WandaVision Review: Breaking the Fourth Wall (Season 1 Episode 7)

On WandaVision Season 1 Episode 7, “Breaking the Fourth Wall,” Wanda has a bit of a breakdown, and she acknowledges for the first time that she created this fake world. It’s progress, but the cost is that Wanda’s slowly unraveling.

We’ve been operating under the assumption that Wanda created this false reality due to her grief. She refused to accept a world without Vision in it, so she made her own where the two of them could live happily ever after.

It makes sense that Wanda would break down after Vision trying to leave this world that she created for him. It’s got to feel a bit like rejection, even though Vision only attempted to escape to get help for the trapped Westview residents.

Wanda was forced to consider that her plan for her and Vision may not be what he wants, which is heartbreaking.

It’s fascinating and unexpected to see Wanda’s mental state reflected in the instability of the house. Since she’s being forced to come to terms with all these emotions, her magic is spiraling out of control a bit, mainly when she isn’t actively focusing on it.

Of course, the sitcom adds a comedic spin to it, so her depression is not as devastating as it most likely really is. But that pain is there, and it’s great, painful but still great, that we’re focusing on it.

Vision and Darcy teaming up is everything I ever wanted. The two of them have great banter, and they bring a dose of comedy to the hour outside of the sitcom antics.

Darcy: Can I help you, creeper?

Vision: You don’t remember me from last night? We locked eyes. There was an unspoken understanding.

Darcy: Um, hard pass.

Vision finds an ally in Darcy, and she is able to fill in some of the gaps for him, which he desperately needs. He’s been trying to figure things out from inside the hex without his memories of the outside world, so it’s been a challenge.

It’s amusing to watch Darcy attempt to explain things to Vision. He has to process a lot of information and a lot of emotions in a short period of time. Thankfully, the longest stoplight ever allows him to (hopefully) come to terms with this new information.

I appreciate that she makes sure to tell him that his and Wanda’s love is completely genuine because it’s an important factor. Their love is at the heart of WandaVision. It’s why Wanda did what she did, and it’s what we’ve been clinging to since the first broadcast.

One issue with “Breaking The Fourth Wall” is that we see Monica get her powers, but she doesn’t react to them. She shrugs them off and keeps on going.

Sure, there are more pressing matters at hand, but it’s strange that she doesn’t react to their presence. All we get is her trying to correct her vision when she first enters the hex by blinking. That’s it.

Surviving Wanda’s attack and landing in a superb superhero stance aren’t normal, and we should have taken a second to see Monica have some kind of “what the hell” reaction before forcing herself to focus on the issue at hand. It doesn’t have to be a big moment, but we need something to let us know that this is a shock to Monica as well.

Simply because you live in a world with superheroes doesn’t mean that you’d be nonchalant if you gained superpowers. You know Darcy would have stopped what she was doing to immediately investigate her new powers. Monica should have reacted too.

Then, there’s Agnes, or should we say, Agatha.

The Agatha Harkness theory has been floating around the internet for a while, and so it’s not completely shocking to learn this information. However, it is great that the reveal has finally happened. It’s one less piece of the puzzle that’s been put into place, and now we can prepare for whatever chaos lies ahead in these final episodes.

As soon as we set foot in Agnes’ house, it’s clear that we are going to learn more about her. WandaVision has been confined to areas where either Wanda or Vision currently are, so Agnes’ house is a break from the norm. And might I say, her house is very dark and creepy, even before you get to the dungeon situation with tree roots on the wall.

Agatha: Wanda, Wanda, you didn’t think you were the only magical girl in town, did you?

Her theme song, which is a hilarious touch, paints her as the villain. I wonder how much of this is true. We’ve seen her cause chaos, mainly regarding her actions towards Vision, but we’ve yet to witness her doing something truly evil…besides killing the dog.

If it really has been Agatha all along, then perhaps Wanda isn’t as responsible for the hex as she believes.

Stray Thoughts

• Sugar Snaps cereal is hilarious.
• Isn’t creating your own reality complete with a barrier already a bit of a quarantine-style vacation?
• The theme songs in this episode are fantastic.
• How concerned should we be about Billy and Tommy since they’ve vanished from Agnes’ house?
• I’m a little sad Darcy isn’t hanging out in a diner.
• Since Hayward was working on bringing Vision back to life, does that mean Vision might survive the hex?
• The end credits scene suggests we’re done with sitcoms and potentially moving to more MCU-familiar formatting.

What did you think of this episode of WandaVision? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

New episodes of WandaVision premiere Fridays on Disney+.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

First Look at Marvel’s ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ | Disney Investor Day