Recap and Review of WandaVision, S1E6: “All-New Halloween Spooktacular”

With last episode’s stunning reveal of Wanda’s brother come back from the dead (and another multiverse!), what is going to happen inside the Hex that consumes Westview? And with Vision slowly becoming aware that things aren’t right, what will he do?

In the midst of all that, what will become of Jimmy Woo, Dr. Darcy, and Monica and their plan to breech the Hex with an aerospace engineer designed vehicle?

Recap of WandaVision S1E6 “All-New Halloween Spooktacular”

In a move that I did not see coming, this week’s sitcom theme is pulling from the beloved show Malcolm in the Middle, simply sliding Uncle Pietro into the older brother roll and the twins falling in line. And, again, the show does a fantastic job with the theme song and opening credits!

It is Halloween! And, remember, it is the first Halloween for the now pre-teen twins. When Wanda shows in a spectacular red outfit that causes the question “Are you Red Riding Hood?”, Vision follows behind in weird green and yellow number, claiming to be a Mexican wrestler, although he points out to Wanda that was all that was in his closet.

Vision heads for the door but not before Wanda chastises him. Pietro steps in to take the boys trick or treating, so Vision can take his turn on the neighborhood watch, looking to bust teenagers with toilet paper.

In the midst of that, we get the sidebar conversation with the camera, as the twins talk about how things have been a little tense with their parents, especially as Uncle Pietro has turned out to be a “man-child.” But Pietro does seem to want to help, quickly finding matching blue and white costumes for him and Timmy, who dubbed himself the “cool twin” earlier in the episode. But it ends with an ominous note as Vision tells his wife, “Wanda…be good.”

Outside the Hex, we get a confrontation between our illustrious Trio (Jimmy Woo, Monica Rambeau, and Dr. Darcy) and Commander Hayward, who just used their seemingly peaceful mission to talk to Wanda to try and take her out.

But after asking which one is the sassy sidekick, and insulting Monica that she would not have been able to take over if she had been there when her mother died, Hayward orders them off base. But once outside and away from everyone, Jimmy and Monica take down their escort, while Darcy declares,

Inside the Hex, Pietro unleashes the twins to go crazy on the candy but faces Wanda’s questioning about their history and past. But he knows she is testing him, and he doesn’t blame her. He wouldn’t want to ask a lot of questions either if he had found his perfect place.

It goes amok when Wanda talks to Herb, who is rocking a sweet Frankenstein costume. In his brief conversation, the candy all disappears, the jack o’ lanterns are all smushed and then everyone is silly strung, all at the hands of the twins and Uncle Pietro, who is using his superspeed to make it happen.

But the big reveal is that Vision isn’t on neighborhood watch duty.

Instead we see the Vision moving further out of town, where the fast and furious Halloween adventure seems to be moving much slower. In fact, some of the people seem to be just doing the same thing over and over. One particular lady is just going through the motions of hanging a spider web yet not accomplishing much. After watching her, Vision sees a solitary tear run down her face.

As Pietro and the boys are returning the candy, Wanda and he discuss history. He seems to recall being shot in Sokovia (as seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron) and then the next thing he remembers is Wanda calling to him. And he came because he knew she needed him.

But they are interrupted with the revelation: Tommy has his uncle’s superspeed powers, so they are off to get more candy. He tags in with his brother as they repeat what their mom has told them before: “Don’t go past Ellis Avenue.”

Outside the Hex, the Trio has worked their way back into the base and are quickly breaking through firewalls to try and get more information. First discovery: Hayward found a way to look past the energy wall protecting Westview, largely by tracking the decaying vibranium that helps to make Vision. They also discover via computer what Vision is discovering on the inside: The people near the edge of the Hex are barely moving.

At this point, Vision is walking around cul de sacs where literally no one is moving or even really acknowledging his existence. He flies above the city and gets a view of how things seem more active and drift outwards to less and less life. But, when he finds Agnes in her car at a stop light, he uses the gift we have seen before, the ability to remove them from the Hex matrix.

The freed Agnes recognizes him and asks if he is here to help as an Avenger, but the Vision has no idea what she is talking about. And it only turns darker as she asks if she is dead, because she knows that he is. She is shouting “Dead!” at him when Vision says he will reach those outside of Westview.

So, he puts her back on the matrix after she begins laughing and cackling in a maniacal way. And the Vision, with a renewed sense of purpose crosses Ellis Street, headed for the energy wall.

Outside, Monica gets word that her way back in, presumably the ride they discussed last week, will be arriving soon. But Darcy warns her, having discovered more information, most notably that the passing through the wall is changing and damaging her DNA.

But Monica has empathy for Wanda and won’t quit until she has helped her. Darcy votes to stay, wanting to keep hacking down deeper into the files.

Pietro and Wanda then have a sitdown and in the discussion, Pietro asks where Wanda has been hiding all the children. She is flummoxed at what he is saying but he is pretty clear that he doesn’t blame her. She is, in essence, using them but also making her life better.

Wanda confesses to knowing that she is doing it but not knowing how it started or if she did start it. Her first memory is of feeling completely alone. And then she briefly sees Pietro with bullet holes and as a zombie version before declaring she is fine.

Darcy is hacking away and discovers a file named Cataract and sends it to Agent Woo. She then sees that Vision is trying to breakthrough the wall surrounding Westview. But its pull on him is strong, and it begins to rip him apart slowly.

Back in town, Billy’s power manifests, and he is able to see and hear what Vision is, knowing his dad is in trouble. Wanda coaches him through the use of his powers. As Vision cries out “Help! The people need help!” Wanda blasts Pietro for saying that her dead husband cannot die twice.

Darcy is furious that no one is helping Vision and is chained to a car by SWORD agents. But Wanda decides to change the game and begins to expand the walls of the Hex, as we watch command tents become circus tents and soldiers become clowns and many other changes as a deep red energy sparks behind Wanda’s eyes.

A very scared and running away Commander Hayward asks, “Can anyone read me?” as Darcy is sucked into the Hex!

Thoughts on WandaVision S1E6 “All-New Halloween Spooktacular”

So we are really moving full tilt now but that doesn’t mean less mysteries. If anything, it adds more. So here are some interesting things to think about coming out of this episode. And while this may have some speculation, wild and otherwise, be mindful it could spoil things in upcoming episodes!

Last week, I made the joke that you cannot spell Hayward without HYDRA. So, is he really evil? This week’s episode makes me more conflicted on this. While he was jerk, maybe he was trying to protect Monica from what she is facing coming from the test results. I find it hard to imagine that next week he will want to take the same approach based on what he just saw.

But what else does he know? Darcy’s last file discovery that was the most protected was a file named Cataract. And you know what cataracts do? They change people’s vision. That, coupled with how he was willing to let the Hex destroy Vision makes me think that something else is coming. Are there more Visions? Did they place this one in Westview, or is the raid video we saw of Wanda fake?

Gosh, I love the shout out to comic outfits when we can get them in the MCU. This Halloween episode was an awesome way to see what these would look like in the modern world. I did hope for more Marvel properties in the backgrounds of shots but I didn’t seem to see too many. And RIP Stan Lee. This episode would have been when he made his guest appearance.

And the twins are moving evermore towards Young Avengers status. Billy will eventually take on the name Speed and Wiccan is the soon to be name for Tommy. And I am here for it. Young Avengers could be an amazing arc for the MCU!

Did you pay attention to the movie theater and its showings? This time it was the Disney owned properties The Incredibles and The Parent Trap.” It is an interesting side commentary. The Incredibles is easily due to the speed powers that are in both. The Parent Trap is a little more interesting. Who has ideas about what it means?

This week’s commercial was interesting. For the first time (?) a product didn’t do what it was supposed to. Yo-Magic was available to the claymation desert island survivor but he could never quite make it work in time to save him. When will Wanda’s powers fail her? Or are they already? We do see the glitches on the outside edges of Westview now. Were they always there and we were just not looking?

Quick note on the aerospace engineer: Monica said she needed to go meet-up with “her guy.” Change your theories in terms of who it could be.

And finally, what do we do with Agnes? If she is Agatha Harkness, this felt like this would have been a great time to reveal it to Vision and start an alliance. While we got the cackling like a witch, I am just starting to feel strung along with no reveal ever coming.