Hey, @bryan-imhoff.

I think I've watched each episode at least three times now, some more than others. I echo your sentiments, though I actually enjoyed the first three episodes more than the last one. Episode Four was fun in that we get introduced to Monica, and get to see Agent Woo and Darcy Lewis in action, some smaller characters in past movies who get a chance to do more. But in reality, I think it was mostly to confirm or spell out things that had happened before, without really moving the plot that much more forward, and for me, I wouldn't have minded just blazing ahead.

At some point, the outside needed to be brought in and synched, so now we have it. Bring on Episode 5!

re: Fantastic Four

Interesting conjecture. Don't know if you saw last week's post where I hoped they don't do another Fantastic Four origin story. I'm hoping the way they treated Spider-Man and now S.W.O.R.D., that they'll do the same with the FF, and then let them do their thing. It seems like we'll be spending a lot of time in space or different dimensions with Phase 4.

re: Wanda and mutantkind

I could probably grow into a scenario where latent mutant genes are unlocked through something Wanda does, rather than them being completely poofed into existence. That makes a reverse House Of M situation, though, but perhaps sets up the true story, because, hey, if she can bring them into this world, she can also take them out!

I don't know. I like mutants blending in among us, those that can, rather than them not existing or just waiting to be unlocked, but that's a way better solution or premise than her speaking them somehow into existence.

re: Wanda's powers

I've perused the Scarlet Witch and Vision series here within the last two weeks, and they've definitely been pulling some material from it, the babies being the main part. I agree as far as the MCU is concerned that her powers were the result of Mind Stone manipulation, and I don't think it's too much of a stretch at all that there be some kind of connection between her and it, as well as Vision. And that the Mind Stone is interconnected somehow in WandaVision, if the trailers can be trusted.

Supposedly, the Mind Stone was returned to 2012 New York, thus preserving the timeline. But where would it be in 2023? The Avengers unsnapped the original snapping, but they didn't unsnap the subsequent snapping when Thanos destroyed them, right? So, it will be interesting to see what the trailers are hinting at.

Also, I feel I should note that while her powers originated through the Mind Stone, her powers glow like the Reality Stone, which would make way more sense here. :)

re: Mephisto

I'm hoping that we're leading up to him at some point. Since the babies' births occurred inside the sitcom reality, it's hard to tell where all of that is going, because in the comics it was more sequential than multi-layered, like it could be right now. At any rate, I think Mephisto would definitely put a big twist on things, and ultimately will be the big bad guy in the next Dr. Strange movie as he comes searching for his lost shards of soul.