Disney+'s WandaVision kicked off 2021 with two episodes the streaming service, and though there are a lot of questions about just what is going on in the show, one thing is for sure: The proud tradition of Easter eggs in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is alive and well. The first two episodes of the new series are chock full of hidden references.
The show is a smorgasbord of callbacks and references not just to the MCU, but the comic books the show draws heavily from, as well as the classic sitcoms the show mines for its unusual format. Some Easter eggs are obvious, while others take a bit of work and multiple viewings to catch.
10 Bova Milk
The second episode features a lot of fantastic references. One occurs within an animated opening sequence which is itself an homage to the classic sitcom Bewitched. In the background of the supermarket where Wanda shops, there is a sign for Bova Milk.
Bova is a sentient cow in the comic books who actually was the mid-wife to Wanda when she gave birth to her twins in Wundagore. Wundagore was the retreat of The High Evolutionary, a strange Marvel villain who may or may not play a role in the series going forward.
9 Auntie A's Kitty Litter
Another ad in the background of the same scene is for Auntie A's Kitty Litter. This is surely a reference to Agatha Harkness, a powerful witch and one of Marvel Comics' most powerful magic users. She has a close and tragic relationship with the Scarlet Witch in the comics.
Agatha taught Wanda, but also deceived her, being responsible for the cruel illusion that her children were real. One of the major fan theories about WandaVision is that Kathryn Hahn, who plays Agnes, is actually Agatha.
8 Toast Mate 2000
The series makes great use of its throwback TV format by using advertisements in the middle of each episode, and the hilarious ads are full of references. The first episode features the Toast Mate 2000, made by Stark Industries. The Stark reference is obvious for fans of the movies and comics, but the toaster has a deeper meaning.
In the comics, Wanda often— both lovingly and sometimes angrily— referred to Vision as a "toaster," which emerged out of a silly joke he told her once.
7 Strucker Watch
The ad in the second episode is much more ominous. The product is for the Strucker Watch and is a direct reference to Baron Von Strucker, a major villain in the comics and the man responsible for the empowerment of Scarlet Witch and her brother Quicksilver in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, a movie that changed the MCU forever.
The watch also features the HYDRA name and logo, another reference to the allegiance of Strucker, one of the last remaining HYDRA holdouts in the movies.
6 SWORD Logo
The SWORD emblem appears on the notebook of a mysterious figure at the end of episode one. SWORD is traditionally the cosmic arm of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the comic books, so their role in the series is very curious.
The symbol appears elsewhere in the first two episodes, as well as the teasers, so it's clear they will be a major factor. It is also likely that they are the party trying to contact Wanda through the radio in episode two, a scene in which the faux reality of Westview starts to disintegrate.
5 Squadron Supreme
A great deep-cut reference in the show is one that takes a little bit of detective work. The office worker fired in the first episode is Phil Jones. Phil appears in the second episode as well, suggesting he may have a larger role in the show.
He has a large role in the comics as the husband of Arcanna, a member of the Squadron Supreme. The Squadron Supreme hails from an alternate universe in the comics, so it's possible they could play some role in the strange reality of the show.
4 Infinity Stones
The second episode features a lot of great direct references to Bewitched, especially through the use of animation. The animated sequences are also full of callbacks to the MCU. One of them is a subtle but unmistakable reference to the Infinity Stones.
The image features six smaller dots surrounding a seventh larger one, similar to the arrangement of the stones on the gauntlet Thanos wore. The stones have had an integral role in the lives of both Scarlet Witch and Vision, and apparently in his case, also his death.
3 Glamour And Illusion
Wanda and Vision perform in a magic show in the second episode, as the magic act Glamour And Illusion. This is a direct reference to issue five of The Vision And The Scarlet Witch, an '80s limited series by writer Steve Englehart and artist Richard Howell, with a clear influence on this entire series.
The two performed as Glamour and Illusion in that series, and it's clear that later episodes will mine from it as well, judging from the teasers. Lots of comic book stories for Wanda and Vision could be in play in the show.
2 The Mind Stone
The Mind Stone is of course central to the existence of the Vision in the MCU. The movie version of the Vision relies on it to survive, which makes his appearance in the show all the more curious. The Mind Stone appears as the emblem on the outside of the magic box that he and Wanda use for the magic show.
It's likely that the stone will play some role in the outcome of the series, and Wanda may even be trying to use it to resurrect her partner somehow, judging from the teasers.
1 Avengers #57
One of the best Easter eggs in the second episode contains a couple of different layers. Wanda finds a toy helicopter in her front yard. The toy features the SWORD logo, a reference to the cosmic arm of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the number 57, a likely reference to Avengers #57, the first appearance of Vision.
The toy is also in color— red and yellow— despite everything else being in black and white. This conceit is likely a nod to the movie Pleasantville, which similarly used color to denote the interruption of the film's generic 1950s black and white reality.