What WandaVision’s Finale Means for the Future of the MCU

Well, after all the weeks of speculation, WandaVision has finally reached its conclusion. What did you think? I had fun.

But before we start theorizing about what WandaVision’s final episode means for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, let this be your ***SPOILER WARNING*** for the entirety of the show. Now let’s get started.

Risk and Reward

As the first entry into Marvel’s new television rollout, WandaVision had a lot riding on it. They could have easily had another Inhumans on their hands. But that didn’t stop the team behind WandaVision from taking some chances.

The conceit of structuring your superhero show around an evolving pastiche of American sitcoms is a bold choice. Luckily, this weirdness wasn’t enough to put off modern viewers. And neither was the somewhat old-fashioned decision to release each new episode weekly. In fact, I think it really helped more than hindered.

In the modern days of streaming, entire seasons get binged in a weekend and fall from public discourse just as quickly as they arrived. But WandaVision managed to keep the rumor mill humming for almost two months.

With monthly subscriptions what they are, being able to hook viewers for long periods of time is vital for streaming services. And now that WandaVision has demonstrated the power of making an audience wait, I don’t expect future Marvel projects to break from this model.

Good Grief

WandaVision also showed us that the emotional fallout from The Snap isn’t behind us.

It makes sense that half the population of the universe temporarily vanishing from existence is going to have some ramifications. But WandaVision put that front and center.

It will be interesting to see how this theme of trauma manifests itself in future series. I expect the creative teams behind upcoming projects have a variety of interesting perspectives on what happens after an extinction-level event, so I’m happy that Marvel has decided to not completely move on from the undeadening of half its characters.

Sorceress Supreme

In one of the post-credits stings of WandaVision’s finale, we see Wanda doing a bit of astral projecting as she studies up on the full potential of her powers and the world of magick (not to be confused with the stagecraft magic).

We learned from Agatha Harkness that Wanda is the Scarlet Witch, some long-prophesied sorceress with powers exceeding those of even the Sorcerer Supreme. We know that Wanda will play a major role in the Dr. Strange sequel, which will take us on a trip through the Multiverse.

The post-credit scene also indicates that Wanda’s children are perhaps still alive (in some form) and calling for her help. Now, many have speculated that some sinister force has trapped these wee lads, which could be the case. But I suggest another possibility.

Imitating the kidnapped children of one of the most powerful mystical beings in existence sure would be a good way to stir up trouble across various realities. Maybe even something that an evil hell king might do.

What I’m saying is I hope with my heart of hearts that this all leads to Mephisto, Marvel’s big, red demon from Hell who is always looking to tempt the world’s mightiest heroes with what they most desire. I can’t wait for Marvel to veer into some technicolor Faustian nightmare. Please don’t let me down.

Monica in Space

In another post-credits scene, we see the newly super-powered Monica Rambeau receive her next mission assignment. And she’s going to space!

Noteworthy: Monica receives these orders from a special agent who reveals herself to be a Skrull, a shapeshifting race of aliens who have been helping Nick Fury sort stuff out off-planet and also leading an Earthly invasion somehow.

I think it’s safe to assume the person requesting Monica’s assistance is none other than Fury. That seems like a given.

So looking at the timeline, we can expect Monica to get into some otherworldly adventures in Captain Marvel 2, but that movie isn’t set to hit theaters (remember theaters?) until fall 2022. In the meantime, the Ms. Marvel TV series featuring the character of Kamala Khan should be released.

This series is said to further set up things for Captain Marvel 2. It looks like we are getting a female team of galactic super soldiers that will definitely lead to a lot of hateful ignorance being posted online, which is really a disappointing part of every single thing these days.

Imagine being a person — an entire human being with a concept of self developed over thousands of years of evolution — and still you decide to base your entire personality around how angry you got at that scene in Avengers: Endgame when all the lady Avengers stood together for a hero shot.

It’s like being given the ability to seek out any piece of knowledge collected over human history and interact with people from countless cultures, but instead you use it to reinforce your own pettiness and look up driving directions. Oh wait, that’s the internet I just described.

Where is Vision?

Yeah. We still have a spare Vision flying around. Where did he go?

I know the evil government man who was so hard-on for weaponizing his own Vision was arrested, but no one was maybe wondering about where he went? Plenty of folks definitely saw an ivory robot man flying around and shooting lasers out of his head. No one wanted to follow up on that? Maybe circle back?

I am sure that whenever we do get another Avengers movie, they are going to be so much more powerful than the original incarnation. Just think about it. The original Avengers had the following:

A very strong old man with a shield and an ass like the first two dodgeballs to get picked out of the bag at recess.

An alcoholic man with a robot suit who chooses to be around Gwyneth Paltrow.

Thor, who actually makes sense. He’s got it all. When we saw the first Thor movie in the theater and Chris Hemsworth took his shirt off, my friend let out an audible gasp. And who can blame him.

The Hulk. Again, another solid choice. He’s incredible.

And the last two are just people. Yes, Hawkeye and Black Widow had a really compelling suicide fight in Endgame, but compare this Avengers lineup to what may come next.

Potentially at the very least, we have a reality-altering witch and her husband, the super synthezoid. I mean, you could induct the Two-Gun Kid, Whizzer (who gained super speed from an infusion of mongoose blood), and even Hawkeye, and still have a solid lineup.

Give Me Gay Avengers

This is really just a pipe dream, but I was happy to see the introduction of powers to Wanda’s two children, who in the comics grow up to become Wiccan and Speed.

The reason this made me excited is because in the comics, Wiccan (known as Billy on WandaVision) eventually joins the Young Avengers and starts a same-sex relationship with Hulkling. Just do that, Marvel.

Give us the gay superheroes we deserve. Let this be a real step forward, I guess. Even though it’s not remarkable in any way. It’s just what life is like.

Disney has more money than god. Marvel has enough cultural sway to do something that honestly should have been made mainstream way before I had the chance to mention it. In conclusion, I guess what I’m asking for with the future of the MCU is a big, queer, space opera full of demons and androids and angst because if you’ve read Marvel comics you know that’s what they’ve been for some time.

Also, give me Dr. Doom. Because he’s all of those things in one.