Warning: This post contains spoilers for WandaVision episode 4.
Episode four of Monica Rambeau's personal experience to reveal the true cost of the so-called "blip".
In a welcome change of pace that brought WandaVision closer to the logic of the existing MCU and added context to what's happening in Scarlet Witch's fake reality, episode 4 jumped back to the "real" world outside of Westview. After Geraldine - now confirmed in-show to be Monica Rambeau - was unceremoniously kicked out of the New Jersey town when she brought up Ultron murdering Pietro, the episode jumped back to the mid-point of Endgame and Hulk's snap. For the first time, in real , MCU fans were given an insight into what the immediate aftermath of the return was like from inside.
Choosing to follow Monica was an inspired choice, because it gave fans an in-point and link to Captain Marvel as well as telling the story from the point of view of an "innocent" who isn't immediately tied to Endgame. In Endgame's big reveal in the wake of Hulk's snap, the return is played off as instantaneous because of the context of the Avengers and Guardians. They went from battle to battle directly and the hero moment required them to simply step out of nowhere back into the field for full effect. But with WandaVision, every harrowing inch of the return was explored: from characters realizing they'd lost loved ones to watching their own body parts reform from dust and all of the associated chaos.
Spider-Man: Far From Home made something of a joke of the post-Snap moment with the Whitney Houston-accompanied tribute to Tony Stark and the other permanent victims was played. Yes, there was the suggestion of groups and therapy, but Peter Parker went on holiday and no more was really said of it. WandaVision gave a rather more unflinching take on the return, confirming that the "blip" was instantaneous for the victims who felt like they'd just fallen asleep and woke up confused to the site of their extremities regrowing. That alone would be enough to inspire permanent damage and Monica deals with it remarkably well, considering she's told her mother has died during her "sleep".
The entire return sequence is chaotic and far removed from the near serenity of Doctor Strange's portals opening on the battlefield and the Avengers, Guardians, and Wakandan army walking through. And that's the true value of a show like WandaVision exploring the aftermath: the longer run time offers space for this sort of additional story detail where Endgame's time was at too much of a . It may not make for particularly comfortable viewing, but it's important to that the return had as much of an impact as the Snap and hearing the voices of the victims was always important, not least because it allows Monica greater insight into what Wanda is going through in WandaVision.
