WandaVision’s finale was the beginning of Marvel’s next set of adventures

Spoilers follow for WandaVision episode nine, “The Series Finale.”

WandaVision’s finale was, in many ways, a goodbye. Relationships ended. Last words were uttered. We got as much of a happily-ever-after as we’re gonna get for any story involving Wanda and Vision.

But WandaVision also marked the beginning of Wanda’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Last we saw, Agatha Harkness had revealed Wanda is something called the Scarlet Witch, and that Agatha, who had Wanda cornered, was after her supercharged power.

Unfortunately for Agatha, and really any supervillain taking notes, taking immense power from someone immensely powerful is much easier said than done. After a duel, we saw just how potent the Scarlet Witch is, as she left Agatha perpetually trapped in Westview as nosy sitcom neighbor Agnes.

But the battle with Agatha showed Wanda what she was inadvertently doing with her powers; she had held a whole town ransom with her grief. Wanda realized that in order to save the town, she needed to let go of the life and happiness she created there, including her twin boys and, as painful as it seems, Vision. Wanda undoes her hex, and all that she has left in Westview is an empty plot of land and her Buick rental.

I’m not super familiar with how the Hague works in the MCU, but I’m guessing holding an entire town in stasis with your superpowers is probably not great. Even though they were mind-controlled, the citizens of Westview remember what Wanda did.

But overshadowing Wanda’s villainy is S.W.O.R.D. director Tyler Hayward, who, in addition to inciting Wanda and tinkering with Vision’s corpse to use as a war weapon, attempts to shoot kids in this episode! Yikes.

The finale ends with Wanda on the run, trying her best to learn who exactly she is and what she’s capable of. Monica, displaying some newfound powers of her own, is on a similar journey. But their paths, and where they’ll end up, will likely be completely different.

This episode of WandaVision has two credits scenes that all but ensure Wanda Maximoff and Monica Rambeau will end up linking up with two existing Avengers and figuring prominently in the MCU.

Here’s a little more detail on what we now know about Wanda’s destiny as the Scarlet Witch and how it connects to Doctor Strange; Monica’s possible reunion with Carol Danvers and Nick Fury; and just why those two credits scenes were so important.

By making Wanda the “Scarlet Witch,” WandaVision sets up a meeting with Doctor Strange

Marvel

WandaVision’s finale was more action than storytelling. At the center of it was Agatha Harkness duking it out with Wanda and trying to absorb all of her powers, while conveniently explaining to Wanda (and the viewers at home) just what Wanda is: the Scarlet Witch, the most powerful magical being in the world, according to the lore. Agatha wants Wanda’s special brand of chaos magic for herself.

“Your power exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme,” Agatha tells Wanda mid-battle. “It’s your destiny to destroy the world.”

The Sorcerer Supreme she’s referring to is the one and only Doctor Strange, who was, according to previous Marvel movies, the most powerful magical being in the world.

Strange and Wanda appeared together in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, but they were never shown interacting. Maybe they had a little gab while being blipped for five years with the other Avengers. Either way, with Wanda’s significant power boost, it’s inevitable that the two will cross paths again.

As was established in his Thor: Ragnarok cameo, Strange monitors powerful beings that are a threat to Earth. If he’s still paying attention, then Wanda’s Westview anomaly was on his radar. Wanda, who has all this new information about her own powers, helpfully given to her by Agatha’s big villain speech, will probably seek out the Sorcerer Supreme for some more answers about the Scarlet Witch.

This aligns with their comic book relationship. In Marvel’s books, Strange has served as a mentor to a lot of powerful magic users. He’s even tried to help Wanda on a few occasions. In Marvel’s 2005 House of M crossover event, Wanda becomes a threat to humanity after experiencing a psychotic break; her reality-warping powers become unstable. That should sound very familiar. Doctor Strange, because of his powers and connection to magic, is among those tasked with helping her. He’s one of her biggest advocates:

Marvel

More recently, Wanda and Strange both appear in a 2020 comic called Strange Academy. That book sets up Strange as the head of a school for magical users. His students learn how to control their magic while Strange tries to make sure they use it for good. Wanda, it just so happens, is one of the faculty members at the school:

Marvel

Of course, Strange and Wanda have a long way to go in the movies before they start up a boarding school for witches, warlocks, and wizards. But Strange and Wanda’s onscreen relationship will change and grow in the near future, if a post-credits scene is any indication.

WandaVision’s post-credits scene sets up Wanda’s place in the MCU:

The scene opens with a wide shot of a cottage. The camera zooms in and we see Wanda in what looks to be sweats. She has a kettle boiling. Wanda in isolation, in comfortable baggy clothes, is probably the most relatable thing that Marvel has ever given us, especially in our pandemic circumstances.

The camera zooms past Wanda, and in the back of the cabin we see another Wanda, in her Scarlet Witch costume, casting spells and reading what appears to be Agatha’s book, the Darkhold. Suddenly, Scarlet Witch Wanda hears Billy and Tommy’s disembodied voices crying out for help, and with a red flash, the screen cuts to black.

The two different Wandas appear to be a reference to Doctor Strange. In the 2016 movie, Strange astral projects to read and research magic while he’s asleep. The Doctor splits his consciousness from his body so he can maximize his learning potential while still getting the necessary eight hours. Wanda is doing the same thing in that she’s researching all she can about the Scarlet Witch prophecy while relaxing in some comfy clothes.

As for her kids, the scene is heavily referencing Billy and Tommy’s comic book storyline in which they’re created by magic — as they are in WandaVision — and then absorbed by a demon named Mephisto. Through a very long and winding process, Billy and Tommy are eventually reincarnated and become superheroes themselves.

Since they’re crying out for help in this scene, it may point to Mephisto popping up in the future. It also more than likely means that Wanda will want to meet up with Doctor Strange for some advice on how to save her boys. Their meeting will happen in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where Wanda will reportedly be featured — it’s worth remembering that prior to the pandemic stifling Marvel’s theatrical releases, WandaVision was going to lead straight into the sequel.

Finally, Agatha did say that Wanda is destined to “destroy the world.” Wanda could always go back to Westview to ask Agatha for more clarification, but it sure seems like that world doesn’t necessarily mean present-day Earth. It could also mean one of the multiple worlds or timelines in “the Multiverse of Madness.”

Monica Rambeau’s next adventure will be in space, possibly with Nick Fury

Marvel

While the show is called WandaVision, it was also slyly and slowly creating Monica Rambeau’s superhero origin story. Because Monica entered the hex, got zapped out of it, and reentered, she’s been changed at an atomic level. She first displayed powers in episode seven, and in the finale, she uses them again.

Director Hayward, frustrated that his plans to resurrect Vision and turn him into a weapon have gone sideways, opens fire on Billy and Tommy. To reiterate, Hayward, a grown man, tries to murder two 10-year-olds. Monica sees this, wants to save them, and ends up taking the bullets (because Hayward fired a gun at two children, more than once!) for them. Her body flashes a bright yellow, seemingly turning into living energy, and as the bullets pass through her, they fall to the ground.

Monica’s powers aren’t really explained. Darcy, who probably would be really great at telling us what’s going on, is barely in the episode. But the comic books can give us some clues.

In Marvel’s comics, Monica gets powers after being exposed to and bombarded by cosmic energy. After absorbing this energy into her body, Monica has the power to transform herself into various energy forms. These forms allow her to shoot energy bolts, and they also allow her to zip along at the speed of light.

Monica turning bright yellow and becoming temporarily bulletproof could be the start of these powers.

WandaVision’s mid-credits scene sets up a Monica Rambeau space adventure and reunion with Captain Marvel:

The show’s mid-credits scene opens with Agent Woo leading the post-hex recovery program. He’s directing medical teams around to help the residents and gathering evidence. He and Monica share a brief “whew” and exchange hellos, before a woman pulls Monica aside and directs her to Westview’s movie theater. (The theater marquis reads “Tannhauser Gate” — what appears to be a reference to Blade Runner and Marvel’s comic adaptation of the movie.)

When they get inside, the woman reveals her true self to Monica. She’s a Skrull, the shape-shifting aliens introduced in Captain Marvel.

“I was sent by an old friend of your mother’s,” the Skrull tells Monica. “He heard you’ve been grounded. He’d like to meet with you.”

Monica asks where and the Skrull points up into the sky. Monica’s eyes widen, and her mouth curves into a small smile before the scene cuts to black.

The male friend that the Skrull refers to could mean one of two people. 2019’s Captain Marvel had Monica and her mom Maria — by way of Carol Danvers — meet Nick Fury and a Skrull named Talos. That movie ended with all of the characters going their separate ways, but during that time, Fury and Talos reunited.

We saw this in Spider-Man: Far From Home’s credits scene. In it, Talos is impersonating Fury on Earth and doing him a favor while the real Fury is up in space, at the Skrull base, taking a much-needed post-Endgame vacation. I’m guessing it’s Fury, since he calls the shots, who sent the Skrull to find Monica, relay the message, and transport Monica to the cosmos.

This sets up Monica’s reported appearance and reunion with Carol in the Captain Marvel sequel. I’m assuming someone on the scientifically advanced Skrull base will be able to tell Monica what exactly is going on with her powers and help teach her how to use them. I’m also assuming that when Fury or Talos tells Carol that Monica is now in space, Carol will want to pay her a visit. That sequel is set to hit theaters on November 11, 2022.

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