Disney+ has finally released their first Marvel Cinematic Universe series today, and the series’ first and second episodes are full of Easter Eggs and clues.
During the series’ premiere episode, two dates are mentioned. Wanda and Vision are trying to figure out why August 23rd is marked on their calendar, and nosy neighbor Agnes mention’s her and her husband Ralph’s wedding anniversary is June 2nd.
After a bit of Google’ing, here’s what I found;
June 2nd, 1924 – U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signs the Indian Citizenship Act into law, granting citizenship to all Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the United States. On June 2nd, 1941 – World War II: German paratroopers murder Greek civilians in the villages of Kondomari and Alikianos.
As for August 23rd? In 1939, Germany announces it has signed a non aggression pact with the Soviet Union. On August 23rd, 1942 in Pearl Harbor, American marines were busy taking revenge on the Japanese for past offenses. In the first battle, the Japanese fought on until the last man of their 92 soldiers was dead.
While neither date seems directly connected to the MCU’s overall story, both could have an underlying tone with the series’ theme. Or do they?
Both dates deal with World War II, specifically the Nazi party. Its revealed in the 2nd episode’s “commercial break” that Baron Strucker and HYDRA have some kind of connection as well, and we all know that HYDRA is an off shot of the Nazi party. We know that “S.W.O.R.D.” (Sentient Weapon Observation Response Division), presumably a branch of S.H.I.E.L.D., is monitoring Wanda and Vision from outside of the reality that Wanda created, and could be trying to prevent HYDRA from controlling Wanda. Is that what the Beekeeper was doing as he crawled out of the manhole at the end of ep02?
We also know that what happens inside Wanda’s pocket of the multiverse has effects on the outside too, given that Mrs. Hart seems to beg Wanda to help Arthur Hart as he’s choking on a strawberry, and Wanda inadvertently cutting Dottie’s hand with the blood being bright red in the black & white world.
What about the High Evolutionary though? During the second episodes’ title sequence, Wanda is seen in the grocery store with an ad for “Bova Milk”. Bova is one of the New Men, genetically altered by the High Evolutionary and first appearing in 1974’s Giant-sized Avengers #1.
As for the other neighbors, there’s no shortage of secrets and lies. Why did Sherman give Vision Big Red Gum? Were his intentions to sabotage the android? Or was it a casual mistake?
One neighbor that we need to pay attention to though is Dottie, the neighborhood’s Alpha Woman. “Her roses bloom under penalty of death,” Agnes tells Wanda of Dottie.
“The devil’s in the details, Bev,” Dottie says rather coldly during a neighborhood meeting when less than impressed by Bev’s lack of knowledge.
Are Dottie and the other “PTA” members actually HYRDA Agents who’ve infiltrated Wanda’s reality, while Agnes and “Geraldine” were sent in by S.W.O.R.D. to thwart HYDRA? Or is there something even more sinister with Dottie? Is Mephisto, Marvel’s version of the Devil, involved? Only time will tell. How long can Wanda keep the illusion going before she has to face reality? Given the forced reactions from Westview’s citizens, are we getting a glimpse of how terrifying Wanda’s power really is?
Regardless of the Easter Eggs, and speculations, this series is going to be one helluva ride and it careens into Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.
“For the Children.”
