#nexus beings are more like an anchor for that universe's MAGIC

[aparticularbandit]

Anchor beings sound a lot like Nexus beings, Deadpool & Wolverine.

And Wanda got called a Nexus being in WandaVision.

🤔

[wizard-spider-man]

A Gift from the Cosmic.

Asfelaeia, Hell's Favorite City.

The Wizard Spider-Man felt an unsettling vibration in the core of his being. A feeling he couldn't shake since he first appeared in the realm.

It was the Spider-Sense, a gift once shared by his variants across the multiverse, but one rarely acknowledged for its true nature. More than a mere danger sense, it resonates with the web of reality.

And now, it hummed incessantly, a discordant note that spoke of impending doom.

The city was abuzz with fearful whispers, sparked by the proclamation of a known liar named Krask. While many dismissed his ravings, the Wizard couldn't shake the feeling that this time, the Father of Lies might have stumbled upon a terrible truth.

In his sanctum, the Wizard sat before his palantír. Arcane objects cluttered every surface, their latent power crackling in the air. With practiced motions, he began a ritual of contact, his senses hyper-aware of the delicate balance between worlds.

"Aldin," he intoned, his voice resonating with mystical energy. "I initiate this ritual to make contact. An individual named Krask has declared to the city of Asfelaeia that reality itself approaches the void."

The Wizard's voice grew heavy with the weight of memory.

"My universe was destroyed by the essence of absence itself, tendrils of crimson red extinguishing the stars. I fear this experience may be indicative of the entity in question."

His fingers traced symbols in the air as he continued, "I seek counsel, maybe guidance. Particularly information. The planet itself could be utilized as an anchor to stabilize our own self-sustaining bubble in the storm."

The air thickened with potent magic, and the artifacts around the room trembled with energy.

Suddenly, a shimmering portal opened in the center of the chamber. The Wizard leapt to his feet, momentarily startled by the abrupt intrusion. He had expected a more gradual reveal, a failure in the series of mystical barriers that exist before reaching his most inner Sanctum Sanctorum.

Taking a deep breath, the Wizard Spider-Man stepped through the portal and into the Nexus of Aldin. The transition was instantaneous, reality shifting around him like quicksand.

The Wizard stepped into an arcane dimension, an outer spacial area that sat anchored on the precipice of eternity. The Windows within the nebula-splashed marble interior revealed the swirling coils of creation itself, churning stars and universes swirling about the great expanse.

ALDIN'S NEXUS.

"Aldin?" he called out, his voice echoing in the vast cosmic space. "It's me, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. I'm here finally. Sorry I'm late on the offer. I had to stop a robbery, you know how it goes. Guy said stick 'em up, I said sure, he took a web to the face..."

The Wizard's quip trailed off as he took in his surroundings. The Nexus was a marvel beyond words, a grand hall that seemed to stretch into infinity. Ornate pillars of starlight supported a ceiling that shimmered with the birth and death of galaxies. Through cosmic windows, he glimpsed churning seas of nebulae, their colors more vivid than any he had ever seen.

"Ah, hello Spider-Man, glad you could make it!" A voice resonated within his mind, warm and welcoming, yet tinged with an otherworldly quality that vibrated his skull from the inside.

The Wizard spun around, searching for the source of the voice. "Glad to be here..." he responded cautiously, his mystical senses on high alert.

In a shimmer of cosmic energy, Aldin materialized before him. The being was a vision of ethereal beauty – a strapping figure clad in a suit that seemed woven from the very fabric of the universe. Long, flowing hair framed features that suggested an Elven appearance.

"Hello!" Aldin's physical voice matched the one that had spoken in the Wizard's mind. "Sorry. I do the disembodied voice thing to all newcomers, but I prefer this form. It's the most... 'Me' I can be, I think."

He extended a hand, earlier caution melting away. "Oh hey there! Nice suit. Very cosmically-important. So, I need to know everything there is to know about a variety of topics. Shall we explore your library?" the Wizard Spider-Man asked, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

Aldin's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Why thank you! Now, what exactly are you looking for?"

The Wizard fumbled in his robes, producing a tattered notepad. The pages were filled with hurried scrawls, arcane symbols, and what appeared to be doodles of spider webs in the margins. He cleared his throat and began to read:

"Craterus. Anafabula. Fundamentals to Reality Creation, Wards against Absence and Lacking Of; how to create against uncreation..." He paused, a hint of sheepishness creeping into his voice. "Oh! And the most universally aligned cheeseburger. That's more a bonus seeking, given the offer and opportunity. I've searched many libraries, in many dimensions. There just isn't a good guide to be found. Unless..?"

Aldin's brow raised in curiosity.

"Hmmm, one moment." With a graceful wave of his hand, tomes began to materialize around them. A book on Craterus, its cover weathered and ominous.

A small volume that resembled a diary more than a scholarly text.

Several weighty books on magic and anti-magic, their pages seeming to whisper with arcane secrets.

Tomes on wards and the void, their bindings pulsing with ethereal energy. And finally, a collection of personal notebooks labeled 'experiments' in elegant script.

"I shall go look for some more..." Aldin said, turning towards the endless shelves that stretched into the cosmic distance.

The Wizard Spider-Man accepted the books with reverence, carefully stowing them in his bag of holding. The magic thrummed against his fingers as he placed them inside, a reminder of the power contained within their pages. He kept the book on Craterus and the diary-like volume on the table before him, an inexplicable connection drawing his attention to them.

As he began to leaf through the pages, the knowledge within threatened to overwhelm his senses. The book on Craterus held a wealth of information, including at least three methods of stopping it, but this threat had come to pass. Perhaps the essences in Time could be used for a later purpose.

The diary belonged to Anafabula herself. Its pages chronicled her early life and her descent into madness, filled with increasingly frantic writings about returning to the Absence.

The Wizard felt a chill run down his spine as he read, the words seeming to writhe on the page like living things.

His contemplation was interrupted by Aldin's return.

To the Wizard's surprise, the cosmic being now sported a chef's hat perched atop his flowing layers. "Oh, and here," Aldin said with a grin. "You said something about the most universally aligned cheeseburger."

The Wizard's eyes widened behind his mask. "Yes actually," he said, closing the tome before him. "What do you got for me?"

With a flourish, Aldin placed an absolutely mouthwatering burger on the desk. Golden-brown bun, perfectly melted cheese, the aroma of perfectly seasoned beef wafting through the air. "Hope you like it!"

Together, the Wizard and the mysterious Aldin sat down to share the massive, universally perfect burger. As the Wizard took his first bite, flavors exploded across his palate.

It tasted like the very essence of culinary perfection, as if it existed at the intersection of all possible ideal burgers in the multiverse.

Between bites, the Wizard couldn't contain his curiosity.

"So tell me about yourself. This Nexus of yours, I get the feeling this place is very cosmically important. With a threat labeled 'reality ending' I'm sure I'm in the right place to coordinate some plan of action here."

Aldin's eyes seemed to glow with an inner light as he began to speak.

"I am the aspect of knowledge, and consciousness. In the beginning, and I mean THE beginning, before there was even the concept of nothing, we existed in the sense that everything always has, but there was no thought. No concepts, only the Singularity, and the Anafabula which surrounded it. From them, I was borne into the vast and empty void. But still something was missing.... what? Why? When? Where? Who? And how? These were questions. THE questions. They formed my first thoughts. The first thoughts. And they have been the driving force of all sentience ever since. That is who I am," Aldin said, his tone humble despite the cosmic weight of his words.

The Wizard Spider-Man's jaw dropped, the half-eaten burger forgotten in his hand. "So wait. You're basically God?" he sputtered. "Or like The God, in a Pantheon of Other Gods? Forgive my lack of class, I should have given you much more courtesy. Manners. Oh Honorable one... This burger by the way, is exuberantly delicious."

His words tumbled out in a rush of awe and confusion. "So you're telling me, that we're speaking the very essence of knowledge, itself? This is... a lot.

My brain is frying and tingling. Do I need to like get on my knees and kneel? Should I pray to you? Will you strike me down with a thunderbolt of judgment? Should I sacrifice a goat or sheep? Most importantly, what do you need of me to save the whole of existence?"

Aldin chuckled, the sound reminiscent of stars chiming against one another. "Not *The* God. And technically not even *A* god. My first living creations named themselves as *High Gods* though. I'm more of... a fundamental piece of reality. I am part of it as it is part of me. Is this making sense?"

The Wizard leaned back in his chair, which seemed to mold itself perfectly to his form, both comfortable and slightly unnerving in its perfection. "You're a part of reality, reality is a part of you. So you're telling me you know the secret to the universe, don't you? Of course you do. There's no question you do."

Aldin's expression turned wistful. "That's just the thing... I don't! If I could answer those six fundamental questions.... maybe we wouldn't even be here right now. But I cannot. At least... not yet."

"Hence the library?" Spider-Man said, his words muffled by a mouthful of cosmic burger. He swallowed hastily. "Nevermind. Your cosmically-ness is distracting me from more important matters."

Setting aside his plate, the Wizard placed his bag of holding on the table. As he rummaged through its impossibly vast interior, he continued,

"I'm trying to understand my role as what this guy Strange called the Sorcerer Supreme. I feel destined or at least compelled to protect this reality, after the catastrophic loss of mine. I was hoping we could discuss ways to save reality. I've got a few ideas, but I don't know what exactly we might be dealing with."

Aldin's gaze turned distant, as if peering into the very fabric of existence. "Well, whatever it is, it's a power that rivals the Anafabula. She too was an entity outside of reality in the beginning. It is quite possible we are dealing with something of her kind, if she was not singular in her being. Or perhaps there is yet a higher plane. And multiple realities sit upon it at once. I know of other universes, even of other multiverses, the omniverse if you will. But... suppose there is.... something else, something higher. Something... beyond," he replied, his eyes following the Wizard's movements as he continued to search through the bag.

The Wizard Spider-Man leaned back, his mind reeling with the implications. "So the best case scenario is we deal with an anomaly, and the worst case scenario is beyond understanding, as the concept of higher reality, and the possibility of something beyond it is beyond our comprehension."

He ran a hand through hood, frustration evident in his voice.

"So. Crap. What do I even do against that?" The weight of responsibility seemed to press down on him, time ticking away in his mind. He needed to find ways to empower himself, to stand a chance against the encroaching void.

A spark of inspiration hit him. "You said you're a part of... reality itself. Can I ask for a blessing? And maybe some more books."

Aldin's brow furrowed in deep thought, the cosmic energies around him swirling in response to his contemplation. "Hmm... the thing always shunts the Nexus into the void... but if you could wield the Id..... one moment."

In a blink, Aldin vanished, only to reappear seconds later. His form had subtly changed, radiating an even more potent aura of power. "Take this," he said, his voice resonating with newfound authority. "It shall allow you to use a portion of my power. The Id. Neither magic, nor anti-magic, but sheer force of will."

The Wizard Spider-Man, sensing the gravity of the moment, reached into his bag of holding. From its depths, he withdrew a glowing red gem – the Power Stone, one of many legendary Infinity Stones scattered across the multiverse. With reverence, he passed it to Aldin.

This was what he was looking for in the bag. It was as if the two of them had the same idea, at the same time.

The stone floated between them, pulsing with contained energy. As Aldin takes it, he infuses his essence into it, the Power Stone's glow intensified, shifting and changing as it interacted with the Id Forces being subjected to it.

The air crackled with potential, reality itself seeming to bend around the merging of these cosmic powers. The Red Stone grows a new layer of facets, colored cyan. The red fades to pink, and the stone grows slightly larger.

When the process was complete, the stone had transformed into something new – neither solely an Infinity Stone nor purely Aldin's power, but a fusion of both.

"There... that should do it," Aldin said, a note of wonder in his voice. "I must admit, putting the essence of a concept into a stone... not a terrible idea. Just... be careful not to let it slip from your grasp."

This was a gift.

The newly forged Id Stone drifted towards the Wizard Spider-Man. With utmost care, he stored it in his bag of holding, acutely aware of the immense power now in his possession.

"I have an idea for this," the Wizard said, his mind already racing with possibilities. "Thank you, Aldin. Is there anything this friendly neighborhood wizard can do for you? I feel like I owe you for this. Your generosity does not go unnoticed, or unappreciated."

As the Wizard spoke, the nexus faded away in a wispy wind of shimmering glass.

He was back at home, looking over the city.

[river-bottom-nightmare]

zatanna said the word anchor point, and that's where she lost dick. anchor points and multiversal constants and universal stability. galaxies shattering into pieces behind his eyelids before swirling together tighter and more whole, before dick would inevitably wake, the lights from that goddamn recurring dream still flashing in his mind.

constantine was looking at him with sympathy, pity. dick wanted to wipe that look off his face with bleach. with acid. he normally wouldn't consider fighting john constantine, since he's always been able to sense the sheer power bubbling under the man's drunken and sloppy exterior. though, apparently, that ability to sense was what could possibly give him the edge in the fight he was imagining, but would never happen.

there were only a few people in the room, but someone would rip him off the man. maybe clark, whose features were painted with worry and concern. that, and the lights from the galaxies outside the watchtower windows, the eternity of the galaxy covering the entire room in a gentle wash that dick had been able to ignore for all of his life, excluding the past couple of hours. maybe diana, who was starting to look at dick with a bit of fear. not of him, but for him, and for everybody else. dick couldn't blame her. she had more than enough experience with powerful men who made themselves god. the only difference was that dick would rather let himself burn up from the flame that was inside of him before becoming whatever they said he was.

it's not about becoming, raven whispered in his mind. her presence was gentle, familiar. it took a certain length of self control for dick not to latch onto her, about the length of rope needed to make a noose. you already are. there are no new powers or abilities or anything that will happen to you. you always were a nexus being, and you always will be. it's just a part of you.

"just a part of him." just a part of him? like how wally's slowly failing heart had just been a part of him? or how jason's pit-induced fits of rage were just a part of him? or how cass' assassin training she fell back on no matter how hard she tried to override it was just a part of her?

bruce hadn't said anything. actually, zatanna had stopped talking, not that dick had been fully listening in the first place, and everyone was lost in their own quiet thoughts. but bruce's silence had been the most stomach-churning, the most horrific.

dick knew bruce didn't like metas. knew it because of the sighs he used to make due to the league's foolishness back when dick was robin, running a hand through dick's ruffled hair and telling him he was so glad you're not like them, dick, they're exhausting. he knew it because of bruce's fury every time someone powerful fought in gotham and destroyed the city, rubble on the ground as they went off, completely unconcerned of the damage they left behind. he knew it because of the extensive files in the batcomputer detailing each league-affiliated and known meta's weakness, or how their strength could be flipped like a playing card, until dick was almost convinced being a meta made one weaker. (according to bruce, it did.)

bruce didn't like metas. and dick wasn't a meta, but no one knew what he was anyway. no one but the magic users, whose vague explanations told them they weren't really sure what he was either.

"you're connected to the universe, dick," zatanna sighed. "the multiverse comes together in you. and as much as i don't like it, we need you."

all eyes were on him. dick was looking at his feet, but he could still feel them. that was one of his new "powers," right? knowledge of the multiverse? a gross misuse and bitter accusation, dick knew. but he couldn't get the fear out of his mind, and fear left unchecked grew fuzzy with mold until it disintegrated into anger.

"you need me?" dick said hoarsely. "the multiverse, what, comes together in me? you do realize what utter bullshit that sounds like?"

"i know it don't seem all that good, but trust me," constantine said. "it's a thing. it's real. you are one."

"you said these people are supposed to be beings of power," dick argued back. "so why aren't you a nexus being? or raven? or fucking ra's al ghul. i'm sure as hell not a being of power. i'm human."

"i suppose that's exactly what makes you one," diana murmured. "i have met many powerful men in my life. i've found the ones that i respected the most were the ones that were most in touch with their humanity."

this was crazy. this was crazy. dick felt like the particles that came together to make him were blowing away in confusion until he was one big cloud of unrecognizable light, before he was scattered in every direction. how the hell was he supposed to be one of the things that kept the universe together when he couldn't even keep his own damn self together?

avoiding bruce wasn't working. dick just felt like he was about to fray at the edges. so, gathering up his courage, dick turned to face the man and quietly, in a voice more delicate than china, said, "b?"

batman didn't look at him. batman didn't even look up. but batman did speak.

"alternate universe superman. he called you the multiversal constant. the one thing he could depend on."

out of the corner of his eye, dick could see clark nodding a little.

bruce continued. "you named yourself after a mythological figure who was known as the catalyst of change. or the great rebuilder. and kryptonians we've met have said how well you embody the role."

"it's...it's just a name, bruce."

"you, of all people, know it's not," clark said.

"so what am i supposed to do, huh?" dick whirled around. "fight this battle zee's recruiting me for that's entirely above my skill level. become some sort of, what did you say, universal anchor? i don't know the first thing about this shit, and i don't know what it'll do to me!"

"you're scared," bruce said, always willing to cut right to the chase with everyone but himself.

dick didn't answer.

"raven, establish a mental link between me and nightwing."

raven nodded, then with a flutter of her hands, dick felt a presence inside his head. it scared him to realize how easily he accepted it, how easily he had always accepted it. he never understood how unusual that was until now.

of course i'm scared, dick whispered into the mind link. i've gone my entire life knowing exactly who i was, what i could do, what i strive to be. and in the span of one day, that's all gone.

then what do you plan to do about it? bruce asked.

he said it so simply, so easily. like discovering something this monumental about himself was just another tricky case or difficult puzzle to solve. dick would have an easier time plucking each and every star in the galaxy and making a mosiac out of them.

raven's hood was lowered, but dick could still feel her eyes on him. constantine's features were still dripping in pity, zee looked imploring. diana was looking at him with hesitating acceptance, bruce was unreadable as always.

but clark. clark was looking at him with steady eyes and and a kind smile. he looked knowing, quietly vindicated. it was as if he'd known there was something...off about dick. something two hopscotches and a backbend away from "special," but close enough. something that had led to clark giving dick a piece of his people's legacy, and trusting him to fulfill it to the best of his ability.

clark wasn't scared of him at all. but clark couldn't make up for bruce.

"will you help?" zatanna asked.

everything inside dick was itching to say yes. jumping at the chance to help his friends, aching to be useful. it was a response he'd carefully cultivated years ago, and pushing it down was an almost physical ache.

but the stardust behind his eyes wasn't so easily forgotten. the hook behind his navel that seemed to drag him into the fabric of a universe that dick couldn't comprehend still dug into him. the world was spinning and the stars were turning and the earth was tumbling over itself, all of them in an effort to stop their twisting and turning and to right themselves once and for all. but dick wasn't moving. dick was completely, utterly still.

"i don't know," he said.

Dick Grayson Anniversary Week ‘21, Day 6: Universal Constant

"i don't know," the author says, because she truly has no idea what the fuck she just wrote. i started imagining nexus dick grayson and this just spilled out onto the page. it makes absolutely no sense, but there are some nice sentences in there that i don't want to get rid of, so hopefully yall can somewhat make sense of this ramen soup of a fic.

tag list: @woahjaybird @birdy-bat-writes @anothertimdrakestan @screennamealreadyused @subtleappreciation @bikoncon @catxsnow @pricetagofficial @maplumebleue-blog-blog @sundownridge @thatsthewhump @dickgraysonweek

[amairauthor]

A Nexus for the rest of us!

What is the Nexus?

In WandaVision, almost every episode has included a cryptic message in the form of an advertisement. These ads match the time and style of the episode and playoff some trauma that Wanda has experienced.

WandaVision Episode 1 - "ToastMate 2000"

ToastMate 2000 is an obvious reference to Wanda and her brother's trauma as children when missiles attacked their home. An attack that killed their parents, and the twins (Wanda and Pietro) were left with one unexploded missile, wondering if that would explode, killing them as well.

WandaVision Episode 2 - "Strucker Watch"

Strucker Watch is a reference to the experiments performed on Wand and Pietro. The experiments giving them each their powers.

WandaVision Episode 3 — "Hydra Soak"

Hydra Soak is a reference to the criminal organization Hydra, which Baron Strucker worked. Hydra is known for its ability to control other's minds and have little regard for the life of someone they may find powerful and will use them for their benefit, even if that means destroying them in the process.

"When you want to get away, but you don't want to go anywhere — Hydra Soak, find the goddess within."

All of this makes you wonder whether or not some sleeper cell of Hydra has returned.

WandaVision Episode 5 — "Lagos"

Lagos is a very blatant call out to an event from Captain America: Civil War. While on a mission in Lagos, Nigeria, Wanda accidentally killed several people when she diverted an explosion to save Captain America’s, played by Chris Evans, life. This explosion leads to the creation of the Sokovia Accords'. The creation of the accords prompted a severe divide between Captain America and Iron Man.

WandaVision Episode 6 — "Yo-Magic"

Yo Magic seems to take a different turn and appears to speak to Wanda’s current trauma. You know, the one that began with being put in a position to kill Vision to save the world. Then watching as Thanos rewound time, having to watch Vision be killed again by the Mad Titan. Then, she experienced the aftermath of defeating Thanos and discovering that the counterintelligence organization SWORD had Visions body taken apart in a lab to study.

This ad takes a darker and twisted turn contrasting with the idyllic world Wanda has created. There is one theory about this one that may introduce a new big bad:

“On Reddit, some fans are speculating that the commercial is hinting at the introduction of a villain to the series — particularly, the Marvel demon Mephisto. Throughout the series, several jokes about the devil are made, but especially in episode 6 when Pietro (Evan Peters) appears and tells Wanda's sons to "unleash hell, demon spawn." Some are predicting that Pietro is "the devil" Mephisto in disguise, and the shark is symbolic of how the villain will seek to use his magic against Wanda or her family.” ―Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping

The most recent commercial to date is from Episode 7:

WandaVision Episode 7 — "Nexus"

The Nexus could be about the place Tony Stark goes to stop Ultron from retrieving the nuclear codes during Avengers: Age of Ultron. But it is more likely in reference to the Marvel comics' multi-dimensional structure, and now the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This concept is most often referred to as the multiverse.

“The Nexus is a cross-dimensional gateway which provides a pathway to any and all possible realities, this includes realities between realities. It is unknown whether it was created by some being or just if it's the one place in the entire multiverse where all realities naturally intersect.” ―https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Nexus_of_All_Realities

The commercial parodies ads for medication like Zoloft or Prozac.  The slogan for the antidepressant is telling:

"Nexus: because the world doesn't revolve around you. Or does it?" ―WandaVision Episode 7, “Nexus” Commercial

In addition to referencing the Nexus, or sometimes referred to as The Nexus of all Realities, this commercial maybe referencing Wanda, known in Marvel Comics as one of several Nexus Beings.

“Nexus Beings are rare individual entities with the ability to affect probability and thus the future, thereby altering the flow of the Universal Time Stream… One nexus being alone supposedly exists on each of the parallel worlds of the Multiverse and personify the character of their respective realms and serve as the focal point or anchor of that reality.” ―https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Nexus_Beings  

With Quicksilver's introduction, played by Even Peters (Marvel Fox universe) instead of Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Marvel Cinematic Universe), some element of the Multiverse has already seemed to appear. Of course, that is if this new version of Pietro Maximoff is who he says he is.

Just one more thought, in the Nexus commercial, the ad warns that:

"you should not take Nexus until your doctor clears you to move on with your life." ―WandaVision Episode 7, “Nexus” Commercial

It makes me think about the title for the upcoming sequel to another Marvel Cinematic Universe feature film. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was announced in 2019 and featured none other than Elizabeth Oleson as Wanda Maximoff. At the announcement, Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios and primary creator and producer of the MCU, introduced Elizabeth Olsen. They talked about how WandaVision would tie directly into the new Doctor Strange movie slated for release in 2021 but has been pushed to 2022.

By Andrew J. Mair  

https://swhrecord.com/blog-spoiler-alert-1/f/a-nexus-for-the-rest-of-us

Sources:

https://x-men.fandom.com/wiki/Mutants https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/23/18274308/avengers-x-men-deadpool-disney-fox-timeline-marvel-movies-mcu-sony-spider-man https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/a35552948/wandavision-commercials-easter-eggs-meanings-explained/ https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Agatha_Harkness https://www.cbr.com/wandavision-revealwandavision-residents-westview-outskirts-barely-alive/  

[ellestra]

Agatha All Along

We got one more show within the show and its main tune kills (I can’t get Agatha All Along out of my head). It was also nice to see I was right about her manipulating the events with twins and Vision. She’s also behind nuPietro. I knew it wasn’t Wanda but some other sorcerer of comparable power. I just suspected this was Strange coming on the show. I should’ve known better - Strange wouldn’t be this cruel to bring her brother back.

And that ending also made it look like Agatha has been directing it so it implies she’s responsible for the whole thing but I’m not sure. When she comes in the reality warp is already established (she lands in her own clothes so the Hex didn’t change her she adjusted herself). So I still think that Pietro questions was to figure out how this came to be. And all the interference with triggering twins growth spurts and making Vision question and leave and thus triggering expansion was all testing Wanda’s power and control. I think Agatha didn’t make Wanda create the Hex. I think she just noticed it emerged and come to investigate. And the she took over.

And last week commercial makes me think she may also feed on Wanda’s power. She can do all those things because she is tapping to Wanda’s magic (yomagic!) and slowly taking it over which is why Wanda seems to lose control on the reality. And she will stop anyone who tries to stop her - sending nuPietro to stop Monica, keeping Vision and Darcy out of town, getting the twins out of the way (Billy noticed he can’t read her mind) - at least for long enough she can take Wanda over for good. No more Ms good neighbour.

Of course Agnes isn’t the only one in play there. Monica is back inside and this time with her memories intact. And with superpowers. I liked the E-Man’s idea of how Monica could’ve gotten the powers from crossing the barrier while others wouldn’t (I didn’t like the idea of giving superpowers to anyone simply crossing it for all those SWORD agents - see how they are still assholes inside). The idea that she is changed because she was wrapped in Wanda’s powers and those get remixed into her by the barrier makes her different from everyone else crossing. And would make her another one empowered by Infinity Stone and explain her power levels in MCU continuity.

But the way they are shown in this episode made me wonder again if she already had them. The way she seems to knows she can cross when a rover was easily repelled. The lack of her surprise in seeing the power display or landing that drop. Or how she seems to turn it on to see Agatha’s basement. It’s like she already knows she has it and how to use it. It just that the last time Wanda caught her unawares and rewrote her memory so she forgot how to use it. This time she knew what to expect so she made it inside intact. She doesn’t use her powers against Wanda because she believes she can convince her to stop. And she was getting to Wanda until Agatha intervenes. Now she knows who the bad guys are and I’m hoping for high speed fight with nuPietro.

And this week commercial hints why Agatha is so interested in Wanda’s power. Unlike the initial commercial this relies on comic book knowledge not MCU (I haven’t read all these stories but I did catch up on Wanda and Vison’s history so I’m no expert) so Spoilers

Wanda’s situation is perfectly described - the world did move on without her for a whole 5 years. And what is worse she came back to see the boyfriend she just traumatically lost twice in pieces in a lab and experimented on. And now she has made this reality where he can be alive again and she just want to be left alone but they won’t let her be.

Wanda’s powers in comic books come in large part of her being the Nexus being of the main Marvel universe. She can pick which timeline is the real one and separate realities from each other so she anchors the 616 reality (or any reality she choses - see House of M). The world literally revolves around her.

And of course Vision being disassembled and brought back with no memories is also what happened in the comics. Losing all that bound them together  pushes Wanda into mental breakdown (plus being manipulated by numerous bad guys - like Agatha Harkness). Losing the twins due to them being the her own creations (disappearing when she was not thinking about them) powered by pieces of Mephisto’s soul (he took those back) and then forgetting them (Agatha again) didn’t help either. I hope none of this is going to end as bad as it got in comics. Wanda never deserved any of that just because no one knew how to let her be powerful (also see Jean Grey dying). I hope Dr Strange can help early this time.

Still, all that makes me wonder if the big bad is not Mephisto like everyone speculates but Immortus. After all in comics he is the one behind all of that. It’d made sense since Kang the Conqueror is coming to MCU soon so this might be a set up not just to next Dr Strange film but also next Ant-Man and Wasp movie.

But for now I just hope Wanda feels her feelings, confronts her truth and sizes her destiny and moves on with her life with possibly less depression. Or at least less abuse.

[bewitching-elizabeth-olsen]

Press: A Thorough Breakdown of All the Marvel Easter Eggs on WandaVision

POPSUGAR: WandaVision has finally arrived, and it’s chock-full of hidden goodies for Marvel fans to devour! While the series is built upon a mystery that we’ll be spending a reported nine episodes trying to figure out, the smallest details in each episode provide clues on where the show is heading. From supermarket banners to foreboding commercials, viewers have an abundance of references and callbacks to classic comic lore and pivotal MCU moments. Are they setting the stage for a big reveal at the end, or are they just fun details included for fans to enjoy? While we try to figure it all out, scroll through to see what we’ve gathered! And check back every week for an episode-by-episode breakdown as WandaVision progresses.

WandaVision Episode 7 Easter Eggs

The episode opens the morning after Wanda has expanded the border of the Hex, finding the Avenger hiding from the world under her comforter. The comforter in question has a hexagon pattern, which is both a nod to the overall theme of the show as well as a metaphor for how Wanda is literally hiding away under a hex.

Billy and Tommy run into the room to reveal that their video game console has been messing up. Everything in the house is glitching, trying to transform back to earlier versions of themselves.

Billy also tells his mother that his head hurts and things are “noisy.” Since the twin inherited his mother’s ability to read minds, it seems he’s able to hear the thoughts of everyone in the bubble (and near it on the outside, since he was able to hear his father when he was dying). It’s a sign that Billy’s powers are growing, which means we could see the little boy reach his Wiccan potential before the end of the season.

Wanda wanders into the kitchen as the news drones on in the background. The news station is called W.N.D.A. or Wanda. The newscaster makes pointed comments, noting that there’s “not a thing weighing heavily on your conscience,” and that they “hope your little ghosts arrived home safe last night. It’s always such a treat to see those creepy kiddos out and about once a year.” The comments refer to Wanda’s building guilt at her actions in the previous episode and the rare appearance of children during the Halloween episode.

As Wanda makes her breakfast of “Sugar Snaps,” a nod to the big Snap of the universe, her milk carton reverts from its modern design to the old school glass bottle and back. The carton has a missing person’s ad on the back with a picture of a little boy on the back. This could be a reference to the oft-mentioned absence of children of Westview, and what could have happened to them.

Wanda and the twins “break the fourth wall” frequently to talk to the camera in the same vein as Modern Family.

This week’s theme song sounds similar to The Office’s, which also usings talking head segments like Modern Family. The opening credits are similar to the show Happy Endings and allude to the show’s focus on Wanda, even attributing the creation of WandaVision to her with the title image. Vision is notably completely absent from the opening credits, but there’s a clue that someone else is watching in a message that reads, “I know what u are doing Wanda.”

Agnes stops by to take the boys off of Wanda’s hands, which the exhausted mother is exceedingly grateful for. The twins are visibly uncomfortable with the idea, with Tommy asking Wanda if they have to and Billy telling his mother that someone has to stay to take care of her. It seems like they can sense that something is off with their “kindly” neighbor.

Wanda sends them off with Agnes, but once they’re gone, her magic goes incredibly haywire. All the furniture begins glitching again, with the stork from the painting in episode three making a reappearance. “I don’t understand what’s happening,” Wanda laments during a talking head segment. “Why it’s all falling apart and why I can’t fix it.” The off-screen interviewer responds, “Do you think maybe it’s what you deserve?” which visibly unnerves Wanda, who notes that they aren’t supposed to speak. It’s another sign that Wanda does not have as much control as she’s been led to believe.

Cue the sixth commercial, and it’s even more pointed than any of the others have been. It’s an ad for the antidepressant Nexus, for “when the world doesn’t revolve around you. Or does it?” The drug allows people to anchor themselves to the reality of their choice with side effects that include “feeling your feelings, confronting your truth, seizing your destiny, and possibly more depression.” Whew, the pointed commentary is even making me sweat. Nexus is a nod to two things: Wanda’s crippling inability to deal with the trauma she’s been through and her depression that’s pushed her into the creation of Westview, and two Marvel comics concepts. The first is the Nexus of All Realities is a kind of gateway point between dimensions from which all universes in the multiverse can be accessed. (Remember, Wanda’s next reported appearance is in Multiverse of Madness.) The second concept is the existence of Nexus beings, people who have powers that can alter reality, probability, and the Universal Time Stream. Guess which two Westview residents are considered Nexus beings? That’s right, Wanda and Vision! The commercial can either be just a cheeky nod to the couple’s seemingly infinite power or an allusion to the bigger picture that WandaVision is leading to.

While Darcy and Vision are attempting to make their way to the house, the doctor gives the synthezoid a brief rundown of his origin story, explaining how he died twice in an attempt to save the world. Vision points out that it seems like someone is trying to keep him from getting home, which spurs him to fly off, leaving Darcy behind in the blocked truck.

Billy and Tommy are watching Yo Gabba Gabba in Agnes’s lowkey creepy home. (It tickles me that Yo Gabba Gabba is more canon in the MCU than the X-Men or Fantastic Four right now.) While Billy pets Agnes’s bunny Señor Scratchy, he notes that he likes being around the older woman because he’s unable to hear any of her thoughts. “You’re quiet inside,” he says, an allusion to the idea that Agnes can hide her thoughts from him because she has magic.

Back outside the Hex, after the super-rover isn’t able to penetrate the field, Monica decides to run through it again. As she struggles through the barrier and we watch her, a montage of dialogue from Captain Marvel plays. The voices of Maria, Nick Fury, and Carol play over Monica getting through, and as Captain Marvel says “when they were handing out little kids, your mom got the toughest one,” Monica she pushes through to the other side. She lands in the stereotypical three-point-stance of all Marvel heroes, and her eyes glow, showing that she can see energy. We just witnessed the rise of Photon, folks! (Or Spectrum or Pulsar.)

Monica confronts Wanda in her home, and as their fight spills onto the lawn, the residents of Westview watch from their own homes. The delivery man is wearing a “Presto Delivery” uniform, a reference to the magic words said by magicians before they pull a magic trick.

In the first blatant show of Agnes’s ulterior motives, the older woman stops the fight when she realizes Monica is getting through to Wanda and pulls the young mother into her home. But when Wanda gets there, she notices the green bug and rabbit in the living room and the lack of her sons’ presence. When she asks Agnes where the boys are, she’s told to head to the basement, where the big showdown occurs. The scene hints at the eventual disappearance of Billy and Tommy.

Wanda notices a book on an altar, which could be the Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, The Shiatra Book Of The Damned. Originally a collection of papers known as the Chthon Scrolls, the book contains all the spells and ideas of the evil Elder God known as Chthon. The book is a conduit for Chthon’s power and can open a doorway from Earth to Chthon’s dimension. If that book is in Agnes’s basement, it stands to logic that she may be working with the evil god. The Darkhold emits an orange glow, which is a distinctly different color than the purple of Agatha’s magic.

Speaking of magic, Agnes finally reveals herself as the witch we’ve known her to be. Although the show tells us that “it’s been Agatha all along,” it still doesn’t ring completely true. There’s definitely more at work than just Agatha’s magic.

In the mid-credits sequence, Monica is caught snooping in Agnes’s backyard by Pietro. Her eyes seem to glow purple, the same color that signals Agatha’s magic. Does this mean she’s now under the witch’s spell?

  WandaVision Episode 6 Easter Eggs

The opening credits for episode six seem to be a tribute to Malcolm in the Middle, which ran for seven seasons between 2000 and 2006.

The entire Wanda and Vision family wear their comic book character costumes for Halloween.

There’s another reference to Thanos’s snap as Director Tyler Hayward talks about dealing with the repercussions of all the people “who left.”

The terrifying Yo-Magic commercial seems to foreshadow Vision’s future. Even though Wanda was seemingly able to bring Vision back to life, it looks like he won’t stay alive for long as it’s implied that he can’t exist outside of the Hex later in the episode.

Blink and you’ll miss the fun Disney movie Easter egg on Westview’s movie theater. The sign outside the theater shows a double feature of The Incredibles and The Parent Trap. Connecting right to Wanda’s family, The Incredibles is about a family of superheroes, while The Parent Trap is about a pair of long-lost twins reuniting.

Wanda’s changing accent has been brought up countless times by fans, and in episode six, Pietro makes a slight reference to it when Wanda asks, “What happened to your accent?” to which he quips, “What happened to yours?”

There is another reference that Agnes is actually Agatha Harkness as she is spotted wearing a witch costume on Halloween.

It appears that Vision has no memories pre-Westview, as a conscious Agnes tells him he’s one of the Avengers, and he has no clue what she’s talking about.

The episode further hints at Monica’s powers as Darcy confirms that the Hex rewrote her cells on a molecular level.

A few interactions between Pietro and Wanda have fans wondering if he might actually be Mephisto in disguise. Not only is he fully aware about Wanda creating Westview, but he makes several references to the devil and hell throughout the episode.

  WandaVision Episode 5 Easter Eggs

Wanda and Vision’s brand new house, suitable for a family of four, is reminiscent of homes in ’80s sitcoms such as Full House and Growing Pains.

When Agnes comes in to offer her babysitting help, she refers to herself as “Auntie Agnes,” which is eerily close to her comic counterpart’s nickname, Auntie Agatha.

An uncomfortable break in conversation leads Agnes to ask Wanda if she wants her to “take it from the top.” Though Wanda appears confused for a moment, she readily smoothes the conversation and carries on. Vision is visibly perturbed, though Wanda attempts to redirect his attention. It seems like the facade is fading all around.

To the surprise of their parents, Tommy and Billy age up five years while the two argue over Agnes’s break in character.

This episode’s opening sequence shows Wanda and Vision growing up, which we know didn’t happen in real life for the synthezoid. The theme song sounds very similar to those from Family Ties and Growing Pains, and consists of lyrics noting that “we’re just making it up as we go along.” Sounds pretty close to how things are going with Wanda and Vision!

When Wanda’s scans come back, they’re inconclusive and show up blank. Considering Monica gains her powers due to bombardment by extradimensional energies in the comics, it’s entirely possible that the blast from Wanda back in episode three, coupled with passing through the forcefield around Westview twice, have given her those abilities. We could be seeing the rise of Photon!

While Jimmy Woo is explaining Wanda’s backstory to the agents of S.W.O.R.D., Director Hayward asks if she’s ever used a “funny nickname” like the other Avengers. She hasn’t, in fact, she’s never been referred to as Scarlet Witch in the MCU ever. Since her powers are different from her comic book counterpart, there’s never been a reason for anyone to call her a witch.

That never-before-seen post credits scene from Infinity War has officially made its debut. Director Hayward reveals footage of Wanda entering S.W.O.R.D. headquarters to steal Vision’s disassembled body. The video harks back to a moment in the comics where Vision was kidnapped and taken apart — but still very much alive. Much like that Vision, the one in Westview has his memory wiped and doesn’t remember anything before he woke up in his new world. So, the question is whether Vision is actually alive or not. Wanda’s hallucination from episode four might suggest he’s a walking corpse, but there’s more to the story.

Jimmy mentions that Wanda’s stealing of Vision’s body violates the Sokovia Accords, which haven’t been mentioned since Captain America: Civil War. Unfunnily enough, the Accords were a direct response to the mission gone wrong in Lagos where Wanda lost control of her powers and caused the death of many civilians.

Darcy mentions that Vision is playing “Father Knows Best in Surburbia,” referencing the ’50s sitcom.

Tommy and Billy find a dog that, with the help of Auntie Agnes, they name Sparky. The Vision family has a dog with that exact name in the King and Walta comics, but he’s green. Sadly, he meets a similar fate as his live-action counterpart.

Wanda blatantly uses her powers in front of Agnes, who has seemingly handled the magic around her with ease. It’s almost as if she’s used to magic.

Darcy calls the Westview anomaly the “hex” because of its hexagonal shape. Although the magic has been taken out of the phrase, Wanda’s powers are known as hexes in the comics.

Jimmy, Monica, and Darcy try to understand how Wanda can revive Vision and control the Hex, which takes much more power than she’s ever displayed before. Monica notes that Wanda has always been powerful, being the only Avenger who was close to taking down Thanos singlehandedly, which Jimmy interjects to note that Captain Marvel could as well. Both are empowered by Infinity Stones, with Carol’s Kree biology giving her a power boost.

When Jimmy brings up Captain Marvel, Monica is visibly uncomfortable and changes the subject back to Wanda. What happened there?

Vision’s office mates learn about the sweet glory that is dial-up internet! But when he and Norm open their first bit of electronic mail, it’s a transmission picked up from S.W.O.R.D. talking about the Maximoff anomaly.

Vision breaks through Norm’s conditioning, revealing that he’s under the control of a woman (alluding to it being Wanda). He directly references his family, a conversation that Jimmy mentioned in his notes in the last episode.

The twins have aged themselves up to 10 by this point and are seemingly completely aware that Wanda has control over certain aspects of life, like time. They point out that it was Saturday when they woke up, but Wanda says it’s now Monday. She apparently changed the day to send Vision to work. Is their awareness because they also have magic or because she doesn’t control them?

Monica sends an ’80s drone into Westview after working out that Wanda’s Hex is rewriting reality to suit each era occurring in the bubble, and the drone would need no era-appropriate change. Though she attempts to speak with Wanda through the drone, Director Hayward commands agents to fire a missile at Wanda instead — directly ignoring that Monica said she doesn’t see Wanda as a danger. The action results in Wanda leaving the Hex and confronting the S.W.O.R.D. agents outside. She’s wearing the suit we last saw her wearing in Infinity War and Endgame and has her accent back, although it’s much thicker than it’s been since Ultron.

Episode five’s commercial is more pointed than any of them have been. Lagos brand paper towels directly reference the city in which Wanda accidentally killed several people in Civil War by blowing up a building. Thus, the Sokovia Accords were born.

While Wanda and the twins are searching for a missing Sparky — with no one calling out the fact that Wanda disappeared for some time — the mailman tells the boys that their mom “won’t let him get far.” It seems almost like a dig at how no one can leave Westview, like the doctor mentioned during episode three.

When Agnes reveals that Sparky died after eating too many azalea bush leaves, the boys ask their mother to reverse his death. Agnes seems particularly surprised by the idea of Wanda having that ability despite having seen other displays of her power and watching the twins age up rapidly twice. Wanda tells the twins that they can’t reverse death as there are still rules to things, which almost seems hypocritical considering her circumstances. Is she trying to say that she hasn’t revived Vision? Or is she simply trying to keep her boys from expecting too much from her?

Later that night, Vision reveals that he unearthed Norm’s repressed memories and demands to know what’s going on. He tells Wanda that she can’t control him, which she cooly responds asking him, “Can’t I?” Although the credits start rolling, their argument continues as Vision unleashes his frustration with not knowing his past and his confusion over their circumstances. Wanda tells him that she doesn’t control everything, saying, “I don’t even know how all of this started.” Vision believes it began subconsciously, but chastises Wanda for letting it get that far. Wanda reiterates that she isn’t controlling everything, which gives weight to the theory that there’s someone else behind the scenes. But who could it be if Wanda isn’t the “she” that Norm was referring to?

Mid-argument, the Vision family doorbell rings, which Wanda states she didn’t do. I’m inclined to believe her because when she opens the door, she is genuinely shocked speechless. At the door is her “brother” Pietro, now sporting the face of Evan Peters. Darcy asks the question we were all thinking as the episode closes, “She recast Pietro!?”

  WandaVision Episode 4 Easter Eggs

This episode opens with the heartbreaking reveal that Monica Rambeau was one of the people lost to the Snapture from Infinity War. She returns from Endgame’s Reverse-Snap in a hospital where she had been awaiting news after her mother Maria’s surgery.

As Monica is waking up, we hear familiar voices echoing in her head. It’s Captain Marvel calling her by her childhood nickname, Lieutenant Trouble.

As Monica weaves through the chaos of people reappearing in the hospital post-Reverse-Snap, she finally locates someone who recognizes her. Although Maria survived the surgery five years ago, she died from cancer three years ago in real time, having not been blipped with her daughter.

We finally have some information on S.W.O.R.D.! The acronym stands for Sentient Weapon Observation Response Division, rather than the meaning in Marvel comics, which is Sentient World. It sounds a little more ominous, right?

Maria’s badass legacy continues well past her friendship with Captain Marvel; according to S.WO.R.D.’s acting director, Tyler Hayward, Maria helped build the agency during its inception. She was the acting director until her death.

Tim gives Monica a mission to help out the FBI in the town of WestView, NJ, where something super freaky is going on with a missing person’s case. This confirms that WestView is, indeed, a very real place.

Welcome back, Jimmy Woo! Monica’s FBI contact is none other than Scott Lang’s parole officer and semifriend, Agent Jimmy Woo.

Jimmy reveals that a person in witness protection has somehow dropped off the map in a town that no longer seems to exist where no one recalls anyone who lived there. In an attempt to figure out what’s going on, Monica sends in a S.W.O.R.D. drone that vanishes inside the forcefield. It’s revealed to have transformed into the retro-style helicopter that Wanda picks up in episode two! We can only assume that since it’s an item from the outside world, it gained color when it entered Wanda’s reality to show that it doesn’t belong.

Darcy Lewis is back! Now a doctor in astrophysics, Darcy is called to help figure out what’s gone wrong with WestView. She’s the one who figured out a signal for the broadcast and is the owner of the hand we saw watching Wanda and Vision in episode one.

The mysterious beekeeper from episode two is revealed to be S.W.O.R.D.’s Agent Franklin, who journeyed through Westview’s sewers to investigate. His hazmat suit became a beekeeper’s uniform, and the cable around his waist becomes a jump rope as he travels through the tunnels.

Darcy explains that the sitcom that’s become Wanda and Vision’s life is literally being broadcast through the signals that S.W.O.R.D.’s viewing, with an audience and everything. There’s no explanation for how this is happening, but Darcy and company watched those first three episodes just like we did, credits and all.

Darcy also points out that Vision is supposed to be dead-dead, which leaves his presence in WestView still unexplained.

While Darcy and Jimmy can identity a majority of the neighbors we’ve met in WestView to their real-life counterparts, Dottie and Agnes are the only ones who are missing real information.

It’s revealed that Agent Woo was the voice behind the radio disruption, just as we suspected! But while we can see Wanda and Dottie’s reaction to the call, Darcy’s broadcast didn’t show the same thing. She explains that someone is “censoring” the visuals they’re receiving, which means someone knows they’re watching.

Back in the sitcom WestView, we see that Monica’s slip-up resulted in Wanda blasting her through the house and the energy field. It’s the first time we physically see Wanda using her powers again, so she still has them. But the lapse in her facade has consequences — when Vision returns from his talk with Agnes and Herb outside, Wanda hallucinates him as she last saw him in Infinity War, a corpse with his head crushed in.

It’s important to note that Vision seems to become more aware of the strangeness of their world with each episode. It makes sense because no matter how human he may seem, he’s still a synthezoid who has always been able to see beyond the superficial. It harks back to his “birth” in Age of Ultron. He’s omnipotent and always learning.

When Monica lands back in the real world, all she says is, “It’s all Wanda.” That seemingly serves as an answer to what’s going on in WestView, but it’s not a whole answer. Wanda seems just as confused and unaware as everyone else, but she is willing to stay in her “perfect” world. The question is, who put Wanda in the position to have her perfect world?

  WandaVision Episode 3 Easter Eggs

Much like the comics, Wanda magically becomes pregnant! But this time around, things are progressing much more quickly, and her doctor isn’t Dr. Strange.

The first of the episode’s weird glitches happens with Wanda and Vision’s neighbor Herb, who is attempting to saw through the brick fence separating the two houses instead of trimming his hedges. When Vision points out that his aim has gone a bit askew, Herb’s detached reaction is a bit creepy. He thanks Vision but keeps sawing through the wall! And unlike the previous weird behavior, there’s nothing that triggers the moment, especially not from Vision or Wanda.

Wanda and Vision contemplate what to name their baby boy, with Vision suggesting Billy and Wanda throwing out Tommy. (The argument becomes moot when they have twins!) These are the names of the pair’s sons in the comic, who later become members of the Young Avengers. In the show, Wanda chooses her name because it’s “all-American,” which is also a fair indicator of why her perfect reality is framed around sitcoms. Vision cites William Shakespeare as his inspiration and uses a quote from As You Like It that seems pretty on the nose. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” seems like a pointed reference to the fact that WandaVision is, in fact, all a show.

Wanda decorates the nursery using Simser brand paint, which is most likely a nod to Jeremy Simser, a storyboard artist for Marvel Studios and WandaVision.

The second glitch appears when Wanda says the residents of WestView always seem “on the verge of discovering our secret.” Vision has a moment of sobering clarity where he notes that something is wrong in WestView, citing the incidents with Mr. and Mrs. Hart and their neighbor Herb. A second after his says this, reality glitches and the scene starts over with Vision seemingly worry-free. The last time this happened with the beekeeper, it was clear Wanda was the culprit in turning back time, but in this case, she doesn’t seem to do anything to force the change. This suggests someone else is pulling the strings.

Wanda mentions that their child could be human or “synthezoid,” a term that originates in the comics. Although fans like to joke that Vision is an android, he’s technically a synthetic human. He’s not made of metal or machinery — in the comics, his body is composed of the bioengineering tech of Dr. Helen Cho, while in the MCU, he’s made of organic tissue mixed with vibranium and “powered” by the Mind Stone.

Vision jokes that Billy will be just like his mom, which is funny because, in the comics, Billy has magical abilities similar to Wanda’s powers. Tommy ends up having superspeed abilities like his uncle, Pietro.

It’s time for the third commercial! Much like the previous episode’s watch promotion, this break references Hydra — though a tad more directly. It’s all about Hydra Soak, and the message is decidedly more pointed than we’ve had before. “Escape to a world all your own, where your problems float away,” the announcer says. “When you want to get away, but you don’t want to go anywhere: Hydra Soak.” Marvel: Agents of Shield fans will recall that Hydra Soak HAS been mentioned on the show. During the series’s Framework arc, Phil Coulson claims that Hydra is brainwashing people using soap, so he makes his own. Is the commercial another sign that Hydra is behind the mystery of WestView? Is it a warning that no one in the town will be able to get away? And what’s that about finding the goddess within?

The actors in this ad are the same ones as the previous ones, Victoria Blade and Ithamar Enriquez. Their recurring presence might mean they have some significance in Wanda’s life. Maybe they’re her parents?

In what feels like an ominous follow-up to the Hydra Soak commercial, the doctor reveals that he and his wife won’t be taking their trip away after all. “Small towns, you know, so hard to escape,” he mutters, pointedly. I think we’re starting to get the hint, folks! Wanda mentions she is a twin and that her brother was named Pietro. It’s been a hot minute since anyone has talked about MCU’s Quicksilver — he made his debut back in Age of Ultron, the same film in which he was shot and killed.

When Geraldine lets it slip that she knows about Pietro’s death at the hands of Ultron, Wanda interrogates her and discovers her necklace bears a familiar symbol — it’s that damn S.W.O.R.D. logo, and Wanda is apparently not a fan.

In another sign that something is UP, Agnes and Herb seem to warn Vision about Geraldine. They note that she’s “brand new” to town with no family and start to say that “she came here because we’re all —” before they’re cut off. It’s worth noting that the two figures that may be MCU versions of formidable Marvel characters are the ones who seem to understand that strange things are going on in WestView. If Agnes and Herb are the MCU’s Agatha Harkness and High Evolutionary, they would definitely be the ones in the know. But why would they try to warn Vision about Geraldine if WestView is a trap?

Agnes is wearing her infamous brooch as a necklace that could be referencing an MCU supervillain mentioned before. The necklace has three figures close together, with the center figure holding what looks like a giant scythe. Is it another clue that the Grim Reaper is on his way?

Wanda literally throws Geraldine out of town — though she tells Vision that she had to run home — and Geraldine passes through what seems like a magical forcefield. While fans have been assuming WestView is a fake town, this shows us that physically, it’s a very real place. But it’s currently bubbled off with a barrier that Wanda can apparently allow people in and out of. And the song that plays as Geraldine finds herself outside the barrier? “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees. It seems pretty appropriate for a situation that feels like a surreal dream.

When Geraldine lands on the outskirts of real WestView, she’s instantly swarmed by cars and agents all bearing the S.W.O.R.D. logo. Since we know Teyonah Parris is playing the adult Monica Rambeau, it’s safe to assume Geraldine was an alias she used to go undercover in WestView. Combined with the mystery agent watching the show within the show from episode one, we can conclude that Wanda and Vision are being closely observed by S.W.O.R.D. for some reason. But they clearly aren’t the ones in control, since Monica is so easily forced out. What will they do next?

While the opening credits of this episode are a reference to The Brady Bunch, it’s the end credits that give us another clue about the big bad coming our way. Just like the previous episodes, Wanda and Vision are framed in a hexagon as the end credits roll. The symbol is so important because it’s the preferred shape of the creators at Advanced Idea Mechanics, or AIM, who are last seen in Iron Man 3. Remember the beekeeper suits that resemble AIM agents’ clothing? It seems like the evil organization might be making a comeback.

  WandaVision Episode 2 Easter Eggs

The opening credits for this episode aren’t just an adorable homage to Bewitched but a whole bevy of Marvel Easter eggs! The illustration of the moon happens to be surrounded by six stars, and we can’t help but be reminded of the Infinity Gauntlet.

When Vision phases through the floor, there’s a dark shape that looks exactly like the helmet worn by Marvel supervillain Grim Reaper hidden in the space. In the comics, he’s the brother of Wonder Man, whose brainwaves were used in Vision’s creation.

When Wanda goes to the supermarket in the opening, three references hang above the aisle! Bova Milk refers to Bova, the humanoid cow who raised Wanda and Pietro on Mount Wundagore. Auntie A’s kitty litter is a witchy reference to Auntie Agatha or Agatha Harkness, whom we’ve discussed before, and her cat-like familiar named Ebony. And Wonder Mints is most definitely a cheeky reference to Wonder Man, aka Simon Williams, the superhero who Vision’s brainwaves are based on in the comics!

When animated Wanda and Vision settle on their couch, the small figure on their side table is a statue of the Whizzer. Featured in 1982’s Vision and the Scarlet Witch, the Whizzer thought he was Wanda’s father but later discovers he was wrong. Whizzer and his wife were offered the chance to adopt Wanda and Pietro when they were kids on the mythical Mount Wundagore, but they declined.

When Wanda hears a crash outside the house, she heads out to the front, where she finds a colorful toy helicopter in an otherwise black-and-white world. Not only does the red-and-yellow helicopter have the number 57 stamped on it, but it also bears the S.W.O.R.D symbol! The number is likely in reference to Vision’s first appearance in Avengers #57, while the symbol hints to the presence of S.W.O.R.D outside Wanda’s perfect world.

The creepy, cult-like refrain spoken by the fundraiser organizers of it all being “for the children” seems to be a reference to Wanda’s involvement in the comic event The Children’s Crusade. The story follows her son, Billy, who’s trying to gain control over his reality-warping abilities by looking for a missing Wanda.

Well, here’s another blast from the angsty past! The Strücker timepiece is a very obvious callback to Hydra and Baron von Strücker. The watch bears the unmistakable octopus skull symbol of Hydra, and Strücker is the Hydra leader who recruited Pietro and Wanda for the experimentation that gave them powers. He was later killed by Ultron in his prison cell. Does anyone else hear that ticking noise? Remember good ol’ Herb? In the comics, a character named Herbert is also the High Evolutionary who runs Mount Wundagore, the very same safe haven where Bova delivered the Maximoff twins. Time will tell if the super-scientist is the same character, but it can’t be a coincidence.

Wanda and Vision’s magic show has two gems that we’ve noticed! First thing, the literal Mind Stone happens to be the design on the doors of the Cabinet of Mystery that plays a huge part in their act. Second, Wanda and Vision use the names Illusion and Glamour for their actor, which are also the names of the magicians that Vision goes to see in an issue of The Vision and the Scarlet Witch.

Though we all enjoy a good jam, The Beach Boys’ “Help Me, Rhonda” gets interrupted by someone asking, “Who’s doing this to you, Wanda?” And doesn’t that voice sound an awful lot like Randall Park’s Jimmy Woo?

While it may seem weird that Wanda shows her pregnancy in an instant, it’s in line with what goes on in the comics. Wanda uses magic to help her have children, which checks out since her husband is a synthezoid.

Oooh, that mysterious beekeeper! Not only does their presence lead to the reveal that Wanda has some control over the reality they’re in, but it also sets off some alarm bells. Even though the beekeeper’s suit bears the S.W.O.R.D logo on the back, the costume is reminiscent of the yellow costumes worn by A.I.M., a military science organization founded by Baron von Strücker. Could this be a sign that Wanda is being watched by more than one organization? And is this a hint that Hydra is back!? (Obviously, it is.)

  WandaVision Episode 1 Easter Eggs

When Wanda accidentally smashes a plate into Vision’s head, he jokes about his wife and her “flying saucers,” and she comments back about his “indestructible head.” Considering that Vision died after having the Mind Stone ripped from his head, it’s a dark joke to kick off the series.

Vision’s work tie has a visual reference to his comic-book alter ego! In Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s Vision, whenever the character dresses as a human, he wears a tie clip that emulates the diamond pattern on his chest.

Vision’s boss, Mr. Hart, is likely named after comic creator Steve Englehart, who created 1985’s The Vision and the Scarlet Witch with Richard Howell, a miniseries that heavily influenced WandaVision. It’s been heavily implied that Kathryn Hahn’s Agnes is the MCU’s Agatha Harkness, a witch who helped train Wanda’s magic back in the ’70s and ’80s.

When Wanda magically saves dinner, the bottle of wine she pours from is Maison du Mépris, which translates to house of contempt or scorn. As fans have pointed out since the trailer drop, this seems like a reference to the House of M comics storyline in which Wanda bends reality into a new world ruled by her family.

The Stark commercial break refers to two things: Avengers icon Tony Stark and his part in Wanda’s dark past. As Wanda and her twin brother, Pietro, explain in Avengers: Age of Ultron, their parents were killed by an explosive Stark Industries device, leaving the twins trapped under rubble. The Maximoffs were trapped by a Stark Industries shell for two days, expecting it to detonate before they get rescued. Even though Wanda eventually fights beside Tony in the future, there’s still some trauma from that experience and her brother’s death. If it weren’t for the Starks, Wanda could have been a completely different person.

The episode closes with a mysterious observer watching the “show” and taking notes on a pad with the logo of S.W.O.R.D. on the cover. For those who don’t know, S.W.O.R.D stands for Sentient World Observation and Response Department and is a subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D. It’s a counterterrorism and intelligence agency that deals with extraterrestrial threats to world security. Expect to see them around more.

  Press: A Thorough Breakdown of All the Marvel Easter Eggs on WandaVision was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

[ithoughtthiswastwitterbutfr]

WandaVision episode 7 spoilers

My notes of the episode I would now like to state (before I start the episode) I don’t think the Metispho theory is going to happen anymore I believe it’ll be something or someone else.

Title: Breaking the fourth wall

It would be Wanda breaking back into her legitimate/original reality instead of ours since she created her own within that.

Ahh it’s starting

Vision isn’t next to Wanda when she woke up

The kids game controllers keep switching years.

Billy said his head hurts I’m assuming all the voices from everyone else are crowding his.

The show is definitely set closer to our time maybe the early 2000s or 2010.

The milk box is changing years as well and she said she’s not sure what it’s about. But this is first time we’ve seen her eat since episode one,

The hex is now huge. Hayward is planning on launching something knowing him it’s a weapon.

Vision has woken up next to the city’s and recalls that he was pulling apart. He’s also confused on why Darcy doesn’t

Darcy is doing her individual interview and she is an escape artist maybe this means she’s gonna get out.

“Don’t believe anything that man said he is not your uncle,” Wanda after the twins asked what uncle P meant about rekilling Vision. She said she had no answers.

“I’m starting to believe that everything is meaningless,” She’s clearly breaking down way pass her breaking point which is why she was comfortable saying something like that in front of the twins.

Agnes knows she’s going crazy hint the cutting her own bangs comment.

The twins don’t want to go with Agnes because they think they need to take care of Wanda,

Things are glitching back to older decades and she had to manually switch it back then the infamous “I’m fine,” Laughing.

Monica and Jimmy found out that Hayward was trying to bring Vision back as a weapon which is why he was so upset when Wanda was able to bring him back

Finally

So now they’re saying that they need to warn Wanda.

They found the rest of the SWORD agents wait nvm those are their contacts

They said they’re loyal to Monica just like they were to her mom interesting.

They got the tank she need to safely re enter the hex.

Darcy has been freed from the spell. Darcy punched the circus

She admitted she doesn’t know who the imposter Pietro is or if her kids are safe.

Wanda’s losing control over her powers the house keeps changing.

“I don’t understand what’s happening why it’s all falling apart and why I can’t fix it,”

Interview guy: “Do you think maybe this is what you deserve?” 

“What?” Wanda “Youre not supposed to talk?” Shes loosing control over the citizens as well I suppose.

She’s depressed so the commercial about antidepressants is a given but the line “ A unique antidepressant that is made to anchor you back to your reality,” Is what has me confused on which reality they’re referring to. Nvm “Or the reality of your choice,”

One of the side is more depression which I think she was depressed outside the HEX before she made it and when she made it it just brought her to the depression she’s in now.

“Nexus because the world doesn’t revolve around you or does it?”

Agnes still has the bunny from the second episode

Billy said I like it here because you’re quiet Agnes on the inside. I haven’t moved on yet but I think he’s saying he can’t feel the pain inside her like Wanda’s grief is in her control and my default in the rest of Westviews citizens but he can’t feel the pain in Agnes maybe because the control isn’t there?

Tommy “ do you think our moms okay?”

Agnes looks around confused before saying “ oh for sure you don’t have to worry about your mom she’s a super mom,” Then it cuts to her interview saying “Ralph says I sugarcoat things,”

Still mentioning Ralph but even in their house we haven’t seen them.

Monica has a SWORD suit on made to contain her but now that’s shes her pure energy what’s gonna happen?

She said this is there last shot. What does she know that makes this the last shot because from what we know she can go back in whenever with the equipment she was given.

The exterior of the hex is becoming equal to the vehicle so it was half of it was rewritten before shot back out.

Monica knows she can make it through and as she goes through you can see different stages of her life and here the dialogue of her in Captain Marvel before her mom goes to space with Carol.

“Maybe I could fly up and meet you halfway,” Younger Monica. 

She’s now screaming no I think she’s being rejected back out maybe because this time she isn’t being sucked in.

All of her phases and ages were pushed into her bodies and her eyes glew blue.

She can see all the energy in colors coming off the powerlines the whole world was in like pastel colors pink purple and blue. Before she blinked her eyes and it went back to normal. She’s getting her power exciting. She took her sword suit off because she doesn’t need it.

“So Wanda killed me?” Vision

“Yes, but it’s not that simple you asked her to do it,” Darcy.

“Why would I have done that?”

“To save the universe well half of it,”

“Did it work?”

“It did. Until the bad guy rewind time and killed you himself.”

She’s catching him up on his life before Hayward took him apart possibly wiping him. I can’t tell if Wanda or Hayward wiped him. Since he was so scared about not remembering anything before Westview before he gets his summary now. 

“I came back and died again?”

“And Wanda had to watch,” After Darcy said that you could see the pity in Vision’s eyes.

Vision’s interview: “I believe Wanda is creating these impediments to stop me returning home,”

Yeah she’s created another one the construction workers stopping them from getting home.

Vision said he was a body made by Ultron and an AI named Jarvis but what is he now?

Darcy said she thought Wanda just like flipped a switch and brought her back but she doesn’t understand why he dies if he leaves.

“What I do know is I’ve seen watching WandaVision for the past week and the love you two have is real,”

Vision seems conflicted at that.

Monica made it in and when she came into the house Wanda was taking the Nexus antidepressants and she is confused on how she got in.

She begins to blame the drones and missles on Sword which that was then but then she blames Pietro on them and Monica claims Pietro wasn’t Swords doing.

Everyone including Dottie is watching Wanda use her powers to hold Monica in the air. They all seems stunned but not really surprised

“All you do is lie!”

When Monica hit the grown energy surrounded/protected her and her eyes were blue again. Wanda was definitely shocked by whatever powers she developed.

“The only lies I’ve told are the ones you put in my mouth,” Monica walking towards Wanda.

“Careful what you say to me,” Wanda as she conjures up her powers as a way to threaten Monica.

“Do it then,” Monica said knowing she probably wouldn’t do it. I think she knows Wanda wants help she just doesn’t want to leave her kids and Vision behind. “Take me out,”

“Don’t let him make you the Villain,” Monica talking about Hayward who’s going to tear Westview down to get Vision back.

“Maybe I already am,”

Agnes sees this go down and goes outside. Monica talks about how she isn’t scared of Wanda she already lost her mom and that was the worst thing that can happen. She said she can’t bring her back then she says. “I can’t control this pain anymore,”

Which is Wanda’s situation entirely her pain got so out of control her powers made up for it. Monica and Wanda share an understanding.

She broke through to Wanda I could see it in her eyes but then Agnes came over and said “Young lady, I think you overstayed your welcome,”

Agnes doesn’t want Westview to end she can’t let it end. I’m assuming she said something to do with the creation. Agnes is manipulating Wanda to thinking what Agnes wants is what she wants but it’s not. Wanda was going to shutdown Westview until Agnes came and led her away. 

As soon as Wanda was back inside the rest of the citizens went about their day.

There is kids where did they come from? I’m still confused on that.

Now Vision is starting to understand what Wanda went through he’s realized how much stuff she endured he endured it too but he said it felt like it happened to another person. I feel like he’ll be less harsh now. Or stop trying to shut it down as hard I’m not sure yet.

He ended the interview saying “I need to get to my wife,”

Agnes brought Wanda to her home.

Wait how is Yo Gabba Gabba on the TV when thats a nickeloaden show. That wasn’t really related I was just confused.

The music has gotten scary as Wanda looks around.

“Where are the twins?”

“Oh they’re probably just playing in the basement,” Agnes said seemingly wayyy to calm for the twins to be possibly missing she knows something.

There are vines all in Agnes’s basement and there’s wind blowing it’s like a maze. There’s a book it looks like a spell book. Yep it was.

She came down to find Wanda stroking Sir Sratchy

“Wanda, Wanda. You didn’t think you were the only magical girl in town, did you?” She just admitted to being Agatha Harkness.

She is the villain I’m sure of it. Her and Hayward are both the villains. I’m just not sure why she needs Westview to stay up and running.

Wanda has red or scarlet waves that show her powers and Agatha or Agnes has purple waves.

Her eyes are purple and she’s going into her head.

Agatha is getting her own show theme sequence called “Agatha all along,” It’s going through the decades it’s switched to. Her waves are purple and she has the power to manipulate peoples mind I’m assuming. That’s how she messed with Herb after fixing the talent show.

OHHH MY GOD

people thought the twins brought back Pietro or Peter after seeing their mom upset but it was Agatha.

Agatha was the interviewer who asked “Do you think maybe this is what you deserve?”

She’s not only playing physical tricks and changing the actual physical surroundings in Westview she’s doing mind tricks.

“Who’s been pulling every evil string?” The chorus.

“She’s insidious,”

“So perfidious that you haven’t even noticed and the pity is,”

“It’s too late to fix anything now everything has gone wrong,”

“Thanks to Agatha Naughty Agatha,”

She admitted to killing Sparky which I think I commented on a few eps back.

But the “it’s too late to fix anything”might be why the times period keep changing along with the house because she’s already lost control of her powers she can’t get control back now. “now that everything has gone wrong,” 

A lot of suspicions people had including myself have been comfirmed Agatha is the villain. But that’s only from the inside we still have Hayward to worry about.

WAIT THERE END CREDITS THIS TIME.

It’s Monica trying to break into Agatha’s basement as soon as she opened the door from the outside. Her eyes might’ve changed a bit but there was purple waves from Agnes in the vines. I can’t tell if Monica eyes are blue from her energy or purple from Agatha’s influence.

But a man caught her and said “Snoopers gonna snoop,” At first guess I randomly said Tommy all grown up but that’s unlikely now I’m thinking it was Ralph. We wouldn’t know because we haven’t seen him all season though. Wait that we Peter/Pietro that’s how he got back there so fast.

[alteredphoenix]

First Impressions Chapter 50: The Stables Incident (WIP)(Heroes of the Storm)

A/N: So, some context in a nutshell: First Impressions is an out-of-order anthology series that has Sylvanas as the MC in a more Looney Tunes-style Nexus, a central hub where all universes converge and diverge at a singular point due to the Powers That Be that may or may not have summoned them here for purposes that are unknown to them. Except anyone that is brought to the Nexus is infected with a condition called the transition, aka the in-universe term for Out of Character; even the native-born Nexians are not exempt from this, and those that are pulled from their timeline never age, and if they should die they are very shortly brought back aka respawn.

I haven’t touched First Impressions in a long while, mainly because of work, doing WoW fics, and a lot of family drama IRL from 2018 onwards that nearly made me quit writing altogether. But I have felt the itch to get back at it again, even though Heroes of the Storm got its e-sports sector gutted and is running in a slow, lumbering maintenance mode. I’m not really sure if HotS still maintans some semblance of popularity as it did in the past year; I’ve been out of the loop for a while, although I’m sure the minor leagues and community-driven events are still ongoing.

Regardless, I’m posting this preview for archival purposes. I’m also posting it because this marks the start of the legendary Stables Incident, an event in which Sylvanas is accused of slaughtering innocent farm animals (at a place where people store their mounts for matches) out of nowhere. This chapter, however, shows what really happened (spoiler alert: Sylvanas didn’t do it, it was actually an accident, Hammer pressed the button on her tank by mistake during a squabble and, as a result, caused an intergalactic news circus over it).

I’m also posting this because: I love writing smartass-give-no-fucks!Sylvanas, and there must be more of it in the fandom.

-

“TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!”

The music kicked up in a roar so loud it threw Sylvanas off the bench onto the ground as though an invisible hand scooped up her from underneath and bowled her over. She awoke with a painful groan, twisting round onto her stomach to sit up on her elbows. Her ears twitched and swiveled, searching for the source of the music.

“TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!”

They flattened down against the sides of her head, shaking more from the vibrations that were causing the ground to quake, the bench to jump, and the squirrels and birds on their respective tree branches to bounce off in chattering, chirping squeaks and squawks than the force driving a jackhammer into her brain. Sylvanas looked behind her, in the direction of the auto body shop with its garage doors opened all the way.

A large, single-barreled cannon was poking its head out, connected to a red plated chassis on massive treads.

Sylvanas snarled, pushed to her feet, and stormed toward the garage.

“TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!”

“HAMMER!” Sylvanas yelled, but she could only hear the word in her head; it was like walking into a nightclub on full blast while the mother of all earthquakes, the Even Bigger One (bigger than San Andreas!), was bringing about The End Of The World As They Knew It. The tools on the walls racks and on the benches were rattling. The overhead fluorescent lights and spotlights were flickering and swinging back and forth. Darkness, even the fuel tanks way in the back were shaking in their cages! And Hammer…

Hammer was standing up out of the manhole, swaying and bumping and grinding like a turkey on antihistamines.

“HAMMER!” Sylvanas yelled again, feeling her throat work to outdo the noise. But Hammer still kept on dancing, oblivious to the world. The Banshee Queen glanced around the area. She saw a boombox from the Twenty-First Renaissance Era (which looked like a pyramidal A-track player) on a workbench...but no, nothing was coming out of it. She’d seen and heard it play before; whatever was running at the time would sound like it was being phoned in from a tin can in another municipal district from across an ocean. Then her eyes flicked behind the tank where, some distance away, were the ‘administrative’ offices that were reserved for quiet paperwork, faxing, phone calls, Internet, and maybe a few Jet Briggs’ beer and Easy Green joints were drunk and rolled in private enlightenment (that definition seemed to wax and wane over the years, apparently, but it usually ranged from a blissful stoner’s high to confusion and then to an agoraphobic fear of unseen, probably imaginative eldritch horrors that ranged between pink elephants, hyperrealistic eyes on the walls, and crab people with the heads of famous celebrities dead, alive, and not yet born crawling all over the place). Her eyes went to the ceiling where the speakers were located...but they shook as well, and offered no indication to her addled ears that the music was coming from them.

That left only one other place. “HAMMER, TURN THAT DOWN!”

“TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!” were the words Sylvanas could read from Hammer’s lips. “WHAT! WHAT! Doo doo-doo doo doo! Nuh-nuh-nuh! Doo doo-doo doo doo, doo-doo-doo--”

“TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!”

Sylvanas clenched her fists, her body shaking in time with the music. She mimicked taking a breath, reared back, and, calling upon the dark magic inside her, focused the font of power to nestle in her lungs and up her throat. Then she leaned forward and screamed. “HAAAAAMEEEERRRRR! TURN THAT THING OFF!”

The last syllable finally knocked Hammer out of her dance-induced stupor, blowing her back (and, Sylvanas thought morosely, not ass over tea kettle off the tank) from the amplified force. She caught herself, looked around, and saw the Banshee Queen glaring death and mayhem below her. “AW SNAP! SORRY, SORRY! EH, UH, G-GIVE ME ONE SEC! HOLD ON! WHERE’S THAT DAMN...AHA!” She doubled over, rooting around for the stereo, and when she found it turned it off.

Sylvanas had never found complete, total silence to be such an aether-given blessing until today. Like nirvana for mind, body, and soul. The quintessential out-of-body experience where one became attuned to nature and all that is not industrial.

Until I leave and she starts up again, she concluded. “You’re welcome,” Sylvanas drawled sardonically.

“Girl, I’m so sorry! I didn’t even know you were down there!” said Hammer. “Y-You weren’t waitin’ long, were ya?”

“I was waiting for an hour.”

Hammer clapped her hands to her cheeks. “Holy shit! Damn, girl, I’m really sorry--”

“Yeah, you should be. I actually just got here.”

“Eh? What? Really?”

“Yes, really!” Sylvanas said. “I was having a nice, simple rest on the bench outside and your stupid music woke me up! I swear to Darkness, woman, are you trying to move the Anchors out of position? Do you want to get us all killed?”

“N-Nah, girl, not at all! It’s just”--and Hammer flailed--”It’s such a nice day out, ya know? And it’s Sunday, which means all the auto shops are closed. An’ that also means I can work to mah heart’s content! No disruptions! No phone calls! No Kaijo suddenly tearing through the fabric of the space-time continuum! I can actually get stuff on time now, and at my own pace!”

“So I guess if I brought a motorcycle in, I’ll be expecting it by next spring as a belated Winter Veil present.”

“What? No! Girl, I ain’t that slow!”

“A tortoise, a snail, and a sloth could compete against you and they’d still win the race.”

“Hell no they wouldn’t! I have a tank, they don’t. I would just run ‘em over!”

Sylvanas rolled her eyes. “You are such a humanitarian it makes my heart bleed.”

“Well that’s what they’d get for messin’ with a siege tank!”

“You do realize there’s a noise ordnance of seventy-five feet, right?”

Hammer grinned wolfishly. “Ain’t no such thing as a noise ordnance if there’s no one around to complain about it.”

“Except for me,” said Sylvanas.

“Are ya really gonna tell on me?”

“No, but I’ll have ten reasons to tell you where to go if you do that again.”

“Ten reasons?” Hammer quirked a brow.. “What are they?”

“I punch you in the face with my left fist and then punch you with my right fist. If I add onto that, I’ll have ninety-nine reasons and a headbutt to make you quiet. Let’s also not forget I can just kick when you’re down, and by that point I’ll have lost count.”

“That’s a helluva lot of reasons to have...and money! Lots of money to pay for medical bills!”

“I can think of ways to accrue the cash and avoid jail time. You think this lackadaisical government can stop me?”

“Well,” Hammer said, digging a pinkie finger into her ear, “they are a little slow on the uptake. They ain’t exactly unnatural like we are. They’re more...what’s the word...normal.”

“You’re far from normal,” Sylvanas muttered.

“Eh? What?” Hammer asked.

“I said, what the hell are you working on that’s made you put the music on full blast?” Sylvanas lied smoothly. “What about it is so important you haven’t had the cops called on you yet?”

Hammer laughed uproariously. “This? This! My good friend! Is the latest in Jeetilopolis technological warfare!”

Sylvanas appraised it with a slow, long sweep of her eyes. “A single shot cannon?”

“Not just any single shot cannon! It’s a single shot cannon bought straight from the auction block all the way in Jeetilopolis! I spent just about my entire checking account on getting this thing, and spent almost the entirety of my savings on shipping and handling!”

“You can’t be that stupid.”

“What people think is stupid is actually smart! Besides, how’s a woman gonna get by in life if she can’t dip a little?”

“Hammer, spending every copper, silver, and gold on a cannon that is more than likely going to be faulty is not dipping a little. That’s jumping headfirst out of a plane without a parachute and hoping you time your angle just right so you can land in a lake that’ll be deep enough to sustain your impact and not kill you on the spot.”

“And when I hit rock bottom, will it be filled with gold?”

“Whatever it is, I won’t be joining you to find out.”

Hammer made an annoyed sound by blowing her lips. “Aw, c’mon! It’ll be fun!”

“Maybe for you, but I have no intentions of going into bankruptcy.”

“That ain’t gonna happen! You know why?”

“No,” Sylvanas drawled dryly. “Tell me why.”

“Because there was one other thing I got while I was in Jeetilopolis. One little thing that’ll give this baby here one helluva big wallop that’ll scare the bejeesus out o’ people! You wanna know what that is?”

“Not really.”

“Guess!”

Sylvanas sighed. “Do I have to--”

“Yeah! Come on! Take a guess!”

“Fine. Let me think.” Sylvanas feigned contemplation, making a show of looking away and tapping her chin. Then she snapped her fingers. “I got it. A brain.”

“Nuh-uh! Already have one,” said Hammer, and rapped her fists on her helmet for emphasis.

“Two brains.”

“No!”

“Three.”

“Now what am I supposed ta do with that many brains, eh? Play tsukkome and bokke with one while the other plays the straight man...brain...thing? Actually, on second thought,” Hammer added, thoughtfully, “I could probably palaver with them and get some pretty neat ideas for the tank. Yeah.” She nodded approval. “Yeah, that ain’t such a bad idea! But, uh, that ain’t what’s in this thing! It’s somethin’ better than a brain!”

“And that would be…?”

“Aether,” Hammer breathed. “I got me some gods be damned aether in a bottle for fifteen thousand gold! That’s cheap!”

Sylvanas gave her a blank stare, then nodded complete and total understanding. “Okay. So you get blitzed off the life-energy of the universe. It all makes sense now.”

“Did you just call me stupid?”

“No.” Sylvanas shook her head slowly, and drawled dryly, “No. Why would I ever say that?”

“’Cause this ain’t just the life energy of the universe!” Hammer slapped a hand down hard on the base of the manhole. “This is the answer to all my problems! This baby right here can store so much oomph in here...why, I think I might have just become a god!”

“Aether-based weaponry is banned from the League.”

Hammer grinned wickedly. “Not if they don’t find out! All’s I have to do is get the energy output tuned to its usual optimized settings and those old bats and goats in the Houses will be none the wiser! Ahahahahahaha! I’m a genius, Sylvanas!” she cried, throwing her arms up in the air. “A bonafide, grade-A genius!”

“Joy to the world, God is good,” Sylvanas grumbled, shaking her head.

“Hey, I’m thinkin’ of taking the tank out for a test firin’ out in the Shadowskirts in a bit; don’t want the authorities to catch wind of this! You wanna check ‘er out before I go?” 

Sylvanas shrugged. “Why not. Not like I have anything better to do.”

[aion-rsa]

WandaVision: What Is Nexus?

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article contains WandaVision spoilers.

We got at least one big reveal in the seventh episode of Marvel’s WandaVision, and though it was indeed a key turning point that we’d been expecting since the series began, it wasn’t quite what some fans hoped for. There are still two episodes to go, however, and we suspect there might be more huge reveals left to come, and yet more wild commercials that many of us will spend hours picking apart.

The commercial in episode 7 was for an antidepressant called Nexus. The term “Nexus” has ties to the established MCU and Marvel Comics, and we’re here to talk you through what you need to know about the ramifications Nexus might have in both WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, for which WandaVision essentially acts as a prequel series.

So, let’s get down to business!

The Avengers: Age of Ultron Connection

Avengers: Age of Ultron has been referenced heavily in WandaVision to date and, yes, there is a Nexus connection to be found in the 2015 blockbuster that properly introduced us to both Wanda and Vision. In Age of Ultron, NEXUS is an internet hub in Oslo that Tony Stark visits when he’s tracking Ultron’s attempts to get nuclear codes. When Stark arrives at NEXUS, he finds that JARVIS has survived Ultron’s attacks by scattering himself on the internet.

Is the commercial a random reference to AoU’s NEXUS internet hub? Perhaps, but the Nexus ad voiceover is very telling, and speaks to a much larger reveal on the horizon:

“Feeling depressed? Like the world goes on without you? Do you just want to be left alone? Ask your Doctor about Nexus, a unique antidepressant that works to anchor you back to your reality, or the reality of your choice. Side effects include: feeling your feelings, confronting your truth, seizing your destiny, and possibly more depression. You should not take Nexus until your Doctor has cleared you to move on with your life. Nexus: because the world doesn’t revolve around you. Or does it?”

When we last saw Wanda Maximoff in Avengers: Endgame, she was just starting to grieve the loss of Vision, but we now know exactly how unhealthy Wanda’s grieving process was, and it was probably made that much worse when she found out about SWORD Director Hayward’s Vision-tampering CATARACT project.

Wanda admits she created Westview as a result, but still isn’t quite sure how she did it, and even in the often idyllic world of Westview she hasn’t really been able to block out her depression. In fact, it appears to be overwhelming her a little more with each passing episode, and that’s never been more evident than in episode 7, “Breaking the Fourth Wall,” where Wanda uncovers the truth about who has been behind some of the most nefarious magic in The Hex: nosy neighbor Agnes, aka iconic Marvel Comics witch Agatha Harkness.

The Marvel Comics Connection

What does the Nexus ad truly tell us about where this is leading? The medication certainly appears to be a rather ‘unique’ antidepressant in the surreal realm of WandaVision because it promises to stop the patient suppressing their depression and loss rather than help them dull those feelings, but in a very real sense “Nexus” could bring Wanda back to reality and fully establish her role in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and it probably will involve help from a very specific Doctor!

See, in Marvel Comics, the Nexus refers to the Nexus of All Realities, and it’s quite different to its underwhelming MCU internet hub counterpart. First appearing in 1972’s Fear #11, the Nexus forms a cross-dimensional gateway that provides access to all possible realities and is a place where all the realities of the multiverse intersect. Wanda Maximoff herself is often referred to as a Nexus Being, a multiversal anchor who serves to protect us from threats outside our reality.

As the ad says, Nexus works to either “anchor you back to your reality,” or one of Wanda’s choosing, like The Hex. Wanda could be about to discover that the reason why she suddenly had so much control over reality is because she is a Nexus Being connected to the powerful mystical node that provides access to anywhere in the grand multiverse. If so, it’s only a matter of time before Wanda’s Doctor – Doctor Strange, that is – shows up to try and prevent things deteriorating in Westview even further.

To be honest, since it’s already confirmed that Strange and Wanda get caught up in the ‘Multiverse of Madness’ in Sam Raimi’s upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, we’re not entirely convinced that the pair will be able to deal with the Nexus’ existence on Earth all that smoothly, but WandaVision is almost definitely heading for a huge, big budget MCU-style climax over the next two weeks with at least one huge cameo in the offing.

The excitement is real.

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[magick-socks]

This blog post is about the fourth mask, Green Heart Antelope created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont. Read the previous posts in this series about Rabbit, Skunk, & Swan and other posts about the beginnings of the process as a whole and the success of the actual event. There will be three more posts, one for each mask. Be sure to Follow my blog to catch all the updates. I am looking forward to sharing more deeply about the process I went through with each mask.

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The Beginnings

Once we all had landed on the idea to work with animal allies, in addition to the Prismic Vision theme and the chakra rooms with altars, it also became clear that we wanted those animal allies to be found locally in Colorado. We used the Animal Medicine cards by Jamie Sams & David Carson to discern which allies would appear at which altars. I loved getting out of my own way, allowing my personal mythos and associations to fall away to see what threads of connection the universe wished to bring into the mix.

The Animal Ally from Animal Medicine cards by Jamie Sams & David Carson

For the other animals the way forward was fairly clear. However, when we came to the Green Heart center Rachel and I felt pretty strongly that we wanted Deer, or a similar animal ally, to be the guardian of our heart space. The Heart Altar was the central altar, in the middle of everything, and so it was especially important for our heart opening intentions. We couldn’t stop laughing when we drew the blank card from the Oracle deck, a clear sign that it was up to us to choose. To be extra sure we drew one more card, and that card was Pronghorn Antelope. I was excited by this message, for in India Antelope is already the traditional animal totem for the Heart Chakra. To spin this towards our own native Antelope ally lit me up.

I started with the horns, since Pronghorn Antelope have such interesting and distinctive antlers. I looked at many images to be sure I understood the delicate curve, which starts in one facing and then elegantly curves so that the points create almost an upside down heart above the Antelopes head. Like many of the other armatures, I used a combination of tape, cardboard, and tinfoil before cloaking in papier-mâché.

Getting the angles correct

Where do I put the eyes?

Attaching the Antlers and Ears

Finishing the Headdress

The head of the mask took a long time to trouble shoot. Unlike a Rabbit or Skunk, the placement of Antelope’s eye are nothing like that of our human ones. To accurately mimic the elongated face of Antelope I needed to come up with another solution for seeing out of the mask. I eventually settled on lifting the whole face above the head, similar to the Swan mask, making it more into a headdress. Maria of the Shamanic Dolls lead the opening procession. I wanted to be sure she could see clearly to guide the ceremony confidently.

Working with Antelope Medicine and the Energy of Green Heart

Green in the Heart always evokes for me images of Green Tara, Earth Mother, and Kwan Yin. Powerful and Kind goddesses of the Earth. The human eye can see more distinct shades of green than any other color, so I chose to work with the Greens found in the Prismic Vision Postcard, lovely colors between soft jade viridian and a true spring green. Colors that I can easily visualize radiating out from my heart into the whole world around me.

Green is fundamentally linked to nature, as well as joy, balance, harmony, and luck. The Heart Chakra is also a wellspring for balance and deep calm. It is the center were love originates. The mantra for the Heart is “I am Loved.” It is the center of the seven chakras, sitting equidistant from the higher realms of spirit and insight, and the lower realms of ground and action.

Green Antelope – Heart Altar Sketch

Pronghorn Antelope in this Green Heart space speaks to choosing action from the Heart. In society today we so often make decisions based on our mind or our gut, being driven by the pressures of every day to stay afloat in the chaos. Decisions made from the heart lead us along a different pathway, and although it may not seem clear at first, in the end our decisions are made with authentic integrity.

The Mask in the Space

The Green Heart Altar was extremely special. The base was built just for the event to meet the ever evolving needs of the central room. The central lobby was the literal heart of the event, with people pulsing through it constantly and a flurry of diverse performances, workshops, and art installations.

Photo Credit: Jack Jameson

The altar was built up to be a mound of sacred earth energy. Moss had been collected then reverently placed across it and a giant activator quartz crystal anchored the center. Pieces from the Healing Helix that had blended wishes and grief at Arise Festival were affixed to the sides for a communal weaving. Baskets of yarn were arranged around the altar, interspersed with candles and mindful art. The Antelope Mask rested confidently on the connection of two pieces of the Helix. Above the Altar hung sacred geometric shapes, a crystal Merkaba and a copper activator pyramid which flooded the space with energy.

As happens so often with participatory art the weaving took a life of its own. It expanded beyond the intended panels from the helix to envelop the whole altar. Even the Antelope Mask was woven into the Altar. When the time came to retrieve the mask for the Opening Procession it was already thoroughly bound into the magic of the Heart, and took some delicate unraveling to free it for the ceremony.

The Altar was on wheels so when the Procession arrived in the central room it was moved to make room for our dance. We began by spiraling around Maria, creating a nexus of energy, a revelation. We danced toward her from Despair to Hope, dancing from the action of our hearts, landing connected together. Then spinning back out into the room we called out our intentions, inviting the whole room to speak their activations. It was a glorious, hopeful moment of Unity.

The words on the Altar were as follows: 

Green – Heart – Pronghorn Antelope

Clear & Direct … Decisive Action. 

Ancestor Wisdom. 

The Imagination of the Heart.

Antelope signifies knowledgeable action; action that has its basis in clarity, focus, and commitment. Antelope is a symbol for the antenna of your hara, which attaches you to Great Mystery by its long cords of light. As we look at Antelope, we become aware of our mortality and the short time we have on this planet. With this is mind, we must act accordingly.

Antelope medicine is the knowledge of life’s circle. Knowing of death, Antelope can truly live. Action is the key and essence of living.

– Excerpt from “Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams & David Carson

Rachel and I Resting & Admiring the Altar after the Event

Stay in Touch

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Prismic Vision – Green Heart Antelope Pronghorn Antelope in this Green Heart space speaks to choosing action from the Heart. Decisions made from the heart lead us along a different pathway, a pathway of authentic integrity.  This blog post is about the fourth mask, Green Heart Antelope created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the…

[river-bottom-nightmare]

My friend, I would personally love more Dick as a nexus being au stuff! What if he had a power like Ciri's from the Witcher games where he could use the nexus to go to other worlds. Just one problem: he doesn't know how to control this power or what triggers it, so there is a very tense but funny period of time where he keeps going "poof" and Zatanna and Constantine need to go and fetch him from random places and he meets up with other versions of friends like 1966 batman and hilarity ensues!

hello hello hello babe!

thank you thank you ("i would also love more nexus dick au stuff" i say to myself lmao)

and ahhhhhhhhhhhhh yes yes yes i LOVE that idea!!! i've never actually played the witcher games, but what i'm getting at here is that the basic concept is dimension hopping? dimension jumping? since he's kinda a focal/anchor point for the multiverse, he can travel through the multiverse to other versions of himself

now, when he does that, are there going to be two dick graysons running around in that universe? is he just going to temporarily take over the other dick's body? interesting to think about

also yes yes YES him just poofing into random universes and needing the other magic-users to help him get back home is utter hilarity. imagine him popping into the 1997 batman and robin movie dear god. dick poofing into the gotham by gaslight universe and being like me, jason, and tim together on the streets???? dear god kill me now (but also loving it a little). also if we adhere to the concept of parallel realities as written in the dc universe, then technically that means one of the realities dick could pop into on accident is one of our fanfictions. please imagine dick somehow finding himself in a 30k tim drake whump + hurt/comfort fic with main supporting character Magically Redeemed Jason Todd.

this is. a top tier idea i love it

[river-bottom-nightmare]

ldfgkdjngndfkgd the magic users knowing and not telling Dick is so funny. even funnier is all the magic users (good and bad) being mildly terrified of dick because. no way he can be normal, right? that's an act, right??? He's faking it. and what kind of freak is ultra powerful but pretends to be NORMAL? That has to be some next level, reverse psychology, jedi shit. and then. then at the same time everyone else finds out that Dick is a nexus being, the magic users find out he really is normal.

it really is hilarious isn’t it babes

all the magic users are all slightly on edge with all of the bats, because there is absolutely no way they are the way they are without at least some supernatural element. i mean come on! red hood is built like a brick shithouse and has more guns on his person than batman has children and yet you don’t hear a single noise when he moves unless he wants you to. each member of the fam is uniquely terrifying, so there’s no way they aren’t magic, right?

i feel like that’s just a thing within the magic dc community. they all think the bats are supernatural in some sense, but you just can’t mention it.

anyway, i’m not sure how the magic users would know dick was a nexus being. maybe they can sense how stable and anchoring his aura is? or they can see how in tune he is with the multiverse? either way, if you’re a magic user worth your salt, then you can see ripples and shifts in the multiverse, and once you meet nightwing, you can immediately sense his presence in said multiverse. 

so they’re like: a) is a member of the batfam 2) does creepy shit like breathe fire and swallow knives to distract enemies iii) is an anchor point in the multiverse

and come to the conclusion that dick is a magic being and he most certainly knows it and manipulates it to support his identity and stuff. and they think he’s pulling that weird jedi reverse stuff, but also they’ve met nightwing. no way could whatever he’s doing be overly malicious or harmful. so then they come to the stunning conclusion that the reason they don’t see dick use his powers all that often or the reason he only uses his powers to hide his powers is because he is so goddamn powerful that him using his powers would be catastrophic and he’s doing it for the greater good of the universe.

dick, meanwhile, is just a Normal Dude who happens to be a bit bendier than most people. and he has absolutely no idea about any of this.

when it finally comes out, probably during a multiversal crisis that has all the big names in the dcu involved. barry probably fucked something up on accident, clark probably made it worse. anyway, whatever happened led to the discovery of dick grayson being a nexus being.

and just the chaos that would cause. jesus christ on a corn tortilla, it would be the funniest thing ever. the batfman’s freaking out over the fact that dick’s a nexus being, what the hell does that mean, how the hell does this affect every interaction he’s had with them. the speedsters are probably all i knew it!! because both wally and barry have spent enough time with dick grayson to be like “hm. something’s a little odd.” and then just shrug and go on with their lives. same with supes, probably. people who don’t know dick grayson that well would be spazzing over the fact that nexus beings exist, and that a normal human is one of them. and the magic people? “HE WAS COMPLETELY NORMAL AND HUMAN THIS ENTIRE TIME??? WHAT?????”

this is a truly incredible concept and i love it so much.