Warning: The following article contains spoilers for episode 5 of WandaVision. For a catch-up on all that’s happened previously, click here.
WandaVision returns this week with an explosive 90’s homage that brings some exciting developments to the story. Westview is celebrating Halloween, and with Wanda’s brother Pietro in town, the spooky holiday hi-jinx ensues. However, not everyone seems as ready to celebrate. Vision, still distressed at the events of the previous episode, has other intentions for the night. What could possibly go wrong?
WandaVision continues to impress with its homage to sitcoms through the decades. This 90’s themed episode is no exception. Featuring a cringe-inducing theme song and some meta narration from our leads, this episode nails the aesthetic. Moreover, this week’s episode also follows up on last week’s insane cliffhanger. That being Pietro Maximoff (Evan Peters) returning to Wanda’s life. We of course follow Wanda and Pietro for the majority of the episode.
This makes for some entertaining moments that have us as well as Wanda question this reality. She is incredulous of his reappearance, questioning him on their history. Evan Peters’ portrayal of Quicksilver is charming, bringing levity to the unsettling nature of Wanda’s world. He attempts to calm her and assure her he is there for her. However, something is clearly amiss with Pietro, but Wanda can’t seem to put her finger on it. The whole mystery of how Pietro came to be in Westview isn’t ever addressed, but hopefully, all will be answered in the coming episodes. Until then, the interactions between him and Wanda are enough to carry the episode.
Vision takes more of a back seat this episode, hardly having any screen time. He is more relegated to a looming danger that strikes at the end of the episode. He has one great moment with Kathryn Hahn’s Agnes that unsettles. It also reveals the crucial detail of Vision not recalling his past as an Avenger. Moreover, we get to see Vision go to the edge of Westview and see some of the more unsettling aspects of this twisted reality. It adds to the show having more horror tones in its presentation, making it one of the more unique MCU projects.
On the other side of the Hex, as it is now called by Darcy, Sword continues to antagonize and attempt to fight Wanda. This is the less interesting part of the episode, with some generic tension and arguments that are run-of-the-mill superhero conflicts with government agencies and oversight. At this point, WandaVision has shown a consistent pattern in being weaker in its sections that take place outside of Wanda’s hex. That isn’t necessarily a fault on the show, but perhaps of the MCU as a larger whole attempting to stick to familiar tropes.
Overall, WandaVision ends on an exciting and promising note with things ramping up more than ever before. The stakes become higher as Wanda’s power only seems to grow, and the Hex with them. Add to that Visions persistence to know the truth and help those trapped inside, and we have some very exciting narrative threads to pick up in next week’s episode. WandaVision continues to push the boundaries of the MCU in every sense of the word. – Ernesto Valenzuela
Grade 8/10
