WandaVision’s August 23 Date Is A Big Comic Clue To Vision’s Return

In true classic sitcom tradition, the opening episode of WandaVision sees Wanda and Vision preparing for a “special night” that turns out to be dinner with Vision’s boss. The date marked noticeably on the couple’s calendar for the meal is August 23rd, and while the significance doesn’t immediately seem particularly clear, there may be a secret allusion to an old Avengers comics storyline in there.

WandaVision sees Scarlet Witch dealing with the build-up of emotional trauma that culminated in the devastating end of Infinity War, which saw both the double death of her beloved Vision and her own death and return. While she and her fellow Avengers were able to defeat Thanos at the end of Endgame, Wanda didn’t get the same kind of happy ending as Captain America. In fact, WandaVision sees Scarlet Witch becoming what there was grave fear she would as far back as Captain America: Civil War – a true threat to the universe. In a typically strange quirk, that manifests in Wanda apparently creating her own fake world to protect herself from her reality, distracting her in the safe environment of her own happily ever after.

For Wanda, wedded bliss with her Vizh comes in the form of a sitcom universe, complete with traditional tropes. Very little in the MCU is accidental and while there may be more to the calendar date of the “special day” in WandaVision‘s first episode, the comics may reveal a secret significance. Taking the date in European format, which Wanda would, of course, August 23rd becomes 23/8, and Avengers #238 ties not only into Vision but a wider narrative arc with suspiciously similar beats as WandaVision.

Avengers #238 is a Vision-centric story that also includes Monica Rambeau’s Captain Marvel prominently on the cover and pits Vision, Marvel, and other heroes against villain Moonstone (a psyche-powered villain allied to Egghead). Crucially, the issue deals with the revival of Vision after he’s injured in an earlier issue thanks to Annihilus and the initial attempt to break through to his unconscious mind after his injury. The revival of Vision is coincidental enough and Monica Rambeau’s presence adds to that, but that’s not the end of the link. The issue that sees Vision’s injury (#233) reveals that Annihilus created a null-field, a sort of force field intended to destroy Earth by creating a reaction that will merge Earth with the Negative Zone (when his null-field and a positive energy field growing inside it meet). Vision literally attempts to break through an energy field created by a magical character that threatens Earth’s existence, which is seemingly exactly what S.W.O.R.D. are attempting to do in WandaVision to break through to Scarlet Witch.

If it’s a coincidence, it’s a stunning one and Marvel’s creative teams have precedent in hiding such details in their productions. The fact that there are so many similarities feels like an intentional nod dropped in for fans of deeper Marvel lore. And if that’s an indication of how WandaVision will be adopting Marvel comics lore, fans are in for a great experience.

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Simon Gallagher
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Simon is a veteran editor who has been writing online since 2010 – long before anyone wanted to read his work. He loves Clueless. Like, a lot.

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