WandaVision is a new hit show by Disney+ and Marvel Studios that will be released on January 15, 2021. It's the first Marvel show in a series of new originals being created exclusively for the Disney+ platform. WandaVision will feature the return of two characters who saw relatively little screen time in the MCU, Wanda Miximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (played by Paul Bettany).
While fans have been eagerly waiting for the show's release after multiple delays, many still have unanswered questions after viewing the trailer. For one, why is the show in black and white?
The other major question is, how is Vision still alive? After all, he was killed and rendered inanimate when Thanos removed the Mind Stone from his body at the end of Avengers: Infinity War. The Mind Stone is what was able to turn Vision from a computer program to a fully conscious AI with the help of Tony Stark.
The show is considered canon and part of the MCU continuity, so whatever answer awaits has to make sense inside the Marvel Universe.
How is Vision Still Alive in WandaVision?
First, Marvel Studios has verified that the show will take place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. So this isn't a prequel to a time before Vision's Mind Stone was removed by Thanos.
While no answer has been given prior to the show's release, there are several plausible theories that can explain Vision's return to life.
There are several powerful beings in the Marvel universe that have yet to be introduced into the MCU. These characters have the power to bring souls or beings back to life. For example, Mephisto, the ruler of the underworld, has the ability to alter time and manipulate memories. He is also rumored to appear in the Loki series being released in May 2021, which is only a few months after WandaVision comes out. Could WandaVision be his introduction into the MCU?
Mephisto is known as a rather evil character with dark motives, so he wouldn't just bring Vision back cost-free. Wanda would have to form some kind of pact with the character. Wanda is known for sometimes being a villain in the MCU and can go to extreme measures for the things she cares about. Did she make a pact with Mephisto to bring back Vision? We don't know, but it is certainly a possibility.
Another method for Visions revival is the utilization of technology. Vision, after all, is a sentient AI developed in part from Tony Stark's technology. We already know from watching Avengers: Infinity War, that Shuri theorized a way to maintain Vision's sentience by downloading his consciousness and removing the connection with the Mind Stone.
Unfortunately, they were unable to complete this process before the battle that followed. It is entirely likely that Shuri was somehow able to complete this process later and bring back what had already been saved or extracted during this process.
A final way Wanda may be able to return Vision to life is through her incredible powers. She is considered one of the strongest Avengers in the comics and we even see her go to toe with Thanos.
Wanda has the ability to warp the fabric of reality with her chaos magic. This actually seems like an exciting possibility to bring Vision back. The trailer itself hints at this. We can see Wanda's classic red power colors creep in and distort the black and white picture that is originally presented. It feels like Marvel Studios is referencing Wanda struggling to control her powers as she creates some kind of altered reality that is difficult to maintain.
In the comics, her powers exceeded this. She even warped the entire reality of Earth at will, permanently shifting the fabric of the universe. It isn't unthinkable that she could tap into some of this power in the MCU and create a pocket dimension where she revives Vision and lives.
Below, you can see how the poster seems to reference Wanda's powers (illustrated in color) fracturing against the black and white idyllic universe she may have created.
How do you think Disney and Marvel Studios have revived Vision? Leave us a comment below!
The synopsis for WandaVision is as follows:
"Marvel Studios' WandaVision blends the style of classic sitcoms with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany)—two super-powered beings living their ideal suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems."
WandaVision will be available exclusively on Disney+ on January 15, 2021. It is unlikely to release on DVD, so a Disney+ subscription is essential.