Episode 3 of Wandavision had dropped and there’s plenty to discuss. As Emil Blonsky once said this is a whole new level of weirdness, and we ended last week with Wanda revealing that she was pregnant. Now though this episode, she doesn’t get an ULTRON sound..ey having that, clearly, the children are a big focus of what’s going on.
Why Did She Make Herself Pregnant?
In the first entry, we watched as Visions boss Mr Hart started hammering his hand whilst asking why the pair didn’t have any kids. In the second episode, there was a big committee built towards doing things for them and you’d have to be blind to not have the VISION to see that it’s the children that they’re after.
Terrible puns.
Because Wanda can alter reality I believe that the true villains of the show had been trying their best to subliminally plant the idea in her head that she needed to have kids. We’ll talk about how this ties into the overall plot and where things could be going later on but after multiple watches of the first two episodes, I think it becomes clear that Wanda likely WANDERED into this town, was manipulated by Agnes and whoever she’s working for and she transformed this landscape into the sitcom show that we see.
My editor Christian from Bynd Epic went through the old trailers and discovered a moment in which it looked like Monica was about to put her hand into the bubble and we can see that from the outside that the town looks fine. This makes me believe that whoever is getting Wanda to do this doesn’t want the rest of the world to know and thus is making things seem normal from the outside. This is clearly a metaphor that carries over to the show itself as everything looks bright and bubbly in this sitcom world but we know beneath the surface that something else is going on.
Mephisto Clues
Agnes wants the kids and if the theories about Mephisto aka The Devil being behind it all are true then he’s likely engineered everything to get her.
In the first two entries, there was the discussion between Agnes and Dotty in which they said the devils in the detail, that’s not the only place that he is and Vision had a stick of Big Red Gum which could be a nod to him. In the Loki trailer there is also a moment in which we can see Satan in a stained glass window so meh, all clues are pointing towards him being behind it all.
In the comics when Wanda fell pregnant it was revealed that her babies were being used to carry the souls of demons and though that’s just a fan theory for now looking at not only the source material but also the clues and hints it all seems to line up.
Is Hydra Involved?
Though we don’t know whether Hydra will be playing a part in this or not, their logo did feature in episode 2 and I just wanna shout out @HooligansBarrie on Twitter for pointing out that the tentacles in it look like 666. Now that that might be a reach, if we take the symbolism of the logos and look at the SWORD one it looks like a SWORD that is piercing through a bubble to burst it.
The episode itself ends with a big reveal that we’ll talk about later on in the video but it’s very clear that there are indeed people trying to investigate the truth of the matter.
Hexagon Symbols
I think this highlights that their mission is to try and save Wanda from the bubble reality that she is trapped in and that Mephisto and Agnes or rather Agatha will try and do what they can to stop this from happening. Hexagons appear throughout the series, especially in the credits and they could highlight that the pair have been hexed. It’s also possible that they could be hinting toward Wanda’s own Hex powers from the comics. In the original works, she was able to craft Hex spheres, bolts and more and it is possible that by the end of the series that she will have developed these.
Brady Bunch Inspiration
Now episode 3 itself pulls heavily from the seventies sitcom The Brady Bunch in both its style and decor. If you look back at old photographs of The Brady Bunch House you will clearly see that they have modelled not only the timber work from the house but the way the stairs work too.
The similarities go beyond this and if you’re a fan of sitcoms in general then you may have heard of something called Cousin Oliver Syndrome. In the Brady Bunch when ratings started to slip the creative team behind the show brought in an extended member of the family called Cousin Oliver out of nowhere.
Cousin Oliver Syndrome itself basically refers to a show bringing in a cute character to try and boost viewership and if we take that idea and apply it to Wandavision then the pregnancy which popped out of nowhere could be making jabs at the motif. However, as we’ve discussed it’s clearly part of the plot and is a smart way to not only play homage to the stereotypes but use them to advance the story.
Now the Brady Bunch-inspired opening and theme itself show a bit of a mistake in the makeup department. When Vision is on the swing if you look closely at his shirt you’ll see that they didn’t apply the makeup to his arm and his skin can be seen beneath the sleeve. Naughty Naughty. I also kinda get the feeling that Vision himself subliminally knew that he was getting twins as he builds two swings and a see-saw, both of which can only be used by two children.
Upgraded TV
The pregnancy book he reads also looks very ominous and it’s almost occult in several ways due to the shadowy figure standing against the blood-red background. The name is difficult to make out but it appears to say Agatha however let me know if I’m wrong as it goes by so quickly.
The words ‘in colour’ also appear and this was actually seen as a big upgrade at the time in tv. The show itself has gone from black and white to being coloured so this is a nice little meta joke over how the show is transformed.
Throughout the episode, we can also see that the camera techniques used have been massively upgraded over the last entry. In the prior episodes, most shots were static whereas here they’re far more dynamic, mimicking techniques that were adopted at the time. This shows how much attention Marvel was paying to what was going on in television during the seventies and it’s definitely something they should be applauded for.
Doctor’s Appointment
It’s not too long before we see a doctor listening to the heartbeat of the baby. He’s unable to detect twins which are later revealed and to me, this signifies that Wanda may have manifested them after the pair were torn between the names but we’ll talk about that in just a bit.
We learn that the Doctor himself is planning a trip to Bermuda, and I’m sure you’re well aware of the Bermuda Triangle. The area itself also has the nickname the Devil’s triangle which could further tie back to Mephisto. It’s a loosely defined location in which several aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
This is of course similar to how we now know that the town has disappeared along with its occupants. The Doctor himself could’ve come in and vanished similar to how Monica has and therefore this idea of Bermuda is in the back of his mind and influencing his idea of escaping.
Illusion Confusion
Now outside I love how we see Ralph cutting a brick wall and you might notice behind him that the background is painted on rather than being an actual field. He seems lost in the illusion and it is possible that this wall used to be a fence which is why the confusion comes over it. However, he may be another character which we’ll get to later.
Superspeed
We see Vision demonstrate his superspeed in catching a papaya, and this actually ties into the children that the pair had in the comics. Together they created Wiccan and Speed, two mutants blessed with incredible gifts, the latter of which was superspeed. This seems like the direction that they are going too, as they go back and forth over the names of their children and can’t settle on Tommy or Billy.
Now interestingly enough, Billy and Tommy were also the names given to the two that were possessed by demon souls in the comics and after they were vanquished they were later re-incarnated as Wiccan and Speed. I think anyway those old comics are all over the place and like Wanda herself, Marvel seems to enjoy pressing the reset button and removing things from the timeline.
I think that the show will probably skip the evil demon soul versions and probably just go straight into the Wiccan and Speed versions and then combine the backstory with Mephisto and Agnes likely wanting to possess them.
Stork Symbolism
Wanda has a stork painted on the wall and this later comes to life perhaps signifying how she was able to bring Vision back from the dead. If that is the case then this isn’t the version that we have come to know and it is possible that when this reality falls apart eventually that he goes with it too. I think it would be a heartbreaking way to end the show with him dying once more and it could set Wanda up as a villain going forward similar to how she is in House Of M. Well I say villain she’s just doing her own thing.
Idyllic Westview
Now there is a cool little cut to the neighbours and we see a newspaper being read with the headline two fire hydrants added on main. Similar to the last newspaper article which was about a baby’s first words, it’s barely front-page newsworthy and feels disconnected from anything with major consequences. We know that the Snap and Blip have happened on the outside world and this not appearing anywhere shows how idyllic this world is.
Wanda is in Control
There’s a strange rumbling in the house and this could be the Agents Of SWORD outside trying to infiltrate the reality or carry out experiments on it. Later we do see spotlights shining on the location and there’s a bright beam that appears in the living room, perhaps linking the two.
Either way, It’s clear that Wanda is controlling it all and will do anything to keep up the illusion and once more she rewinds time when Vision starts to question Westview and the reality they live in. She did this last time with the beekeeper and carries it out here only we see things purely from Vision’s perspective and the jarring cut snaps you out of questioning beyond it.
It’s really smartly edited as it’s not too long before we stop questioning things and once more get sucked into it.
Now I did start to feel a lot of Truman Show vibes in this entry especially as the characters, on the whole, seem completely unaware that they’re part of the TV show. Anytime the illusion is almost broken, drastic measures are taken to reset things and Vision’s suit even looks very similar to the one Jim Carrey wears in that movie.
Commercial
Now cut to the commercial and this time we get some cool 70 cube effects. It’s another nod to Hydra but most importantly we see the woman and man return. Still, we have no idea who these are and they may be Wanda’s parents. They’re always pulled into something that heavily influenced her life and such as the Stark missile or Hydra itself. They don’t appear anywhere else in the show outside of this and that could be because if Wanda came face to face with them that it would break the reality much in the same way that the mention of Ultron and Pietro did.
I’ve also seen people saying that they could be Mephisto and death and the line Find The Goddess within could signify that.
Meeting Geraldine/Foxy/Monica…
After her water breaks, we do get the soap commercial so perhaps they are linked on a level that we don’t quite know yet.
When Vision flees to get a doctor the stork comes to life and we’re then greeted by Geraldine or rather Monica. Last week she didn’t know her name until her hand actually touched Wanda’s and therefore it’s likely that it was implanted into Monica’s head. After saying Geraldine in this entry for the first time, Monica says “no no no it’s Foxy” and though this could be the coat that she’s referencing it may also mean that she’s changed her name as Foxy was as Foxy Brown is a character that Monica’s look seems to be based upon.
This week she’s pretty much a caricature, and it could be referencing how black people were portrayed more as stereotypes in sitcoms that featured predominantly white casts.
Monica tells the story of how she had a meeting about her temp job with her boss Mr Haddock. Haddock is of course a fish and they appear patterned on her pants, perhaps showing that people’s subconscious in this reality affects the things around them.
The stork appears and tries to walk around the area and Wanda tries to make it disappear with her red smoke powers but it’s unable to. Red smoke is of course a symbol of the devil and it could explain why the Stork doesn’t vanish.
The noise of it snaps Monica out of her character but after Wanda explains its chirping is the ice maker she quickly flows back into the script.
Now an interesting thing about Monica is that she has a sword necklace on, further tying back to her role on the outside. We do know that she is part of the organisation and was sent in to get her and likely will report on the outside exactly what happened. Her necklace was also clearly brought on by her subconscious too and yeah I’m sick of saying that as well.
Now the weird thing about Vision is that he doesn’t mind showing his super speed to the doctor and I don’t really know why this doesn’t cause further alarm. Either way, everyone seems to be distracted completely by the pregnancy.
Twins Arrive
Wanda gives birth to two babies and notes that Tommy is strong, potentially hinting toward the powers that he could have. Another bambino pops out and it’s only when Monica looks over them that things start to go weird. Now we did see in the trailers for the show that it was actually Monica that flung her out of reality however that scene is completely cut and we’re left wondering what happened.
We know though yeah because I’ve just spoiled it.
The doctor decides not to leave and says that the reality is hard to escape from and questioning that Vision then sees Agnes and Ralph discussing something. I think that Ralph may actually be Mephisto as he’s the one who gave the big red gum to Vision last week. Agnes also says that he looks better in the dark, perhaps hinting at him working in the shadows. However, he does hint that he may not be real and almost blabs what’s going on.
Forcing Monica Out
They clearly want Monica gone and try to make vision turn on her by mentioning that she has no home. This is, of course, a homely location and thus the negative connotations would affect Vision’s perception of her. They do get their own way and it’s not too long before they’re gone. When Pietro is brought up this also brings up the idea of Wanda to her and this is likely because as a member of SWORD she is well aware of the ins and outs of Sokovia.
I love how Wanda sings a song in her native tongue and it’s clear that she starts to remember her life which begins to break the illusion. Rather than facing the reality of the situation though, she throws Monica away.
All a Dream?
On the outside, we see the true sign for Westview highlighting that it is indeed a real location. The first initials of W and V of course apply to Wanda and Vision and I love how they’ve managed to line them up.
We also hear the song Sleepy Jean in the background which could tie back into the dream theory that we had last time. I don’t wanna spend ages talking about that again but if you checked out our last video then you’ll know that in the ads for Wandavision that the narrator said dreaming instead of streaming.
Therefore we can take it that this is actually a dream that has come into reality and I’m guessing we will see a lot of things from SWORDs perspective next time involving their investigation into the bubble.
Review
Now I have to say that I think this episode is a big step up from the first two. I can see why Disney released the first three for review as those two on their own just felt a bit meh to me. However, as you start to get a clearer picture here of what’s going on and things begin to slot into place it just makes every single ironic joke, the strange character beats and more make sense. I think most people would’ve come back after last week as we trust Marvel know what they’re doing and if the episodes keep getting better each time as they have then I’m looking forward to what’s around the corner.
I had genuine chills in the conversation with Monica and I love that the show can switch on a dime in a second. It goes from absurdly laughable to very very tense and tonally it works excellently in my opinion now that we have an understanding of the mechanics of the show and at least some context.
Though I did watch sitcoms like Bewitched and so on, things like the Brady Bunch are easier for me to relate to but let me know if you’re still lost on the show in the comments below.
Spoiler Alert – Leaks Ahead
Now for the next part of the post, we’re gonna be talking about one of the big leaks that have just come out in regards to the show so this is a heavy spoilers warning.
Anyway if you’ve been following all the updates on the show then you will have seen that a Spanish voice actor actually confirmed that they are dubbing Evan Peters who will be playing Quicksilver.
What do you mean it’s telling you stuff like that which is exactly why Disney doesn’t want to work with me?
Well, I have actually waited over a week to talk about this and the story broke last Saturday and was then later confirmed by Andy Signore. Though we don’t know how Quicksilver will be brought across to the show just yet it does, of course, open the door for others from the multiverse such as the X-men cast and Deadpool to drop in and enter the MCU. We already know that Ryan Reynolds is signed on to do multiple Marvel movies now and Wanda may open a portal when trying to resurrect her brother and this could bring the Fox version into the MCU timeline.
It’s really gonna bridge the gap between the franchises and it also means that Kevin Feige can pick and choose from the casts to see which actors he wants to work with.
Sorry, Sophie Turner…my mum says I’m only allowed 3 people in to play.
I’m just kidding she was alright, wasn’t she?
I think that ever since Days of Future Past that Feige has wanted to get Quicksilver over as he’s one of the coolest characters in it. It also can usher in his father Magneto which could lend itself to Wanda and there are so many amazing opportunities to tie everything together.
Now that’s obviously a big spoiler but I did warn you but so far that’s one of the only things I’ve seen leaked about the show.
Anyway, that wraps up our episode 3 breakdown and if you want something else to watch then make sure you check out our video on how to Kill Vision if it ever comes down to it. Also, drop a comment below if you have any other thoughts or theories as people’s input last time definitely helped me to collect my thoughts for this one.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.