Nishan Chakrabartty
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been enthralling viewers since its inception with ‘Iron Man.’ Surpassing three phases of developments and an entire saga of Marvel heroes and their quests, MCU stands in the throes of its fourth phase. Marvel released information about a slew of series that frame the fourth phase, with the first being ‘WandaVision.’ The series is unlike the previous films’ straightforward narratives.
‘WandaVision’ follows the events after ‘Avengers: Endgame’ where Thanos is defeated by the Avengers, and the effects of his snap are reversed. Created by Jac Schaeffer, the show follows Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) settling down in an idyllic neighborhood by the name of Westview. They try to adjust to the new place and also within their neighborhood. Constantly struggling to keep their identities hidden, Wanda’s and Vision’s existence is shot in the 1950’s sitcom style, with perky dialogues that hold the narrative together.
The first episode follows their settlement in Westview and gives us a glimpse of their lives. It is interesting to note that Vision was not resurrected after the events of ‘Endgame,’ but we see him and the mind stone intact. The premiere doesn’t delve much into the existence of Vision immediately but follows a careful approach peppered with clues about the narrative’s direction. We decided to look further into the details, and here’s what we found out. SPOILERS AHEAD.
WandaVision Episode 1 Recap
Wanda and Vision are a happily married couple who move into an idyllic home in Westview. We see Vision and Wanda exercising their powers to move things around the house and exchanging some witty dialogues, eliciting laughter from the audience. They both see a heart-shaped mark above the date on the calendar, and both of them can’t seem to decipher the reason behind it. Vision tells Wanda that he can’t forget things because of his abilities as an android. Nevertheless, they fail to determine what the occasion is.
Vision leaves for his workplace in disguise, and Wanda is visited by her neighbor, Agnes, a chatty and humorous woman who enquires about Wanda’s life. Agnes also enquires about the occasion of the day, and abruptly, in the flow of the conversation, Wanda says that it is their marriage anniversary. Meanwhile, Vision is seen working at his office, Computational Services Inc., where he is typing at breakneck speed and is able to complete his work quite efficiently.
His colleague compliments him, saying that he is a “walking computer,” to which Vision curtly replies that he is not. Vision’s boss, Mr. Hart, promptly enters the office and asks Vision about dinner that evening. Vision is able to see through the wordplay, i.e., dinner with Mr. Hart was marked with the symbol of a heart. As the dinner has important implications for his job, Vision telephones Wanda and asks her about the arrangements. Wanda replies that everything is being taken care of but is oblivious to the truth. The miscommunication then sets off a chain of hilarious yet weird events.
Upon reaching their house, Vision finds that arrangements for the dinner are yet to be made. He clarifies the situation with Wanda, who gets flustered at the sudden change of plans. She has to cook a proper meal for the four of them and finds herself at horn’s bay. Agnes helps Wanda with the food and recipes but is coaxed to leave by Wanda. Using her magical powers, she starts cooking but with a fair share of problems. In the end, she manages to prepare a meal, and when the four of them sit for dinner, certain questions bring to light the inherent confusion of the couple’s narrative.
WandaVision Episode 1 Ending Explained: Is Westview an Alternate Reality?
At the dinner table, Mr. Hart keeps on asking pressing questions about the reason behind Wanda’s and Vision’s move to Westview and details about their marriage. The questions leave Wanda and Vision baffled, and they can’t seem to answer them. This situation perhaps explains that neither Wanda nor Vision has any memory of the past and are unable to figure out the origins of their idyllic life in Westview. While eating, Mr. Hart starts to choke on the food and collapses on the floor.
Wanda tells Vision to help him, and using his phasing powers, takes out the stuck morsel from Mr. Hart’s throat. Apparently, Mr. and Mrs. Hart are impressed by the couple and leave their house. What is surprising is Mr. Hart’s nonchalance at the exhibition of Vision’s power. This little incident points to the fact that Westside is perhaps an alternate reality inhabited by Wanda and Vision. In the end, the camera zooms out from the square aspect ratio into a console with a large screen, being run by a person. The episode ends with the words “Please Stand By,” which makes us wonder about the reality being a simulated one.
Another important filler in the episode is the television commercial about a toaster named ToastMate 2000, an innovation by Stark Industries. The ominous beeping of the toaster is perhaps symbolic of the hidden dangers behind the comedic existence of Wanda and Vision. This particular advertisement connects the narrative of ‘WandaVision’ to the overarching universe, and it remains to be seen what exactly is going on in Wanda’s and Vision’s lives. The first episode sets up an intriguing plot, and we can’t help but wonder about all the twists and turns that ‘WandaVision’ has in store for us.
Read More: Where is WandaVision Filmed?
