And on the other side of that are those viewers critical of the MCU who remain disappointed that WandaVision ended with a superpowered battle, perhaps forgetting that as unique as WandaVision is, it was always based in the world of comics where even the most challenging thematic considerations end in fisticuffs. There seems to be a pull between wanting WandaVision to do more with its comic book influences and to do less with them, ignoring the fact that the show did exactly what it set out to do since it was announced, and still delivered more than expected.
Much has already been written about the issues of fan expectations, and the inevitable disappointment that comes when viewers believe creators owe them something. Rather than repeat those points, it seems at this stage, regardless of how you felt about the finale, it is more beneficial to focus on what we did get from WandaVision in terms of the series being additive to the MCU, both in terms of emotional arcs and Marvel mythos. Sure, we didn’t get X-Men, Doctor Strange, Mephisto, Squadron Supreme, Nicholas Scratch, or Reed Richards, but what we did get are characters and concepts certain to have major repercussions on the MCU for a long time to come.
It’s almost too easy at this point in superhero pop culture, with characters dominating television and cinemas to take for granted everything that has been introduced onscreen, just on the MCU side of things alone. As someone who grew up reading comics in the ’90s, the thought of seeing Thor, Captain America, Iron Man and Spider-Man united together onscreen was a dream. But the idea that there would come a day when we’d see Scarlet Witch battling Agatha Harkness, and Vision caught in a philosophical conversation with his all-white counterpart seemed entirely implausible. And yet, here we are. In fact, we’ve gotten so many comic book concepts and characters introduced in the MCU over the past 13 years that it seems like we’ve already forgotten all that we received in efforts to both predict and look forward to the next big thing. WandaVision may not have blown open the doors of the multiverse to set up Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but we shouldn’t forget that we already have the multiverse teed up, not only in the dialogue of Doctor Strange (2016), but also in the fact that we had an alternate universe’s Thanos and Gamora walking around in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Some of the big things fans were expecting have already been introduced, which makes me wonder if we’re really absorbing what these stories are doing, or treating them like commercials for the next project.
Of course part of the fun of the MCU is looking forward to what’s next, how one installment leads to another. It’s that building block structure that has created so many comic book fans over the years. And WandaVision definitely sets up some key plot points for the future in terms of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Captain Marvel 2, Secret Invasion, and others I’m sure we won’t even realize until the moment comes. In the nine-episode narrative that points directly to Wanda’s emotional arc and beyond, we got S.W.O.R.D., Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) along with the origin story for her powers, Agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), Dr. Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), future Young Avengers Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy Maximoff (Jett Klyne), Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), the Darkhold, a new Vision, and the Scarlet Witch as both a concept and Wanda’s new title. Let’s be real: that’s a lot. And each one of those components is worked in naturally, and surprisingly handled without the series losing sight on Wanda.
This isn’t to say WandaVision is perfect, but to call attention to the fact that the series offered much more than some of Marvel’s films have in the past, and did it better. WandaVision opened new doorways while delivering a character arc that never wavered in terms of who we know Wanda to be within this universe. If we’re really going to address both the strengths and weakness of Marvel Studios’ projects going forward, we should come to terms with whether we expect the film or miniseries that was announced, or an extended trailer for something else down the line. Marvel Studios is never going to break away from the established format of Marvel Comics, but it can’t push boundaries and deliver the creator-driven visions we claim to want, as WandaVision did, if fans lose sight of what’s in place all in the effort to demand more, regardless of whether it makes sense to the story being told or not. Patience is perhaps a difficult concept when so much of what fans have dreamed of is right at their finger-tips, but it’s patience that has made the MCU what it is today. Mutants are coming, the Multiverse is coming, and Mephisto is surely coming too. But for now, what WandaVision delivered is more than enough.
