All-New Halloween Spooktacular!
Episode 6 of WandaVision begins with another sitcom intro, this time seemingly paying homage to Malcolm In The Middle. It’s Halloween and with fourth wall breaking and the kids a lot older, Tommy and Billy decide to play a trick on their Uncle. He makes no effort to conceal his super speed powers though, while a rift begins to grow between Vision and Wanda, who disagree over what to do on Halloween. Outside the perimeter, Hayward finds himself berated by all of his colleagues who are none too happy with he way he handled Wanda last episode. Even worse, they have no idea what will happen if Wanda dies. Monica tries to get through to him but it’s useless. In fact, Hayward exiles Monica, Darcy and Jimmy Woo. On the way out though, they overpower the guards and take their weapons, donning S.W.O.R.D. disguises and ready themselves to cause havoc. In fact, back in the sitcom havoc is the key word here. Pietro is on a rampage, using his super speed to mess up Halloween for everyone. When Wanda quizzes whether Vision is on the case, it turns out he’s not actually working, despite telling her he was. Vision happens to be on the outskirts of town and notices cracks with the various residents, including a woman trying to hang decorations but stuck in a sort of malfunctioning motion. A single tear falls from her cheek. Outside the sitcom, our trio of rebels manage to find evidence pointing toward a big secret Hayward has been keeping from them. He’s figured out a way to look through the boundary. Instead of tracking Wanda though, he’s actually tracking Vision instead. As they mention that those on the outskirts of town are barely moving, we cut back inside the anomaly and see this for ourselves. Everyone is frozen in place, prompting Vision to head up above the town and get a lay of the land. He spots a single car on the outskirts of town trying to escape. It’s Agnes, trying to find the Town Square but stuck in her own loop. When Vision touches her face, she snaps out of her trance and calls Vision an Avenger and how he’s actually dead. Well, Vision is determined to figure out what’s going on and marches toward the perimeter to investigate further. Outside the anomaly, Darcy breaks the news to Monica that she seems to be changing on a molecular level. While she and Jimmy leave, Darcy stays behind and remains determined to crack the computer, convinced that there’s something big hidden inside. Well, it doesn’t take long before she stumbles upon big news. She checks the GPS tracker and finds Vision heading right for the exterior of the anomaly. Our Avenger pushes through to the other side as Darcy races out and sees him. While Hayward and the others hang back and watch, she tries in vain to help. Vision collapses on the ground, fragments of his flesh peeling away as he grits his teeth and asks anyone for help. Somehow, Billy manages to telepathically communicate with Vision outside, prompting Wanda to use her abilities to blast the anomaly and expand it out, just like Monica foretold could happen. Darcy is trapped, handcuffed to a car and pulled into the anomaly. All the soldiers there are sucked in too, but Hayward manages to get away.
The Episode Review
WandaVision returns with a great episode, one that pays homage to 90’s sitcoms while delivering a deliciously supercharged 30 minutes of drama. The split focus between both inside and outside the anomaly is a good one and it helps to pace this show nicely. In fact, 30 minutes completely fly by, much to the credit of Marvel, as more of this mystery is starting to drip feed out. This new vision (no pun intended) for Phase 4 is certainly an interesting one, delivering a small screen cinematic universe without convoluting the waters like CW have. Unlike CW’s roster of shows, forcing you to juggle three or four average episodes a week across different series to understand everything, this more streamlined approach may well be the way to go while the theatres are shut. Props to Disney and Marvel for that to be fair, who have always had a knack for creating some excellent big and small screen treats. WandaVision is another treat worth savoring though, delivering a brilliant episode that sees Monica and Darcy’s fears come to fruition. The anomaly is larger now, having consumed more people, but quite how and why this is happening still remains a mystery. In the meantime, WandaVision leaves the door wide open for next week!
