Nightmare Fuel / WandaVision

"My husband and his indestructible head."

Leave it to Marvel Studios, of all people, to make an old-time sitcom world like WandaVision seem terrifying!

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Moment subpages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.

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Trailers

• The use of The Platters' "Twilight Time" manages to cross into creepy territory, perhaps all the references to being "together at last", "deepening shadows", and a voice calling from "out of the mist".

The Series

In General

• The entire show is just non-stop paranoia-inducing Nightmare Fuel. Something is clearly, horribly wrong, so every time there's a laugh track or cheap special effect, you can't help but feel that someone is trying to distract the characters (and you) from peeling away the veneer, and you're constantly waiting for the next crack in the facade.
• The first two episodes have moments with low-angle close-ups, pans, rack zooms, soft focus, and unconventional camera placements, cinematography that would have been prohibitively expensive for a 50s-era sitcom filmed before a Studio Audience. You may not consciously notice these elements, but they are so quietly jarring from the tone of the rest of the show that they serve to accentuate the creep factor.
• The Creative Closing Credits start off beautiful — shots of Wanda and Vision's home, props from the show — all rendered in red-blue-green TV pixels. Then they take a hard left turn into creepy as the pixels all turn red, start crashing together, and everything starts collapsing...

Episode 1: Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience

• The beginning looks like Wanda and Vision somehow got into the cast of I Love Lucy or Bewitched, until Mr. and Mrs. Hart start asking questions about their past and they can't seem to answer, and the whole becomes more like The Twilight Zone. Mr. Hart starts demanding they tell them the truth and repeatedly slams the table as the music turns from cheery to ominous and a Laugh Track plays it up as comedy. Mr. Hart then begins choking, eventually collapsing onto the floor, while everyone simply stares at him in a stupor while his wife smiles and cheerfully chastises him to "stop it", over and over and over... while she never drops her smile or her cheerful tone.
  • The way this is resolved? Wanda tells Vision (by looking directly at the camera) to help him, but it's without the 50s sitcom projection the whole cast had been using this entire time, and instead in her normal speaking voice.
    Wanda Maximoff: Vision, help him.
  • Note that Mr. Hart starts choking to death on his food... when he hasn't actually eaten anything yet.
  • For this sequence, to further drive home the Twilight Zone parallel, the multi-camera setup is abandoned in favor of some tight push-in reaction shots. And then, once Vision saves Mr. Hart's life, he snaps back like he didn't just nearly die.
• In the 'commercial' for the first episode, the light on the Toastmate 2000 that is being advertised starts blinking red (the only color in an otherwise monochromatic show) with a time-inappropriate electronic beeping sound for a very uncomfortably long time, and then the woman who was trying to sell the toaster glances at the camera as if nothing's wrong. Given how the commercials represent significant moments in Wanda's life, the toaster symbolizes the missile that destroyed her childhood home: manufactured by Stark Industries, takes forever to go off (like how the missile failed to explode despite landing right next to Wanda and Pietro), and the blinking red light resembles the one we saw on the Stark missile that injured Tony way back in Iron Man.
  • Also, a silver creation of Stark Industries that glows red. Thought that sounded familiar.
  • Also, there's something extremely unsettling about the toaster using the sounds of the Iron Man suit (specifically the repulsor charge and joint movements) when inserting and ejecting the toast respectively, like the audio version of Uncanny Valley.

Episode 2: Don't Touch That Dial

• The commercial for the second episode doesn't have any fourth wall breaks, but there is one terrifying element. The watch that's being advertised? A watch with the brand name of Strücker. And there's a prominent HYDRA logo on it.
  Narrator: Strücker. He'll make time for you.
  • As with the previous commercial, at the end, the sound of the watch ticking starts speeding up. Like a bomb counting down, and a door slamming shut.
• Vision accusing Norm of being a communist comes right of nowhere, and considering the time period this scene was supposed to be set in, saying that sort of thing on national television if this really were in the 1960s would've ruined Norm as a character and his actor's life!
  • Then there's everyone treating it like a good joke, even Norm himself. That's not how someone would react to this kind of accusation back then, whether it's true or not. This just further drives home that something is off.
• Somehow, a Beekeeper infiltrates through a sewer, insects flying around him... at which point, Wanda straight out REVERSES TIME, by literally rewinding the footage...
  • Everything about the Beekeeper is weird; he doesn't say or do anything after climbing out of the sewer. He just stands there, jerks his head to the right, and stares at them, his face completely hidden in shadow even though he's standing under a streetlight. And in an earlier scene, that manhole wasn't even there in the street.
• As Wanda helps Dottie clean the table, the radio suddenly changes to play the Beach Boys' "Help Me, Rhonda" (which sounds very similar to "Wanda"). Both Wanda and Dottie look at it unexpectedly, and then Dottie says, "What is that...? Who are you?" And then the music changes to Jimmy Woo's voice saying "Wanda? Wanda, can you hear me? Wanda, who's doing this to you?" Everything shifts to surreal horror before the moment is broken by Dottie shattering the glass in her hand and cutting her palm... and the blood is red.
  • Like with Mr. Hart in the first episode, there is a heavy implication that Dottie's glass exploding and injuring her was Wanda subconsciously putting someone who threatened to burst her idyllic bubble back in their place. Right before it happens, Dottie tells Wanda that she's "heard things" about her... and her husband. And when Wanda assures her she doesn't mean any harm, Dottie shoots back "I don't believe you." Notably, after Wanda patches her up, Dottie never mentions whatever it is she heard again, and seems very eager to end the conversation.
• The Animated Credits Opening for the second episode seems like a really fun homage to Bewitched at first... but if you pay attention, when Vision phases through the floor of their bedroom, you can see several bones and the helmet of the Grim Reaper. This is a shout out to the 2015 comic book, implying he was killed and buried in the floor.
• Through the episode, everyone keeps saying that the talent show is "for the children", at which point everyone repeats it like they're in Sandford, Gloucestershire. This is already creepy enough, but one particular detail makes it even worse: there are no actual children to be seen anywhere in Westview. What kind of town sets up a talent show for kids that don't even show up for it?

Episode 3: Now in Color

• The rapid-fire pace at which Wanda's pregnancy moves is utterly horrifying. It seems to last three days (not too unlike The Avengers #199), and as a result, the "symptoms" get extreme the closer to delivery they get. Vision himself is aware of how unnatural the whole situation is.
  Vision: The baby is approximately nine months early!
• As Wanda's labor pains cause her powers to affect a part of the town, she worries that their secret would get exposed during the actual delivery. Then Vision starts pointing out recent strange incidents and seriously tells Wanda that something seems to be very wrong. However, before he can get any deeper into that thought, Wanda reverses time again. And this time there's not even any rewinding effect; it just instantly cuts a few seconds earlier like the film was badly spliced together. The way the scene plays out, you’d be forgiven if you mistook the scene for your Disney+ stream briefly glitching out.
  • The most recent "strange incident" is Vision noticing that Herb was trimming his hedges and is now cutting straight through the brick wall. When Vision points this out, Herb thanks him... and continues to cut into the wall. All the while, Herb is smiling blankly and staring straight at Vision like an NPC glitching in a video game. This is revealed in a later episode to be the result of Agatha jinxing him.
• Previously, whenever Wanda used her powers to warp reality, it was either towards the people of Westview asking too many questions like Mr. Hart and Dottie, or outside threats invading her reality like the Beekeeper. This time, when Vision brings up his concerns about what’s going on in Westview to Wanda, she again reverses time so that he doesn’t break the narrative. It’s terrifying to see that Wanda will go so far as to silence her own husband in order to keep her false reality intact.
• Vision speeding off to find Dr. Nielsen may seem innocuous until you remember that Vision has never been shown to have super speed in the MCU before. That's Quicksilver's power.
• Wanda's Power Incontinence summons an actual stork from the painting of a Delivery Stork in the nursery. Initially, it's pretty funny watching the bird wander around while Wanda tries to keep Geraldine from noticing... but then Wanda can't make the bird disappear. All of her attempts to use her powers on it fail, and the bird keeps walking as if nothing happened.
• The cracks in the sitcom reality begin to show at the end. The doctor mutters to Vision that he's canceling his vacation to Bermuda because he can't get away, there's noticeable tension between Herb and Agnes when Vision questions them, and Monica displays genuine fear after she mentions Ultron to Wanda. Her expelling Monica at this point all but confirms that Wanda herself is the cause of everything happening around them.
• When Wanda turns on Monica after she mentions Pietro’s death at Ultron’s hands, Billy and Tommy start to cry. As Wanda questions Monica and loses her patience more and more, Billy and Tommy cry louder and louder, as if they’re connected to Wanda and they are angry at Monica for breaking the illusion.
  • Shortly after Wanda expels Monica from Westview, Vision comes in and questions what happened to Monica. The way he asks the question makes it clear that he's quite concerned about how she just seemed to vanish from his and Wanda's house, even after finding out that she doesn't really live there. Combined with Wanda's eerily calm response to him, you could be forgiven for thinking that Wanda killed Geraldine at first.
    Vision: Where's Geraldine?
    Wanda Maximoff: Oh, she left, honey. She had to rush home.
• When Vision starts to question Herb and Agnes about what's really going on, Herb actually attempts to tell him, but Agnes cuts him off. With a very frightened look on her face, no less. Herb then immediately snaps back to his dull-friendly sitcom personality, while Agnes makes up an excuse to get the hell out of Dodge. This confirms that the citizens of Westview are, at least to some extent, aware of what's going on, but are apparently too scared to do anything about it.

Episode 4: We Interrupt This Program

• We get to see a bit of Monica's backstory, revealing that she was one of the people killed by Thanos at the end of Infinity War and revived in Endgame. We also see exactly how terrifying it was to experience in real-time. Even within a single hospital, the result is pandemonium, fear, and confusion, as half the people reawaken feeling that no time has passed, whereas everyone else scrambles to help and find all the people who've come back. Poor Monica is confused and frightened by everything happening around her.
  • Word of God stated that those who were brought back would always be sent to a safe place, so no harm would come as a direct result of the Blip; people flying in a plane would reappear on the ground, for example. But this shows what would happen even when they technically are safe. Half the hospital patients came back, likely in the same condition they disappeared in, with employees equally confused and disoriented. One of the doctors even notes that they are very over capacity thanks to the sudden arrivals.
    • The Reality Subtext makes this scene even scarier. WandaVision was released during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are/were very real fears about hospitals filling up and not being able to treat everyone. Hearing that doctor shout, "We don't have capacity!" hits a little sharper as a result.
  • And on a more mundane note, after Monica wakes up, she discovers that her mom, who'd contracted cancer and gone into remission, passed away during the 5-year gap. It may have been done in a fantastical way, but there's nothing scarier than missing a loved one dying while you weren't there.
    • Another dose, from Maria's perspective: her daughter turned to dust while sitting beside her, and although she believed Monica would come back somehow, she passed away before she could see it happen.
• We get to see more of the scene where Wanda banishes Monica from Westview... and it's even spookier. Wanda seethes with Tranquil Fury as she denounces Monica as an interloper to be expelled, before literally blasting her miles through the air and out of the simulation, smashing through several walls of the house in the process. Afterward, she briefly looks ashamed before covering it up by fixing the walls she threw Monica through and returning to her smiley, happy housewife act.
  Wanda Maximoff: [in a low whisper] Who... are you?
  Monica Rambeau: Wanda, I'm just your neighbor.
  Wanda Maximoff: Then how could you know about Ultron? [beat] You're not my neighbor. And you're definitely not my friend. You are a stranger, and an outsider. And right now you are trespassing here. And I want you... to leave. [lets loose a telekinetic blast throwing Monica out]
  • Whenever Wanda has used her powers in Westview, they've always been filtered to appear in the style of the gimmicky and quirky sitcom magic seen in shows like Bewitched. The obvious strings and sparkles represent Wanda's powers in the first three episodes. When confronting Monica, however, Wanda's powers make a menacing return to how we've seen them previously: swirling, glowing red energy.
  • From the viewpoint of Darcy and Jimmy, Wanda threateningly walks towards Monica... then the show just glitches out and cuts to the credits like nothing happened.
• After Wanda ejects Monica from Westview and Vision returns home to inquire about Geraldine, this episode adds a brief but horrifying moment— Wanda turns around to see Vision, except he looks the way he did after Thanos ripped the Mind Stone from his head. His skin is ashen gray, his eyes are completely white, and there's a crater in his forehead where the Stone was removed, and he looks effectively like a walking corpse. Wanda can’t even look at him before he changes back to his regular face. How bad is the scare? Very quickly, audiences were calling it one of the most frightening scenes in the MCU.
  • And it's becoming increasingly clear that Vision is aware of what's really going on, as he talks normally throughout the entire scene, but he still puts on a grin to rejoin his wife on the couch.
  • During the credits, we are treated to another close-up of Vision's zombie face.
• The creepy moment from Episode 2 when the Beekeeper emerges from the sewers is given an Impossibly Mundane Explanation that the Beekeeper was a S.W.O.R.D. Agent named Franklin who was sent inside to scope out the area of Westview. His head turning to Wanda and Vision is revealed not to be out of malice, but because they discovered him as soon as he got out of the manhole. The moment when Wanda says “No” and rewinds time has been reshot from her saying “No” in an authoritative way to her saying “No” almost in a mocking and scolding way while shaking her head, which adds to the creepiness. A new shot is shown of Agent Franklin panicking, as he is now trapped in a reality-altering anomaly with no way to get out, and has just been discovered by the person causing it all, who may want to do him harm.
  • We also get to see how the radiation suit the S.W.O.R.D. agent was wearing transforms into the Beekeeper outfit in real-time with bees materializing alongside him, and the lifeline attached to him detaches, turning into a jump rope, the whole thing feeling lifted directly from Stranger Things.
  • All the people in Wanda's sitcom are also confirmed to be residents of the real town that Westview was built around, with the names that we’ve heard attached to them simply being the names of the “characters” inside the show, but apparently people close to the town (like local cops) refuse/are unable to perceive that the town even exists even when standing right next to the town’s welcome sign.
  • What's more unsettling is that one of the officers tells Jimmy that Westview doesn't exist— but, apparently, Eastview does, meaning that Wanda essentially hijacked an entire town to make her own reality.
• The aspect ratio keeps changing from 4:3 to widescreen, especially when Wanda's illusion is about to be broken (e.g. when she's expelling Monica/Geraldine), but then reasserts itself to 4:3 when the 'show' continues.
• The music that closes out the episode is a bizarre choice for a 70s (white) family sitcom, the famously counterculture and un-WASP-like 'Voodoo Child' by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. A close listen to the lyrics may shed a reason why this song is being played.
  If I don't meet you no more in this world then
  I'll meet ya on the next one
  And don't be late
  Don't be late
  I don't take no for an answer.
• Take a close look at Vision when he and Wanda settle down to watch TV at the end. He's not looking at the TV screen like she is. He's looking at us.

Episode 5: On a Very Special Episode...

• Until a June 2021 update, the recap of the moment right before Wanda sees Vision's corpse had a different take from the one we saw in Episode 4, in which Wanda uses a different line, implying that Wanda’s reality-warping powers extend to the real-life show you're watching
  Vision: Where's Geraldine?
  Wanda Maximoff (in original episode): Oh she left, honey. She had to rush home.
  Wanda Maximoff (in recap): She's gone. She didn't belong here.
• When the infant twins won't stop crying, Wanda tries to make them stop with magic and then asks, in a frustrated tone, why they're not doing what she wants.
• Vision goes off-script around Agnes/Agatha, causing her to react like an actor who's been thrown off by improvising before suddenly snapping back into character. What makes it creepier is when Agnes asks if they should take it from the top, the twins immediately stop crying and when she goes back into “wacky neighbor” mode, the twins immediately start crying again like they’re on cue. And afterward, Wanda flatly denies to Vision that anything weird happened in a whole new level of Gaslighting. Even more disturbing, Agnes doesn't react with terror or panic, as everyone else has when they started to become aware of their situation. All she shows is some mild confusion, at Vision apparently going off-script.
• It's now confirmed that Wanda retrieved Vision from S.W.O.R.D.. And S.W.O.R.D. was clearly experimenting on his body for who knows what purposes before Wanda got it back; from what we can see on the CCTV footage, Vision was lying on a table in several pieces, with his skin taken off.
• Wanda is most likely controlling the minds of everyone in Westview, meaning they know full well what's going on but are trapped in their own bodies. When Vision temporarily frees Norm from the control, Abilash immediately drops into a panic attack and begins to ramble about how "she" is in his head, that it's painful, and that he needs to get in contact with his sister, who is caring for their sick father. More terrifying is that he asks how much time has passed, meaning that victims aren't aware of the world around them, but can still tell that they're under mind control. It's bad enough that Vision has to put him back under as "Norm". More disturbing is just the transition in general.
  Abilash Tandon: It hurts so much. Just make her stop! Just MAKE her STOP! [gets turned back to "Norm"] Now tell me this: if I send an email, where would I put the stamp? [canned laughter] Technology...
• Look at the expression on Vision's face in the title card◊ of the opening sequence for the Show Within a Show. It's incredibly creepy and looks extremely forced, as if he's clearly uncomfortable but putting on a facade of being happy. We also see Vision is starting to become more aware of the artificial reality around him.
• Hayward makes a very unwise decision to fire a missile at Wanda and her children. He takes the shot, the feed abruptly goes dead. Merely four seconds later, the alarms go off in the base detecting a breach. Everyone piles into their cars and drives to the location of the breach. Moments later, Wanda emerges from the Hex, dragging the drone by her side, and silently fuming as she walks up to them.
  Wanda Maximoff: Is this yours?! [tosses the drone at Hayward's feet]
  Tyler Hayward: The missile was just a precaution. You can hardly blame us, Wanda.
  Wanda Maximoff: Oh, I think I can. This will be your only warning. Stay out of my home. You don't bother me, I won't bother you.
  Tyler Hayward: I wish it could be that simple. You've taken an entire town hostage!
  Wanda Maximoff: [sneering] Well, I'm not the one with the guns, Director!
  Monica Rambeau: But you are the one in control.
  Wanda Maximoff: [irritated] You're still here. [Wanda conjures a ball of energy in her right hand]
  Monica Rambeau: Wanda, I didn't know the drones were armed. But you know that, don't you? A town full of civilians, and you—a telepath—brought a S.W.O.R.D. agent into your home. You trusted me to help deliver your babies. On some level, Wanda, you know I am an ally! I want to help you.
  Wanda Maximoff: How? What could you possibly have to offer me?
  Monica Rambeau: What do you want?
  Wanda Maximoff: [glares at Hayward] I have what I want. And no one will ever take it from me, again.
  • Wanda then backs up this threat by possessing every armed agent in the vicinity and forcing them to all turn their guns on Hayward. And not her typically pleasant mind control methods either that use gaslighting or subtle personality rewrites, she just straight up turns off the free will of her new victims and turns them into drones, something you'd more expect from Kilgrave than from Wanda Maximoff. You even see their eyes turn red as the mist passes over them. Then they all lower their guns as abruptly as they turned them on Hayward as Wanda reenters the Hex, and strengthens the barrier, which is now glowing a sickly red.
    • And bear in mind, the reason Wanda is so angry at Hayward is because he not only refused to give her the real Vision's body for her to bury, he also tried to coerce her into reviving him for Project Cataract. Hayward is lucky here that Wanda has restraint and didn't say, tell his men to also shoot him.
  • Remember all those times we saw the Avengers casually plow through armies of mooks? Now we get to see it from the perspective of a regular human at the mercy of these godlike beings.
• What's this week's commercial? Lagos Paper Towels. Following the "trauma" theme that the commercials have been going with, they're named after the incident in Lagos in 2016, easily one of Wanda’s most traumatic moments. Making things worse is that the lady in the commercial is shown only wiping up red colored liquid. At the end you can still faintly hear the liquid dripping, almost as if to indicate the hurt she caused will never truly get wiped away.
  "Lagos. For when you make a mess you didn't mean to!"
• Remember back how in Episode 2 it seemed odd there was a talent show for a school when there didn't seem to be any kids? Vision reveals there are no children in Westview at all. (Which raises its own horrible questions about whether there were any before Wanda got there.)
• When Vision proclaims that Wanda can't control him like she's doing to everyone else in Westview, her response is chilling.
  Wanda Maximoff: Can't I? [Out of nowhere, the audience cheers and credits scroll.]
  • Having the studio audience laugh at Wanda's line, and then the credits roll and music plays, like she was a sitcom wife getting in a perfect zinger for the episode closing line, is very off-putting because that isn't a funny line, it's actually very threatening. And then, the episode doesn't end, and they start arguing over the melodic music and closing credits until that cuts out when they move to the next room. There are clearly starting to way too many cooks in the kitchen at this point.
  • Their argument alone is pretty uncomfortable to watch. Until Infinity War, we had seen them grow to care for one another and even fall in love. Even in the first few episodes, we're treated to them being a normal loving family (albeit with superpowers). To see them suddenly get heated with one another is a very harsh sight indeed. In particular, hearing the normally serene and monk-like Vision start to yell is very jarring.
• Everyone at Vision's workplace reciting the contents of the S.W.O.R.D. email in a Borg-like Creepy Monotone, then laugh like they just read a funny joke.
  Workers: "SWORD Top Secret Communique. Authenticate. Dr. Darcy Lewis' findings regarding Maximoff Anomaly. High levels of radiation present at perimeter. Effect on Westview residents unknown. Please advise." [break out laughing]
  Norm: Well come on, pal! What are we going to write back? You're the office funny-guy!
• With the later reveals that Wanda created the Hex, Dennis the mailman's line takes on an entirely new, extremely unsettling dimension:
  Dennis: Ah, don't worry, [Sparky]'s sure to turn up! Your mom won't let him get far! [tips his head to Wanda] Ma'am.

Episode 6: All-New Halloween Spooktacular!

• When Vision breaks through the Hex barrier, he starts breaking apart and is clearly in immense pain. But even as he screams through his agony for someone to help the people inside the barrier... the S.W.O.R.D. agents don't make any move to aid him. They're content to just observe while he's literally dying in front of them, knowing full well that they're watching a facsimile of the Vision they're working on at their headquarters, and Darcy begs for them to do something. They even physically prevent Darcy from going to his aid and handcuff her to a jeep so she can't interfere.
  • Not to mention the way he starts breaking apart; pieces of his body start flying off of him and back into the bubble like he's being disintegrated in a way very reminiscent of the Snap, especially when he looks at his hand as it's breaking off into the Hex.
• In the usual sitcom intro sequence, Vision is shown to be absolutely, some might say disproportionately, furious at Tommy for taking his newspaper, to the point where he's about to swat Tommy (with the newspaper, but still). One can only hope that that's just Vision having to play along with the intro sequence (same as with the '80's intro), even though he's shown to grow less and less happy as the sequence goes.
  • If you listen closely to the lyrics, it seems that even the theme song is now encouraging Wanda to embrace the illusion and not question the morality of what she's done.
• This is the first episode where we see other children in Westview, and there are a lot of children. Pietro even asks Wanda if she kept them sleeping or hidden to shield them from the trauma of the shift in time periods.
• There's another horrible Jump Scare, as Pietro for an instant takes on the appearance of a pale, blank-eyed corpse riddled with bullet holes—the precise way his counterpart in reality died.
• The sight of Westview that seems to be outside of Wanda's immediate viewing area. The first few residents we see seem to be in some kind of loop, then once Vision reaches the town's border, everyone is basically frozen in place and/or moving so slowly as to appear that way.
  • Vision plays into the storyline to get his own way. He goes off to do his own observations on the Hex, and finds a woman trying to hang a ghost decoration on the front yard. Emphasis on trying since she looks like a glitching NPC by how her arm goes up and down, while in the background her husband loops picking up and putting down a candy bucket. Oh, to make it worse? She's crying.
  • Oh, and it gets better. Remember the scene from the first trailer, when Vision "wakes up" Agnes, she tells him he's dead, and then starts cackling maniacally? We see the full scene here, and it's even worse. First off, Agnes is clearly terrified of what's going on inside the Hex ^note Which seemingly disputes any theories that she's intentionally involved in it, but at the same time, she's the only one aside from Vision right next to the barrier who's capable of talking and moving... Until the next episode where it's revealed to be an act and that Agatha was in control all this time.. Then, when she tells Vision he's dead, she repeats it several times, like a Madness Mantra. And finally, the laughter is clearly a case of Laughing Mad, as she appears to be losing her mind from fear and despair over the situation, declaring that "all is lost".
    • The jarring Mood Whiplash that comes from Agatha pretending to have her brainwashing restored is extremely unsettling. She's Laughing Mad in one moment, then acting like her usual cheerful self the next. Props to Kathryn Hahn for being able to switch so seamlessly from despair-filled manic laughter to cheery sitcom happiness at the drop of a hat.
• The commercial for this episode is especially horrifying. It starts off innocent enough, being a claymation yogurt ad featuring a Totally Radical shark mascot giving a cup to a starving castaway stranded on an island. And then we're treated to a lovely sequence of the kid rapidly decaying into a skull as he desperately tries to get the yogurt cup open. Should we mention that the child has red hair and a red shirt?
  "Yo-Magic! The snack for survivors!"
  • The audio description for the episode describes the boy as "becoming more and more cadaverous."
• The lyrics to this episode's theme song feel like a rather disturbing summation of Wanda's current state of mind:
  Don't try to fight the chaos
  Don't question what you've done
  The game can try to play us
  Don't let it stop the fun!
• The revelation that this Pietro, being that he's Agatha's puppet, knows Westview is an illusion and that his role in the show is more or less to cause trouble in the town. It shows that he is definitely not the exact same person Wanda knew as her brother, despite him having the memories of his "old self".
  • Something about this Pietro is just... off, seeing as he's not really Pietro but Ralph Bohner. Him knowing all about Westview's reality-altered woes (because Agatha is immune to Wanda's magic) is one thing, but then there's him acting on Agatha's agenda by deliberately convincing Wanda to let Vision spend Halloween away from the family, cozying up to Billy and Tommy by playing the role of the Cool Uncle, and, finally, subtly trying to probe Wanda about the extent of her Reality Warper powers by asking her how she managed to transform an entire town into an idyllic suburban paradise. Really makes you wonder whether he has some ulterior motives for Wanda...
• Wanda has a small talk with Herb during the Maximoff family's trick-or-treating. Herb reveals Vision isn't on Neighborhood Watch patrol as he previously claimed. When Wanda shows displeasure at this, Herb timidly asks her if he can do anything for her. More specifically, if she wants anything changed. In a manner very reminiscent of Agatha's "off-script" moment from the previous episode.
• At the end of the episode, the Hex expands in an Advancing Wall of Doom that assimilates a large number of S.W.O.R.D. operatives. as well as Darcy. It's immensely creepy to see the agents go immediately from running in terror to silly clowns.
• When the Hex expands its borders, Hayward doesn't hesitate to leave his men behind and allow them to get assimilated in order to save his own skin. He also leaves Darcy, a terrified civilian, handcuffed to the Jeep and unable to escape.

Episode 7: Breaking the Fourth Wall

• Wanda truly becomes "off". In the past, she would quickly, sometimes violently correct an error in her world, but here she's practically given up. She barely shows any concern over Vision not being in bed with her and trusts that he'll find his own way home. What makes it worse is that she still puts on the facade of a sitcom mother whimsically handling her sons.
• Wanda is in one of the interview segments expressing how frustrated she is on the fact that her reality is falling apart and she can't fix things anymore. The offscreen and modulated-in-post-production voice of Agatha suddenly questions her if she thinks she deserves everything she's going through. The question is not only off-putting because of the fact that the silent interviewer is not supposed to talk in this show format (as Wanda points out), but also Wanda's current deplorable emotional state makes the question come out as cruel and malicious, as if suddenly her whole reality decided to go hostile against her.
• Darcy got enveloped by the expanding Hex at the end of the last episode because she was handcuffed to a jeep and wasn't freed as S.W.O.R.D.'s men (tried to) run. She's been 'integrated' as part of the circus as the 'escape artist' still attached to a car. When Vision (mercifully) frees her from Wanda's control, she admits that though she had been dreaming of a 'guest spot' on the in-universe show, the experience itself was horrible. Darcy was someone who actually wanted to be on Wandavision and still the experience was terrifying to her, and she was only under the spell for a short while. Everyone else had no desire to be part of the show... and had been under control for at least a week longer.
• The way Wanda telekinetically shoves Monica into the sidewalk, in addition to the threat she gives afterwards. It really seems like Wanda is prepared to seriously injure her. And there was no way she could have known Monica had gained powers at that point (note how she was surprised to see Monica back in the Hex, given she strengthened the Hex barrier after the whole incident with the drone).
  Monica Rambeau: Wanda? Wanda!
  Wanda Maximoff: What are you doing?
  Monica Rambeau: Wanda-
  Wanda Maximoff: How did you get in here?!
  Monica Rambeau: Listen to me. This whole thing, it's about Vision-
  Wanda Maximoff: [seething] Get out of my house!
  Monica Rambeau: Hayward was trying to bring him b- [Wanda grabs Monica and flings her out of the house, levitating her over the sidewalk]
  Wanda Maximoff: DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT! THE DRONES! THE MISSILES! PIETRO! [laughs darkly]
  Monica Rambeau: Pietro? No-no-no-no, that wasn't us!
  Wanda Maximoff: [snarling] ALL YOU DO IS LIE!!! [shoves Monica into the sidewalk. Monica's eyes crackle with energy as she gets back on her feet]
  Monica Rambeau: The only lies I've told are the ones you put in my mouth!
  Wanda Maximoff: [conjures energy in her hands] Careful what you say to me.
• How does Agatha decide to bring Bohner back this episode? With a Jump Scare on Monica.
• Agatha interrupts Monica's conversation and drags Wanda over to her house. Immediately, Wanda realizes something is very off about the house. Billy and Tommy are not there, but there are half-eaten sandwiches sitting on the table, Yo Gabba Gabba! is playing on the TV, and a cicada lurking ominously on the curtains.
  Wanda Maximoff: Where are the twins?
  Agatha Harkness: Oh. They're probably just playing in the basement.
  • So Wanda goes downstairs into the basement, which is full of creepy plastic coverings. Then she goes through another corridor where the walls are now stone and covered in vines and there’s the sound of wind, and the aspect ratio changes from 16:9 to cinematic 2:35:1. Wanda then discovers a chamber, and the Darkhold on prominent display. Then she hears a door slam shut, and Agatha enters, stroking Senor Scratchy.
    Agatha Harkness: Wanda, Wanda. You didn't think you were the only magical gal in town, did you? [Agatha waves her hand to shut another door] The name's Agatha Harkness. Lovely to finally meet you, dear!
  • With this atmosphere, it's almost a relief that Agatha puts on her catchy upbeat Villain Song at this moment.

Episode 8: Previously On

• Agatha's backstory shows that she's been alive since the 1600s, and when her coven of witches wanted to kill her for betraying them and stealing forbidden knowledge, she instead drained their life force, turning them into withered husks, including her mother.
  • The corpses of the witches brings to mind the Yo-Magic! ad from episode 6, where the little castaway withered into a skeleton after failing to open the box of Yo-Magic. Given the castaway wore a red shirt, it's a sign that Agatha intends to unleash Wanda to her full power and then drain her of it.
• Wanda sees the dissected body of her lover — who, from her perspective, only died a few days ago — being experimented on and clearly being used for weapons research, the very thing he dreaded. In addition, Hayward seems to have deliberately shown Wanda this horrible scene in order to get a reaction out of her (perhaps hoping she might revive Vision) and instead further traumatizes her.
  • Vision's dissected corpse is horrifying to see up close. His limbs have been separated and his circuits are splayed out like tendons, barely connecting each limb to his torso. The S.W.O.R.D. scientists can be seen sawing into his limbs and pulling them apart like an autopsy. His head has been removed from his body and has a massive crater in the middle like in Episode 4 with wires poking out of it, his eyes blank and still open.
• Assuming he knew that Wanda's magic would revive Vision's remains when he sent the drone in, Hayward is gambling with the lives of everyone in Westview just to finally get his weapon up and running.
• The Stark missile crashing into Wanda's family's apartment, killing her parents, and leaving her and Pietro, who we might remind you, are still children, trapped for two days, is just gut-wrenching even if you know they both survive eventually. It also makes the same beeping noise and has the same red light as the ToastMate 2000 in the commercial in Episode 1, confirming that the commercials are a part of Wanda's subconscious.
• The HYDRA experiments to activate Wanda's powers look less like a scene from a Marvel movie and more like something out of the SCP Foundation, with scientists coldly and casually throwing random test subjects against Loki's scepter in what could charitably be called a dungeon, not expecting them to survive.
• Agatha being completely willing to strangle Billy and Tommy through a magical garrote — keep in mind that they are ten year olds. Sure, they may have been born of Wanda's dangerous Reality Warper powers but they're still young, innocent children who never hurt anyone.
  • On another note, you can see that holding back Billy and Tommy with the magical ropes causes Agatha's fingers to turn black, as if they were frostbitten. This notably did not happen at any other point during the episode when Agatha used her magic, implying it's something about the twins and possibly Wanda's magic that's causing this, which brings into question what exactly the twins are made of...
• Imagine how terrifying it must have been to be a resident of Westview shortly before the Hex occurred. You’re trying to pull your life back together after the family you thought was dead came back, you’re just sitting in the town square relaxing. About five minutes later, you see a giant red wave wash over you and the town. Now your entire world is black and white, all the fashions and cars are now 70 years older, and your entire personality is overwritten by someone else, as you can do nothing but watch as all of your neighbors and friends are forced to act out a role.

Episode 9: The Series Finale

• Wanda meets White Vision after he enters Westview, and he reaches out to caress her face with seemingly tender intent. Then he tries to crush her skull in his hands, sneering as she screams and attempts to struggle, saying, "And I was told you were powerful." If Westview Vision had intervened a few seconds later, the scene might have ending up looking like the end of Oberyn Martell and The Mountain’s fight.
• Up until now, Wanda was able to convince herself that the Hex had created better lives for the people of Westview. When Agatha wakes them all up, Wanda is forced to see just how twisted her actions were:
  Abilash Tandon: When you let us sleep, we have your nightmares!
  • Even worse is when they start begging Wanda to either release them or Mercy Kill them.
  • As she becomes aware of the pain she has caused, Wanda becomes emotionally overwhelmed and lets out an Angst Nuke that starts choking all the people around her. Wanda looks at their horrific, realistic suffering and realizes that as long as her power remains uncontrolled, she could cause this to happen at any time.
• Realizing how much the townsfolk of Westview are suffering under the Hex's influence, Wanda decides to undo its effects so that everyone can escape. However, this causes her family to start disintegrating just like in the sixth episode, with the three of them screaming in terrified and confused agony as it happens. It was bad enough seeing Vision, an android Made of Indestructium start falling apart, but to watch two ten-year-old boys made of flesh and blood start flaking apart as they go through the pain of fading out of existence is nothing short of mortifying.
• Wanda slowly withering as Agatha drains her powers is rather disturbing. First, one of her hands slowly turns black as if it was burnt, then it extends to the other and goes up to her forearm. Near the end of their battle (and before she turns the tables on Agatha) Wanda's face has become grey and desiccated, looking almost like the witches that Agatha killed in the flashback.
• Sure, she deserved it, but Agatha's banishment to stay trapped as Agnes, her role in the sitcom, while being able to do nothing from the inside, is NOTHING short of horrific considering how people have compared Wanda's mind control to mental torture. Her smile after Wanda turns her into Agnes and the way she says “Hiya, hon!” just screams “Please kill me…” Also, if you keep in mind the fact that she now has no home to live in since the original owner of the house she was living in, implied to be Ralph Bohner, is now awake, she seems utterly screwed.
  • Adding a bit of extra creepy to the scene, right before Wanda forces the transformation on Agatha, Agatha calls out how cruel it is to do that to her... and Wanda gives a brief, subtle Psychotic Smirk in agreement.
• When Wanda undoes the Hex and takes her leave from Westview, all of the residents Agatha brought to the town square glowers at her angrily. They're obviously none too pleased that she forced them and their neighbors to play into her grief-induced fantasies, and very unlikely to have any sympathy for how emotionally vulnerable she is.
• The final shot of the second post-credit scene: Wanda (now having fully embraced her Scarlet Witch identity and is working to hone her powers in some undisclosed, secluded location) levitating and surrounded by wisps of hex magic as she reads the Darkhold. Suddenly, she hears her children cry out to her for help from parts unknown. The screen flashes red and then cuts to black.

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