Nicely, with three episodes left within the season, we knew that the time was nigh for WandaVision to drop not less than one massive shock on us — and actually, this week we acquired just a few. “Breaking the Fourth Wall” in lots of respects serves as a bridge episode, protecting Wanda’s crumbling psyche following the occasions of Halloween, however it additionally packs in some key developments priming us for the season’s eventual endgame. (What number of occasions am I allowed to make use of the phrase “endgame” whereas writing a couple of MCU present? Most likely no more than three. We’ll see if I can keep on with that.)
By way of sitcom eras, Episode 7 leaps from the early 2000s single-cam world to the style’s subsequent evolution: the mockumentary. Your first thought could be The Workplace (and certainly, the brand new opening credit characteristic no lyrics however visuals that mix the vibes of NBC favourite with the fashion of the opening credit for ABC’s dearly departed single-cam collection Completely happy Endings).
However actually, this episode (not less than, the elements set in Westview) is a Trendy Household tribute, with Elizabeth Olsen embodying each quirk of Julie Bowen’s frazzled-mom persona as she and the opposite main city residents communicate on to the digicam. After all, Julie Bowen is never going through the entire disintegration of her actuality, however everybody has their cross to bear.
And Wanda’s not the one one affected by the glitches in actuality at the moment popping up — each Billy and Tommy discover the adjustments, and Billy (the dual with Wanda’s psychic skills) says that issues there are “loud.” It is all an excessive amount of for Wanda, who flat-out tells her youngsters that she has no solutions and that “I am beginning to consider that all the pieces is meaningless.” However hey, Wanda’s in luck, as a result of right here comes everybody’s favourite neighbor Agnes, who agrees to handle the twins in order that Wanda can have some me-time.
Whereas Wanda grapples along with her existential disaster, lots is going on elsewhere. First off, Hayward and the remaining S.W.O.R.D. brokers who did not get sucked up by the increasing boundary of the Hex are getting ready to launch a significant motion later that day. (That is all we actually get from their aspect of the story on this episode, however it’s actually a key little bit of set-up for the subsequent installment.)
Extra importantly, we be taught that Woo and Monica additionally managed to flee the Hex in Episode 6. Sadly, it seems we’ll have to attend a bit of longer to be taught who Monica’s “aerospace engineer” is — as an alternative, they meet up with a brand new S.W.O.R.D. agent named Main Goodner, who’s on Monica’s aspect and accordingly delivers a elaborate automobile that Monica hopes to make use of in permeating the barrier. The rover is not efficiently in a position to break by way of, however Monica decides to strive it herself, actually shoving her manner inside Westview in a trippy sequence that options voice cameos by key figures from her life (together with Nick Fury and Carol Danvers!) and ends with Monica on the opposite aspect, and as predicted by Darcy reworked by the expertise. Eyes blazing blue for a minute, Monica appears able to seeing electromagnetic fields, earlier than shaking it off and working to seek for Wanda.
Oh, talking of Darcy… After practically disintegrating within the earlier episode, Imaginative and prescient wakes up restored to his full type — however again on the opposite aspect of the barrier. Nonetheless, when he finds the circus set-up now housing the trapped S.W.O.R.D. brokers, he acknowledges Darcy as somebody with whom he had an “unstated connection” on the opposite aspect, and frees her from Wanda’s management. Collectively, the 2 of them hijack a funnel cake truck and head out to trace Wanda down, Darcy giving Imaginative and prescient the Cliff’s Notes on his backstory, together with his a number of deaths. In a speaking head phase, Imaginative and prescient realizes how a lot Wanda has gone by way of — and likewise remembers that he is aware of tips on how to fly, hovering off in quest of his spouse.
Monica arrives at Wanda’s home able to confront her, however Wanda’s not , brutally rebuffing her and looking out able to ship some critical magical harm till Agnes arrives, diffusing the scenario and main Wanda over to her home. Nonetheless, as soon as inside Agnes’s home, Wanda appears to sense that one thing’s mistaken, particularly since there isn’t any signal of the twins past deserted PB&J sandwiches. And when Wanda goes right down to the basement in quest of her boys, she as an alternative finds… effectively, a really witchy lair.
The montage reveals that Agatha has been manipulating all of Wanda and Imaginative and prescient’s sitcom mishaps, although it would not clarify why; as an alternative, we smash into that damnable Please Stand By… title card, although this week there is a twist. Evan Peters’ title reveals up within the closing credit regardless of solely transient appearances within the Beforehand On… phase and Agatha’s montage, however it seems he did a bit of bit greater than that to earn his paycheck for this episode — in a shock mid-credits sequence, we see Monica snooping round Agatha’s home, solely to be confronted by Pietro. “Snooper’s gonna snoop,” he stated, getting the final phrase right here.