WandaVision: What’s hidden in plain sight in the finale
By Mike McNulty
An All-New, All-Different Vision
Another fan theory which would end up getting debunked was the hope that the Vision from Westview would merge with the newly rebuilt Vision. Instead, the false Vision was able to “awaken” the real Vision’s hidden memory files, giving us a montage of rapid cuts from various scenes involving Vision and J.A.R.V.I.S. from numerous Marvel Studios movies. With his memories restored, the Vision reclaims his identity and flies off.
If you feel a bit disappointed, and are curious as to why the real Vision didn’t stick around, don’t be. Once again, this is a development straight out the original comics. As mentioned in the previous “What’s hidden in plain sight” article, the “Vision Quest” storyline ends with the newly restored and rebooted Vision has all of his original memories restored but not his original personality matrix or emotions. The same thing here, only this Vision doesn’t have the Mind Stone. Thus, for all intents and purposes, this is a brand new Vision – hence the significance of the two Visions pondering over the the classic “Ship of Theseus” thought experiment. And why the real Vision left Westview instead of reconnecting with Wanda.
Of course, where the Vision went we’ll have to find out in a later film or series. The result, however, is this allows Vision to come back without actually undoing his death.
What the Darkhold holds
Yes, although it looks completely different than it did in ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hulu’s Runaways, the book Agatha has in her possession was, indeed, the Darkhold. For those who need a refresher, the Darkhold, which first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #4, is a book containing the most powerful dark magic spells in all of existence, and is directly linked to a shadowy realm called The Dark Dimension. If that sounds familiar, that’s where the Doctor Strange villain, Dormamuu, also comes from.
In the comics, the Darkhold is also responsible for creating the first vampires and werewolves, and once belonged to Merlin’s archenemy Morgan le Fey. It was also written by the demon Chthon who is all the source of… Chaos Magic. Yes, even in the original comics, there’s a definite link between Wanda and the Darkhold. There’s even a storyline in the Avengers comics in which Wanda is intended to be Chthon’s mortal vessel. That WandaVision makes so that the Darkhold also prophesies the coming of the Scarlet Witch seems to add into that very possibility. If, of course, Chthon does an appearance in the MCU at some point.
One other interesting tidbit is that, on the opposite page next to the pictograph of the Scarlet Witch, is a depiction of what looks like various interlocking spheres. One can’t help but think that these look very reminiscent to graphical depictions of the multiverse or the Nine Realms from other Marvel Studios films. Considering that Wanda is seen studying in one of the finale’s two post-credit scenes, it seems we definitely haven’t seen the last of this book.