Marvel's VisionQuest Episode 7 Explains The Reason Behind The WandaVision Flashbacks

Contains spoilers for "VisionQuest" Season 1, Episode 7 – "Immolation"

Rarely has a spin-off show been so open about its debt to the parent series as "VisionQuest." Not only does the show fully embrace its role as a "WandaVision" follow-up, but it actually reuses some of that program's material in a completely new context — which is appropriate enough, considering that "VisionQuest" is all about what happened to White Vision (Paul Bettany) after the "WandaVision" finale.

"VisionQuest" has been extremely heavy on "WandaVision" flashbacks from the beginning. In fact, thanks to Vision's (Paul Bettany) Mindscape being a major location for the show, "VisionQuest" uses "WandaVision" as a "show within a show" — Vision's mental record of the events inside Wanda Maximoff's (Elizabeth Olsen) Westview Hex bubble, presented precisely as they unfolded onscreen for the viewer. "Immolation" reveals that there was a method to the madness all along: The "WandaVision" flashbacks are effectively the magically-created Hex Vision's memories, trying to bubble up into the White Vision's mind.

As an imprisoned memory Vision reveals in "Immolation," White Vision has access to all the same memories, experiences, and emotions the Hex Vision had. He has simply buried them deep because he's afraid of embracing them. An encounter with the Mindscape echo of J.I.M. the Synthetic Man (Bettany) helps Vision to face his fear and accept his emotions, especially the grief of losing Wanda and their children during the ending of "WandaVision." Thus, he regains his identity as Vision, complete with his original colors. It's an impressive moment with some powerhouse acting from Bettany, as well as a fun way to tie the two shows together thematically.

The ending of "WandaVision" has had severe repercussions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Wanda herself followed up on her newly-gained Scarlet Witch powers and her desire to find a way to be with her lost sons during the events of "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," serving as the movie's antagonist due to the wicked influence the Darkhold had on her. On the Disney+ side, "WandaVision" spin-off "Agatha All Along" showed what happened to the witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) after Wanda took her powers and trapped her in the "perky neighbor" role.

Comparing "Agatha All Along" and "VisionQuest" shows just how different the paths of the two spin-offs are. The former embraces "WandaVision" in the sense that it takes the main character on a highly cinematic journey with themes that change in every episode. Meanwhile, "VisionQuest" takes the "WandaVision" ball and runs with it, using the parent show's narrative as part of its own mythology, while expanding and elaborating on the story. As such, "Agatha All Along" might be a spin-off in the more traditional sense, but "VisionQuest" is definitely the more direct sequel show.