After rewatching the latest episode of WandaVision, I’ve come to realize I never asked myself the question of why they decided to reintroduce Monica Rambeau in this story specifically. The character has close ties to Carol Danvers, but it seemed surprising they wanted to include her in a series focused on Wanda. Yes, it works to introduce an older version of the character played by Teyonah Parris, but something felt like it was missing. Advertisement showcased her as an essential character for the series. The moment the episode started, it suddenly clicked with me. At that very moment, I realized why exactly she is here and her importance moving forward into the rest of the season.
I will be mainly spoiling the opening of this episode. If you are planning on going in without any spoilers then be sure to return to this article later. Otherwise, continue at your own risk.
The episode opens up with Monica being blipped back into existence. She finds herself in a hospital where everyone is in disarray. Her priority is the empty bed beside her, as she tries to find out what happened to the person she was at the hospital. It turns out, her mother, Maria Rambeau, was fighting cancer. The surgery went well before she got snapped. It is heartbreaking when she finds out that her mother survived before facing a relapse two years later. We see her try to keep her composure, try to return to a normal life, and somehow move on with whatever happened to her. She returns to back to work and is ready to take on her old tasks again. Instead of falling into the tragedy, she accepts it and tries her best to move on.
Her journey is a counterpoint to that what made Wanda bring Vision back to life. They both lost someone very dear to their heart, but one couldn’t let go. It leads to some questionable decisions that are still unknown in how far they go. Monica is here to become the emotional anchor that probably leads to the final decision of the show. Her experience of loss could help Wanda learn the same lesson. It is her chance to learn that forcing something to exist won’t make the pain go away. The ending of this episode highlights that aspect of her journey moving forward.
We don’t know exactly where they are going with this yet, as we still have five more episodes to go. Monica is returning in Captain Marvel 2, so some story elements might get a focus later on. Still, the main character of this story is Wanda and her grief. It may also be what brought together an unlikely pairing of characters that would turn an entire town of New Jersey into a sitcom. Marvel Studios’ first venture into long-form storytelling feels unrestricted in many ways but still part of an ever-expanding franchise. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for us in next week’s episode.
