Elizabeth Olsen Deserves an Emmy For WandaVision

The eighth episode of WandaVision was just released on Disney+ and it provided a lot of answers to questions Marvel fans have had since the show premiered. Warning: Spoilers Ahead! Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) takes Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) on a journey through her past in order to uncover how Wanda was able to create the Westview anomaly. We learned why the show has had such a strong connection to classic sitcoms and learned more about Wanda and Vision’s relationship history as well as how this new version of the synthezoid came to be. Taking a trip down Wanda’s memory proved to be incredibly emotional, and it was further proof that Olsen deserves to win the Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Limited Series.

Olsen is a phenomenal actor which she has proved time and time again in non-Marvel projects like Martha Marcy May Marlene, Sorry For Your Loss, and more. While she has always been a wonderful Wanda, WandaVision has shown Marvel fans just how far her talent and range extends. From the first episode of the series, we have seen Olsen create a nuanced performance that is unmatched by anything shown in Marvel Cinematic Universe before. While there are plenty of great performances in the MCU, the long-form format of television has given Olsen more room to explore the character she first played in the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier back in 2014.

Olsen’s performance has been a mesmerizing combination of comedy and drama. When she steps into the sitcom world and channels stars ranging from I Love Lucy‘s Lucille Ball to Modern Family‘s Julie Bowen, it’s done with such flawless precision that you wonder how she isn’t in more comedies. Olsen’s comedic timing is perfect and yet it’s not nearly as impressive as her ability to flip a switch and revert to drama with great ease. There have been moments in WandaVision that reveal Wanda’s feelings or intentions so clearly based on Olsen’s simple ability to express a range of emotions in an instant. It’s a good thing WandaVision will likely be eligiable for the Limited Series awards because it’s hard to decide if Olsen would be more deserving of the Comedy or Drama awards.

When it comes to drama, Olsen went above and beyond in the latest episode, “Previously On.” As Agatha dragged Wanda through her most painful memories, Olsen is forced to do a lot of heavy lifting. Not only does she portray Wanda during some of the darkest stages of her life, but she flawlessly returned to Wanda’s state during the time of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Captain America: Civil War. Wanda has gone through many different phases throughout the MCU in terms of her appearance, accent, and attitude, and the latest episode not only explained the reasoning for those differing choices but proved Olsen has been building one of the most fleshed-out characters in the MCU.

Not only did Olsen recapture moments from Wanda’s past, but she also explored Wanda’s pain on a whole new level by showing her reactions to seeing Vision’s body at SWORD’s headquarters and going to their property in Westview. The way Olsen built up the emotional turmoil of seeing Vision, the person she loved the most, being torn apart in a lab before getting a glimpse into the life he wanted for them – you can’t help but fully believe her sadness was able to explode out of her and create an entirely new reality.

Elizabeth Olsen’s performance has been nothing short of captivating. From being goofy and silly to heartbroken and destroyed, the precision of her performance deserves to be rewarded. It would be a real shame if the Television Academy didn’t recognize the talent she has exhibited throughout WandaVision.

The final episode of WandaVision drops on Disney+ on March 5th.