WandaVision WandaVision: season 1 Episode 9: “Series Finale” (Spoilers)

[RockSP]

At most, it was probably just meant to be a fun little development that allowed for meta-tinged gags like Wanda's reference to Kick-Ass.

Heh, Shakman said that wasn't meant to be a reference to the movie.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Heh, Shakman said that wasn't meant to be a reference to the movie.

Hmm. That's weird.

 

[metaphysician]

*snip*
With that said, this show takes place after the snap and its unknown what kind of effect that's had on the higher planes of existence and Strange and the other sorcerers may be dealing with a lot of fallout. Wanda and Agatha may not be his biggest problem of the week.

Don't forget that the Snap lasted five years, during which there was no Sorcerer Supreme and the Order of Kamar-Taj ( probably already short on personnel from the events of Dr Strange 1 ) got cut in half. I can entirely believe that Strange, after returning from being dead for five years, would have a *ridiculously* full plate for the ensuing weeks or months.

 

[metaphysician]

No idea how this sets up Spidey 3 and Strange 2. Very dissapointing for me.

Why is setting up either of those movies more important than "Telling a complete and satisfying story about the actual main character here"?

 

[GoblinScrier]

Does anyone think Wanda was in either a mountain region outside of Sokovia, Wundagore Mountain, or fingers crossed, Latveria???

Or just some random mountain with no comic book connection???

 

[Dark Raven]

A clearer look at Wanda's Scarlet Witch costume courtesy of Hot Toys:

More in the WandaVision merchandise thread

The cape seems to have some kind of pattern on the back. But what is this pattern supposed to be? It should've been hexagons if anything. Also I would've preferred that Wanda's boots were red instead of black.

And the caped version seems to have cape clasps similar to Tyler Hoechlin's old Superman costume and the current Supergirl girl Season 7 costume. Except here it seems to be a full shoulder brace. At the end of the episode though I don't think it looked like that but was simply attached to a hood without any need for clasps or braces.

The costume looks a bit like something from Lord of the Rings.

 

[Arrow1987]

I am kinda happy Wanda escaped and wasn't arrested. I think she has punished herself enough.

 

[DarkKnight88]

There should be a spin-off series for the townspeople and their lifetime of therapy from this lol.

 

[Dark Raven]

There should be a spin-off series for the townspeople and their lifetime of therapy from this lol.

I was thinking that as well. They could call it Westview and it could star the likes of Emma Caufield, Evan Peters, Debra Jo Rupp, Fred Melamed. Asif Ali, etc. It could be a soap in a small town community, a bit like Knots Landing, Desperate Housewives or the Waltons, or even Neighbours. Think of Westview a bit like Ramsey Street with many families coming and going and many low stake plots.

 

[metaphysician]

Thats a problem with comic (movies) in general imo.

IMO, "problem" should be in scare quotes, because it presumes that death being impermanent is a problem in the first place. The truth is, death never *was* permanent. . . because these characters were fictional, and only ever stay dead until and unless the writer decides otherwise. And this isn't just for comic books, its for *all* fiction. Sherlock Holmes was dead, too, until he was not.

Abandoning the crutch of illusory permanence is, IMO, a good thing. It forces you to tell stories where the stakes are emotional and thematic, rather than using the cheap standby of assumed empathy via mortality. This is best embodied by Infinity War, where the most emotional gut punch of a scene occurred despite the audience *knowing* that all these characters would be back later. Didn't matter, because what the *characters* felt was what mattered.

 

[metaphysician]

I doubt that. Vision was doing his own investigation and I can't imagine he wouldn't have "unlocked" the townspeople as time went on. And Agatha would have shown Wanda her memories regardless of what SWORD was doing. The hex coming down was inevitable from what I can see. SWORD didn't really do anything.

Even aside from that, the overall "narrative" of the show was rapidly moving towards the present. Its highly likely that, even without prompting, eventually Wanda would have "woken up" so to speak.

Also, seriously people. Remember, moral culpability requires both knowledge and intent. You cannot be morally culpable for something you didn't intend to do or don't even know you did. And for the "But Wanda didn't act the moment she had an inkling something might be wrong" people, remember that the more Wanda found out about Westview, the more she *also* came to suspect that Vision and the kids would be at risk. This means the moral value of "freeing Westview" has to be balanced against the moral value of "killing the Vision, and Billy, and Tommy".

 

[metaphysician]

I'm thinking White Vision remembering what happened in the last three movies is like us doing a Wanda & Vision in the MCU binge prior to the series release. We saw what happened but we don't have anywhere near the same emotional connection as the actual participants.

But I agree it would stink if Feige and company tried to get the WandaVision team back together for anything other than a cup of coffee at a Wundagore area diner. I'm confident they know its better that both of them move on.

No, even better: they get together periodically because, to the reborn Tommy and Billy, White Vision is. . . sort of? . . . like their dad. Play it as an allegory for "awkward relationship between divorced parents".

 

[metaphysician]

Thanks for being condescending about it. I'm perfectly fine with shows with morally problematic characters. The difference in those shows, is those characters are treated like the monsters that they are and they pay for what they do.

At what point, exactly, did Wanda do something "monstrous"? When she succumbed to a bout of grief and blew a Use Powers skill check? When she didn't immediately jump to kill her family the moment there was a hint that the world was not perfect? When she didn't surrender herself to an organization that had already established its own bad faith in the situation?

Again: *intent matters*. Without intent there is no crime.

 

[metaphysician]

With this debate going on, it makes me wonder what side everyone here would be on for the Superhero Registration Act.

Against, as always. Because its a solution to a problem that doesn't actually solve any of the real problems, *and* it relies on good faith and trust in a group of people that have already demonstrated themselves to be no better than the status quo.

Or, "Passing a law to register all superhumans doesn't change the fundamental fact that superhumans exist who render the entire social order on which the modern nation state is built voluntary. Either people like Thor or the Scarlet Witch buy into the generally existing social order, or they do not. . . and if they do not buy into said social order, *they will win*. Governments might want to have a monopoly on strategic power, but them wanting it doesn't make it so, nor does it make any given deed to achieve that state morally justified."

 

[Zarex]

No, even better: they get together periodically because, to the reborn Tommy and Billy, White Vision is. . . sort of? . . . like their dad. Play it as an allegory for "awkward relationship between divorced parents".

Spoilers for a 6 year old comic series .... One of my favorite bits of sweetness in Tom King's mostly sour Vision comic was Viv Vision hanging out with Aunty Wanda at the conclusion of the series. It showed that the Vision and the Scarlet Witch would always be family even though they were no longer together. I think the idea of socially inept White Vision spending a day fishing with Tommy and Billy while trying to connect with them is delightful.

 

[Dark Raven]

I think White Vision might be like Spock in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home". It was Spock and he had all the memories after being reunited with his katra from "The Search for Spock". However, he wasn't quite all there yet and it took a while before he was his old self.

 

[Fosterson]

I was thinking that as well. They could call it Westview and it could star the likes of Emma Caufield, Evan Peters, Debra Jo Rupp, Fred Melamed. Asif Ali, etc. It could be a soap in a small town community, a bit like Knots Landing, Desperate Housewives or the Waltons, or even Neighbours. Think of Westview a bit like Ramsey Street with many families coming and going and many low stake plots.

Like an episode about Ralph Bohner redecorating his mancave.

 

[Fosterson]

IMO, "problem" should be in scare quotes, because it presumes that death being impermanent is a problem in the first place. The truth is, death never *was* permanent. . . because these characters were fictional, and only ever stay dead until and unless the writer decides otherwise. And this isn't just for comic books, its for *all* fiction. Sherlock Holmes was dead, too, until he was not.

Abandoning the crutch of illusory permanence is, IMO, a good thing. It forces you to tell stories where the stakes are emotional and thematic, rather than using the cheap standby of assumed empathy via mortality. This is best embodied by Infinity War, where the most emotional gut punch of a scene occurred despite the audience *knowing* that all these characters would be back later. Didn't matter, because what the *characters* felt was what mattered.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Dark Raven]

Like an episode about Ralph Bohner redecorating his mancave.

They mentioned one of the influences on Ralph was Joey Tribbiani, so I could see that we could easily have an episode about him decorating his mancave and needing some help from Herb or Dennis.

 

[Fosterson]

So apparently WandaVision is US government propaganda:

Is WandaVision ... Pentagon propaganda? | Akin Olla

Of all the hot takes I've seen on the show over the last few days, this has to be the dumbest.

 

[Dark Raven]

So apparently WandaVision is US government propaganda:

Is WandaVision ... Pentagon propaganda? | Akin Olla

Of all the hot takes I've seen on the show over the last few days, this has to be the dumbest.

I saw that and thought it was ridiculous and really going searching for something that's not there. All shows like FBI, The Blacklist, Blindspot, The X-Files, etc would have to fall into this category then. Well, any kind of procedural.

 

[X Knight]

Specially when she gets the hood at the end.

Yep! And I love the way she can suit up using her magic (which is something Raven has also done). Much more convenient and practical than searching for a phone booth!

 

[Dark Raven]

Yep! And I love the way she can suit up using her magic (which is something Raven has also done). Much more convenient and practical than searching for a phone booth!

I want the phone booth

 

[Imjenn]

This finale brought me and my fiancée to tears.

There were so many good parts. I loved the moment with Wanda, Vision, and the twins all standing together in battle ready stances. So good. "You were literally made for this." It felt so intimidating. I love what Olsen did with her accent, throughout the entire series, but this episode really showed it in a great light.

Vision settling his battle with White Vision due to discussion was great. The modulation used on White Vision's voice was perfectly unsettling, and you could almost literally see the gears in his head turning as he contemplated the thought experiment. A great way to end that conflict.

As for what really brought us to tears...warning, this next part contains mentions of personal tragedy and loss for me and my fiancée.

Spoiler: Personal tragedy story within

Wanda deciding to end the Hex made us weep. She willingly gave up her husband and kids. My fiancée and I lost our daughter last year, near the end of the pregnancy. She would have been 9 months old now. We both looked at each other when Wanda was saying goodbye to them and we said "If it were me, sorry Westview." We both would continue with the hex and keep our lost loved ones around. Maybe that makes us villains, I don't know.

The pain and grief that Wanda went through this series, I could feel it. I don't blame her for what she did. It doesn't make it right, okay, or justifiable. I don't believe there's any reason to justify subjugating people. But I get why she did it. Her pain was very relatable, and honestly, being able to end the hex probably makes her a stronger person then my fiancée and I.

I hope the rest of the Disney+ series are as good as this one. I'm really looking forward to Falcon and Winter Soldier. I don't know if I'll end up having such a personal connection though, and this series really set the bar very high for the rest of them. I know it was only meant for one season, and that Wanda will be the Multiverse of Madness, but I hope we get to see more of Vision, white Vision or otherwise.

 

[Dark Raven]

This finale brought me and my fiancée to tears.

There were so many good parts. I loved the moment with Wanda, Vision, and the twins all standing together in battle ready stances. So good. "You were literally made for this." It felt so intimidating. I love what Olsen did with her accent, throughout the entire series, but this episode really showed it in a great light.

Vision settling his battle with White Vision due to discussion was great. The modulation used on White Vision's voice was perfectly unsettling, and you could almost literally see the gears in his head turning as he contemplated the thought experiment. A great way to end that conflict.

As for what really brought us to tears...warning, this next part contains mentions of personal tragedy and loss for me and my fiancée.

Spoiler: Personal tragedy story within

Wanda deciding to end the Hex made us weep. She willingly gave up her husband and kids. My fiancée and I lost our daughter last year, near the end of the pregnancy. She would have been 9 months old now. We both looked at each other when Wanda was saying goodbye to them and we said "If it were me, sorry Westview." We both would continue with the hex and keep our lost loved ones around. Maybe that makes us villains, I don't know.

The pain and grief that Wanda went through this series, I could feel it. I don't blame her for what she did. It doesn't make it right, okay, or justifiable. I don't believe there's any reason to justify subjugating people. But I get why she did it. Her pain was very relatable, and honestly, being able to end the hex probably makes her a stronger person then my fiancée and I.

I hope the rest of the Disney+ series are as good as this one. I'm really looking forward to Falcon and Winter Soldier. I don't know if I'll end up having such a personal connection though, and this series really set the bar very high for the rest of them. I know it was only meant for one season, and that Wanda will be the Multiverse of Madness, but I hope we get to see more of Vision, white Vision or otherwise.

Sorry for your loss.

I'm glad you enjoyed the finale and that it was moving for you and maybe even helped you with your grief. Thank you also for having the courage to share your story with us.