Marvel's WandaVision Directly References a Spider-Man: Homecoming Character

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Posted:
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Spider-Man

Warning — This article contains spoilers for WandaVision

The anticipation surrounding WandaVision has been sky-high ever since it was announced during San Diego Comic-Con 2019, and fans will finally get the chance to witness what the buzz is about since the show already debuted on Disney+. The arrival of the series is a momentous occasion for Marvel Studios since this will mark the first venture of the studio in the realm of the small screen. 

WandaVision will reunite Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany as Wanda Maximoff and Vision respectively, but this will not be the usual team-up for the heroes. Instead, fans will witness the couple's married life in the suburbs, but as expected, things are not always what they seem.

By now, the world already knows that the alternate reality of WandaVision will be inspired by several sitcoms across decades of television. From the wacky and humorous side of Bewitched all the way to the emotional yet charming Modern Family, the show is stacked with tributes and callbacks that will make fans excited. 

While fans are still recovering from the impressive debut of the show, it seems that a notable Easter egg was included by the creators of WandaVision in a fascinating sequence. 

NEWS

At the tail-end of the first episode of WandaVision, when the “fake” credits are rolling, the name “Abe Brown” is listed as the director.

 WandaVision Episode 1 Ending TV
From WandaVision

In Marvel Comics, Abe Brown is a martial artist with the codename, Black Tiger. He is an African-American from the streets of Harlem who is a member of the Sons of the Tigers. 

In MCU canon, Abe Brown is actually a character from Spider-Man: Homecomingwho is played by Abraham Attah. Brown served as one of Peter Parker's classmates from Midtown School of Science and Technology, and he later survived Thanos' snap.  

Abe Brown
From Spider-Man: Homecoming 

 

WHAT THIS MEANS

The presence of Easter Eggs is a common trope in any film, but fans should know by now that there is a deeper meaning when it's done in a Marvel Studios project. It is currently unknown if the Abe Brown that was referenced in the latest episode of WandaVision pertains to Black Tiger from the Marvel Comics or the Spider-Man: Homecoming character, but there's a good chance that the two versions of the character will be combined to play a larger role in the MCU moving forward. 

In the final moments of the episode, he was revealed to be the “director” of the Bewitched-inspired life of Wanda and Vision, and it was also shown that S.W.O.R.D. is somehow involved with the couple's mysterious reality. Given that Brown wasn't a victim of the Snap, it's possible that he was recruited to work for S.W.O.R.D., and he could end up serving as one of the agents that are assigned to handle Wanda's case. 

This is a prime example of the weird and unexpected nature of WandaVision since no one knows who will appear in the subsequent episodes of the show. Bettany even previously admitted that a “surprise actor” will be included in the latter half of the show's first season. In a way, this is part of the fun of the long-form storytelling approach of the MCU since it's unclear what to expect, and it provides the creators to openly explore vast amounts of story possibilities that will lead to a compelling reveal. 

Whether Abe Brown will play a much larger role moving forward remains to be seen, but it's good to know that a side character from an MCU film was given an opportunity to be featured in a different project. Given the massive scale of WandaVision, it's not hard to envision a scenario where other characters will also be given the chance to shine in future episodes. 

- In This Article: WandaVision
Release Date
January 15, 2021
Platform
- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.