WandaVision Explained Part 1: A Guided History of Wanda Maximoff and Vision

WandaVision Explained Part 1: A Guided History of Wanda Maximoff and Vision

After more than a year of waiting, we finally received new material from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in the form of the Disney+ Original Series, WandaVision. At the time that this article is being written the streaming service will have released 5 episodes so I am going to do my best to answer all of your burning questions and try to explain to you all that happened so far. I will go ahead and give you a SPOILER WARNING for all that has happened on this season of WandaVision and in the whole of the MCU so far.

WandaVision poster Courtesy of Wikimedia and Disney +

WandaVision takes place in the town of Westview, chronicling the relationship between Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) as they face their toughest battle yet… suburbia. However, there’s no Joshua Bassett living here, just your average, run of the mill town with its enduring quirks and shenanigans…or so we think. 

Before we get started with the deep dive on all that has happened so far this season, let’s go back to how we were first introduced to these characters. We first met Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) in the post-credit scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as well as her twin brother Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver). We would not see them again until the Avengers second outing as a team, Avengers: Age of Ultron where they teamed up with the sentient being Ultron, a product of a project gone wrong by Tony Stark (Iron Man) & Bruce Banner (Hulk). 

In hopes of taking down Ultron, Tony and Bruce hatch a new plan, and Vision is created using the Mind Stone and Tony Stark’s in suit companion J.A.R.V.I.S. (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System). During the Battle of Sokovia, the twin siblings realize that Ultron’s intentions are much grimmer than they expected and they begin to fight alongside the Avengers. Their change in allegiance puts a target on their back and while Wanda is saved by Vision, Quicksilver dies saving the citizens of Sokovia, a true hero’s ending. 

The next time we hear from Wanda and Vision is in Captain America: Civil War, where while they are hiding out in the Avengers compound together we see the sparks begin to fly. In Avengers: Infinity War, Wanda & Vision have gone into hiding because of the events of Civil War. Unbeknownst to them, the children of Thanos have located them and are in search of the thing that makes Vision who he is, The Mind Stone. Wanda and Vision are saved by Captain America, Black Widow and Falcon when the children of Thanos attack in hopes of attaining the stone. 

After saving Vision, they take him to Wakanda where he remains until the Battle of Wakanda. The battle where Vision makes the ultimate sacrifice and has Wanda destroy the stone in his head that gives him life, killing him in the process. Only for Thanos to reverse time and bring Vision back only to rip the Mind Stone out of his head, killing him again and finally assembling the six infinity stones into his gauntlet so that he can bring about his order and wipe out half of human life in the process. 

Thanos is successful, and Wanda Maximoff is one of the many casualties of what is now known as “The Blip.” Five years after the Battle of Wakanda and the Blip that wiped out half of human life, the Avengers devise a plan to bring everyone back in Avengers: Endgame. Through a series of events, we see the return of everyone who had been previously “blipped” away, including Wanda Maximoff who is out for Thanos’ blood since it is because of him that her true love Vision is dead. 

If you want to see a visual representation of how we’ve gotten to know Wanda and Vision, check out the Disney+ Original Series Legends and watch their story play out. As far as WandaVision is concerned, check out the second part of this series for an episode by episode breakdown of what has happened so far.