Does WandaVision Have A Galactus Reference? Helmet Easter Egg Explained

The inclusion of a mysterious helmet in WandaVision’s second episode has some believing that the show is paying homage to Galactus, but it’s more likely that the show is actually referencing a totally different Marvel Comics character: the Grim Reaper.

Galactus is an iconic figure in the Marvel Universe, and someone that viewers have been wanting to see in the MCU for years. So far, his only live-action appearance was a poorly received, extremely loose adaptation of the character in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Now that the rights to the Fantastic Four have reverted back to Marvel, there’s renewed hope that this cosmic entity will be properly used. There’s no word on when he’ll pop up, but his importance certainly makes him feel like a character Marvel will use eventually. He’s also a candidate to be a future MCU big bad.

Some wondered if Galactus was referenced in the MCU for the first time in WandaVision’s second episode when a helmet was spotted in its animated intro. At the 3:27 mark, a helmet can be briefly spotted in between the house's floorboards (along with some bones and a spiderweb). It immediately drew attention to Galactus, who wears a similar helmet, but those familiar with Marvel Comics may recognize it as even more akin to the one that belongs to Grim Reaper aka Eric Williams. While Galactus’ is similar, the shape of WandaVision’s helmet is identical to Grim Reaper’s. Plus, the helmet being his makes much more sense, based on what's known about the WandaVision story so far.

In the comic books, Grim Reaper is one of Vision’s two biggest enemies, the other being Ultron. They have a history that goes back to the Silver Age of Marvel Comics. Many of Grim Reaper’s attacks on the Avengers have been directly related to Vision. That’s because Eric is the brother of Wonder Man, the superhero whose brain patterns were used to create Vision. Wonder Man’s role in Vision’s origin story caused Grim Reaper to feel a deep and personal connection to the android, who he even called his “brother.” At a time when Wonder Man was dead, Grim Reaper longed to have Vision take his place. Due to apparent mental instability, Grim Reaper often interfered in Wonder Man’s and Vision’s lives. In one particularly dark storyline, Eric slaughtered Vision’s android family.

It’s worth wondering if this Grim Reaper Easter egg is a hint of things to come or if the classic Avengers villain will ever be used. Since his brother isn’t in Vision’s MCU origin, there isn’t an obvious place for him in WandaVision, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t appear. For him to work, he’d need a completely new reason to be at odds with the two main characters. However, a behind-the-scenes WandaVision video teases that Wonder Man may actually be in WandaVision. If he’s in the show, Grim Reaper may not be far behind. It could be that Marvel is planning on retconning Vision’s origin by adding Wonder Man. If that were to happen, that would open the door for a comic book accurate Grim Reaper. So while both characters stand a chance at being introduced in the very near future, the wait for Galactus on the other hand, may not end any time soon.

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