Just when you thought this show was going to be a slow burn, Wanda pulls the carpet out from under your feet and blasts you out of her surreal world...
*The following contains mild spoilers*
At the end of Episode 2, we were left with the revelation that Wanda had magically become pregnant, and even weirder, seemed to be further along than one would expect. Wanda and Vision are now transported to the colourful world of the ’70s, complete with psychedelic hairdos, outfits and a brand new opening that pays homage to classic sitcoms of that era, primarily- The Brady Bunch.
We start the episode with a home visit from Dr Stan Nielsen, explaining everything seems to be fine with the baby and states Wanda is four months into her pregnancy despite her only getting the baby bump in the last 12 hours. We quickly move on to the first strange experience of the episode as Vision notices neighbour Herb is cutting through the wall between the two lots with his hedge trimmers, without noticing. This sequence is incredibly eerie and atmospheric with a David Lynch vibe that sets up that Vision is slowly starting to question his reality.
Wanda’s powers and control of the reality become even clearer as her pregnancy leaps to the six-month mark and a succession of Braxton-Hicks contractions cause the power to fluctuate within their own household and the rest of Westview. Vision seems to recognise that something is going wrong... Until he doesn't, in another rewind reminiscent of the glitch we saw at the end of Episode 2, everything is reset and Vision gives an idyllic speech to Wanda, completely forgetting his concerns, much like the situation with the mysterious beekeeper in the previous episode.
After the couple prepare for their new arrival havoc ensues once again and Vision runs off (or was he flying?) to get the doctor as Wanda’s water breaks in dramatic fashion. While Wanda waits for Vision to return, her friend Geraldine suddenly arrives. From here the weirdness really ramps up, as Geraldine keeps talking about work while Wanda tries to conceal her pregnancy and the literal stork waltzing around the house. But eventually, Wanda's attention becomes frayed as she goes into unexpected labour, with her contractions coming hard and fast resulting in her and Vision's home becoming a funhouse of moving furniture.
We soon reach the joyous moment as Wanda gives birth (no surprise to Marvel comics fans) to not only one baby, but two. Wanda and Vision's debate about whether to name the baby Tommy or Billy is quickly settled and the world of Westview stabilises… For now. If you’re not sure that she has a hand in creating this reality by now then the final few minutes of the episode certainly prove the superpowered witch is indeed in control.
Looking down at the newly born twins Wanda mentions to Geraldine that she was also a twin, to which Geraldine replies- “Your brother was killed by Ultron, wasn’t he?” From when Wanda mentioned Pietro to the real world’s reveal, this whole final sequence was cleverly done and one of the tensest scenes in the MCU. What really highlighted the sequence was the performance given by Elizabeth Olsen who is just lining up for an Emmy at this stage.
Though her facial expressions warranted many accolades during the birthing scene, it's her performance interrogating Geraldine that was utterly masterful. It made us doubt the motives of Wanda in creating this reality and at the same time made us sympathise with her. There’s a strong doubt that Wanda will ever deliberately hurt someone or turn into a villain. But the plausible reason is that this reality is a representation of her grief. Wanda is suffering and someone else must be taking advantage of her vulnerable state?
While this is going on inside the house, outside we see the return of Agnes as she’s having a whispered conversation with fellow neighbour Herb. As we saw in the scene earlier with Herb, the eerie and unsettling surreal tone returns in this sequence with Agnes spooked by Geraldine and clearly aware that more is going on than it seems.
Wanda finally loses it after noticing the S.W.O.R.D. logo on the pendant around Geradline’s neck and flings her out of her world and into the assumed real world. This is our first look at how Westview looks from the outside, and all we can really see is a vast energy field surrounding whatever reality Wanda has constructed.
This third episode performs just as well as the first two episodes, incredibly comedic, with great chemistry from Olsen and Bettany both creating comic gems from the bizarre sitcom world Wanda has created. The difference in this episode is the segments involved are moving the story forward while at the same time leaving behind more mysteries for viewers to unpack.
What is S.W.O.R.D.’s involvement? Is Geraldine working for or against Wanda? Who are Agnes and Herb? There are so many questions, I can’t help but count down the minutes till the next episode.
If you enjoyed what you read, and want to support Jake and our commitment to fresh content, support Jake with a cuppa over
Subscribe here to Fresh Take for more opinions on the world of film and television.
And subscribe to our podcast Well Good Movies, for more film and TV fun!
Comentários