Episode 1 Easter Eggs and References
Important Date
The date marked on the calendar that Wanda and Vision first struggle to remember is August 23rd. Read another way as 23/8, this could be a reference to Avengers #238, a comic that just happens to feature the Vision returning to life, Monica Rambeau, and a holographic simulation, all of which are elements that seem at play in WandaVision.
Stark Contrast
A seemingly wholesome commercial for the Toast Mate 2000, a Stark Industries product, conjures more sinister feelings when the machine begins to beep and flash with a red light, one of the only bits of color in the episode. This is likely a reference to the Stark-branded missile that killed Wanda’s parents and led to a building collapse that she was trapped underneath for days without help.
Sokovian Customs
Due to a mix-up, Wanda and Vision are unprepared for their dinner guests in several ways. In an attempt to explain the circumstances to his boss, Vision notes that Wanda is from Sokovia, a fictional country in the MCU and the setting of much of Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Wanda’s Wine
The wine Wanda serves with dinner is labeled Maison du Mépris, which translates to House of Contempt. This ominous name, along with the large M emblazoned on the top of the bottle, evoke the House of M storyline from the comics. This massive event saw Wanda remake reality after suffering a traumatic experience, something that may very well be happening in the MCU.
Under Observation
The end of the episode reveals the show within a show is being monitored by an unseen person. A notepad and adjacent monitor feature the S.W.O.R.D. logo, the agency’s first appearance in the MCU. In the comics, S.W.O.R.D. is a counterpart to S.H.I.E.L.D. and stands for Sentient World Observation and Response Department. In the MCU, this name is changed slightly to stand for Sentient Weapon Observation Response Division, indicating that their job may be to contain threats posed by powered people and entities.
Episode 2 Easter Eggs and References
Grim Reminder
The outwardly upbeat animated opening sequence actually has some more serious Easter eggs, one of which being the severed head of Grim Reaper, a longtime enemy of the Avengers. While Grim Reaper has yet to make an appearance in the MCU, his inclusion here is notable due to his history with The Vision. In one storyline, The Vision creates a family for himself and moves into the suburbs. One day while he isn’t home, Grim Reaper attacks his family. His wife fights back, killing the villain and burying his body in the backyard.
Hints of History
The Easter egg-laden opening sequence continues with a pair of ads in the grocery store. Bova Milk alludes to the comic book character Bova, a highly evolved cow (you read that right), who is present for the birth of Wanda and her twin brother Pietro. The other, Auntie A’s kitty litter, may be a reference to Agatha Harkness, a powerful witch who has helped Wanda hone and expand her magical abilities in the comics.
Toying With Wanda
A rare instance of color in the episode arrives in the form of a toy helicopter that has seemingly crashed in the bushes outside of Wanda and Vision’s home. In addition to the color scheme that evokes Iron Man’s armor, the toy is also notable for the S.W.O.R.D. logo brandished on its side.
Watch Closely
This episode’s commercial is for a Strucker Watch, a name that should ring some bells for anyone who has followed Wanda’s journey so far in the MCU. Baron Wolfgang von Strucker was one of HYDRA’s top leaders before his death at the hands of Ultron, and more importantly the man who conducted the experiments on Wanda and her brother that led to the emergence of their powers. The watch is even adorned with HYDRA’s charming logo.
Bee-Witched
In the closing moments of the episode, Wanda and Vision’s idyllic life is seemingly invaded by a mysterious man in a beekeeper suit. Notable here is the S.W.O.R.D. emblem on the back of the outfit, but also the fact that another organization from the comics, A.I.M., is known for each beekeeper-like uniforms. Whether or not this is relevant yet remains to be seen.
Episode 3 Easter Eggs and References
Brain Wash
Another Hydra-themed product, this bubble bath commercial contains a couple of nods to Wanda’s origins. The woman in the commercial mentions reading her mind, a possible reference to the Mind Stone that unlocked Wanda’s powers, which is even more likely given the slogan, “Find the Goddess Within!”
Miracles
After much debate about whether to name their incoming baby Billy or Tommy, Wanda and Vision and surprised to learn they’re having twins. Not only is Wanda herself a twin (as she recounts to Geraldine), but in the comics Billy and Tommy grow up to become the Young Avengers known as Wiccan and Speed.
Outsider
Geraldine seems to know a little too much about Wanda’s past, including the fact that her brother was killed by Ultron. This revelation, as well as the S.W.O.R.D. necklace she wears, clues Wanda in on the fact that this woman may not belong in Westview. Wanda corrects the mistake by sending her through the magical barrier that separates the town and the outside world.
S.W.O.R.D. Unsheathed
As “Geraldine” or Monica lands in the outside world, a contingent of S.W.O.R.D. vehicles and agents rush toward her, further revealing this mysterious organization’s entry into the MCU.
Episode 4 Easter Eggs and References
Echoes of the Past
While we witness “Geraldine” return after the Blip, we hear echoes of Maria Rambeau and Carol Danvers, confirming that the woman we first met as Geraldine is in fact Monica Rambeau, who we first met as a young kid in Captain Marvel.
Home Base
We get a quick look at S.W.O.R.D. HQ, the organization that has surrounded the town of Westview, along with confirmation that S.W.O.R.D. stands for Sentient Weapon Observation Response Division.
The World Reacts
This series is set just a few weeks after the events of Avengers: Endgame, a fact further driven home by the newscasts on display in S.W.O.R.D. HQ, including references to global celebrations and an upcoming speech by the Pope. Here we also see WHiH, a staple news network in the MCU.
Photon’s Photo
We learn that Maria Rambeau was the founder and director of S.W.O.R.D. before her untimely death several years earlier. Her photograph on the wall includes her callsign Photon, which also happens to be one of several monikers her daughter Maria takes on in the comics.
Magic Outside Westview
FBI Agent Jimmy Woo is reintroduced into the MCU, and he even shows off a sleight of hand card trick that we saw him practicing in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
The Consultant
Another returning character, Darcy Lewis—first seen as a research assistant in Thor and who has now earned a doctorate in astrophysics—has been contracted by S.W.O.R.D. to assist with the Westview anomaly.
HEX Magic
The invisible barrier around the town of Westview is hexagonal in shape, a possible reference to Wanda’s use of “hex magic” in the comics, a form of magic that can cause random and reality-warping events to occur.
Secret Invasion?
Agent Woo begins listing possible clues and suspects on a whiteboard, including extraterrestrials, and more specifically Skrulls, the shape-shifting race of aliens that have proven to be allies to both Carol Danvers and Nick Fury in the past but who comic book fans know are typically villainous in nature.
Visions of Death
For a brief moment in time we get a look at what seems to be the real Vision, a zombified version that shows the damage he suffered when Thanos violently extracted the Mind Stone from his head.