Isn’t it nice to have a trailer that has enough to be interesting but doesn’t give the whole plot away? Let’s just say I prefer this type of promotional tactic a lot more than the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer. But the trailer for the upcoming web television miniseries WandaVision puts us on a great Easter egg hunt. Leaving the viewer with so many questions at the end, the trailer gives us no choice, we all need to get Disney + accounts ASAP.
A lot of questions come up immediately in the first 10 seconds of this trailer. Vision is alive? Vision and Wanda, also known as Scarlet Witch, are a suburban couple? Why did it take me this long to add “Twilight Time” by The Platters to my Spotify playlist? As we see Vision and Wanda apparently living an ideal, suburban life together it’s important to consider the two’s recent past.
Wanda has lost everything. That’s even what she says to Thanos in Avengers: Endgame on account of the Mad Titan (RIP) killing Vision in Avengers: Infinity War. “You took everything from me.” This is true. Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we see her lose it all. And it wasn’t like she had much to begin with when we were first introduced to Wanda Maximoff. At age ten, she and her twin brother, Pietro, lose their parents when a mortar shell hits their apartment. Years later, in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Pietro, better known as Quicksilver, dies in the Battle of Sokovia.
Fast forward to Captain America: Civil War, and Wanda, now with the Avengers, becomes very close with Vision. She’s even heartbroken when she has to overpower him to take Captain America’s side in the film. That pain only escalates in Infinity War when she has to kill Vision herself. Even when Thanos snaps his fingers and Wanda evaporates to dust there’s a look on her face of peace. She seems to be at peace and ready to be with her dead lover. She’s, of course, revived in Endgame, unlike Vision. So, wouldn’t it make sense for her to create some kind of false reality since she’s lost everything?
Well, the WandaVision trailer has spilled the beans (or wine) on that question. One of the wine bottles that Wanda is holding is translated (written in French) as “House of Contempt”. But the M logo on the top of the bottle gives away a key piece of the puzzle. “House of M” is a Marvel storyline in which Wanda has a mental breakdown and tries to alter reality. The context of that storyline up to the point of Wanda’s breakdown is a lot different but a House of M route completely makes sense here.
Wanda’s control over this reality appears to be unclear. Throughout the short clip, she and Vision begin to realize something isn’t quite right in this ideal life. This world has commercialized portrayals of an ideal American suburb that spans over decades. We see references to Bewitched (1960’s), That 70’s Show (1990’s), and the 1980’s with Agnes’ Richard Simmons-like workout gear. Agnes is Wanda and Vision’s “nosy neighbor” and there is definitely a lot more to her backstory that the trailer doesn’t reveal. The question is whether Wanda and Vision want this reality, or are being deceived, and if so, by who?
Probably the two most telling scenes of the trailer come towards the end. Vision touches the face of Agnes, and it appears as though she is awakening from a trance. We’ve seen the mind stone have the ability to hypnotize people so it’s fair to assume that the stone can do the opposite. Agnes then asks Vision, “Am I dead?” Bewildered, Vision says, “No, why would you think that?” Agnes responds, “Because you are.” The combination of Vision not knowing that he died in Infinity War and Agnes’ apparent escape from a trance suggests that someone sinister is pulling the strings.
Perhaps it could be an intelligence agency. The second most revealing scene in the movie is when Captain Marvel’s ally, Monica Rambeau, seems to be flying out of a television set. We saw a young Rambeau in the Captain Marvel movie but in this trailer, she appears to be working for an intelligence agency as an undercover. But perhaps she’s hypnotized as well?
So many questions, so few answers, and such great music. December couldn’t come any sooner, or actually, it can because Halloween is my favorite holiday. So after binge-watching the good, the bad, the ugly, and the legendary of the horror genre (looking at you Suspiria) watching WandaVision will be the first thing on my Christmas list.
What did you think of the WandaVision trailer? Be sure to let us know in the comments below or send us your thoughts on Twitter!