The penultimate episode of WandaVision is now live on Disney+ and it introduces a major change for a popular Avenger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one that comics fans have been expecting for quite some time. While Scarlet Witch and Vision have attempted to navigate their mysterious circumstances in the town of Westview, SWORD has been observing the body of the Vision for unknown and possibly nefarious purposes. These events lead to a massive cliffhanger in WandaVision Episode 8 that will likely have major ramifications on the series finale next week and the future of the MCU.
Warning: Spoilers for WandaVision Episode 8 below. Click away if you don’t want to know.
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Much like Episode 7, this one also included a mid-credits stinger after the visually-stunning credits sequence, but this one was MUCH bigger than last week’s quick look at Monica Rambeau and Quicksilver. The scene introduced a major game changer for the Vision โ by introducing a brand new version of the Android Avenger.
Project Cataract was revealed to be a recreation of the Vision, complete in his all-white look from the comic books. How this version of the character factors into the story remains to be seen, but it seems like there will be a showdown with his colorful and resurrected counterpart in the finale of WandaVision.
Given that he was created by SWORD and acting director Tyler Hayward’s not-so-altruistic approach at running the agency, this Vision could turn out to be a formidable foe for the Avengers. That’s not to say it will always be the case, as much like in the comics. Vision’s personality in the comics was a combination of Wonder Man’s brainwaves and a combination of Ultron and Hank Pym’s programmings, and after Vision’s body was destroyed and rebuilt Wonder Man would not allow his brain patterns to be implemented.
This created an emotionless and colorless version of the character who still fought alongside the Avengers. Not long after, he was all but restored to normal and has had his colorful body for the last few decades.
The only question is… is this the actor Paul Bettany has been teasing all along? This wouldn’t be a shock considering Bettany loves to tease Marvel fans during press events.
“This is the theory that says there is some mysterious Avenger who is going to appear in WandaVision, and people seem to think that mysterious Avenger is Doctor Strange. Truth is, of all of the characters that we were trying to keep secret, a lot of them got out through leaks,” Bettany said to Esquire. “There is one character that has not been revealed and it is very exciting, it’s an actor I’ve longed to work with all of my life. We have some amazing scenes together, and the chemistry between us is, I think, extraordinary, and it was just fireworks on set. So I’m really excited for people to see that stuff.”
Bettany vs. Bettany. Well played…
The series finale of WandaVision premieres next Friday, March 5th.