The Marvels Will Answer One Of WandaVision's Biggest Questions
"WandaVision" reintroduced fans to beloved characters from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and one of them was "Captain Marvel" fan-favorite Monica Rambeau, this time played by Teyonah Parris. Originally introduced as the young daughter (Akira Akbar) of Carol Danvers' (Brie Larson) best friend Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) in the 2019 film, "WandaVision" shows Monica all grown up. Episode 3 reveals that Monica was one of the victims of the Snap Thanos (Josh Brolin) brought about, disappearing for five years and reappearing to find that her mother had passed away.
Once she returned, Monica resumed her job as an agent of S.W.O.R.D., the intelligence agency her mother founded. Shortly afterward, she's tasked with investigating the mysterious Hex that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) created over the town of Westview, New Jersey.
Through her repeated exposure to the Hex's powerful radiation, Monica eventually develops superpowers, leading her closer to becoming her comic book alter-ego Photon. She reconnects with the alien Skrulls first introduced in "Captain Marvel" in a post-credits scene in the Disney+ series, but director Nia DaCosta's upcoming "Captain Marvel" sequel film "The Marvels" is set to answer one of the biggest unanswered questions in "WandaVision": What is Monica and Carol's relationship like now, decades after the events of "Captain Marvel"?
In WandaVision, Monica's relationship with Carol is complicated
In "Captain Marvel," Carol plays an incredibly important role in young Monica's life, constantly spending time with her and her mother Maria and almost acting as Monica's unofficial second mother. By the end of the film, Carol sets off to explore the universe and help other creatures within it, and an excited Monica watches her fly into the night sky.
By the time that "WandaVision" rolls around, however, grown-up Monica doesn't idolize Carol the way she used to. In fact, she seems to harbor some resentment toward her. When her S.W.O.R.D. colleagues Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) mention Captain Marvel in "WandaVision" Episode 5, Monica abruptly changes the subject. Perhaps she's angry at Carol for essentially abandoning the Rambeaus, as Maria presumably died of cancer alone.
That said, as the "WandaVision" finale's mid-credits scene shows, a meet-up between Monica and Carol is coming. During the scene, a S.W.O.R.D. agent (Selena Anduze) pulls Monica aside and reveals she's really a Skrull sent to Earth by "an old friend of your mother's" who heard she'd been grounded. It sounds like Monica is headed to space, and knowing that she's part of "The Marvels," it's going to be one intense reunion.
Monica and Carol's unresolved tension will be addressed in The Marvels
While "WandaVision" didn't dive fully into Monica and Carol's complicated relationship, actress Teyonah Parris promises that question will finally be answered in "The Marvels," which is set to hit theaters on November 11, 2022. "Little Monica had a relationship with Carol Danvers, and [in 'The Marvels'], we'll get to see what happens with that relationship, and how or if, it brings them to the present," Parris Variety in a recent interview.
Whatever happens between the two characters, "The Marvels" is a big deal for the MCU. It's on track to become the franchise's first all-female superhero film, and through it, DaCosta will be the first Black woman to ever direct a Marvel film (via the Afro). Plus, Parris has hinted that "The Marvels" will give audiences an even better understanding of who Monica is as a character.
"With Monica, we've established who she is in 'WandaVision,' and in 'The Marvels,' we have an opportunity to further understand who this woman is," she said. "Having a woman of color at the helm of furthering this story of one of the first super-powered female, African American beings, I think it's really special."