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Marvel has dipped its big green toe into the world of live-action television at least a few times. Some outings were successful. (R.I.P., Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) Others, not so much. (Anyone down for an Inhumans rewatch? Didn’t think so.) One thing the TV series had in common, though, is that they never meaningfully connected with their MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) counterparts, and true crossovers were as rare as an Infinity Stone.
That’s about to change with WandaVision (premiering Friday, Jan. 15), Disney+’s first TV drama from Marvel Studios aka the movie-making people. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprise their respective film roles as Wanda Maximoff (aka Scarlet Witch) and Vision, becoming the first MCU movie stars since S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s Clark Gregg to headline a Marvel TV series.
The trailer makes clear that events from the previous 23 MCU films will be heavily referenced, and Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has avowed that WandaVision will directly tee up at least one upcoming movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
But 23 movies is a lot, and we don’t blame you if you haven’t kept up with every Avengers adventure, let alone remember who appeared in the mid-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. So here is a quick roadmap of Wanda and Vis’ adventures throughout the MCU.
What are you waiting for? Activate that Mind Stone of yours and get to reading.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Wanda’s first official appearance comes during the mid-credits scene of Captain America’s (Chris Evans) sophom*ore outing and only lasts a few seconds. But that’s still plenty of time for viewers to get a glimpse of her powers, and she can be seen using her telekinetic abilities to levitate some blocks before making them explode.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Wanda and her super-speedy brother Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who both got their powers through Hydra experiments with the Mind Stone, start off as the villains of the secondAvengers film, siding with the sad*stic AI Ultron (James Spader) to get revenge on Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who they blame for killing their parents after one of his company’s weapons collapsed their home. However, when they discover that Ultron plans to destroy the world, they switch sides and help the Avengers in the final battle… but Pietro loses his life in the clash, which only worsens Wanda’s trauma.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (CONT'D)
Vision was originally created by Ultron to serve as his final physical form, but the Avengers steal the body before the transfer can be made. Using a copy of J.A.R.V.I.S. — Iron Man’s AI companion who is also voiced by Bettany in all three Iron Man films and the first Avengers — and the Mind Stone, they bring Vision to life as his own being, and he agrees to help the Avengers fight his creator. He proves to be quite an asset to the team, even wielding Thor’s hammer for a bit and destroying Ultron’s last physical form. After the battle, both Vision and Wanda join the Avengers as full-fledged teammates.
Captain America: Civil War
Wanda and Vis’ relationship begins to blossom in Civil War, as the two bond over their shared power source. However, after Wanda accidentally kills several civilians during a mission and the United Nations passes a law forcing superhumans to register with the government, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum. Vision agrees with Iron Man that the heroes need to be put in check and that a little oversight would do everyone good; Wanda refuses to register and sides with Captain America, who does not trust the government’s ability to determine when and where the Avengers will be needed.
Captain America: Civil War (CONT'D)
The team is quickly split in half and ends up clashing at a German airport. While Scarlet Witch and Vision never trade blows, Vision does accidentally paralyze War Machine (Don Cheadle) from the waist down. (But nothing some Stark technology can’t fix.) Wanda is captured by Iron Man and confined to the superhuman prison (the Raft) but is later freed by Captain America and goes on the run. Vision, meanwhile, stays in upstate New York with the remaining Avengers.
Avengers: Infinity War
Two years after Civil War, Wanda and Vision’s friendship has transitioned to a full romance. However, seeing as Scarlet Witch is still on the run, the two are forced to meet in secret. During one of their getaways, the heroes are attacked by the intergalactic Titan Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) invading forces, who are after the Mind Stone and the other Infinity Stones. With a little help from Captain America, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie), the team repels the Black Order and heads to Wakanda, the home of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), to surgically remove the Mind Stone from Vision so they can destroy it.
Avengers: Infinity War (CONT'D)
Thanos eventually locates Vision and attacks the African nation before the surgery is complete, defeating the Avengers one by one. With no other options, Wanda is forced to destroy the Mind Stone while it is still sealed in Vision’s head, killing her lover in the process. But Thanos then uses the Time Stone to bring Vision back to life, only to kill him again by ripping the Mind Stone from his skull. With all six Infinity Stones, Thanos snaps half of all life out of existence, including Scarlet Witch.
Avengers: Endgame
By borrowing the Infinity Stones from points in time in the past, the Avengers who survived the Snap brought everyone who was wiped from existence back to life, including Scarlet Witch. In the final battle, she fights Thanos one-on-one, nearly killing him. But that honor ultimately goes to Iron Man, who sacrifices himself to snap Thanos and his army out of existence.
Wanda attends Tony’s funeral, while also mourning the loss of Vision: Since he was not wiped out by Thanos’ initial Snap, he was not brought back to life by the reversal. However, Wanda finds solace in the fact that Vision would be proud of her for the good that she has done.
