Infiltration into Westview

The Infiltration into Westview was a successful attempt by Monica Rambeau to enter the Westview Anomaly, allowing her the chance to talk to Wanda Maximoff and attempt to convince her to stop controlling the town of Westview.

Background[]

In order to save the universe, Wanda Maximoff had to sacrifice her boyfriend, Vision, in order to destroy the Mind Stone. However, the sacrifice failed and Thanos managed to obtain the Mind Stone anyway, snapping his fingers and killing half of all life in the universe, including Maximoff.^[2] Five years later, Maximoff returned as Hulk snapped his own fingers, resurrecting everyone who had been lost. Stephen Strange recruited Maximoff and many other heroes in a final confrontation against an alternate version of Thanos, during which Maximoff was given a short-lived opportunity chance to take out her rage out Vision's death.^[3]

Two weeks following the battle, Maximoff had discovered that Vision's body was at S.W.O.R.D.'s headquarters, so she drove to see him, and was granted access. However, she discovered that Vision could not be resurrected and was being experimented on by S.W.O.R.D., prompting her to leave, upset. She went to Westview, New Jersey, where she found the plot of land in which they were planning to live together. Having an emotional breakdown, Maximoff let out a burst of chaos magic, causing the town to be forced into a sitcom reality controlled by Maximoff, in which Vision was alive and married to Maximoff.^[4]

One of the residents of Westview was under witness protection, so when he failed to report to his officer, Jimmy Woo was sent to Westview to check on the situation, requesting the use of drones from S.W.O.R.D.. Director Tyler Hayward sent Monica Rambeau to help on her first day back at work after being a victim of Thanos' Snap. She was pulled into Westview's magical barrier^[5] and forced to take on the sitcom personality of Geraldine as a host of the local talent show.^[6] "Geraldine" was later involved in a story in which Maximoff gave birth to twins, and when Maximoff mentioned having a twin herself, Rambeau suddenly remembered the real world,^[7] causing Maximoff to kick her out. As she left Westview, she discovered that S.W.O.R.D. had set up a response base on the border of Westview.^[5]

During her rigorous testing, Rambeau explained that Maximoff was responsible for what was happening, but that she was in pain and needed to be handled delicately. Rambeau realized that, while her clothes changed to match the time period, they were still made out of the kevlar in the suit she was wearing, causing them to realize that Maximoff was causing things within Westview to change to fit the time period of the sitcom, and that they could maintain control over a drone if they sent one in that matched the period. They recovered technology from the 1980s and sent a drone into Westview, attempting to contact Maximoff. However, Hayward tried to initiate a drone strike against Maximoff, prompting her to shut off the drone and bring it outside of Westview, confronting S.W.O.R.D. and threatening Hayward.^[8] Despite this, Rambeau, Woo, and Darcy Lewis still felt sympathy for Maximoff, so they betrayed Hayward and S.W.O.R.D. to try to get through to her peacefully.

While Rambeau, Woo, and Lewis investigated S.W.O.R.D.,^[9] the recreation Vision inside Westview became suspicious that Maximoff was controlling Westview following an encounter he had with Abilash Tandon after momentarily freeing him from her control.^[8] While Maximoff was distracted by her sons trick-or-treating and the apparent resurrection of "Pietro Maximoff," Vision investigated Westview and discovered its border. He tried to leave town, although he was slowly forced back in^[9] since his essence was tied to the town.^[10] Billy Maximoff sensed Vision's pain as Vision begged S.W.O.R.D. to help the people inside, so he told his mother, who quickly expanded the magical barrier around the town, absorbing Vision and much of S.W.O.R.D., forcing the organization to set up a new base.^[9]

Rambeau and Woo met with Aly Goodner, who had built a vehicle which Rambeau believed could get a person inside Westview without the effects of the brainwashing. Meanwhile, Maximoff decided to take the day for herself and relax in her house due to her stress.^[11]

Infiltration[]

Monica Rambeau put on a special suit and got into the vehicle which could get her into Westview, beginning to drive toward the border. She collided with the magical barrier, prompting the vehicle to begin to get transformed, causing everyone to realize it failed. As the car got partly turned into a truck and Rambeau escaped, she realized that she could get through the barrier on her own. She took off her helmet and began running through, despite shouted protests from Jimmy Woo. Rambeau pushed through the magical barrier as her DNA was altered a third time. She successfully entered the town and gain new abilities, including spectral vision.

Rambeau rushed to the Vision Residence, where she found Wanda Maximoff home alone, attempting to warn Maximoff about Tyler Hayward's true plan, getting Vision for himself. Rambeau attempted to reason with Maximoff, who instead ensured Rambeau in her magic and caused her to hover several feet above the ground. Rambeau tried to explain herself, but Maximoff accused her of lying and tried to throw Rambeau to the ground. Rambeau landed on her feet due to her new abilities, surprising Maximoff. The two continued to talk, and Rambeau pleaded with Maximoff not to allow Hayward to make her into a villain, but Maximoff suggested that she already was. The conversation was interrupted by Agnes, who scolded Rambeau and took Maximoff to her house.^[11]

Aftermath[]

While at Agnes' house, Wanda Maximoff discovered that her true identity was Agatha Harkness, and that she was responsible for the problems happening in Maximoff's design of Westview.^[11] Harkness revealed that she had kidnapped Maximoff's children, forcing Maximoff to go through her past traumatic memories so that Harkness could learn where her magical abilities originated. Harkness eventually figured out that Maximoff was the Scarlet Witch, a powerful being who was supposed to be fiction. She held Maximoff's children hostage and revealed this information,^[4] resulting in a battle between the two women.^[10]

Meanwhile, Rambeau investigated Harkness' house, where she was abducted by the imposter of Pietro Maximoff.^[11] Rambeau eventually realized that "Maximoff's" true identity was Ralph Bohner, and it was his house. Rambeau overpowered Bohner, freeing him from Harkness' control. As Maximoff realized the pain she caused to the citizens of Westview and freed them from her control, when S.W.O.R.D. began to attack Maximoff, Vision, and her sons, including through the use of a rebooted version of the original Vision. Rambeau ran to the battle and found Hayward about to shoot Maximoff's children, so she got away and absorbed the bullets' momentum, stopping them from dying as Billy Maximoff stopped the one she missed. Maximoff ended the Hex and went on the run, while Rambeau was recruited by a Skrull to work with Nick Fury.^[10]

References[]