WandaVision Theory: How The Mind Stone Is Back (After Thanos Destroyed It)

Thanos destroyed the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame – and yet it appears to be back in WandaVision, so how did Scarlet Witch manage this? When Vision was created in Avengers: Age of Ultron, he essentially became custodian of the Mind Stone – the powerful Infinity Stone that was implanted in his forehead. The Mind Stone appears to have been bonded to Vision’s nervous system and likely to his very mind, because in Avengers: Infinity War Shuri referred to it being bonded to more than two trillion neurons. Vision could sense the Mind Stone like a presence at the back of his mind. And then, in the dramatic conclusion of Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos tore the Mind Stone out of Vision’s forehead – killing him in the process. He subsequently destroyed the Mind Stone as well in Avengers: Endgame.

Vision has mysteriously returned in WandaVision, part of a confused sitcom-based reality Scarlet Witch has woven over the town of Westview. And the Mind Stone is back as well, implanted within Vision’s forehead once again, although apparently in this reality Vision has an “indestructible head” – meaning Thanos would have a far harder time tearing it out this time. Attention has focused mainly on Scarlet Witch and Vision, but it’s important to note the return of an Infinity Stone is potentially an event of cosmic significance.

So how has the Mind Stone returned in WandaVision, and what does it mean for the future of the MCU? Quite how it works, and what Scarlet Witch has done, could be key to unlocking the mysteries of the show.

The Mind Stone Could Simply Be A Figment Of Scarlet Witch’s Imagination

Right now, it’s unclear just how “real” the reality Scarlet Witch has woven actually is. In WandaVision episode 2, she and Vision performed in a magic act under aliases that seem fairly symbolic; Wanda called herself “Glamour,” while Vision was “Illusion.” The word “glamour” comes from the Scottish word gramarye, referring to a spell a witch places upon herself to make herself appear beautiful or enthralling. In this case, of course, Wanda has instead used her powers to create a false world where she hopes she can fit in, where she can seem to be normal. Vision, in contrast, is simply an “illusion” – there is nothing of substance or reality to him at all, he is something conjured up by her. If that is the case, then the Mind Stone does not really exist at all.

But WandaVision episode 3 suggested this is too simplistic an interpretation, and that Scarlet Witch is actually reshaping reality itself. The episode ended with SWORD agent Monica Rambeau being forcibly ejected from Westview’s reality bubble, and she crashed down upon the ground – still wearing the clothes from the bubble, clothing she was presumably given when she was absorbed into this sitcome-esque reality. That’s significant, because it suggests Scarlet Witch’s alterations to reality are binding. Which would mean the Mind Stone is real.

How Scarlet Witch Could Restore The Mind Stone

Scarlet Witch’s powers are something of a mystery. She was introduced as a “miracle” in Avengers: Age of Ultron, one of only two people to survive experiments conducted using the Mind Stone upon the citizens of Sokovia. The Marvel Studios Visual Dictionary raised a curious question about what exactly happened here, though. “Whether it altered her or merely unlocked something latent inside Wanda,” the Visual Dictionary noted, “the Infinity Stone on Loki’s scepter bestowed incredible powers of the mind.” This could indicate that Scarlet Witch is actually a mutant, a sorceress, or potentially even both. Whatever the case may be, though, the connection between Wanda’s powers and the Mind Stone appears to have endured. That is why she was the one Avenger who could potentially destroy the Mind Stone in Avengers: Infinity War; her powers apparently have a similar “signature” to the Infinity Stone itself.

This bond to the Mind Stone may have actually allowed Wanda to reforge the Infinity Stone. Thanos may have thought he destroyed thm, but Avengers: Endgame‘s directors have indicated that the Infinity Stones technically still exist in the MCU. “Thanos only reduced the stones to the atomiclevel,” the Russo brother explained in a Reddit Q&A. “The stones are still present in the universe.” Indeed, according to the Ancient One, the Infinity Stones dictate the flow of time and the nature of reality itself, so it is likely they cannot be truly destroyed. Wanda could potentially have managed to draw the Mind Stone back together, taking advantage of her mysterious bond with it.

WandaVision Could Be Powered By The Mind Stone

It is even possible the entire reality bubble encompassing Westview has been created using the power of the Mind Stone. The MCU is primarily a science-based universe, and even magic and sorcery operates according to strictly defined rules. Those were established in Doctor Strange, with the Ancient One schooling Stephen Strange on the basics of the mystic arts. “The language of the mystic arts is as old as civilization,” she explained in one key scene. “The sorcerers of antiquity called the use of this language ‘spells.’ But if that word offends your modern sensibilities, you can call it a ‘program.’ The source code that shapes reality. We harness energy drawn from other dimensions of the Multiverse, to cast spells, conjure shields and weapons to make magic.“

The crucial point is that, in accordance with the First Law of Thermodynamics, energy is not created or destroyed; rather, it is summoned from one plane of existence and used to reshape reality itself. Scarlet Witch is clearly changing the nature of reality around Westview in some way, but the Ancient One’s words raise the disturbing question of where she is deriving this power from. It is possible she is somehow drawing it from a completely different dimension; alternatively, she could actually be tapping into the Mind Stone itself. If that is the case, she should be very cautious, because the Mind Stone has been presented as having a consciousness of its own – and a capricious one at that. Loki was under the Mind Stone’s influence when he invaded Earth in The Avengers, and in Captain America: Civil War Vision discussed the Mind Stone as though it were a hostile consciousness at the back of his mind.

What The Mind Stone’s Return Would Mean For The MCU

If Scarlet Witch has indeed succeeded in undoing the destruction of the Mind Stone, then she has brought back one of the most powerful objects in the MCU. It is sure to be highly sought after in the future, especially given the entire universe is now likely aware the Infinity Stones were combined to destroy half the life in the universe. Some would want to harness the Mind Stone’s power, others would fear it and want to destroy it again.

But the restoration of the Mind Stone may be even more significant in that it provides a potential origin for mutants. If the Mind Stone “unlocked” Wanda’s powers rather than granted them, then it could do the same for others. Marvel’s in-universe book The Wakanda Files provided further evidence suggesting Scarlet Witch and her brother Quicksilver were latent mutants whose powers were triggered by the Mind Stone, because it detailed the biological transformations they went through as a result of their exposure to its power. Thus the return of the Mind Stone has the potential to lead to the introduction of yet more mutants – transforming the MCU forever.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4893 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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