turn around. He saw how you tried to resist and remove his intrusive hands and touch, to which the man himself only tightened his grip on you, pushing you into a false world.

[forasecondtherewedwon]

Hex Life

Fandom: WandaVision Pairing: Darcy Lewis/Jimmy Woo Rating: E Chapters: 10/10 Word Count: 34k

Summary: Guest starring Agent James E. Woo as himself and introducing Dr. Darcy Lewis as Mrs. Darcy Woo!

Or: Darcy and Jimmy are sent into the Hex to retrieve Captain Monica Rambeau. Finding out Westview has cast them as a married couple is only the first of the surprises that await them.

read ch. 1 one / 2 two / 3 three / 4 four / 5 five 6 six / 7 seven / 8 eight / 9 nine / 10 ten

this fic is now complete!

Jimmy’s going to be a dad. He was going to be a dad in a black-and-white sitcom world and now he’s going to be a dad in a world on the regular spectrum, so the colours really aren’t as big a deal as his impending fatherhood. Possible fatherhood. As much as he’s always secretly wanted his own little Jimmy Woo Jr., he didn’t know if it would be in the cards for him—pun obviously intended—and the last thing he wants to do is influence Darcy either way, especially since he’s only known her a couple days and doesn’t have a clue if a baby was really part of her life plan.

It can’t just be rose-coloured glasses making him see his wife warming to the idea though; when she continues down the hall ahead of Jimmy and Monica, he spots her careful cradling of the baby bump. He can barely stand not touching her. The instinct to shelter others has always been one of his strongest and now he feels it intensely. He longs to protect Darcy, to hold Darcy, to love— Well. Jimmy clears his throat at the very thought and Monica gives him a suspicious side-eyed glance.

“Dry throat,” he lies, tapping his neck in a probably highly unconvincing gesture.

“Uh huh.”

Yeah, she doesn’t sound convinced.

He’s rescued by a burst of sound from the bedroom and dashes ahead of Monica in case Darcy’s in trouble. When he bangs the bedroom door fully open, she’s fine. She’s laughing. He sighs and looks where she points. The queen-sized mattress they shared has changed back to a pair of narrower beds.

“Seriously,” Jimmy says flatly.

“Well, the big bed worked its magic,” Darcy concedes. She pats her rounded stomach. “Mission accomplished.”

“Aw jeeze.”

Ignoring his distress, she sits on the end of the closest bed.

“What I like is that they’re magically made. I didn’t end up having to change the sheets. This is really the next step in home technology.”

“Honey, don’t encourage the magical forces that control our home décor,” he pleads, beckoning until Darcy rises and takes his outstretched hand.

“Better than getting on their bad side. In the AI uprising, you wanna make sure you’re friends with the robots.”

This is an outrageous statement coming from a credible scientist, so Jimmy squints down at her for a minute before saying, “Thanks, house,” aloud, just in case appeasing the Hex now saves him from being closed into a room with no door later, if the walls rearrange to form the ’70s model of their current home.

“You did the smart thing,” Darcy assures him.

As they leave the room, she keeps hold of his hand. He shoots adoring glances at her.

“Hey, Monica,” she says, calling to their guest, who seems to have gone to investigate the walk-in closet. “Accommodations aren’t going to be a problem. I can give you some pajamas too because I think I own at least a dozen pairs, as I’m sure you’ve already discovered…”

But when they look in the closet it’s… not a closet.

“Or maybe the Hex destroyed all my pajamas and I should take back my overtures of friendship,” Darcy corrects.

“Welcome to your nursery,” Monica says. “I’m guessing from the look on Jimmy’s face that this is new.”

It’s spartan, but there’s no doubt in Jimmy’s mind that the room is now intended to be exactly what Monica said. There’s a crib in pieces on the carpet and a rocking chair in the corner. Though he can’t remember this room having even one window, there are now two. The blinds are drawn against the night and curtains patterned with stars and streaking comets hang from a rod mounted above the window. Automatically, he pulls Darcy into his side. He feels her rest her head on his shoulder.

“Man, the Hex is really giving us the hard sell,” she comments.

Just like that, he’s guiding her around by her upper arms and propelling her from the room. He glances over his shoulder to see Monica following with an amused smile. At his nod, she pulls the door shut.

“Ignore it,” Jimmy tells Darcy. “Don’t let that room influence you.”

“Oh, like that’s easy.” She rolls her eyes.

“I know it’s hard not to picture reading Jimmy Junior to sleep in his crib, or watching him learn to roll himself over on the carpet, or cuddling him in your arms in the rocking chair as the morning light—”

“Jimmy Junior?” Darcy asks, interrupting Jimmy’s rapidly solidifying daydream.

“You know what? I’m starving,” Monica announces, putting a hand on each of their shoulders to head off the awkward pause. “How about you two show me some hospitality? I’ve had a long day of being mind-controlled.”

“How ’bout some comfort food?” he asks. “I make a mean bowl of chili.”

“Sounds great.”

So, Jimmy cooks for them. His attention is unequally divided between the simmering pot, Monica leaning against the counter next to him as she recounts the scene at the meeting when Wanda went to take his call, and Darcy sifting pickily through the contents of their fridge. He glances over after putting the lid on the pot to let the chili finish cooking and sees his wife contemplatively holding an egg like it’s Yorick’s skull. Ok, well, he’s just going to leave her to her thoughts.

He sets bowls of chili for himself and Monica on the dining room table. Darcy, justifiably finnicky, takes longer to decide what she’ll be able to stomach, reflexively rubbing the baby bump as she plunders their kitchen. Finally, she comes to sit down. She’s brought a spoon. That’s it. Jimmy’s going to ask, but Darcy just scoots her chair close to his and takes intermittent mouthfuls of his serving while the conversation continues on. He sighs in unannoyed exasperation and alternates dips of his spoon with hers.

It’s just another weird routine they’ve settled into, and like everything else, it didn’t take long.

“You two didn’t know each other before this assignment, right?” Monica checks, motioning between Darcy and Jimmy with a slice of buttered toast.

“No, why?” Darcy asks, dropping a chunk of tomato from her spoon onto his. (Apparently, she doesn’t like tomatoes.)

Monica smiles and says, “No reason.”

She seems ready to accept them as they are, whatever they are. She goes back over the events of this afternoon for Darcy’s benefit—who was zoned out staring at an egg at the time—then the three of them turn to talk of tomorrow. What does Monica feel she needs to try before she’s willing to concede and leave the Hex with them? What can she try? How can Jimmy and Darcy assist her? They talk themselves in a circle of possibilities, limitations, and Monica’s unswerving negative answer to suggestions of her leaving the Hex without getting through to Wanda. Eventually, they decide that the best plan may be no plan, since they’re up against Westview’s ever-shifting magical properties.

“We’ll get up in the morning and see what the world looks like,” Monica says.

Jimmy’s going to reply when the Captain’s expression alters.

“Are you remembering?” Darcy asks her astutely. Monica stares at her. “I don’t want to pry, I’ve just seen that look on a lot of people’s faces lately. People who came back.”

“This isn’t dissimilar,” Monica admits. “When I get anywhere near Wanda or the other characters with speaking parts and start to lose control to… Geraldine—” Jimmy thinks the look on her face is both disgusted and deeply hurt. “—I do get this feeling like the world is going on without me. Only I’m there. I’m right there. I haven’t made up my mind yet if it’s worse than being gone entirely then coming back to find nothing’s the same.”

“Yeah,” Darcy says, soft, sympathetic.

“I don’t know what else the members of this community have been through, but I know I don’t want them to have to keep going through this too. I can’t imagine how tight Wanda’s grip is on the people who were here when she started this. Not sure I’m qualified to be the one to tell her how to let go of her grief and move on.”

Monica blinks quickly and gives a forced smile.

“That was good chili, Jimmy.”

He nods in thanks because he can’t find the right words to say.

They’re all carrying something and Jimmy thinks about that as the three of them clean up, then splinter off to get ready for bed, tired for different and shared reasons. (He changes into his pajamas in the nursery—they found their clothing in a new, regular-sized closet in the bedroom—while Monica and Darcy take the bathrooms.) The Captain’s carrying her recent bereavement and the unignorable sense of responsibility she feels to help Wanda and the Westviewers, possibly precisely because she isn’t ready to confront her own loss. Darcy’s doing some literal carrying with the baby bump her pajama top is buttoned over when she steps out of the en suite bathroom to let Jimmy in to brush his teeth. She’s an astrophysicist who, while studying a television diversion from reality, was brought rudely back to earth by circumstances as real as they come.

What Jimmy’s carrying is actually carrying him: his hope. It’s a good thing to have in his line of work, but a tough thing to keep when the world’s been through what it has. A baby is the least likely and most longed-for thing he would’ve confessed to wanting if someone asked him what was missing from his life.

When it’s acknowledged through awkward glances that, yes, Monica’s taking one of the beds and Jimmy and Darcy will share the other, he climbs under the covers his wife holds open for him. She rolls away from him to lie on her side and he gets comfortable on his back. The Hex has definitely eased up on what it wants for their romantic development because this is the first time he’s been in bed with Darcy and not felt himself caving to the need to have sex with her. Oh, the desire to touch her is as powerful as ever, but the kind of touching he craves is as tender as the flesh of that peach he brought her earlier in the day.

But he doesn’t want to crowd her. Figuratively or literally. Between finding Monica and calling Wanda, making love to Darcy all afternoon and being presented with her pregnant belly in the evening, it’s been a dog’s breakfast of a day. The mission abruptly became just the second most daunting thing he needs to pull off. Now, he’s driven by the impulse to be near Darcy. She doesn’t know it, but she’s drawing him in like gravity and he can only cross his fingers for a soft landing.

Jimmy almost jumps when she reaches for him in the dark, hand feeling behind her until it finds his. She drags his arm over her and he flips onto his side to make it easier. Though Darcy lets him go when his arm’s around her, he doesn’t know where to rest his hand. Tentatively, he places it over her belly and she wriggles back into him. Heart bursting, he holds her more securely to his body, smooths his hand over the bump, and soon falls asleep.

—

The floor wakes him up. He’s just fallen out of bed.

Disoriented, Jimmy sits up in a tangle of comforter and squints at his bed companion in the morning light. They must’ve repositioned while they slept, but that alone wasn’t what forced him to and over the edge—he can see the shape of Darcy’s belly beneath the sheet. It’s noticeably larger than it was yesterday.

He’s still trying to come to terms with that when she sleepily grasps the comforter and yanks it back over her body. Jimmy chuckles and rises into a stretch. Monica’s bed is empty and neatly made, so she must be up already. Before entering the Hex, his internal clock was strict too. Since, he bends to the needs of his subconscious, which seems happiest when it’s allowed to sleep in, particularly if Darcy’s warming the sheets next to him. This is only their third day in Westview and the second time waking up here, but it feels wonderfully routine. As satisfying as completing his consistently-timed morning run or pouring exactly the right amount of milk into his cereal.

Although he’d like to let Darcy sleep, it’s weird now because he’s staring. Anyway, they need to tighten up their operations even further today if they’re going to get out of here soon. Monica requires either success or closure with Wanda, so Jimmy’s determined to help with that. And if Darcy’s pregnancy takes another leap forward, well… that’s another time crunch to consider.

She’s lying on her side, facing him, belly in the space where he fell asleep. Gently, he brushes hair out of her face and strokes lightly up and down her arm.

Darcy gives him a murmured “Hi” with her eyes still shut.

“You gonna get up?”

“Inaminute,” she promises, words running together.

“Alright.”

Jimmy hovers for a second, then darts down to kiss her forehead. She pats his shoulder clumsily in response.

He might as well have had his own eyes shut, blind to everything but Darcy, because it takes opening his wardrobe to realize Monica was correct—everything’s changed again. WandaVision has embraced the ’70s. The shirts and suits he was pretty comfortable with have been traded out. Those items still exist, but now they’re aggressively patterned. There are flared pant legs. There is so much corduroy. Out of the row of shoes tucked into the bottom on his side of the closet, half have platform heels.

“Oh god,” Jimmy groans softly, sifting through for something that won’t feel too much like a cheesy costume.

He ends up with jeans—his only pair of pants without a pattern—and a striped shirt with wide lapels. The Hex’s makeover of his closet has him so beaten down that he doesn’t even pick out a jacket. He doesn’t have the heart for business casual. At the sight of a long-sleeved jumpsuit, Jimmy closes the closet door securely. They have to get out of here. This will be the thing that breaks him.

Slouching into the bathroom, he drops his selections on the counter and takes a shower. As he washes his hair, his fingers slow their scrubbing. Is his hair… longer? He finishes quickly and steps out to find the mirror fogged with steam. He wipes it clean with his forearm, examining his reflection. This place isn’t through with him yet: the Hex has given him a mustache.

Jimmy screams.

“Fine!” Darcy shouts back to his wordless noise of dismay. “I’m up! God, you could’ve just set an alarm and OH MY GOD, HAVE YOU SEEN THE SIZE OF THIS BABY BUMP?!”

He sighs on behalf of himself and his wife, slicks his too-long wet hair back with a comb, then starts in on shaving off the mustache. It immediately grows back.

“Come on,” he complains, cursing the Hex. “Why’d you give me a razor then?!”

Luckily, his annoyance fades the minute he sees Darcy. She’s swearing up a storm about needing to pee and her head looking too small for her body because the Hex has straightened her hair, but he takes all of her restless irritation in with a dazed smile on his face. Adjusting her glasses—now almost circular, with rounded off corners—she catches sight of his new look and erupts into laughter. Whatever the Hex does to mess with their appearance, at least they’re each other’s best medicine to combat it.

“I don’t want to be insensitive,” Monica starts when they walk into the kitchen hand in hand, “but are you significantly more pregnant than you were yesterday?”

Jimmy watches Darcy nod and slips away from her to throw some more bread in the toaster from the bag Monica’s left out on the counter for them.

“You’d think it’s just this big, shapeless dress,” Darcy says, “but no.” She pulls the fabric taut over her stomach to show the size of her belly more accurately. “I don’t want to say it, but the size of this thing makes me think the Hex is leaving me room to grow.”

“And if that dress is only for today…” Monica says.

“Jeepers,” Jimmy concludes.

They eat together in their reconfigured living room. It’s not until Monica’s kicked back in one of their low chairs, ankle propped on her opposite knee, that Jimmy notices her patterned pants.

“Those aren’t from Darcy’s closet are they?”

“No. I’m assuming they’re my clothes from yesterday with the matter recycled for a new decade. Believe me, this outfit wouldn’t have been my choice if I had anything else to pick from.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure. I had a whole closet and still ended up with this,” Jimmy says, motioning to himself.

“My retro Secret Agent Man,” Darcy states admiringly, leaning her head over to bump against his shoulder. Ok, he thinks, smiling at her, I can be alright with this for her.

When Monica rises to turn on the television, Jimmy realizes this is the first time they’ve had one in the house. He remembers seeing a set in the Vision residence when he and Darcy were watching an episode on the S.W.O.R.D. base, but he didn’t notice the lack once they got here. Probably because that first night was taken up with flirting, and then yesterday was split between scouring the downtown for Monica and holing up in the bedroom with Darcy. Watching the screen buzz to life now is like witnessing something truly futuristic and spectacular.

“Well, whaddaya know,” he says as the opening sequence of WandaVision begins.

“You think the TVs in here play anything else?” Darcy wonders aloud.

“Maybe not,” Monica says distractedly as they all turn their attention to Wanda and Vision’s adorable antics—the ice cream, the tandem bicycle. “It’s a pretty big coincidence that this show started right when I turned it on.”

“I can see an even bigger coincidence.”

There’s no need to guess what Darcy means. Wanda’s baby bump is obvious in nearly every shot of the introduction, particularly emphasized when she and Vision dance together, his hand on her belly. It’s all maternity clothes and Vision reading pregnancy books and while it’s wholesome, it’s also chilling.

“We’re doing the same plot,” Jimmy says.

“It’s like we’re… their understudies,” Darcy agrees, shrinking back into the cushions.

“Maybe Wanda figured, if you two wanted to be in the show so bad, she’d put you in the show,” Monica theorizes. “Her show. Exactly the way she’s living it.”

“So she’s teaching us a lesson? On what? Abstinence?”

“Could be a misguided attempt to gain your sympathy.”

“Or it really is all about control,” Jimmy suggests, cynical after the reveal that the pregnancy that’s upended his entire life isn’t really theirs. It’s not original. They’re following a Newlywed Couple template.

“Hey,” Darcy says, grabbing his arm, “this wasn’t all Wanda. She might’ve set the scene and, yeah, maybe we were more the goatherd puppets than we were Fraulein Maria and Captain von Trapp, but we did this.” She pulls his hand to her belly. “Wanda doesn’t decide what we do next.”

“What I suggest you not do next is consult Dr. Misogyny over here,” Monica says, gesturing at the television.

The doctor is condescending to Wanda and Vision about the facts of life during a checkup (in their living room?). He lowers himself even further in Jimmy’s regard when he refers to expectant mothers as “little ladies” and implies that the changes in their own bodies are beyond their understanding.

“What a quack,” he decides. “We’re not going to see that guy.” He’s startled to recall his promise to Darcy the previous evening, about options, his intention not to make up her own mind for her. Lowering his voice, he tilts his head close to hers. “I mean, we’ll do whatever you want. Including…”

Jimmy trails off and casts his eyes down. He still means it, wants Darcy on board with this 100% or not at all, but the whole thing’s been a roller coaster and he’s not great at pretending not to feel anything. With his wife so much further into her pregnancy today, it’s obvious that this baby will be born and they’ll need to decide who’s raising it. He thinks the two of them together could rear a pretty incredible kid, but if she wants out, is he prepared to be a single parent? The other option besides her, him, or both of them raising the baby is adoption. They’d need to leave the Hex before taking those steps (it’s not like he’s going to encourage Darcy to hand the baby over to a mind-controlled Westviewer), and just thinking about it, with everything he already feels for the baby, makes him certain that he’d rather rearrange his entire life than pass on this chance at a family. However unorthodox their beginnings.

“Don’t worry,” Darcy says calmly, pulling him from his spiral. “That guy will never get the chance to compare my uterus to a vegetable garden.”

“Fruit,” Monica corrects without looking away from the television.

“Right. Fruit. He’ll have no say about any of it. And he definitely won’t get the opportunity to be patronizing as fuck while he tries to give us the sex talk.” She looks Jimmy right in the eye and says, “I won’t let the asshole doctor-man say a word about your banana.”

Chuckling, he looks back to the screen. The doctor has departed and Vision’s currently baffled over Wanda’s newly expanded stomach. Uh oh. He jerks his head around to check and, yep, Darcy’s baby bump appears to be keeping up with the sitcom star’s.

“You two stay here,” Monica instructs, on her feet when Jimmy glances over.

“Where are you going?” he asks.

“To Wanda’s. If things continue at this rate, she could give birth in this episode. That’s going to make her even more protective of her family and her space and I’ll have an even harder time getting near her.”

“Are you sure you want to interrupt?”

They both glance at the television for a moment to observe Wanda and Vision debating baby names in the nursery. There’s nothing distressing about the scene—in fact, the couple looks as much at ease as Jimmy’s seen them on the show—but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t change, and quickly, if Monica inserted herself. He just isn’t sure how that would go and he doesn’t like any plan where he can’t foresee all the possible outcomes.

“Guess I just have a feeling,” Monica says, looking unsettled.

“Well,” Darcy pipes up, “in the world of science, having a feeling is forming a theory, and in this place… I think having a feeling you should do something might be Wanda giving you your cue.”

“You’re not beyond her control,” Jimmy tells Monica, “just farther away from it. What if Darcy’s right?”

“If Wanda wants me there, I’m not going to resist,” she replies firmly. “She’s the key and we need her cooperation.”

“Good luck,” Darcy bids her.

With a nod to them both, Monica strides across the living room and opens the front door.

“Speaking of keys,” Jimmy recalls, but the door shuts before he can offer to let her borrow their car to get to Wanda’s.

Maybe the Captain has a different plan. Maybe she’s just bending to Wanda’s influence. Whichever it is, he can’t go after her. Monica was right—he has to stay here with Darcy today, especially because her belly seems larger when he looks again. He glances at her face with a question on his and she nods.

“And I felt a kick,” she says.

“Really? Could I…? Do you think I could…?”

Darcy rolls her eyes at his reticence and guides both his hands to the bump. When he feels something nudge his palm, Jimmy tears up.

“That’s our baby,” Darcy confirms.

“Feels like they have my softball windup,” he murmurs.

“Or my pre-coffee restlessness.”

“Our baby,” Jimmy repeats, staring into her eyes—finally blue for the first time in days, give or take a decade.

They’re having a marvelous family moment until the power goes out. Lights, TV, the hum of the fridge in the kitchen, everything. Seconds later, it all comes back.

“That was strange.”

“I wondered what Wanda’s magic was doing to the power grid,” Darcy says. “I’m still curious about the finer points of what happens when electricity meets power generated by an Infinity Stone. Really, I’d expect Wanda to have this kinda thing under control, but I guess if she’s— Ugh!”

Her pained noise has Jimmy cupping her face, pushing back her hair, trying to figure out what happened.

“She’s distracted,” she says.

“By what?”

“Labour.”

“What? No.”

Sure enough, when Darcy stands (with Jimmy leaping to his feet to support her) and stretches her back, her bump looks big enough to contain a baby that’s almost ready to be born. Ready to be born?! Jimmy thinks. In our house? With no doctor? Just because the one on TV rubbed him the wrong way doesn’t mean he’s prepared to write off every doctor, nurse, and midwife in Westview. He would very much like to place responsibility for this delivery in the hands of a medical professional, not his own!

Even as the TV’s flickering back to life, he helps Darcy away from it. That just shows how serious things are. He knows how quickly she became invested in the sitcom when they reviewed the ’50s episode at the base.

After some frantic thought, he’s thinking the bathtub is going to have to do. People do that right? With home births? Although he attempts to guide Darcy in that direction, she doesn’t even want to sit down on the edge, let alone climb in. No, she wants to pace, and as she paces, she rubs at her lower back, wincing.

“We could look at the nursery,” he proposes. “Might take your mind off it.”

Jimmy knows it could be a weak suggestion, an insult to imply that anything could take Darcy’s mind off whatever discomfort she’s currently feeling, but the Hex, with its radioactive walls, smiles down on them for once. With his arm around her to take some of her weight, they hobble into the baby’s room and it’s… perfect.

The walls are dark blue near the ceiling, almost black, fading to periwinkle halfway down the wall. The lower portion transitions from blue to pale yellow, then a blazing orange right before the baseboard.

“It’s a sunrise,” he comprehends.

“Yeah,” Darcy says softly.

Though he feels like he got slightly ripped off by not being allowed a chance to do any of the decorating, he does admire the Hex’s choices. At last, his wife’s been represented in this space, in this house, and it’s beautiful. There’s a shelf full of space-themed board books, a plastic jumble of play versions of scientific tools like telescopes. A dangling mobile of the planets. After easing his wife into the rocking chair, Jimmy holds up a pack of glow-in-the-dark stars.

“Should I put these up?”

She smiles.

“I would be all over that shit if I could, but I trust you to do a good job.”

“Oh no. Do you want me to do real constellations?”

“The baby’s not gonna know the difference. Make it look however you want.”

She rocks, assuring him something about the motion is helping her manage the intensifying pain of her contractions, and Jimmy finds a small stepping stool to help him reach the ceiling. The sway of the chair in the corner of his eye, the morning light through the curtains, and the sound of Darcy breathing are things he already knows he’ll never forget.

Before he’s stuck all the stars in the pack to the ceiling’s white paint, she calls him down from the stool.

“I need to walk again.”

Darcy says it with grit and Jimmy doesn’t argue, even when walking appears to put her in even more distress; she groans and pushes her free hand against the wall as they stroll out of the nursery and down the hallway.

“Let’s check in with Wanda,” Jimmy says helplessly.

This is who he is now: a husband in over his head, desperate to gain tips about delivering a baby from a TV sitcom. An overwhelmed real estate agent. A man with a mustache.

They return to the living room and the TV playing WandaVision in time for Monica’s entrance. Based on her free use of ’70s slang and the general discord between the Captain Rambeau Jimmy’s been getting to know and the woman on the screen, he knows they’re looking at Geraldine. Wanda’s back in control of her character alright, and Jimmy wants to know who it’s helping. The scene’s centered around some joke about Wanda attempting to hide her pregnancy, which is no good for him. He needs a step-by-step guide, not a magic-resistant stork!

“There better not be a fucking bird in here,” Darcy gripes, alternately crouching and standing as every position fails to make her comfortable. “If I see a fucking, goddamn, sonofabitch, motherfucking—”

“I know, sweetie, I know,” Jimmy assures her, rubbing circles between her shoulder blades with the flat of his hand.

“The betrayal,” she mutters when Wanda elects to lie down behind a couch.

It completely blocks their view. If this were a regular show, Jimmy would understand that. Sitcom viewers would definitely appreciate a little TV magic over graphic, up-close-and-personal birth footage, but here at the Woo residence, one FBI agent and his astrophysicist wife really just want the truth! If Monica had agency, he’s sure she’d shove the couch aside to help them out, but with Geraldine at the helm, he’s confronting the fact that he and Darcy are on their own.

“Let’s go, Darcy,” he says, steering her towards the bathroom. “We don’t need her.”

“Are you sure?”

He’s never heard Darcy sound so uncertain and knows he’ll have to bluff his way through this. When the Avengers aren’t around, the regular people must step up. Reminding himself of that has gotten Jimmy through more than one tough day on the job and he tells himself it’ll get them both through this.

“Of course.”

In the bathroom, Darcy kicks out of her underwear and uses Jimmy as a crutch to climb into the tub. Her face is scrunched up severely and her hands are braced against the walls of the bathtub, so he tries to watch and understand what she needs. When all the tension in her face and body burst out in a shout, he grabs her hand. Her fingers curl around his palm in a death grip.

“How about some nice warm water? Water, Darcy?”

She nods rapidly, eyes clenched shut, and he turns on the facet, then quickly reaches behind her to plug the drain. The stream wets his sleeve and, when he withdraws his arm, hits her hair around the level of her shoulders and begins to soak the back of her dress. Between contractions, Darcy sighs in what sounds like relief.

“That feels good,” she acknowledges.

“Good,” is all Jimmy can say back. He kisses her face and squeezes her hand in his. “Good.”

He’s back to scrambling for a solution soon enough when the warm flow of water down her back stops being enough to soothe her. He helps her out of her sodden dress, tossing it behind him to splat on the tile floor.

“What do you need?” he asks wildly, leaning over the tub.

“Earplugs,” Darcy tells him before emitting a scream shrill enough to probably be heard by their neighbour’s dog, Dipper, down the street.

Jimmy doesn’t think, he just does. Snatching a towel off the rail, bracing his wife’s foot against his shoulder as her leg spasms, reaching into the water to collect their baby when the Hex (he assumes) does them the favour of letting one long push be sufficient to expel him. Him. Jimmy and Darcy’s son.

He’s beaming through the happy tears, delicately wiping at the wailing baby with the towel and passing him into Darcy’s outstretched arms as she shakes with astonished laughter, hair wet, head resting back against the jut of the faucet.

“That wasn’t so hard,” he jokes.

Darcy sits up, sending a splash of water over the side of the bathtub to slap the floor, and he knows the Hex is interfering again to make her capable of anything besides exhaustion after what she just accomplished. She twists sideways in the tub until she’s closer to Jimmy. He wraps an arm around her wet shoulders and peers down at the face of their boy, already drowsy after exercising his tiny lungs. Jimmy can feel Darcy studying his face.

“Jimmy Woo Junior?” she asks.

And he knows the rest is going to be gravy.

—

Inside the Hex, the magic of television is real. They didn’t need to fake Darcy’s pregnancy with a cushion to make her belly, round and taut as a beach ball, disappear entirely only minutes after giving birth. They didn’t need a set of twins or triplets playing Jimmy Woo Jr. to swap in a quiet baby for one that starts to cry. There’s no trick lighting or fudged angles, just Darcy sitting on the couch (in dry, non-maternity clothes) catching their amazingly calm, less than an hour-old son up on the details of his origin story—Darcy’s wording.

It’s shaping up to be a nice, if highly unusual, family day in, until the tension starts to mount on-screen. Probably something Jimmy could’ve caught sooner if he weren’t spending 50 seconds out of every minute stroking the baby’s teeny-weeny hands while he hopes Jimmy Jr. retains zero memory of his dad’s mustache. When he hears Monica mention Wanda’s brother by name, he’s fully alert to the episode and knows he has to act. That close to Wanda, Monica’s control should be fully suppressed beneath the character of Geraldine. If she’s breaking through to ask Wanda person questions, questions that are almost definitely going to provoke an emotional response, Monica must be fighting like crazy to surface. Jimmy decides that’s his signal to get over there and help bring this thing to a satisfying conclusion so they can all leave the Hex.

“You’re not going to Wanda’s without me,” Darcy informs him, planted in front of the door when Jimmy returns from grabbing his keys.

“Darcy, you can’t. The baby. I’d stay with him and let you go, but I’ve never heard you mention particular skill in hand-to-hand combat and I can’t guarantee things won’t turn violent.”

She snorts.

“Liar. I could be the world’s biggest hand-to-hand badass and you’d still be trying to protect me right now.”

He stares at her and Darcy stubbornly lifts her chin as she holds his eyes.

“Ok,” Jimmy concedes, “yes, I would.”

“Please don’t leave us here,” she says, cheek pressed to the baby’s. No, no, no, he can already feel himself wanting to surrender, to have them with him. Darcy kisses their son’s face, then holds his hand to gesture while she pitches her voice higher, pretending to speak for Jimmy Jr. “I want to meet Auntie Monica.”

He gives her a look and reaches past her to open the door. Instead of trying to exit around his family, he waves Darcy through ahead of him. (She looks down at the baby in her arms and goes “Yaaaay! Isn’t Daddy a soft touch?”)

“You didn’t persuade me,” he says, leading them to the car and holding the door for Darcy while she climbs into the back seat with the baby. “This is strategic.”

“Is the strategy common sense? I feel like you should’ve gone with that from the beginning. Bringing a scientist to a magic fight is good thinking, for, like, balance and shit.”

Jimmy backs down the driveway as gently as he can. Their car’s been modernized (well, for the latest decade) and while it now has seatbelts, it wasn’t equipped with a car seat for their son. He’s going to have to drive with the utmost care.

“Hopefully, there won’t be a fight,” he reminds Darcy, “but if there is, you won’t be anywhere near it. You and Jimmy Junior are staying in the car. Alright?”

When he darts his gaze to the rear-view mirror, he sees his wife looking out her window, making a show of not listening to him. Jimmy sighs.

Without thinking, he navigates back to the street where they dropped Monica off yesterday. Wanda’s house is just down from Dottie’s; he remembers the number from watching WandaVision. Jimmy draws up to the curb and parks. He glances back at Darcy, but she’s still ignoring him.

“I’ll try to be right back,” he tells her anyway, eyes dropping longingly to the serene face of his sleeping son. He’s heard that about babies and car rides.

Jogging up the driveway, he does a doubletake of a ragged slash in the wall between Wanda’s property and her neighbour’s. There’s not exactly anything wrong with a damaged cinderblock or an amateur handyman job, but the crevice in the stone stands out in a world so aggressively styled and manicured.

Wishing for the reassurance of his gun at his hip in case things go south (it’s the first time he’s even thought about the gun since the night he and Darcy arrived), Jimmy enters the Vision residence without knocking.

Orienting himself to what he was just watching on TV in a house less than a mile from here, he walks across the entryway, attracting the attention of both Wanda and Monica. They’re standing across from each other in the living room. Raising his hands to show he intends no harm, Jimmy sweeps his eyes over the scene in assessment, like he has a hundred times before. Monica’s expression is alarmed under superficial friendliness—the look of someone trying to placate an attacker. With her aggressive, forward-leaning posture and the way she’s positioned herself between Monica and the cribs (he’s surprised to see more than one, but he did miss some of the episode while he was delivering his son in their bathtub), Wanda fits that role.

“Wanda,” he says, taking a step towards the seating area, “you don’t want to hurt her.”

“Are you working with her?” Wanda demands. “Who are you? I’ve never seen you before.”

“James Woo. I’m not here to hurt you. Neither is Geraldine.”

“You don’t want to hurt me? Then why do you come asking questions? Saying things—” He can see her chin wobble from here as she teeters on the edge of tears. “—about Pietro. You didn’t know my brother.”

Her statement is directed at Monica, but Jimmy tries to bring her focus back to him. Of himself and the Captain, he’s the one with an exit at his back, whereas Monica’s hemmed in by a large bookcase.

“I didn’t know your brother,” Jimmy agrees. “I do know about him, but we don’t need to talk about that. I don’t want to upset you, Wanda, I just want you to let me leave with Geraldine.”

“Oh, I’ll let you leave,” Wanda says, cocking her head as she raises her hands. This motion conveys the opposite meaning to Jimmy’s—she does intend them harm.

He’s contemplating what’ll happen if he tries to rush her when Darcy charges through the front door he left open.

“Don’t!” Jimmy gasps, making a grab for her, but his body is tense with caution and Darcy has the momentum to dodge him, stepping down the level into the living room.

“Look,” Darcy demands of Wanda, whose expression is torn as she chooses between facing Monica and this new intruder.

Jimmy’s mentally composing and rejecting ideas of how to proceed when their unwelcoming host lowers her hands. She’s looking where Darcy directed her to, at the baby in Darcy’s arms.

“He was born less than an hour ago, and I only found out I was pregnant yesterday, but that doesn’t matter. I know it’s the same for you, the circumstances and the… yeah, whatever. You know about the Big Bang, right?” she continues, jumping to the next thought.

“Yes,” Wanda says carefully.

Jimmy’s terrified to move closer and set Wanda on the offensive again. He glances at Monica, who seems to be thinking the same thing, frozen in place.

“From nothing to so much, in an instant,” Darcy’s saying in her condensed history of the universe. “Science is supposed to be full of all these rules. Like, every scientist dude important enough to remember had some law or formula or method that we map everything on top of when we’re pretending we understand all this. Being in science isn’t a goal I’ve had for a long time—I mean, I probably wouldn’t be in it now if the world hadn’t more or less ended—and if all I ever heard about the workings of the universe was rules, I would’ve stayed away. Who likes rules, right? Who wants to be told that things are the way they are because something outside of your control says so? My point is…”

She takes a deep breath, then another one, shifting until she’s blocking Wanda’s expression from Jimmy’s view.

“Sorry, I just gave birth, you know how it is,” Darcy says when she goes on. Jimmy’s stricken with exasperation, adoration, fear, and pride. “My point is that I love science because, while science is laws and rules and equations, science is also standing outside at night and staring up at the dark. There are explanations for every light that’s up there and why, even when you’re away from big cities and the sky seems so black and close, you don’t fall up into it, although it kinda feels like you could. Science can tell me why, and it still feels like magic when I look at the stars. And we’ve all been traveling out here in space together, getting made and unmade and made again because the right ingredients needed to create something as precious as a planet, or a baby, or the clay that’ll make the bricks that’ll make the house never disappear. Suns explode, asteroids collide and get chipped away… things can separate down to their smallest part, life can…”

“End?” Wanda asks.

Jimmy’s stunned to hear the word come out choked. Cautiously, he leans to get a glimpse of Wanda’s face. It’s covered in tears. Darcy’s nodding.

“But everything’s valuable. All matter gets reused.” Jimmy wants to grab her and pull her to safety when she takes a step closer to Wanda. “I get it if you’re sad and you’re not ready to talk about it. I’m not gonna say it’s ok, because I’ve heard Monica’s testimonial on exactly how much it sucks to have you in her head, but I do think you should let us leave now so you have a few friends out there when you inevitably need people on your side.”

“You can go,” Wanda agrees, swiping at her nose. “I won’t hurt your baby.”

“You’re not going to hurt my friend either,” Darcy says, beckoning for Monica to cross the room behind her. “Or my husband.”

“No,” Wanda says.

Monica reaches Jimmy and they wait for Darcy in the entryway.

“I bet all that control feel really good,” Darcy theorizes. “Taking it into your own hands. But I think you know that focusing on the beautiful, magical stuff doesn’t mean the rules no longer exist. Maybe you can find a way to accept them both.”

“It’s time for you to leave,” Wanda says, firmer now.

“Not looking for a life coach, got it.”

She joins Jimmy and Monica, bouncing the baby lightly in her arms. Wanda ushers them out of the house ahead of her. Jimmy glances back to see her close the door after herself with a twist and red glow of her hands.

“What about waiting in the car?” he mutters to Darcy as they stride down the lawn.

His self-proclaimed wife stares at him.

“I’m not the kind of person who waits in the car. Would the kind of person who waits in the car give a speech like that?”

Jimmy’s at an honest-to-goodness loss for words.

She gets into the car willingly enough now, Jimmy in the passenger’s seat while Monica slides behind the wheel.

“Wanda’s told me how to stand, how to move, how to walk since I got in here,” Monica says, turning the key in the ignition. “I’m driving myself out.”

“It’ll part for you when you get there,” Wanda calls to them from the lawn. “The barrier. I suggest you do not attempt to enter again.”

“I think we’ve all had our fill,” Jimmy informs her cheerfully through his rolled-down window.

She doesn’t respond to this, so Monica executes a three-point turn and takes them back up the street the way they came. From there, they turn out of the subdivision, but Jimmy snags a last look at Wanda through the back window. There’s a light breeze blowing her dress and hair and she looks like she could be anyone. A suburban mom of twins? Why not. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever see her again in person, but he has plans to catch her show.

“Wanda’s changed the roads,” Monica says as she drives. For his son’s sake, Jimmy’s grateful that she isn’t speeding, though he wouldn’t blame her for trying to get out of here as quickly as possible. “None of them lead out of town.”

“Literal tourist trap. Brilliant,” Darcy declares from the back seat. Jimmy reaches an arm back blindly and feels her close her hand around his.

“But,” Monica adds, “I remember Ellis Avenue being the closest cross street to the edge of town. We find that, then drive over the grass. Things may get a little bumpy.”

“We’ll survive.”

Jimmy twists around to look at Darcy. He nods. They will. They’ll survive.

They cross Ellis and take the car off-road. The barrier remains invisible, but…

“I can feel it,” Darcy says.

“Like we did the day we came in,” Jimmy recalls.

“It still wants us out,” Monica interprets. He sees her staring uneasily ahead. “Was I naïve to think I could change anything by coming in here?”

“No, Captain. It was brave.”

“Didn’t work though. We aren’t leaving with Wanda.”

“It could work,” Darcy says. “We left her with a few things to think about. We’ll watch WandaVision and see.”

“That’ll be strange after being a part of it.”

“You think so?” Jimmy wonders. He takes a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air and the sunshine, playing with Darcy’s fingers laced through his. “I think it’s returning to regular life that’s going to feel strange. Out there, it’s easy to see all this as a TV show, but everything in here is real.”

“We’ll make Hayward understand that.”

“I’m bringing back some compelling evidence,” Darcy says, followed by kissy sounds directed at Jimmy Jr.

The air just a couple of car lengths ahead of them abruptly glows red as Wanda reveals the wall of the Hex. Jimmy and Monica exchange a look, but she doesn’t slow down. They pass through without resistance. All of a sudden, it’s night. Monica lets out a relieved sigh.

The S.W.O.R.D. base is looming, exterior lights ablaze, but Jimmy looks backwards, checking that Darcy and the baby are alright.

“Same as you left us,” she says, pulling back the blanket to show him the face of his son.

He gives her a slightly melancholic smile.

“Not quite, Dr. Lewis.”

“I’ll have a lot of work to do,” Darcy notes thoughtfully, “but time for you and me to go on dates will be on my list of demands.”

“You have a list of demands?” Monica asks, laughter in her voice.

“After being forced into the Hex, where I could’ve lost my life? Fuck yes, I have a list.”

“What else are you asking for?”

“The coffee I requested on day one and a desk in a better spot so there’s room next to it for the crib that will also be on my list.”

Monica laughs aloud now.

“Is this a benefits negotiation or a baby shower registry?”

“Let’s get back to the part where we’re going on dates,” Jimmy says. “How’s that going to work?”

“Jimmy, darlin’,” Darcy begins, “will you go out with me?”

He leans to look around his seat at her.

“Darcy, we were married. We have a baby. Don’t you think we can—”

“Answer the question, Agent Woo.”

“Of course I’ll go out with you,” he says.

“And that’s how it works. Easy-peasy.”

She gives his hand a squeeze before releasing it to hold Jimmy Jr. more securely as Monica pulls up to a building and brakes. Already, S.W.O.R.D. agents are rushing out to meet them, but Jimmy drops back against his seat and smiles to himself.

“‘Easy-peasy.’”

[rkorlov]

Thoughts on WandaVision as I’m watching...

BEWARE OF SPOILERS, if you haven’t seen it yet, don’t read any of this, ok?

First episode: Paul and Elizabeth have such good comedy timing together, and lots of chemistry. I wish we could’ve seen so much more of them in the Avengers movies but I’m also glad we got the series.

Wanda and Vision being confused on what they’re doing, where they come from, when’s their anniversary makes you wonder in a magnificent way without giving right away the answers and that’s nice. It makes you think: was this Wanda? Was it someone else?

Wanda’s comment about Vision’s indestructible head and me chuckling at the moment she said it because ARE YOU SURE, HONEY?

It hurts a lil bit, let’s keep watching.

Second episode: Wanda telling Vision how this is their home now and she wants to fit in. Well shit.

It’s the second time I see ads, in the first episode it was a Stark Industries toaster. Now, it’s a Hydra watch... huh.

Everything being black and white except for the toy helicopter (red and yellow) and the blood stain (red) in Dottie’s hand.

Geraldine knowing her name when she shook Wanda’s hand.

Shit, so many questions so far and I haven’t finished watching the episode yet.

OK, OK, HOLD ON. I WAS STARTING TO FEEL THAT “FOR THE CHILDREN” WAS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE REPETITION AND THEN WANDA APPEARS PREGNANT. THE FUCK IS HAPPENING HERE.

Who in hell is that beekeeper and why everything just rewinded and turned back into color after he appeared? AAAAAA.

The voice asking Wanda who’s doing this to her, shit.

Third episode: Let’s carry on, I need answers.

Not only the intro changed but also they changed decades. Everyone’s hair is styled differently, the clothing is and that song: “All great expectations lead to complications”... you’re gonna screw everyone over, ain’t ya?

“I can’t wait to be a proud papa-ya...” oh Vision.

Wanda losing control over her powers because of the pregnancy, oh well darling, here we go... 

Now Wanda wondering if their neighbors can tell who they really are and Vision starts to doubt it as well and it gets rewinded... darling, this is staged for sure. Everytime THEY are the ones about to figure it out something happens.

And Hydra has a soap commercial, why am I not surprised? They’re like roaches, get underneath everything.

The doctor’s comment about small towns being hard to escape says it all by itself.

WANDA HAVING TWINS AND REMEMBERING PIETRO. MY HEART HURTS.

Geraldine knowing Pietro was killed by Ultron, now that’s interesting. Her being new in town, having no home, having the symbol of whoever’s watching on Wanda and Vision. Inte-fucking-resting. Then her having to rush home aka being thrown out of the simulation.

Fourth episode: It starts off with the people coming back to life from the snap... shit, shiT, SHIT.

Oh so it was S.W.O.R.D watching over Wanda all along.

FUUUUCK, I JUST REMEMBERED CAPTAIN MARVEL WAS A THING AND MARIA RAMBEAU WAS CAROL’S FRIEND AND HER BABY GIRL WAS MONICA. OMB. AAAAA how I love it when everything starts to tie up.

Darcy Lewis, YAAAS.

S.W.O.R.D, the FBI and special forces from all corners investigating upon this little unexistent town that Wanda Maximoff created in order to overcome her grief from having lost everyone she loved. Yaay, we love us Marvel destroying us emotionally. Thank you. Fifth episode: “She’s gone, she didn’t belong here” HOLD ON, YOU HAD PREVIOUSLY SAID SHE HAD TO RUSH HOME.

Wanda not being able to control her babies with her powers is kinda weird. Need to know more about that.

Agnes breaking character and asking Wanda if they should start from the top definitely asks for suspicion. Vision being able to tell immediately this is weird it’s the weirdest of all because Vision is supposed to be dead, and Wanda remembered he was dead last episode, so how is HE able to tell this is all made up?

THE TWINS ALL GROWN UP ARE SUCH CUTIES.

Wanda stealing Vision’s body is not the question in here, the question is why did S.W.O.R.D have it of all people? Was that in the Sokovian accords, if Vision died his body went to them? That’s not normal, especially not because Tony came back, he would’ve taken care of Vision and not in that way.

OK, NOW I THINK I KNOW WHAT THE ADS MEAN. The toaster of Stark Industries was because a Stark missile burnt down Wanda’s home. The watch of Hydra was because for a great amount of time, Hydra controlled her a Pietro. The Lagos add of the paper towels speaks of how there is a mess and you need something to clean it up. Lagos was the place where Wanda accidentally killed people while she tried to stop Rumlow. SHIT, SHIT. All of the ads are past events of her life.

“You can fix anything, mom. Fix the dead.” BOY, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANNA GO THERE?

Now, Wanda can control everyone but her sons and Vision... that’s something definitely of interest.

MY BOY EVAN SHOWING UP. AAAA. I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since they got back the X-Men, my heart. My heart is happy.

Now, since Wanda is definitely warping reality, I do think this is the start of the multiverse. This is definitely Pietro. Not a recasting, this was her not fully controlling her powers and creating this.

Sixth episode: To start off, Vision is not actually Vision, or if he is, he can’t remember a thing. Probably that has something to do with Wanda bringing him back to life but she even erased the Avengers from his memory. She got rid of everything.

Pietro being completely aware of his role in this reality and why she called him, and then Wanda remembering he is also dead. Now I’m confused because I do think he has something to do with breaching realities but I’m not sure. lol

The people standing near Ellis Avenue being frozen and them being out of reach of Wanda’s circle making them stop all they’re doing. That’s insane.

Now, the twins having Pietro’s and Wanda’s powers. Billy being fully connected to Vision knowing he needs help. Then Wanda stopping time and being able to extend her reality in order to save Vision. This was not only visually incredible but hell, the display of Wanda’s powers grow more and more each day. This is gonna be insane.

[gthreepio]

i’ve been thinking about the future of the mcu and realized there’s a LOT that i didn’t know/didn’t remember in terms of where things are going so i figured i’d sum it up incase anyone else was in the same boat!! 

quick recap of (unresolved) mid-credit scenes:

doctor strange: mordo (a sorcerer that is one of strange’s mentors, who by the end of the movie becomes disillusioned with magic/the ancient one and quits) confronts pangborn (the paraplegic who healed himself with the mystic arts, who tells strange about mystic arts in the first place) and steals his magic because according to mordo, there are “too many sorcerers." of note, this guy is typically a villain in the comics but hasn’t been thus far...

gotg2: ayesha (leader of the sovereign, a golden skinned alien race obsessed with genetic purity), after spending most of the movie chasing the guardians for stealing some stuff, is revealed to have created an artificial being named “adam” which is presumably, adam warlock. (other stuff that is less relevant: kraglin appears to take up yondu’s mantle; the ravagers regroup and several old and obscure comic book characters are introduced [charlie-27, aleta, martinex, mainframe]; the watchers are watching things.) 

far from home: j jonah jameson basically tells the whole world spider-man’s secret identity, and frames him for what happened with mysterio....making him public enemy #1. ALSO, turns out nick fury and maria hill in the movie were ACTUALLY the two skrulls from captain marvel (talos and soren) attempting to do their job, while the real fury (and presumably hill) is ... up in space on some spaceship!!!

wandavision: monica (who we can assume is photon) is called by “an old friend of [her] mother’s,” up in space, which presumably means fury, talos, or carol. ALSO, wanda sits in the middle of nowhere reading the darkhold and hears the voices of her children who.. by all accounts, should not exist. 

aaaaand what we know about future movies (i’m not even going into the tv series.....): 

black widow: 

takes place after civil war

nat confronts a “dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past,” likely has to do with taskmaster who has apparently taken over the red room where nat was trained as an assassin

prominent new characters: yelena belova, who will take over the mantle of black widow after this; alexei shostakov aka red guardian, an ollllld marvel hero analogous to captain america except for the soviet union.

tony stark will make an appearance... SOBS

shang-chi and the legend of the ten rings:

shang-chi has never been seen in the mcu before, but he is, essentially, a superhero that is a master martial artist, and in some adaptations can also create duplicate (fake) versions of himself to confuse opponents

main villain will be the the mandarin who we have *sort of* seen before... he is the leader of a terrorist organization called “ten rings” whose main goal is to destroy world peace. brief history -- in iron man 1: one ten rings cell kidnaps tony stark and tries to force him to make weapons (he of course, makes his suit instead). stark and ten rings become enemies and fight a bunch. nat and nick fury fight them too. in iron man 3, the villain aldrich killian hires a dude to pretend to be the mandarin and claim responsibility for a bunch of stuff, but its not the ten rings or the mandarin at all. this makes the mandarin v mad and he has a dude kidnap the faker to punish him. they also briefly show up in ant-man, when a ten rings agent tries to buy the yellowjacket suit that darren cross is selling. BUT IN SHANG-CHI....... looks like we are FINALLY going to see the real mandarin after over a decade!! 

the villain razor fist will also show up, he is lesser known... he has no superhuman powers but he has surgically replaced his hands (1 or 2, depending on the version) with a steel blade, and is highly skilled at hand to hand combat.

besides the presence of these characters, the only bit of plot we know is “shang-chi is drawn into the ten rings organization and forced to confront his past.” so... yeah. we don’t know much at all.

eternals: 

quick explanation: the eternals are an immortal alien race who have been secretly living on earth for thousands of years. they were created by the celestials, who are most prominently in gotg2. 

more entirely new characters!!! their names are: thena, who can form any weapon out of cosmic energy; gilgamesh, who can make a super strong exoskeleton out of cosmic energy; ikaris, who has superhuman strength, flies, and can project cosmic energy out his eyes; kingo, who can shoot cosmic energy projectiles from his hands; makkari, who creates sonic booms, has super speed, and is deaf; phastos, who has enhanced intelligence, and is also gay (and married with a kid!); ajak, who has healing powers; sprite, who can project illusions; sersi, who can manipulate matter; druig, who can mind control; and dane whitman (black knight), a human with a mystical sword. 

regarding the plot... it seems the eternals have kind of dispersed, but have to come together again to fight the deviants, who are their “evil counterparts” (also created by the celestials, though i’m unclear on why). thena and gilgamesh have apparently been in exile, unclear why; sersi, who is posing as a museum curator, has apparently been in love with ikaris for centuries and it seems as if their love story may be central to the film; and kingo is a bollywood film star in his spare time. aaaaand that’s pretty much all we know.

directed by chloé zhao of nomadland fame! 

spider-man no way home: 

based on the post-credits scene in far from home, peter parker will now be known as spider-man to everyone. unclear if he’s going to be seen as a bad guy due to mysterio framing him, but i guess we’ll see! 

jamie foxx is electro, and alfred molina is doctor octopus; which is VERY interesting considering they played these roles in other spider-man franchises, once again stirring up excitement for possible multiverse. 

there have been *multiple* reports that andrew garfield, kirsten dunst, tobey maguire, and emma stone will be in the movie but tom holland has repeatedly denied this... so... who knows. 

there are also rumors that matt murdock / daredevil (from netflix) will be in several scenes! not confirmed though. 

MJ is still his girlfriend and i hope it stays that way!! 

doctor strange will be featured in the movie, taking on the mentor role now that tony stark is gone :( this will be interesting as i.. haven’t really seen them interact much before. because of this inclusion some people speculate that the film may draw inspo from some comic storylines where peter’s secret identity is restored with magic. 

doctor strange in the multiverse of madness: 

scarlet witch is essentially co-starring!!! it’s going to be really interesting to see if they bring vision or the twins into this at all, though i’m not counting on it. 

seems like mordo will be the main villain -- recall the ds1 post credits scene where he is apparently running around trying to steal people’s magic.

america chavez will make her debut!!!!!! i have no idea how this plays into anything but i am so excited!! 

regarding the plot, all we really know is that strange has been researching the time stone, mordo messes with him, and this results in him accidentally unleashing “unspeakable evil.” presumably there will also be heavy involvement of the multiverse, and who knows what kind of craziness that will bring!! 

initially was going to be directed by scott derrickson who did ds1; however he stepped down to being just EP due to “creative differences.” i am presuming this is because derrickson really wanted to make this more gothic and horror than disney was comfortable with. i REALLY hope they keep some of those elements though and don’t erase the idea entirely! anyway, it will be directed by sam raimi now (of evil dead and spiderman 2002 fame). 

the film also reportedly ties in with the loki series (will loki show up!?) and spiderman 3 (which is obvious enough, given that strange is in that movie and those curious electro and doctor octopus castings...)

thor: love and thunder

directed by taika waititi again, hell yeah!!! and he has stated, the film will be “so over the top now in the very best way" and would make ragnarok look like a "run of the mill, very safe film" .... so.... oh god

so many great returning players!!! including.... valkyrie (now the king of new asgard), jane foster, lady sif, korg, star-lord, mantis, drax, nebula, and kraglin (takes up yondu’s mantle after he dies in gotg2)

in this movie, thor isn’t thor anymore.... it’s JANE!!! she gets cancer :( and is undergoing treatment while simultaneously being thor. i’m a little nervous how this will be handled, but i’m excited. (it’s based off an amazing comic series by jason aaron) 

the big bad: gorr the god butcher, played by christian bale! the gist of it is, this dude HATES gods because nobody helped when his family was dying and in need. his weapon is “all-black the necrosword,” forged from the head of a celestial, and allows the user to create wings and fly at extreme speeds. honestly, he sounds cool as fuck. 

valkyrie is going to be made canonically bisexual!!! 

it will explore more of korg’s backstory, and also include... space sharks!?!?! an alien race from the comics.

taika has called the script “very romantic” so take that as you will 

black panther 2

will again be directed by ryan coogler

not much is known at this point, does not have an official name

t’challa will NOT be recast (which i’m happy about) so..... honestly no idea what to expect for this one. i think we can probably expect shuri to have an expanded role. all we know so far is they will be “exploring the world of wakanda.” not clear to me how this is different from the upcoming wakanda D+ series. 

tenoch huerta has reportedly been cast as a villain, but no one has any idea who. there’s also rumors that donald glover is in “informal talks” to play a role. note all of this is unconfirmed.

captain marvel 2

will be directed by nia da costa (candyman!) and written by megan mcdonnell, who is one of wandavision’s best writers! 

will take place in the present day 

will feature kamala khan / ms. marvel, monica rambeau / photon!!! this will be so interesting.... kamala is a huge fan of carol’s in the comics, she is her mentor/idol. the ms. marvel series will also resportedly lead into cm2. and monica, well, monica knew her when she was a little kid. wandavision implies that there’s some bad blood between carol and monica though, not sure why. maybe because carol left and never came back? (until endgame) 

post-credits scene of wandavision appears to tie into this, having monica go up into space at the reqeust of her “mom’s old friend.” again, not clear who that is. this could also be a tie in to secret invasion though, so we’ll see. or both.

zawe ashton has been cast as an unknown villain... a lot of people are actually speculating that she may play rogue? which would be fascinating, as there’s a comic arc where rogue steals her powers and memories. BUT there’s still no confirmation that X-men exist in the MCU so for now i remain skeptical.

they are looking to cast a ‘john boyega’ or ‘michael b jordan’ type which makes me wonder if they are going to create a new character, a “younger” war machine to be her love interest? (note: carol and rhodey are a huge thing in comics!) carol obviously does not look her age but her and don cheadle.... that just doesn’t work. which is why i wonder.

ant-man and the wasp: quantumania 

in addition to scott and hope, pretty much all the major players are returning including: luis, hank pym, janet van dyne

cassie lang has been recast with an actress 5 years older, which is really making me wonder if they are going to make her stinger in this movie! (aka one of the main young avengers)

the villain: kang the conqueror! this dude time travels. original name nate richards. in the comics, kang travels back in time to rescue his younger self (nate) from an attack that would help shape him towards a life of villainy. kang also gives him some fancy armor. his younger self actually is like, what the fuck dude? and renounces his destiny, becoming a hero. and he makes his armor look like iron man, calling himself iron lad. who is a young avenger. which also makes me wonder about cassie lang.

otherwise not much is known! 

guardians of the galaxy vol. 3

james gunn is returning, i’m mixed about this...he really does *get* the guardians though. 

based on the gotg2 post credits scene, i think we can assume adam warlock will be a HUGE part of this. there are multiple versions of him, some villainous and some heroic, but no idea how this is gonna turn out.

no word yet on whether thor will be involved, or if those ravagers they introduced will be involved. 

fantastic four 

will be directed by the spiderman guy, john watts.

otherwise we know literally nothing.

aaaaand that’s the roundup! 

[fulokis]

Fulokis WandaVision Rewrite- Chapter 1

Hey wanted to take my two cents at something that made more sense than what they actually did to quicksilver. Hope you like it!

Peter stood staring at the man in front of him. He hadn't spoken for what seemed like a few minutes, still processing what Peter had told him. Peter sighed, he hadn't meant to let it slip, he still wasn't sure how it had happened. One minute the two were arguing with each other and then the next the room was enveloped in an awkward silence.

"Why didn't you want to tell me?" Erik asked. He had assumed that Peter was his son since the Pentagon, but he didn't want to freak the kid out.

"Just forget it." Peter said quickly trying to bury his feelings in his chest.

"Pietro, why didn't you want to tell me?" Erik asked knowing he was pushing.

Peter looked down at the floor, "I haven't been called that since the Cuban Missile crisis. Not even in the house."

"Those damn soviets am I right?" Erik attempted to joke.

"No." Peter said, "It was so that me and Wanda could go to school without getting harassed. So we could live life. So that we could protect ourselves when we didn't have a father to protect us."

"Wanda?" Erik asked, "Peter if I had known..."

"But you didn't because you left. You left and Wanda died!" Peter said, surprised at his own reaction and his anger. "Not because of the Russians, not because of the Americans, because of you. Because you left us, Wanda died. You know what killed her Bullets. Bullets from guns. Both things made of Metal! You could have stopped them, you could have saved her. But you were too busy killing the president to care about your family."

"Peter..."

"No. It's too late for that." Peter said storming out of the mansion.

Peter ran. He always ran, it helped him think. But all he could think about was his twin sister, her body laying there on the pavement. Him helpless to do anything. That's why he'd developed speed, he was too late, and running became an obsession. When his mother had gone into labor with Lorna his powers developed. He didn't even realize that they had until he was sitting by his mothers side in the hospital watching his newborn sister asleep.

Peter stopped running, he was probably an hour's drive from the mansion by now. He looked around his surroundings, he was in New York City. The sounds of horns from angry drivers, and the buzz of the electricity made the night loud and bright. The buildings loomed over head, one caught Peters eyes in particular. It was shorter than the rest only about four stories tall, the most noteworthy feature of its appearance was the large circular window on the top floor. Something about it reminded him of his sister.

Peter walked up to the door, to his surprise it was unlocked. Walking inside he shouted "Hello?"

"Pietro?" He could hear a woman's voice call out.

"How do you know my name?" He asked walking in the direction he heard the voice.

"Because I am the Sorcerer Supreme." The woman replied walking down the right side of the twin staircase that circled the entry room. "I know all Pietro."

Peter looked up at the woman "Yeah, Yeah and every old person claims they know all. Tell me something I haven't heard."

"Wanda is alive, in another universe that is." The sorcerer said finishing descending the stairs, "I can bring you to her."

Peter thought for a second, "How do I know I can trust you? And were you stalking me?"

"I won't force you. But I Think you're curious." She said, "I think you want to know how your sister would have turned out. Who she is." She rose her hand in front of the door and Peter looked through.

A woman stood in front of a cradle singing a lullaby in a language he didn't recognize. She looked up from her children as if almost sensing that he was there. Peter gasped, she had mom's eyes. He chuckled how many times had he seen those eyes look at him with disappointment. But this time they weren't, they were looking towards him with adoration. A look he'd only seen a few times from his mother since Wanda's death. The woman's hair was even the same color he had been jealous he didn't inherit.

"How did you do that?" He asked, unable to take his eyes off of the door.

"With a spell of course." She replied.

"What's that language she's speaking?" Peter asked, watching as someone else appeared on the screen and talking to who he assumed was Wanda.

"It's from a country that does not exist here."

"This isn't possible. You're messing with my..."

"I'm a twin." Wanda said, "I had a brother, his name was Pietro."

"What?" Peter said looking at the Sorcerer Supreme.

"Keep watching Pietro." She said nodding towards the door.

"He was killed by Ultron, wasn't he?" The other woman said.

Peter turned around, "So you're saying that there's this universe where Wanda is alive and I'm dead?"

"Fascinating isn't it?" The woman said, "A universe where you're dead and one where your sister is. Pietro the Multiverse works in strange ways, if anything this is destiny."

"It's fake. It has to be." Peter replied, "There's no way that its real."

"Then how is it possible that your father can bend the electromagnetic fields of the earth to change its polarity? Or that your beloved professor can send a message to the minds of every person on the planet? You know its more than possible Pietro, you know more than anyone how probable it is."

Peter swallowed, "I should go back, they're probably worried about me."

He turned to walk away but the woman stepped in front of him, "We both know they're not. We both know they don't care where you are or what you're doing."

"I should go." Peter said getting choked up thinking about what the woman in front of him was saying. Wanda was there, in another universe, but she was there. There and she clearly loved him and missed him, more than his father had. It wasn't like any of them would miss him if he popped over for a few minutes if only to give her a hug.

"You don't want to go do you?" The woman turned her head inquisitively.

"No." Peter admitted, "Maybe its too late for her here, but there I doubt it is."

"You want to go?" She asked.

"Yeah, so do I just step through this door or like..." Peter asked.

"It's a little more complicated than that." The woman said motioning for him to follow her up the stairs.  Peter followed resisting the urge to use his speed to explore the building. The woman led him to a library that reminded him of the one at the x-mansion. There were books on everything, from simple fake magic tricks to forbidden spells. Peter's eyes were drawn by a particular book. The title was almost impossible to read from the spine, so he picked it up and looked at the cover. The Strange Phenomena of the Witch Blessed Mutants the title read. Peter had seen the book before, strangely not at the mansion but in his own house outside of D.C. "What are you doing?" The woman asked popping right next to Peter.

"What are you doing?" Peter asked her.

"Do you want to see your sister or are you here to snoop?"

"You know more than you're letting on." Peter said, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Pietro, why would you think that?"

"This book, its in the wrong spot. It shouldn't be with the A's it should be with the H's if we're going by last name." Pietro said.

"Oops my bad." The woman said through gritted teeth.

"Either that or you wanted me to find this and its all some part of an elaborate plan to trap me in this other universe for some shady reasons." Peter watched as the woman's face dropped and he smiled, "I'm kidding, lighten up will ya?"

"That's a good one." She said awkwardly throwing up a fake smile, motioning for Peter to follow her. Peter followed her until they got to an open room. "Stand in the middle." She commanded.

"Okay." Peter gulped his anxiety resurfacing. He stepped into the middle of the room and a purple ring surrounded him.

"In order to travel through dimensions you need a protection spell. It keeps you from loosing your mind at the possibilities and the infinite outcomes between dimensions." The woman explained. She threw her hands up slightly and nothing happened.

"Was that supposed to do anything?" Peter asked looking around the room.

The woman ignored his comment and started chanting in Latin. The circle around Peter lit up with a purple glow. Peter attempted to touch it but yanked his hand back when he felt the heat the magic was producing. Peter watched intently and imagined Wanda doing something similar with her magic. The woman pulled out a necklace and made it float near the circle. The necklace began to syphon the energy off the circle, making the air around Peter unbelievably hot. Peter tried to stay conscious but the heat was unbearable and he hit the ground a few seconds later.

The woman kneeled over him and shook him gently. Peter startled looking up in confusion. "Uh..."

"Relax Pietro," The woman said "It's normal to feel overwhelmed by magic, especially when it's your first time."

"First time? Pfft I'm not that lame lady. Least you could do is take me out to dinner first." Peter said attempting to sit up.

"Take it slowly." The woman almost barked "Going to fast could potentially be fatal."

"Fatal? What is there like a list of side effects?"

"All the standard Magical ones." She said standing up, "Nausea, Heart attack, stroke, cancer..."

"I'd have said no if I knew it was going to kill me." Peter said easing onto an elbow.

"Possible side effects darling." She replied flipping through a worn out book.

"Darling? That's a little fast even for me."

She sighed and walked over to him, extending a hand down to help him up. "You should get going, after all your sister is waiting for you."

"Is it weird that I feel like I'm gonna barf?"

"No." She replied to him "Oh before I forget, you'll need to put this on before you go through."

Peter took the necklace and slipped it over his head "And you're sure this will work?"

"Of course it will. My magic never fails." She said and looked at him with a smile leading him down the stairs.

"By the way what's your name? You know if I want to come back home and what not."

The woman stopped dead in her tracks, "I'm... Agnes." She said.

"Coolio." Peter replied following her to the door.

Agnes motioned and the doorway led to a small field, "This is the closest that I can get you, you'll need to run a few miles to the west. There's a wall around the town your sister lives in, it's a security measure against humans harming the perfect little mutant community that lives there."

"So what your saying is my sister has a bunch of mutants that live with her?"

"Yes Pietro, she found her people." Agnes said pushing Peter through the portal and closing it behind him.

Peter fell landing in a mud pile. "Not cool!" He shouted "So not cool." He took a breath and stood up. The night was cool a slight wind blew through the trees. Peter looked around, he had landed in a corn field, the stocks were brown and fragile. He smiled to himself as he saw a scarecrow sitting in front of him.

"You stuck here too buddy?" He asked the limp sack of hay. Before smiling and starting to run. Peter ran and this time instead of thinking he enjoyed the air running across his face. The feeling of his feet hitting the ground, the sounds that each foot made when coming into contact with the mud. Peter kept running until he nearly collided with a military vehicle.

Seeing the vehicle he decided to take a look through the area. There was a drone on a table glowing red. A guy in a quarantine unit, being questioned by medical staff. Peter kept running, there seemed nothing related to mutants anywhere in the facility. He figured that they had no idea that there was a mutant community.

Peter kept running until he found the wall. Taking one look at it he decided to run through it. Running through he could hear and feel some of the most painful times of his life and he stopped as he could feel apocalypse trying to crush his skull. The pain was so real almost like living it again, almost like nearly dying again. Out of breath Peter collapsed on the ground, a new sensation spreading across his body. His body burned, it felt like his blood was causing his body to burn. He could feel the pain everywhere in his body, circular areas burned the most. Then he opened his eyes again and Peter couldn't explain what he saw. Metal corpses littered the ground even more were flying around shooting concentrated fire of some sort. Peter tried to call out to his father, he tried to call out for the professor or someone for help, but all he could feel was the burning hot pain from his injured nerves. Then it was quiet the dust and metal settled and everything was dark, but he could hear someone calling to him. Wanda he thought smiling before passing out.

"My goodness Ralph!" Agnes cried, "You're filthy and tracking mud into my kitchen!"

"Aw cut it out will ya?!" Ralph said back "At least I'm not running around the house getting in your way."

"You're not supposed to be running at all. If they find out you were using your powers..."

"Ha, if they do I'll be long gone."

"I swear it won't be my fault if you end up in prison for twenty." Agnes said.

"It'd be a blessing if I did." Ralph mumbled.

"What was that?" Agnes asked in a shrill tone.

"I said you look lovely tonight."

"Why yes I do don't I?"

"What's the reason?" Ralph asked.

"Of course you forgot! Why did I think you would remember?" Agnes sniped.

"Because you forgot your self?" Ralph offered up.

"Forgot? Ralph you know I don't forget." Agnes said, "Tonight is the night we're having a picnic in the yard. Go clean up."

"Why not just the gazebo in the town square?" Ralph asked after he had run upstairs and changed in a matter of seconds.

"We've been over this Ralph, it's best for you to not draw attention to yourself. Which means..." Agnes prompted.

Ralph sighed "No powers, No criminal activity and most of all no doing things that the people in town will think as of odd. But I'm pretty sure that having a yard picnic would be considered odd, gazebo not so much."

"Ralph people don't care what you do in your own yard, besides if you really are that worried you can tell them I asked you to."

"That's the reason I married you, because you asked me to. Though I do question that decision, what with the creepy basement and all."

"Oh Ralph you charmer." Agnes said leading him out of the house. She walked over to where their yard intersected with the next door neighbors yard. With a wave of her hand she placed down a picnic blanket and a bunch of food.

"'It won't be my fault if you end up in prison for twenty' yeah right, totally won't be your fault if you keep using your powers." Ralph said sarcastically under his breath.

"What was that?" Agnes asked from on the blanket.

"Nothing important." Ralph said.

"Come join me, please." Agnes said, "Look I know the move hasn't been easy on you. Especially since we've literally had to become different people. But Ralph I don't regret it, I can't regret it."

"Eh didn't much like it there anyway, here is nice it's quiet. No trouble for you to get into, no weird sorcerer fights I have to save your ass from."

"I'm still a witch Ralph."

Ralph chuckled and looked up at the stars, "No you're not, you can be anything you want, but not a witch not anymore."

"Do you miss teaching?" Agnes asked eyeing the house behind them.

"Teaching?" Ralph asked vaguely remembering something like it "Feels like a lifetime ago." He said slowly.

"Interesting." Agnes said.

"Huh?" Ralph asked.

"Nothing it's not important."

Ralph shrugged it off and continued looking at the stars in silence, "You ever think how massive the universe is, and how little you really know?"

"Yes I do." Agnes replied keeping focused on the neighbors house.

"I want to know how life got here. On earth I mean. Out the trillions of planets out there, why this tiny hunk?" Ralph said glancing over at Agnes. "What's something you want to know?"

"How she did all this." Agnes said a dark tone seeping into her voice. Agnes turned to face Ralph and started to cast a spell.

"You freak me out when you do that without a warning you know." Ralph said watching her guide the purple energy flowing out of her hands.

Agnes ignored Ralph and continued to chant until the spell was ready. Without warning she shot her magic at the necklace her companion wore, smiling as it hit the beads. Something seemed to stir inside the man and he stood up. Using his super speed he ran to the front door of the neighbors house and stood there.

Peter felt weird, he couldn't remember how long he had been running. Or even how long it had been since he left the mansion. The last thing he could remember before blacking out was his body on fire and hearing Wanda calling to him. He looked down, some how he had managed to change clothes. Instead of his typical jacket he wore a brown one, much like the one he had seen his father wearing every once in a while. His shirt was a purple flower print. He smiled, maybe it was weird to wake up in these random clothes, but at least they had his second favorite color.

Peter looked up at the door. This was it, after nearly 15 years he was about to look his twin sister in the eyes again. Only he knew it wasn't quite his twin sister. Peter swallowed nervous at the action he was about to perform. He rose his hand and considered using his speed to get the nerve wracking action over with. Deciding against it he firmly pressed against the plastic button of the doorbell.

The shouting from inside the house he had heard earlier had been replaced with hushed voices, that were seemingly surprised at a sudden visitor. The door swung open with a creak and a young woman stood in front of it. Peter stood there looking at her, waiting for some semblance of recognition.

"Wanda who is this?" A man from slightly further inside the house asked.

Peter waited for a second before extending his arms out and stepping forward slightly. "Long lost bro get to squeeze his stinkin sister to death or what?"

The woman stared for a second processing what was happening. "Pietro?" Her voice cracked.

Peter made a movement with his head to indicate that it was indeed him. Wanda sighed softly and took her brother in her arms. Peter closed his eyes at his sisters embrace, it felt good to have his second half here in the same room with him. Wanda broke contact and Peter glanced around the house. It was quaint reminded him of their moms house, simple yet useful. Peter locked eyes with the man who asked Wanda for his identity. "Who's the popsicle?"

Next >>

[that-shamrock-vibe]

Round-Up Review: WandaVision (Spoilers)

Spoiler Warning: I am posting this review the Monday after the finale of WandaVision drops on Disney+, so if you haven’t yet seen the entire series don’t read on until you have.

So I was going to do a fully fleshed out review of the entire series of WandaVision, but just as I’m about to finish…Tumblr decides to freeze on me and I lose a day of work so I have now decided to work this review a different way and rather than giving a general reaction and going into a character analysis, I will be breaking it down into what I loved, what wasn’t there for me fully and where I feel we are going next.

General Reaction:

So I could of very easily gone through this series episode by episode...but based on the fact that not only was this a play-by-play mystery with a lot more questions than answers each week, but also as the series progressed, particularly after Evan Peters arrived at the end of episode 5, the fan-theories and potential spoilers almost made me not want to know what was going to happen because the theories were becoming so grand that the series could surely never live up to expectations, which is why I feel the director of the finalé stated that fans may be disappointed...because ultimately I don’t think the finalé did live up to expectations. But these were expectations built up as an culmination of fan-theories, comic-book insight and also MCU baiting.

By MCU baiting, I mean that the creatives of WandaVision decided to be creative, and possibly playful, by including several red herrings that went absolutely nowhere but were the main conspiracy theories driving the fan-speculations and fake spoilers throughout the latter half of the series.

Dottie...who was she? Nobody important. Evan Peters...was he Quicksilver? No. Was he Mephisto/Nightmare? No. Was he important? Not really. Monica’s mysterious engineer contact, a fan-favourite character? Not even a character from the comics, I think.

Now that’s not to say this series asked questions that weren’t answered satisfactorily, but a lot of them seemed to build up to what is to come rather than giving us all the answers in this series. Is that a good thing? Yes because I feel this will make this series more rewatchable than I feel it already is. I for one of re-watched each episode at least twice sometimes three times each week leading up to the next episode and having just seen the entire series as a whole product I can safely say that characters and elements from this series going forward may have call-backs to the events of this series which will make for clicks, more views and more plays.

Speaking of watchability, can we talk about how interesting it has been to watch half-hour scheduled programming for 9 weeks like the olden days, and the fact we can call television life before streaming “the olden days”?.

But honestly sitting down, for me on a Friday morning at 9:30am without fail, to watch what began as a 25–30-minute MCU sitcom before turning into a 30–40-minute MCU mystery every week harkened back to my childhood and coming back from school to watch my shows which only aired once a week at that time. Feige’s and the creatives in the MCU brought back that feeling of nostalgia for me which I never really expected from a comic-book property.

Speaking of classic televisual viewing, I really enjoyed the standard sitcom setup of this series. I knew of all the referenced shows going in like The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Malcolm in the Middle and Modern Family, but it was also nice to see some standard sitcom tropes seen in the majority of sitcoms utilized throughout. From Agatha posing as the nosey neighbour to the fashions of each sitcom era and even the fourth wall breaks both from Billy in the Halloween episode in a Malcolm in the Middle spoof to the following episode literally titled “Breaking the Fourth Wall”.

Also, I will say here that all those MCU “stans” who are complaining they didn’t get the big grand beginning of Phase 4 that was promised to us by Feige as “something different”, the guy’s mantra is to keep it simple and the finalé was hardcore Feige. “Something different” was the set up and delivery of this slice of the MCU and some fans are still moaning about that so some people are just never satisfied.

What I Loved

Scarlet Witch

Give Elizabeth Olsen awards for this season! Make gold rain down upon her! Honestly, I have loved Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff since her formal introduction in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but now we have formally been introduced to the Scarlet Witch she is not only the most powerful female if not character in the MCU but also the best character in the entire MCU to date.

Not only is this series personifying how an individual deals with their grief, but when you consider the fact that Wanda, who is by all accounts a 29 year old woman due to being blipped for 5 years, and has lost her parents at a young age, her twin brother at 25-26 so still a young age and then the first love of her life twice, first by her own hand and then by the Mad Titan so that initial sacrifice was for nothing, it’s just a lot to put on one individual with this level of raw power without expecting her to finally snap and create an alternate reality where everything is under her control.

The creation of her twins, who I will get into further down, was well done and, for want of a better word, organic for the series. But I did like how they showed the real-life struggle of not just having a new-born but having twins. Wanda is trying to maintain control of this world she has created as well as keep Vision in check, but also because the twins are seemingly not under her magical control, she must juggle maintaining the world and its people with being a new mother.

But the biggest crisis for Wanda comes in when Fietro shows up, I still do not believe she ever truly thought this was her dead brother resurrected. It wasn’t until he said “long lost brother” that he asked “Pietro?” and she spent the entire next episode interrogating him until the façade finally slipped and she decided he wasn’t.

After this, everything falls apart for her. Not only is her reality literally slipping with Vision at odds with her, the world constantly shifting between eras and her not understanding what is happening.

This is of course when she is confronted by Agatha Harkness who has not only taken her twins but also been fooling her by being “Nosy Neighbour Auntie Agnes” for this entire time when in reality she is a with from the days of the Salem Witch Trials who wants to understand Wanda’s true potential and then absorb all of her magic.

But when we got to see Wanda’s true potential as she went “Beast Mode” as the Scarlet Witch complete with stunning new outfit and crown, this levels the character up to that top spot in the MCU as the best and most powerful character.

I am excited to see where the Scarlet Witch’s potential will take her next.

WandaVision Love Story

I also really loved the fact that as well as a personification of dealing with Wanda’s grief, this series was truly a love story between Wanda and Vision.

From the first episode when we see them getting “married” and being that unusual suburban couple trying to fit in with seemingly everyday suburban life when the entire set-up is Wanda’s idyllic dream world.

As Darcy said to Vision, the love these two have is real. I did an entire post on why Scarlet Witch and Vision are the best MCU couple, and this series amplifies that. It becomes clear that these two are not actually married and in fact this Vision isn’t even the Vision we have seen developed through the movies, but he is a replication of Wanda’s true love and this is how she chooses to show it.

The fact they go through all of the typical newlywed couple goalposts of marriage, homemakers, kids, a dog, domestic disputes. It’s all there and feels so natural even though we are talking about the relationship a potential Nexus Being and a Synthezoid.

Their final goodbye in the series finale is honestly as heart-breaking as any love-lost in a tragic romance movie. Seriously how many more times is Wanda, and by extension the fans, supposed to say goodbye to Vision?

Agatha Harkness

I love Kathryn Hahn, this series has solidified that for me. Not only is this the first live-action appearance of Agatha Harkness but also the way in which she was modified from the comics is in a way that I would be annoyed with any other way if not for the fact that it was Kathryn Hahn playing her.

Now yes, fans of the comics knew “Agnes” was really Agatha Harkness from the casting announcement, but the actual reveal wasn’t epic because we already knew, it was epic because of the way it was revealed.

“Agatha All Along” has honestly become one of my new favourite songs, it is such a catchy tune, incorporates a couple of classic sitcom nods and is very memorable.

But also, even the fact that the final line of “…and I killed Sparky too” has become so memeable without overshadowing the overall song is such an impressive feat.

The Lopez’s not only capitalise on their Frozen success but also Kathryn Hahn gets to show her musical talents by singing the actual song…it was just incredible.

But yes, Agatha being a villain, as she has been in the comics but not on this scale, was a great decision for this series because Kathryn Hahn managed to inject her own brand of cynical dry comedy with echoes of Cate Blanchett’s Hela to create a fully rounded menacing villainous character.

Not only do we learn about her origins of how she can absorb magic by murdering her entire coven, mother included, but also that she elevates that by being able to steal any magic, even that of the powerful Scarlet Witch, truly makes this witch a threat within the magical realms of the MCU.

Even though she was defeated I am thrilled she didn’t die, she has simply been taken off the board for now but is still able to be put into play if and when she is needed again, maybe in Doctor Strange 2 maybe sooner, who knows?

Monica Rambeau

I have to say, I do not know much about Proton from the comics and genuinely though Maria Rambeau was a bigger character than she was, but considering they killed her off-screen during this series I don’t think she actually was.

I loved how the effects of the blip are still showing their repercussions as Monica returns after being victim to the blip and is immediately thrust into a chaotic post-blip world that echoes the real-world COVID-19 crisis I imagine.

From the start once outside of the Hex, Monica hits the ground running as both a SWORD operative and a self-assured hero trying to do the right thing by saving the town of Westview and Wanda while thwarting Hayward.

I really loved how her “Boss Lady” persona that Agent Woo grants her was very well realised because she did not take any nonsense from anyone. She got the Space Rover so she could attempt to re-enter the Hex, she attempted to reason with Wanda not once, not twice, but thrice.

And when the rover couldn’t penetrate the Hex, she decided to re-enter unprotected knowing what the barrier would potentially do to her physiology…and it did not disappoint.

Monica got powers, she got powers in a spectacular way. I loved how while she was physically struggling to break through the barrier, she could hear the voices of her nearest and dearest (archive footage from Captain Marvel) which spurred her on until she finally pulled herself together and became the superpowered individual she was always going to become.

But she didn’t stop there, not only did she try to once again confront Wanda who at this point was rather unhinged, but she didn’t take her threats lying down and instead tried to break into Agnes’ house before getting caught by Fietro.

However, once she worked out Fietro was really Ralph and was able to free him from Agatha’s control, she wasted no time in running off and making herself useful and just in time as she stopped Hayward from shooting the twins and assisted them in subduing the rogue SWORD agents.

As for Monica’s future, she has been drafted by that Skrull to join Nick Fury’s new team and may return to honour her late mother’s position as director of SWORD. All I know is her future is as bright and vibrant as the energy waves she can now see.

Twins

I love Wiccan and Speed so much, I love the Young Avengers so much, I love Wiccan and Hulkling’s relationship from the comics that is inevitably going to happen hopefully, but the fact this was the origins of all of that gave me everything.

Even before their birth, I loved how the pregnancy was making everything in the house go crazy. Some fans believe this was Wanda’s powers out of control due to pregnancy, I think this was actually Billy’s reality warping powers either acting from inside the womb or amplifying Wanda’s reality warping powers.

When the twins were in existence, I feel Wanda wasn’t prepared for what was going to happen. Billy and Tommy had their own minds and weren’t afraid to show them. Not only with finding Sparky but also with revealing their powers.

It’s fascinating as both these characters have the powers of either their mother or uncle, Billy has reality warping powers and Tommy has super speed. But while both got great chances to show them both in the Halloween episode and also in the series finale, I do believe we have only just scratched the surface of particularly Billy’s powers.

Of course they were always going to be lost at the end of the series, as they were in the comics when they were reabsorbed into Mephisto, in this instance they were seemingly deleted along with their father and the Hex…but then we hear them calling out to Wanda while she’s examining the Darkhold? Is this really them? Multiverse variants? What does all this mean? We need answers!

Darcy Lewis

I was thrilled when I heard Kat Dennings was not only returning to the MCU but being part of different characters’ stories rather than just Thor.

I loved how Darcy was on it from the start by firstly identifying that she and the other three scientists in recruitment didn’t share any common field so that meant SWORD had no idea what they were facing, but then being the one to identify the broadcast of WandaVision.

It did truly feel like we were watching Darcy be us while she was watching the series, seeing her get so invested in the hijinks and the plot twists was very relatable. Kat Dennings sold that relatability just as she does in every performance for me.

Then her fan-girling over the wider MCU, Kat Dennings is a fan of the MCU outside of her own appearances, so the fact she confirmed Vision did not get blipped but actually died and also had that moment in first meeting Monica was adorable.

Also, the fact that Darcy was the one who figured out not only that Monica’s cells were being re-written but also that Hayward had nefarious intentions with wanting to track down Vision, it just gave Darcy a purpose in the series and almost made her invaluable. Monica and Jimmy don’t have the backgrounds to be the “person in the chair” but Darcy does, and I was happy she finally got the chance to showcase it.

Even when she was taken into the Hex and temporarily became the Escape Artist, she was still Darcy in a way, then she became Vision’s source of information and road trip buddy before being left on the side-lines only to then return and help defeat Hayward.

What Didn’t Work:

Too Many Red Herrings

As I said this series and the series creatives had far too many red herrings planted to either fool us or tease us without any solid resolutions.

The biggest one is definitely “Fietro” who as it turns out isn’t Multiverse Quicksilver from the Fox X-Men movies but is instead an in-universe actor named Ralph Bohner who was enthralled by Agatha to play the part of her husband and be her spy and lackey.

Honestly not only am I annoyed that Evan Peters was used for what was ultimately a boner joke, but also it does throw dirt into the wound as to the fact we may not be getting Mutants or the X-Men for a while yet in the MCU.

Then there’s Dottie...similarly to Fietro this could have been a smart way to bring Mutants into the MCU. While yes Dottie was believed to be Mephisto or a witch of some description, I was actually onboard with the idea that this was the MCU Emma Frost. It would have been poetic for Agatha Harkness to be working with Emma Frost to not only maintain her manipulation but also with Emma’s telepathic abilities but also potentially have Emma working as a double agent for the Hellfire Club who also want to harness the powers of the Scarlet Witch similarly to how they wanted to control the Phoenix Force.

Wanda in the MCU has already been compared to Jean Grey, so how about Scarlet Witch becoming the Black Queen of the Inner Circle?

Next, Ultron. A namedrop as many times as this deserves some sort of payoff. Ralph got his and it may have been disappointing but at least we got resolution. So why, when Ultron was named numerous times and we as fans even had Avengers: Age of Ultron being the next recommended watch for us at the end of every episode except the finale, did nothing come of it? If White Vision was voiced by James Spader I would have been happy.

Finally, there’s Monica’s engineer “guy”. We didn’t find out who this was because the contact Monica met with was an Air Force contact delivering the Space Rover, but who was the engineer who designed it? Why didn’t we meet him?

I personally feel this engineer is Reed Richards, there is obviously a rich history of space being connected to Reed’s origins as Mister Fantastic, we know the Fantastic Four are coming to the MCU, it would simply make sense to first introduce Reed as maybe a scientist for SWORD or Nick Fury’s team before bringing in the full team.

I know the other option is Hank Pym, but really if it was Pym then why couldn’t they just pay Michael Douglas for a cameo?

The Future of the MCU

So, what does WandaVision set up for the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Well, we know that this is the start of the Multiverse Arc that will continue with Spider-Man: No Way Home later this year and conclude with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness next year. It is confirmed that Scarlet Witch will show up in the latter of those two movies, but we have no idea what role she’ll serve in Spider-Man.

The other story this series sets up is Secret Invasion which will happen during the series of the same name starring Nick Fury and the Skrulls and also Captain Marvel 2 which will not only feature Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau but also the upcoming Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel. This puts three superpowered women in the same movie and possibly will be the nexus of the Secret Invasion storyline before the concluding movie being an Avengers level event.

Then there’s also Falcon and the Winter Soldier starting in a couple of weeks, that series will most likely connect to Black Widow due to including Yelena Belova but also because that was originally supposed to come out before WandaVision it is tough to see if it or any other upcoming series except for Secret Invasion will connect to this series.

And of course, there is the upcoming Young Avengers project, we have yet to get confirmation of if this will be a movie or a TV series but we know we are having the players put onto the board in Disney+ shows and MCU movies. We have Wiccan and Speed, we know we are getting Kate Bishop and America Chavez as well as already having Cassie Lang just recast for the upcoming Ant-Man 3 to hopefully finally become Stature, and while we have yet to get confirmation of Hulkling it is possible he will appear in Secret Invasion given the Kree-Skrull elements.

Overall, I rate this series a solid 9/10, this series gave me practically everything I wanted and there were many times particularly in the finale that I felt this was the best Marvel Television series. I still stand by the fact that I think it is but the red herrings of Fietro, Mephisto, Ultron and Monica’s “guy” meant I couldn’t call it a solid 10/10.

Regardless of that, I felt this series gave us something different in an MCU mystery, formally introducing witches into the MCU, the love story of Wanda and Vision was intoxicating, meeting Wiccan and Speed in the early years was glorious and honestly Wanda embracing her destiny and becoming the Scarlet Witch…if the entire series was at that level it would be a 10/10 across the board.

So that’s my Round-Up Review of WandaVision, what did you guys think? Post your comments and check out more Marvel Reviews as well as other TV Reviews and posts.

[aspiestvmusings]

WV QUOTES by Ep

Best & Most relevant Quotes from WandaVision series 

SUPERLONG POST

Quotes by episode [eps 1-8] 

Ep 1

"A newlywed couple just moved to town / A regular husband and wife / Who left the big city  To find a quiet life / WandaVision! She's a magical gal In a small town locale / He's  hubby whose part machine / How will this duo fit in and fulfill all? / By sharing a love like youve never seen / WandaVision! " - Episode 1 opening credits theme song 

"Forget your past. This is your future." - COMMERCIAL: Stark Industries Toast Mate 2000 toaster 

"My wife and her flying saucers." - Vision / "My husband and his indestructible head." - Wanda, ep 1 #ohtheirony

"Aren't we a fine pair?" - Vision, ep 1 

"Wanda, is there something special about today? There...on the calendar...someone's drawn a little heart right above todays date." - Vision / "Oh, yes, the heart... Well, don't tell me you've forgotten, Vis?!" - Wanda / "Forgotten? Oh, Wanda, I'm incapable of forgetfulness. I remember everything. And that's not an exaggeration. In fact I'm incapable of exaggeration" - Vision /"Well...then tell me what’s so important about todays date." - Wanda / "[PAUSE] What was the question again? Oh, well, perhaps you've forgotten yourself" - Vision / "Me? Heavens so. I've been so looking forward to it." - Wanda / "As have I." - Vision / "Today we are celebrating.." - Vision / "You bet we are...It's the first time we...have ever celebrted this occasion before..." - Wanda / "It's a special day --" - Vision / "Perhaps an evening --" - Wanda / "Of great significance --" -  Vision / "To us both"" - Wanda / "Naturally!" - Vision / "Obviously" - Wanda / "Exactly!" - Vision / "Well done, us" - Vision, ep 1 #finishingeachotherssentences 

"So what's your name? And where' you from" - Agnes / "I'm Wanda" - Wanda / "Wanda? Charmed." - Agnes, ep 1 

"So what's a single girl like you doing rattling around this big house?" - Agnes / "Oh, no, I'm not single" - Wanda / "Oh... I don't see a ring." - Agnes / "Well, I assure you, I'm married. To a man. A human one. And tall." - Wanda, ep 1 

"Well..it feels like we've always been together" - Wanda, ep 1 [answering the question "how many years have you been together?]

"Oh, this is gonna be a gas!" - Agnes, ep 1 

"Would you be good as to tell me what it is that we do here exactly" - Vision / "...What is the purpose of this company?" - Vision / "All I know is (that) since you've gotten here productivity has gone up 300%" - Norm, ep 1 

"You're like a walking computer!" - Norm / "What? I most certainly am not! I'm a regular carbon-based employee made entirely of organic matter. Much like yourself." - Vision

"No skeletons in your closet, eh, Vision" - Mr. Hart, ep 1 

"I don't have a skeleton, sir" - Vision / "Glad to hear it. Your future in this company depends on it" - Mr. Hart, ep 1 

"(You could point out that) The death rate of single men is twice that of married men." - Agnes, ep 1

"Now that's romantic." - Wanda, ep 1

"Don’t worry, dear, I have everything under control" - Wanda, ep 1 

"I still get a little tongue-tied" - Vision, ep 1 

"If tonight's not gonna go just so I think this could be the end." - Vision, ep 1 

"I think the best course of action is to impress the wife" - Vision / "And I think think the best course of action is to impress the husband" - Wanda, ep 1 

"Glad to know we're both on the same page" - Vision, ep 1 

"The heart on the calendar was an abbreviation" - Vision, ep 1  [*heart* To grow old in. - V.]

"You move at the speed of sound & I can make a pen float through the air. Who needs to abbreviate?" - Wanda, ep 1 

"Oh, darling, this is so romatic to do - the candles, the music, that stunning outfit..." - Vision, ep 1 

"Oh, Agnes, you're a lifesaver" - Wanda, ep 1 

"You're so naughty!" - Wanda, to Agnes, ep 1 

"Should/Shall I just pre-heat-the over, dear?" - Agnes to Wanda, ep 1 #BunInTheOven

"I know you're in a pinch, so this menu can be done in a snap" - Agnes, ep 1

"Oh, no, too much!" - Wanda (chicken overdone) / "Oh, no, not enough!" - Wanda (turned to eggs), ep 1 #

"How can I be of assistance?" - Vision, ep 1

"For your upside-down cake" - Agnes [giving Wanda a pineapple], ep 1

"Whose that?" - Mr. Hart / "A salesman/A telegram" - Wanda & Vision [simultaneously] / "A man selling telegrams" - Vision / "Wouldn't you know it. Good news is more expensive." - Wanda, ep 1 

"My head is spinning" - Mrs. Heart #WandasMagicAffectingPeople

"From what I've seen here tonight you can/could barely keep it together. I mean, look around, there's all this chaos going on in your household." - Mr. Hart, ep 1 

"So...Where did you two move from? What brought you here? How long have you been married? And why don’t you have children yet?" - Mrs. Hart, ep 1

"Honestly...why did you come here? Why? Damit, why?!Why did you [come here] *chokes* - Mr. Hart, ep 1 

"Oh, Arthur, Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it! Stop it! Stop. Stop it! Stop it." - Mrs. Hart, ep 1 #StopIt

"Vision, help him." - Wanda, ep 1

"We are an unusual couple, you know." - Wanda / "Oh, I don't think that was ever in question" - Vision, ep 1

"What I mean is: we don't have an anniversary. Or a song. Or even wedding rings." - Wanda / "Well, we could remedy that. Today could be our anniversaty" - Vision / "Of what? " - Wanda, ep 1 

 "And the rings?" - Wanda / "Well, could you make some for us?" - Vision, ep 1

"I do. Do you?" - Vision / "Yes, I do." - Wanda / "And they lived happily ever after..." - Vision, ep 1 

Ep 2

"Strücker: He'll make time for you" - COMMERCIAL

"Are you using your night-vision, Vision?" - Wanda, ep 2

"Oh, this is getting ridiculous" - Wanda, ep 2 

"...and look at how you seized on the opportunity to redecorate..:" - Vision, ep 2 

"Fear not, Glamour, for I, Illusion, wow to bring you back exactly as you are." - Vision to Wanda, ep 2 #reversetheroles

"Wanda, are you not at all worried that the audience might just see through this little sharade?" - Vision / "Well, that's the whole point - in a real magic act everything is fake." - Wanda, ep 2

"This is our home now. I want us to...fit in" - Wanda, ep 2 

"...and after last nights excitement I wanna make sure that this towns security is up-to snuff" - Vision, ep 2 

"Would you look at us: Wanda & Vision, WestView fitter-inners" - Vision, ep 2 

"So, are you ready to meet Queen Cul de Sac, and her merry homemakers?" - Agnes 

"You'll notice that her roses  bloom under the penalty of death." - Agatha, ep 2

"Dottie is the key to everything in this town. " - Agnes, ep 2 

"Just mind your Ps & Qs, and you're gonna do just fine." - Agnes, ep 2 

"Your roses are divine" - Agnes, to Dottie, ep 2 

"The devil’s in the details, Bev." - Dottie / "That's not the only place he is" - Agnes, ep 2

"Those little boys & girls are counting on us. All of this is for the children." - Dottie, ep 2

"For the children" - group chant, ep 2 

The only reason why I didn't clap is because I'm afraid to move" - Geraldine, ep 2 

"I actually don't know what I'm doing here" - Geraldine / "I'm starting to feel that way myself."- Wanda, ep 2 

"Now you can clap" *everyone claps* "And...stop" *everyone stops clapping* - Dottie, ep 2 

"This is, sort of, a members-only type deal." - Norm, ep 2

"Got some top-secret intelligence for you" - Herb, ep 2 

"I, too, have some top-secret gossip to share. [Norm here is a communist.] - Vision, ep 2 

"Who knew you were such a funny guy?"  - Norm ep 2  

"And to think that you came (in) here a hot & bothered about protocols & nonsense" - Herb, ep 2 

"I can't help but wonder if you & I haven't gotten off on the wrong foot. And I would like to correct that, if I can." - Wanda / "And how would you do that?" - Dottie, ep2 

"I've heard things about you. You and your husband." - Dottie / "Well, I don't know what you've been told, but I assure you...I don't mean anyone any harm." - Wanda / “I don't believe you" - Dottie, ep 2

"Whose doing this to you, Wanda?" - Jimmy, ep 2 

"Wanda, my little cabbage, you look  smashing" - [drunk on gum] Vision, ep 2 

"Listen...something strange happened with Dottie. [Actually] Something strange happened before that, too. It's hard to explain..." - Wanda, to Vision, ep 2

"What is going on?!?" - Wanda, to Vision / "You are!" - Geraldine, ep 2

"For the children" - group chant, ep 2

"I'm Glamour, and this is my delightful assistent Ilusion" - Vision / "I'm Glamour, and he’s Illusion" - Wanda / "Yeah, what she said” - Vision, ep 2 

"Tonight we will lie to you, and yet you will believe our little deception. Because human beings are easily fooled  due to their limited understanding of the inner workings of the universe! - Vision, ep 2 #ohtheforeshadowing 

"Flourish!" - Vision as Illusion, the magician, ep 2 

"Now my wife & I will delight in your dumbstruck little faces" - Vision, ep 2

"Oops, you weren't supposed to see how we did that trick" - Wanda, ep 2 

"If only you all knew our secret" - Wanda, ep 2 

"The Magnet of Crysteries" - Vision as Illusion, ep 2 #TheCabinetOfMysteries

"I will now make my wife... disappear." - Vision as Illusion, ep 2 

"What's in the box?" - group chant, ep 2 

"Vis, it's alright. It's okay. But what is going on with you?" - Wanda / "I have no idea. I've been feeling weird-y all day." - Vision, ep 2

"Well, you're back to yourself, and that's all I care about" - Wanda to Vision, ep 2

"A magician never reveals his secrets. He leaves that to his assistant" - Vision / "And she's not talking" - Wanda, ep 2 

"I don't know what I was so worried about. It wasn't so hard to fit in after all" - Wanda / "And all we had to do was be ourselves". - Vision / "Well...with a few modifications" - Wanda, ep 2 

"And it was all..for the children" - Wanda & Vision, ep 2 

"Vision, is this really happening?" - Wanda / "Yes, my love, it's realy happening" - Vision, ep 2 

Ep 3

"We got something cooking / And it's looking good / We got something cooking / And you knew we could / All great expecttions Lead to complications / But it's grovy and fun / It's me and it's you / Together one plus one is more than two / Some sudden surprises / Come in all shapes and sizes / But it's rainbows and sun / It's you and it's me / Together one plus one is family." - WV episode 1x03 opening credits intro song 

"You read my mind" - COMMERCIAL, ep 3 

"Come with me. Escape to world all your own, where your probllems float away. When you want to get away, but you don't want to go anywhere... Hydra Soak. Find the Goddess within" - COMMERCIAL, ep 3 

"I have nerves of steel, so there goes your theory..." - Vision, ep 3 

"Have you gotten bigger?" - Vision / "Have I? I can't tell from this angle" - Wanda, ep 3 

"I can't wait to be a proud papa-ya." - Vision, ep 3 #dadjokes

"Oh, did I do that? I didn’t mean to" - Wanda, ep 3 

“All the worlds a stage. And all the men & women marely players.“ - Vison, ep 3 #QuotingShakespeare #William #Billy #Thomas #Tommy

"Do you think they know it's my fault?" - Wanda, ep 3 

"I think something's wrong here, Wanda" - Vision, ep 3 

"I know what you mean. The truth is: We are in uncharted waters. And you know what? I'm anxious, too"- Vision, ep 3 

"We just don't know what to expect" - Wanda, ep 3 

"Will the baby be human, or synthezoid, a bit of both?" - Wanda, ep 3 

"If he is anything like his ma' (mother), he (Billy) will be perfect" - Vision, ep 3 

"What a mess." - Wanda, ep 3 

"Well..in all fairness, darling, the baby is aproximately 9 months early" - Vision, ep 3 

"Now's not really a good time.." - Wanda, ep 3 

"I may be late to the party, but I imagine there's s logical explanation for this." - Geraldne, ep 3

"It's all perfectly natural" - Wanda, ep 3

"I can't do this" - Wanda / "Yes, you can." - Geraldine / "I can't. I cant." - Wanda / "You can do this." - Geraldine, ep 3

"I don't think we'll get away after all. Small towns, you know... So hard to escape...." - Dr. Nielsen, ep 3

"She came here because... She came here because we're all..." - Herb, ep 3 

"Who are you?" - Wanda 

Ep 4

"She came here because we're all...what?" - Vision, ep 4 ("previously on" part)

"I think you should leave" - Wanda, ep 4 ("previously on" part)

"I don't understand what's happening, but you need to listen to me". - Dr., to Monica, ep 4

"Director Tyler Hayward" - Monica / "Acting! Director." - Hayward, ep 4 

"It's been three weeks [since the Blip] & you're the first to report." - Hayward, ep 4 

"Sentient Weapons, like it says on the door" - Hayward / "It also says "Observation and Response" on that door. Not Creation." - Monica, ep 4

"The world's not the same as you left it." - Hayward, ep 4

"What's the story here, agent Woo?" - Monica / "I've got  a witness set up down the road in WestView,  and this morning it looked like he flew the coop." - Jimmy / "Your missing person is in the Witness Protection Program?" - Monica / "I have contacted known associates, relatives..." - Jimmy / "And let me guess: none of them have seen him either?" - Monica / "No. None of them have ever heard of him." - Jimmy, ep 4 

"This isn't a missing persons case (anymore). This is  missing town. Population 3892" - JImmy, ep 4

"Why havent you gone inside to investigate?" - Monica / "Cause it doesn't want me to. You can feel it too, can't you? Nobody is supposed to go in." - Jimmy, ep 4 

"Why is it that you have an awareness of WestView? Or me...for that matter? Is it because we're outside of a certain radius? Or maybe because we don't have a personal connection?" - Monica, ep 4

"What is it?" - Jimmy / "Some sort of an energy field..." - Monica, ep 4

"We're not supposed to talk to each other" - "Boyscout Leader", to Darcy, ep 4 

"We've got a full clown-car." - Darcy, ep 4 

"Wow...[I'm getting] A colossal amount of CMBR [Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation]" - Darcy, ep 4 

"Look, I know it's been a crazy few years on this planet, but he's dead, right? Not Blipped. Dead." - Darcy, about Vision, ep 4 

"So you're saying the universe created a sitcom starring two Avengers?" - Jimmy, ep 4 

"It's a working theory." - Darcy, ep 4 

"So what, deep cover? Monica has to play along?" - Darcy / "With whom? Or else what?" - Jimmy, ep 4 

"What are we looking at here? Is it an alternate reality, time travel, some cockamanie social experiment?" - Jimmy / "It's  a sitcom. A 1950s sitcom." - Darcy, ep 4  

"1950s, 1960s, and now the 70s. Why does it keep switching time period? Can’t be purely for my enjoyment, can it?" - Darcy, ep 4 

"Twins. What a twist" - Darcy, ep 4 

"Has this happened before? A reference to our reality?" - Jimmy, ep 4 

"Someone is censoring the broadcast." - Darcy, ep 4 

"You're not my neighbour. And youre definitely not my friend. You are a stranger. And an outsider. And right now you are trespassing here. And I want you...to leave" - Wanda, ep 4 #HexWandaSawAgathaInMonica (she came at Monica so hard, cause she sensed an outsider, but she gave the role to the wrong person...)

"We don't have to stay here. We could go wherever we want." - Vision / "No, we can't. This is our home." - Wanda / "Are you sure?" - Vision / "Don't worry, darling, I have everything under control." - Wanda, ep 4

"It's Wanda. It's all...Wanda" - Monica, ep 4  

"What shoud we watch tonight?" - Wanda, ep 4 

Ep 5

"You wander the world with a vision of what life could be /  But then the years come and teach you to just wait & see / Forces may try to pull us apart / But nothing can phase me if you're in my heart / Crossing our fingers, singing a song / We're making  it up as we go along / Through the highs & the lows / We'll be right, we'll be wrong / We're making  it up as we go along / And there wiLl be days / We won't know which way to go / But we'll take it higher / You're all I desire / When the going gets tough / When push comes to shove / We're making it up / ' Cause we got love / We got love. We got love / Baby we got...WandaVision" - Episode 5 opening credits intro theme song 

"Lagos (paper towels) - for when you make a mess you didn't mean to (make)" - COMMERCIAL

“I know parents aren’t supposed to take shortcuts, but I think this situation calls for one, don’t you?” - Wanda, ep 5

“Why won’t you do what I want?” - Wanda, to the twins, ep 5

"Vis, what are we doing wrong?" - Wanda, ep 5 

"Don't worry, dear, we'll figure it out." - Vision, ep 5 

“Do you want me to take that again?” - Agnes, ep 5

“Should we just take it from the top?” - Agnes, ep 5

"I dare you to stay awake" - Agnes, ep 5 

"What was that about?" - Vision / "What was what?" - Wanda, ep 5

"Did you really not see what I saw?” - Vision, to Wanda, ep 5

“Kids. (You) Can’t control ‘ em. No matter how hard you try.” - Agnes, ep 5

[Whats the 1st thing you remember?] “Pain. And then Wanda’s voice in my head. There was this feeling...keeping  me down. This...hopeless feeling. Like drowning. It was grief.” - Monica, ep 5 

“Our initial theory had Wanda Maximoff as one of many victims. (But) We now know she’s the principal victimizer.” - Hayward, ep 5

“That’s an over-simplification of events, but... yeah.” - Jimmy, ep 5

"Does Maximoff have an alias?" - Hayward / "No, sir." - Jimmy / "No funny nickname?" - Hayward / "Not a one." - Jimmy, ep 5 

"When was this?" - Monica / "9 days ago. Maximoff stormed our facillity, stole The Visions body, and resurrected him." - Hayward, ep 5 [a direct violation of the Sokovia Accord Section 36B  & Vision's own living will, cause he didnt want to be anybodys weapon] 

“Maximoff in her grief disregarded his [Vision’s living will] wishes” - Hayward, ep 5

“But how did she even do it? Bring him back without the Mind stone?” - Jimmy / “Who knows? But she has the worlds only known vibranium synthezoid playing father-knows-best in suburbia. What happens when he learns the truth?” - Darcy, ep 5

“Taking care of a living thing is a big responsibility.” - Wanda, ep 5

“I’m tired of hiding. (And maybe you don’t have to either)” - Wanda, ep 5

"Wanda, we are usually so much of the same Mind[stone], but right now...” (What aren't you telling me?) - Vision, ep 5  

“What aren’t you telling me?” - Vision, to Wanda, ep 5

"Wanda’s twins are hers. Everything might look fake in TV, but everything in there is real.” - Monica, ep 5

"But Wanda manipulates peoples perceptions, makes them hallucinate..." - Jimmy, ep 5 

"If all the sets, and props, and wardrobe are solid matter, that would mean she's wielding an insane amount of power." - Darcy / "By far exceeding anything she's desplayed in the past." - Jimmy, ep 5 

“It’s not an illusion. Wanda is re-writing reality.”- Monica, ep 5

"If she can change things...as they go into the hex...what happens when we send something in that requires no change?" - Monica, ep 5 

“Can’t you tell..none of it is real..” - Norm, ep 5

“You have to stop her. [Stop who?] She’s in my head. None of it is my own. It hurts. It hurts so much. Just make her stop.” - Norm, ep 5

“Sometimes your dad & I aren’t on the same page. But that’s just temporary.” - Wanda PS. She is literally saying that she & him aren’t always in scenes that are on the same page in the script, hence he (one of them) is away/somewhere else.

“Family is forever.” - Wanda, ep 5

"He's...far away from here. And that makes me...sad, sometimes." - Wanda, (about her twin-brother Pietro, who is buried in Sokovia) ep 5 

"We can't see the drone on the broadcast. Wanda is framing it out." - Jimmy / "Just like all the jump-cuts. Wanda decides what makes it onto her show, and what doesn't." - Darcy, ep 5 

“This will be your only warning. Stay out of my home. You don’t bother me, I won’t bother you.” - Wanda, ep 5

[What do you want?] “I have what I want. And no-one will ever take it from me...again” - Wanda PS. She seems to look at Hayward when she says the last past. This seems to be a message about them having Visions body & going against his will & trying to weaponize it...as much as it is about her having her perfect life with her Vision.

"The urge to run from this feeling [read: grief] is powerful. I know." - Wanda, ep 5

“You can fix anything, mom. Fix the dead.” - The Twins [Wanda: "What? No." / Agnes: "You can do that?"]

"I am trying to tell you that there are rules in life: We can’t reverse death...no matter how sad it makes us. Some things aren’t forever. ” - Wanda, ep 5 #AThingIsntBeautifulBecauseItLasts

"You said family is forever. He is family. Bring him back, mom" - Billy & Tommy, ep 5 

“You can’t control me the way you do (control) them.” - Vision / “Can’t i?” - Wanda [as the end credits start to roll], ep 5 

“I have to believe that this -- whatever this is -- was subconcious at first, and that you only recently became aware of it.” - Vision (about the Hex & WV), ep 5

"Stop lying to me! [angry]" - Vision /  "This... All of this is for us. So let me handle it.” - Wanda, to Vision, ep 5

“What is outside of Westview” - Vision - /”You don’t want to know, I promise you.” - Wanda / “You don’t get to make that choice for me, Wanda” - Vision, ep 5

“Before what? I can’t remember my life before Westview. I don’t know who I am. I’m scared.” - Vision, ep 5 (proof that Vision 2.0 is evolving)

"You are my husband. You're Billy & Tommy’s father. Isn't that enough?" - Wanda, ep 5 

"Wanda, why are there no other children [besides Billy & Tommy] in Westview?” -  Vision, ep 5

"Why...tell me why..." - Vision / "Do you realy think that I am controlling everything? That I am somehow in charge of everybody in WestView? I'm walking their dogs, mowing their lawns, getting them to dentist appointments in time? I mean, I... I don't know how any of this started in the first place..." - Wanda, ep 5  

“What you’re doing here...it’s wrong. It is wrong.” - Vision, ep 5

"I didn't do that. [pause] You don't believe me." - Wanda / "Wanda, I want to. But at this point I'm ignoring statistics entirely." - Vision, ep 5 

"Whose the popsicle?" - Fietro [bout Vision], ep 5 

Ep 6

"Don't try to fight the chaos / Don't question what you’ve done / The game can try to play us / Don't let it stop the fun / Some days it's all confusion / Easy come and easy go / But if it's all illusion / Sit back, enjoy the show / Let's keep it going x2 / Through each distorted day / Let's keep it going / Though there may be no way of knowing / Whose coming by to play" - Episode 6 opening credits intro song 

"That's not exactly how I remember it" - Wanda / "You probably suppressed a lot of the trauma" - Fietro, ep 6 

"I'm undercover!" - Vision, ep 6 

"No, that's not what you're supposed to..." - Wanda / ”What?” - Vision, ep 6 

“Mom & Dad have been... not fighting, just...like...different (lately/ever since Uncle P. arrived)” - Twins, to the camera, ep 6

“Wanda, be good” - Vision, ep 6

"If I see any funny business, I'm going to magic you into a pickled herring" - Wanda, to Fietro #RedHerring

“We take her out, this whole nightmare ends” - Hayward / "We don’t know that. We actually have no idea what will happen in there, or out here if Wanda dies”.- Monica, ep 6

"If Wanda is the problem, she has to be our solution.” - Monica, ep 6

"Is there something I can do for you, Wanda. Do you want something changed?” - Herb, ep 6

“I can’t believe what a bad influence you are” - Wanda, to Fietro, ep 6

“I’m just trying to do my part. Come to town unexpectedly, create tension with the brother-in-law, stir up trouble with the rugrats, and untimately give you grief. I  mean...that’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”  - Fietro, ep 6

"I got the old XY chromosome" - Fietro, ep 6 #Xmen #HeXmen

“Unleash hell, demon spawns” - Fietro, about/to the Twins, ep 6

“Dammit if Westview, New Jersey, isn’t charming as hell.” - Fietro, ep 6

"It's not like your dead husband can die twice." - Fietro, ep 6

“Where were you hiding all these kids up til now? I assume they were just  sleeping peacefully in their beds.” - Fietro, ep 6

“You don’t think it’s... wrong”? - Wanda / “Are you kidding? I'm impressed.” - Fietro, ep 6

“Howd’d you even do all of this?” - Fietro, to Wanda, ep 6

"I don’t know how I did it. I only remember feeling...completely alone. Empty. Endless nothingness.” - Wanda, ep 6

“Am I dead” - Agnes / “No. Why would you think that?” - Vision / “Because you are”. - Agnes / “Because I am what?” - Vision / “Dead” - Agnes, ep 6

“No one leaves. Wanda won’t even let us think about it.”- Agnes, ep 6  

“I will fix this, Agnes, I promise” - Vision, ep 6

"I know what Wanda’s feeling, and I won’t stop until I help her.” - Monica, ep 6

"How'd you even do (all) this?" - Fietro / "I don't know how I did it. I only remember feeling completely alone. Empty. Just...endless nothingness." - Wanda, ep 6  

"He really does want out, doesn't he?" - Hayward, about Vision, ep 6 

"I hear daddy. In my head. He's in trouble" - Billy, to Wand, ep 6 

Ep 7

"Feeling depressed? Like the world goes on without you? Do you just want to be left alone? Ask your doctor about Nexus. A unique anti-depressant that works to anchor you back to your reality. Or  the reality of your choice. Side effects include: feeling your feelings, confronting your truth, seizing your destiny, and possibly more depression. You should not take Nexus unless your doctor has cleared you to move on with your life. Nexus - because the world doesn’t revolve around you. Or does it?” - NEXUS COMMERCIAL, ep 7 

"Letting our fear and anger get the best of us. Intentionally expanding the borders of the false world we created" - Wanta, to the director/camera PS. She uses plural form. Since nothing on this show is meaningless, and we know it was actually Agnes sitting behind the camera, maybe that was a hint at her saying THEY created it, not she alone?

"Mom, my head feels weird. It's like...really noisy. I don't like it." - Billy, ep 7 

"As punishment for my reckless evening, I plan on taking a quarantine style stacation. A whole day. That'll show me." - Wanda 

"Yeah, I'm not sure what's that about" (the glitches) - Wanda, ep 7 

"If he doesn't want to be here, there's nothing I can do about it" - Wanda, ep 7

“I have no answers. Zero, Zip. Zilch. Nada. Niente." - Wanda, ep 7

"I'm starting to believe that everything is meaningless." - Wanda, ep 7 

"You're welcome to draw your own conclusions, of course. But that's just where I'm at" - Wanda. ep 7 

"Vision is made of vibranium, (so) they literally inherited tough skin" - Wanda, about the twins, ep 7 

"Agnes, you are a life-saver. Is there anything I can do for you?" - Wanda, ep 7

"R&D reports, all on the same project. Code name: Cataract. [pause] Hayward wasn't de-commissioning Vision, he was trying to bring him back online. But nothing worked... ["until Wanda stole Visions body"]" - Jimmy, ep 7 

"You know, part of me secretly wanted a guest spot on this show, but...seriously..that sucked." - Darcy, ep 7 

"I have questions” - Vision / “I have answers” - Darcy, ep 7

"I don't understand why it's happening. Why it's all falling apart. And why I can't fix it." - Wanda, ep 7

"Do you think maybe this is what you deserve?" - Director's voice BTS/Agatha, to Wanda, ep 7 

"So...Wanda killed me?" - Vision / "Yes. But it's not that simple. You asked her to do it." - Darcy / "Why would I have done that?" - Vision / "To save the universe. Well...half of it." - Darcy / "Did it work?" - Vision / "It did. [pause] Until the bad guy rewound time & killed you himself. There are a few extra steps, but...to set up the ocontext... " - Darcy / "I came back and died again." - Vision / "...and she had to watch." - Darcy 

"Also..it never rains in WestView, right" - Darcy, ep 7 [Vision gives the camera THE LOOK]...as there are puddles on the road & the windowsglass is covered with raindroplets... 

"I'm not amused" - Vision, ep 7 

“What am I now?” - Vision, ep 7

“What I don’t get is why you can’t leave the hex.” - Darcy, to Vision, ep 7

"So..if I understand correctly...my original code dates back to an AI called JARVIS, but my corporal form was born from ULTRONs plan for global genocide?" - Vision / "Correct-o" - Darcy / "What am I now?" - Vision / "Honestly... I thought she just flipped a switch on your head and brought you back to life, but..what I dont get is why you can’t leave the hex.” - Darcy , ep 7 

“What I do know is that I've been watching “WandaVision” for the past week, and the love you two have is real. You belong together.” - Darcy, to Vision, ep 7

"Don't let him make you the villain" - Monica /"Maybe I already am." - Wanda, ep 7

"I lost the person closest to me, too. The worst thing I can think of has already happened to me. And I can't change it, I can't undo it, I can't control this pain anymore. And I don't think I want to. Because it's my truth." - Monica, ep 7

"I had no idea how much Wanda had endured before coming to WestView. How much we both had, I guess. Though I can’t remember it. For me it feels like it happened to someone else, you know... But for her.. it's mere weeks ago." - Vision, ep 7 

"What am I doing here? Sitting, talking to you...when I should... This is absurd. I need to get to my wife." - Vision, ep 7  

Ep 8

"You have betrayed your coven. You stole knowledge above your age & station. You practiced the darkest of magic." - Evanora Harkness / "I know nothing of these crimes. I swear it!" - Agatha / "Enough. Deception.!" - Evanora / "I did not break your rules. They simply bent to my power." - Agatha, ep 8 

"I cannot control it."- Agatha, ep 8  

"If only you would teach me...! (Help me, please!)" - Agatha, ep 8

"Please...I can be good" - Agatha / "No, you cannot." - Evanora, ep 8 

"Your magic's no good in here. Didn't you notice? Basic protection spell. One on each wall. ... No? Nothing? These are runes, Wanda. In a given space only the witch that cast the runes can use her magic. How do you not know the fundamentals?"  - Agatha, to Wanda, ep 8 

"Who are you?" - Wanda / "Who are you?" - Agatha, ep 8 

"Who are you? All those costumes and hairstyles? Oh, I was so patient. Waiting for you to reveal your true self. I got close with Fake-Pietro...Fietro, if you will. But no dice." - Agatha/ "That was you?" - Wanda / "No, it wasn't literally me. Just my eyes & ears. A crystalline posession..if you will. Necromacy was a non-starter since your real brothers body is on another continent. Not to mention (also) full of holes. But you're so crippled by your own self-doubt that you believed it." - Agatha, ep 8

"When I sensed this place - the afterglow of so many spells cast all at once...I couldn't make heads or tails of it... Mind control. A classic. Quick incantation and a feeble psyche and you're good to go. With thousands of people under your thumb all interacting with each other according to complex storylines. Well, that's somethign special, baby. And of course there's transmutation. Years of study to achieve even the smallest convincing illusion. But WestView through your lense, Wanda... Every little detail in place...down to the crown molding. You're even running  illusions miles away at the edge of town. Magic on autopilot. What's your secret, sister? Listen... I need you (to)...I need you to tell me how you did this." - Agatha / "I  didn't do anything. I'm not..." - Wanda / "I tried to be gentle....to nudge you awake from this ridiculous fantasy, but you would rather fall apart than face your truth. You left me no choice... What was it (that) you said to your not-brother? Hmm? All you could recall was the feeling. You felt empty. Alone. Endless nothingness... Let's start there..." - Agatha, ep 8

"It's been fun playing pretend for a while, hasn't it, Wanda? But it's time to look at some reall re-runs. All right, let's go." - Agatha /"No" - Wanda, ep 8

"After you, superstar" - Agatha to Wanda, ep 8 

“I know you don’t want [to go back there...to relive your painful memories]. But it’s good medicine, angel” - Agatha, ep 8 

“The only way forward is back” - Agatha, ep 8 

"I forgot. I put it in the special place. For extra safekeeping." - Wanda's dad, ep 8

Shenanigan [definition]: ... like mischief. But...a silly mischief, that always becomes fine. 

"...and at the end of the episode... you realise it was all (just) a bad dream. None of it was real." - 10-y-o Wanda, ep 8 flashback 

"You stop that. You'll hurt her feeling." - TV Character 1 / "She hasn't got any feelings. She's full of sawdust, or rags, or something." - TV character 2, ep 8

"So...little orphan Wanda got up close & personal with an Infinity Stone that amplified what otherwise would have died on the vine? The broken pieces of you are adding up, buttecup. I have a theory, but I need more..." - Agatha, ep 8 

"So where are we know?" - Agatha / "The Avengers compound. It was the first home Vision & I ever shared. Pietro was dead, and I was in a new country... I was all alone..." - Wanda, ep 8 

"Vision?" - Wanda [sensing him behind the wall/that he wants to enter her room] / "I apologize, I dont mean to intrude..:" - Vision / "You don't?" - Wanda / "Well, I suppose yes I did intend to come in here..." -  Vision / "And now?" - Wanda / "Well...whatever is your preferance..." - Vision, ep 8 

[Wanda & Vision watching sitcoms on TV] "Is it funny because of the grievious injury the man just suffered?" - Vision / "No, he's not really injured" - Wanda / "Ah. [But] How can you be certain?" - Vision / "It's not that kind of a show." - Wanda, ep 8 

"Wanda, I don't presume to know what you're feeling, but I would like to know. Should you wish to tell me. Should that be of some comfort to you." - Vision / "What makes you think that talking about it would bring me comfort?" - Wanda / "Oh, see, I read that the..." - Vision / [interrupts him] "The only thing that would bring me comfort is seeing him again." - Wanda [SILENCE] "Sorry... I'm ..I'm so tired..." - Wanda 

"Sorry... I'm ..I'm so tired... It's just like this wave washing over me, again and again. It knocks me down, and when I try to stand up, it just comes for me again. And I can't... It's just gonna drown me..." - Wanda / "No, no it won't." - Vision / "How do you know?" - Wanda / "Well...because it can't all be sorrow, can it? I've always been alone, so I don't feel the lack. It’s all I've ever known. I've never experienced loss because I have never had a loved one to lose. But what is grief, if not love persevering?" - Vision, to Wanda, ep 8 #foreshadowing

"But what is grief, if not love persevering?" - Vision, to Wanda, ep 8

"So, to recap: parents dead, brother dead, Vision dead." - Agatha, ep 8

"What happened when he wasn't there to pull you back from the darkness, Wanda?" - Agatha / "I can’t do this anymore..." - Wanda / "Come on, Wanda! You're on the precipice. You are right there! Tell me how you did it." - Agatha, ep 8

"Vision was gone. But you. wanted. him. back." - Agatha / "I wanted him back. [to herself: "I wanted him back"]" - Wanda, ep 8 

"I know you have him" - Wanda 

"Please...Please. When I came back, he was gone. His...body. And I know he's here. He deserves a funeral, at least. I deserve it." - Wanda 

"I just wanna bury him. That's all I want" - Wanda, ep 8

"Are yo sure (that’s all you want)? Not everyone has that kind of power that can bring their soulmate back online. Forgive me...back to life." - Hayward, ep 8 

"No, I can’t do that. Thats...That’s not why I'm here." - Wanda, ep 8 

"I can't feel you.... [whisper] I can't feel you." - Wanda, ep 8 

"To grow old in." - V. *hear shape* [Vision's note to Wanda, on the propery deed], ep 8

"Wanda, welcome home. Should we stay in tonight?" - (Hex) Vision, ep 8

"I know what you are. You have no idea how dangerous you are. You're supposed to be a myth - a being capable of spontaneous creation. BUt here you are...using it to make breakfast for dinner. ... This is chaos magic, Wanda. That makes you the Scarlett Witch" - Agatha to Wanda, ep 8

"Let go of my children" - Wanda / "Oh yes...your children, Vision, this whole little life you've made...this is chaos magic, Wanda." - Agatha, ep 8 

TBC in ep 9

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I thought about WandaVision

Y'know, it's kind of crazy to think that it's been over a year since we've been given any content involving the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios announced so many great movies, on top of new TV shows that actually impact the story, way back in the summer of 2019. But then 2020 happened. Resulting in everything, and I mean everything, we were promised getting pushed back for another year. So, when it was finally announced that the series WandaVision was, at last, ready to be released, fans were both excited as well as skeptical. Because the first thing that would reintegrate us back into this franchise would be a show about how two Avengers are stuck in a sitcom. It might be new, long-awaited content, but it also doesn't sound all that interesting. Could a story involving two characters who have yet to stand on their own be enough to carry a brand new adventure? Well, for eight whole weeks, fans were given that answer. And personally, I will admit that WandaVision might have been better than anybody could have ever expected...for the most part.

(Final spoiler warning if you haven't seen the show yet)

WHAT I LIKE

It Just Goes: This is easily the best way the series could have started. We are given no context about what is going on. We're just shown that Wanda and Vision are currently stuck in a sitcom, and that's it. By making it a mystery, fans are given this sort of interaction with the series as they find clues and come up with theories about how and why this happened. Sure, some assumptions were more far fetched than others (did people think Mephisto was confirmed just because of one misinterpreted line involving the Devil?), but it still makes the show a ton of fun to watch. Plus, even when we're given answers, it's only tiny pieces of the puzzle. We're always given a chance to figure out the bigger picture, resulting in an image that is, I'll admit, somewhat satisfying to see. Just as long as you ignore the crybabies who get upset that their favorite theories turned out to be wrong.

The Homages are on Point: I also love how straight the cast and crew play with the idea of two superheroes being stuck in a series of sitcoms. Everything they use fits in the era each sitcom takes place in. With things like camerawork, set design, special effects, acting quality, tropes, and even theme songs, everything works as a proper homage than just having two episodes in black and white and the rest in color. Each new sitcom that Wanda and Vision are rebooted in feels so genuine, to the point where they seem like they could be actual shows that could have existed. Seriously, my dad showed me stuff like The Dick Van Dyke Show when I was a kid, so trust me when I say that the very first episode nails the style that it's honoring. Not only is it charming as all forms of hell, but it also works in making these moments when characters break from the spell (get it) all the more jarring and even disturbing at times. Because when you're so keen on watching what seems like a fun and cheesy sitcom, you feel a bit unsettled when a character suddenly acts in a way that's a tad foreboding. Still, it's fun to watch and is easily the central hook for what makes this show work.

The Comedy: The homages also nail the comedy that came from each type of sitcom. The jokes fit with each period, from the cheesy and charming 50s to the cynical and dry 90s and early 2000s. It's another thing the writers play straight with, and I think it works. The only jokes made by most stories like this are just pointing out that these serious characters are stuck in a silly sitcom. Instead, the writers tell jokes that work for the period it's in, and it is all genuinely funny if you're used to those types of goofs and gags. If you didn't laugh, that's because the comedy isn't trying to reach out to you. It's reaching out to the people who actually watched these types of sitcoms. Or, in my case, the type of people who had their parents show them these types of sitcoms. And even then, I still think there are these lines and deliveries that are still funny even if you don't get the joke. For example, there's this brief moment with Vision and a toy baby that got a genuine chuckle out of me for how absurd it was. I wasn't expecting to laugh that much, but on top of the many surprises this show gave, being funny was definitely one of them.

“My husband, and his indestructible forehead”: He...hehe...hehehehahahaHAHAHAHA! AH! HA! HA! HA! 

*Slowly starts sobbing*

>Squeaks<

I see what you did there.

Paul Bettany as “Vision,” “Vision,” and Vision: Can we give Paul Bettany a round of applause for basically playing three different characters, each with their own varying levels of emotions and purposes? Because goodness gracious, this man is a champion! I've seen tons of people praise Elizabeth Olson for her performance as Wanda, and to be fair, she does do a fantastic job...aside from one blatant issue (which I'll get into later). But as great as Olson is, Bettany still deserves some credit. Throughout most of the series, he has this level of comedic-timing that I didn't even know he was capable of, by going ham or just having a dry wit. Seriously, was someone going to tell me that Paul Bettany can be funny, or was I supposed to find that out for myself? On top of being hilarious, Bettany delivers such raw emotion that none of us would have ever expected from this character. That screaming match “Vision” has with Wanda shows the very first time that any version of him has ever been angry, and Bettany does a great job at making that moment as jarring as it needed to be. And that's just from playing one version of the character! I didn't even talk about how he nails the naive yet still wise Vision from the flashback in "Previously On" or the cold and robotic "Vision" from "The Series Finale." Bettany has range, and WandaVision is a great show that proves how. One just needs to have the right amount of vision to see it (HhhhhhhhhhhHA!)

Developing Wanda: But as great as Paul Bettany, and to a lesser extent, Vision, is, Wanda Maximoff is clearly the star of the show here (And yes, I know that it's Wanda who's the character and Elizabeth Olson is the actor, but...I'll get into it!). If WandaVision has taught me anything about these Disney+ shows, it's that we are finally going to get some long-awaited development to characters that are starved from it. And Wanda definitely needed it. Don't get me wrong, Wanda was great in past movies but wasn't that compelling of a character. Here, trust me when I say that the opposite is true. 

We are given a deep dive into not only Wanda's morality but also her psyche. The writers really play around with how scary Wanda can be. As well as questioning if Wanda has the capability of being evil. Because, yeah, what she did was not right. True, our "heroine" was going through some rough s**t, but that doesn't excuse the amount of torture Wanda put the people of Westview through, no matter how unwittingly. Just look at that scene where everyone grills Wanda about what she's doing to them, not only pleading for whatever compromise they can get and even begging for her to kill them instead. That is dark! That is the darkest concept the MCU has ever offered, and the ending of Avengers: Infinity War exists!

But, while it doesn't entirely excuse everything, there is a reason why Wanda did all of this. You see, throughout WandaVision, Wanda goes through the five stages of grief. It all starts with denial as she pretends to live in a sitcom that she created where Vision is alive, and they get to even have kids together. Soon comes anger when she destroys anything and physically harms anyone that tries to bring her back to reality. Next, there's bargaining as Wanda strengthens her hex and expands it to keep outsiders out and keep Vision in. This leads to depression as the weight of all of Wanda's actions finally sinks in, and she's forced to realize the damage she's causing. Until all of it ends with acceptance, as Wanda finally, finally, gets to say goodbye to Vision. Something she never really got when Thanos ripped the mind stone out of Vision's forehead. It's both incredible to watch as it is fascinating. Wanda, through the course of her own little spin-off series, just went from a decent character to one of the most intriguing to dissect in the MCU. And we have this show to thank for it.

The Commercials: These commercials offer three things.

They're more homages to classic television, each product and filming for each one honoring how commercials looked in each era.

They offer more of an insight into Wanda's psyche as we see how each commercial shows bits of her history, regrets, and deepest desires. You see all of the above in the Lagos' paper towel commercial.

There are neat bits of foreshadowing of what's to come, like how Hydra Soak ends by saying it's for "your inner goddess" or how the 90s commercial ends by saying Magic isn't meant for the weak.

With all of that, these commercials are as fun to analyze as they are disturbing as hell.

The Dinner Scene: This was the moment it was clear that WandaVision wasn’t going to just be fun and games. The second that "Mr. Heart" starts screaming at Wanda about why she and Vision came, it becomes clear that the whole wacky scenario our heroes are in isn't as harmless as we all thought. And when "Mrs. Heart" playfully tells her husband to stop it when “Mr. Heart” starts choking, only to desperately scream at Wanda to stop it, audiences begin to piece together that the people of Westview are prisoners--no--victims. As for Wanda? She's the unknowing dictator forcing them to do what she says. And it was this scene that I knew I was going to really enjoy this show.

The Blip Scene: And it was this scene that made WandaVision skyrocket into top-tier MCU territory! As much as I love Spider-Man: Far From Home, I will admit that making a joke with the concept of something like the blip might not have been the best move. But showing the chaos of everyone coming back all at once? On top of showing the confusion that a person would have from being told that a five-second nap was five years? Yeah, that's more in line with what we want.

Returning Characters: Not only was I surprised by the fact that these pretty minor characters in the MCU made a return at all, but I was also shocked to find out they work better in this series than they did in their respective movies. First, there's Monica. Not only is she reintroduced as a brand new hero (with, admittingly, confusing superpowers), but she also works as the anti-Wanda. Both characters had someone they care about dearly die without getting a chance to say goodbye. The difference is that Monica doesn't have the abilities Wanda does and is instead forced to quickly accept that her mom is dead and won't come back. She even admits that she would bring her mom back if she could. But that just makes Monica the perfect person that Wanda needs. A person that understands where she's coming from and tries to convince Wanda to do the right thing, no matter how hard it is. Monica's methods may have been a tad bit sloppy, but she is still ten times more intriguing than that little girl who screwed around with the color scheme on Captain Marvel’s suit.

Then there's Jimmy Woo, who is both funnier here than in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and actually shows signs of being a competent FBI agent. A step up, I might add, from the hilariously incompetent character we saw in his previous appearance.

And also, Darcie is here...and still slightly annoying...but at least she still has a couple funny lines here and there! Which is more than I can say with Thor and Thor: The Dark World.

In my opinion, it's a good move having these characters with pretty small roles in vastly different stories make a return. It shows that they are not limited to their one little corner of the MCU. And that they can branch off into taller tales that suit them perfectly. It's pretty cool, and it makes me wonder what other small characters could make a triumphant return.

Billy and Tommy: These two are...fine. Billy and Tommy give me Zach and Cody vibes sometimes, the kids playing them do a decent job, and they both offer some great emotional moments. The problem is that out of the list of characters that WandaVision introduces and reintroduces, there's not much to talk about with Billy and Tommy. Honestly, the only reason why I briefly mentioned that I like them is that I don't want dozens of people crucifying me for not saying anything about them. I don't hate them, but I don't much care for them either.

Evan Peters as Quicksilver: Although I would have loved it if it was Aaron Taylor-Johnson who made a return, seeing Evan Peters in a good Marvel movie again is more than worth it. He plays a much more fun version of Quicksilver while still nailing the sibling relationship the character has with Wanda. In a way, it's a lot like how Marvel cast J.K. Simmons as J Jonah Jameson at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home. It's admitting that no one could have played the character better than this one actor and briefly making fans happy in the process. While also not doing something crazy like having it be the exact same Quicksilver from the X-Men movies. Only f**king idiots would believe something like that...

...

...But hypothetically speaking, let's say some people were stupid to believe that. While making an outrageous claim that the writers "lead them on to doing so." In which case, I will say the same thing that one would say when friend-zoning someone: "Nobody led you on to s**t. You were just too busy focusing on what you wanted to see instead of what you needed to see."

Because there was no evidence that it was the same Quicksilver other than the fact that it was the same actor. And, hypothetically speaking, if there were dozens of crybabies who were upset about it not being the same Quicksilver, then I have so much more respect for this character being nothing more than a boner joke. Because you did this to yourselves...hypothetically speaking.

Retconning Wanda’s Powers: ...I'm ok with this. Retcons happen all the time in the comics, as well as in movies and television. It's just a matter of making the retcon believable enough where there are few holes in what you're telling people. As for Wanda apparently having magic this entire time, but the mind stone amplified her powers? I can buy that. Besides, it's an acceptable excuse to make Wanda as powerful as she is in the comics (from what I've been told), so like I said, I'm ok with this.

“I can’t feel you…”: ...That's fine. I didn't need my heart anyway.

“Vision’s” Talk with “Vision”: Forget the horrible CGIed battles. I want more of this!

Now, I put both Visions in quotation marks because while they're both the same character, they're also...not the same. Which is, funnily enough, what this scene is: A philosophical discussion between two versions of the same android about what makes them both/neither the definitive version. One may look the same, and the other may be the same body, but neither "Vision" really is the true Vision. However, the fact that these two stop their fighting so they can have this discussion in the first place helps secure that while different, they are still the same. It's a thought-provoking discussion, and it is ten times more interesting to watch than Wanda and Agatha's CGI fight in the sky. Although it is kind of odd that White-Vision just peaces out the second Hex-Vision gives him a reboot. But hey, that's for the future movies to deal with.

“Thank you for choosing me to be your mom.”: >Deep inhale<...Girl.

Wanda Saying Goodbye to Vision: >DEEPER INHALE< HOOOOOOOOOOO BOY! I did not expect this much emotional turmoil from f**king WANDAVISION!

Joking aside, this is a well-handled scene. It's incredibly emotional to see these two characters say goodbye to each other as their arcs come to a close. "Vision" peacefully leaves knowing who he is in the world, and Wanda can finally start moving on as she gets to say goodbye to her one true love. It's as bittersweet as it is beautiful.

WHAT I DISLIKE

MCU logos flashing in every episode: You know how CinemaSins has this bulls**t excuse about how the MCU opening logo wastes time to get to the good stuff? This is the only instance where that's applicable. Because the opening logo was cool to see again for the first episode, but having it play in every single one after breaks the immersion when trying to binge the series. It's for a couple of seconds, sure, but after a while, it does get pretty annoying.

Elizabeth Olson as Scarlet Witch: Now, to be clear, I have no problems with Elizabeth Olson's acting ability in this series. She juggles being funny, heartbreaking, and threatening so well that I am likely to laugh and cry with her as I am to s**t my pants while in her presence. Elizabeth Olson does a great job with this character. The problem? Well, in the comics, Wanda Maximoff is Roma, and Elizabeth Olson...isn't. This means that WandaVision, and the MCU as a whole, has a bad case of white-washing.

I could go on about the issues this brings, but I am not as educated about this subject, and all I know is just stuff that seems like common sense. For instance, I believe it is more than reasonable to hire an actor of a specific race or ethnicity for a character who is of a that same race or ethnicity. But that is as far as my knowledge and personal stance goes, and to expand on it would be too much of a risk because I have no right to criticize the representation of something I am not a part of. So instead, I'm going to point you to @earnestdesire‘s blog and Jessica Reidy’s article on the subject. They do a great job at discussing the issues with Olson’s Wanda and pointing to the issues the MCU has in representing Wanda and Pietro's representation in the comics. And they do it in a far better way than I ever could have. So check them out to truly see why, despite doing a great job, Elizabeth Olson should not be the person donning the suit.

It Was Agatha All Along: AND I STILL F**KING HATE THAT!

I know, I know, I am in the minority on this one. And I still don't understand why! To me, Agatha has all of the problems that Hans has in Frozen. Sure, there are hints if you pay more attention during a few select scenes that are slightly questionable. Like how she refers to Wanda as "the star of the show" or coincidentally shows up with a dog house for Sparky. However, much like how Frozen didn't need a villain like Hans, WandaVision didn't need a comic book villain like Agatha. The story was perfectly passable as a personal conflict involving Wanda's grief where the only obstacle was the director of S.W.O.R.D. and his agents. There is nothing Agatha adds to that.

"But she helps Wanda find out what happens!" Yeah, but Monica could have done the same thing by actually breaking through to Wanda and calmly asking what happened. From then on, they could have worked things out together by having Wanda retrace events that transpired through the information that Monica knows as well.

"But Agatha helps Wanda realize what she's doing is wrong!" So could Vision! He could have shown up, did that mind-meld thing to the townspeople, and Wanda would finally learn what she was doing was wrong through the person she trusts the most.

"But Agatha helps Wanda learn that she's the Scarlet Witch!" Ok...but did that need to happen in this series? Because when you think about it, when the central conflict is all about exploring Wanda's grief, throwing in this narrative about becoming the Scarlet Witch has little to do with anything. Meaning that if you cut it from the story, little would change other than cutting a CGI battle that everyone agrees is the worst part of the series.

The most Agatha adds to the story is a secondary conflict that could easily be cut, and the overall quality would stay the same, if not better. And that is a problem. Agatha needs to add to the central conflict in a way that no other character could have. Like, give her a reason to be involved in Wanda’s life that goes beyond feeding off her magic and leading Wanda to her destiny. Because as is, even if you argue that Agatha is a good twist villain, she's a villain that really didn't need to be here.

Director Haywood: But as much as I don't like Agatha, I think we can all agree that Director Haywood is the worst villain in the MCU. Because one issue that Haywood has is a lack of motivation. For instance, why does he try so hard to write off Wanda as this supervillain? It was never explained, and for something so bizarre and crucial to his character, I feel like it needed to be. It would be passable if he was motivated out of fear and ignorance, but Haywood goes so far as to misedit security footage to prove his point. And I don't get why.

Is he sexist?

Did Wanda not show up at his kid's birthday party?

Did he secretly want to use Vision as a sexbot and didn't want Wanda to get between them?

I don't know, and I'll never know.

Plus, on top of having no motivation, Haywood is just forgettable. Agatha may piss me off to no end, but at least I'll remember her. I honestly forgot Haywood's name half the time, and I'm willing to bet that you did too. Case in point, his name isn't even Haywood. It's Hayward. And in the off chance that you didn't even know about that misspelling just proves my point about how forgettable Hayward is. While it's one thing to be hated, it's another to be forgotten. Because that just means that you left so little impact that you aren't even worth getting upset about.

------

And that is what I thought about WandaVision. If I had to base this off my usual score, I'd have to give the show the same 7/10 that everyone else gave it. Because there's a lot that I love, but the stuff that I hate is so problematic that it takes the WandaVision down on a couple of notches. It's still a fantastic series with a solid story, a great message, incredible acting, and phenomenal character development. It's just that not everyone is going to be willing to tune in as much as you might think.

[ayankun]

WandaVision episode 6

FIRST OFF

Whenever I go back to pause things for clues, and find exactly what I’m looking for, I don’t feel justified, I feel that much more insane:

It’s really hard to make out, but I had an alright look at it on my folks’ QLED, and it’s definitely a flying saucer doing an alien abduction on what looks to be a person inside an old CRT TV (with some kind of robot head/boombox on top???)  There are secret aliens in this show, you guys, the facts don’t lie.

HmmmMMMM I wonder if Agnes is as innocent as she looks:

Also, I didn’t see that she was wearing the brooch in this ep, and I was majorly disappointed in that.

Two things here:

No, that’s not a twins joke.

Another Moonmen Confirmed

I know green is his color or whatever, but that hat is literally 10 years ahead of its time

Also, I took the playing-DDR-at-home scenario at face value, and only on the first rewatch did I realize it was a very pointed turn-of-the-century reference.  I am an Old.

There’s a good, subtle Rule of Threes in this ep.  The Setup:

The Sokovian Halloween flashback works on so many levels.  It’s so funny:

The fact that they went trick-or-treating at all

The “speaking Sokovian”

The treat being a fish

They have to share the fish

The concept that this event gave them an infectious disease

“You probably suppressed a lot of the trauma” -- it’s a good sitcom joke but.  the trauma is the joke.  The joke IS THE TRAUMA!!!

Elizabeth Olson is a dream with all her wonderful faces she has this ep.

Vision’s unsettling passive-aggression-sitcom-cooperation whiplash is WOW, consider me unsettled!!!!!!  “Be. Good.”  UGH.

(Just noticed one here, but there are a number of continuity errors in this episode, enough to be distracting later on, and is this a deliberate choice?  Please let it be deliberate.  I didn’t watch a whole lot of Malcolm in the Middle, is it known for its continuity errors?

)

“It’s their first Halloween.” LOLOLOL they are TEN YEARS OLD and this is their FIRST halloween I LOVE IT

DOUBLE RED HERRING CONFIRRRRRRRRMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agent Jimmy Woo accidentally identifying himself as the sassy best friend added 20 years to my life.

Found.  FOUND.  Not “created,” “manifested,” “willed into being using my insane witch powers.”  Third Party Confirmed.

I like that it’s the 90s and we can swear on TV now.  “Hell” “kick-ass” “damn it” “fu---dge”

I think the most biting part of Vision finding the whacked out folks is that the soundtrack just kind of ... ignores that anything’s wrong.  Yeah, it’s kinda-spooky Halloween music, but it’s still 100% in-world kinda-spooky-sitcom-Halloween-episode music. 

OKAY LET’S TALK ABOUT THE AD:

As a 90s child, let me tell you, this is a blisteringly accurate representation of children’s marketing from the period.  The shark is wearing sunglasses AND he has a surfboard!!!  And he’s selling you yogurt of all things!!!!!  This is the supreme distillation of what being a child in the 90s was like.

How disappointed I am that they went with crab instead of lobster.

Heard it through the grapevine that this is a representative of Wanda’s imprisonment on the Raft.  That happened in Civil War, right?  So the next ad is The Snap?  We’re running out of iconic decades, too. so, hold on, new thought.

90s: Civil War

00s: Infinity War

10s?????: Endgame???? or?????????

??: Whatever happened between Endgame and WandaVision, given that the ads are stepping forward through Wanda’s IRL life events!!

I don’t want to know how many episodes are planned/announced, but I don’t know what to expect from the format after they run out of decades from which to draw.  Maybe there are only one or possibly two “sitcom” episodes left.  Maybe after that it just breaks down and they can pick and choose from the worlds/styles we’ve already established.  That’d be p neat.  A very unique kind of chaos.

god she’s so cute

Okay, somebody explain to me Pietro.  I honestly walked away from last week thinking he was just some townsperson chump, but then I was reminded that this is the Quicksilver actor from all those X-Mans movies I never watched, soooo people are saying Multiverse Confirmed?  But, if this is X-Mans’ Pietro, then why did he die the same as MCU Pietro?  Or is he literally MCU!Pietro’s corpse, given that he looked all dead same as when she saw Vision’s corpse?  If MCU!Pietro, then why different face???

????????????????

Also I found him highly suspicious, what with all the questions he was asking.  But the only sort of person who would truly want to know the answers to those questions would be someone who already had them ... so I think he was just asking on behalf of the audience, and the delivery was all wonked out.

Rule of Threes - The Reference:

Ok, real talk, whenever computers/networks/data/encryption/servers/mainframes et al come up in mainstream media, I just look away.  I don’t need the kind of psychic damage that comes with such egregious mishandling of the topic.

That being said, does Hayward having eyes through the barrier mean that he could possibly be involved in getting it set up?  Because look.  If Hayward-after-Hayward’s-Villianous-Ends is one antagonizing force, then is there really room for the Third Party (Confirmed) antagonizing force that’s lurking in the negative space silhouette of the Inciting Incident?  With Wanda as the Red Herring antagonizing force, that’s just.  There’s just too many villains, alright?  We gotta start merging these plotlines.

(then again, when I just said “eyes” I realize probably understanding the true nature of his new secret “CATARACT” project will clear a lot of things up.  I’ll wait for enlightenment)

Agnes’ license plate in this episode is 0A1-B2C, which I think is a reference to the way reality is getting pared down to bare bones at the edge of town.  Note that this is not the same license plate number as seen last ep.

ALSO, I drove home behind a NJ plate just an hour ago, and was staring at it for a long time, trying to fit it into the puzzle before A) realizing that this was Real Life and not part of the show and B) WTF is a NJ plate doing in front of me in California.  In any case, I can confirm that NJ plates do not appear to have this number-letter repeating format.

So let’s talk Agnes.

Demonstrated knowledge of the situation in ways others haven’t (”There’s the star of the show” “kids, you can’t control ‘em”)

Shows up when needed most (explained as being Wanda’s doing, but is it)

When Wanda was having her babies, though, who was trustworthy enough to be summoned?  Was it Agnes?

Wanted to babysit REAL BAD

Was in the opening credits framed possessively with the twins

Doesn’t appear to have an IRL identity according to Jimmy’s crime board

Keeps talking about her husband but we’ve never seen him.  Highly unlikely that he’s real

Was the one to find Sparky “dead” - internet thinks she was lying to Wanda about how or possibly if he was dead (I’m trying not to read the theories, so idk exactly what the angle is there)

In an episode where everyone is wearing their original comic outfits, Agnes is dressed as (and laughs like!) a witch

She name-drops Wanda as the one controlling everyone; Norm (or the guy playing Norm) only said “she” and “her” -- meaning Agnes?

Naughty

So we’re 99% sure Agnes is Agatha Harkness, right?  I never read no comics, so I’m taking the internet’s word for it, but from what I can tell, I think we must be right.  If that’s the case, then I’m thinking it’s not impossible for her to be pulling some strings around here (giving Wanda a justification for her “that wasn’t me” doorbell ring, for example, and pulling a double red herring on the fact that she shows up whenever the narrative Wanda her nefarious scheme calls for it).

To devil’s advocate myself, though, we also have Monica’s word that it was Wanda in her mind, lessening the impact of Agnes falsely confirming what Norm only implied.  Also she’d have to be acting for Vision’s sake (and ours) and, if so, then what did Vision’s brain-touch really do, and how did she know he’d find her there, and what did she intend as the result of that interaction etc etc.

If Wanda’s (or Wanda + Third Party Confirmed (Agnes??)’s) powers aren’t enough to sustain the simulation of life on the edges of town, how much worse is it going to be now that there is even more area to try to control???

I don’t know if this is strictly an intended read, but the idea of Halloween as a fun, scares-for-entertainment’s sake type holiday, the rounding off the edges of concepts like “skeletons and ghosts are what people are after they die, let’s decorate the town with them and have a good time” kind of is a haunting parallel to the nature of Wanda (et al) covering up the horrible truth of the situation with this happy-go-lucky sitcom glamour.

How much does one hate seeing Vision giving his life for the greater good (the greater good) for the second time?  In other news, I think I’m seeing some specifically Mind Stone type energy-colors coming off of him, and very little Wanda type energy-colors.  Third Party Confirmed.

Also, I was thinking from last week that perhaps Hayward’s Villainous Ends included capturing the reanimated Vision to be one of those Sentient Weapons his organization is all about, but I Do Not Think his reaction to seeing that sought-after prize disintegrate in front of his eyes really matches up with that theory.  Again, will be patiently waiting for Jimmy to check his email to see what CATARACT is all about!

Rule of Threes - The Payoff:

Also, anyone ID the movie playing in the background?

Ok, final thought.  I watched this about four times today, and on the big-ass TV at my parents’ house finally paused and got up close to see what that white shape is in the reflection.  Thought it might be a skull, but, it’s worse.

These caps do not contain enough data to verify my claim, but I PROMISE YOU it’s a TV

A square old thing with a round screen and antenna on top. 

I SWEAR to you, when I looked into the TV, into Wanda’s eyes, only to see the reflection of a TV, of her looking at me looking at her I had a visceral fear reaction.  Like.  LEGIT nauseous skin crawl.

(All the other episodes have ended with our POV as the fourth wall, from the general (or exact!!!) position their household TV is known to be.)

This is my favorite show Of All Time.

[sjm-fantheoryarchive]

I feel like sjm is going pull the wandavision stunt of killing off Elian and cassian. In a way nesta is very similar to Wanda. I think Lucien and Elian are like Romeo and Juliet. Cassian is just a weight. He’s just keeping nesta cage up from her full potential. In a live interview sjm said it’s the beginning nesta journey and that she have an important role in the future. Nesta needs leave the night court because it’s holding her back her true self.

Hey nonnie,

So, I haven't seen Wandavision and can't really comment in detail. (so please in future be careful sending spoilery asks for other shows/books - not just to me but others to. I have tags blocked and have done pretty well but your ask kinda has implied some stuff. <3 I don't want to be a dick - just want to mention it.)

From what has been implied in your ask major character death  = vengeance story arc perhaps? 

I don’t think she won’t do this to her world (ACOTAR). She has said that she has made the shift to romance centered stories, that she loves HEA’s and that she is only just beginning Nesta’s story - this does not mean she is going to torture Nesta by killing her mate. 

Having Nesta and Cassian say that they would find each other in each world after they leave the one they are in would make an awesome story - but why not use that as a spin off for other books. Let them grow old and be happy and raise a family which it seems Nesta does want because of the changing of her body in order for her to have children at some point. Then, a new spin off series for Nesta could be to find her mate in another life. or something. Idk im just throwing this off the top of my head. Yeah - cool story, just not the story i want or need right now. 

I also Don’t believe that Cassian is holding her back. She is growing, through the whole of acosf she is growing and getting stronger and making better choices. He lets her, he is a partner in crime. She has her own agency. They like each other and sure he wants to protect her but he knows that she needs to do a lot for herself. He keeps reaching out his hand even though she bites it. Nesta can still grow, she can improve in rank - she's only starting with the Valkyries - she could end up with a legion to command. Her ability to negotiate and read people and use her courtly wiles means she would be an excellent ambassador and her abilities in the training ring now mean that she could go across the sea like Mor does (not that she has to, but i'm pretty sure she could hold her own without her general partner holding her hand). There are just so many possibilities. 

Onto the other point in your ask... Lucien and Elain as Romeo and Juliet. Ouch. I personally don’t see it. 

I guess there is the “our families don't want us to be together” but its not actually true - Elain’s family wants Elain to be happy and if that’s with or without Lucien then they don’t really mind. Lucien’s family couldn't give a toss what he has done as they disowned him basically. He's a part of the band of exiles. 

I am not adverse to character death but it needs to make sense. Like if Amren died in ACOWAR I would have been sad but understood. Right now I don't think there is any character who could die and I would understand the purpose of it. 

Thanks for the ask, I always try to answer as well as I can. 

^^

renee

[bewitching-elizabeth-olsen]

Press: A Thorough Breakdown of All the Marvel Easter Eggs on WandaVision

POPSUGAR: WandaVision has finally arrived, and it’s chock-full of hidden goodies for Marvel fans to devour! While the series is built upon a mystery that we’ll be spending a reported nine episodes trying to figure out, the smallest details in each episode provide clues on where the show is heading. From supermarket banners to foreboding commercials, viewers have an abundance of references and callbacks to classic comic lore and pivotal MCU moments. Are they setting the stage for a big reveal at the end, or are they just fun details included for fans to enjoy? While we try to figure it all out, scroll through to see what we’ve gathered! And check back every week for an episode-by-episode breakdown as WandaVision progresses.

  WandaVision Episode 5 Easter Eggs

Wanda and Vision’s brand new house, suitable for a family of four, is reminiscent of homes in ’80s sitcoms such as Full House and Growing Pains.

When Agnes comes in to offer her babysitting help, she refers to herself as “Auntie Agnes,” which is eerily close to her comic counterpart’s nickname, Auntie Agatha.

An uncomfortable break in conversation leads Agnes to ask Wanda if she wants her to “take it from the top.” Though Wanda appears confused for a moment, she readily smoothes the conversation and carries on. Vision is visibly perturbed, though Wanda attempts to redirect his attention. It seems like the facade is fading all around.

To the surprise of their parents, Tommy and Billy age up five years while the two argue over Agnes’s break in character.

This episode’s opening sequence shows Wanda and Vision growing up, which we know didn’t happen in real life for the synthezoid. The theme song sounds very similar to those from Family Ties and Growing Pains, and consists of lyrics noting that “we’re just making it up as we go along.” Sounds pretty close to how things are going with Wanda and Vision!

When Wanda’s scans come back, they’re inconclusive and show up blank. Considering Monica gains her powers due to bombardment by extradimensional energies in the comics, it’s entirely possible that the blast from Wanda back in episode three, coupled with passing through the forcefield around Westview twice, have given her those abilities. We could be seeing the rise of Photon!

While Jimmy Woo is explaining Wanda’s backstory to the agents of S.W.O.R.D., Director Hayward asks if she’s ever used a “funny nickname” like the other Avengers. She hasn’t, in fact, she’s never been referred to as Scarlet Witch in the MCU ever. Since her powers are different from her comic book counterpart, there’s never been a reason for anyone to call her a witch.

That never-before-seen post credits scene from Infinity War has officially made its debut. Director Hayward reveals footage of Wanda entering S.W.O.R.D. headquarters to steal Vision’s disassembled body. The video harks back to a moment in the comics where Vision was kidnapped and taken apart — but still very much alive. Much like that Vision, the one in Westview has his memory wiped and doesn’t remember anything before he woke up in his new world. So, the question is whether Vision is actually alive or not. Wanda’s hallucination from episode four might suggest he’s a walking corpse, but there’s more to the story.

Jimmy mentions that Wanda’s stealing of Vision’s body violates the Sokovia Accords, which haven’t been mentioned since Captain America: Civil War. Unfunnily enough, the Accords were a direct response to the mission gone wrong in Lagos where Wanda lost control of her powers and caused the death of many civilians.

Darcy mentions that Vision is playing “Father Knows Best in Surburbia,” referencing the ’50s sitcom.

Tommy and Billy find a dog that, with the help of Auntie Agnes, they name Sparky. The Vision family has a dog with that exact name in the King and Walta comics, but he’s green. Sadly, he meets a similar fate as his live-action counterpart.

Wanda blatantly uses her powers in front of Agnes, who has seemingly handled the magic around her with ease. It’s almost as if she’s used to magic.

Darcy calls the Westview anomaly the “hex” because of its hexagonal shape. Although the magic has been taken out of the phrase, Wanda’s powers are known as hexes in the comics.

Jimmy, Monica, and Darcy try to understand how Wanda can revive Vision and control the Hex, which takes much more power than she’s ever displayed before. Monica notes that Wanda has always been powerful, being the only Avenger who was close to taking down Thanos singlehandedly, which Jimmy interjects to note that Captain Marvel could as well. Both are empowered by Infinity Stones, with Carol’s Kree biology giving her a power boost.

When Jimmy brings up Captain Marvel, Monica is visibly uncomfortable and changes the subject back to Wanda. What happened there?

Vision’s office mates learn about the sweet glory that is dial-up internet! But when he and Norm open their first bit of electronic mail, it’s a transmission picked up from S.W.O.R.D. talking about the Maximoff anomaly.

Vision breaks through Norm’s conditioning, revealing that he’s under the control of a woman (alluding to it being Wanda). He directly references his family, a conversation that Jimmy mentioned in his notes in the last episode.

The twins have aged themselves up to 10 by this point and are seemingly completely aware that Wanda has control over certain aspects of life, like time. They point out that it was Saturday when they woke up, but Wanda says it’s now Monday. She apparently changed the day to send Vision to work. Is their awareness because they also have magic or because she doesn’t control them?

Monica sends an ’80s drone into Westview after working out that Wanda’s Hex is rewriting reality to suit each era occurring in the bubble, and the drone would need no era-appropriate change. Though she attempts to speak with Wanda through the drone, Director Hayward commands agents to fire a missile at Wanda instead — directly ignoring that Monica said she doesn’t see Wanda as a danger. The action results in Wanda leaving the Hex and confronting the S.W.O.R.D. agents outside. She’s wearing the suit we last saw her wearing in Infinity War and Endgame and has her accent back, although it’s much thicker than it’s been since Ultron.

Episode five’s commercial is more pointed than any of them have been. Lagos brand paper towels directly reference the city in which Wanda accidentally killed several people in Civil War by blowing up a building. Thus, the Sokovia Accords were born.

While Wanda and the twins are searching for a missing Sparky — with no one calling out the fact that Wanda disappeared for some time — the mailman tells the boys that their mom “won’t let him get far.” It seems almost like a dig at how no one can leave Westview, like the doctor mentioned during episode three.

When Agnes reveals that Sparky died after eating too many azalea bush leaves, the boys ask their mother to reverse his death. Agnes seems particularly surprised by the idea of Wanda having that ability despite having seen other displays of her power and watching the twins age up rapidly twice. Wanda tells the twins that they can’t reverse death as there are still rules to things, which almost seems hypocritical considering her circumstances. Is she trying to say that she hasn’t revived Vision? Or is she simply trying to keep her boys from expecting too much from her?

Later that night, Vision reveals that he unearthed Norm’s repressed memories and demands to know what’s going on. He tells Wanda that she can’t control him, which she cooly responds asking him, “Can’t I?” Although the credits start rolling, their argument continues as Vision unleashes his frustration with not knowing his past and his confusion over their circumstances. Wanda tells him that she doesn’t control everything, saying, “I don’t even know how all of this started.” Vision believes it began subconsciously, but chastises Wanda for letting it get that far. Wanda reiterates that she isn’t controlling everything, which gives weight to the theory that there’s someone else behind the scenes. But who could it be if Wanda isn’t the “she” that Norm was referring to?

Mid-argument, the Vision family doorbell rings, which Wanda states she didn’t do. I’m inclined to believe her because when she opens the door, she is genuinely shocked speechless. At the door is her “brother” Pietro, now sporting the face of Evan Peters. Darcy asks the question we were all thinking as the episode closes, “She recast Pietro!?”

  WandaVision Episode 4 Easter Eggs

This episode opens with the heartbreaking reveal that Monica Rambeau was one of the people lost to the Snapture from Infinity War. She returns from Endgame’s Reverse-Snap in a hospital where she had been awaiting news after her mother Maria’s surgery.

As Monica is waking up, we hear familiar voices echoing in her head. It’s Captain Marvel calling her by her childhood nickname, Lieutenant Trouble.

As Monica weaves through the chaos of people reappearing in the hospital post-Reverse-Snap, she finally locates someone who recognizes her. Although Maria survived the surgery five years ago, she died from cancer three years ago in real time, having not been blipped with her daughter.

We finally have some information on S.W.O.R.D.! The acronym stands for Sentient Weapon Observation Response Division, rather than the meaning in Marvel comics, which is Sentient World. It sounds a little more ominous, right?

Maria’s badass legacy continues well past her friendship with Captain Marvel; according to S.WO.R.D.’s acting director, Tyler Hayward, Maria helped build the agency during its inception. She was the acting director until her death.

Tim gives Monica a mission to help out the FBI in the town of WestView, NJ, where something super freaky is going on with a missing person’s case. This confirms that WestView is, indeed, a very real place.

Welcome back, Jimmy Woo! Monica’s FBI contact is none other than Scott Lang’s parole officer and semifriend, Agent Jimmy Woo.

Jimmy reveals that a person in witness protection has somehow dropped off the map in a town that no longer seems to exist where no one recalls anyone who lived there. In an attempt to figure out what’s going on, Monica sends in a S.W.O.R.D. drone that vanishes inside the forcefield. It’s revealed to have transformed into the retro-style helicopter that Wanda picks up in episode two! We can only assume that since it’s an item from the outside world, it gained color when it entered Wanda’s reality to show that it doesn’t belong.

Darcy Lewis is back! Now a doctor in astrophysics, Darcy is called to help figure out what’s gone wrong with WestView. She’s the one who figured out a signal for the broadcast and is the owner of the hand we saw watching Wanda and Vision in episode one.

The mysterious beekeeper from episode two is revealed to be S.W.O.R.D.’s Agent Franklin, who journeyed through Westview’s sewers to investigate. His hazmat suit became a beekeeper’s uniform, and the cable around his waist becomes a jump rope as he travels through the tunnels.

Darcy explains that the sitcom that’s become Wanda and Vision’s life is literally being broadcast through the signals that S.W.O.R.D.’s viewing, with an audience and everything. There’s no explanation for how this is happening, but Darcy and company watched those first three episodes just like we did, credits and all.

Darcy also points out that Vision is supposed to be dead-dead, which leaves his presence in WestView still unexplained.

While Darcy and Jimmy can identity a majority of the neighbors we’ve met in WestView to their real-life counterparts, Dottie and Agnes are the only ones who are missing real information.

It’s revealed that Agent Woo was the voice behind the radio disruption, just as we suspected! But while we can see Wanda and Dottie’s reaction to the call, Darcy’s broadcast didn’t show the same thing. She explains that someone is “censoring” the visuals they’re receiving, which means someone knows they’re watching.

Back in the sitcom WestView, we see that Monica’s slip-up resulted in Wanda blasting her through the house and the energy field. It’s the first time we physically see Wanda using her powers again, so she still has them. But the lapse in her facade has consequences — when Vision returns from his talk with Agnes and Herb outside, Wanda hallucinates him as she last saw him in Infinity War, a corpse with his head crushed in.

It’s important to note that Vision seems to become more aware of the strangeness of their world with each episode. It makes sense because no matter how human he may seem, he’s still a synthezoid who has always been able to see beyond the superficial. It harks back to his “birth” in Age of Ultron. He’s omnipotent and always learning.

When Monica lands back in the real world, all she says is, “It’s all Wanda.” That seemingly serves as an answer to what’s going on in WestView, but it’s not a whole answer. Wanda seems just as confused and unaware as everyone else, but she is willing to stay in her “perfect” world. The question is, who put Wanda in the position to have her perfect world?

  WandaVision Episode 3 Easter Eggs

Much like the comics, Wanda magically becomes pregnant! But this time around, things are progressing much more quickly, and her doctor isn’t Dr. Strange.

The first of the episode’s weird glitches happens with Wanda and Vision’s neighbor Herb, who is attempting to saw through the brick fence separating the two houses instead of trimming his hedges. When Vision points out that his aim has gone a bit askew, Herb’s detached reaction is a bit creepy. He thanks Vision but keeps sawing through the wall! And unlike the previous weird behavior, there’s nothing that triggers the moment, especially not from Vision or Wanda.

Wanda and Vision contemplate what to name their baby boy, with Vision suggesting Billy and Wanda throwing out Tommy. (The argument becomes moot when they have twins!) These are the names of the pair’s sons in the comic, who later become members of the Young Avengers. In the show, Wanda chooses her name because it’s “all-American,” which is also a fair indicator of why her perfect reality is framed around sitcoms. Vision cites William Shakespeare as his inspiration and uses a quote from As You Like It that seems pretty on the nose. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” seems like a pointed reference to the fact that WandaVision is, in fact, all a show.

Wanda decorates the nursery using Simser brand paint, which is most likely a nod to Jeremy Simser, a storyboard artist for Marvel Studios and WandaVision.

The second glitch appears when Wanda says the residents of WestView always seem “on the verge of discovering our secret.” Vision has a moment of sobering clarity where he notes that something is wrong in WestView, citing the incidents with Mr. and Mrs. Hart and their neighbor Herb. A second after his says this, reality glitches and the scene starts over with Vision seemingly worry-free. The last time this happened with the beekeeper, it was clear Wanda was the culprit in turning back time, but in this case, she doesn’t seem to do anything to force the change. This suggests someone else is pulling the strings.

Wanda mentions that their child could be human or “synthezoid,” a term that originates in the comics. Although fans like to joke that Vision is an android, he’s technically a synthetic human. He’s not made of metal or machinery — in the comics, his body is composed of the bioengineering tech of Dr. Helen Cho, while in the MCU, he’s made of organic tissue mixed with vibranium and “powered” by the Mind Stone.

Vision jokes that Billy will be just like his mom, which is funny because, in the comics, Billy has magical abilities similar to Wanda’s powers. Tommy ends up having superspeed abilities like his uncle, Pietro.

It’s time for the third commercial! Much like the previous episode’s watch promotion, this break references Hydra — though a tad more directly. It’s all about Hydra Soak, and the message is decidedly more pointed than we’ve had before. “Escape to a world all your own, where your problems float away,” the announcer says. “When you want to get away, but you don’t want to go anywhere: Hydra Soak.” Marvel: Agents of Shield fans will recall that Hydra Soak HAS been mentioned on the show. During the series’s Framework arc, Phil Coulson claims that Hydra is brainwashing people using soap, so he makes his own. Is the commercial another sign that Hydra is behind the mystery of WestView? Is it a warning that no one in the town will be able to get away? And what’s that about finding the goddess within?

The actors in this ad are the same ones as the previous ones, Victoria Blade and Ithamar Enriquez. Their recurring presence might mean they have some significance in Wanda’s life. Maybe they’re her parents?

In what feels like an ominous follow-up to the Hydra Soak commercial, the doctor reveals that he and his wife won’t be taking their trip away after all. “Small towns, you know, so hard to escape,” he mutters, pointedly. I think we’re starting to get the hint, folks! Wanda mentions she is a twin and that her brother was named Pietro. It’s been a hot minute since anyone has talked about MCU’s Quicksilver — he made his debut back in Age of Ultron, the same film in which he was shot and killed.

When Geraldine lets it slip that she knows about Pietro’s death at the hands of Ultron, Wanda interrogates her and discovers her necklace bears a familiar symbol — it’s that damn S.W.O.R.D. logo, and Wanda is apparently not a fan.

In another sign that something is UP, Agnes and Herb seem to warn Vision about Geraldine. They note that she’s “brand new” to town with no family and start to say that “she came here because we’re all —” before they’re cut off. It’s worth noting that the two figures that may be MCU versions of formidable Marvel characters are the ones who seem to understand that strange things are going on in WestView. If Agnes and Herb are the MCU’s Agatha Harkness and High Evolutionary, they would definitely be the ones in the know. But why would they try to warn Vision about Geraldine if WestView is a trap?

Agnes is wearing her infamous brooch as a necklace that could be referencing an MCU supervillain mentioned before. The necklace has three figures close together, with the center figure holding what looks like a giant scythe. Is it another clue that the Grim Reaper is on his way?

Wanda literally throws Geraldine out of town — though she tells Vision that she had to run home — and Geraldine passes through what seems like a magical forcefield. While fans have been assuming WestView is a fake town, this shows us that physically, it’s a very real place. But it’s currently bubbled off with a barrier that Wanda can apparently allow people in and out of. And the song that plays as Geraldine finds herself outside the barrier? “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees. It seems pretty appropriate for a situation that feels like a surreal dream.

When Geraldine lands on the outskirts of real WestView, she’s instantly swarmed by cars and agents all bearing the S.W.O.R.D. logo. Since we know Teyonah Parris is playing the adult Monica Rambeau, it’s safe to assume Geraldine was an alias she used to go undercover in WestView. Combined with the mystery agent watching the show within the show from episode one, we can conclude that Wanda and Vision are being closely observed by S.W.O.R.D. for some reason. But they clearly aren’t the ones in control, since Monica is so easily forced out. What will they do next?

While the opening credits of this episode are a reference to The Brady Bunch, it’s the end credits that give us another clue about the big bad coming our way. Just like the previous episodes, Wanda and Vision are framed in a hexagon as the end credits roll. The symbol is so important because it’s the preferred shape of the creators at Advanced Idea Mechanics, or AIM, who are last seen in Iron Man 3. Remember the beekeeper suits that resemble AIM agents’ clothing? It seems like the evil organization might be making a comeback.

  WandaVision Episode 2 Easter Eggs

The opening credits for this episode aren’t just an adorable homage to Bewitched but a whole bevy of Marvel Easter eggs! The illustration of the moon happens to be surrounded by six stars, and we can’t help but be reminded of the Infinity Gauntlet.

When Vision phases through the floor, there’s a dark shape that looks exactly like the helmet worn by Marvel supervillain Grim Reaper hidden in the space. In the comics, he’s the brother of Wonder Man, whose brainwaves were used in Vision’s creation.

When Wanda goes to the supermarket in the opening, three references hang above the aisle! Bova Milk refers to Bova, the humanoid cow who raised Wanda and Pietro on Mount Wundagore. Auntie A’s kitty litter is a witchy reference to Auntie Agatha or Agatha Harkness, whom we’ve discussed before, and her cat-like familiar named Ebony. And Wonder Mints is most definitely a cheeky reference to Wonder Man, aka Simon Williams, the superhero who Vision’s brainwaves are based on in the comics!

When animated Wanda and Vision settle on their couch, the small figure on their side table is a statue of the Whizzer. Featured in 1982’s Vision and the Scarlet Witch, the Whizzer thought he was Wanda’s father but later discovers he was wrong. Whizzer and his wife were offered the chance to adopt Wanda and Pietro when they were kids on the mythical Mount Wundagore, but they declined.

When Wanda hears a crash outside the house, she heads out to the front, where she finds a colorful toy helicopter in an otherwise black-and-white world. Not only does the red-and-yellow helicopter have the number 57 stamped on it, but it also bears the S.W.O.R.D symbol! The number is likely in reference to Vision’s first appearance in Avengers #57, while the symbol hints to the presence of S.W.O.R.D outside Wanda’s perfect world.

The creepy, cult-like refrain spoken by the fundraiser organizers of it all being “for the children” seems to be a reference to Wanda’s involvement in the comic event The Children’s Crusade. The story follows her son, Billy, who’s trying to gain control over his reality-warping abilities by looking for a missing Wanda.

Well, here’s another blast from the angsty past! The Strücker timepiece is a very obvious callback to Hydra and Baron von Strücker. The watch bears the unmistakable octopus skull symbol of Hydra, and Strücker is the Hydra leader who recruited Pietro and Wanda for the experimentation that gave them powers. He was later killed by Ultron in his prison cell. Does anyone else hear that ticking noise? Remember good ol’ Herb? In the comics, a character named Herbert is also the High Evolutionary who runs Mount Wundagore, the very same safe haven where Bova delivered the Maximoff twins. Time will tell if the super-scientist is the same character, but it can’t be a coincidence.

Wanda and Vision’s magic show has two gems that we’ve noticed! First thing, the literal Mind Stone happens to be the design on the doors of the Cabinet of Mystery that plays a huge part in their act. Second, Wanda and Vision use the names Illusion and Glamour for their actor, which are also the names of the magicians that Vision goes to see in an issue of The Vision and the Scarlet Witch.

Though we all enjoy a good jam, The Beach Boys’ “Help Me, Rhonda” gets interrupted by someone asking, “Who’s doing this to you, Wanda?” And doesn’t that voice sound an awful lot like Randall Park’s Jimmy Woo?

While it may seem weird that Wanda shows her pregnancy in an instant, it’s in line with what goes on in the comics. Wanda uses magic to help her have children, which checks out since her husband is a synthezoid.

Oooh, that mysterious beekeeper! Not only does their presence lead to the reveal that Wanda has some control over the reality they’re in, but it also sets off some alarm bells. Even though the beekeeper’s suit bears the S.W.O.R.D logo on the back, the costume is reminiscent of the yellow costumes worn by A.I.M., a military science organization founded by Baron von Strücker. Could this be a sign that Wanda is being watched by more than one organization? And is this a hint that Hydra is back!? (Obviously, it is.)

  WandaVision Episode 1 Easter Eggs

When Wanda accidentally smashes a plate into Vision’s head, he jokes about his wife and her “flying saucers,” and she comments back about his “indestructible head.” Considering that Vision died after having the Mind Stone ripped from his head, it’s a dark joke to kick off the series.

Vision’s work tie has a visual reference to his comic-book alter ego! In Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s Vision, whenever the character dresses as a human, he wears a tie clip that emulates the diamond pattern on his chest.

Vision’s boss, Mr. Hart, is likely named after comic creator Steve Englehart, who created 1985’s The Vision and the Scarlet Witch with Richard Howell, a miniseries that heavily influenced WandaVision. It’s been heavily implied that Kathryn Hahn’s Agnes is the MCU’s Agatha Harkness, a witch who helped train Wanda’s magic back in the ’70s and ’80s.

When Wanda magically saves dinner, the bottle of wine she pours from is Maison du Mépris, which translates to house of contempt or scorn. As fans have pointed out since the trailer drop, this seems like a reference to the House of M comics storyline in which Wanda bends reality into a new world ruled by her family.

The Stark commercial break refers to two things: Avengers icon Tony Stark and his part in Wanda’s dark past. As Wanda and her twin brother, Pietro, explain in Avengers: Age of Ultron, their parents were killed by an explosive Stark Industries device, leaving the twins trapped under rubble. The Maximoffs were trapped by a Stark Industries shell for two days, expecting it to detonate before they get rescued. Even though Wanda eventually fights beside Tony in the future, there’s still some trauma from that experience and her brother’s death. If it weren’t for the Starks, Wanda could have been a completely different person.

The episode closes with a mysterious observer watching the “show” and taking notes on a pad with the logo of S.W.O.R.D. on the cover. For those who don’t know, S.W.O.R.D stands for Sentient World Observation and Response Department and is a subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D. It’s a counterterrorism and intelligence agency that deals with extraterrestrial threats to world security. Expect to see them around more.

Press: A Thorough Breakdown of All the Marvel Easter Eggs on WandaVision was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

[ivandra-winters]

WARNING: THIS IS A LONG POST THAT I CAN'T PUT A TL;DR ON EVEN IF I TRIED. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BOTH D&D AND THE MCU, YOU'RE WELCOME TO READ IT BUT DON'T FEEL AN OBLIGATION TO DO SO

So, a poll showed up in my recommended home page on Youtube that simply asked who would win in a fight: IW!Thor or Wanda as the Scarlet Witch (WandaVision!Wanda, basically). After selecting my answer, the full results of everyone who voted showed that more people believed that Thor from Infinity War would win. Now ya'll get to see me ramble about why, in fact, Wanda would win the fight. First, let me set some guidelines for the debate:

1. When debating this topic, the comics must be pushed to the side.

As convenient as that seems for evidence gathering- since, in the comics, Wanda concedes that she can't beat Thor- they have to be pushed to the side. The reason for this is that while the MCU does take inspiration from the comics (WandaVision definitely being inspired by House of M), it clearly didn't play out in the same way as it did in the comics. Mephisto wasn't involved with Billy and Tommy's birth, Agatha Harkness wasn't a servant of Mephisto, and she didn't become the mentor that she is to Wanda in the comics. Same thing goes for Thor with a few of his storylines being referenced but not followed to the letter. So obviously, the difference in power between Wanda and Thor is going to be much different from the comics.

2. We have to keep the considerations for Thor and Wanda restricted purely to the referenced media provided.

We can't say that Thor is stronger or Wanda is stronger because of powers they might gain in the future unless it's shown within the referenced media that they're still gaining power. For example, we can't say that Thor is stronger because he'll receive or might have received Odinforce, nor can we say that Wanda is stronger because she's a Nexus Being. This is because we haven't seen or heard any of this being confirmed. However, we can say that Wanda is stronger because she's shown to not only already have the reality warping capabilities inspired by the comics, but also that she's clearly being shown learning more of her powers, meaning that she's still in the process of gaining power.

3. You cannot conflate having a powerful weapon with having more innate power.

A lot of people in the comments of the poll kept saying that Thor is stronger because he has Stormbreaker and that since it could withstand the power of the Infinity Gauntlet, he could use it to beat Wanda and therefore win the fight. Allow me to explain why this is a rather flawed way of evaluating the hypothetical battle: Thor having Stormbreaker does not increase (or rather, permanently increase) his actual stats in the fight. Should Wanda separate him from the axe, Thor would lose the advantages that Stormbreaker gives him. Therefore, we cannot make the full comparison based on Thor having an easily disarmable or destroyable weapon.

With the rules out of the way, let's use D&D to properly explain why Wanda would beat Thor in a fight.

Let's say that Thor, given his experiences and age, is a Level 12 Paladin and that he leveled up in Thor: Ragnarok. He receives Stormbreaker, which is a magical weapon that allows him to go things that he previously could not (i.e. open the Bifrost). Just like magical weapons in D&D, Stormbreaker doesn't actually increase his baseline stats; at most, it can give him an advantage on saving throws (let's say it gives him +3 modifier for Strength) and resistance to certain forms of damage. Should he be disarmed of that weapon or should it be destroyed, those modifiers don't stay with him. Also, I'm putting him as a paladin since Odin was able to strip him of his power similar to how an oathbreaker could be stripped of their own power before being redeemed.

Wanda, on the other hand, is much different. Let's say that due to her power level in episode 8 of WandaVision, she's a Level 17 Sorcerer (I'm equating her creation of the Hex to the spell Wish, which is a Level 9 conjuration spell). Already, she's a formidable opponent to Thor, but both the final fight and the end credits scene spells out bad news for him. In the final battle between Agatha and Wanda, it looks like Wanda not only takes back her own magic from Agatha but also strips Agatha of her magic, too. This alone would probably bring Wanda up to Level 18, but there's more. The end credits scene of the series finale of WandaVision clearly shows Wanda studying the Darkhold and possibly learning more magic from it. Due to the fact that it looks like she's doing what Dr. Strange did in his own movie in that she's astral projecting in order to learn the spells and material faster than normal, she's most likely going to have a drastic leveling up. So, let's say that she levels up again due to her extreme studying of the Darkhold. In total, that puts her at a Level 19-20, with Level 18 at the lowest since her beating Agatha might not have caused her to level up at all.

Now that we've established their power level, I think it's pretty clear who would have the better chance. Even with Thor's strength, speed, and own magic, it's highly unlikely that he would be able to beat Wanda. However, I don't think that Wanda would straight up kill him due to Thor's natural endurance. But all Wanda would have to do is cast Hold Person on right when the fight starts and then cast Wish to either completely strip him of his powers or just disarm him of Stormbreaker so that he would have to yield. Either way, Wanda still comes out on top.

[speedybaeandbirdiebae]

WandaVision: On a Very Special Episode... Part 2 AU Remake

Pietro and Candance are pulled into the hex and are now happy residents of Westview.  But there is something more to just a visit with a long lost sister. Warnings: Spoilers from Episode 5 of WandaVision, uber cuteness of Billy and Tommy, and fangirling Pairings: Pietro Maximoff x Candance Wilson (OC), Wanda x Vision Words: 2266

It hurt, everything hurt. She didn’t know what was going on nor did she understand why she felt a warm summer’s breeze rather than the crisp autumn air. However, in her head she could hear someone repeat the phrase “Play your part, you’re no longer who you know you are, you’ve always been here in Westview, it is your home”. Sitting up on the soft green grass Candance looked around the strange town square. Everyone seemed to be going about their businesses. She could hear excited chatter, people weren’t paying her any attention, some of them did stop to stare at her, some of them pointed and whispered. She sat up and placed a hand to her head, she let out a soft groan an oncoming headache invaded her head. Looking down at her clothes she began to wonder just what she was wearing, however that voice in her head once again repeated the same phrase, telling her to play her part, she needed to keep things happy, hopeful, and no sorrow. “Pietro?” Candance whispered softly as she looked beside her and saw her boyfriend was sitting next to her, but wait he was staring up at the sky unblinking almost as if he was entranced by something. “Piet! Pietro!” Pietro snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at Candance with a small smile. His hand reaching up to brush a strand of hair from her face. “Hey sleepyhead.” “Pietro, I was asleep?” Candance asked softly staring at him. “Wait, you let me sleep in public like some kind of spazz?!” she slapped him in the chest. “How rude, maybe I should find someone else to be my husband then.” Pietro shook his head. “I’m sorry princess,” he chuckled before he stood up and dusted his pants off. “Come on, we need to get going to find Wanda.” “Wanda? You never mentioned a Wanda.” Candance said before a thought invaded her mind breaking through the cloud that was covering her memories. “Wanda…Wanda is Pietro’s sister; she’s my best friend and she needs hel—What if Wanda is his ex-girlfriend?! What if he’s cheating on me?!” “Wanda’s my sister,” Pietro assured her. “We haven’t seen each other since she left home when she was 15, our parents had left us alone and I tried to keep her happy.” “Right, your sister,” Candance got up and stretched as she once again took note of her attire. She was wearing a pair of leggings under a short skirt with a top that revealed her midriff. She reached up and touched her head feeling that her hair was held up in a tight high ponytail with curls framing her face. She looked over at Pietro quietly and took in his appearance. Pietro was dressed in a pair of black jeans with a purple shirt and a black leather jacket over it. His hair was slicked back with a few strands out of place. What stood out the most was the strange necklace he was wearing. However, something else was wrong, Pietro sounded different, he didn’t have his accent. That was one thing that Candance remembered him having, and she also knew had a better sense of style. What was going on? “Come on babe, we have to go visit Wanda,” Pietro told her. “I think she lives around her somewhere.” “Umn, ok.” Candance fell silent and gave a soft squeak of surprise when she felt him lift her up and into his arms. “Pietro, I can walk on my own.” “How can I let you walk when we’ll be running?” Pietro kissed the tip of her nose and took off running. He took a moment to look down at Candance as he noticed she was holding onto him for dear life. Wait why was he carrying her? She had something to keep up with him, right? She’d been lent a pair of wings by Sam---wait no Candance couldn’t keep up with him. She wasn’t gifted with powers. Not like him and Wanda. She was a normal girl he met in Sokovia when Candance was volunteering at a farm. Candance tried her best to figure out what was going on, why was everything so strange? Why did her head hurt? Most of all why was everyone they passed unphased by Pietro using his power in public? Shaking her head to clear the thoughts she sucked in a breath and laid her head on Pietro’s chest as she let him carry her to wherever the mysterious Wanda lived. 

---------------------------------------   “Pietro and Candance were pulled into the hex,” Monica looked at Darcy and Jimmy with worry all over her face. She knew the two were capable of fighting but she also knew that Wanda would probably eject them from her world if they even tried talking to her. “Pietro?” Darcy asked. “You mean Pietro Maximoff? Wanda’s brother? I thought he was killed by Ultron.” “He was, but the technology used by S.H.I.E.L.D. brought him back, and he had been recovering with Clint Barton and his family.” Monica explained. “And what’s his relation to Agent Wilson?” Jimmy asked. “Agent Wilson, Candance is Sam Wilson’s younger sister and also a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent,” Monica said. “She and I are friends and I’ve had her help me out from time to time. She and Pietro are dating.” “Dating?” Darcy got a small smile on her face and looked at Jimmy holding out her hand. “Pay up Woo, I called it.” Jimmy rolled his eyes and pulled some money out of his pocket and handed it to Darcy. “So, Pietro and Candance went into the hex to bring Wanda out?” “No, Pietro might’ve ran inside the hex to save Wanda himself and if I know Candi, she probably went after him.” Monica shook her head. “But don’t count those two out, they might be the ones to get Wanda to stop the hex.” “Or she could kill them,” Darcy reminded Monica. “We’ve seen her angry and we don’t want to make her angrier. I---.” She heard Wanda and Vision arguing coming from the tv. She quickly walked over to it and looked at the scene unfolding. “This is new.” “New?” “Wanda and Vision don’t fight, and it looks like Wanda’s not cutting it out of her show.” Darcy said.

------------------------------------- Pietro sat Candance down in front of a house and looked at her with a small smile. “This is where Wanda lives,” he said in excitement. “I can’t wait until you meet her.” “Pietro,” Candance began and placed a hand on his cheek. “Something’s wrong, haven’t you noticed how everyone’s happy? And what happened to your voice and—ow, umn yeah I’m excited to meet Wanda.” “Did you hurt yourself?” Pietro asked almost immediately began checking her for any bruises. “No, I don’t see anything, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you while I was carrying you?” “No no, just a headache,” Candance assured him with a smile. “I’m fine, come on let’s go say hi to your sister.” Pietro nodded as he turned to ring the doorbell. He didn’t notice a figure hiding behind some bushes in the yard nor did he notice that Candance had gone to investigate. Candance for a second had regained control of her mind and looked around the yard, she reached into her…handbag and groaned when she saw the only thing in it was a squirt gun. Shaking her head she walked toward the bushes and got closer and closer until. A stray black cat leapt out of the bushes and hissed at her before taking off. Candance rolled her eyes before looking over her shoulder when she heard the front door open. She spun around and saw it, or rather her. “Wanda is here, so she’s sa---ow…” Candance fell to her knees and held her head before looking up with a small smile and got up as she jogged up to where Pietro was. “Wanda who is this?” Vision asked. Wanda looked at Vision before looking back at Pietro. She didn’t say a word and merely continued staring at him in disbelief. “Long lost bro gets to squeeze his stinkin’ sister to death or what?” Pietro asked and held open his arms for Wanda to hug him. “Pietro…” Wanda whispered before she hugged him tightly. Pietro hugged his sister with a small smile before looking up and took notice of Vision. “Who’s the popsicle?” Wanda stayed silent before noticing Candance standing behind Pietro. “Candance?” she whispered before shaking her head. There was no way that her brother was here let alone her best friend. “Wanda, I’m sorry for dropping in unexpectantly, but I wanted to see you.” Pietro told her before he turned and grabbed Candance by the hand and pull her inside the house. “I know you have several questions but first I’d like you to meet Cadence, we’re going to be married in a few months.” “Hi,” Cadence said as she tried to figure out where she had seen Wanda before. It was strange but for some reason it seemed as though they met before. “I’m sorry that we didn’t call but Pietro insisted on surprising you.” “No problem,” Wanda waved a hand and smiled. “Oh, um Pietro and Candance, this is my husband Vision.” “Vision huh?” Pietro looked Vision up and down as he raised an eyebrow. “Where did you meet him?” “At um, a party,” Wanda said quickly. “Vision and I have been married for awhile now, we’ve lived in Westview for years.” “Oh cool,” Pietro said. “So, I think me and bro-in-law should get to know each other, how about you and Candi go and get to know each other.” “Good idea,” Wanda said. “Follow me.” Candance followed Wanda into the kitchen, as she looked at her quietly before sighing. “So Wanda, you and Pietro grew up overseas and moved here when you were teenagers?” “Uh, yeah sort of, our parents are…” Wanda began and paused. “Our parents are no longer with us, but Pietro coming here after 7 years is kind of a surprise.” “I didn’t know he had a sister,” Candance laughed softly and shook her head before looking at Wanda as she walked forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Wanda, what’s going on? Why are we here? Are you ok what’s goi--.” “Candance are you ok?” Wanda asked narrowing her eyes as red magic began to circulate around her hands. “Yeah, I meant are you ok, I know how weird it is for Pietro to be here,” Candance said and let Wanda go. “I’m sorry can I have a glass of water?” “Yeah…” Wanda stepped away and went to get Candance a glass of water. She took note of the strange bag on Candance’s back. “So where are you from?” “Oh, I’m from Harlem, New York.” Candance said brightly and looked around the kitchen. “I was raised by my brother after our parents were murdered by gang members. I think that’s why Pietro and I bonded so quickly two orphans in this world with just our siblings.” “I see, and you’ve seen your brother?” Wanda asked pouring water into a glass before sliding it to Candance. “Hmn? Yeah, Sam is in Washington D.C. on business for a while,” Candance explained. “He and his friend are running our family’s restaurant.” “I see,” Wanda said as she began walking around to get behind Candance to inspect the bag she was wearing on her back. “So, your brother lives nearby, and you decided to come with Pietro to see me?” “Yeah, it’s a fun road trip before Pietro and I get married.” Candance began to giggle. “I think he wants to run off to Vegas to get married.” “I see,” Wanda managed to get behind Candance and reached for the bag before she saw Candance turn around. “Oh do you want me to take your backpack up to the guest room where you Pietro will be staying?” “No thanks,” Candance said and looked at Wanda with a serious look. “You’re obvious curious about what I have in this bag aren’t you?” “no no,” Wanda said shaking her head. “It’s nothing really,” Candance took off the backpack and opened it as she held up a piece of red fabric attached to a red sleeve. “A design I’m working on for Halloween, but you’ll have to wait and see what it is, since I want to keep it a secret from Pietro.” “Oh, I see,” Wanda laughed it off as she finally relaxed deciding that Candance couldn’t have been sent in to pull her from her life she had built with Vision. “Hey, we should go into the living room and see how the guys are doing?” Candance asked. “I’m sure they’re probably bonding.” “Right.” Wanda said and followed Candance out of the kitchen into the living room and laughed at the sight of Vision being held in a headlock by Pietro. “Pietro, Vision what’s going on in here?” “He attacked me,” Vision said. ��Stop being a baby.” Pietro chuckled. “I thought I’d show bro-in-law some Sokovian self-defense moves. He’ll need to learn since he’s married to you.” Wanda rolled her eyes but laughed deciding to let Pietro have his fun. She did begin wondering if she brought Pietro back to life, but why did she bring Candance to her world too? Was it because she missed her best friend? PLEASE STAND BY

[multiverseofmiracleshq]

While Wanda Maximoff’s show WandaVision plays on, those on the outside have no choice but to watch the broadcast and strategize on how to move forward. Ever since the Scarlet Witch crashed a debriefing meeting in the city and took a few Avengers back to a glitching Westview with her, everyone has known that time is rapidly running out. That included Monica Rambeau, who was on a desperate mission to get through the Hex barrier one way or another.

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL CHAT LOG COVERAGE OF THE IC

CAROL: The red tinged barrier shot up so high into the sky Carol couldn't see above it. As she used one hand to cover her eyes and block out the sun, she wondered idly how much force it would take to hit it from the top -- if maybe it was weaker there than on the edges. But considering Wanda, Carol figured she'd either slingshot back out with a threatening force or get swallowed up and rearranged into someone new and different. Neither outcome made her feel particularly confident, so her boots stayed planted on the ground as the team set up shop behind her. Military grade tents were surrounded by armed trucks and one larger truck in particular that contained their only current method for breaking through the wall. The sinking feeling in her gut told her that nothing man made was getting through that barrier, but Monica had made the call and Carol was tired of arguing with her. With a sigh, she turned away from the barrier and walked back over towards the table set up with the monitoring system, their only access to the happenings inside. Circling the table, she went to stand behind a man with a set of headphones covering his ears and she asked for an update, her eyes momentarily darting back towards the barrier as he lowered the headphones. "It seems they're setting up a party." he said, tone flat and straight to the point, but it rose a little as he pointed towards the screen and made a few taps on his keyboard. "But look here," Carol took a vacant seat and leaned in, following his finger to watch a lamp flicker into different shapes and forms as it sat on the end table, morphing and changing. "Rambeau," Carol said, voice clipped, to get her attention. "There appears to be something going on with Maximoff's powers."

CLINT: Clint rocked back on his heels, his hands digging further into his pockets as he felt the telltale warning of rain prickle against his skin. He was getting antsy, stuck on the wrong side of the battle, people they needed trapped inside, held hostage by someone he'd easily called a friend in the past. It all felt unreal, but that didn't mean he didn't show up when called. He adjusted the holster that fit snuggly across his chest even if it was useless in this type of scenario. He just remembered the last time he faced a barrier that stretched into the sky and what stood behind it and the weapons strapped to his body kept him in a solid state of mind. "Starting to crack?" he asked, inferring even if he couldn't see the monitor Danvers was perched in front of. "Took long enough."

SCOTT: Scott stood by idly, posture similar to Clint’s the tenseness in his shoulders increased. Reaching up to rub at the back of his neck, he watched as closely as he could, eyes flicking between multiple screens so quickly and so erratically it began to dredge up a headache. “I don’t know if ‘starting to crack’ is what we need right now, man,” he vaguely addressed Clint, “Wanda’s powers don’t bode well with ‘starting to crack’.”

MONICA: It was good to see Goodner again, no pun intended. They went way back even if Monica preferred to keep her personal relations close to her chest. Everyone knew her connection to Carol -- and look how well that had turned out. The two women had their heads bowed towards one another as Goodner updated her, but upon hearing Carol speak Monica excused herself with a small smile. “--What’s that?” She asked, eyes turning to the screen. A frown settling over her face, Monica tapped the monitor and shook her head. “When she gave birth -- when I was Geraldine -- something like this happened. She made a painting of a stork flap around the house. But that was the stress of labor. Something’s bothering her to that extent then. Which means, we may not have much time.”

JESSICA: Never one to miss the fun twice, Jessica had taken to sitting cross legged on the table behind Clint’s chair. She really, in all honesty, was there to make sure Monica and Carol didn’t come to blows. Not that Carol listened to Jessica, but, hey. She tried. “I’d say we’re past starting,” she tsked, chin rested on the top of Clint’s head. “And more on complete meltdown. I have a toddler. I know how this goes. It isn’t pretty. The difference with Gerry is that when he throws his toys it doesn’t matter. They’re plastic. Wanda’s using people here.”

CLINT: "So we need to get people in there now." Clint's hands instinctively flexed where he was gripping his biceps as his arms sat folded across his chest. "Before it all goes to shit."

SCOTT: “Forgive me if this sounds a bit redundant, but haven’t we tried that already? The more people we send in, the more we risk Wanda losing complete control. I mean— am I off base here or what?” Scott asked, looking for someone more knowledgeable on the situation to confirm or deny his assumption.

CAROL: "If we're looking at a meltdown situation, especially with Hayward planning his advances, we might be able to save some people if we can get in. Even if that breaks the foundation, staying on the outside is doing nothing." Carol responded, still watching the screen and following the objects as they shifted and changed eras.

MONICA: “This is a nightmare.” Monica dragged her hand over her face. “Before Darcy got lost, she intercepted a transmission. Hayward wasn’t disassembling Vision. He was rebuilding him to make a weapon and it didn’t work until Wanda got his body. I think she needs to know that.”

PIETRO: He let most of them talk among themselves for a good while, opting to listen for once instead. After the last conversation he’d had with his sister, he wouldn’t say he was at ease with the situation, but the nerves were less raw. Moving to stand near Monica, he met her gaze. “You still want to go in?”

MONICA: At this point, she had nearly gnawed a hole in her bottom lip. It was better than biting her nails, at least. Maria had broken her of that habit quickly with some terrible homemade concoction she had lathered her daughters fingers in. “I have to.” Monica confirmed. “What was Wanda like when you saw her last?”

NATASHA: While the others talked, Natasha had taken to standing and staring quietly at the monitors. Sam, Bucky -- even her sister, smiling more than Natasha knew she’d ever see her smile again. No sign of Steve yet but he was sure to be nearby. “All these glitches, all these errors. Have any of them happened to someone alive?”

PIETRO: Pietro shifted some, rolling his shoulders. “She’s different than when she came to that meeting. She’s not totally willing to give up Westview just yet, but there’s hope. She’s giving up certain aspects of the denial—notice a certain terrible version of myself hasn’t been around. I don’t mean Tommy.” Though the jab was amusing, it just didnt pack the same punch without his nephew around to hear it.

SCOTT: Watching reality shift and warp around them on the screens in the subtlest of ways, Scott couldn’t help but think about what he’d have done if he were one of the ones sucked into the Hex. The answer was a resounding ‘who knows’ - and he could only ponder if the others felt just as lacking in confidence. He turned to Natasha after she asked a question that was surely on all of their minds, “Let’s hope not.”

JESSICA: “--Jesus,” Jessica’s tailbone was getting stiff from the table but she couldn’t look away from the broadcast. “Is someone writing this or are they all improv?”

CAROL: The monitors were set up to keep track of Wanda and also keep track of the time square show Wanda had set up. Carol watched with intent as the scenes shifted across their varying teammates, settling briefly on Sam and James as they chatted. The corner of her lip quirked at the man Wanda had turned him in to - a complete caricature of the man Carol knew. It would almost be annoying if Carol wasn't already so furious with Wanda for this entire set up.

JESSICA: She just bit back a laugh and covered her mouth. It was bad bad.

MONICA: “Hey, hey, hey --” Monica shot upright in her chair. “Vision is back. He’s back but -- where’s Darcy? He’s dressed like an Avenger still. He shouldn’t remember that.”

CAROL: “We haven’t gotten a bead on Darcy since she went in.” Carol admitted reluctantly, voice just above a murmur. Carol wanted to answer Monica’s question buried within her statement, but she didn’t have an answer. She just chewed on her bottom lip as she watched the screen, watched as reality slipped from Wanda’s grasp, morphing and changing. “We have the Rover.” She said after another minute of watching the screen, voice directed at Monica. “It’s a stupid idea but it’s worth a shot.”

MONICA: God, Darcy. She was an adult and highly capable but a part of Monica felt guilty. Maybe she had grown up with a skewed perception of heroes and what that meant. She had seen one as a little girl and decided she would be one for her mother as well. Now, Monica realized it wasn’t about being the hero. It was doing the right thing when it scared the hell out of you. “I trust Goodner.” Even though she hadn’t asked for Carol’s approval it was nice to partially have. “And I trust their stats. I’m going to change.” Shooting Jimmy a quick smile, Monica excused herself. When she reappeared it was in the astronaut’s suit, white bulky gear slowing her movements. “All goes well, I make a path straight towards Wanda.”

CAROL: "And if it all goes to shit?" Carol asked, having removed herself from the chair to stand by the large truck that was having its door lowered into a ramp. Inside, the SWORD Rover was being slowly removed, the large tires digging tracks into the earth. "Trust only goes so far. If you get sucked in again, Wanda might just very well kill you." she added, tone dipping as she inspected the vehicle. "I'm not trying to change your mind, I know I won't, but I wish we knew more before sending you in."

MONICA: “Honestly, I don’t have anything left.” For as much as she wanted to look strong in front of her aunt, Monica couldn’t keep the sadness out of her voice. “I don’t. Not since I woke up from the Blip. But I have this. Maybe Wanda tries to kill me. Maybe she gets it right. I wish I knew, but my mom taught me a lot about taking risks. She’d never have founded S.W.O.R.D. if she wasn’t willing to put it all on the line.” Monica tugged the hood and helmet over her head. “But maybe Wanda doesn’t kill me and I’ll wave to the metaphoric camera.”

SCOTT: Scott let out a slow sigh, glancing at Monica with admiration and underlying worry, muttering under his breath, “Bravest person I know.”

CAROL: Carol looked over towards her, donning the SWORD suit that was supposed to keep her protected; about to enter a rover that was supposed to be able to sustain the onslaught of Wanda's magic. Carol's fingers dug into her palms as she redirected her attention, watching the team do final checks. "Yeah. Yeah, I get that." She said, voice softer than it had been. "If you don't come back from this, Rambeau, I'm punching a hole straight through that barrier and putting Wanda down myself." She knew, deep down, the threat couldn't hold heat because Carol wasn't confident she could do it, but goddamnit, she would try. She would beat at that wall until it caved and then she would deal with the woman who had caused all these issues.

MONICA: Starting to walk backwards, Monica shook her head with a tired chuckle. “Yeah, Danvers? I wanna see you try. I’ll get your man back. Darcy, Wanda, Vision. I’m going to fix this.” She met Goodner by the rover and reached out to squeeze the Major’s hand with her gloved ones. “It’s perfect. Thank you.” She left her standing there as she climbed into the vehicle and began flipping all the proper switches. Jimmy and Goodner were checking the connection and counting her down and then Monica was moving straight towards the Hex. As the rover gained speed she sucked in a breath a second before contact. Instead of sailing through as promised the rover hit the barrier. Hard. Monica shoved the throttle down, determined to push her way inside. There was a terrible grinding sound and the static of the hex that together formed a disorienting cacophony of discordant sounds. Destabilizing --- that was Goodner. Jimmy was correcting her. What was he saying? The floor beneath the pedal flickered red and Monica shoved her leg upwards to avoid it. No, it was being rewritten. Monica made the realization at the same time as Jimmy. She heard them call for her to abort but she couldn’t bring herself to eject. She said she had it. She had to get it. Folding her body to escape the red flicker of Wanda’s magic, Monica let out a frustrated grunt before undoing the locks and flinging the top of the hatch open. Her escape was messy. She fell, bouncing off the side before landing flat on her back. The rover - now a flatbed - flipped and rolled over. Someone was calling for a medevac but Monica just stared at the stars for a moment as she stared up at the sky. Then she was on her feet, head shaking as she stared at Jimmy, Carol and the others across the expanse of the field.

CAROL: Carol was already halfway across the field, the medevac close behind but she was faster than them. "Goddamnit!" she shouted, frustrated into the air around her. Her eyes shot towards the barrier, how it shimmered and shook, like the invasion had just pissed it off. "Rambeau, fall back, now." she hoped her voice carried loud enough across the field, because Monica was still just staring at her, not moving.

MONICA: She knew. She knew what she had to do. It was what she always had to do. Major Goodner’s rover had seemed like such a perfect, easy option. Of course it hadn’t worked. Standing there feeling as if she had been stripped bare, Monica heard Carol’s words bounce around her ears but she wasn’t listening. She was just looking at Jimmy, knowing that he also knew what had to happen.

JIMMY: “Monica, no!” Woo shouted from across the field. He knew exactly what she was about to do and sure enough, no sooner did the agent get the words out did Monica start running for the barrier. “MONICA!!” he screamed after her, jogging two steps just to grind to a halt. There was no way he’d get to her, she was gonna run straight into the barrier — again.

MONICA: What was identity? Identity (noun): the fact of being who or what a person or thing is. But what, then, composed ones self? Monica had always felt like she knew who she was. A precocious child Mrs. Lewis would chuckle as she left the house after a day of babysitting while Maria was at work, patting Monica’s mother lightly on the shoulder. Dreams bigger than her hair. Starry eyed. It didn’t matter. The second Monica knew what she wanted her mind was set and she would work her ass off. Maria Rambeau had kissed the stars and seen space. Her daughter would settle for nothing less. Valedictorian. Deans List. Top recruit. Monica closed her eyes and saw cosmos and the path she would need to take them. Joining S.W.O.R.D. didn’t come exclusively from the fact that her mother had founded it. S.H.I.E.L.D. was gone by the time she had reached a point where she could enlist as an agent and S.W.O.R.D. felt familiar. It was home. Now, in Maria’s absence, Monica wanted to cling to it even more and it physically ached when she saw the bare bones that Hayward had reduce it to. Hayward, who had always seemed like a decent guy even if his jokes just bordered on too self-involved. That, however, was irrelevant. The only thing relevant was the identity of one Monica Rambeau and how her self was currently being torn apart. She had entered Wanda’s Hex before, sucked right through the crimson and spit out as someone else altogether. That was before. Before Wanda had thrown her from town and caused her cells to metastasize. Before Monica had realized that hollow ache she had filled with drive was confirmation that she had nothing left to lose and therefore had to be the one to try. She was Monica Rambeau, daughter of Maria Rambeau. She would not lose herself to Wanda fucking Maximoff again. Her identity was her own even if it stretched both in front and behind her. There was Geraldine in her life 60′s dress. Geraldine in her bulletproof 70′s pantsuits. Monica in her S.W.O.R.D. windbreaker they day she had touched the barrier. A Monica in white trailing behind, parts of herself not yet actualized. Her childhood form never materialized. In so many ways Monica still was that girl. Your mom’s lucky, it was Carol’s voice, back when Monica had looked at her and saw everything she could ever want to be. When they handed out kids they gave her the toughest one. She was right. Monica was tough as hell, even if Maria wasn’t there to see it. She was tough with or without Carol’s validation. Where she had once been pushing on the Hex she was now completely submersed. She hadn’t realized she had been screaming or that her jaw ached from where her teeth were grinding into one another. Maybe I could fly up and meet you halfway. Halfway. Half --- A hazy glow covering her eyes, it was a primal scream that was ripped from Monica’s chest as she hit the inner edge of the Hex. Maria, dead. Her mother, gone. What was left? It was easier to give in, to let go. The boat was filling with water and Wanda would provide a liferaft. Wanda would --- Silence. Monica sucked in a breath, mind reeling from the narrowly avoided mental invasion. She blinked to clear her vision... what was wrong with her sight? She had seen Westview before. It was bright and boring. Now red and purple wavelengths rippled in the sky as everything pulsed. Westview was alive. Blinking again, the haze faded away and the colors slowly blurred back to normal. Unhooking her helmet so she could peel off her suit, Wanda broke into a sprint towards the town. She needed to find Wanda. They were running out of time.

FOR MORE, READ THE WESTVIEW BARBECUE CHAT.