The following contains spoilers for WandaVision episode 6.
Westview celebrates Halloween in the sixth outing of WandaVision, bringing the sitcom aspects of the program into the late 1990s/early 2000s. The episode also sees Vision begin to investigate just what it is that’s going on in Westview, with some pretty creepy results. Both SWORD and the Maximoff family find themselves divided as events play out, amping up the drama.
Amongst all the drama, of course, are plenty of Easter eggs. There are a number of nods to Marvel comics, but there are also links to early parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe again. If viewers pay close attention, they’ll also spot references to other Disney properties and a few classics.
So far, the sitcom references are usually split amongst several shows of the given era. In this particular episode, however, the program leans heavily on early 2000s series Malcolm in the Middle. The credits are done in the same vein, right down to the font used, but it’s more than just that.
As the layout of the living room changes in each episode, it usually reflects one of the referenced sitcoms. That’s the case here with it most resembling Malcolm in the Middle. The Maximoff family members even slot into the same family roles with Billy as Malcolm, speaking right into the camera to speak to the audience, and Tommy as the “cool” brother who most aligns with Reese. Pietro fills the Francis role as the bad influence on the twins, encouraging them to prank the neighbors.
Halloween costumes in WandaVision mean classic comic book ensembles. While Wanda calls herself a Sokovian fortune teller, her Halloween costume is what she wears in the comics – complete with headpiece. (As a bonus nod, Wanda believed her mother was a fortune teller in the comics before the reveal that she was the Scarlet Witch before her.) Likewise, Vision claims to be dressed as a Mexican wrestler, a luchador, but his costume is done in the vein of his classic comic book ensemble as well. Even Billy and Tommy stick with wearing their comic book colors. Billy has a pretty close approximation of his Wiccan costume too.
Pietro Maximoff even sticks around beyond his cliffhanger of a cameo in episode five and dons a costume to take the twins trick-or-treating. When Pietro nabs a costume for himself and Tommy, he dresses his nephew as a mini Quicksilver to match him, complete with windswept hair.
Wanda warns her boys not to go beyond Ellis Avenue when they’re out on Halloween. Not only does the street mark the edge of town where The Hex is in place, but it also could be a significant name.
The President of the United States for much of the MCU’s run has been President Matthew Ellis. He’s made appearances in Iron Man 3, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and on Agents Of SHIELD, but he hasn’t been seen on screen in a few years. It’s likely his term is long over and the street is named for him.
The midpoint of the episode features its usual commercial break, though this time, the ad isn’t as seductive as a Strucker Watch. It’s creepier. Yo-Magic is sold as a yogurt that’s just for “survivors” as a kid on a deserted island gets a cup from a shark. Unfortunately, though he has no sustenance other than the magic, he wastes away while trying to open the cup.
While the previous commercials recall specific moments in the MCU, this one is definitely up for interpretation. Wanda’s power set is termed “magic” in the comics, but isn’t in the MCU. That doesn’t mean the commercial isn’t addressing her powers. It could be that someone else is utilizing her power set in Westview, or it could be that Wanda’s “magic” isn’t going to be enough to truly undo the death that surrounds her.
Kat Dennings recently asked fans on twitter if they noticed Darcy’s watch in the last few episodes. The watch face features a familiar Disney character – Mickey Mouse. His own hands act as the hands on the clock. That’s not the only Disney reference in the episode.
If fans pay special attention to just what’s going on in the background, they’ll notice the local movie theater is playing a pair of late ’90s/early 2000s movies. The Incredibles and The Parent Trap are listed on the marquee. While the former is about a family of superheroes, the latter is about a pair of twins who discover their connection to one another and swap places. The original The Parent Trap starred Hayley Mills, but the 1998 version starred Lindsay Lohan.
Pietro isn’t just around to prank the neighbors and stir up trouble. He also has a lot of lines that might spark recognition for Marvel fans.
At one point, he refers to his nephews as “demon spawn.” That will likely add fuel to the theory fire that Mephisto really controls the reality of Westview. In the comics, Wanda unintentionally uses a piece of Mephisto’s soul to create her children. He’s a demon who claims Hell as his dominion.
Pietro also calls himself “Uncle Peter.” That’s interesting because the MCU version of the character went by Pietro in Avengers: Age Of Ultron. The X-Men version of the character, however, raised in the US, used the name Peter. The name change acts as a wink to the multiverse.
Pietro also uses the phrase “kick-ass,” which would be innocuous if Wanda didn’t repeat it with a look of confusion on her face. Both Evan Peters (the current Pietro) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (the previous Pietro) starred in Kick-Ass, based on the graphic novel of the same name.
WandaVision really loves to tease the audience with Agnes. Fans continue to speculate as to whether or not she’s really comic book sorceress Agatha Harkness, and on the surface, this episode points to no. That might be a misdirect.
All of the characters referenced in the opening credits wear costumes that correspond to their comic book counterpart. Agnes appears in those opening credits as well, but she looks like the stereotypical Halloween costumed witch instead. She even cackles in a manner reminiscent of Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch in The Wizard Of Oz. Conspicuously absent from her costume is the brooch/necklace that she always wears, and when Vision “wakes” her, she clutches her chest, where it normally resides, before asking if she’s dead. It could be a coincidence, but it seems more like it’s drawing attention to the missing accessory, which is exactly like Agatha’s brooch in the comics.
Just as the fourth episode provided hints to Monica Rambeau’s comic book superpowers, so does this episode.
When Darcy Lewis hacks into Director Hayward’s files, she finds he has Monica’s blood work. The file indicates that Monica’s cells change on a molecular level each time she passes through the barrier of The Hex. The changing structure could indicate that her powers are on the way. It could also lead to even more powered people in Westview as Wanda expands the perimeter.
When Wanda exited The Hex in the fourth episode, the audience didn’t get a good look at the missile Hayward planned on sending after her. That missile is still in SWORD’s possession, but with Wanda’s red glow around it. Fans can get a closer look by pausing their stream.
If they do, they might be surprised to see that the weapon is made by a familiar company. It’s got the Stark Industries stamp on it. That means Hayward used the same technology that killed her parents to go after Wanda.
When Monica and Jimmy Woo decide to meet the former’s mysterious engineer friend, Darcy opts to stay behind. She hacks into more of Hayward’s files, trying to uncover his secrets.
What she finds is a set of files labeled “CATARACT.” That doesn’t exist in Marvel comics as a program or weapon, so it’s not clear if it’s an acronym or clever world play. In reality, cataracts are an eye condition that causes the afflicted person to lose vision. Perhaps this particular program is concerned with just why SWORD had Vision’s body.
When Darcy emails the information to Jimmy, a few more names autofill. James Gadd works in post-production for Marvel Studios while James Alexander is a visual effects producer on WandaVision itself.
New episodes of WandaVision stream every Friday on Disney+.
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