WandaVision Episode 3 Recap: Double Delight in the 1970s

WandaVision episode 3 — out January 22 on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar — centres around a rapidly-progressing, life-changing event: a pregnancy. The words rapidly-progressing and pregnancy aren’t usually found in the same sentence, but in this strange sitcom-y world of Marvel’s new TV series, everything goes. Wanda’s (Elizabeth Olsen) baby bump, introduced towards the end of WandaVision episode 2, is not only deemed to be “really happening” but then springs more surprises. She gives birth to twins! Marvel comics fans would’ve seen this coming, given Wanda and Vision (Paul Bettany) also have twins in the comics, who grow up to be Young Avengers.

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The new WandaVision episode — directed by Matt Shakman, and written by Megan McDonnell — also offers more clues to the true nature of Westview. It all but confirms that Wanda has used her powers to create this make-believe world, one she keeps changing of her own will. And the end of WandaVision episode 3 suggests that it might not be taking place in Wanda’s mind, as many had suspected, but might actually exist physically.

With the colour transition at the tail end of episode 2, WandaVision episode 3 brings the MCU series fully into the world of colour. The title sequence even announces that, just like TV shows did back then. WandaVision episode 3 comes with a new title sequence, which features Wanda and Vision doing more household stuff — telekinetic vacuum cleaning, Vision making burgers, dancing together, reading pregnancy books and maternity magazines, and seeing Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) and “Geraldine” (Teyonah Parris) out and about. The Frozen duo of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez deliver another catchy tune.

We then open with a Dr. Nielson (Randy Oglesby) visiting the Vision residence, who determines Wanda is very much pregnant — and about four months along. Given that it happened practically overnight, Vision is naturally confused, but they play along with the doctor to avoid raising any suspicion. Dr. Nielson then adds that they compare growing babies to a fruit to make it simple for the ladies, a turn of phrase that invites a bit of eyeroll from Wanda. WandaVision creator Jac Schaeffer has purposefully tackled traditional gender roles and sexism from the start, and this continues in that vein.

Randy Oglesby as Dr. Nielson in WandaVision episode 3
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Outside, as Vision sees the doctor off — who is excited to leave for his trip to Bermuda — he finds their neighbour Herb (David Payton) seemingly going cuckoo. He’s cutting through the shared wall between their homes while claiming to be trimming the bush… Are the residents of Westview okay? And are they even real? WandaVision episode 3 further fuels said speculation.

Vision walks back in to discover that Wanda’s pregnancy has progressed further: from four to six months. And as she decorates the baby room, while Vision reads off another pregnancy book, Wanda feels a kick that she describes as “fluttery”. As a result of her words presumably, the toy butterflies in a ceiling ornament above the cot come to life, and Wanda then lets them out of the window.

Vision meanwhile brings up the naming debate, and the two find themselves stuck between Billy and Tommy. Billy and Tommy are in fact the names of Wanda and Vision’s children in the comics, who grow up to become the superheroes Wiccan and Speed, respectively. Conflicted over the name, Wanda says they should hope for a girl.

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Barely a minute later, Wanda feels a tightening sensation. Vision ruffles through the book and figures out it must be a Braxton Hicks contraction aka false labour. He asks Wanda to practice breathing exercises, the comedy of which I cannot translate into words — it must be seen. Olsen has shown some terrific comedic sensibilities and abilities throughout WandaVision already, but WandaVision episode 3 is a real showcase of her acting repertoire.

Anyway, the breathing exercises don’t help Wanda, who screams out of pain, which somehow causes all the appliances around them to malfunction. Also, the electricity goes kaput. Vision confirms that the whole block is out.

Wanda wonders if the neighbours know it was them who caused it, given all the close calls they’ve had since they arrived in Westview. Vision agrees and as he starts chronicling the strangeness of the events, he starts to believe something is wrong with this world. Wanda clearly didn’t expect him to go on said line of thought — the scene suggests that Vision may not be a figment of her imagination, though it’s possible he’s just another version of her, bringing up what she’s trying to bury — and seemingly resets the world, similar to how she rewound the final few moments of WandaVision episode 2. In the second go, Vision goes off on a tangent, one that’s more in keeping with events beforehand.

Paul Bettany as Vision in WandaVision episode 3
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Their heart-warming moment is interrupted by a real contraction, which spooks Vision because that’s even quicker than his calculations. Wanda calms Vision and herself using the aforementioned breathing exercises — the scene is another hilarious delight — but just as the “unusual couple” seem to have gotten a hold on things, it rains on them inside their house. Wanda states the obvious: “I think my water just broke.”

As the rain comes to a stop, Wanda uses her powers to dry the entire house. Vision then leaves to fetch the doctor as Wanda is now literally growing larger by the minute. While he’s gone, she hears a sound from the baby’s room and someone rings the doorbell. Startled, Wanda dons an huge coat to cover her belly since she wasn’t pregnant yesterday when everyone saw her. Geraldine is at the door, who needs a bucket to drain the water that flooded her house. Not everyone has drying powers like Wanda. She goes into the kitchen to fetch a bucket but then has to scramble to hide herself from Geraldine after the coat starts changing itself with every contraction that Wanda encounters.

Wanda grabs a nearby fruit tray to hide the bump and is about to escort Geraldine out when she spots a stork behind her. That explains the voice from the baby’s room. The stork Wanda drew on the wall has come alive and is now trotting about her living room. It’s as direct a metaphor you’ll ever see about an impending birth. In an attempt to stop Geraldine from seeing the stork, Wanda convinces her to sit down and talk more, which she gladly does. And while Geraldine goes about her story, Wanda has her eye only on the stork. She tries to make it disappear in a puff of red smoke — twice — but it doesn’t work. The baby is coming Wanda, it’s a sign.

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Geraldine then gets up and walks into the baby’s room — their erstwhile spare room — to pick up something she needs. The stork has chosen to camouflage itself by posing in the exact position of the wall drawing, though Geraldine still comments on how lifelike it is. Wanda says she can explain, and just as another contraction hits, she drops the vase she’s holding. It crashes to pieces and Wanda’s charade finally ends. Wanda is clearly going into labour and Geraldine’s reaction is exactly what you’d expect: “You’re pregnant?!”

With Vision still unavailable, it’s up to Geraldine to help Wanda give birth. Just like before, all the appliances (and even other objects) in the house are going crazy. A light fixture falls out of the sky, the painting on the wall is rapidly spinning, and the vacuum cleaner is functioning by itself. Geraldine notices that clearly something is off, but she also has a pressing task at hand. With words of encouragement from Geraldine, Wanda pushes and, lo and behold, the baby is born. Just then, Vision arrives with the doctor on piggyback. Geraldine takes the doctor, whose head is naturally spinning, to the kitchen so that the new parents can have some alone time.

Teyonah Parris as Geraldine, and Tommy in WandaVision episode 3
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Vision calls him by the name of Tommy, delighting Wanda. But just as they are about to kiss, Wanda starts screaming again. Another baby is on the way! A quick screen transition and, lo and behold, we have another baby boy. Twins! Fans would’ve predicted this. Naturally, the younger one is named Billy, giving us the twins as they are in the comics. Time to kick off the Young Avengers hype train. Of course, whether any of this is “really happening” is up for debate.

On his way out (again), the doctor thanks Geraldine and then adds: “I think you might have what it takes to be a nurse,” inviting a shock reaction from Geraldine, and a disapproving look from Wanda. Yet another sign of how WandaVision challenges sexism and misogyny.

Vision sees the doctor out (again), and says that he hopes he can still go on his holiday. The doctor doesn’t think so: “Small towns, so hard to escape.” It might seem like a stray comment, but it’s pointing to the true nature of WandaVision. There’s more of that as Vision turns to head inside. He sees Herb chatting with Agnes on the fence he was cutting through. They are whispering to each other, which draws Vision’s attention. Agnes asks Vision if Geraldine is inside with Wanda, making him wonder “Why?”

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Meanwhile indoors, Geraldine remarks at the fact that Wanda just delivered twins, which leads Wanda to mention that she’s a twin herself, a nod to her brother Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who was killed in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Geraldine brings up that very fact, how he was killed by Ultron, a remark it seems she wasn’t supposed to make. Wanda is pulled out of her idyllic experience as a tear makes its way across her cheek and says: “What did you say?”

Outside, Agnes expands on why she asked about Geraldine. Not only is she new to town, she has no family, no husband — and no home.

Geraldine tries to backpedal but Wanda has caught on. She spots the symbol she saw on the tiny red toy helicopter earlier — a sword in a ring that fans have figured out relates to SWORD, which is sort of like SHIELD, but in space — hanging on Geraldine’s necklace, and asks her to leave. Is Geraldine — real name Monica Rambeau — now a SWORD agent?

Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau / Geraldine in WandaVision episode 3
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Outside, Vision is attempting to be told by Agnes and Herman that Geraldine came here “because we’re all…” but they are hesitant to say more and never finish their sentence. Vision rushes in to find Geraldine is gone. Wanda lies that she had to rush home, but in truth, she has thrown her out of this world.

As the aspect ratio changes from 4:3 to standard film 2.35:1, Geraldine is shown being launched out of an invisible energy field that seemingly contains Westview. And as she comes to her senses, a helicopter and a swarm of vehicles surround her, with a bunch of agent clad in all black pouring out to encircle her. WandaVision episode 3 zooms out to reveal a bunch of portable floodlights staring at an energy field of sorts that seems to contain the world Wanda has created.

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This all but confirms that Wanda is using her reality manipulation powers to change the world as she desires, likely in response to grief over Vision’s death. She’s trapped herself (willingly) and others in said world, which has forced the likes of Geraldine and other SWORD agents to infiltrate it in a bid to stop her.

WandaVision episode 3 is now streaming on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar. New episodes release every Friday around 1:30pm IST / 12am PT.