Explaining WandaVision's Second Post-Credits Scene

Contains spoilers for WandaVision episode 9. 

Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) just can't catch a break. She started WandaVision as an emotional wreck who lost her parents, her dear brother, and her one true love (twice). By the time the credits of the series finale roll, she's lost Vision (Paul Bettany) a third time, had and lost two kids, and found out that she's secretly an ultra-powerful magician who might be destined to become a destroyer of worlds. Oh, and the malevolent witch Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) forced a random Westview resident named Ralph (Evan Peters) to imitate Wanda's dead brother ... and Wanda unwittingly forced an entire town live a torturous existence as sitcom slaves. Those are probably weighing on her a little bit, too.

As Wanda takes flight and leaves the un-Hexed Westview and its rightfully irked residents behind, the viewer can't help but wonder how the perennially unlucky Scarlet Witch manages to carry on. Episode 9's first post-credits scene focuses on Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and offers little consolation on the Wanda front — but fortunately, the second one gives us a glimpse of her post-Westview life. But what exactly does WandaVision's second post-credits scene tell us about the Scarlet Witch and her future role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

WandaVision's second post-credits scene shows us that Wanda has retired to a cabin in the middle of nowhere and is hanging out on her porch in a surprisingly calm and serene mood. While this might seem like the kind of voluntary exile Thanos (Josh Brolin) pioneered after the Snap in Avengers: Endgame, appearances are deceiving. As a kettle whistles and Wanda walks inside, the camera moves past her and into the bedroom. There, an astral version of her is full at work, clad in Scarlet Witch regalia and studying Agatha's spellbook, the Darkhold. The scene ends when she suddenly hears the disembodied voices of Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy (Jett Klyne), calling her and desperately pleading for help. 

The entire sequence sets up a few pretty cool things for the MCU's Phase 4. For one, Wanda, who's still a relatively inexperienced magician, is freely perusing the dangerous Darkhold, which surely won't backfire in any way at all. The astral form indicates that she seems to have gained some knowledge of the astral plane, a favorite hangout of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and other sorcerers. Even Wanda's cross-legged levitation stance is a pretty obvious nod to Strange, who's been known to use it himself.

Since we already know that Elizabeth Olsen will appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and that WandaVision ties directly into that movie, these will presumably be important plot points in the future. Also, since Billy and Tommy appear to be alive somewhere — or, at the very least, something wants Wanda to believe they are — we now have a pretty good idea of her motivation in the Doctor Strange sequel.