In our first episode on WandaVision, we dealt with some of the politics of Marvel and Disney as well as the MCU environment and background that sets up the story of WandaVision. We didn’t actually get to the scripture analysis of the themes, and so now we will be delving into that.
Before we get started, however, we want to first mention that we have both been watching the new MCU series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This show also works as a close sequel to the events in Infinity War and Endgame.
Also, if you haven’t seen it yet, you might want to check out the Disney+ documentary on the the making of WandaVision, Assembled: The Making of WandaVision. This documentary shows behind the scenes video and interviews about how the series was made and the impact of COVID on the conclusion of the series.
The Politics of Disney . . . continued
A friend of Tim’s started a conversation about our topic on the politics of Disney in our last episode. She made the point that Disney fired Gina Carano to avoid scandal rather than because of her conservative politics. She pointed out that they have also fired Johnny Depp (who is liberal) and have kept on Tim Allen (who is publicly conservative), so Carano’s firing can’t be political.
Her point is well made that there was scandal involved with Carano’s posts, however Eve does not agree that this absolves Disney of any political agenda:
- Their politics are very blatant in their material without having to look at their behind-the-scenes actions.
- Firing Depp was necessary because it wasn’t just scandal but actual courts involved with criminal allegations against him.
- Tim Allen is savvy enough to avoid political commentary in his social media posts and has a big enough fan base to shield him from censure.
- Many Hollywood personalities post all sorts of inflammatory comments in social media, but only the conservative ones “cause scandal.” Cancel culture makes a big stink about anything they don’t like, which forces businesses to decide which “fan” base to listen to. Carano did not have a big enough fan base to protect her from the cancel culture (whose political agenda is to silence conservative voices). Disney caved to the pressure, which combined with their increasingly political content makes them political.
Thou shall not covet!
The first moral of the WandaVision story is the biblical command to not covet (Exodus 20:17).
One of the main characters that we see coveting in WandaVision is Agatha Harkness (AKA, Agnes), who involves herself in Wanda’s Hex because she covets the power that Wanda used to create her happy little world. Agatha seems to have a unique ability to draw the magical power from others (killing them in the process), giving her the ability to take what she wants, which is the classic super villain story. “I am now super strong and bulletproof. I will therefore go rob a bank.” While Agatha does do some good (taking steps to try and wake Wanda up to the harm she is doing to the townspeople, her motives are entirely selfish. She wants Wanda’s chaos power, and she will kill Wanda to get it.
Director Hayward covets the notoriety and secular power that producing a functioning Vision will gain him (especially a Vision that he controls). We question how he actually has the authority to commandeer Vision’s body after the events of Infinity War. Perhaps Stark gave Vision over to SWORD, but even though Vision was created, he presented as a sentient person who had expressed wishes for what should be done with his remains. Should a government agency (much less a government official) be able to lay claim to someone’s body? This kind of power corrupts the desires of sinful people, and Hayward is a sobering example of this.
Finally, Wanda covets the simple life that she grew up seeing portrayed in TV sitcoms. Through all of the traumas of her life (especially those of her childhood), television was an escape for her. Just as we caution against in the name of our podcast, Wanda just watched TV, imbibing fully the feel-good themes that are not realistic or even plausible: the perfect families, the quaint settings, and the happy endings. In her grief, she uses these unrealistic ideals to create for herself the perfect life that she covets, forcing her grief and nightmares on an entire town.
Tim recommends an essay entitled “The Inner Ring” by C. S. Lewis, which explains how the lust for something is often what makes it evil. Money/power/friendship is not evil in and of itself, but the covetous lust will tempt you to do evil in attempting to acquire it.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)
The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it? I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve. (Jeremiah 17:9)
Witchcraft versus Holy Spirit Power
Listener David Lefton posted this in our request for feedback from our last episode.
To me the “spirit of witchcraft” is wanting supernatural power without reporting to supernatural authority where you can just do what you want or what you think is right; but “Holy Spirit power” is where you have super-natural power but what you do with it is limited to what “higher power” deems what is right and what is truly needed/helpful for people in long term. Superheroes and witches/wizards in media used to be more allegorical for Holy Spirit power “with great power comes great responsibility…, You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain… All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us”.
Do you see Wanda as more leaning towards allegory for biblical witchcraft or biblical Holy Spirit power?
This is an interesting question. Wanda pretty much represents hero, anti-hero, and villain in WandaVision, and as Agatha points out, her power is that of chaos. Chaos, while perhaps representing a specific power source according to Marvel canon, is—in the true definition of the word—directly opposed to the power of order exhibited by God. This would make her power a rival to Holy Spirit power in the literal interpretation. In addition, her behavior in the series really doesn’t show her as responsible to or even acknowledging a power greater than herself. She does not even take proper responsibility for the harm she caused with the Hex.
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter told him, “May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven.” (Acts 8:19-22)
Life has rules!
I’m trying to tell you that there are rules in life. We can’t rush aging just because it’s convenient. And we can’t reverse death no matter how sad it makes us. Some things are forever.
When the twins’ dog dies, Wanda tells them she can’t just bring him back to life because there are rules—rules, in fact, that she has been breaking herself inside the Hex. This is the first indication that Wanda is gaining perspective on her grief and what she has done by creating her Hex around the town.
The “advertisement” in episode 7, indicates not only that it’s time for Wanda to shake her depression and confront reality, but hints at Wanda’s identity as a Nexus—a personality that is the same in all multi-universes.
Ask your doctor about Nexus. A unique antidepressant that works to anchor you back to your reality or the reality of your choice. Side effects include feeling your feelings, confronting your truth, seizing your destiny, and possibly more depression. You should not take Nexus unless your doctor has cleared you to move on with your life. Nexus, because the world doesn’t revolve around you. Or does it?
The Bible stresses that we live in a reality made evil by sin.
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
In a purposeless world apart from God, the only cure for mankind is salvation through Christ.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
I’m sorry for all the pain I caused
After stealing a whole town full of people’s free will and lives for days, Wanda undoes her Hex, says she’s sorry, and flies away.
Monica is the only one who sympathizes with her: “They’ll never know what you sacrificed for them.” But Wanda knows there’s nothing she can do to make up for what she has done: “It wouldn’t change how they feel about me.”
The Law in Exodus presents very stringent guidelines for restitution for harm done against others.
When a man steals an ox or a sheep and butchers it or sells it, he must repay five cattle for the ox or four sheep for the sheep. If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed. But if this happens after sunrise, the householder is guilty of bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution. If he is unable, he is to be sold because of his theft. If what was stolen—whether ox, donkey, or sheep—is actually found alive in his possession, he must repay double. (Exodus 22:1-4 (and all the rest of 22))
Jesus taught that the Law was more than a set of external rules but a matter of intent and heart. He also taught that it was the believer’s responsibility to forgive, concede, and go the extra mile.
“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38-42)
Wanda was in the wrong. She deserved punishment, but we both would have liked to see some modicum of understanding and forgiveness from the townspeople, who of all people had the best and most intimate understanding of her brokenness and grief.
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