Wandavison: More Than Just Another Superhero Show

      Spoilers ahead!

         After only a few episodes, it becomes very clear to the viewer, even if they aren’t an avid Marvel fan, that there is more going on than just a silly sitcom that changes decades each episode. In episode four, we break from Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision’s (Paul Bettany) increasingly alarming story to follow Jimmy Woo, Darcy Lewis, and Monica Rambeau, three characters from different Marvel movies (Ant-Man, Thor, and Captain Marvel, respectively) as they try to figure out just what is going on in Westview, New Jersey. 

         It is eventually discovered that Wanda is the one pulling the strings, creating her own reality in Westview and controlling the people inside for her episodes. For the staunch Marvel fans in the audience, this is no surprise - Wanda is one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel universe, and according to some, the most powerful. However, this show begs a larger question than just the extent of Wanda’s power - because really, what is fueling the entire thing? It’s her inability to deal with the intense loss of the love of her life. 

            Wandavision is more than a show about superheroes, which is why a friend of mine who hates Marvel movies loves it, and why some Marvel fans were at first hesitant. The viewer sees Wanda going through the stages of grief while those on the outside try to free the innocent residents of Westview from her control. 

         In the process of making her show and new suburban life with Vision, Wanda is in fact hurting people and causing them intense psychological torment as she ignores reality and dives headfirst into fantasy. In Wandavision, Wanda is able to enjoy the life she always wanted with Vision before his untimely death in Avengers: Infinity War. She may know that what she is doing is wrong, but it is easier to project one’s own pain onto others than to feel it themselves. Loss can make people selfish and irrational —especially badass superheroes with extraordinary power. 

         The show has superb special effects, easter eggs from the comics and other Marvel movies, and cliffhangers that leave you on the edge of your seat, and many other little details that make the show compelling to watch. Even if you just casually watch the Marvel movies, or haven’t seen a single one, I encourage you to try Wandavision —it’s a show about mental health, love, loss, and family, and anyone can relate to that.