#NeXus Newscast

[pennkquest]

Thinking about the newest NeXus audio from @mr-laveau (Hi Doll /lh) and how much it hurts my feelings to have such a standard experience shoved back at me.

To have Uriah talking candidly about being denied something as simple as a portrait because of racism. Of being frustrated when he *could* get one because the artists didn't know what to do anyways. So now you're left with trying to be included after being excluded forever or forcing yourself to be included at the expense of not being captured properly.

I know it's a common experience even now. Black characters being drawn poorly. Having their features stripped in favor of something more eurocentric. Skin lightened for "aesthetics". Hair made curly instead of kinky.

So what I'm saying is ow, thanks for hurting my feelings effectively, I'm suing you for emotional damages until I get the time to paint a portrait of Uriah. /lh /pos

[elejahfanfic]

The Shadowcatcher's Heart_

Lena x Jack_

_fanfiction

The flickering neon lights of Midtown Precinct cast long shadows across Jack’s desk. He was immersed in a particularly dense report detailing a recent gangland hit, a meticulously crafted labyrinth of violence woven from witness statements and forensic evidence, when Mira walked into their shared office. Without a word, she switched on the news. The upbeat voice of the newscaster clashed jarringly with the images of war-torn districts of Orion’s settlements flashing across the screen.

"The IRC field director Lena Hawthorne, and three other aid workers were taken by replicant paramilitary troops," the news reported.

The news hit him like mirage tandem bullet. The steel-armoured façade he'd meticulously crafted over years of dealing with the city's brutal realities cracked just enough to let a sliver of panic through as he saw Lena's face on the screen. Though his heart clumped up, he remained calm- always ready to face whatever overwhelming chaos was set in front of him.

"We got to call Colonel Jynn," Mira, his partner, said urgently. "They must send a special ops team for a rescue mission."

Jack nodded and before he could reach for the comm-unit, a video phone alert from Bebe, Lena’s sister, blared from his personal data pad. He knew the risks Lena faced working with the IRC, running vital aid to the Orion settlements. The reality of his fears was a harsh, cold light illuminating the screen. He pressed the button to accept the call.

Bebe's tear-streaked face appeared, her voice choked with sobs as she relayed the last contact from Lena.

The urgency in Bebe's voice echoed the turmoil in Jack's own heart.

He offered reassurances in calm, measured tones, the words a carefully crafted performance designed to soothe Bebe’s terror. He painted a picture of hope, a beacon in the encroaching darkness, even as a cold dread snaked around his heart, reminding him of the brutal realities of the Off-world.

The video call ended, leaving Jack staring blankly at the data pad for a second. The news report continued its relentless cycle of grim updates, but Jack barely registered it now. He knew the Colonel would act swiftly, but time was of the essence. He had to do more than just wait.

Lena was not just a friend, nor a one-night stand. He loved her. He stood, his movements precise and determined, the flickering neon lights reflecting in his eyes. He would not rest until she was safe, until he brought her home. He picked up the comm-unit, his fingers already dialing the Colonel's private line, a grim determination setting his jaw.

Days later it had transpired that the it wasn’t a simple ransom- Lena had become a high-stakes negotiating chip in a game played by ruthless paramilitaries. The news hit Jack like a physical blow, shattering the carefully constructed calm he usually maintained.

Colonel Jynn, his former black ops commander, a man whose methods were as ruthless as his reputation was in need of Jack's unique skills in deciphering the truth, securing him and Major Mira, his equally skilled partner, a position within a Specialized Off-World Investigatiin Unit tasked with navigating the complex negotiations. The demands were astronomical- a trillion credits and the Nexus Neo data core, a piece of technology that would change the control of all AI motherboards.

"Isn't that the same woman from Mars 1?" Jynn had asked, referring to Lena's humanitarian work on the colony.

Jack's curt nod spoke volumes. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, the usual detachment he employed crumbling under the strain of his fear for Lena.

The negotiations with the Orion paramilitaries had been a grueling marathon, a chess match played with veiled threats and promises as brittle as spun glass. Lena, his friend and the woman he loved was constantly on his mind. Years spent navigating the NYC underworld and deciphering the subtle shifts in human and replicant behavior, had been instrumental in identifying the paramilitaries’ weakness- a simmering resentment among the lower ranks towards their ruthless leader. This, coupled with Mira's tactical brilliance, formed the crux of their daring plan.

The raid itself was a blur of coordinated chaos. Jack, though not directly involved in the ground assault, monitored the operation from the command center, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He watched, helpless, as the feed flickered, showing the tense firefight, the desperate scramble for Lena and other three aid workers. The adrenaline surge only subsided when a clear image finally appeared- Lena, bruised and battered, but alive. The relief was so overwhelming it almost knocked him to his knees. Mira's calm voice cut through the post-raid commotion, a brief update on casualties, a concise summary of the success.

As Lena, secured in a medical transport, was wheeled past, Jack's carefully constructed composure crumbled. The sight of her pale face, the stark contrast between her usual vibrant energy and her present fragility, broke through the hardened shell he'd built around himself. The victory felt hollow, as she had to be put in medically i duced coma. He knew the road to recovery would be long, but seeing her alive, breathing, was a fragile lifeline.

Days bled into weeks. The private room, a sanctuary of hushed whispers and beeping machines, became his refuge. Jack, who was a man of action, found himself adrift in a sea of helplessness. He sat by Lena's bedside, his calloused hand resting on hers, feeling the faintest tremor of life beneath her pale skin. He spoke to her - about the mundane, played her favourite music, read passages from her favourite books, hoping somehow to pierce the veil of her unconsciousness.

Bebe, Kiki and Drake sat with her, taking turns. But it was Jack that was there every day. He battled against the subtle, insidious creep of despair, clinging to the flicker of hope that those beautiful eyes would open again. He even started a small garden on the windowsill, a tiny patch of defiance against the sterile white walls, a testament to the life he was desperately trying to preserve.

One morning, a nurse approached him, a hesitant smile gracing her lips. Lena's hand, resting in his, squeezed gently.

Her eyes fluttered opened, slowly, focusing on his face. Relief washed over Jack, a tidal wave erasing the weeks of agonizing uncertainty.

...

●

@darknightfrombeyond

[commenter2]

My reasons why Talwyn should be in the Lombax Dimension game.

The next installment of the Ratchet & Clank is very likely going to be about Ratchet and co. having an adventure in the Lombax Dimension, and along with Ratchet, Clank, Rivet and Kit going there they should be joined by a few others like Captain, Qwark, Ratchet's Lombax ship Aphelion, and ESPECIALLY Talwyn Apogee.

Talwyn Apogee has many reasons for going with them, one obvious being that she is Ratchet's CANON girlfriend and cares for Ratchet so I could see her wanting to go with Ratchet to support him in meeting the Lombaxes. She is also a great explorer so not only could she be useful in exploring a new environment but she is capable of reading the Lombax language unlike Ratchet. Side note I could see a funny God of War reference in the game where we learn that in between Into the Nexus and Rift Apart, Ratchet has learned to read some Lombax but still has trouble reading it properly. 

However the biggest reason she would want to go is so she can look for her father, Max Apogee. Through out the Future trilogy, there was a subplot involving how her famous explorer father disappeared one day but through out the trilogy we learn he found and relocated the Dimensionator and as theorized on a radio newscast, likely used it to transport himself and "Lombax" Angela Cross (which is another story) to the Lombax Dimension in order to escape Tachyon. If I was Talwyn, I would check on that lead. Also along with finally ending that subplot that never truly went anywhere, it would be nice to see Talwyn interacting with her father which could lead to some interesting development for her.

Personally I think Ratchet and Clank should find and save Max Apogee from the some antagonist early in the game story, that way Talwyn and Max can have their happy reunion which can then be built up for the rest of the game both good and bad. See I have this storyline idea where though Max is happy to be reunited with his daughter again, he keeps wanting to help the Lombaxes fight against the evil forces threatening the Lombax Dimension but Talwyn just wants him to be safe. Eventually when Max either volunteers for a deadly mission or sneaks away to help Ratchet and Clank only to get hurt in the process, Talwyn has an argument with him where not only does she state she doesn't want to lose another love one but him doing these missions is a lot like how he just "abandoned her" without any warning. She even gets mad at Ratchet who tries to calm everything down. Luckily she and Max (and Ratchet) make amends. Such a story would be a great way to add drama as well as give Talwyn both character development and closure as this could lead her to deal with the pain she still feels about losing Cronk and Zephyr in Into the Nexus.

Do you agree that Talwyn should be in the next Ratchet & Clank game?

[fanfic-inator795]

The Future is Saved... So what does it hold for the Hamato-Jitsu fam now?

Here are my thoughts/headcanons:

Raph - The Greatest Hero New York’s Ever Known! Yes, Raph is still very much the Red Angel of Preventing Harm (though he may or may not change up his superhero outfit). Although there are no more huge threats to face for the most part, Raph is the only one of the fam who does the hero thing full-time, keeping the streets of NYC safe and helping out the little guy.

Outside of heroics, however, when he’s not on patrol, training or spending time with his fam, Raph is down in the Hidden City, helping out at (or possibly even being the head of) an orphanage, since I feel like Raph would want a job working with kids, helping them build confidence and feel safe ^v^

Leo - The World’s Greatest Ninja! While he - like most of his fam - only a part-time hero, Leo still puts his ninjutsu and strategic skills to good use whenever an old villain or a new threat rears its head. While Raph may have the reputation amongst NYC’s criminals of being hard-hitting and ever-determined, Leo has the reputation of being the one you never see coming. I could also see him being a Battle Nexus Champ if the Nexus ever became less deadly and more sport-like.

Leo also uses his status as a ninja master to be a true sensei and teach young students martial arts at his own dojo, having discovered a love for teaching and even training after gaining more confidence (GENUINE confidence, not cockiness or ego) in himself and his abilities/skills. Like Raph, he really just wants to help other kids so they don’t have to go through the same mistakes and harsh lessons he did as a kid.

Donnie - World Renowned Genius. Donnie’s future is the one that changes the least from the apocalypse version. Whether he’s making Kraang-destroying weapons or gadgets that improve humanity, he’s eventually able to create his Don-Tech company. He, naturally, becomes less of an edge-lord as he grows older (though he does still have a teeny bit of an ego) and just wants to use his tech to genuinely improve life and help people. 

I also wanna bring back his love for botany that got cut from the series - I imagine he spends his weekends either holding himself up in his greenhouse (even he needs a break from tech sometimes) or reading various books at the Mystic Library.

Mikey - The Mystic Warrior/Ambassador and one of the BEST creatives around! With no Kraang to fight, Mikey’s quest for peace takes more of a diplomatic approach where he tries to act as an ambassador for both NYC and the Hidden City in the hopes of reuniting the two realms. Thankfully, his impressively strong mystic abilities and hero status + his kind heart have earned him a TON of respect from the Yokai. 

Mikey also sometimes trains with Draxum, both to continue honing his mystic skills in case of emergencies and to spend time with his creator/Dad #2. When he’s not training, he’s cooking at Run of the Mill (though he still hopes to open his own restaurant eventually when he’s not so busy) or submitting new art pieces to various museums (he’s already sold several pieces). I also imagine him traveling the country/world whenever he’s craving new inspiration.

April - Top Reporter and Newscaster at Channel 6. Of course April accomplishes her journalism dreams! She even ends up getting a couple Pulitzer's eventually, being someone who’s known for being determined and unafraid when it comes to finding the root of a story. She’s also married with a wife (whether it’s Sunita, Cassandra or someone else, you decide) and possibly has a couple kids. Definitely has a cat and/or a dog, at least.

Splinter - Proud Dad till the very end. While he doesn’t die on the battlefield in this future, instead passing away previously in his sleep, I feel like he still dies when the Turtles are relatively young - likely their early 30s, mid-30s if they’re lucky. Prior to that, he encouraged his kids and supported each of their dreams and careers, being there for all their big moments - and STILL being there in a way, watching them from the spirit realm alongside the other Hamato ancestors.

Aaaand those are my thoughts! Let me know what you guys think and if you have any future headcanons for the boys + April and Splints.

[dorizardthewizard]

The Revival of Akillian: Chapter 12

Prologue / Chapter 11 / Chapter 13

12. TIA ARRESTED

Without Tia and her mastery of Breath, the game ended rather badly for the Snow Kids: 4-1 to the Wambas. But, anyway, their hearts were no longer in it. Great players, the Wambas preferred to play without their captain in the second half. Surprisingly, Aarch did not replace Tia with Micro-Ice, who therefore remained on the sidelines, or rather in the coach’s pod, watching his team concede two more goals: a “gift” from the Wambas, who could have so easily scored ten if they had continued to give it their all. But, out of respect for their diminished opponents, they mutually decided to no longer use the Roar in order to put themselves at the level of the Snow Kids, that is to say, at ground level. Despite all that, their strength and skill, their experience and their technical superiority made the difference...

During the return trip to Akillian aboard the Tanaga, the Snow Kids are discussing their first experience playing at a professional level over a game of GF-Cards.

- If the Red Tigers are also gonna play physically in the next game, we’d better watch out for our ankles… - notes Micro-Ice.

- You’ve got nothing to worry about, - taunts Sinedd. - Nobody will come and tackle you on the sidelines!

Dame Simbai comes out of the sleeping cabin, her medicine bag still slung over her shoulder.

- I changed Tia’s bandage, her shin is springing back into place, - she tells Aarch. - As for her... electroshock, if I can call it that, if she doesn’t use the Breath for a while, it will soon just be a bad memory...

- Thanks for everything, Simbai. - replies Aarch, taking her hand. - We lost a game, but we gained a tremendous carer.

- Oh, I’m only doing my duty… (she turns to Rocket) Tia is bored, she’s feeling a little lonely.

- I’ll go.

Micro-Ice follows Rocket with his gaze, which he then turns to Mei, who is immersed in a fashion newscast. He sighs... D’jok brings him back to reality:

- Your turn, Micro-Ice.

Clamp calls Aarch and asks him to join him in the cockpit.

- What’s the matter, Clamp? Is there a problem?

- No. Everything is fine. I was just wondering. Don’t you find it weird, this assault on Tia? The Wambas don’t usually play like that...

- I know that very well. I keep thinking about it, it haunts me. Tia has exceptional abilities, she masters the Breath, she is a great asset for the team!

- You don’t think someone would want to…

Clamp does not finish his sentence, gaze fixed on the controls. Aarch stares at him, then loses his gaze in the endless expanse of space, illuminated by the white glow of Vega, the Akillian sun, growing in the window screen. “This is absurd,” he thinks. “The Snow Kids are beginners: what is at stake, what threat can they represent? Who can begrudge them to the point of trying to eliminate their best player? … Artegor could not have fallen so low, could he?”

***

In his large office in the luxurious Confederation building on Akillian, Artegor Nexus is in transpace contact with Wouwambou, who he managed to reach with some difficulty: the captain of the Wambas, having returned to his family, did not wish to communicate with anybody… not with Artegor Nexus, at least. But, thanks to his contact there - a servant he once employed when he played for the Shadows - Artegor was able to track him down anyway.

- It is to my knowledge that little Tia should recover pretty quickly. - he tells him.

- Ah! - answers Wouwambou, not hiding his satisfaction.

- Are you relieved?

- Me? Uh, no…

This “no” has a hard time crossing the Wamba Captain’s lips, which, in spite of himself, curl into a shadow of a smile.

- In that case, you won’t blame me if I keep the remaining amount? - Artegor concludes, waving a large wad of credits in front of the screen, under Wouwambou’s nose.

- Save your money, Artegor. I don’t want to deal with you anymore.

With that, Wouwambou cuts off the communication. Nexus shrugs then turns to the Wamba servant, who has traded in his purple quasi-slave rags for a strict, classy costume - the one he wore when working in embassies or for wealthy stars like Artegor Nexus. The latter gives him the bundle of credits.

- Here, you’ve earned it. Will this sum allow you to free yourself from your bondage among the Wambas?

- Certainly, sir. - the servant nods with a bow. - Besides, I do not intend to return to that cursed planet.

- That’s a shame... I’ll have to find another informant. In any case, thanks to you, Aarch will have to do without his little wonder forever... if your memory serves correct, and Tia is indeed the daughter of the diplomats, as you say.

- My memory never deceives me, sir. - replies the servant with another bow.

- That’s what I pay you for…

With the servant gone, Artegor turns to his console for another communication - local, this time:

- Arcadia Police, what can I do for you, sir?

- Give me the captain, it’s very urgent.

- What is this about, sir?

- This is to report a runaway...

***

As the Snow Kids return to Akillian, and the Tanaga begins maneuvering to approach the Obia moon’s spaceport, a curious little bird-shaped ground-space shuttle slowly descends into the bluish night of Arcadia, its glowing support spheres on the wings and fuselage. She hovers over the old Arena Stadium, opens a kind of beak and “spits out” three men in midnight blue outfits. Supported by their anti-gravity belts, they fall smoothly on the stadium crusted by ice. From there, they run towards the technical tower, closed behind a massive steel door. One of them alerts through a com:

- We’re here, Corso. Nothing to report.

A fourth joins them, massive, wrapped in a thick anorak. He has vaguely Asian features, his left eye obscured by a multi-frequency viewfinder.

- Activate your jammers. - he orders.

The three midnight blue men switch on devices attached to their wrists. Corso, the fourth, slabs a pebble-shaped gadget on the steel door, with buttons that he presses in a certain order. After a few seconds, the door slides open, but the men do not enter; they wait for their leader, who shows up without delay. He wears a red jacket, gray trousers tucked into lined boots, a gray hooded scarf and round UV-resistant glasses to mask his features. As soon as he’s inside the building, he pulls down his hood and lifts his glasses...

This face – a square jaw adorned with three beard lines, brown eyes under thick blond eyebrows, short blond hair, two rings adorning his left ear - millions of holo-viewers see it every day on the TTV channels: it’s Sonny Blackbones, the leader of the Pirates.

The one who opened the doors to the Arena Stadium for him is Flint Corso, his faithful second in command.

As soon as they enter the dark bowels of the stadium, Blackbones and his Pirates walk steadily toward the renovation site, guided by a map that Corso consults. He assigns the Pirates their mission: to dismantle as much machinery as possible, as quickly as possible. Once these have been reduced to parts, he will transmit a coded signal to the shuttle pilot, who will then send an anti-gravity platform to recover this precious cargo.

While his men are working diligently, Sonny continues his exploration, entering the room marked HOLO-TRAINING. He whistles in admiration in front of the holo-trainer’s large white cube: high-tech, he notes with a shrewd gaze. It sells for a lot on the black market, that kind of stuff... he goes to the consoles, which are in standby mode: he has to turn it off first without crashing the system.

In the construction site, one of the Pirates activates the general Scrap Metal control panel and plugs in a copier-analyzer: it is better to save the software before dismantling, because that too can be resold.

- It’s weird, - he remarks. - This doesn’t look like Technoid programs...

- Neither does this stuff, - adds another Pirate, screwdriver in hand. - Apart from a few components... if so, we got the wrong customer!

- It doesn’t matter. - snaps Corso. – We’re taking everything on board. Move it, guys!

In the holo-trainer’s room, Blackbones activates a console which, of course, prompts him for a password. He is about to call Corso so he can bring his debugger (the “pebble” which he used to open the door, capable of deciphering a million codes per second), when his eyes are drawn to a line of small characters displayed in the identification window:

Authorized user: Pr Clamp.

Sonny’s eyes go wide open, and he immediately commands over the general frequency:

- Don’t touch anything!

- What? – Corso freezes, astonished, an iron pole in hand.

- I said don’t touch anything! Is that clear? Not a single bolt should come out of this place!

- But Sonny, you know we need this material, it’s our livelihood!

A Pirate suddenly runs towards Corso, his hand on his ear:

- Flint, alert! I just picked up the frequency of the police, they sent a shuttle here!

- What?! I don’t understand! We activated the jammers, there’s no way they could have found us!

- Everybody out! – yells Sonny in his com.

Drawn into hasty retreat, the Pirates let go of the parts and fall back in order, efficient and swift. They tumble into the open air at the edge of the Arena Stadium and jump into the void, activating their anti-gravity belts: they trust the pilot of their shuttle to retrieve them a few tens of meters below...

Which is exactly what happens, with timing that suggests years of experience. The five Pirates rush into the shuttle, which skilfully navigates the labyrinth of ice in the ruined city: not the time to appear in the sky and be spotted by the police...

- There is another shuttle approaching. - informs the pilot, leaning over his instruments. - According to its emission code, this is a spaceport taxi.

- We shouldn’t have been spotted, these cops aren’t coming for us. - Flint Corso guesses. - Better to wait quietly until they have settled their little affairs...

- Okay, you hide us and shut everything off. - commands Blackbones to the pilot.

***

Dawn breaks over Arcadia, showering the snow with a pearly rose light, as the shuttle taxi arrives in sight of the ruined city. The pilot’s voice suddenly sounds in the cockpit, waking up the sleepy Snow Kids (except Ahito - nothing wakes him up):

- Mr. Aarch, I just got a call from the Akillian police ordering me to go straight to the Arena Stadium, where they are waiting for you. I have to comply, but I wanted to warn you...

- Thank you. - Aarch answers calmly. - Maybe there was a burglary or damage to the stadium?

He thinks with concern about Ballow and his henchmen, who have not shown themselves since their last appearance at the trials. He wouldn’t put it past those cowards to come and destroy everything in his absence...

D’jok, Thran and Sinedd turn to Micro-Ice suspiciously.

- What are you looking at me for? - he defends himself. - I had nothing to do with this, it’s not me for once!

Sitting next to Tia, whose leg is bandaged with Wamba plants and stretched out on a pillow, Rocket sees her turn pale and clasp her head in her hands. He guesses why the police are here, but he can’t say anything, not without Tia’s permission anyway...

The taxi lands in front of the main entrance to the Arena Stadium, next to the police shuttle whose searchlight turns tirelessly, shooting a thousand shards of light at the surrounding ice walls. Aarch and Clamp go down first, as the responsible adults of the team. A helmeted policeman in riot gear (as if there were some fighting going on) gives Aarch a military salute and hands him a 2D photo.

- We’re looking for this girl. We know she’s part of your team.

The coach frowns: it’s a picture of Tia.

- That’s right. - he admits. - May I know why you are looking for her?

- She ran away from her parents, the ambassadors of Obia.

- What?! I received their authorization by holo-card...

The Snow Kids get out of the taxi, which immediately takes off again. Tia walks over to Aarch, hobbling on her crutch, supported by Rocket.

- They weren’t my parents, - she explains. - Just conmen that I paid to play this role. I wanted to be a part of your team so much… I’m so sorry…

She bursts into tears. Rocket wraps a protective arm around her.

- But, come on, Tia, there... there must be a way...

- You don’t know my parents!

- Excuse me, young man. - interrupts the policeman, who pushes Rocket away and grabs Tia by the arm.

Flanked by two cops, she is led to the police shuttle. The airlock closes on her, and the shuttle flies off into the pale dawn sky without further protest.

A short distance away, hidden in the shadow of the Soustra Tower, the Pirate ship waits, all engines extinguished, to save energy. Planted at the end of a wing, Sonny Blackbones watches the scene outside the entrance to Arena Stadium through binoculars. He sees the policemen conversing with a big strong man, then embarking with a girl who limps on a crutch.

- You were right, Corso, - he says to his second in command, who joins him. - The cops weren’t looking for us.

He moves his binoculars over the group massed in front of the shuttle, who look visibly crestfallen: apart from the big burly man, they’re all just kids… but… Sonny focuses on the short and stocky guy, with gray, crazy locks, a goatee on his chin, and big eyes behind tinted glasses. He zooms in, then stalls the image.

- Clamp? No, it… it can’t be… it can’t be him… - he mumbles in bewilderment.

- What’s going on, Sonny? – inquires Corso. – You look like you saw a ghost!

- A ghost, yes! A ghost from the past... from another life.

[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 7 Easter Eggs

The episode opens the morning after Wanda has expanded the border of the Hex, finding the Avenger hiding from the world under her comforter. The comforter in question has a hexagon pattern, which is both a nod to the overall theme of the show as well as a metaphor for how Wanda is literally hiding away under a hex.

Billy and Tommy run into the room to reveal that their video game console has been messing up. Everything in the house is glitching, trying to transform back to earlier versions of themselves.

Billy also tells his mother that his head hurts and things are “noisy.” Since the twin inherited his mother’s ability to read minds, it seems he’s able to hear the thoughts of everyone in the bubble (and near it on the outside, since he was able to hear his father when he was dying). It’s a sign that Billy’s powers are growing, which means we could see the little boy reach his Wiccan potential before the end of the season.

Wanda wanders into the kitchen as the news drones on in the background. The news station is called W.N.D.A. or Wanda. The newscaster makes pointed comments, noting that there’s “not a thing weighing heavily on your conscience,” and that they “hope your little ghosts arrived home safe last night. It’s always such a treat to see those creepy kiddos out and about once a year.” The comments refer to Wanda’s building guilt at her actions in the previous episode and the rare appearance of children during the Halloween episode.

As Wanda makes her breakfast of “Sugar Snaps,” a nod to the big Snap of the universe, her milk carton reverts from its modern design to the old school glass bottle and back. The carton has a missing person’s ad on the back with a picture of a little boy on the back. This could be a reference to the oft-mentioned absence of children of Westview, and what could have happened to them.

Wanda and the twins “break the fourth wall” frequently to talk to the camera in the same vein as Modern Family.

This week’s theme song sounds similar to The Office’s, which also usings talking head segments like Modern Family. The opening credits are similar to the show Happy Endings and allude to the show’s focus on Wanda, even attributing the creation of WandaVision to her with the title image. Vision is notably completely absent from the opening credits, but there’s a clue that someone else is watching in a message that reads, “I know what u are doing Wanda.”

Agnes stops by to take the boys off of Wanda’s hands, which the exhausted mother is exceedingly grateful for. The twins are visibly uncomfortable with the idea, with Tommy asking Wanda if they have to and Billy telling his mother that someone has to stay to take care of her. It seems like they can sense that something is off with their “kindly” neighbor.

Wanda sends them off with Agnes, but once they’re gone, her magic goes incredibly haywire. All the furniture begins glitching again, with the stork from the painting in episode three making a reappearance. “I don’t understand what’s happening,” Wanda laments during a talking head segment. “Why it’s all falling apart and why I can’t fix it.” The off-screen interviewer responds, “Do you think maybe it’s what you deserve?” which visibly unnerves Wanda, who notes that they aren’t supposed to speak. It’s another sign that Wanda does not have as much control as she’s been led to believe.

Cue the sixth commercial, and it’s even more pointed than any of the others have been. It’s an ad for the antidepressant Nexus, for “when the world doesn’t revolve around you. Or does it?” The drug allows people to anchor themselves to the reality of their choice with side effects that include “feeling your feelings, confronting your truth, seizing your destiny, and possibly more depression.” Whew, the pointed commentary is even making me sweat. Nexus is a nod to two things: Wanda’s crippling inability to deal with the trauma she’s been through and her depression that’s pushed her into the creation of Westview, and two Marvel comics concepts. The first is the Nexus of All Realities is a kind of gateway point between dimensions from which all universes in the multiverse can be accessed. (Remember, Wanda’s next reported appearance is in Multiverse of Madness.) The second concept is the existence of Nexus beings, people who have powers that can alter reality, probability, and the Universal Time Stream. Guess which two Westview residents are considered Nexus beings? That’s right, Wanda and Vision! The commercial can either be just a cheeky nod to the couple’s seemingly infinite power or an allusion to the bigger picture that WandaVision is leading to.

While Darcy and Vision are attempting to make their way to the house, the doctor gives the synthezoid a brief rundown of his origin story, explaining how he died twice in an attempt to save the world. Vision points out that it seems like someone is trying to keep him from getting home, which spurs him to fly off, leaving Darcy behind in the blocked truck.

Billy and Tommy are watching Yo Gabba Gabba in Agnes’s lowkey creepy home. (It tickles me that Yo Gabba Gabba is more canon in the MCU than the X-Men or Fantastic Four right now.) While Billy pets Agnes’s bunny Señor Scratchy, he notes that he likes being around the older woman because he’s unable to hear any of her thoughts. “You’re quiet inside,” he says, an allusion to the idea that Agnes can hide her thoughts from him because she has magic.

Back outside the Hex, after the super-rover isn’t able to penetrate the field, Monica decides to run through it again. As she struggles through the barrier and we watch her, a montage of dialogue from Captain Marvel plays. The voices of Maria, Nick Fury, and Carol play over Monica getting through, and as Captain Marvel says “when they were handing out little kids, your mom got the toughest one,” Monica she pushes through to the other side. She lands in the stereotypical three-point-stance of all Marvel heroes, and her eyes glow, showing that she can see energy. We just witnessed the rise of Photon, folks! (Or Spectrum or Pulsar.)

Monica confronts Wanda in her home, and as their fight spills onto the lawn, the residents of Westview watch from their own homes. The delivery man is wearing a “Presto Delivery” uniform, a reference to the magic words said by magicians before they pull a magic trick.

In the first blatant show of Agnes’s ulterior motives, the older woman stops the fight when she realizes Monica is getting through to Wanda and pulls the young mother into her home. But when Wanda gets there, she notices the green bug and rabbit in the living room and the lack of her sons’ presence. When she asks Agnes where the boys are, she’s told to head to the basement, where the big showdown occurs. The scene hints at the eventual disappearance of Billy and Tommy.

Wanda notices a book on an altar, which could be the Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, The Shiatra Book Of The Damned. Originally a collection of papers known as the Chthon Scrolls, the book contains all the spells and ideas of the evil Elder God known as Chthon. The book is a conduit for Chthon’s power and can open a doorway from Earth to Chthon’s dimension. If that book is in Agnes’s basement, it stands to logic that she may be working with the evil god. The Darkhold emits an orange glow, which is a distinctly different color than the purple of Agatha’s magic.

Speaking of magic, Agnes finally reveals herself as the witch we’ve known her to be. Although the show tells us that “it’s been Agatha all along,” it still doesn’t ring completely true. There’s definitely more at work than just Agatha’s magic.

In the mid-credits sequence, Monica is caught snooping in Agnes’s backyard by Pietro. Her eyes seem to glow purple, the same color that signals Agatha’s magic. Does this mean she’s now under the witch’s spell?

  WandaVision Episode 6 Easter Eggs

The opening credits for episode six seem to be a tribute to Malcolm in the Middle, which ran for seven seasons between 2000 and 2006.

The entire Wanda and Vision family wear their comic book character costumes for Halloween.

There’s another reference to Thanos’s snap as Director Tyler Hayward talks about dealing with the repercussions of all the people “who left.”

The terrifying Yo-Magic commercial seems to foreshadow Vision’s future. Even though Wanda was seemingly able to bring Vision back to life, it looks like he won’t stay alive for long as it’s implied that he can’t exist outside of the Hex later in the episode.

Blink and you’ll miss the fun Disney movie Easter egg on Westview’s movie theater. The sign outside the theater shows a double feature of The Incredibles and The Parent Trap. Connecting right to Wanda’s family, The Incredibles is about a family of superheroes, while The Parent Trap is about a pair of long-lost twins reuniting.

Wanda’s changing accent has been brought up countless times by fans, and in episode six, Pietro makes a slight reference to it when Wanda asks, “What happened to your accent?” to which he quips, “What happened to yours?”

There is another reference that Agnes is actually Agatha Harkness as she is spotted wearing a witch costume on Halloween.

It appears that Vision has no memories pre-Westview, as a conscious Agnes tells him he’s one of the Avengers, and he has no clue what she’s talking about.

The episode further hints at Monica’s powers as Darcy confirms that the Hex rewrote her cells on a molecular level.

A few interactions between Pietro and Wanda have fans wondering if he might actually be Mephisto in disguise. Not only is he fully aware about Wanda creating Westview, but he makes several references to the devil and hell throughout the episode.

  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

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STRUCTURE X LORE

STRUCTURE X LORE:

STRUCTURE X is a vast and cavernous building that exists in an Undisclosed Location. it may be in outer space, deep underground, at the bottom of the ocean, or all three. current conjecture states that it may be an unintended nexus point of multiple pocket universes that chooses to arrange itself in what appears (in some places) to be an office building, apartment building, storage facility, abandoned warehouse or gleaming skyscraper; but not enough about is known about the scope of STRUCTURE X to be able to state what it is with any certainty. some areas of STRUCTURE X appear as other places or planes of existence with varying degrees of scale. broom closets occasionally contain ornate palaces, vast fields of gently undulating long, dark green grass under a sky hung heavy with lead-gray storm clouds, entire solar systems, etc. without necessarily being any bigger inside than a broom closet. laws of physics often vary wildly between floors. Anomalies of gravitation, atmosphere and luminosity occur frequently. some areas are perfectly normal, or just empty, or are both perfectly normal and empty.

STRUCTURE X apparently attracts losers, eccentrics, and the morally questionable, who take up space in the empty places and, by choice, interact with each other only occasionally. it is unknown how these people arrive at STRUCTURE X as, when questioned, they do not seem to know themselves and seem unsure about how long they have been here. it is also unknown if these people are the actual fictional characters that they appear to be, or are projections of these characters from some other plane of existence. their purpose for being here is not known.

Current inhabitants of STRUCTURE X are as follows:

Howard Beale--newscaster and Professional Television Prophet. mad as hell. may be divinely inspired.

"Buttoneyes"--imp of the perverse. frets. scribbles.

Darryl Revok--Scanner. bastard. DARYL. REVOK.

Frank Poole--dead astronaut. hasn't taken off the suit yet.

Criswell--prognosticator. deeply concerned about The Future. great hair.

Norman Stansfield--detective on the Vice squad. big Mozart fan.

Dr. Mercurio Arboria--cult leader, proud grandfather. thinks things are wonderful.

PRESIDENT FRANKENSTEIN--avatar. wears a white suit and gasmask. attempting to map STRUCTURE X. understands futility better than most.

SOLUTION KEY:

jura guvatf ner tbvat jebat vafvqr zl zvaq, fbzrgvzrf vg'f orpnhfr gurer vf gebhoyr va FGEHPGHER K. svaqvat bhg jung'f jebat gurer vf n xrl gb svthevat bhg jung'f jebat jvgu zr.

gurer vf n ybg jebat jvgu zr.

[ayearinlanguage]

A Year in Language, Day 222: Singlish Singlish, or, more technically, Colloquial Singaporean English, is an English based Creole spoken in Singapore. As the Singaporean government does not recognize the legitimacy of the language and actively discourages its use there is no census for the number of speakers, though, as the majority of native Singaporeans use it there are probably between 2 and 4 million speakers. The Singlish lexicon is primarily English based, with a healthy mix of Chinese particles (from Cantonese and Hokkien) as well as Malay (the pre-colonial lingua franca) and Tamil. Though lacking in prestige, the language is a living testament to the nations history as a global cultural and trade nexus. There are no specific boundaries at which point Standard Singaporean English, a British derived variant fully comprehensible to English speakers around the world, becomes Colloquial Singaporean English. Instead there is a kind of dialect continuum stratified not by geography but by social class and propriety; a sociolect continuum. In linguistics a prestige variety of a language can be called the "acrolect", from the Greek word for "high". The opposite then is the "low language" or "basilect", with an intervening "mesolect". To give a more familiar example, the kind of English heard on British newscasts or spoken by royalty, Recieved Pronunciation, is an acrolect. The English spoken by the working class, Estuary and "Chav" accents, which are spoken by a large majority of the populace, is a mesolect. Cockney or thick inner city London accents are basilects. Thus, Standard Singaporean English is an acrolect, used in schools and by the government and generally in formal settings, while the mesolect and basilect are Singlish, used by the majority in informal settings and not always mutually intelligible with the standard. Singapores government has long sought to discourage Singlish use, seeing it as a hindrance to learning Standard English which is considered a necessary skill. In 2000 it even launched the Speak Good English Movement, which still launches campaigns in an effort to remove Singlish from the national identity. Like many creoles Singlish normally lacks inflections such as the plural -s or past tense forms of verbs. A prominent feature are the inclusion of discourse markers from Chinese and Malay. These particles come at the end of sentences, sometimes marking grammatical elements but more commonly denoting things like familiarity, expected responses, sarcasm, etc. The most common of these are "la", "le" and "lor".

[pennkquest]

Howdy friends and foes alike, you interested in getting into a new audio rp series? Well I have just the thing for you!

NeXus (created by @mr-laveau) is inching closer and closer to the infamous "cookout audio" and let me tell you, I'm. On. EDGE! We've got:

Looming threats of action from some fuck ass vampires know as the Bouchardes (okay TMA reference /j)

Weird looming implications after the latest video from Alonzo (the fuck you mean "Are you ready?" /lh)

So many unanswered questions, like when the fuck are Alonzo and Cher gonna meet? (We got Alonzo/Alexis meeting before the cookout audio /ref /lh)

ALSO— *ALSO* THE ART IN ANY VIDEO LOOKS SICK AS FUCK? (/POS) LIKE:

All of it! Made by Veau! Who already does all the fucking voices! (Show off /j /pos)

I'm telling you, you will not be disappointed if you check it out AND now's the perfect time to binge the Blood Moon playlist! Get all caught up just in time for whatever fuckery is brewing.

Back me up here @maxpaulll @agentplutonium /hj /lh

Anyways *goes to listen to Uriah speak again because AUGH* /pos

[pennkquest]

HELLO EVERYONE!

I'm evil and beating Veau to this announcement because I'm too excited to wait buuuuuut NeXus/Mr. Laveau (the channel) has OFFICIALLY PASSED 1K SUBSCRIBERS!!! 🎉

I could not be more proud of Veau, he is an incredible VA, writer, and artist, and this milestone is more than deserved (/pos). If you've never checked out one of their videos, I highly recommend. You won't be disappointed and you'll be supporting a smaller creator along the way!

As a means of putting more eyes on the channel too, here's some art I did recently of one of the speakers, Asteroth:

@mr-laveau Congratulations once more, I hope you have an amazing day and you look forward to all the many more milestones to come /pos

[pennkquest]

Alright since I'm 95% @mr-laveau hasn't realized what today is, I'm taking the liberty of posting about it before xe can (Veau, if you're reading this: 🖕💕 /lh). So!

Today's technically the 1 year anniversary of the first ever NeXus video!

"PK, what's NeXus?" The very lovely audio roleplay channel made by the aforementioned/tagged Veau! It's got a wide collection of characters and funky storylines paired with sick ass art.

"Whoa, that's super cool! Where should I start?" If you want the very first video, you'd start here with Uriah. But I don't think you can go wrong with any of the character and/or storyline playlists!

One of my personal favorite videos is this one right here (biased as Freelancer Storyline fan /lh /pos):

As for some of my personal favorite speakers, I'd go with:

Asteroth

Oscar

Khaleed

Again, really can't go wrong, you'll find plenty to sink your teeth into regardless. If you're a Redacted or Castle fan (or somehow an NR), I can't recommend NeXus enough. /pos

@mr-laveau Congrats on one year of NeXus! You deserve all the praise it gets 🫶

[pennkquest]

Now that his video has dropped and people have sank their teeth into him: *throws out this sketch of Khaleed*

[pennkquest]

*pushes Redacted stuff aside for a second* Let it be known, I am in fact capable of drawing other things, so! I return with some NeXus fanart (fucking finally /lh)

Ended up sketching my version of "Sherlock", aka Joaquin (he/him), so I'm throwing it at y'all here too. Since the last time I drew him, I feel like his hair has improved immensely (/pos).

If you have no clue what or who I'm talking about, you should check out NeXus here! (You won't be disappointed /gen /pos)

[fanfic-inator795]

What kind of jobs do you think the turtles whould have?

Oooh, this is a fun question! ^v^ I’ll start with the easy ones first and go from there

(warning, this got preeeeetty long, lol)

Mikey: So uhhhhh *casually self-promotes my 2019 Big Bang fic*

Yeahhhh, while he totally still does art and DJing as hobbies/occasion side gigs like if someone wants to commission him or hire him for a party, but I truly believe that his love of cooking combined with the discovery that mutant/yokai restaurants are a thing are enough for him to want to be a professional chef. 

He works at Run of the Mill starting at 13 and stays there till he’s 19. From there, he travels the world, working at restaurants both on the surface and hidden down below, gaining experience/food knowledge/cooking techniques (as well as a bunch of friends and connections) and saving all the cash he can. By the time he returns home, he’s ready to open up his own restaurant - and despite him not being able to afford a huge, fancy place at first, it quickly gains popularity as one of the best places to eat in NYC no matter what you are - yokai, mutant or human!

Donnie: I like to think that he’s eventually able to either enroll in a Hidden City university or take online courses like his 87′ counterpart. Once he has his doctorate (and yeah he makes everyone call him Dr. Donnie for like a week after he gets it. The others don’t mind too much since they know how hard he worked to get it, but again they only do it for a week), he pretty much jumps around on projects, being a ‘freelance scientist’ as it were.

Sometimes he’ll be paid to work at a certain lab on a certain project, other times he’ll just work on inventions or designs for cars/computers/etc. on his own and then try to sell them. As for how successful he is, well... let’s just say he doesn’t have to make Shelldon hack ATMs anymore. 

If he ever decides that he’s tired of being an inventor or just wants to retire early, I could see him doing several things. Being a science teacher is one possibility (he does love explaining stuff), another is going into local theatre and being a minor actor (not as glamorous as the movies, but Splints is still proud), maybe even meeting up with Bullhop and being in a couple of his ballets. 

Or maybe he becomes a science museum curator, or a librarian down in the Mystic Library (oh man he would LOVE that), or a video game designer, or maybe he just gets really world and decides he’s going to go all Evil Mad Scientist for a couple months and try to take over the world, just to see if he could. Honestly, with Donnie, he has the talent to do anything he wanted to.

Raph: While pro-wrestling would probably be the easiest answer, as well as the one that makes the most sense, like with Mikey’s art and DJing I could see that being just a hobby/part-time job rather than a career. Yeah, Raph loves fighting and wrestling, but I feel like if he tried to do that ALL the time he’d burn himself out. Fighting is a fun thrill for him, but where’s the thrill in curbstomping 90% of the human opponents he’d face in the ring? And with how barbaric the Battle Nexus is, that would be out of the question too - he wouldn’t want to be hurt, and he wouldn’t want to seriously hurt or kill anyone else.

Nah, I think whatever career Raph ends up having, it’ll be working with kids. He’s an awesome big brother with a ton of patience, encouragement and enthusiasm, and while his own now-adult brothers don’t always need him, there’s plenty of little yokai and mutant kids that do need someone like that. I could see him being a coach for some little league/junior team, or heck maybe even a gym teacher or martial arts master. He and Buddy/Frankenfoot teach the kiddos how to safely spar, and for those who struggle with physical activity, he gives them easier exercises to do and tells them that the most important thing is to try. 

Another job I could see him having wouldn’t technically be a ‘career’ but I could see Raph doing it with no shame whatsoever: Teddy Bear Town employee (probably the manager). I mean... come on, Raph would freaking LOVE that job. He helps kids pick out the perfect bear/accessories, and he just loves seeing them go home happy. The 10% employee discount is pretty sweet too. Also, you just know that if some entitled parent came in and started being rude to his co-workers or tried to shame kids (”You can’t get that, you’re a boy and that’s for girls!” crap like that), he’d tell them to knock it off or get thrown tf out, no hesitation.

Honestly though, out of all his brothers, Raph is the most into being a ‘hero’ so if having an actual paid job doesn’t work out, he’d probably be pretty content just being a ninja/vigilante and stopping baddies around NYC, usually going solo but occasionally being joined by his bros and April for old time’s sake. A less angsty version of the Nightwatcher, perhaps?

Leo: Hooooo boy, this is definitely a tough one...

This boy loves being the center of attention, so like with Raph you’d think that the obvious choice would be Battle Nexus Fighter, just like his daddy. But uh, even if you ignore the unfortunate implications of what Lou went through while imprisoned there (and how he’d probably be pretty damn against it if Leo tried to make that his career) as well as the dangers in the Nexus, I have a feeling that by the time this season’s over, Leon’s not gonna want anything to do with Big Mama OR her Battle Nexus.

Unfortunately, there’s not a ton of options for Leon. Unlike his brothers, he doesn’t have a ton of hobbies or interests that can translate into a career. He’s good at skateboarding, martial arts and basketball, so if the Hidden City has any pro sports teams he could maybe get into those, but again idk if he’d want to do that full time, even with the adoring fans. He likes sci-fi and Jupiter Jim, so maybe he’d try to be an actor in a sci-fi franchise, buuuut that’s pretty much a pipedream. Splinter was lucky enough to make it big as an actor, but idk if Leo would be that lucky.

So where does that leave our blue boi? ...Honestly, I could kinda see him being a radio personality or a podcaster. The kid’s got a ton of charm and a pretty likable personality, not to mention his wit. On the right format, he could gain fans fast, and all while pretty much doing his own thing. 

He’s also really good at planning/strategizing (’Many Unhappy Returns’, ‘Lair Games’) as well as calming down conflict (as seen a bit in ‘You Got Served’), buuuut idk what jobs those skills could apply to that Leo would also be interested in. So for now, I’m gonna say he alternates between doing radio/podcasts and being a ninja/vigilante alongside Raph. But hey, I’d love to hear suggestions from you guys! ^v^

Aaaaand of course April majors in journalism and eventually becomes an awesome newscaster/investigative reporter ^v^ But hey, that’s a given, heh.

So yeah, those are all my ideas on what jobs the boys could have, should they decide to become members of human/yokai society instead of just being super awesome ninjas of the night and the heroes of NYC. 

[agentplutonium]

I actually will back you up on this because I can go ON about Nexus. The Blood Moon series has been on my mind most recently, because *gestures to PK's points* yeah. You def won't regret it if you check it out cause the characters are literally so lovable and so shakeable. It gives just enough of a mystery vibe for you Sweetheart kinnies to get hooked (*cough* how I got hooked *cough*) and there's a little something for everyone in there.

Anyway. if you don't check it out I have to legally detain you actually. put you in a box and shake you until you listen. (/j)

Howdy friends and foes alike, you interested in getting into a new audio rp series? Well I have just the thing for you!

NeXus (created by @mr-laveau) is inching closer and closer to the infamous "cookout audio" and let me tell you, I'm. On. EDGE! We've got:

Looming threats of action from some fuck ass vampires know as the Bouchardes (okay TMA reference /j)

Weird looming implications after the latest video from Alonzo (the fuck you mean "Are you ready?" /lh)

So many unanswered questions, like when the fuck are Alonzo and Cher gonna meet? (We got Alonzo/Alexis meeting before the cookout audio /ref /lh)

ALSO— *ALSO* THE ART IN ANY VIDEO LOOKS SICK AS FUCK? (/POS) LIKE:

All of it! Made by Veau! Who already does all the fucking voices! (Show off /j /pos)

I'm telling you, you will not be disappointed if you check it out AND now's the perfect time to binge the Blood Moon playlist! Get all caught up just in time for whatever fuckery is brewing.

Back me up here @maxpaulll @agentplutonium /hj /lh

Anyways *goes to listen to Uriah speak again because AUGH* /pos