WandaVision: The Game Changer for the MCU

The new hit show WandaVision aired on Disney Plus on January 15th, 2021. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even those who would not consider themselves fans, were quick to praise WandaVision as it is something they have never seen before. This show ultimately captures the life of the married couple, Wanda Maximoff and Vision, in West View, New Jersey –  two fan favorite characters from the Avengers movies. Throughout the series, we can see that they are indeed an “unusual couple.”

What’s This All About?

 Prior to the show airing, it was said that WandaVision would take place after the events of “Avengers: Endgame (2019).” That being said, it struck the viewers surprise when the first episode began as if it were a sitcom from the 50s. As it was the first episode, people were confused as to what was going on and most importantly, they wondered why Vision was shown alive and well; a character that had died in “Avengers: Infinity War (2018).” After the first two episodes were released, more and more theories were being put out and everything began to make more sense. Wanda Maximoff, widely known as Scarlet Witch, has created her own reality so she can be with Vision. Hence why each episode takes place in a new era. Not only has she created her own reality but essentially manipulated the reality of the real world and the people in it into a sitcom. 

A “Nail-Biting” Plot

The show begins to pick up after the third episode, titled “Now in Color” (WandaVision, Disney Plus), where Wanda gives birth to twins (to which we later learn that they have powers as well just like their Mom). The woman that had helped Wanda deliver her twins, Geraldine (who we later find out is actually S.W.O.R.D agent Monica Rambeau in the real world), is thrown out of Wanda’s reality after she remences the events that took place in “Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) when Wanda briefly mentions her dead brother Pietro (popularly known as Quicksilver). Geraldine began discussing how Ultron killed her brother which caught Wanda off guard, as she is the one that controls everyone in Westview as well as their thoughts. Furthermore, she controls what goes in and what goes out of her reality. This means that they do not have any recollection of their life before Westview, so the fact that Geralidine knows about her brother only meant one thing; she was an intruder. In episode 4, we find out more about how the real world is perceiving this made up reality and more about Agent Monica Rambeau. In the real world, there is a big barrier between the real Westview and Wanda’s Westview in which there are many trailers belonging to the S.W.O.R.D agency (a counterpoint to SHIELD, the agency we see in all previous movies in the MCU). 

Wait… WHO Did Wanda Recast?

Speaking of Pietro being dead, fans were left on the edge of their seats when he showed up at Wanda’s door at the end of episode 5. Not only was it a shock to fans that Pietro was back, it was not the actor that played him in “Avengers: Age Of Ultron.” Instead, it was the actor that played Quicksilver in the X-Men movies. 

The Future of The MCU

Some think that it was a harmless recast, but the fact that it was the actor that portrayed Quicksilver in the X-Men movies (Evan Peters) has to mean something. In the past, X-Men could not be in the MCU as Marvel was bought by Disney and the X-Men franchise was bought by Fox. There were two characters going by the name Quicksilver, one in the MCU, and one in the X-Men movies. However, Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019 allowed Kevin Feige to reboot the X-Men in the MCU. Therefore, having Evan Peters come back playing the same character he did in X-Men now in the MCU could be the beginning of X-Men characters being introduced. It can also tie into the upcoming movie “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (said to release on March 25, 2022), in which it is confirmed that Wanda will have an appearance. Having said that, Evan Peters’ Quicksilver returning illustrates that Wanda has the capability to go into multiverses; which is a big deal for future Marvel films, especially in the third Spider-Man movie (releasing December 17, 2021). The recast could be an inside joke referring to the two Quicksilvers, but fans are optimistic about it being more. Well, what do you think? Do you agree that this is a harmless recast meant for laughs? Or do you believe that this was set to change the future of the MCU?

Works Cited 

Chin, Daniel. “The Fifth Episode of ‘WandaVision’ Totally Changes the Future of the MCU.” The Ringer, The Ringer, 5 Feb. 2021, www.theringer.com/tv/2021/2/5/22268528/wandavision-episode-5-recap-pietro-evan-peters-mcu-implications.

Marston, George. “What Is SWORD in WandaVision? The Marvel Organization’s Comic Book History Explained.” Newsarama, GamesRadar+, 15 Jan. 2021, www.gamesradar.com/what-is-sword-and-how-could-it-appear-in-the-marvel-cinematic-universe/.

Patches, Matt. “WandaVision’s Episode 5 Cameo Signals the Future of Marvel.” Polygon, Polygon, 5 Feb. 2021, www.polygon.com/disney-plus/2021/2/5/22267932/wandavision-episode-5-cameo-explained.