«WandaVision», Season 1, Episode 4: «We Interrupt this Programme»

First off: this discussion of the series includes spoilers! So watch the fourth episode of «WandaVision» before you read on.

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«Okay... But why?»

I’m sure I’m not the only one to have asked myself this question. More than once. It was quite a regular occurrence, in fact, while watching «WandaVision» – Marvel's first MCU superhero series (yeah, I'm not gonna count the Netflix heroes here).

Last week, we chipped away more and more at the concept of a sitcom series from past decades. We got closer to the core of the series. And not just content-wise; visually, too. I’m certainly happy about that. But there’s one thing that’s really got me hooked: all the «House of M» references.

We’re at Episode 4. Will the «House of M» event from the comics actually become reality in the show? Come to think of it, what the hell is reality here anyway? Let's clear that up – with the best WTF moments and Easter Eggs from Episode 4, «We Interrupt this Programme».

We have a historical anchor

The fourth episode begins by dropping quite the bomb on us – timeline-wise, we pick up at the end of «Avengers: Endgame». To be precise, we pick up at Tony Stark – actually, Hulk – snapping his fingers, which undid the «Blip» – sorry, «Snap» (thanks for catching those errors, @failmau5). This finger snap by Hulk brought back to life all those that Thanos’ finger snap once erased from the space-time continuum back in «Avengers: Infinity War».

In the middle of it all is Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), whose molecules are in the process of reassembling themselves; meanwhile, Carol Danvers’ aka Captain Marvel's voice can be heard off camera, affectionately calling Monica «Lieutenant Trouble» as a child.

So, for the first time, there’s no cheerful sitcom intro. No black and white image. Or in 8-bit colour. We’re in our reality. In the present. In a hospital. And Monica hasn’t yet even realised she’s been out of it for three – no, five – years (thanks @calinew). Last she knows, she was there with her mother, Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), who was being treated for cancer.

The entire hospital scene is fantastic; the confusion, the fear, the chaos... all those who had been left behind realising that the people believed to be lost are returning. And those returning – their confusion, which promptly turns into fear and panic once they learn what cruel fate they’ve escaped.

This scene gives us viewers an angle that hasn’t been covered until now. And more than that, it gives us a historical anchor. We already know that Vision has been dead since «Avengers: Infinity War». But we don’t know why he’s still alive in «WandaVision». We don’t even know if «WandaVision» takes place in the present. Not with certainty. But as far as we know at this point, «WandaVision» is set after «Avengers: Endgame».

It gets even more concrete in the next scene. It’s set at S.W.O.R.D. headquarters, where Monica Rambeau reports back for duty.

«It’s been three weeks, and you’re the first to report.» These are the words of welcome Monica Rambeau receives from the new director, Tyler Hayward (Josh Stamberg). He succeeded Maria Rambeau after she died of cancer.

So, the series begins three weeks after «Avengers: Endgame».

Monica Rambeau aka Lieutenant Trouble and Photon

On the way to the mission briefing, Rambeau and Hayward walk past a picture of former S.W.O.R.D. director – Rambeau's mother aka Maria «Photon» Rambeau. It’s a reference to Monica Rambeau’s superhero status in the comics.

Long story short: in a former life, Monica was a lieutenant in the New Orleans Harbour Patrol. One day, while trying to stop a criminal scientist from building a powerful superweapon, she’s bombarded with extradimensional energy.

Et voilà: from then on, Monica Rambeau has the ability to convert her body into pure energy. Basically, she has powers similar to those of Captain Marvel in the movies.

In fact, in the comics, the media initially nicknames her just that – Captain Marvel. And as Rambeau experiments with her new powers, she meets Spider-Man, who’s kind enough to introduce her to the Avengers, who give her extra training. Later – much later – she joins the Avengers and even becomes their interim leader.

In the comics, it’s all haywire. Rambeau even fights the X-Men themselves at one point. She also loses her powers. Then gets them back. It’s all a big mess. And then she relinquishes the title of Captain Marvel out of respect, because she's not actually the original Captain Marvel. Her new name: Photon.

In the MCU, things are (still) quite different. Monica Rambeau’s nothing but an ordinary S.W.O.R.D. agent who believes that there aren’t only enemies in space, but also allies. That might be why she disapproves of S.W.O.R.D.’s plans to build weapons to defend against extraterrestrial threats.

Might these be the weapons that will soon give Monica her powers, kind of like in the comics?

A reunion with two old acquaintances

The world is... a village. This is especially true for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Monica is ordered to team up with FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park). The Jimmy Woo we know from «Ant-Man». The one who’s super taken by Scott Lang's (Paul Rudd) card tricks.

Woo appears to have mastered said card tricks himself in the meantime – pay attention to how he draws his business card.

Genius. Awesome reference.

It's also Woo who brings Rambeau (and us viewers) up to speed, and finally sheds some light on the situation at hand. He explains that he was actually called in because a witness from the witness protection program disappeared. But he then noticed that the whole city of Westview appears to be missing. And no one seems to remember that the city even exists. Not even the two local cops standing right in front of the Westview sign.

Later, after Monica Rambeau accidentally gets sucked into the alternate sitcom reality, another old MCU acquaintance shows up:

Doctor Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings).

The astrophysicist does some research. She finds out that Westview is surrounded by an energy field that emits cosmic rays tracing back to the Big Bang itself. What’s more, there’s a television signal superimposed on the cosmic rays. The signal’s frequency translates into a television series.

«WandaVision».

«So you’re saying the universe created a sitcom starring two Avengers?» asks a perplexed Jimmy Woo.

Doubtful. I have a different theory.

Agnes – a powerful witch?

My theory starts with the bulletin board covered in photos of all the people featured in «WandaVision» (the series within the series). Complete with New Jersey ID, identifying their real identities. But in the case of one picture, the ID is missing. If you zoom in close enough, you can see that this person’s last name is also missing. There’s nothing but «Agnes».

Who is Agnes really?

Agnes. The black-haired woman, portrayed by Kathryn Hahn. The actress herself once said in an interview that she was only engaged as the «nosy neighbour». But there might be more to this nosy neighbour.

Some detail-oriented fans have already questioned this.

In the first episode, for example, Wanda and Agnes talk about an anniversary. Agnes mentions a date, almost by the by. The second of June. She says it’s the date she got married to her no-good husband, Ralph. But 2 June 1692 is also the day the first official witch trial took place in Salem. And in the comics, that’s basically the birth of the witch cult of New Salem. Who was its leader? Agatha Harkness.

Agnes. Agatha Harkness... okay, now things get really exciting.

In the comics, Agatha Harkness is a powerful witch who’s over thousands of years of age. She’s a constant adversary of the Avengers. She’s also Wanda’s mentor ad interim, teaching her the art of chaos magic – according to comic-book Agatha, the mastery of said magic is Wanda's actual mutant power, anyway.

What's more, in the prequel to «House of M», it’s Agatha who teaches Wanda the magic she uses to create her children – who are later absorbed and killed by the diabolical Mephisto, driving Wanda mad and setting up the cataclysmic events of «House of M».

Perhaps in «WandaVision», Wanda turned to Agatha to bring Vision back to life. Or at least to a reality in which he’s still alive. Maybe Agatha tricks Wanda in the process. Or manipulates her. Even though Rambeau says at the end of the episode, «It’s Wanda. It’s all Wanda». I’m convinced this is a narrative trick to lure us viewers onto the wrong track.

And it would explain why there’s no New Jersey ID for the ancient witch.

Also, what’s up with this Ralph guy, supposedly Agnes' husband, whom no one has ever seen? What if this husband is none other than Mephisto himself? In case you haven’t read my last episode review, Mephisto is one of the most dangerous, immortal demonic beings around – maybe even the devil himself. Mephisto is also an excellent liar, constantly on the hunt for souls, and powerful enough to bend the past and present to his will.

In the comics, it’s Mephisto who manipulates Wanda to create this alternate reality with the reanimated twins. It could also be him in the series. Together with Agnes aka Agatha. Now that would be one outrageously dangerous duo. Possibly even more dangerous than Thanos himself.

Oh, and speaking of that new S.W.O.R.D. director, Tyler Hayward... he seems very suss to me. Just sayin’. Wink wink.

Verdict

If I wasn't already hyped about the series, I would be by now at the latest. There are too many signs, too many hints. They all point to events that – if done just half as well as in the comics – would make waves in the MCU even more massive than the end of «Avengers: Infinity War».

And Marvel’s just letting these waves loose in the form of a series. Props.

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What did you think of this episode? Are there any more Easter eggs I've missed? Let me know in the comments. See you next Friday for the next episode discussion. It’s bound to be brilliant.