‘WandaVision’ Review: Emotional Character Moments Anchor an Action-Packed Series Finale

WandaVision‘s series finale succeeds in providing a fulfilling conclusion for the titular characters: Wanda and Vision, which makes this a great episode and a fitting end for the series. There are still quite a few problems throughout the series finale that keeps it from being something special.

For the first time in the series, action takes up a heavy portion of screentime. The physical fight scenes and the mental war between Vision and White Vision is the strongest battle in the episode. While the conclusion of the Wanda-Agnes fight is amazing, the in-between moments were just kind of boring and had me feeling anxious to see the conflict resolved rather than the continuation of the fight.

The focus on action comes as a detriment to several supporting characters. Monica is given a few scenes in the episode, but the her final scene with Wanda felt devoid of consequences. The Evan Peters character reveal is just a joke, nothing more. Darcy is given one line in the entire episode and Director Hayward tries to shoot some children. Jimmy Woo does showcase his resilience, but for the most part has little to do with the central conflict in the series finale.

Despite those complaints, the final scenes between Wanda and Vision feature another award-caliber performance from Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany. The writing in the final scene between thse two alone proves showrunner Jac Shaeffer made the wise decision not to use any surpising chraracter cameos. This series was about Wanda and Vision as such the final episode and it’s quality should be largely determined by how the creative’s handled these two characters. On those grounds, the series finale is as close to perfection as you can get.

When you put all of the positives and negatives together, you get a solid double almost a triple in a series that is an absolute homerun for the MCU on Disney Plus.

With the non-spoiler details out of the way, lets dive into series finale of WandaVision, which is currently streaming on Disney Plus.

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Wanda vs. Agatha in Series Finale

The episode begins where Previously On left off. Agatha is in the sky with leashes around Billy and Tommy’s necks. Agatha lets the boys go.

The Agatha-Wanda fight begins with Wanda firing a blast and Agatha absorbing the shot. Wanda telepathically fires a car at Agatha and knocks her out for a bit. The pause in the action allows White Vision an opportunity.

He approaches Wanda, gently places his hand on her cheek, then brings his other hand up and begins squeezing her head. Vision comes out of nowhere with a great blindside hit. While the double vision fight is ensuing, the two witches begin firing off spells with some underwhelming effects.

Agatha gets the upper hand by undoing Wanda’s brainwashing on the Westview residents. They all plead with Wanda to end this. The fact that all of the residents can feel Wanda’s grief is unbearably cruel.

The Maximoffs

Evan Peters real identity is Ralph Bohner. Yep, it’s a phallic joke. The less time focused on this development the better.

Wanda begins to bring down the barrier to let the residents out. As the barrier begins to weekend, Vision, Billy and Tommy begin to deteriorate. Director Hayward uses the gap to bring a squad into Westview.

Wanda orders the boys to handle the military. Billy stops the men from firing, while Tommy uses his speed to disarm the men. Director Hayward fires at the boys and Monica steps in front to absorb the bullets. Darcy makes her appearance by slamming her funnel cake truck into the side of Hayward’s. Darcy’s final words in WandaVision are: “Have fun in prison” to Hayward. Monica stepping in front of the boys was great. Hayward is given awful dialogue and nothing of substance to back up his reason for shooting at the children. He’s another character shortchanged by the series finale.

Wanda uses the distraction to sneak up on Agatha. Visually the scene is reminiscent of Wanda’s mind control of Tony Stark in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Wanda returns to the stake burning scene at the beginning of Previously On. The witches turn on Wanda this time, but she’s able to break free.

Wanda and Agatha take to the sky. Wanda starts firing blasts like Piccolo in Dragon Ball Z by intentionally missing Agatha. Each subsequent shot decays Wanda further. After Wanda has seemingly exhausted her power, Agatha begins to gather power for one final shot, but nothing happens. Wanda suddenly springs to life with her power restored. She reveals her wild blasts are runes like those in Agatha’s cellar. Only Wanda’s runes are using the barrier around Westview as the cellar. Wanda’s spell rids Agatha of her magic.

Wanda finishes off Agatha by turning her into Agnes.

Double Vision

There’s plenty of phasing and pulsar blasting in their fight. However, what starts as a physical confrontation turns into a philosophical one.

White Vision’s prime directive is to destroy Vision. Of course, Vision isn’t the real Vison, just a manifestation of Wanda’s powers mixed with the mind stone. Vision broaches the subject on the Ship of Theseus. The ship is in a museum, but over time the wood planks began to rot. The rotting wood parts of the ship are replaced over time. Basically, the quandary is this: what is the real Ship of Theseus?

• Is it the rotted wood that’s no longer a part of the finished hull?
• Are the new pieces of wood that are now part of the finished hull but weren’t a part of the original ship the Ship of Theseus
• Or does the combination of old and new make it something else entirely?

The two Visions agree on the answer. Neither Vision is the true Vision as both have deficiencies. White Vision has no original memories, while Vision has no physical form outside of Westview. Vision unlocks White Vision’s memories. White Vision flies away and that’s the last we see of him.

Wanda and Vision in WandaVision Series Finale

After Wanda defeats Vision, the Maximoff family heads home as the barrier begins to disappear. Wanda and Vision say goodnight to the boys one last time. Wanda says goodbye with this beautiful line:

Boys…Thanks for choosing me to be your mom.

Vision and Wanda head downstairs. Wanda turns off a lamp. Vision turns the lamp back on so he can see Wanda one last time in the light. Vision then asks the perfect question: What am I? Wanda responds with this:

The impeccably written and performed scene by Olsen causes Vision to shed one tear. Vision offers some words of encouragement by saying, who knows who I might be next and then he vanishes. I bawl. End scene.

Consequences be Damned

After the barrier is down, Wanda is left with the foundations of her house. She walks into the town center where she’s met with an unforgiving eye by all of the residents. They don’t say anything to her. Wanda apologizes to Monica. Monica accepts Wanda’s apology and says she would have done the same thing for her mom. Hearing sirens, Wanda takes flight and heads off to parts unknown. This scene needed one more line from Monica where she says that Wanda should come in, but there’s nothing I or anyone can do to make you [Wanda] come in. Since this scene doesn’t have that line, it does feel like Wanda exits the series finale without any repercussions.

The first post-credit scene features Jimmy Woo coordinating the recovery effort in Westview. Monica and Woo share a quick word of encouragement. A female FBI agent asks to speak with Monica in the theater. The woman transforms into a Skrull. She tells Monica that a friend of her Mother’s would like to see her. Monica asks were and the Skrull points up towards space. This scene clearly sets up Monica’s next appearance in Captain Marvel 2.

The other post-credit scene involves Wanda. She is lying low in a mountainside cabin with easy access to a lake. While she is pouring some tea, an astral projected version of herself as the Scarlett Witch is reading the Dark Hold and hearing the voices of her sons. Reading the Dark Hold is never a good sign. Olsen is already set to appear in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, so this is a clear setup for that film.

WandaVision Series Finale Final Thoughts

With that, the first MCU foray into streaming television comes to a satisfying conclusion for the most part. I’m very happy that there weren’t any big cameos. While seeing Magneto or Reed Richards would have been exciting, it would have taken focus away from the characters that have been a part of WandaVision’s journey over these 9 episodes.

Here’s hoping that Falcon and The Winter Solider which is set to premiere in less than two weeks can continue the MCU’s hot streak.