WandaVision Includes Callback To Magneto From X-Men Movies

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Posted:
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Michael Fassbender as Magneto

This article contains spoilers for WandaVision .

The mystery of the Westview anomaly in WandaVision is now being pushed to the forefront in recent episodes, but there is still a lot to unravel. It's no secret that the first Phase 4 project of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has forced fans to think hard about what's really going on in Wanda's fabricated reality, leaving everyone with their own theories that eventually swamped social media .

One of the interesting speculations that came out about the impact of WandaVision is the eventual birth of the MCU's X-Men , mainly due to the show's multiple House of M references. Not much is known if Wanda will play a huge role in bringing the perennial mutants to MCU canon, but comics history and numerous pieces of evidence suggest that the powerful Avenger will be responsible for doing so.

This belief was further amplified by the surprise cameo of Evan Peters' Quicksilver from the Fox universe at the tail-end of “Episode 5.” At this stage, it's only a matter of time before mutants will be confirmed to be part of the monumental franchise.

Meanwhile, an impressive callback has been spotted in the latest episode of WandaVision that directly ties to Wanda's mutant roots.

WANDA'S SIMILARITIES WITH X-MEN'S MAGNETO

After "Episode 5" of WandaVision debuted, fans pointed out similarities between the MCU's Wanda Maximoff and Magneto from Fox's X-Men universe, specifically involving the sequence when Wanda leaves her Westview "bubble" for the first time in the entire series. After having many S.W.O.R.D. agents draw their guns on her, Wanda mind-controls these soldiers to point their weapons at their own Director, Tyler Hayward.

Scarlet Witch guns
WandaVision

Twitter user @MikeMarchant pointed out that this scene pays homage to an action-packed moment involving Ian McKellen's Magneto from 2000's X-Men.

In one sequence from X-Men , Magneto used his metal-controlling superpowers to turn the guns of the soldiers against the soldiers themselves, and this was made iconic by the character's corresponding line, “ You homosapiens and your guns.”

X-Men Magneto Guns 2000
X-Men (2000)

To fans' delight, this isn't the only X-Men movie that this scene appears to pay homage to.

WandaVision Official Still
Marvel Studios' WandaVision

During 2019's Dark Phoenix, Michael Fassbender's also uses his superpowers to take control of weaponry.

 Dark Phoenix Official Still
Dark Phoenix

The most direct Magneto nod in WandaVision "Episode 5" comes at the very end of this scene. As Wanda is walking back into Westview and letting go of her control of the armed agents, she turns away, flicks her right wrist, and flings her fingers into the air in a very similar manner to how Fassbender's Magneto walked away from his threat in Dark Phoenix .

A MUTANT CONNECTION

As it is, this is a clever nod to Wanda's comic-accurate origins. For those who are unaware, Magneto is the father of Wanda and Pietro Maximoff in Marvel Comics, and the placement of this callback could be solely intended to hint that the MCU is doing the same for the live-action version of the character.

Marvel Studios is no stranger to taking bold and bigger risks, and the inclusion of this Easter egg could be the first major clue of Magneto's arrival in the MCU. Theoretically, the origin of Wanda and Pietro could easily be retconned to make it seem that the X-Men villain/anti-hero is their father ever since, which could add another layer of intrigue to their Sokovian background. If anything, the fact that the mutant abilities of the twins were already teased previously opens the door for Magneto's game-changing MCU debut.

On the flip side, this Easter egg might be intentional for a whole different reason. It's worth mentioning that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was an associate producer of the first X-Men film back in 2000, and this callback could've been integrated into WandaVision as a fitting tribute to his role in the project.

Whatever the case may be, this similarity is hard to ignore. In a way, it's pretty fascinating to witness how WandaVision is slowly building up the X-Men's much-anticipated debut in the MCU. By referencing the mutant team's past, WandaVision may be giving way to the X-Men's bright future in the franchise.

- 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.