Hey, Readers! I wanted to address my phrasing around the 18 minute mark when I referenced Phastos, his husband and their son, along with my use of the word "legit" in regards to his parentage. I was previously made aware of my poor choice of phrasing in a previous comment, and I absolutely understand what said choice of words imply despite said implication not being my intention. The verbage I was looking for was "biological," and I completely own up to how using "legit" makes it sound like anything other than that is deemed lesser, when it's just as equally important. It's a mistake that will not happen again.
I was just about to comment about this, so it makes me incredibly happy to read this. As an adopted person, thank you. The difference between "legit" and "biological" is basically the Grand Canyon for us, and the use (and misuse) of those terms is a very important issue when it comes to the stigmas that are attached to adoption and being adopted. Again, _thank you_ for correcting yourself on that. 💜
As a relatively straight man who's had to deal with tremendous levels of grief over the course of my life, I found that aspect of the series to hit me the hardest. While I've never dealt with my trauma in as unhealthy a fashion as Wanda, I do recognize the desire to hide from the paint to the point of disassociation.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Yes. It's not your sexuality that makes you love Wanda and Wandavision. It's many things. You may relate to grief, or you love sitcoms, or you just want to see something new in Marvel. Everyone loves Wanda not just females and gay males
For me it wasn’t diva worshipping that made me love Wanda, I just resonated with her emotionally and mentally, I understood her pain of loss and grief, having those pent up emotions finally releasing and refusing to admit there was a problem at all in the first place
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Wanda, in my opinion, is being judged a tad too harshly. She didn’t walk into that town and decide ‘you’re all my slaves now’. In exploring her powers, the show established that Wanda can cast advanced magic unconsciously. It’s unfair to judge her for unleashing power she didn’t even know she had in a moment of extreme grief. It is fair however to judge her for events after she realized she had agency. Remember, WandaVision took place over the course of a few days. Who among us, especially LGBT individuals, would be so quick to sacrifice our own idealized worlds for the sake and comfort of people potentially complicit in making the real world shit? When people over villainize Wanda all I hear is: She should’ve erased her husband and children sooner. If Wanda wasn’t a hero, if she were normal or more inclined towards villainy, that fantasy would never have come down. We cannot loose sight of the fact that Wanda had everything she wanted but she let it go anyway.
Remember when towards the end one of her victims asked if she could just unfreeze one of their kids so they could sleep or eat? And she responded with something like how she took care of them and didn't want to hurt them. She literally manipulated and brainwashed literal children. That's a villian. And she was fulky aware of it and didn't try to stop it until she was literally forced to by another villian and the military. Imagine if that was your baby trapped in her hex world. That's some fucked up shit my guy. She manifested her significant other back from the dead (well a version of him anyway) and just controlled him to fit her fantasy mold when just could've been honest. She created her own kids only to yeet them out of existence. She took something away from thousands of people, free will. And yet were judging her too harshly?
@@areyouserious7668 I suppose if you were handed that much power you’d never be tempted, in a moment of weakness, to misuse that power. She made the right choice in the end. What more can you expect of anyone? Never to have made a mistake? Tony got THOUSANDS killed due to his arrogance and he’s the MCU’s goddamn messiah.
@@Saje3D I get your point. But he died. He paid for his crimes by literally saving the world and dying. Wanda has not redeemed herself. She committed a crime, and she flew off Scott free simply because no human can actually stop her and put her in jail. When she gets what she deserves then il give her my sympathy.
As much as I love Wanda u have to look at it realistically. She needs to be in jail. U can’t hijack and imprison a town full of people and expect it to be excused. Haywood wasn’t a villain tho portrayed as one. Of course they had to have shoot at kids to pair him as evil but if not for that shoe in he was actually just doing his job. Wanda broke the law here. She held people all because of her feelings. I would’ve sent in a sniper as a head of law enforcement
I’ve been a longtime Wanda fan since X-Men Evolution where that version of Wanda was a goth mutant witch. So I was especially ready for WandaVision. And it doesn’t hurt that Wanda is literally the mother of queers. Her sons Billy and Tommy are queer in the comics. Billy is gay and recently got married to his longtime boyfriend Teddy/Hulkling, and Tommy is bisexual and dating David/Prodigy who is a member of the X-Men.
I'm queer but not really worshipping Wanda because of the "familial fantasy" aspect. It's more of Wanda's story being an amazing anecdote of grief, depression, coping and eventually acceptance. The psychology put into the characterization of Wanda in this show was phenomenal. I do believe Wanda is best girl though. Not sure if it's for the same reasons as Diva Worshippers (TM)
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
I've loved Wanda so much, for so long. Like, her whole deal is that she's an emotionally scarred individual with amazing powers. People use her, she's feared and hated. She's a loner, a scapegoat. Wandavision really visualizes that. I can't help but root for her, can't help but want her to live out her fantasies. Even though I know better. Life is too hard, too real, why not lose yourself in your daydreams? I'm really glad she's getting more space in the MCU, even though she's OP I want more of her.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
The only point I disagree with is giving Wanda the title "Messy Queen." Considering the scale of her actions and how many people's lives were affected by her trauma-fueled magical breakdown, I think she can comfortably claim the title "Chaotic Queen".
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
As a gay man in my early 40s, I definitely would not consider Wanda to be on icon/Diva level for me. However, WandaVision was extremely entertaining and I stan for that. The wigs and the costumes were great. She had a very interesting journey and the line, “I don’t need you to tell me who I am” was everything…oh heck, I guess she does slay lol. In a messy way.
@@andrewpearson3516 Agatha isn't messy, she is a whole ass mess. But she has fun with it. Between her, Maleficent, Ursula, and The Evil Queen we do love evil Disney witches
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
WandaVision really did help me with grief issues, and stuff I'd been repressing and unable to deal with. It was nice being able to project myself onto Wanda, and use the show as a mental tool to help sort things out. Plus it was just really good haha.
same!!! im gay but the main reason I felt connected with Wanda is because I've gone through deaths/grief exactly like her an can relate to her struggle and triumph
Wandavision had its flaws for sure. But it is still my favorite of the MCU Disney+ series so far. Wanda was indeed "the villain" of the series but as horrible as what she did ar least no one in Westview died. 177 people died in Sokovia as a direct result of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner creating Ultron. Don't recall a lot of outrage about that. Lol
@@glazed_waffle5629 Outrage from fans saying Tony Stark and to a lesser extent Bruce Banner should be locked up because they were responsible for far more deaths than Wanda.
Speaking as a cishet white male who knows woefully little about queer culture, I'll just simply say that I thought WandaVision was a work of art. The writing, the acting, the homages to past decades of TV sitcoms, the way the story slowly unfolded. All of it was just *chef's kiss* in my mind. I'll rewatch WandaVision and I don't normally rewatch MCU stuff. Most of it is enjoyable enough but hardly anything mind-blowing. WandaVision was special. As far as to how the LGBTQ community relates to Wanda, I'll leave that for y'all to discuss. But yeah, WandaVision was art.
Also I wouldn’t say Wanda faced zero consequences : she had to kill her husband for the third time and also put her children to death . That’s pretty hard consequences
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
I wouldn't say I dive worshipped the character per se, but I did try to live vicariously through the character Maximum Ride from the book series of the same name by James Patterson. Honestly, it was probably the only thing getting me through middle school since middle school is pretty much a limbo where I live.
I used to project WAAAAAAY too much onto Fang from that series...... it is part of the origin of my RUclips name after all (I was also a big Inuyasha fan and also 14)
I still haven't seen this series and now I'm pissed about it. Thank you for another captivating video, La'Ron. I didn't fully realize my queerness until adulthood. But my big thing was X-men. Wonder why?
If thats not an ironic why? They are minorities and civil rights and deal with discrimination and bigots in sociiety more than any supervillain, hell magnete is even an ally most of the time, and right.
@@marocat4749 exactly my perspective whenever mutants were talked about in X-Men movies I think about LGBTQ community and how they r treated in real life ... So much of similarities can be seen .. I'd like to believe the creators of these mutant hating humans storyline in the comics was inspired by the Homophobic attitude of people towards LGBTQ folks in real life.
@@Azarath_Metrion_Zinthos It also the black civil rights movement, but tht things are basically the ame struggle different, you can insert any similar struggle which is good
I cannot now or ever express in words how much it means to me that you made a point of repeatedly mentioning masculine enbys in this. No one ever mentions us. Thank you.
I'd like to make a "side note" about the relation with Wanda. I've been in love with her since the first time I saw her (X-men Evolution, when I was a child). Now a days, I came to think that a urge reason why Wanda has always been appealing to me (aside her incredible looks, hair, dresses, and b1tchy witchcraft) is her character been defined by "unlimited potential confined by trauma and mental illness". Even though I've been born in a loving family, the early consciousness of being gay, and what that meant in the world, have put a stress on my mind that I deal with until now. Much like Wanda, always defined by trauma on her appearances (comics, cartoons, live actions). Even when I wasn't able to think this things straight, I felt some type of connections towards her.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Loved the series. It was a thoughtful reflection on dealing with trauma. I didn't know it had a gay following until I watched this video though. Having watched the video, it makes sense.
You did NOT have to call me out with that “messy queen” section (despite the fact that it is my knee-jerk reaction to say that Wanda didn’t get off scot-free). And I’m not even a queer man! I’m an ace lesbian woman! In all honesty though, I’ve been a fan of MCU Wanda since her introduction in AoU, and the whole escapism thing in WV made me stan her even harder since I could relate to it so much. Thanks for this video- I loved the history lesson and the explanation of why exactly the show clicked for so many people.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
As a gay man, it is my favourite mcu project ever. I’ve rewatched it so many times and still quote several lines from the show to this day. My favourite scene in the entire show is in ep 8 where Wanda sees that she created vision and is happy to step into her false reality and begin her fake life, knowing that its not real and its not right but continuing to do it anyway. What you said about the escapism is so right because i just feel the same way. I know that, like Wanda, if i was given the romance and life i wanted on a platter I would most likely indulge in it too, despite knowing it will have negative consequences. Great video
Wanda was grieving, she did what she could to process her feelings to some extent, I think we all would live in a perfect world of our own creation if we could to hide from the sometimes unbearable truths we have to face even though this ultimately isn't healthy. I think this is why the show resonates with us, it serves as a portrayal of one person's human experience.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
I did enjoy Wandavision. Sounds like Erika Ishii, for me, is a current target of this 'worship' you are talking about. Especially the characters they have been playing in D20 and VtM. Annabelle, Danielle, and Dream were both escapist and cathartic for me in many different ways. Though worship is a little strong of a word for me.
One of the reasons I am ecstatic that Wanda was not punished by external forces - I'm not going to say that she got away scot-free, because she certainly seems to be applying form of self-exile - was that her story is very familiar and has been seen many times (a depressing number of times in the Marvel Universe): the woman who refuses to know her role and stay in her lane. Jean Grey (The Maiden), Sue Storm (The Mother) and Wanda Maximoff (The Crone) represent a triumvirate of Marvel Silver Age heroines who began as the token woman, defined by weak, ineffectual superpowers and existing almost solely as a support system for the men around them. As the years progressed, however, the status of women has changed, and all three character have had story arcs where creators have looked to expand their role, and their power level. Unfortunately, the outcome of this has almost universally been the same. In the 70's, the era of Women's Liberation, we had the Maiden reborn as a literal spirit of rebirth, reveling in her lifegiving power, only to find that power turned to evil, madness and, seemingly inevitably, death. In the 80's, the Mother, was infected by outside forces to reject her role as caregiver and embrace a new role defined by hatred thanks to the combined forces of Psycho-Man and The Hate-Monger (a LITERAL Femi-Nazi?!). Fortunately, her "normal", nurturing and supportive personality was able to reassert itself thanks to her Husband "abusing her back to normality" (!). The Crone was even luckier in that she got to go through it twice! First in the 90s, with the loss of her children and husband which resulted in her adopting a new alter ego combining a Satanic aesthetic with a dominating sexual promiscuity... (The common factor in all three of these storylines is John Byrne, you do the math) And then again in the 2000s where she once again is incapable of "controlling her own power" and has to have her power curated by her abusive, gaslighting father. This storyline ends with her committing an act of figurative genocide against an oppressed minority. I'm glad that WandaVision found a way to do this story in a way that had the woman in this storyline be the actual protagonist rather than the antagonist with which the male heroes have to content, or simply an object acting on someone else's wishes (as in 'House of M').
Yeah, House of M is really interesting and I really like it, but Wanda is really relegated to a tertiary role. She's not even really the focus of the event, people belittle her and call her "mentally ill" which she is but that's beside the point. There's not even an assumption that she did it willingly of her own volition. And then after House of M??? Everyone hates her and blames her for everything, like either she's the victim or the villain no in between.
I loved Wandavision. It really exemplifies the strength of the MCU tv shows in being able to explore characters more. I didn't really have an opinion on Wanda before this show but she became such a complex and interesting character in this show. She just kept losing and losing in the movies so it was interesting to see how someone with her powers would react to all the grief she felt. It also retroactively made me really enjoy Wanda and Vision's relationship, since they suffered a lack of development before. I didn't mind that she didn't face consequences because I think (hope) that will come in later stories.
For me at least it's the power aspect moreso than control. I think so many of us felt powerless growing up, having to change and hide different parts of ourselves throughout life to the point its hard to know whom the true self is. The power to say "no" and rewrite the story. The power to flip the script on somebody bullying/preying on you. That strength and power to fight back, to enact change, or just to help you is definitely a wish fulfillment fantasy for many. Growing into her full strength at the end, embracing herself fully....it makes you want to be powerful too.
Whenever people love or hate on Emma Frost, part of me wants to ask "Which Emma Frost?". It seems as if various comics writers kept pulling her characterization one way or the other over the decades, and not just in small evolutions or "progressions" grown out of what had been written by others previously, but in big. yank on the metaphoric leash "We're writing her MY way now!", shifts. I'm not saying that people can't have their own opinions (of course they can), but Emma Frost's characterization has been wrenched around a bit too often for me to get a good "read" on the character any more. Perhaps the new MCU landlords will "stabilize" the presentation of the character sufficiently that I can form a lasting opinion at some point in the future. Thanks for the interesting videos, as ever!
Wandavision was amazing. I absolutely adored every aspect of that show. It's exploration of grief, and the acknowledgement that the grieving process is messy and complex, is what really hooked me.
I'm really loving the in-depth/longer videos you've been doing!! You put so much detail and love into your videos so breakdowns like these feel like I'm listening to a friend talk about their passion
Loved this analysis. Out of all of the MCU shows that have been presented WandaVision was the one that was the most interesting to me. Mostly because I'm interested in the magic part of Marvel and Wanda. But the way it paid homage to the history of sitcom television as a part of a cohesive well crafted story for Wanda was great to see. I think the aspect of diva worship brings to light the conversation around learning how to both critique and admire. Kinda like what I do for Emma Frost. 😊💅🏿
I think it's generally funny because in my experience, it's impossible to be a Wanda stan and homophobic. Like, it's just physically impossible. And I love that
I loved WandaVision so much!! I never honestly delved into her story until before her introduction in AoA, but while growing up, i did look up to her son, Wiccan! ( which by the way, loved that he was able to make an appearance. )
I have always loved Wanda-well before her appearances in the MCU, which only enhanced my love for her! I had forgotten about WandaVision until the 5th episode was released. That weekend, I became immersed in the world that is WandaVision. I fell in love with the sitcom aspect, as well as the story. When her twins appeared in her tummy, I literally cried because that meant that my other hero, Wiccan, would soon become fictional reality. I relate heavily to Wanda because she has had her unfair share of struggles, yet she is a force of nature! Her son, Wiccan, will hopefully be special-if the MCU does it right, which I hope it will. I am also hoping she remains on screen for the next 2-3 phases, at least! I’m a greedy lad! 😂
I'm not homossexual,but even so, i find myself liking this vídeo very much my friend. The way you talk and The script itself is very good. Amazing work my friend. You gained a subscriber today. Thank you
Now let’s talk about the Gays loving Katherine Pierce from The Vampire Diaries and absolutely hating Elena Gilbert even though they were both played by the same actress
I thought the LGBT fans would come from Billy and Tommy. One being the first gay man in marvel to have a wedding with his now husband Teddy, while the other is bisexual. Though this maybe because they’re my favourite marvel characters period so I’m probably biased 😅
Billy's actually not the first gay male superhero in Marvel history to get married - IIRC, that was when Northstar married his boyfriend Kyle - but he is definitely the first gay male superhero to marry another male superhero!
18:18 I gotta call out your language here. The boy is already their "legit" son. He's not any less legitimate if he were adopted. The word you're looking for is "biological" .
As somebody who knows Wanda exclusively through the MCU alone, I was thoroughly shocked at the measures Wanda took. I completely understand how and why she got to where she was, which is why it struck me as hard as it did to see her fall as hard as she did throughout the course of this series. One of the things I'm enjoying about this new Phase in the post-Thanos MCU is this constant changing of the guard with its heroes. Some of becoming villains and rogues, others are getting demoted, some are straying on their own paths, some are taking charge in the absence of others, and some are going out with a HUGE bang. Seeing these characters evolve so much over the course of a series that many thought would die alongside Thanos is exciting. Going back to Wanda, I hope she finds peace and/or redemption. From where I'm standing, Tony Stark wasn't the only Avenger who needed to rest.
I enjoyed WV and the multitude of completely wrong theories people came up with week after week. 😂 Now that you've pointed out how appealing it was to the queer community, I'm surprised that hadn't occurred to me. I run a BL/YAOI (queer male themes in anime) channel and that just flew right over my head
I like the Diva take, but from a queer female perspective witches have always been queer… since pretty much the beginning of time. You start with powerful women who don’t need men (Circe, Medea, Morgan le Fay) combined with persecution and hiding your identity. Then you add depictions of sapphic orgies in the woods in witch trial stories like The Crucible (which is itself an explicit allegory of McCarthyism which aggressively targeted the LGBTQ community). Then you have Disney and there witches who were intentionally coding as lesbians from the very beginning with the Evil Queen and (one of my personal sexual awakenings) Maleficent. It continues with Wizard of Oz, Bewitched (see Matt Baume), Hocus Pocus, Elvira, and Wicked all being queer classics. Even Ice Witch Elsa gets an queer coat. In comics it’s the same. Allan Heinberg, a gay man and the creator of groundbreaking gay characters Wiccan and Hulkling couldn’t resist incorporating queer favorite Scarlet Witch into Wiccans backstory. Nico Minoru, another of Marvels most popular witches, also queer. Heck, I’m going to throw genderqueer Loki in there as well, he’s basically a witch. Norse magic after all is very tied to feminine power. TLDR, Witches are just gay. (Full Stop)
OMG this! even when I identify as a queer cis male, witches has always been there like these huge powerful icons and Scarlet witch was not exception way before she even appeared on the MCU, In fact their itirations in movies (with exception of maybe Infinity war) let me down.
She once tried to mind control Billy and Tommy to get them to come with the X-Men after Wanda had already given herself up. I'm a Maximoff Family stan, therefore Emma Frost is on my hit list.
This video is so good! As someone who disassociates to deal with trauma, I am in the camp of Wanda did nothing wrong...because I would have done the exact same thing in her position.
You nailed it on the hammer. I naturally gravitated towards her ever since infinity war to the point I’ve claimed her, her magic, and even chaos magic itself as my own. I played Wandavision for my fellow queer friend. He hates comics but loved WandaVision. Everything she’s went through I have been there myself. The loss, denial, anger, all the stages of grief. This video was a perfect analysis on what I subconsciously suspected already with my gravitation towards her. it takes an Agatha to gag and wake us up. If we only had magic to control the world around us. Due to her chaos, I have suspicion to believe well all be thanking her by the end of her arc. 10 star video 🌟
Oh, I love WandaVision so much. SO much. I can't agree more that it set expectations for the D+ Marvel shows "unfairly" high. I like the others well enough, but nothing has lived up to WandaVision for me yet. The fan culture around it is unMATCHED -- up to and including an "Agatha All Along" trap remix that separated my soul from my body.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
I clicked for wandavision, but you absolutely had me with the Shiva FFX summon sequence FOLLOWED BY DEATH BECOMES HER! !!!!!!! Like, dude absolutely resonate with all of this stuff! My profile pic is Sailor Moon. I'm goneeeeeee
Regarding Wanda not having consequences, I'll agree with you on that - but I don't think any verbal apology to the Westview residents could have been enough. She did the right thing, lifted the Hex - and then GOT THE HELL OUT. Any explanation she would have tried to give, even about having to give up Vision and the boys, would have been met with justifiable outrage.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Thank you for the education on diva worship! I’m a fem presenting gay and I’ve always loved Wanda. In 2015 when aou came out I was 13 years old. It was an extremely hard time in my life and I looked up to Wanda so much. She was like wish fulfillment. Her feelings were always validated because if people didn’t acknowledge her pain and suffering, she would make them. I would often imagine having that power or exploding energy out of my body when I was upset. I’m almost 20 now and I still adore Wanda. She’s for us the girls gays and they’s. Her suffering was overlooked for so long but not anymore. She made thanos fear her for what he did and now she’ll break the multiverse for her family. I adore her.
While I, a gay man, do relate to a lot of what you addressed in the video. When first watching it I used it as a way to relate my grief as Wanda herself goes through the 5 stages of grief throughout her show. 2020 was hell and we all lost a lot so grieving that on top of familial losses, and then the mental issues wake up WandaVision is the grief of childhood and the rushing we all had to do in some way to fit to society's standards of how we need to live and where we need to be at certain points of our lives. Nonetheless, I know this will probably get lost in the comments. Really enjoyed the video and the history and mentality of my demographic throughout the ages.
Great video. Even with the Emma Frost hate. Also - just because my child is adopted that in no way makes my child any less of my child and the suggestion of which makes it feel like they are somehow missing something in their families or are less loved , when they are not.
Yeah, my apologies for that. An individual in the comments made me aware of my poor choice of words in the video when "biological child" was what I was initially aiming for in the point I was trying to make.
hey thanks, i had two mothers growing up, and i think i understand now why The Wizard of Oz was so big in our house! WandaVision is near and dear to my heart. i was grieving my own heavy loss when it came out, and i'm so glad it came out first. D+CU has been nothing short of wonderful so far!
It was also nice to watch the show because it was focused on her story alone. She got her own character arch. And it was smart of the producers to remove any Doctor Strange cameos because that would've taken away from Wanda's story.
I loved Wandavision when it first started. The ending was horrible IMHO. I was hoping the reveal would be that the villain really was Wanda all along and that she had taken control of What'sHerFace to have a villain other than herself to deal with.
And agathy as ambivalent mentor leading her there, just makes more sense. Her being amorally ambivalent yet subversive mentor is just more interesting. And as villain they could literally steal any anime,i accept my guild with a manifestion of her scene and make that work. Even a fight if they want before. It would make her face consequences and make her still likable.
my theory was that agatha was a product of how wanda thinks others perceives her,bc agatha has "stolen power" and its evil and others can see her that way bc her powers came from the mind stone.It would have been a weird retcon,bc in my theory agatha and the darkhold and all the witchcraft thing was wanda´s creation so she would absorb that and "accept" her powers and stuff.Though i kinda prefer the ending we have
I can confidently say that most men and male presenting individuals have a memory of someone making us feel like we are sick, mentally ill or simply perverted for being who we are. I think that's mainly the reason why Wanda resonates with us. She's never fully had the chance to actually be happy. Everything she could have is always taken away from her. We've all felt that at some point in our lives. The happiness at the reach of our fingertips and still, not being able to achieve it. The feeling of wanting to control everything and everyone to actually be able to feel happy is something most of us can't relate to even if we'd never do it for the sake of other's free will and individuality. However, I'm not fully comfortable with the way this video is explained. At times it comes off as condescending, patronizing or even from a place of moral/intelectual superiority. And while I'm pretty sure is not the author's intention, is hard to agree with something that comes off as such. Still I do like the way its explained and referenced, proves the author takes time and pride in their craft and work. Still I'd like to point out that, in the end, it ends up being a little reductive to link the popularity of Wanda to simply Diva Worship. She has become a phenomenon now, loved and admired by tons of different demographics. And while it's obvious that this video is just an attempt to explain said phenomenon, surely its roots come from various places and reasons to be able to be beloved by so many people and not only gay men and male presenting individuals.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well. But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
"Even some characters that I think are trash and that I'll happily lose followers for stating are trash--" "Oh, it can't be that bad." "--Like Emma Frost." ".... First of all, how dare you?"
Hey, Readers! I wanted to address my phrasing around the 18 minute mark when I referenced Phastos, his husband and their son, along with my use of the word "legit" in regards to his parentage. I was previously made aware of my poor choice of phrasing in a previous comment, and I absolutely understand what said choice of words imply despite said implication not being my intention. The verbage I was looking for was "biological," and I completely own up to how using "legit" makes it sound like anything other than that is deemed lesser, when it's just as equally important. It's a mistake that will not happen again.
I was just about to comment about this, so it makes me incredibly happy to read this. As an adopted person, thank you. The difference between "legit" and "biological" is basically the Grand Canyon for us, and the use (and misuse) of those terms is a very important issue when it comes to the stigmas that are attached to adoption and being adopted.
Again, _thank you_ for correcting yourself on that. 💜
She literally created her own reality where she gets to play dress up every day AND gets a major glow up at the end. I’m still shook tbh
enslaving thousands of innocent people in the process, come on slavery💅💅
@@al4red_ there's always one of you🤢
@@al4red_ she didn’t mean it and didn’t know she was hurting them so we forgive a remorseful goddess😮💨
@@al4red_ She didnt know tho
@@al4red_ its fiction
As a relatively straight man who's had to deal with tremendous levels of grief over the course of my life, I found that aspect of the series to hit me the hardest. While I've never dealt with my trauma in as unhealthy a fashion as Wanda, I do recognize the desire to hide from the paint to the point of disassociation.
THIS^^
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Everyone loves Wandavision, men, women, gay, straight, etc. That's the true triumph of the show.
Yes. It's not your sexuality that makes you love Wanda and Wandavision. It's many things. You may relate to grief, or you love sitcoms, or you just want to see something new in Marvel. Everyone loves Wanda not just females and gay males
@@Alex-hx4on well no shit. But this video is about why it has such a large gay following compared to other marvel media.
This is about WHY GAY MEN LOVE IT, not why Gay men love it and everyone else hates it🤦🏾♂️
We can't have nothing
the 4 genders
@@MykiiMescal GIRRRLLL BYE LMAO
Lesbians love wanda vision too!! Lesbian tumblr was full of people who were absolutely in love with the show.
The way Agatha was hitting mercilessly on Wanda throughout the show surely helped a lot
@@ginopinori I'm certain it did! It was like when people shipped Emma and regina in once upon a time.
@@violetsanddragons 😂
Agatha and Wanda is literally flirting with each other every time they're together
yas
For me it wasn’t diva worshipping that made me love Wanda, I just resonated with her emotionally and mentally, I understood her pain of loss and grief, having those pent up emotions finally releasing and refusing to admit there was a problem at all in the first place
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Wanda, in my opinion, is being judged a tad too harshly. She didn’t walk into that town and decide ‘you’re all my slaves now’.
In exploring her powers, the show established that Wanda can cast advanced magic unconsciously.
It’s unfair to judge her for unleashing power she didn’t even know she had in a moment of extreme grief. It is fair however to judge her for events after she realized she had agency.
Remember, WandaVision took place over the course of a few days. Who among us, especially LGBT individuals, would be so quick to sacrifice our own idealized worlds for the sake and comfort of people potentially complicit in making the real world shit?
When people over villainize Wanda all I hear is: She should’ve erased her husband and children sooner. If Wanda wasn’t a hero, if she were normal or more inclined towards villainy, that fantasy would never have come down.
We cannot loose sight of the fact that Wanda had everything she wanted but she let it go anyway.
Remember when towards the end one of her victims asked if she could just unfreeze one of their kids so they could sleep or eat? And she responded with something like how she took care of them and didn't want to hurt them. She literally manipulated and brainwashed literal children. That's a villian. And she was fulky aware of it and didn't try to stop it until she was literally forced to by another villian and the military. Imagine if that was your baby trapped in her hex world. That's some fucked up shit my guy. She manifested her significant other back from the dead (well a version of him anyway) and just controlled him to fit her fantasy mold when just could've been honest. She created her own kids only to yeet them out of existence. She took something away from thousands of people, free will. And yet were judging her too harshly?
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@@areyouserious7668 I suppose if you were handed that much power you’d never be tempted, in a moment of weakness, to misuse that power.
She made the right choice in the end. What more can you expect of anyone? Never to have made a mistake? Tony got THOUSANDS killed due to his arrogance and he’s the MCU’s goddamn messiah.
@@Saje3D I get your point. But he died. He paid for his crimes by literally saving the world and dying. Wanda has not redeemed herself. She committed a crime, and she flew off Scott free simply because no human can actually stop her and put her in jail. When she gets what she deserves then il give her my sympathy.
As much as I love Wanda u have to look at it realistically. She needs to be in jail. U can’t hijack and imprison a town full of people and expect it to be excused. Haywood wasn’t a villain tho portrayed as one. Of course they had to have shoot at kids to pair him as evil but if not for that shoe in he was actually just doing his job. Wanda broke the law here. She held people all because of her feelings. I would’ve sent in a sniper as a head of law enforcement
I’ve been a longtime Wanda fan since X-Men Evolution where that version of Wanda was a goth mutant witch. So I was especially ready for WandaVision. And it doesn’t hurt that Wanda is literally the mother of queers. Her sons Billy and Tommy are queer in the comics. Billy is gay and recently got married to his longtime boyfriend Teddy/Hulkling, and Tommy is bisexual and dating David/Prodigy who is a member of the X-Men.
Thank you !! This comment is my exact reason behind loving their family.
I'm queer but not really worshipping Wanda because of the "familial fantasy" aspect. It's more of Wanda's story being an amazing anecdote of grief, depression, coping and eventually acceptance. The psychology put into the characterization of Wanda in this show was phenomenal.
I do believe Wanda is best girl though. Not sure if it's for the same reasons as Diva Worshippers (TM)
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Same here but I Stan her as diva too.
I've loved Wanda so much, for so long. Like, her whole deal is that she's an emotionally scarred individual with amazing powers. People use her, she's feared and hated. She's a loner, a scapegoat. Wandavision really visualizes that. I can't help but root for her, can't help but want her to live out her fantasies. Even though I know better. Life is too hard, too real, why not lose yourself in your daydreams? I'm really glad she's getting more space in the MCU, even though she's OP I want more of her.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
The only point I disagree with is giving Wanda the title "Messy Queen." Considering the scale of her actions and how many people's lives were affected by her trauma-fueled magical breakdown, I think she can comfortably claim the title "Chaotic Queen".
Personally I prefer Scarlet Bitch but that's just when she's about to like rip those SWORD guys in half
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
As a gay man in my early 40s, I definitely would not consider Wanda to be on icon/Diva level for me. However, WandaVision was extremely entertaining and I stan for that. The wigs and the costumes were great. She had a very interesting journey and the line, “I don’t need you to tell me who I am” was everything…oh heck, I guess she does slay lol. In a messy way.
Yet she is for of new generation of gays.
More so Agatha than Wanda in our community
@@andrewpearson3516 Agatha isn't messy, she is a whole ass mess. But she has fun with it. Between her, Maleficent, Ursula, and The Evil Queen we do love evil Disney witches
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
WandaVision really did help me with grief issues, and stuff I'd been repressing and unable to deal with. It was nice being able to project myself onto Wanda, and use the show as a mental tool to help sort things out. Plus it was just really good haha.
Yep same here, this is literally the proof it's not your sexuality that makes you like Wanda and Wandavision
@@Alex-hx4on well, I'm also a gay man. Lol
@@phoenixrage1 😶
@@Alex-hx4on but I do agree with your statement, if it makes you feel better!
same!!! im gay but the main reason I felt connected with Wanda is because I've gone through deaths/grief exactly like her an can relate to her struggle and triumph
Wandavision had its flaws for sure. But it is still my favorite of the MCU Disney+ series so far. Wanda was indeed "the villain" of the series but as horrible as what she did ar least no one in Westview died. 177 people died in Sokovia as a direct result of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner creating Ultron. Don't recall a lot of outrage about that. Lol
Oh and Wanda cleaned up her own mess in regard to the damages done to the town. I believe it was $14B of damages done to Sokovia.
What do you mean there wasn't any outrage? Did you forget Civil War?
@@glazed_waffle5629 Outrage from fans saying Tony Stark and to a lesser extent Bruce Banner should be locked up because they were responsible for far more deaths than Wanda.
@@moreeyecandy I agree with you on that front for sure.
I mean, it was Hayward who was the villain.
Regarding my statement about Emma Frost: I said what I said 💅🏾
Above or below the wyngarde sisters? (excluding pixie of course) btw marvel where is my wyngarde family dinner
Absolutely great. It needed to be said.
hard disagree😭😭 but I respect your opinion💅🏾
No, is she shady, yes, but a good character.
OOOoooHHH!!!
Speaking as a cishet white male who knows woefully little about queer culture, I'll just simply say that I thought WandaVision was a work of art. The writing, the acting, the homages to past decades of TV sitcoms, the way the story slowly unfolded. All of it was just *chef's kiss* in my mind. I'll rewatch WandaVision and I don't normally rewatch MCU stuff. Most of it is enjoyable enough but hardly anything mind-blowing. WandaVision was special.
As far as to how the LGBTQ community relates to Wanda, I'll leave that for y'all to discuss.
But yeah, WandaVision was art.
As a gay man, I find Wanda's chaos magic fascinating. Her red hair and red glowing eyes are witch like.
She is a witch . I love her
She is a witch
The Westview residents had the worst week. Someone give these people a hug
Also I wouldn’t say Wanda faced zero consequences : she had to kill her husband for the third time and also put her children to death . That’s pretty hard consequences
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
I wouldn't say I dive worshipped the character per se, but I did try to live vicariously through the character Maximum Ride from the book series of the same name by James Patterson. Honestly, it was probably the only thing getting me through middle school since middle school is pretty much a limbo where I live.
I read his Alex Cross books and have been meaning to give his YA stuff a shot for a long time, so it's good to hear Maximum Ride has a solid fanbase!
Damn you just unlocked a whole hidden memory from the corners of my mind, I used to LOVE the Maximum Ride series so thank you.
Maximum ride was my everything in middle school. The ending got me really into caring about the environment
I used to project WAAAAAAY too much onto Fang from that series...... it is part of the origin of my RUclips name after all (I was also a big Inuyasha fan and also 14)
My favorite instances of historical diva worship are when the divas themselves were queer women, a la Josephine Baker. Peak mlm/wlw solidarity 💅🏾
I still haven't seen this series and now I'm pissed about it. Thank you for another captivating video, La'Ron. I didn't fully realize my queerness until adulthood. But my big thing was X-men. Wonder why?
If thats not an ironic why? They are minorities and civil rights and deal with discrimination and bigots in sociiety more than any supervillain, hell magnete is even an ally most of the time, and right.
@@marocat4749 exactly my perspective whenever mutants were talked about in X-Men movies I think about LGBTQ community and how they r treated in real life ... So much of similarities can be seen .. I'd like to believe the creators of these mutant hating humans storyline in the comics was inspired by the Homophobic attitude of people towards LGBTQ folks in real life.
@@Azarath_Metrion_Zinthos It also the black civil rights movement, but tht things are basically the ame struggle different, you can insert any similar struggle which is good
@@Azarath_Metrion_Zinthos the X-Men movies, at least, are purposeful in the LGBTQ metaphor.
The SHADE you threw at Emma Frost is inexcusable! 🤣
I cannot now or ever express in words how much it means to me that you made a point of repeatedly mentioning masculine enbys in this. No one ever mentions us. Thank you.
Yes! Loved it.
I'd like to make a "side note" about the relation with Wanda. I've been in love with her since the first time I saw her (X-men Evolution, when I was a child).
Now a days, I came to think that a urge reason why Wanda has always been appealing to me (aside her incredible looks, hair, dresses, and b1tchy witchcraft) is her character been defined by "unlimited potential confined by trauma and mental illness". Even though I've been born in a loving family, the early consciousness of being gay, and what that meant in the world, have put a stress on my mind that I deal with until now.
Much like Wanda, always defined by trauma on her appearances (comics, cartoons, live actions).
Even when I wasn't able to think this things straight, I felt some type of connections towards her.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Loved the series. It was a thoughtful reflection on dealing with trauma. I didn't know it had a gay following until I watched this video though. Having watched the video, it makes sense.
You did NOT have to call me out with that “messy queen” section (despite the fact that it is my knee-jerk reaction to say that Wanda didn’t get off scot-free). And I’m not even a queer man! I’m an ace lesbian woman!
In all honesty though, I’ve been a fan of MCU Wanda since her introduction in AoU, and the whole escapism thing in WV made me stan her even harder since I could relate to it so much. Thanks for this video- I loved the history lesson and the explanation of why exactly the show clicked for so many people.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
God I love this channel. Its like heading to a college class but one your always excited to go to and is always really entertaining
Yes!
Wanda is a queen 🥰🥰 love her so much
EEN!!
Nope,🙅🏻 she is 'The' Queen. I beg you pardon.
As a gay man, it is my favourite mcu project ever. I’ve rewatched it so many times and still quote several lines from the show to this day. My favourite scene in the entire show is in ep 8 where Wanda sees that she created vision and is happy to step into her false reality and begin her fake life, knowing that its not real and its not right but continuing to do it anyway. What you said about the escapism is so right because i just feel the same way. I know that, like Wanda, if i was given the romance and life i wanted on a platter I would most likely indulge in it too, despite knowing it will have negative consequences. Great video
Yes man… So true
Wanda was grieving, she did what she could to process her feelings to some extent, I think we all would live in a perfect world of our own creation if we could to hide from the sometimes unbearable truths we have to face even though this ultimately isn't healthy. I think this is why the show resonates with us, it serves as a portrayal of one person's human experience.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
That face after you said Emma Frost was freaking priceless!!🤣😅💀
I did enjoy Wandavision. Sounds like Erika Ishii, for me, is a current target of this 'worship' you are talking about. Especially the characters they have been playing in D20 and VtM. Annabelle, Danielle, and Dream were both escapist and cathartic for me in many different ways.
Though worship is a little strong of a word for me.
Woah, I thought I was the only one! Lilith was the first character of hers that I fell in love with. The mix of diva and mom is just, so good.
Alternate title: The Yassification of Wanda Maximoff
One of the reasons I am ecstatic that Wanda was not punished by external forces - I'm not going to say that she got away scot-free, because she certainly seems to be applying form of self-exile - was that her story is very familiar and has been seen many times (a depressing number of times in the Marvel Universe): the woman who refuses to know her role and stay in her lane.
Jean Grey (The Maiden), Sue Storm (The Mother) and Wanda Maximoff (The Crone) represent a triumvirate of Marvel Silver Age heroines who began as the token woman, defined by weak, ineffectual superpowers and existing almost solely as a support system for the men around them. As the years progressed, however, the status of women has changed, and all three character have had story arcs where creators have looked to expand their role, and their power level.
Unfortunately, the outcome of this has almost universally been the same. In the 70's, the era of Women's Liberation, we had the Maiden reborn as a literal spirit of rebirth, reveling in her lifegiving power, only to find that power turned to evil, madness and, seemingly inevitably, death.
In the 80's, the Mother, was infected by outside forces to reject her role as caregiver and embrace a new role defined by hatred thanks to the combined forces of Psycho-Man and The Hate-Monger (a LITERAL Femi-Nazi?!). Fortunately, her "normal", nurturing and supportive personality was able to reassert itself thanks to her Husband "abusing her back to normality" (!).
The Crone was even luckier in that she got to go through it twice! First in the 90s, with the loss of her children and husband which resulted in her adopting a new alter ego combining a Satanic aesthetic with a dominating sexual promiscuity...
(The common factor in all three of these storylines is John Byrne, you do the math)
And then again in the 2000s where she once again is incapable of "controlling her own power" and has to have her power curated by her abusive, gaslighting father. This storyline ends with her committing an act of figurative genocide against an oppressed minority.
I'm glad that WandaVision found a way to do this story in a way that had the woman in this storyline be the actual protagonist rather than the antagonist with which the male heroes have to content, or simply an object acting on someone else's wishes (as in 'House of M').
byrne was such a weirdo omg
i appreciate your reply. i learned something i didn't know and it will help and inform me going forward. thank you. 💖
Yeah, House of M is really interesting and I really like it, but Wanda is really relegated to a tertiary role. She's not even really the focus of the event, people belittle her and call her "mentally ill" which she is but that's beside the point. There's not even an assumption that she did it willingly of her own volition. And then after House of M??? Everyone hates her and blames her for everything, like either she's the victim or the villain no in between.
who could ever call wanda a crone !?
@@bennett4789 she's a witch?
I loved Wandavision. It really exemplifies the strength of the MCU tv shows in being able to explore characters more. I didn't really have an opinion on Wanda before this show but she became such a complex and interesting character in this show. She just kept losing and losing in the movies so it was interesting to see how someone with her powers would react to all the grief she felt. It also retroactively made me really enjoy Wanda and Vision's relationship, since they suffered a lack of development before. I didn't mind that she didn't face consequences because I think (hope) that will come in later stories.
All i'm gonna say is that Storm and Rogue Walked so that Wanda could fly xD
For me at least it's the power aspect moreso than control. I think so many of us felt powerless growing up, having to change and hide different parts of ourselves throughout life to the point its hard to know whom the true self is. The power to say "no" and rewrite the story. The power to flip the script on somebody bullying/preying on you. That strength and power to fight back, to enact change, or just to help you is definitely a wish fulfillment fantasy for many. Growing into her full strength at the end, embracing herself fully....it makes you want to be powerful too.
Whenever people love or hate on Emma Frost, part of me wants to ask "Which Emma Frost?". It seems as if various comics writers kept pulling her characterization one way or the other over the decades, and not just in small evolutions or "progressions" grown out of what had been written by others previously, but in big. yank on the metaphoric leash "We're writing her MY way now!", shifts. I'm not saying that people can't have their own opinions (of course they can), but Emma Frost's characterization has been wrenched around a bit too often for me to get a good "read" on the character any more. Perhaps the new MCU landlords will "stabilize" the presentation of the character sufficiently that I can form a lasting opinion at some point in the future. Thanks for the interesting videos, as ever!
Wandavision was amazing. I absolutely adored every aspect of that show. It's exploration of grief, and the acknowledgement that the grieving process is messy and complex, is what really hooked me.
I'm really loving the in-depth/longer videos you've been doing!! You put so much detail and love into your videos so breakdowns like these feel like I'm listening to a friend talk about their passion
Your commentary is EVERYTHING!!! I'm an instant FAN!!!!!!
Loved this analysis. Out of all of the MCU shows that have been presented WandaVision was the one that was the most interesting to me. Mostly because I'm interested in the magic part of Marvel and Wanda. But the way it paid homage to the history of sitcom television as a part of a cohesive well crafted story for Wanda was great to see. I think the aspect of diva worship brings to light the conversation around learning how to both critique and admire. Kinda like what I do for Emma Frost. 😊💅🏿
Wow- I'm bi and I've never thought about this- I literally talk about Wanda all the time
@10:19 wooooooooooooord, that snap was the most iconic snap before that other snap.
I was praying you weren't coming for Jubilee and sighed with relief when you said Emma.
Same 😅
Emma Frost. * Flips table. * I'm out.
I think it's generally funny because in my experience, it's impossible to be a Wanda stan and homophobic. Like, it's just physically impossible. And I love that
I loved WandaVision so much!! I never honestly delved into her story until before her introduction in AoA, but while growing up, i did look up to her son, Wiccan! ( which by the way, loved that he was able to make an appearance. )
I have always loved Wanda-well before her appearances in the MCU, which only enhanced my love for her! I had forgotten about WandaVision until the 5th episode was released. That weekend, I became immersed in the world that is WandaVision. I fell in love with the sitcom aspect, as well as the story. When her twins appeared in her tummy, I literally cried because that meant that my other hero, Wiccan, would soon become fictional reality. I relate heavily to Wanda because she has had her unfair share of struggles, yet she is a force of nature! Her son, Wiccan, will hopefully be special-if the MCU does it right, which I hope it will. I am also hoping she remains on screen for the next 2-3 phases, at least! I’m a greedy lad! 😂
The fact that Ocean Kelly made a WandaVision track floored me. But it's soooo good! I listen to it all the time lol.
I absolutely have use television and movies to immerse myself in wish fulfillment fantasies.... Great analysis
That Emma Frost burn got me to subscribe. Great video.
I'm not homossexual,but even so, i find myself liking this vídeo very much my friend. The way you talk and The script itself is very good. Amazing work my friend. You gained a subscriber today. Thank you
Now let’s talk about the Gays loving Katherine Pierce from The Vampire Diaries and absolutely hating Elena Gilbert even though they were both played by the same actress
I have been WAITING for a video essay about this exact topic, I knew i wasn't imagining the high popularity of the show among queer fans
I thought the LGBT fans would come from Billy and Tommy. One being the first gay man in marvel to have a wedding with his now husband Teddy, while the other is bisexual. Though this maybe because they’re my favourite marvel characters period so I’m probably biased 😅
FOR REAL THO. BILLY AND TOMMY SUPREMACY 🛐
@@xLadyoftheHousex I love those little dorks
Billy's actually not the first gay male superhero in Marvel history to get married - IIRC, that was when Northstar married his boyfriend Kyle - but he is definitely the first gay male superhero to marry another male superhero!
I've never resonated more with someone than you did when you dissed Emma Frost.
I LITERALLY GAGGED WHEN YOU SAID EMMA FROST! 😭😭😭😭 she’s my freaking fav 😂😂
The title:
Me, a gay boy and someone who loves Marvel, Wanda Maximoff and WandaVision: You called?
i dropped my jaw when shade was thrown towards the white queen
18:18
I gotta call out your language here.
The boy is already their "legit" son. He's not any less legitimate if he were adopted.
The word you're looking for is "biological" .
You're absolutely correct, that is EXACTLY the word I should've used.
Really enjoyed this thoughtful take on both the diva worship stuff and WandaVision.
As somebody who knows Wanda exclusively through the MCU alone, I was thoroughly shocked at the measures Wanda took. I completely understand how and why she got to where she was, which is why it struck me as hard as it did to see her fall as hard as she did throughout the course of this series. One of the things I'm enjoying about this new Phase in the post-Thanos MCU is this constant changing of the guard with its heroes. Some of becoming villains and rogues, others are getting demoted, some are straying on their own paths, some are taking charge in the absence of others, and some are going out with a HUGE bang. Seeing these characters evolve so much over the course of a series that many thought would die alongside Thanos is exciting. Going back to Wanda, I hope she finds peace and/or redemption. From where I'm standing, Tony Stark wasn't the only Avenger who needed to rest.
I always wondered why I loved Wanda so much. Thanks for examining my brain for me lol.
I am like seriously in love with you sir, That Emma Frost comment though. It's an emotional night at my house tonight.
Probably one of my favorite Readus101 videos. Stellar
Thank you for this explanation of diva worship. I never understood it, until now.
You’re dope. Subscribing. Queer marvel/dc fan here! You’re very well spoken and I enjoy what you have to say!
I enjoyed WV and the multitude of completely wrong theories people came up with week after week. 😂 Now that you've pointed out how appealing it was to the queer community, I'm surprised that hadn't occurred to me. I run a BL/YAOI (queer male themes in anime) channel and that just flew right over my head
I definitely became a Wanda stan after watching WandaVision
always appreciate your takes on culture, keep up the good work, sir
Another home run, La'Ron! And relieved I'm not the only one who doesn't worship Emma Frost 😂
The reason for the Scarlet Witch to appear in Doctor Strange 2 was long before wandavision came out. Even then, COVID changed the series finale.
I like the Diva take, but from a queer female perspective witches have always been queer… since pretty much the beginning of time.
You start with powerful women who don’t need men (Circe, Medea, Morgan le Fay) combined with persecution and hiding your identity. Then you add depictions of sapphic orgies in the woods in witch trial stories like The Crucible (which is itself an explicit allegory of McCarthyism which aggressively targeted the LGBTQ community).
Then you have Disney and there witches who were intentionally coding as lesbians from the very beginning with the Evil Queen and (one of my personal sexual awakenings) Maleficent. It continues with Wizard of Oz, Bewitched (see Matt Baume), Hocus Pocus, Elvira, and Wicked all being queer classics. Even Ice Witch Elsa gets an queer coat.
In comics it’s the same. Allan Heinberg, a gay man and the creator of groundbreaking gay characters Wiccan and Hulkling couldn’t resist incorporating queer favorite Scarlet Witch into Wiccans backstory. Nico Minoru, another of Marvels most popular witches, also queer. Heck, I’m going to throw genderqueer Loki in there as well, he’s basically a witch. Norse magic after all is very tied to feminine power.
TLDR, Witches are just gay. (Full Stop)
OMG this! even when I identify as a queer cis male, witches has always been there like these huge powerful icons and Scarlet witch was not exception way before she even appeared on the MCU, In fact their itirations in movies (with exception of maybe Infinity war) let me down.
Thank you for making me realize I'm not the only one who hates emma frost. It's nice to know I'm not alone.
She once tried to mind control Billy and Tommy to get them to come with the X-Men after Wanda had already given herself up. I'm a Maximoff Family stan, therefore Emma Frost is on my hit list.
@@BigAmericanGirlFan not to mention the psychic affair with cyclops. Trying to sleep with the boss much
YOU WILL NEVER BE ALONE IN THAT REGARD
This show inspired my good friend who is a drag queen to start up "The House of Maximof" and its gotten a decent following so far 💅
ig?
This video is so good! As someone who disassociates to deal with trauma, I am in the camp of Wanda did nothing wrong...because I would have done the exact same thing in her position.
You nailed it on the hammer. I naturally gravitated towards her ever since infinity war to the point I’ve claimed her, her magic, and even chaos magic itself as my own. I played Wandavision for my fellow queer friend. He hates comics but loved WandaVision. Everything she’s went through I have been there myself. The loss, denial, anger, all the stages of grief. This video was a perfect analysis on what I subconsciously suspected already with my gravitation towards her. it takes an Agatha to gag and wake us up. If we only had magic to control the world around us. Due to her chaos, I have suspicion to believe well all be thanking her by the end of her arc. 10 star video 🌟
This was great. Also, your workout regimen is paying dividends, my man, keep it up
Oh, I love WandaVision so much. SO much. I can't agree more that it set expectations for the D+ Marvel shows "unfairly" high. I like the others well enough, but nothing has lived up to WandaVision for me yet. The fan culture around it is unMATCHED -- up to and including an "Agatha All Along" trap remix that separated my soul from my body.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
I've been waiting for someone to make this video! You're awesome!
That was extremely educational! Much appreciated!
I clicked for wandavision, but you absolutely had me with the Shiva FFX summon sequence FOLLOWED BY DEATH BECOMES HER! !!!!!!! Like, dude absolutely resonate with all of this stuff! My profile pic is Sailor Moon. I'm goneeeeeee
🤣🤣 Lmao @ Wanda turning into a Messy Queen 👸
You spoke your piece very eloquently and reasonably 🤔👍
You got the like immediately for the Emma Frost comment!
me: don't say emma. don't say emma. Readus: emma frost. me: OH. NO. HE ... I *inhales. exhales. continues watching*
Regarding Wanda not having consequences, I'll agree with you on that - but I don't think any verbal apology to the Westview residents could have been enough. She did the right thing, lifted the Hex - and then GOT THE HELL OUT. Any explanation she would have tried to give, even about having to give up Vision and the boys, would have been met with justifiable outrage.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
Thank you for the education on diva worship! I’m a fem presenting gay and I’ve always loved Wanda. In 2015 when aou came out I was 13 years old. It was an extremely hard time in my life and I looked up to Wanda so much. She was like wish fulfillment. Her feelings were always validated because if people didn’t acknowledge her pain and suffering, she would make them. I would often imagine having that power or exploding energy out of my body when I was upset. I’m almost 20 now and I still adore Wanda. She’s for us the girls gays and they’s. Her suffering was overlooked for so long but not anymore. She made thanos fear her for what he did and now she’ll break the multiverse for her family. I adore her.
While I, a gay man, do relate to a lot of what you addressed in the video. When first watching it I used it as a way to relate my grief as Wanda herself goes through the 5 stages of grief throughout her show. 2020 was hell and we all lost a lot so grieving that on top of familial losses, and then the mental issues wake up WandaVision is the grief of childhood and the rushing we all had to do in some way to fit to society's standards of how we need to live and where we need to be at certain points of our lives. Nonetheless, I know this will probably get lost in the comments. Really enjoyed the video and the history and mentality of my demographic throughout the ages.
Great video. Even with the Emma Frost hate. Also - just because my child is adopted that in no way makes my child any less of my child and the suggestion of which makes it feel like they are somehow missing something in their families or are less loved , when they are not.
Yeah, my apologies for that. An individual in the comments made me aware of my poor choice of words in the video when "biological child" was what I was initially aiming for in the point I was trying to make.
This was a beautiful lesson professor
I subscribed when you said Emma Frost was trash. Great video.
Thank you for sharing this excellent essay.
hey thanks, i had two mothers growing up, and i think i understand now why The Wizard of Oz was so big in our house!
WandaVision is near and dear to my heart. i was grieving my own heavy loss when it came out, and i'm so glad it came out first. D+CU has been nothing short of wonderful so far!
It was also nice to watch the show because it was focused on her story alone. She got her own character arch. And it was smart of the producers to remove any Doctor Strange cameos because that would've taken away from Wanda's story.
Im dying trying to find those house remixes you were talking about though 😩
I loved Wandavision when it first started. The ending was horrible IMHO. I was hoping the reveal would be that the villain really was Wanda all along and that she had taken control of What'sHerFace to have a villain other than herself to deal with.
And agathy as ambivalent mentor leading her there, just makes more sense.
Her being amorally ambivalent yet subversive mentor is just more interesting.
And as villain they could literally steal any anime,i accept my guild with a manifestion of her scene and make that work. Even a fight if they want before. It would make her face consequences and make her still likable.
wtf that would have been so great.
Wtf that sounds like a horrible plot.
my theory was that agatha was a product of how wanda thinks others perceives her,bc agatha has "stolen power" and its evil and others can see her that way bc her powers came from the mind stone.It would have been a weird retcon,bc in my theory agatha and the darkhold and all the witchcraft thing was wanda´s creation so she would absorb that and "accept" her powers and stuff.Though i kinda prefer the ending we have
I can confidently say that most men and male presenting individuals have a memory of someone making us feel like we are sick, mentally ill or simply perverted for being who we are.
I think that's mainly the reason why Wanda resonates with us. She's never fully had the chance to actually be happy. Everything she could have is always taken away from her. We've all felt that at some point in our lives. The happiness at the reach of our fingertips and still, not being able to achieve it. The feeling of wanting to control everything and everyone to actually be able to feel happy is something most of us can't relate to even if we'd never do it for the sake of other's free will and individuality.
However, I'm not fully comfortable with the way this video is explained. At times it comes off as condescending, patronizing or even from a place of moral/intelectual superiority. And while I'm pretty sure is not the author's intention, is hard to agree with something that comes off as such. Still I do like the way its explained and referenced, proves the author takes time and pride in their craft and work.
Still I'd like to point out that, in the end, it ends up being a little reductive to link the popularity of Wanda to simply Diva Worship. She has become a phenomenon now, loved and admired by tons of different demographics. And while it's obvious that this video is just an attempt to explain said phenomenon, surely its roots come from various places and reasons to be able to be beloved by so many people and not only gay men and male presenting individuals.
My biggest frustration with WandaVision was that in a show that was so much about dealing with trauma and having empathy for people with trauma, it also chose to use Monica (someone who was traumatized) to essentially mark the other people hurt at Westview as if they are ungrateful for what Wanda has sacrificed for them. The implication being that victimized people would be grateful to their victimizer if only they knew what the victimizer went through and “sacrificed” is kinda a slap in the face for me, especially in a show that painstakingly tried to paint a story of empathy for traumatized people. Wanda should be sympathized with, Wanda deserves better, Wanda’s trauma explains what she does and is incredibly understandable and she is not a villain no matter what some other people try to paint her as, however it really jarred me that a show that was so much about empathy, had a moment essentially throwing other traumatized people under the bus. It didn’t need to be there, that moment, and for me it undermined the message of the show. Not enough to ruin the show or make me hate Wanda or whatever, but enough to make me wonder if the folks at Marvel really care about how they portray stories of trauma, or is it just we should only care about trauma when it’s happening to the main characters. But this is kinda a pattern that I personally have felt from Marvel shows, that they continuously end up undermining their main message. I had the same issues with the messaging in TFATWS and Hawkeye as well.
But anyways, that’s not the fault of Wanda though, and I love WandaVision giving her the humanity and complexity she deserves and it is so freaking weird to see some people so vehemently angry or hateful about her given that most of the MCU heroes have also had plenty of blood on their hands and made mistakes and that even includes the deified icon that is Steve Rogers. Wanda’s complexity doesn’t make her a villain and she’s not a villain. Even without knowing all the years in the comics of her with the West Coast Avengers, it’s clearly obvious that Wanda even in the movies alone, is not villainous. She’s traumatized and yes sometimes that trauma leads her to do questionable things, but that’s not villainy. CONTEXT MATTERS. I think a lot of people are so quick to put characters into good or bad labels that they forget characters can be both, just like people in real life can be both. It also honestly does scare me how often that trauma and mental health issues is essentially equated/demonized to villainy in media and in society.
"Even some characters that I think are trash and that I'll happily lose followers for stating are trash--"
"Oh, it can't be that bad."
"--Like Emma Frost."
".... First of all, how dare you?"