Here's how the epic finale to WandaVision season 1 plays out, and what it all means for the future of the MCU. While Kevin Feige's superhero extravaganza has dabbled in TV before, the likes of Agents of SHIELD and Daredevil never truly synced up with Marvel's big screen blockbusters. As such, Disney+'s WandaVision represented a huge risk, but judging by the amount of fans desperately awaiting the final chapter, the Westview experiment has been a resounding success. Although episode 9 might have been trolling fans with the promise of a big "Luke Skywalker" cameo, WandaVision's finale is a suitably climactic exclamation point on an extraordinary series.
Leading into WandaVision's closing installment, Wanda and Agatha Harkness were preparing for battle after a trip down memory lane revealed the Avenger's true identity as the fabled "Scarlet Witch" of legend. Agatha's holding Billy and Tommy hostage, and Vision is still going through an identity crisis after discovering his wife's deception. Monica Rambeau is trying to help, but is currently occupied by Evan Peters' Quicksilver impersonator. On the outside, SWORD's Director Hayward has a paint-your-own Vision ready for a test run, and is primed to reveal his hand.
In an episode of shocking revelations, meaty superhero fights and tear-jerking character moments, WandaVision brings one of the MCU's most fascinating chapters to a poignant close, but also paves the way for a Wandaful Phase 4. This is how the WandaVision story ended.
Agatha Harkness' Powers & True Plan
When Kathryn Hahn dropped the Agnes act and became the Agatha Harkness everyone suspected her to be, the villain revealed some key details about the Westview anomaly. The Hex itself was created entirely by Wanda Maximoff; Agatha merely came along and cast herself into the sitcom to keep tabs on the grieving superhero. Episode 9 confirms that Agatha's true power (her "thing") is absorbing the magic of others - a technique she previously used to wipe out her coven. Recognizing Westview as the work of a powerful mage, Agatha wanted to claim Wanda's power for her own. Even after last week's discovery that Wanda is powered by dangerous Chaos Magic, Harkness still lusts for that scarlet upgrade.
Agatha shows Wanda how broken Westview is and promises to stabilize the spell, offering eternal bliss in exchange for the power of the Scarlet Witch. To hammer home her point, Agatha releases the Westview residents from their trance. Norm, Herb, Dotty and the others guilt trip Wanda into breaking the Hex but, ever the troublemaker, Agatha reminds Wanda that no Hex means no family, and deviously presents her deal as the only solution.
Why Hayward Created White Vision
Agatha isn't the only WandaVision villain (although we'll be damned if she isn't the best) - SWORD's Director Hayward also makes his final play. After last week's post-credits scene introduced White Vision, the finale sees Hayward courteously explain his intentions to a captured Jimmy Woo. Hayward wants his Vision to kill the one Wanda created. He'll then pick White Vision from the rubble, tell the world Wanda made it, and take the glory for seizing a valuable asset. This accounts for the doctored CCTV footage that purported to show Wanda stealing Vision's remains.
This ploy gets Hayward off the hook for going rogue and building his own personal Vision, while also making him the proud owner of Earth's only vibranium synthezoid. Looking back to WandaVision's SWORD HQ flashback, Hayward might've been provoking Wanda into resurrecting Vision all along, as not only did he require some red magic to jump-start his Frankenstein's monster, but forcing Wanda to revive Vision herself was the only way to cover up his crimes.
The Legend of the Scarlet Witch
After watching reruns of Wanda's past, Agatha Harkness surmised that Wanda was the legendary Scarlet Witch, but episode 9 elaborates on what this ominous discovery entails. As suspected, the Scarlet Witch is a mythical figure among magic users, but one that is "forged" instead of born. This means Wanda's fate was never set in stone, despite her displaying magical gifts as a child. It seems the combination of magical talent, Infinity Stone juice and personal grief lit the fire that created this new Scarlet Witch. According to Agatha, the Scarlet Witch has a dedicated chapter in the Darkhold, confirming the book in her basement was indeed the ancient artifact from Marvel lore.
Moreover, Agatha tells Wanda that she's stronger than the Sorcerer Supreme. This line elevates Scarlet Witch above Doctor Strange and the Ancient One in the MCU's power ranking, but also connects the brand of magic practiced by Wanda and Agatha to the mystic arts wielded by the Sanctums. The two methods aren't the same, but they're clearly close cousins. A bonus of being the Scarlet Witch is no pesky incantations, which slightly retcons how Wanda's powers work in the MCU. It seems her red magic is all spell-work, she just doesn't need to chant the verses of Macbeth beforehand like your everyday witch would.
Quicksilver's Bohner
WandaVision fans with Mephisto, Magneto and Doctor Strange on their final episode bingo cards might've been left disappointed, but those who predicted dick jokes can sleep soundly tonight. Evan Peters' Quicksilver has been a curiosity since his mind-boggling WandaVision debut. The character clearly wasn't Wanda's work, and the "Agatha All Along" montage suggested Pietro was under Harkness' spell instead, but what was Quicksilver's true nature, and why did he look like that guy from the X-Men movies?
Thankfully, Monica Rambeau is on the case. After being caught snooping by Quicksilver last week, she and the speedster tussle in Pietro's man-cave. There, Monica discovers Quicksilver is actually a Westview resident known as Ralph Bohner - the eternally absent husband Agnes kept referring to. Because Agnes can't manipulate folks as easily as Wanda, she's using an enchanted necklace to make this Westview man-child play the part of Pietro Maximoff. Thanks to her energy powers, Monica identifies the necklace is the problem, and breaks the dude beads to break the spell.
Scarlet Witch Transforms & Vision Outsmarts Himself
WandaVision's final battle pits Agatha Harkness against Wanda Maximoff, and Westview Vision against White Vision. It comes as no surprise when the good guys emerge victorious, but the married couple win their respective fights by very different means. When Agatha promises to fix Westview in exchange for Wanda's power, the Scarlet Witch appears to give in, throwing bolts of Chaos Magic for Harkness to absorb. In truth, Wanda is secretly scattering runes around the Westview barrier - a throwback to the basement scene where Agatha used the same trick. Powered-down, Agatha is helpless, allowing Wanda to finally embrace the chaotic power of the Scarlet Witch and transform, getting a new costume in the process. Also worth noting is how Wanda reuses her spooky mind trick from Avengers: Age of Ultron, and hits Agatha with a car, echoing her battle against Iron Man from Captain America: Civil War.
Vision's use of philosophy is far more befitting of his character than plain old violence. It seems Hayward programmed White Vision to kill his twin, but failed to appreciate the literal mind of a computer. By employing a more complex version of the old broom analogy (if you replace the handle and then the brush, is it the same broom?), Vision is able to trigger an existential crisis in his opponent.
Westview Is Freed & Wanda Becomes A Villain
Agatha was lying all along when she promised Westview could be fixed, but Wanda still faces a tough emotional choice - free Westview, or save her family. This moment is essentially the moral crux of WandaVision. Is Elizabeth Olsen's character strong enough to fulfill her moral obligation and save the innocent people of Westview? Wanda eventually relents, of course, and Westview is restored to its former run-down state.
But the trouble is only beginning for Scarlet Witch. WandaVision's ending confirms that the people of Westview remember everything, and they're (understandably) a bit annoyed. News of the Westview incident will no doubt spread across the world before long, and provide perfect ammunition for supporters of the Sokovia Accords. The headlines write themselves - "Avenger Witch Holds Town Hostage To Recreate Sitcoms." This could alter Wanda's standing in the MCU drastically. Although the audience know she isn't a villain, Wanda temporarily deprived citizens of their freedom and their lives. She apparently also reflected her own pain and grief onto them while they slept. That's something Wanda will need to wrestle with in her next MCU appearance.
Vision Is Reborn In The MCU
If the cycle of life and death is a recurring theme in WandaVision, it's Vision himself who comes to exemplify that. In their final moments together, Westview Vision asks Wanda who he is. Wanda replies by revealing that her reborn husband was crafted from wires, blood and bone, but it was the power of the Mind Stone within Wanda that brought Vision back to life inside the Hex. When the barrier falls, this Vision is gone, most likely forever.
Fortunately, his replacement is already out of the packaging. During the fight against White Vision, Westview Vision unlocks the memories repressed by SWORD. Touching the head of his pale counterpart, it's almost like Vision is transferring himself (the bits that matter, at least) into this new body provided by Hayward. The reborn synthezoid proclaims "I am Vision" and flies off, presumably to renegotiate his contract with Disney. Vision's return is further teased during the final goodbye, when Wanda's soon-to-be deleted husband wonders what he "might be next."
Why White Vision Left Westview
Although the rejuvenated White Vision doesn't hang around, it's clear that the character has some internal programming issues to work through. In the space of a few minutes, the synthezoid has gone from being a one-track killing machine loyal to SWORD, to suddenly having his head filled with memories that are simultaneously his own, and not his own. The process was enough to cease White Vision's violent rampage, but there's obviously some way to go before he becomes a reliable ally. Vision no doubt feels overwhelmed by this sudden influx of memories, and conflicted about his true nature, which explains why he runs away instead of sticking around to help.
As for where Vision might be, the answer might lie with Bucky Barnes. After the Winter Soldier overcame his HYDRA programming, he visited the Smithsonian to find out more about his forgotten past. White Vision might undergo a similar process. Perhaps he'll seek information about Tony Stark or Ultron, both of whom can be considered his creators. Maybe Vision will visit the places he saw in the old Vision's memories, revisiting Sokovia, Avengers HQ, etc., desperately trying to piece together his new persona.
Agatha Survives (& Could Become Wanda's Mentor)
Defeating Agatha with a combination of well-placed runes and the overwhelming power of the Scarlet Witch, Wanda chooses not to kill her downed opponent. Instead, Agatha's punishment is to play Agnes on a full-time basis. Wanda tricks the witch into believing she's Westview's nosy neighbor, and Agatha will continue to live a mundane, superficial life, presumably with a brand new husband thrown into the deal. Indeed, Mrs. Agnes Bohner is now mostly harmless, but WandaVision also sets up her MCU future.
Agatha warns Wanda that her magical expertise will be required in the future. The newly-christened Scarlet Witch reassures Harkness that she'll be called upon should the occasion arise. In the Marvel comics, Agatha Harkness is Wanda Maximoff's mentor and teacher, and their relationship is far more friendly. Kathryn Hahn's MCU Agatha could be wheeled out in a future MCU project when Wanda has questions about witchcraft or needs a magical ally. Unfortunately, there's no word on what happened to Señor Scratchy.
What Wanda Unleashed - Scarlet Witch's Future Explained
When Wanda transforms into the Scarlet Witch proper, the villain ominously warns that something terrible has been unleashed. This line neatly lines up Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, potentially building to Nightmare, Mephisto (he's coming, we swear!), or another other-worldly enemy. But in the Marvel comics, the powers of the Scarlet Witch derive from a powerful God called Chthon. By accepting his magical gifts, MCU Wanda might've just invited Chthon into the mortal realm. Agatha does claim that the Scarlet Witch is fated to destroy the world, and whatever evil is unleashed in WandaVision's final battle could mark the fulfillment of that dark prophecy.
The Scarlet Witch costume Wanda creates when embracing her true power is now a permanent addition to her wardrobe. When she flees from the authorities, Wanda conjures her red crown and sleek superhero outfit, confirming the arrival of her canon character design and superhero title.
Wanda then holes up in a remote cabin, but WandaVision's final moments are far from comforting. While the physical Wanda makes tea, her astral Scarlet Witch projection flicks through the Darkhold, fulfilling the promise Wanda makes to Monica about mastering her Chaos Magic. This pursuit for knowledge could be how Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange cross paths ahead of Elizabeth Olsen's return to the big screen.
Crucially, Scarlet Witch hears the voices of Billy and Tommy while in her speed-reading mode. Some semblance of the boys has maybe survived into the real world, or Wanda's psyche might've suffered another crack after she relinquished her children. The voices might also emanate from a more sinister presence posing as Billy and Tommy to manipulate Wanda. With a multiverse of possibilities, it's too early to be sure.
The Skrull Mid-Credits Scene
Monica Rambeau doesn't play a huge role in WandaVision's finale. She takes a bullet or four for Billy and Tommy, revealing an ability to phase through objects and removal their kinetic energy. But by far Monica's biggest moment comes in the mid-credits scene, where a Skrull requests Monica's presence up in the sky. This agent is most likely working for Nick Fury and Talos, as the duo have a SWORD-like organization of their own following the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Monica might finally be getting an invitation to join the real SWORD.
WandaVision's mid-credits sequence also sets up Marvel's upcoming Secret Invasion show. The friendly Skrulls are clearly worried about something, and the Secret Invasion comic arc revolves around these green shape-shifting aliens assuming roles of authority under the radar, quietly taking over Earth. By directing Monica to the stars, WandaVision also paves the way for Captain Marvel 2, and that inevitable awkward reunion with Carol Danvers.