WandaVision’s7th episodegave fans answers to a few theoriesthat had been circling for weeks now, while also serving to raise the stakes a bit. This makes sense in terms of pacing as there are only two episodes left to conclude this strangely wonderful television experiment from the Marvel masterminds. However, it’s also becoming clear how Marvel intends to set up the pieces of this phase using television as a full-fledged part of the MCU. This specifically has to do with interesting developments with the character Monica Rambeau and the implications this will have on the MCU moving forward.
As a quick recap, Monica was originally introduced in the fourth episode. The daughter of Maria Rambeau fromCaptain Marvel, Monica is sent to Westview, NJ on an assignment from S.W.O.R.D. Once she arrives she meets with Agent Woo and is then sucked into the mysterious barrier surrounding the town. After a short stint being forced to play a role within Wanda’s illusionary sitcom, Monica isejected from the boundary by Wandaand back into the regular world. Upon meeting with Dr. Lewis in the newly established S.W.O.R.D. campsite just outside the boundary she discovers that her body’s cells have changed and are “blank” as a result of her entry into Westview.
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Not a whole lot had been elaborated on how Monica’s body had changed since that moment. However,the seventh episode ofWandaVisionhas changed that in spectacularly bold fashion. Monica attempts to utilize a heavily armored space vehicle in order to drive directly into Westview. While this attempt is unsuccessful, she decides to enter without the vehicle just as she had previously. This time she emerges in a stylish and futuristic-looking suit instead of her clothes being altered into a 60’s style version of her outfit as they had upon her first entry. Her eyes glow with a blue light and she sees her surroundings in ultraviolet light. She is able to halt this effect and sets out to find Wanda.
Monica is able to find Wanda and is attacked again at first, but she is able to withstand Wanda’s initial strike and even appears to release a pulse of energy upon hitting the ground, almost as if she redirected Wanda’s energy. Monica is able to speak with Wanda briefly, but the interaction is cut short whenAgnes appears and takes Wanda awayfor a cup of tea. She then tells Monica to leave. The last shot of the episode sees Monica attempting to enter Agnes' house through the side basement entrance where she encounters Quicksilver.
So what exactly is happening with Monica? Does she have powers? To put it simply: Yes, she does. Whatever the boundary of Westview has done to her physiology, it is now clear that Marvel does intend to take this character the route of the original comics. In Marvel comics the character Monica Rambeau is known as Photon,a hero with an extensive set of powers.
According toFandom, Photon is a hero that can transform herself into different forms of energy like ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, visible light, infrared radiation, electricity, visible light, radio waves, and microwaves. Considering that Dr. Lewis discovered that the barrier around Westview has been emitting a special, prehistoric type of radiation that was delivering the broadcast of Wanda’s sitcom, it follows logically that the barrier has altered Monica’s body to have at least some of this mastery of energy.
While it is currently unclear exactly how extensive the MCU will allow Photon’s powers to be, it is fun to speculate as to what the audiencemay see from this character moving forward. For example, in the comics Photon has been able to use her abilities to alter her appearance. It doesn’t just stop there though.
Photon has also been known to have the power of flight, super speed, intangibility, invisibility, energy duplication and absorption, as well as shoot energy blasts. There’s also Photon’s hyper-cosmic awareness, meaning that she no longer processes sensory reception in the same way that other humans do anymore. This lines up with the point of view shot the audience is shown when Monica re-enters the barrier around Westview and she seems able to see ultraviolet radiation. Lastly, Photon is supposed to have eidetic or photographic memory.
Monica’s new powers and implied future as the hero Photon have greater ramifications on the MCU as a whole. It’s clear that this is not just a show about Wanda and Vision any longer, but a full-fledged introduction of a potential new Avenger. This means that the upcoming television shows likeLokiandTheFalcon and The Winter Soldiermay have more to offerthan just fun and interesting stories with familiar heroes. Much like Monica’s cellular structure, the very fabric of the MCU is changing. No longer will a new hero require a movie all to themselves to enter this epic world of heroes. Marvel haslearned to tell two stories at oncethat can serve multiple functions for the franchise, and fans should definitely be excited by the possibilities.
WandaVisionreleases new episodes Friday on Disney+.
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