Marvel Studios’ new WandaVision trailer further affirms that Wanda is indeed MCU’s first mutant
Marvel Studios came all out during the Disney’s Investors meet. Studio President and CCO Kevin Feige made several announcements about the upcoming Phase 4 and 5 of the MCU. Feige weaved several projects of the upcoming phases together and also shared new footage of the upcoming features on Disney+ and theatres. The new WandaVision trailer brought Wanda’s powers and its mutant origins to the forefront as well.
The New WandaVision Trailer
As Marvel’s phase 4 commences, WandaVision is undoubtedly the most anticipated of Marvel’s 2021 movie schedule. The series is set to feature Wanda and Vision as the lovebirds try to navigate family life. The trailer starts on a black and white note and asks many pertinent questions fans have on their mind. Kevin Feige assured WandaVision is the starting point of MCU expansion. He pointed out both Wanda and Vision are complex heroes.
Watch: Official Trailer 2 | WandaVision | Disney+
In the trailer Wanda is seen executing her chaos magic and shifting realities around her, a lot of RGB glitch has been used visually. Monica Rambeau is seen not remembering where she came from – just like the series leads in the first trailer. SWORD and Mind Stone does make and appearance and it is more apparent in this trailer that Mephisto might be actually controlling her. Feige further confirmed Elizabeth Olsen is shooting in London for Doctor Strange sequel that will further be connected to upcoming Spider-Man 3. And very interestingly the Mind Stone makes an appearance which could point to recent clues found in Wakanda Files.
Wanda – MCU’s First Mutant
By the looks of the trailer, Wanda’s chaos magic is at its peak! As fans theorize and the trailer confirms she is being controlled by the demon entity Mephisto, something that MCU takes from the comic. Till now Wanda and her brother’s power set and skills are quite confusing. However, in previous interviews, he has deemed Wanda as the most powerful MCU character. “If you look at the infinity saga,” Feige said, “I don’t think anyone has gone through more pain and trauma than Wanda, and no character has a power set as ill-defined and unexplored as Wanda”.
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The WandaVision series will give fans deeper insight into the titular witch’s powers, highlighting her journey to becoming Scarlet Witch, Marvel’s strongest character and the consequences of her actions along the way.
Wanda and her brother Pietro made their debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron where they were initially referred to as “Miracles”. they were supposedly the only surviving test subjects of a Hydra experiment in Sokovia which involved exposure to the Mind Stone. The exposure altered their DNA, giving them incredible abilities. However, in Kevin Feige’s recent interview, he seemed to insinuate that the Mind Stone didn’t actually give them their powers but rather unlocked some sort of ‘latent’ ability that was already there.
While this is seeming to take a bit of shine away from the Infinity Stones, it suggests the presence of dormant genes in certain individuals. These genes would typically remain dormant except an external force – like perhaps, a high level of cosmic energy – was to act as a trigger. In the comics, the word “latent” is typically used to describe a mutant with an inactive X-gene.
This would suggest that the Sokovian twins were already genetically altered and the Mind stone unlocked the already present Mutant X-gene. This backstory makes sense as it allows the MCU to insinuate that mutants have perhaps been around this whole time with dormant X-genes and these genes have now been activated – thanks to Thanos, Hulk and Tony taking turns in a ‘Snap-Earth’ contest.
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Maria Hill described Wanda’s powers as neural electric interfacing, telekinesis and mental manipulation. Marvel president, Kevin Feige also stressed that Scarlet’s Witch’s abilities are in a class of its own. Even more interesting about her is the fact that it is hard to tell where the X-gene stops and the Mind stone starts.
Marvel Canonized the ‘X-gene’ Recently
In the recently released Wakanda Files which are said to be compiled by Shuri, there were some notes on the extent of Wanda’s mutant powers. The Wakanda Files are supposed to explain a lot of other details going on in the MCU that doesn’t appear in the movies.
Shuri’s comments on Wanda read, “The Stone similarly transformed her nervous system, but it has ionized and charged it in ways that have given her an extraordinary ability. Neural-electric interfacing allows her to create bursts of extreme energy using only her mind and the tips of her fingers. The manipulation of this energy permits her short bursts of levitation, in addition to a staggering weapon that only requires her bare hands.”
About Wanda’s power set she noted, “What is beguiling is how Wanda’s nervous system has also unlocked the potential for telekinesis. These are not parlour tricks; she is not just bending spoons. She can manipulate minds and plant suggestive thoughts, even enhance preexisting paranoias. She can see into the mind of a human, find out what they fear and what will motivate them.”
With rumours of casting calls being made for the demon Mephisto, and with Dan Stevens reportedly being cast as Magneto, the WandaVision series might be key to understanding a lot of what will take place in phase four of the MCU.
The WandaVision series premier on the 15th of January, 2021 and features Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Paul Bettany as Vision, and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau.
