Welcome back to the little bubble of the internet where we discuss, break down, and of course fangirl about all things WandaVision!
Today, we’ll be discussing the second episode of the series, “Don’t Touch That Dial.”
Warning: this article contains SPOILERS.
Following the thematic pattern of the first episode, this one is set in the ’60s. Couples are sleeping in separate beds, there’s an intro inspired by Bewitched, and floral dresses are all the rage when it comes to neighborhood get-togethers.
Wanda and Vision, however, find themselves in less than comfortable circumstances. There’s a weird noise waking them up at night, and there’s talk of strange people roaming the neighborhood.
In an attempt to deter any suspicions about their true nature, the couple tries to interact more with their neighbors and even signs up to perform a magic act at the community talent show.
While at a meeting for the planning committee, Wanda meets the condescending Dottie Jones. Apparently, Dottie is the gal you want to please in order to have a successful and pleasant life in Westview.
Meanwhile, Vision meets up with the neighborhood watch (which is really just a group of gossipy guys) and malfunctions after eating gum. He shows up to the talent show acting totally wasted from the gum gunking up his systems and jumbles up their magic act. But Wanda, of course, saves the day with her powers.
But let’s be real, the really interesting stuff lies within the details:
The Intro
The intro itself is full of clues that actually point to Wanda’s past in both the comics and the MCU.
The 6 stars placed in a hexagon around the moon.
These stars could represent the Infinity Stones, the center of conflict for most of the MCU. Let’s not forget that Vision himself houses the Mind Soul in his forehead, and it’s still present even in WandaVision. This shows that even though WandaVision takes place in another reality, it’s still very susceptible to outside influence.
Bova milk.
In the supermarket scene, there’s an ad for Bova milk. Bova is the name of the half-cow half-human hybrid that raised Wanda and her brother in the comics.
Westview Billboard.
The slogan on the Westview sign reads “Home: It’s where you make it.” This is especially significant since Wanda certainly created a home-like reality for herself.
Glamour and Illusion.
The stage names for Wanda and Vision are Glamour and Illusion respectively.
These words are often used interchangeably and they hold a certain degree of significance in the world of the show.
Glamour is the name of the magazine that Wanda reads when looking for romantic seduction techniques. It can also be a reference to her ability to create a happier, more appealing version of reality, which is usually what a glamour is when it comes to fiction.
Illusion is an appropriate alias for Vision since he’s basically a figment of Wanda’s imagination at this point. In whichever case, it’s a bit ironic that they chose these specific names for their stage performance.
But then again it’s even more ironic that they chose to do a magic show in the first place. If they’re trying to conceal their unique nature, they’re certainly not doing a good job.
Flashes of Red
Red is a very significant color for both Wanda and Vision. Wanda is known as Scarlet Witch, and her hexes manifest in the form of red spheres. Vision has brilliant red skin in his natural synthezoid form.
In many works of fiction, the color red is often used to create a sense of urgency. Not to mention that most of Marvel’s superheroes have some sort of red or a shade of it in their clothing. Thus, in a show that takes place in the MCU, it’s bound to make a consistent appearance.
Iron Man Helicopter
After rehearsing for the talent show, Wanda hears a suspicious noise, one that sounds a lot like the noise that woke her and Vision up the night before.
Coming outside to investigate, she finds what appears to be a toy helicopter. Painted brilliant red and gold, it closely resembles Iron Man’s suit. Most housewives react to such things with mild annoyance but this one has Wanda visibly spooked.
Perhaps she realizes that her pocket universe is unraveling? Helicopters are generally used to help and rescue people when there’s an emergency, so maybe someone is warning her and/or actually trying to help her.
At this point, we don’t necessarily know what’s going on in Wanda’s head, but it’s clear that things are definitely about to boil over.
Dottie’s Blood
When Wanda first meets Dottie, things go wrong for a plethora of reasons. Wanda ends up cleaning up after the committee meeting while Dottie sits back and berates her. Things soon get serious when Dottie confronts Wanda about her past. Wanda quickly tells her that she doesn’t want to hurt anyone.
The radio nearby literally goes haywire and fills with static. In the background, a faint, panicked voice struggles to come through saying “Wanda, who’s doing this to you, Wanda?“
Wanda is pretty freaked out, but Dottie is so disturbed she breaks her glass and cuts herself. Blood gushes down her arm but as quick as a wink, Dottie recovers and tells Wanda she’ll take care of it.
This scene marks the third time we actually see red (literally) in the first two episodes. It’s quite peculiar that the only times we actually see color is when reality is forcing itself through.
At this point of the show, it’s impossible to figure out who exactly the radio voice is and how they’re getting through to Wanda in the first place. All we can hope for is that this person is an ally of Wanda, maybe even an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D or S.W.O.R.D. who is actively trying to help her snap out of this pocket dimension.
For The Children
One peculiar thing about this episode is the constant chanting of the phrase “for the children.” Dottie uses it at the planning committee meeting, the entire audience at the magic show repeats it (in a very cultish fashion btw), and Wanda and Vision say it at the very end.
It sounds like the title of cheesy soap opera but its so subtle and repetitive that it kind of makes you ask yourself, “Are they trying to tell us something?”
This is especially alarming when you realize that there are absolutely no children present in the entire episode!
So what’s it all mean?
Well, that’s a loaded question.
We, as the audience, have to remember that the writers are using a lot of events from Wanda’s origin story in the comics. In House of M, Wanda not only creates a pocket dimension in which the mutants are the ruling class, but she also warps reality in a way that caters to every character’s deepest desire…including hers.
The very thing that Scarlet Witch wants most in life, even more than being happily married to Vision, is children. She’s so desperate to have children that she unconsciously uses her powers to conjure up twin baby boys almost like the way she conjured up a pregnancy at the very end of the episode.
Final Thoughts
So, was the “for the children” chanting a form of foreshadowing? Was it a reference to House of M? Does Wanda simply have a serious case of wishful thinking? Or is there a more sinister force at work who is coaxing Wanda to have children?
With so little information and so many questions, its literally anybody’s guess. But knowing how things tend to go in the MCU, I feel like Wanda has more control over this world than she’s letting on.
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