vox--2020-09-19--Ginsburg’s SCOTUS colleagues honor her legacy as a “hero” for justice

The eight remaining Supreme Court justices mourned and celebrated their late colleague Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in individual statements Saturday , calling her a “ woman of valor , ” a “ hero ” to many Americans , and a “ cherished colleague and friend.
” “ To me , as to countless others , Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a hero , ” wrote Justice Elena Kagan .
“ Her work was as careful as it was creative , as disciplined as it was visionary .
It will endure for as long as Americans retain their commitment to law.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard of her passing at Rosh Hashanah service , said “ the world is a better place for her having lived in it.
” Ginsburg , who died Friday due to complications from cancer , served on the court for 27 years and had seen the Court ’ s makeup change dramatically over those years .
Many of the justices — from those who joined the bench decades ago to those who joined more recently — acknowledged the kindness with which she had welcomed them to the nation ’ s highest court .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor , who was appointed by President Barack Obama .
“ She welcomed me to the Court with a warmth I could not have expected , and I came to feel a special kinship with her .
She was someone whose wisdom , kindness , and unwavering support I could always rely on.
” Justice Samuel Alito , a President George W. Bush appointee , echoed those sentiments : “ Martha-Ann and I were deeply saddened by the news that Justice Ginsburg has passed away .
Ruth and [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel at home immediately when I joined the Court , and we will certainly miss her.
” Her former colleagues across the political spectrum honored the contributions she had made to American society .
“ No American has ever done more than Justice Ginsburg to ensure equal justice under law for women .
She was a cherished colleague , and she inspired me , and all of us , with her unparalleled work ethic and devotion to the law , ” wrote Justice Brett Kavanaugh , President Donald Trump ’ s most recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during his confirmation process .
A number of the Court ’ s justices specifically saluted Ginsburg ’ s judicial work advancing gender equality .
In a testament to Ginsburg ’ s influence , however , even many of those who voted to restrict some of her landmark rulings on issues like abortion rights had nothing but the highest praise for their former colleague .
“ Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature , ” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts .
“ We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice.
” Many of the justices wrote eloquently , too , of the human being they will miss , with Justice Clarence Thomas calling her “ the essence of grace , civility and dignity , ” and Justice Neil Gorsuch recounting “ happy memories ... like traveling with Ruth to London where ( to her delight ) an uninformed guide kept calling her ‘ Ruthie , ’ or all the opera she tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her sweet tooth at lunch , or the touching stories of her remarkable life with Marty.
” And Kagan wrote , “ I will miss her—her intellect , her generosity , her sly wit , her manifest integrity , and her endless capacity for work—for the rest of my life.
” Read the justices ’ statements here , or below .
Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature .
We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague .
Today we mourn , but with confidence that future generations will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice .
My wife , Virginia , and I are heartbroken to learn of the passing of our friend , Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Ruth and I first met when I began my tenure on the D.C .
Circuit in 1990 .
With the exception of the brief period between our respective appointments to the Supreme Court , we have since been judicial colleagues .
Through the many challenges both professionally and personally , she was the essence of grace , civility and dignity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave her best and exacted the best from each of us , whether in agreement or disagreement .
And , as outstanding as she was as a judge , she was an even better colleague – unfailingly gracious , thoughtful , and civil .
Through her loss of her wonderful husband , Marty , and her countless health challenges , she was a picture of grace and courage .
Not once did the pace and quality of her work suffer even as she was obviously suffering grievously .
Nor did her demeanor toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of a long tenure is watching colleagues decline and pass away .
And , the passing of my dear colleague , Ruth , is profoundly difficult and so very sad .
I will dearly miss my friend .
Virginia and I will keep her family in our thoughts and prayers .
I heard of Ruth ’ s death while I was reciting the Mourner ’ s Kaddish at the Rosh Hashanah service .
I thought : The world is a better place for her having lived in it .
And so is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeply saddened by the news that Justice Ginsburg has passed away .
Ruth and Marty made us feel at home immediately when I joined the Court , and we will certainly miss her .
Justice Ginsburg will go down as a leading figure in the history of the Court .
She will be remembered for her intelligence , learning , and remarkable fortitude .
She has been and will continue to be an inspiration for many .
My dear friend and colleague Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American hero .
She spent her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , and she was a pathbreaking champion of women ’ s rights .
She served our Court and country with consummate dedication , tirelessness , and passion for justice .
She has left a legacy few could rival .
I will miss Ruth greatly .
She welcomed me to the Court with a warmth I could not have expected , and I came to feel a special kinship with her .
She was someone whose wisdom , kindness , and unwavering support I could always rely on .
I will forever cherish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my deepest condolences to her children , grandchildren , and great-grandchild .
I know how much she treasured and loved you .
She often said that leading a meaningful life means living for one ’ s family and one ’ s community , not for oneself .
Ruth lived a profoundly meaningful life , and the numerous ways in which she changed ours will never be forgotten .
To me , as to countless others , Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a hero .
As an attorney , she led the fight to grant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a judge , she did justice every day—working to ensure that this country ’ s legal system lives up to its ideals and extends its rights and protections to those once excluded .
And in both roles , she held to—indeed , exceeded—the highest standards of legal craft .
Her work was as careful as it was creative , as disciplined as it was visionary .
It will endure for as long as Americans retain their commitment to law .
Ruth reached out to encourage and assist me in my career , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , long before I came to the Supreme Court .
And she guided and inspired me , on matters large and small , once I became her colleague .
I will miss her—her intellect , her generosity , her sly wit , her manifest integrity , and her endless capacity for work—for the rest of my life .
I give my deepest condolences to her beloved children and grandchildren .
May her memory be a blessing .
Louise and I have lost a cherished colleague and friend .
For forty years , Ruth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our most distinguished judges .
Her sacrifices for the country were many , but always performed with honor .
We are blessed by the happy memories that will remain , like traveling with Ruth to London where ( to her delight ) an uninformed guide kept calling her “ Ruthie , ” or all the opera she tried so valiantly to teach me , or her sweet tooth at lunch , or the touching stories of her remarkable life with Marty .
We will miss Ruth and our hearts go out to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ashley , Margaret , Liza , and I are profoundly saddened by the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , and we extend our prayers and deepest condolences to her family and to her four decades of law clerks .
No American has ever done more than Justice Ginsburg to ensure equal justice under law for women .
She was a cherished colleague , and she inspired me , and all of us , with her unparalleled work ethic and devotion to the law .
A meticulous and pathmarking judge , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precision and accuracy in her beautifully crafted opinions .
And she inspired all of us to try to meet those same exacting standards .
I learned from her principled voice and marveled at her wonderful wit at our weekly conferences and daily lunches .
Justice Ginsburg paved the way for women to become lawyers and judges .
She made it possible for women and girls like my daughters to compete on equal footing as student-athletes .
When Justice Ginsburg was last in my office earlier this year , I pointed out a photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women who served as law clerks in my chambers in my first term .
As long as I am fortunate enough to serve on the Supreme Court , I will keep that photo prominently in my office as a continuing tribute to Justice Ginsburg and as a daily reminder to work hard and pursue equal justice .
May God bless Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
The members of the Court always will cherish all that Justice Ginsburg meant to us as a distinguished jurist and an inspiring , wonderful person .
She will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our Court .
Ruth was a close , dear friend .
Mary joins me in sending our deepest sympathies to her family .
In our court sessions and conferences Ruth was remarkably well prepared for every case , down to the smallest detail .
If the two of us disagreed , it was always in a civil , principled , respectful way .
By her learning she taught devotion to the law .
By her dignity she taught respect for others and her love for America .
By her reverence for the Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to secure our freedom .
Will you help keep Vox free for all ?
The United States is in the middle of one of the most consequential presidential elections of our lifetimes .
It ’ s essential that all Americans are able to access clear , concise information on what the outcome of the election could mean for their lives , and the lives of their families and communities .
That is our mission at Vox .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources .
Even when the economy and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work .
If you have already contributed , thank you .
If you haven ’ t , please consider helping everyone understand this presidential election : Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

The eight remaining Supreme Court justices mourned and celebrated their late colleague Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in individual statements Saturday, calling her a “woman of valor,” a “hero” to many Americans, and a “cherished colleague and friend.”
“To me, as to countless others, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a hero,” wrote Justice Elena Kagan. “Her work was as careful as it was creative, as disciplined as it was visionary. It will endure for as long as Americans retain their commitment to law.”
Justice Stephen Breyer, who said he heard of her passing at Rosh Hashanah service, said “the world is a better place for her having lived in it.”
Ginsburg, who died Friday due to complications from cancer, served on the court for 27 years and had seen the Court’s makeup change dramatically over those years. Many of the justices — from those who joined the bench decades ago to those who joined more recently — acknowledged the kindness with which she had welcomed them to the nation’s highest court.
“I will miss Ruth greatly,” wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who was appointed by President Barack Obama. “She welcomed me to the Court with a warmth I could not have expected, and I came to feel a special kinship with her. She was someone whose wisdom, kindness, and unwavering support I could always rely on.”
Justice Samuel Alito, a President George W. Bush appointee, echoed those sentiments: “Martha-Ann and I were deeply saddened by the news that Justice Ginsburg has passed away. Ruth and [her late husband] Marty made us feel at home immediately when I joined the Court, and we will certainly miss her.”
Her former colleagues across the political spectrum honored the contributions she had made to American society.
“No American has ever done more than Justice Ginsburg to ensure equal justice under law for women. She was a cherished colleague, and she inspired me, and all of us, with her unparalleled work ethic and devotion to the law,” wrote Justice Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s most recent nominee, who faced sexual assault allegations during his confirmation process.
A number of the Court’s justices specifically saluted Ginsburg’s judicial work advancing gender equality. In a testament to Ginsburg’s influence, however, even many of those who voted to restrict some of her landmark rulings on issues like abortion rights had nothing but the highest praise for their former colleague.
“Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. “We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”
Many of the justices wrote eloquently, too, of the human being they will miss, with Justice Clarence Thomas calling her “the essence of grace, civility and dignity,” and Justice Neil Gorsuch recounting “happy memories ... like traveling with Ruth to London where (to her delight) an uninformed guide kept calling her ‘Ruthie,’ or all the opera she tried so valiantly to teach me, or her sweet tooth at lunch, or the touching stories of her remarkable life with Marty.”
And Kagan wrote, “I will miss her—her intellect, her generosity, her sly wit, her manifest integrity, and her endless capacity for work—for the rest of my life.”
Read the justices’ statements here, or below.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.
Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature. We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice.
Justice Clarence Thomas
My wife, Virginia, and I are heartbroken to learn of the passing of our friend, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Ruth and I first met when I began my tenure on the D.C. Circuit in 1990. With the exception of the brief period between our respective appointments to the Supreme Court, we have since been judicial colleagues. Through the many challenges both professionally and personally, she was the essence of grace, civility and dignity. She was a superb judge who gave her best and exacted the best from each of us, whether in agreement or disagreement. And, as outstanding as she was as a judge, she was an even better colleague – unfailingly gracious, thoughtful, and civil.
Through her loss of her wonderful husband, Marty, and her countless health challenges, she was a picture of grace and courage. Not once did the pace and quality of her work suffer even as she was obviously suffering grievously. Nor did her demeanor toward her colleagues diminish.
The most difficult part of a long tenure is watching colleagues decline and pass away. And, the passing of my dear colleague, Ruth, is profoundly difficult and so very sad. I will dearly miss my friend.
Virginia and I will keep her family in our thoughts and prayers.
Justice Stephen G. Breyer
I heard of Ruth’s death while I was reciting the Mourner’s Kaddish at the Rosh Hashanah service. I thought:
a great Justice;
a woman of valour;
a rock of righteousness;
and my good, good friend.
The world is a better place for her having lived in it.
And so is her family;
her friends;
the legal community;
and the nation.
Justice Samuel A. Alito
Martha-Ann and I were deeply saddened by the news that Justice Ginsburg has passed away. Ruth and Marty made us feel at home immediately when I joined the Court, and we will certainly miss her. Justice Ginsburg will go down as a leading figure in the history of the Court. She will be remembered for her intelligence, learning, and remarkable fortitude. She has been and will continue to be an inspiration for many.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor
My dear friend and colleague Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American hero. She spent her life fighting for the equality of all people, and she was a pathbreaking champion of women’s rights. She served our Court and country with consummate dedication, tirelessness, and passion for justice. She has left a legacy few could rival.
I will miss Ruth greatly. She welcomed me to the Court with a warmth I could not have expected, and I came to feel a special kinship with her. She was someone whose wisdom, kindness, and unwavering support I could always rely on. I will forever cherish the moments we shared.
I send my deepest condolences to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. I know how much she treasured and loved you. She often said that leading a meaningful life means living for one’s family and one’s community, not for oneself. Ruth lived a profoundly meaningful life, and the numerous ways in which she changed ours will never be forgotten.
Justice Elena Kagan
To me, as to countless others, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a hero. As an attorney, she led the fight to grant women equal rights under the law. As a judge, she did justice every day—working to ensure that this country’s legal system lives up to its ideals and extends its rights and protections to those once excluded. And in both roles, she held to—indeed, exceeded—the highest standards of legal craft. Her work was as careful as it was creative, as disciplined as it was visionary. It will endure for as long as Americans retain their commitment to law. Ruth reached out to encourage and assist me in my career, as she did for so many others, long before I came to the Supreme Court. And she guided and inspired me, on matters large and small, once I became her colleague. I will miss her—her intellect, her generosity, her sly wit, her manifest integrity, and her endless capacity for work—for the rest of my life. I give my deepest condolences to her beloved children and grandchildren. May her memory be a blessing.
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch
Louise and I have lost a cherished colleague and friend. For forty years, Ruth served the American people as one of our most distinguished judges. Her sacrifices for the country were many, but always performed with honor. We are blessed by the happy memories that will remain, like traveling with Ruth to London where (to her delight) an uninformed guide kept calling her “Ruthie,” or all the opera she tried so valiantly to teach me, or her sweet tooth at lunch, or the touching stories of her remarkable life with Marty. We will miss Ruth and our hearts go out to her family. May she rest in peace.
Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh
Ashley, Margaret, Liza, and I are profoundly saddened by the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and we extend our prayers and deepest condolences to her family and to her four decades of law clerks. No American has ever done more than Justice Ginsburg to ensure equal justice under law for women. She was a cherished colleague, and she inspired me, and all of us, with her unparalleled work ethic and devotion to the law. A meticulous and pathmarking judge, she held herself to the highest standards of precision and accuracy in her beautifully crafted opinions. And she inspired all of us to try to meet those same exacting standards. I learned from her principled voice and marveled at her wonderful wit at our weekly conferences and daily lunches. Justice Ginsburg paved the way for women to become lawyers and judges. She made it possible for women and girls like my daughters to compete on equal footing as student-athletes. When Justice Ginsburg was last in my office earlier this year, I pointed out a photo I keep of her standing with four women who served as law clerks in my chambers in my first term. As long as I am fortunate enough to serve on the Supreme Court, I will keep that photo prominently in my office as a continuing tribute to Justice Ginsburg and as a daily reminder to work hard and pursue equal justice. May God bless Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Former Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
The members of the Court always will cherish all that Justice Ginsburg meant to us as a distinguished jurist and an inspiring, wonderful person. She will have an esteemed piece in the history of our Court. Ruth was a close, dear friend. Mary joins me in sending our deepest sympathies to her family.
In our court sessions and conferences Ruth was remarkably well prepared for every case, down to the smallest detail. If the two of us disagreed, it was always in a civil, principled, respectful way.
By her learning she taught devotion to the law. By her dignity she taught respect for others and her love for America. By her reverence for the Constitution, she taught us to preserve it to secure our freedom.


vox--2020-09-19--What Justice Ginsburg’s death means for the future of abortion rights

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was one of the Supreme Court ’ s strongest champions for abortion rights .
Her death on Friday at the age of 87 throws the future of those rights into doubt .
Ginsburg always maintained that the right to an abortion was key to women ’ s autonomy .
In her dissent in the 2007 case Gonzales v. Carhart , for example , she called it “ a right declared again and again by this court — and with increasing comprehension of its centrality to women ’ s lives.
” And though her view did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which upheld a ban on so-called “ partial-birth ” abortion , she was a crucial bulwark on the Court against any direct assault on Roe v. Wade , the landmark 1973 decision that established abortion rights in America .
Now that bulwark is gone .
If President Trump is able to appoint Ginsburg ’ s replacement , he will likely give conservatives on the Court the votes they need to overturn Roe , or at least to weaken it beyond recognition .
The result will be an acceleration of what is already happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of abortion , in which the procedure is accessible in blue states ( and for people who can afford to travel ) and out of reach everywhere else .
For many reproductive rights advocates , that ’ s a dark future .
But it ’ s also one they ’ ve been anticipating for years , as state-level restrictions made abortions harder and harder to obtain .
And they ’ ve been preparing — with abortion funds that help people travel across state lines , as well as advocacy around self-managed abortion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with medication outside of a clinical setting .
The end of Roe will have major legal consequences .
But advocates on the ground have already seen what a post-Roe world looks like , and are getting ready for everyone to live in it .
Ginsburg ’ s death could be the beginning of the end for Roe During his 2016 campaign , Trump promised to appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe .
And when he made his second pick , Justice Brett Kavanaugh , generally seen as an opponent of abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the votes to reverse the decision .
But others were more doubtful .
In anti-abortion circles , some believed conservatives would actually need more than a 5-4 majority for something as momentous as reversing Roe .
Indeed , the first major abortion case to come before the Trump-era Court , June Medical Services v. Russo , was a disappointment to abortion opponents .
Rather than delivering the rollback of Roe some were hoping for , Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberals on the Court this year to overturn a Louisiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privileges at a local hospital .
The case brought by the state of Louisiana was exceptionally weak , giving conservatives on the Court little to work with , and the ruling certainly left open the possibility of future challenges .
But it was a signal , for some , that the Court wasn ’ t yet ready to tackle Roe .
A big obstacle to doing so was Ginsburg .
One of the staunchest liberals on the Court , she was a lifelong advocate of women ’ s rights , and saw the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
“ This is something central to a woman ’ s life , to her dignity , ” she said in response to a question about abortion during her 1993 confirmation hearing .
“ It ’ s a decision that she must make for herself .
And when government controls that decision for her , she ’ s being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.
” Now that advocate is gone , probably to be replaced by a justice of Trump ’ s choosing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drug Administration v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , concerning whether patients should be able to obtain abortion medication by telemedicine during the pandemic , is already before the Court .
With Ginsburg gone , that case , or another like it , could easily become a vehicle to overturn Roe .
Abortion-rights advocates have been preparing for this moment for years As Vox ’ s Ian Millhiser has noted , Roberts , in his concurrence on June Medical Services v. Russo , made clear that while he could not support the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that case , he was open to challenging Roe on other grounds .
In addition to FDA v. American College , laws requiring an ultrasound or waiting period before an abortion , or limiting abortion for reasons of Down syndrome diagnosis , for example , have been challenged in lower courts and could make their way to the Supreme Court in future .
And as many have pointed out , any case involving abortion could potentially serve as a vehicle for the Court to revisit Roe .
When it does so , minus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointee , it may well overturn the decision , or weaken it so much that states essentially have carte blanche to restrict abortion out of existence .
That will have serious consequences for patients , all of whom currently have , at least in theory , the legal right to an abortion in their state .
But it will also be a continuation of something that ’ s been happening for years .
Since 2010 , when Republicans took over many state legislatures around the country , states have passed hundreds of restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t banned the procedure outright , these restrictions have closed dozens of clinics across the South and Midwest .
Louisiana , where the June v. Russo case originated , has just three clinics .
Six states , including Kentucky , Missouri , and Mississippi , have just one .
Due to the lack of clinics in many places , as well as laws mandating waiting periods and other restrictions that make abortion more time-consuming and expensive for patients , the procedure is already all but out of reach in many red states , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients who can ’ t afford to travel long distances .
But in these states and around the country , abortion rights advocates have responded by creating abortion funds to help patients access the procedure , including traveling across state lines .
The New Orleans Abortion Fund , for example , has helped more than 1,500 patients since it was started in 2012 .
Other groups are working to break down legal barriers to self-managed abortion , so that patients who can not access a clinic can do the procedure themselves with medication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Court was considering June v. Russo , in anticipation of a potential defeat for abortion rights .
They amped up further during the pandemic , when it became harder than ever for patients around the country to travel to a clinic and to afford an abortion in the midst of an economic depression .
“ The kind of organizing , the deep rapport-building and trust-building between different funds and practical support network that ’ s come out of this pandemic , has made us stronger and more prepared for whatever comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , client and community coordinator at the New Orleans Abortion Fund , told Vox in advance of the June v. Russo decision .
This work has likely prepared advocates , too , for the potential end of Roe .
Such a decision would unquestionably bring serious new challenges .
In the wake of a reversal of Roe , anti-abortion advocates could push for a full nationwide ban on abortion , putting it out of reach even in blue states .
Meanwhile , laws criminalizing self-managed abortion in several states , like Arizona and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for many , even though experts say that medically , it ’ s often very safe .
But reproductive rights advocates around the country are channeling Ginsburg ’ s memory now , and vowing not to give up .
“ Ginsburg ’ s ethos was greater than just the law , ” Fatima Goss Graves , president of the National Women ’ s Law Center , said in a statement Friday .
“ She was an icon and a living symbol of a north star , so we must unite and do for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight for what is right.
” Will you help keep Vox free for all ?
The United States is in the middle of one of the most consequential presidential elections of our lifetimes .
It ’ s essential that all Americans are able to access clear , concise information on what the outcome of the election could mean for their lives , and the lives of their families and communities .
That is our mission at Vox .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources .
Even when the economy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work .
If you have already contributed , thank you .
If you haven ’ t , please consider helping everyone understand this presidential election : Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was one of the Supreme Court’s strongest champions for abortion rights. Her death on Friday at the age of 87 throws the future of those rights into doubt.
Ginsburg always maintained that the right to an abortion was key to women’s autonomy. In her dissent in the 2007 case Gonzales v. Carhart, for example, she called it “a right declared again and again by this court — and with increasing comprehension of its centrality to women’s lives.” And though her view did not carry the day in that case, which upheld a ban on so-called “partial-birth” abortion, she was a crucial bulwark on the Court against any direct assault on Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that established abortion rights in America.
Now that bulwark is gone. If President Trump is able to appoint Ginsburg’s replacement, he will likely give conservatives on the Court the votes they need to overturn Roe, or at least to weaken it beyond recognition.
The result will be an acceleration of what is already happening around the country: a two-tiered system of abortion, in which the procedure is accessible in blue states (and for people who can afford to travel) and out of reach everywhere else.
For many reproductive rights advocates, that’s a dark future. But it’s also one they’ve been anticipating for years, as state-level restrictions made abortions harder and harder to obtain. And they’ve been preparing — with abortion funds that help people travel across state lines, as well as advocacy around self-managed abortion, allowing people to terminate their own pregnancies with medication outside of a clinical setting.
The end of Roe will have major legal consequences. But advocates on the ground have already seen what a post-Roe world looks like, and are getting ready for everyone to live in it.
Ginsburg’s death could be the beginning of the end for Roe
During his 2016 campaign, Trump promised to appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe. And when he made his second pick, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, generally seen as an opponent of abortion rights, conventional wisdom held that conservatives had the votes to reverse the decision.
But others were more doubtful. In anti-abortion circles, some believed conservatives would actually need more than a 5-4 majority for something as momentous as reversing Roe.
Indeed, the first major abortion case to come before the Trump-era Court, June Medical Services v. Russo, was a disappointment to abortion opponents. Rather than delivering the rollback of Roe some were hoping for, Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberals on the Court this year to overturn a Louisiana law requiring abortion providers to get admitting privileges at a local hospital. The case brought by the state of Louisiana was exceptionally weak, giving conservatives on the Court little to work with, and the ruling certainly left open the possibility of future challenges.
But it was a signal, for some, that the Court wasn’t yet ready to tackle Roe. A big obstacle to doing so was Ginsburg. One of the staunchest liberals on the Court, she was a lifelong advocate of women’s rights, and saw the right to an abortion as crucial among them.
“This is something central to a woman’s life, to her dignity,” she said in response to a question about abortion during her 1993 confirmation hearing. “It’s a decision that she must make for herself. And when government controls that decision for her, she’s being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.”
Now that advocate is gone, probably to be replaced by a justice of Trump’s choosing. And another abortion case, Food and Drug Administration v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, concerning whether patients should be able to obtain abortion medication by telemedicine during the pandemic, is already before the Court. With Ginsburg gone, that case, or another like it, could easily become a vehicle to overturn Roe.
Abortion-rights advocates have been preparing for this moment for years
As Vox’s Ian Millhiser has noted, Roberts, in his concurrence on June Medical Services v. Russo, made clear that while he could not support the state of Louisiana’s claim in that case, he was open to challenging Roe on other grounds. In addition to FDA v. American College, laws requiring an ultrasound or waiting period before an abortion, or limiting abortion for reasons of Down syndrome diagnosis, for example, have been challenged in lower courts and could make their way to the Supreme Court in future. And as many have pointed out, any case involving abortion could potentially serve as a vehicle for the Court to revisit Roe.
When it does so, minus Ginsburg and plus a potential third Trump appointee, it may well overturn the decision, or weaken it so much that states essentially have carte blanche to restrict abortion out of existence.
That will have serious consequences for patients, all of whom currently have, at least in theory, the legal right to an abortion in their state.
But it will also be a continuation of something that’s been happening for years. Since 2010, when Republicans took over many state legislatures around the country, states have passed hundreds of restrictions on abortion. While they haven’t banned the procedure outright, these restrictions have closed dozens of clinics across the South and Midwest. Louisiana, where the June v. Russo case originated, has just three clinics. Six states, including Kentucky, Missouri, and Mississippi, have just one.
Due to the lack of clinics in many places, as well as laws mandating waiting periods and other restrictions that make abortion more time-consuming and expensive for patients, the procedure is already all but out of reach in many red states, especially for people of color and low-income patients who can’t afford to travel long distances.
But in these states and around the country, abortion rights advocates have responded by creating abortion funds to help patients access the procedure, including traveling across state lines. The New Orleans Abortion Fund, for example, has helped more than 1,500 patients since it was started in 2012. Other groups are working to break down legal barriers to self-managed abortion, so that patients who cannot access a clinic can do the procedure themselves with medication.
Many of these efforts ramped up as the Court was considering June v. Russo, in anticipation of a potential defeat for abortion rights. They amped up further during the pandemic, when it became harder than ever for patients around the country to travel to a clinic and to afford an abortion in the midst of an economic depression.
“The kind of organizing, the deep rapport-building and trust-building between different funds and practical support network that’s come out of this pandemic, has made us stronger and more prepared for whatever comes on decision day,” Elizabeth Gelvin, client and community coordinator at the New Orleans Abortion Fund, told Vox in advance of the June v. Russo decision.
This work has likely prepared advocates, too, for the potential end of Roe.
Such a decision would unquestionably bring serious new challenges. In the wake of a reversal of Roe, anti-abortion advocates could push for a full nationwide ban on abortion, putting it out of reach even in blue states. Meanwhile, laws criminalizing self-managed abortion in several states, like Arizona and South Carolina, make this option risky for many, even though experts say that medically, it’s often very safe.
But reproductive rights advocates around the country are channeling Ginsburg’s memory now, and vowing not to give up.
“Ginsburg’s ethos was greater than just the law,” Fatima Goss Graves, president of the National Women’s Law Center, said in a statement Friday. “She was an icon and a living symbol of a north star, so we must unite and do for her what she did for us — fight for what is right.”


vox--2020-09-19--Democratic donors raised millions after Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death

As soon as the news of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s death was announced , the speculation began about the fight to replace her on the Court and how it might affect the 2020 presidential election .
Court appointments were already a key issue for voters across the political spectrum .
Recent polling showed that Democratic voters were more motivated than Republicans by Supreme Court nominations .
As President Trump ’ s polling numbers have lagged behind Democratic nominee Joe Biden over the past several months largely due to his inept response to the coronavirus pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remind voters that Supreme Court nominations are on the line this election .
“ The next president will get one , two , three , or four Supreme Court justices , ” Trump said at a rally in Minnesota Friday , seemingly unaware of the news of Ginsburg ’ s passing .
“ Many presidents have had none , they ’ ve had none , because they are there for a long time.
” But polling taken before Friday ’ s news broke shows that voters in several key swing states largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choose Supreme Court justices .
In Arizona , where Biden currently holds a 9-point lead , according to a New York Times/Siena College poll of 653 likely voters in the state taken September 10 to 15 , voters trust Biden to choose a Supreme Court justice 53 to 43 percent with a 4.1 percent margin of error .
In Maine , where Republican senator and self-proclaimed moderate Susan Collins is currently trailing her Democratic opponent Sara Gideon , voters trust Biden to choose a justice by an even wider margin .
A similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maine taken September 11 to 16 showed voters prefer Biden choose a justice over Trump 59 percent to 37 percent , with a 5.1 percent margin of error .
And in North Carolina , a state that went for Trump by 2.6 percent in 2016 , voters again choose Biden , 47 percent to 44 percent , in an NYT poll of 653 likely voters in the state taken September 11-16 , with a 4.3 percent margin of error .
Four Republican senators would need to join forces with Democrats to block Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court .
Republican senators from each of those three states are locked in difficult reelection campaigns , and the polling suggests confirming a Supreme Court nomination before the election or during a lame-duck session of Congress might complicate their effort to keep their seats .
Meanwhile , early indicators suggest that Democratic voters have responded to Ginsburg ’ s death , and the coming political and electoral fight , in a big way .
According to the Democratic donor site ActBlue , $ 6.2 million flowed through the site in the 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ginsburg ’ s death .
It was more money raised in a single hour on the site since its launch 16 years ago — and it was immediately eclipsed by the 10 pm hour , which saw $ 6.3 million raised .
A major shake-up — and new stakes — for the presidential campaigns Ginsburg ’ s passing has clearly raised the stakes for this November ’ s general election .
While Biden had solidified a lead by hammering Trump for his administration ’ s failed pandemic response and continuing to trumpet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into power in the House in 2018 , Trump has continually reminded conservative voters about the importance of the courts over the long term .
Trump on Saturday morning tweeted a pledge to immediately fill the seat , reminding voters that he was elected with a strong mandate to appoint conservative judges .
Biden , in turn , called for the nomination process to be stalled until after the election so that voters can have a direct voice in who the nominee should be .
It remains to be seen whether another hotly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump close the polling gap with Biden .
“ There was always going to be massive turnout , and Democrats are already fired up beyond belief , ” Robert Blizzard , a Republican pollster , told Politico Friday .
“ With Democrats likely to enjoy a significant advantage in early , mail-in voting , we ’ re going to need every vote we can get come Election Day to offset that deficit.
” The calculus for Trump is clear .
After struggling deep into this election cycle , he needs to remind his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social issues , such as abortion , LGBTQ rights , and other key decisions that lie with the high court .
And as the two most recent nomination processes have shown , Trump and Senate Republicans are more than capable of seating justices favored by conservatives In 2018 , many pundits believed that the emotional battle over Justice Brett Kavanaugh ’ s nomination to the Supreme Court would rally outraged conservatives to turn out in the midterm elections .
Instead , there was a blue wave .
And if the early fundraising numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be too much on the line for Democrats this year for Trump to overcome .
Will you help keep Vox free for all ?
The United States is in the middle of one of the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
It ’ s essential that all Americans are able to access clear , concise information on what the potential outcome of the election could mean for their lives , and the lives of their families and communities .
That is our mission at Vox .
But our distinctive brand of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work .
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If you haven ’ t , please consider helping everyone understand this presidential election : Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

As soon as the news of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death was announced, the speculation began about the fight to replace her on the Court and how it might affect the 2020 presidential election.
Court appointments were already a key issue for voters across the political spectrum. Recent polling showed that Democratic voters were more motivated than Republicans by Supreme Court nominations. As President Trump’s polling numbers have lagged behind Democratic nominee Joe Biden over the past several months largely due to his inept response to the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic collapse, Trump has attempted to remind voters that Supreme Court nominations are on the line this election.
“The next president will get one, two, three, or four Supreme Court justices,” Trump said at a rally in Minnesota Friday, seemingly unaware of the news of Ginsburg’s passing. “Many presidents have had none, they’ve had none, because they are there for a long time.”
But polling taken before Friday’s news broke shows that voters in several key swing states largely trust Biden, not Trump, to choose Supreme Court justices. In Arizona, where Biden currently holds a 9-point lead, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll of 653 likely voters in the state taken September 10 to 15, voters trust Biden to choose a Supreme Court justice 53 to 43 percent with a 4.1 percent margin of error.
In Maine, where Republican senator and self-proclaimed moderate Susan Collins is currently trailing her Democratic opponent Sara Gideon, voters trust Biden to choose a justice by an even wider margin. A similar NYT poll of 663 likely voters in Maine taken September 11 to 16 showed voters prefer Biden choose a justice over Trump 59 percent to 37 percent, with a 5.1 percent margin of error.
And in North Carolina, a state that went for Trump by 2.6 percent in 2016, voters again choose Biden, 47 percent to 44 percent, in an NYT poll of 653 likely voters in the state taken September 11-16, with a 4.3 percent margin of error.
Four Republican senators would need to join forces with Democrats to block Trump from successfully confirming a justice to the Supreme Court. Republican senators from each of those three states are locked in difficult reelection campaigns, and the polling suggests confirming a Supreme Court nomination before the election or during a lame-duck session of Congress might complicate their effort to keep their seats.
Meanwhile, early indicators suggest that Democratic voters have responded to Ginsburg’s death, and the coming political and electoral fight, in a big way.
According to the Democratic donor site ActBlue, $6.2 million flowed through the site in the 9 pm hour Friday, immediately following news of Ginsburg’s death. It was more money raised in a single hour on the site since its launch 16 years ago — and it was immediately eclipsed by the 10 pm hour, which saw $6.3 million raised.
A major shake-up — and new stakes — for the presidential campaigns
Ginsburg’s passing has clearly raised the stakes for this November’s general election. While Biden had solidified a lead by hammering Trump for his administration’s failed pandemic response and continuing to trumpet the health care message that swept Democrats into power in the House in 2018, Trump has continually reminded conservative voters about the importance of the courts over the long term.
Trump on Saturday morning tweeted a pledge to immediately fill the seat, reminding voters that he was elected with a strong mandate to appoint conservative judges. Biden, in turn, called for the nomination process to be stalled until after the election so that voters can have a direct voice in who the nominee should be.
It remains to be seen whether another hotly contested Supreme Court nomination process will help Trump close the polling gap with Biden.
“There was always going to be massive turnout, and Democrats are already fired up beyond belief,” Robert Blizzard, a Republican pollster, told Politico Friday. “With Democrats likely to enjoy a significant advantage in early, mail-in voting, we’re going to need every vote we can get come Election Day to offset that deficit.”
The calculus for Trump is clear. After struggling deep into this election cycle, he needs to remind his base that he is their champion on social issues, such as abortion, LGBTQ rights, and other key decisions that lie with the high court. And as the two most recent nomination processes have shown, Trump and Senate Republicans are more than capable of seating justices favored by conservatives
In 2018, many pundits believed that the emotional battle over Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court would rally outraged conservatives to turn out in the midterm elections. Instead, there was a blue wave.
And if the early fundraising numbers are any indicator, there may just be too much on the line for Democrats this year for Trump to overcome.
The United States is in the middle of one of the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. It’s essential that all Americans are able to access clear, concise information on what the potential outcome of the election could mean for their lives, and the lives of their families and communities. That is our mission at Vox. But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work. If you have already contributed, thank you. If you haven’t, please consider helping everyone understand this presidential election: Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-09-19--A spontaneous Supreme Court vigil celebrated Justice Ginsburg’s life and legacy

The Supreme Court was Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s workplace and her battleground .
It was where , while working as a lawyer in the 1970s , she argued six cases and won five , setting precedents that established women ’ s equality before the law .
It was where she issued her memorable dissents during her 27-year tenure .
And on Friday night , after Ginsburg died at the age of 87 , it was where at least 1,000 people gathered to mourn the Supreme Court ’ s second female justice and to celebrate her legacy .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included people of all ages , brought candles , signs , and flowers ; they sang songs ( “ This Land Is Your Land ” ) ; they wore masks .
Some waved LGBTQ pride flags .
It was an unusual outpouring of grief for a Supreme Court justice , but Ginsburg occupied an unusual place in American culture — she was not just a hero to many liberal women ( and men ) for her place in history and her work on the Supreme Court bench , but something of a meme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the moniker bestowed on her by Shana Knizhnik , the “ Notorious RBG.
” ( Knizhnik , then a law student , came up with the nickname after Ginsburg read her dissent aloud in Shelby County v. Holder , the case that gutted the Voting Rights Act ; it was later the title of a Ginsburg biography co-written by Knizhnik and journalist Irin Carmon . )
Her face was featured on mugs , magnets , and dishtowels , and her life story was chronicled in a documentary and a feature film .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Adams Morgan neighborhood pleaded with residents to wear a mask “ for RBG.
” “ In an era when too many American leaders treat human lives as abstractions , the fandom , even at its cheekiest , insisted on the Court ’ s humanity , ” wrote the Atlantic ’ s Megan Garber .
“ The personal is political ; the memes , like the person they celebrate , insisted that the personal is also judicial.
” For Ginsburg ’ s mourners , her death could not have come at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a pandemic that has killed nearly 200,000 Americans , and less than two months before an election that will decide the fate of a presidency she hoped to outlast .
She often said that she hoped the president “ after this one ” would be a “ fine president , ” according to her New York Times obituary .
Her dying wish , as told to her granddaughter , was that “ I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.
” One mourner Friday night carried a sign that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homemade sign read “ when there are nine , ” a reference to how Ginsburg answered frequent questions about when there would be “ enough ” women on the Supreme Court .
The mourners who converged on the Supreme Court Friday night came to honor Ginsburg ’ s legal legacy , to mourn a personal hero , and — some said — because they simply did not want to be alone in the aftermath of the news .
“ The question that keeps popping up in my head is , ‘ Who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ” one woman told the Washington Post .
“ It just feels like such a deep loss at this particular time .
It ’ s a lot to put on a woman of her age to keep us safe and functioning as a constitutional democracy.
” Will you help keep Vox free for all ?
The United States is in the middle of one of the most consequential presidential elections of our lifetimes .
It ’ s essential that all Americans are able to access clear , concise information on what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives , and the lives of their families and communities .
That is our mission at Vox .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work .
If you have already contributed , thank you .
If you haven ’ t , please consider helping everyone understand this presidential election : Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

The Supreme Court was Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s workplace and her battleground.
It was where, while working as a lawyer in the 1970s, she argued six cases and won five, setting precedents that established women’s equality before the law. It was where she issued her memorable dissents during her 27-year tenure.
And on Friday night, after Ginsburg died at the age of 87, it was where at least 1,000 people gathered to mourn the Supreme Court’s second female justice and to celebrate her legacy.
The crowd, which the Washington Post reported included people of all ages, brought candles, signs, and flowers; they sang songs (“This Land Is Your Land”); they wore masks. Some waved LGBTQ pride flags.
It was an unusual outpouring of grief for a Supreme Court justice, but Ginsburg occupied an unusual place in American culture — she was not just a hero to many liberal women (and men) for her place in history and her work on the Supreme Court bench, but something of a meme.
She was, in the words of the moniker bestowed on her by Shana Knizhnik, the “Notorious RBG.” (Knizhnik, then a law student, came up with the nickname after Ginsburg read her dissent aloud in Shelby County v. Holder, the case that gutted the Voting Rights Act; it was later the title of a Ginsburg biography co-written by Knizhnik and journalist Irin Carmon.)
Her face was featured on mugs, magnets, and dishtowels, and her life story was chronicled in a documentary and a feature film. Coronavirus prevention signs in Washington, DC’s Adams Morgan neighborhood pleaded with residents to wear a mask “for RBG.”
“In an era when too many American leaders treat human lives as abstractions, the fandom, even at its cheekiest, insisted on the Court’s humanity,” wrote the Atlantic’s Megan Garber. “The personal is political; the memes, like the person they celebrate, insisted that the personal is also judicial.”
For Ginsburg’s mourners, her death could not have come at a worse time: in the seventh month of a pandemic that has killed nearly 200,000 Americans, and less than two months before an election that will decide the fate of a presidency she hoped to outlast. She often said that she hoped the president “after this one” would be a “fine president,” according to her New York Times obituary. Her dying wish, as told to her granddaughter, was that “I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”
One mourner Friday night carried a sign that said “Honor Her Wish.”
Another homemade sign read “when there are nine,” a reference to how Ginsburg answered frequent questions about when there would be “enough” women on the Supreme Court.
The mourners who converged on the Supreme Court Friday night came to honor Ginsburg’s legal legacy, to mourn a personal hero, and — some said — because they simply did not want to be alone in the aftermath of the news.
“The question that keeps popping up in my head is, ‘Who is going to take care of us?’” one woman told the Washington Post. “It just feels like such a deep loss at this particular time. It’s a lot to put on a woman of her age to keep us safe and functioning as a constitutional democracy.”


vox--2020-09-20--How chaotic will 2020’s virtual Emmys be? Picture 130 video feeds. At once.

The 2020 Primetime Emmys are going to be a proving ground , if nothing else .
The 72nd annual ceremony — which will air on ABC at 8 pm ET on Sunday , September 20 , and stream on ABC ’ s website ( with a cable login ) , Hulu ’ s Live TV service , and something called FuboTV — won ’ t be held in a giant theater full of celebrities because ( and I don ’ t know if you ’ ve heard this ) the global Covid-19 pandemic makes hosting events where lots of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , the awards are primed to become an ode to barely structured chaos .
There will be 130 cameras stationed around the world — from New York to Los Angeles , from London to Tel Aviv — all designed to capture the moment when a nominee wins or loses .
And for safety ’ s sake , those cameras are either going to be operated remotely or by the nominees themselves .
The Television Academy has shipped out tiny “ production ” units , which contain a camera , a laptop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boom microphone , as per a recent press conference with the awards show ’ s producers .
( You can read a list of nominees right here . )
It ’ s honestly pretty nifty , but it also contains the potential for so , so much chaos .
Think of your standard videoconferencing operation .
Now multiply that by 130 individual live feeds , one for each nominee , not to mention everything going on at the Staples Center in LA , which will be the awards ’ hub .
Yeah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot .
Here are five things to expect from this year ’ s incredibly unusual Emmy Awards .
1 ) Host Jimmy Kimmel will be delivering his jokes from a ( mostly ) empty Staples Center At a Wednesday press conference , the Emmys ’ executive producers , Reggie Hudlin and Ian Stewart , said that Kimmel would be hanging out at the Staples Center to deliver his monologue and keep things rolling along .
At first , that might sound like he ’ ll be standing in a giant , empty arena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But , no , the producers assured the press : Other people will drop by to say hey ( though they wouldn ’ t say who , exactly ; our money is on Matt Damon , so Kimmel can keep running that particular joke into the ground ) .
Still , a mostly empty , cavernous space , combined with a comedian who almost certainly gains energy from hearing people laugh at his jokes ... what could go wrong ?
2 ) All 130 of those video feeds will be streaming into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It sure sounds like once the Emmy Awards begin , all of those cameras are going to turn on , and then the celebrities will be forced to just hang out in their desk chairs and watch the show .
Surely , some of those feeds will be turned off as the evening wears on ( particularly for those nominees who don ’ t win in their categories ) , but at least for the opening monologue , the producers will likely want to be able to cut to , say , Baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Mandalorian .
( DON ’ T YOU COME FOR BABY YODA , JIMMY KIMMEL . )
This makes for an incredibly elaborate production headache .
Any one of those feeds could go on the fritz at any moment , and all of them have to be filtered through command HQ at the Staples Center .
What could possibly go wrong ?
3 ) The stars will be wearing whatever they want Surely some of them will be glammed up , but the event has no dress code .
If Ted Danson wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ted Danson is gon na show up in footie pajamas .
4 ) It sure seems like Schitt ’ s Creek , Succession , and Watchmen will have a big night It ’ s too soon to make reliable predictions — the week-long slog that is the Creative Arts Emmys only got to the portion where it started handing out awards for scripted programming on Wednesday , after two full days of awards to nonscripted programming — but given the categories where the three shows above are nominated , particularly for acting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general buzz for them within the TV industry , it seems safe to predict they ’ ll each be taking home a number of trophies on Sunday .
( Further bolstering Schitt ’ s Creek ’ s case : It won Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series , and the last five winners of that award went on to win Outstanding Comedy Series . )
Then again , The Mandalorian scooped up five Creative Arts Emmys , helping Disney+ set a new bar for how quickly a streaming service can attain Emmy success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a streaming service has ever won this many awards in its first year of eligibility ) , so look out for Baby Yoda .
Unless Jimmy Kimmel gets him first .
5 ) The Emmys are going to be trying some new stuff — and other awards shows will be taking notes The 2020 Emmys are going to take chances on how they present awards , simply by necessity .
We don ’ t know enough to really speculate .
But we do know that awards shows like the Grammys and Oscars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are going to be watching closely as they figure out how to offer up an awards show in the Covid-19 era .
Indiewire quoted Hudlin as saying the following : What could this mean ?
We have no idea .
But we hope it means that after he ’ s done laying into Baby Yoda , Kimmel uses powerful sorcery ( or just holograms ) to conjure the spirits of many of the nominees to share the stage with him and do his bidding .
Or , more likely than not , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bunch of semi-funny comedic bits staged all over the world , requiring precise timing over a videoconferencing platform ( a medium known for precise comedic timing ) .
The Emmys , like last month ’ s Democratic National Convention , have a chance to break open the template of a TV staple that has become so commonplace as to be deeply boring .
Will this year ’ s ceremony actually do that and save awards shows forever ?
Probably not , but hey , we can still hope .
The 72nd Annual Primetime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 , at 8 pm ET on ABC .
It will be live nationwide .
You can also watch on ABC ’ s website ( with a cable login ) , Hulu ’ s Live TV service , and FuboTV .
Help keep Vox free for all Millions turn to Vox each month to understand what ’ s happening in the news , from the coronavirus crisis to a racial reckoning to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Our mission has never been more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : to empower you through understanding .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work .
If you have already contributed , thank you .
If you haven ’ t , please consider helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world : Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

The 2020 Primetime Emmys are going to be a proving ground, if nothing else.
The 72nd annual ceremony — which will air on ABC at 8 pm ET on Sunday, September 20, and stream on ABC’s website (with a cable login), Hulu’s Live TV service, and something called FuboTV — won’t be held in a giant theater full of celebrities because (and I don’t know if you’ve heard this) the global Covid-19 pandemic makes hosting events where lots of people crowd together into one room not advisable.
Instead, the awards are primed to become an ode to barely structured chaos. There will be 130 cameras stationed around the world — from New York to Los Angeles, from London to Tel Aviv — all designed to capture the moment when a nominee wins or loses. And for safety’s sake, those cameras are either going to be operated remotely or by the nominees themselves. The Television Academy has shipped out tiny “production” units, which contain a camera, a laptop, a ring light, and a boom microphone, as per a recent press conference with the awards show’s producers. (You can read a list of nominees right here.)
It’s honestly pretty nifty, but it also contains the potential for so, so much chaos. Think of your standard videoconferencing operation. Now multiply that by 130 individual live feeds, one for each nominee, not to mention everything going on at the Staples Center in LA, which will be the awards’ hub.
Yeah, it’s going to be a lot.
Here are five things to expect from this year’s incredibly unusual Emmy Awards.
1) Host Jimmy Kimmel will be delivering his jokes from a (mostly) empty Staples Center
At a Wednesday press conference, the Emmys’ executive producers, Reggie Hudlin and Ian Stewart, said that Kimmel would be hanging out at the Staples Center to deliver his monologue and keep things rolling along.
At first, that might sound like he’ll be standing in a giant, empty arena, delivering jokes into an echoing nothingness. But, no, the producers assured the press: Other people will drop by to say hey (though they wouldn’t say who, exactly; our money is on Matt Damon, so Kimmel can keep running that particular joke into the ground).
Still, a mostly empty, cavernous space, combined with a comedian who almost certainly gains energy from hearing people laugh at his jokes ... what could go wrong?
2) All 130 of those video feeds will be streaming into the Staples Center command headquarters at once
It sure sounds like once the Emmy Awards begin, all of those cameras are going to turn on, and then the celebrities will be forced to just hang out in their desk chairs and watch the show. Surely, some of those feeds will be turned off as the evening wears on (particularly for those nominees who don’t win in their categories), but at least for the opening monologue, the producers will likely want to be able to cut to, say, Baby Yoda when Kimmel makes a crack about The Mandalorian. (Don’t you come for Baby Yoda, Jimmy Kimmel!)
This makes for an incredibly elaborate production headache. Any one of those feeds could go on the fritz at any moment, and all of them have to be filtered through command HQ at the Staples Center. What could possibly go wrong?
3) The stars will be wearing whatever they want
Surely some of them will be glammed up, but the event has no dress code. If Ted Danson wants to show up in footie pajamas, Ted Danson is gonna show up in footie pajamas.
4) It sure seems like Schitt’s Creek, Succession, and Watchmen will have a big night
It’s too soon to make reliable predictions — the week-long slog that is the Creative Arts Emmys only got to the portion where it started handing out awards for scripted programming on Wednesday, after two full days of awards to nonscripted programming — but given the categories where the three shows above are nominated, particularly for acting, writing, and directing, and the general buzz for them within the TV industry, it seems safe to predict they’ll each be taking home a number of trophies on Sunday. (Further bolstering Schitt’s Creek’s case: It won Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, and the last five winners of that award went on to win Outstanding Comedy Series.)
Then again, The Mandalorian scooped up five Creative Arts Emmys, helping Disney+ set a new bar for how quickly a streaming service can attain Emmy success (it’s the first time a streaming service has ever won this many awards in its first year of eligibility), so look out for Baby Yoda. Unless Jimmy Kimmel gets him first.
5) The Emmys are going to be trying some new stuff — and other awards shows will be taking notes
The 2020 Emmys are going to take chances on how they present awards, simply by necessity. We don’t know enough to really speculate. But we do know that awards shows like the Grammys and Oscars, scheduled for the first half of 2021, are going to be watching closely as they figure out how to offer up an awards show in the Covid-19 era.
Indiewire quoted Hudlin as saying the following:
Let’s use this opportunity as a way to experiment with different ways of presenting awards, so from category to category, it’s going to change throughout the entire three-hour broadcast. Some of them may not work. But we said, let’s just experiment. And let’s have the audience a little more on the edge of their seat just to see how many tricks we can pull out of our sleeve.
What could this mean? We have no idea. But we hope it means that after he’s done laying into Baby Yoda, Kimmel uses powerful sorcery (or just holograms) to conjure the spirits of many of the nominees to share the stage with him and do his bidding. Or, more likely than not, we’re going to see a bunch of semi-funny comedic bits staged all over the world, requiring precise timing over a videoconferencing platform (a medium known for precise comedic timing).
The Emmys, like last month’s Democratic National Convention, have a chance to break open the template of a TV staple that has become so commonplace as to be deeply boring. Will this year’s ceremony actually do that and save awards shows forever? Probably not, but hey, we can still hope.
The 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sunday, September 20, at 8 pm ET on ABC. It will be live nationwide. You can also watch on ABC’s website (with a cable login), Hulu’s Live TV service, and FuboTV.


vox--2020-09-21--Making sense of Marvel’s delightfully bizarre WandaVision trailer

The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe looks a lot like I Love Lucy .
During Sunday night ’ s Emmys broadcast , Marvel released the first official trailer for WandaVision , the upcoming Disney+ show centering on the Scarlet Witch ( a.k.a .
Wanda Maximoff ) and her late ex-boyfriend Vision , an android .
The trailer — which presents the series as a pastiche of vintage television sitcoms starring a very domestic Wanda and Vision — raises more questions than answers .
Here ’ s a few Qs : What the hell is going on ?
Why are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is supposed to be dead , now in Nick-at-Nite purgatory ?
And why does it seem as though they ’ re trapped and can ’ t leave ?
And who put them in there ?
More complicated is figuring out how this show folds into the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) .
Marvel ’ s post-Endgame strategy is to have its Disney+ shows weave into the MCU .
WandaVision makes for the first new MCU story following the Avengers ’ final battle ; after WandaVision , Scarlet Witch ’ s next confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2022 ’ s Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness .
We know she ’ s going to get out of this sitcom abyss in time for that , but we have no clue how .
As weird as the trailer sets up the show to be , there are a few clues to pull from the comics and Easter eggs within the trailer itself that might spell out the future of Wanda and her love affair with Vision .
Bigger yet , it may hide answers to some universe-building questions — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brings the X-Men into the fold .
Below is a brief breakdown of the big clues and things to expect based on what we saw in the trailer .
Given that all of Marvel ’ s movies and television shows draw on the deep canon of Marvel comics , there ’ s always some semblance of spoilers lurking about .
Just Googling a character ’ s name leads to an archive of 50-plus years of continuous Marvel narrative about them .
The WandaVision trailer has a couple of very noteworthy comic book references @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not seem like much , but they are huge Easter eggs referencing Wanda and Vision ’ s comic book storylines .
One big clue is that Wanda and Vision are holding what appear to be twin boys : In the influential comic book event “ House of M ” — which offers many more hints for what to expect from WandaVision ; we ’ ll get to them in a bit — Wanda imagines a reality for herself in which she has two babies .
In the repercussions of “ House Of M @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , through a very complex series of events , as two future superheroes who come to be known as the Young Avengers ’ Wiccan and Speed .
The appearance of twins in WandaVision could signal or reference their existence in the MCU .
And then there ’ s Kathryn Hahn ’ s character in what appears to be a witch ’ s hat : Though Hahn ’ s character is unnamed on the show ’ s IMDb page , she ’ s rumored to be playing Agatha Harkness ( or “ Agness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Harkness ’ s real identity ) , a witch in the Marvel comics universe .
Harkness is one of Scarlet Witch ’ s mentors , and she also ties into Vision ’ s award-winning 2015–2016 solo comic book series ( written by Tom King and drawn by Gabriel Hernandez Walta ) , in which the android tries to live a happy suburban life .
In that comic , Harkness sees a future where Vision will destroy the world ; WandaVision seems to include a lot of imagery from the comic , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book fans may cite Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau on the cast list as a red flag .
Fans of the Captain Marvel comics know that Monica Rambeau was one of the heroes who previously held the title of Captain Marvel .
In the 2019 Captain Marvel movie , though , Monica is a little girl and not yet a hero .
Parris ’ s Rambeau does appear briefly in the trailer ; she looks to be shot out of space and into reality , signaling she ’ s not only older than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she might have her photonic , light-manipulating powers in this iteration .
What seems most interesting for comics fans , though , may be what appears to be a big message on a bottle .
There ’ s a brief shot of a wine bottle that bears a huge M stamp on its neck and a label that reads “ Maison du Mépris ” : The translation of that label is “ House of Contempt.
” On the surface , it seems like contempt is a good word for how Scarlet Witch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s trapped in or the reality she ’ s left behind .
It could also be a reference to the 1963 film Le Mépris by Jean-Luc Goddard , a movie often cited for its ironic telling of a story about emptiness ; WandaVision , too , seems to tell a story about an over-the-top way to mask its hero ’ s feelings of emptiness .
But the prominence of the letter M and the French word for “ house ” on the bottle seem to be a big wink to fans about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge Scarlet Witch-centered comic book story about reality warping .
Why WandaVision looks a lot like the Marvel comic book storyline “ House of M ” From what we can piece together from the trailer , Wanda and Vision are in some kind of alternate dimension .
Vision is somehow alive , despite Thanos killing him in Infinity War , and has been reunited with Wanda .
They ’ re now living their lives in a crooked , glitchy collection of jump cuts from classic television shows while Kathryn Hahn ’ s character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds preferable to what ’ s going on in the real world right now . )
At the same time , it ’ s clear the world is still functioning outside of Wanda and Vision ’ s reality , and some kind of government operation is apparently observing them play house together .
While the movies have yet to establish whether this is Scarlet Witch ’ s doing , the comic books have a precedent for this type of alternate-reality story : “ House of M. ” Written in 2005 by Brian Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ House of M ” was a comic book crossover event that featured both the Avengers and the X-Men .
Just prior to that event , Scarlet Witch suffers a nervous breakdown and can ’ t control her powers , resulting in the deaths of fellow Avengers Hawkeye , Ant-Man , and Vision .
In “ House of M , ” Scarlet Witch is in an even worse psychological state as she deals with the grief of killing her friends and her lover .
Her powers , which are connected to the fabric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her mental state ; therefore , her psychotic break poses a threat to all mankind , a trope that Marvel tends to love .
For example , in the first issue of the event , Scarlet Witch creates a reality in which she has kids and lives her very own happily ever after .
I do enjoy that the reality she creates has her brother , Quicksilver , dressed in a sensible turtleneck for the occasion : Professor X of X-Men fame interrupts that reality , jolting both Wanda and readers .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hallucination induced by her fragile psychological state .
He specifically tells her to “ stop abusing ” her powers and to put reality back to the way it was .
Left unchecked , Wanda could rewrite reality into whatever she wants , or whatever she thinks she wants : And the kind of bonkers thing about it all is that this happens in the first few pages of the comic book event .
“ House of M ” goes on to explore the X-Men and Avengers discussing the morality about what to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of molding reality to her liking .
Theoretically , Scarlet Witch could erase all of them from existence at any moment , and that ’ s a colossal threat .
But instead of wiping everyone off the planet , Scarlet Witch creates a reality in which mutants ( which is what she was at the time before Marvel retconned her origin story ) are the dominant race of humanity , treated as royalty and celebrities .
This inverted her true reality , in which mutants are feared and hated .
And when everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Witch ’ s fake reality , her psychotic break leads her to famously de-power almost the entire mutant race by saying the words , “ No more mutants.
” Given what we see in the trailer and the complete lack of mutants in the MCU , it ’ s probably safe to say WandaVision won ’ t exactly follow “ House of M. ” Introducing mutants into the universe , creating an alternate reality for them , and then ultimately de-powering them — all while tying their fate to the upcoming Doctor Strange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory to cover in a single season of television .
But it ’ s not difficult to see how the show could borrow from the realty-warping elements of “ House of M , ” at least .
WandaVision looks like it borrows heavily from the comics , which means tweaking Scarlet Witch ’ s powers ( again ) When it comes to telling Scarlet Witch ’ s story , the Marvel movies and the Marvel comics have never really seen eye-to-eye .
In Avengers : Age of Ultron , she has telekinesis as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she uses to mess with the Avengers and , later , evacuate Sokovia .
Her mind control powers are dropped ( or forgotten about by the writers ) after Age of Ultron , as she uses telekinesis alone in Captain America : Civil War , Infinity War , and Endgame .
And based on WandaVision and what we know of Scarlet Witch ’ s role in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness , it seems like those powers are shifting again — possibly toward the same set the hero has in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more powerful in the source material than she is in the movies .
Granted , the history of her powers is much more confusing in the comic books than in the movies , possibly explaining why the MCU turned her power set into something much simpler , like limiting her to moving stuff with her mind .
Instead of leaving her with mind control and telekinesis , comic-book Scarlet Witch has powers that can warp reality ( more on this in a bit ) and tap into actual , mystical magic .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Doctor Strange and his faculty teach teenage wizards , sorceresses , warlocks , etc.
, at a magic school — Scarlet Witch is established as one of the most adept magic-users in the Marvel comic book universe .
And her magic , usually defined as “ chaos magic , ” makes her one of the Marvel universe ’ s most powerful characters , as seen when she goes toe-to-toe with the cosmic Phoenix Force in 2012 ’ s Avengers vs. X-Men .
In that comic , the Phoenix is all about restoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power is about chaos and disruption : The origin of these powers is muddled , thanks to various retcons throughout the comics , but her original powers were related to manipulating probability — hence her affinity for “ chaos magic.
” Some writers took this to mean that if Scarlet Witch had the power to manipulate probability , then she would also have the power to warp reality .
That ’ s what ’ s seemingly happening in the WandaVision trailer , as Wanda and Vision find themselves trapped in a sitcom dimension @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taste of Wanda ’ s true powers , and she ’ s processing her grief through vintage sitcoms because , growing up in war-torn Sokovia , the only form of happiness she knows is television ?
Maybe she ’ s being manipulated by whomever Kathryn Hahn is playing ?
Or maybe this is a way of bringing Vision and other characters back into the MCU ?
And maybe those other characters are ... the X-Men ?
The biggest question : Is WandaVision going to give us mutants ?
All of this leads us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s powers be the thing that finally manifests mutants and the X-Men in the MCU ?
There ’ s a two-part impetus behind the question .
The first part of the equation is Scarlet Witch and the mutants ’ close connection to “ House of M. ” It ’ s a mutant story , and its protagonists and consequences directly affected the mutants of Marvel ’ s comic book world .
The second , and possibly more important part , is that weaving Marvel ’ s mutants into the MCU seems like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until Disney ’ s acquisition of Fox in 2019 , Marvel wasn ’ t able to use the X-Men and their related villains because of Fox ’ s long-held film rights to the characters .
With all those characters now under one roof , Marvel now has the chance to unite the X-Men with the MCU characters .
If it wants to introduce the X-Men into the MCU , Marvel will have to figure out a storyline in which mutants are either created within the MCU or are logically introduced to our existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
secretly monitoring mutants all along ) .
Scarlet Witch altering reality in WandaVision and then subsequently dealing with multiple realities in her team-up with Doctor Strange presents a convenient way to introduce them .
For what it ’ s worth , Scarlet Witch as a gateway for mutants in the MCU could ’ ve made even more sense had the comics not retconned her original backstory .
Before Marvel shook everything up , the comics originally presented Scarlet Witch and her twin brother Quicksilver as Magneto ’ s mutant children .
X-Men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s best friend and toughest mutant enemy .
I wouldn ’ t be opposed to that kind of introduction .
I ’ m a big X-Men fan and would love to see my favorite characters on the big screen again .
That said , I ’ d also be quite content with WandaVision not introducing any of that stuff and just giving us a better glimpse into the Scarlet Witch character than we ’ ve ever had .
Ever since their introduction , Scarlet Witch and Vision have been used more for subplots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main characters .
With the Disney+ story , they finally have a delightfully bizarre-looking story to themselves .
It ’ s finally an opportunity to get to know the characters on their own terms .
And there ’ s plenty to have fun with there , even if it doesn ’ t include the X-Men .
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The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe looks a lot like I Love Lucy.
During Sunday night’s Emmys broadcast, Marvel released the first official trailer for WandaVision, the upcoming Disney+ show centering on the Scarlet Witch (a.k.a. Wanda Maximoff) and her late ex-boyfriend Vision, an android. The trailer — which presents the series as a pastiche of vintage television sitcoms starring a very domestic Wanda and Vision — raises more questions than answers.
Here’s a few Qs: What the hell is going on? Why are these two superheroes, one of whom is supposed to be dead, now in Nick-at-Nite purgatory? And why does it seem as though they’re trapped and can’t leave? And who put them in there?
More complicated is figuring out how this show folds into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Marvel’s post-Endgame strategy is to have its Disney+ shows weave into the MCU. WandaVision makes for the first new MCU story following the Avengers’ final battle; after WandaVision, Scarlet Witch’s next confirmed appearance will be fighting alongside Doctor Strange in 2022’s Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. We know she’s going to get out of this sitcom abyss in time for that, but we have no clue how.
As weird as the trailer sets up the show to be, there are a few clues to pull from the comics and Easter eggs within the trailer itself that might spell out the future of Wanda and her love affair with Vision. Bigger yet, it may hide answers to some universe-building questions — like whether or not this is what brings the X-Men into the fold.
Below is a brief breakdown of the big clues and things to expect based on what we saw in the trailer.
The trailer’s comic book Easter eggs include twins, wine, and a weird witch
Given that all of Marvel’s movies and television shows draw on the deep canon of Marvel comics, there’s always some semblance of spoilers lurking about. Just Googling a character’s name leads to an archive of 50-plus years of continuous Marvel narrative about them.
The WandaVision trailer has a couple of very noteworthy comic book references. To casual fans, they might not seem like much, but they are huge Easter eggs referencing Wanda and Vision’s comic book storylines.
One big clue is that Wanda and Vision are holding what appear to be twin boys:
In the influential comic book event “House of M” — which offers many more hints for what to expect from WandaVision; we’ll get to them in a bit — Wanda imagines a reality for herself in which she has two babies. In the repercussions of “House Of M,” the babies end up reincarnated, through a very complex series of events, as two future superheroes who come to be known as the Young Avengers’ Wiccan and Speed. The appearance of twins in WandaVision could signal or reference their existence in the MCU.
And then there’s Kathryn Hahn’s character in what appears to be a witch’s hat:
Though Hahn’s character is unnamed on the show’s IMDb page, she’s rumored to be playing Agatha Harkness (or “Agness,” which is a combination/code name pointing to Harkness’s real identity), a witch in the Marvel comics universe. Harkness is one of Scarlet Witch’s mentors, and she also ties into Vision’s award-winning 2015–2016 solo comic book series (written by Tom King and drawn by Gabriel Hernandez Walta), in which the android tries to live a happy suburban life. In that comic, Harkness sees a future where Vision will destroy the world; WandaVision seems to include a lot of imagery from the comic, too.
Speaking of IMDb, some comic book fans may cite Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau on the cast list as a red flag. Fans of the Captain Marvel comics know that Monica Rambeau was one of the heroes who previously held the title of Captain Marvel. In the 2019 Captain Marvel movie, though, Monica is a little girl and not yet a hero. Parris’s Rambeau does appear briefly in the trailer; she looks to be shot out of space and into reality, signaling she’s not only older than when we last saw her but also that she might have her photonic, light-manipulating powers in this iteration.
What seems most interesting for comics fans, though, may be what appears to be a big message on a bottle. There’s a brief shot of a wine bottle that bears a huge M stamp on its neck and a label that reads “Maison du Mépris”:
The translation of that label is “House of Contempt.” On the surface, it seems like contempt is a good word for how Scarlet Witch may feel toward either the reality she’s trapped in or the reality she’s left behind. It could also be a reference to the 1963 film Le Mépris by Jean-Luc Goddard, a movie often cited for its ironic telling of a story about emptiness; WandaVision, too, seems to tell a story about an over-the-top way to mask its hero’s feelings of emptiness. But the prominence of the letter M and the French word for “house” on the bottle seem to be a big wink to fans about “House of M,” the huge Scarlet Witch-centered comic book story about reality warping.
Why WandaVision looks a lot like the Marvel comic book storyline “House of M”
From what we can piece together from the trailer, Wanda and Vision are in some kind of alternate dimension. Vision is somehow alive, despite Thanos killing him in Infinity War, and has been reunited with Wanda. They’re now living their lives in a crooked, glitchy collection of jump cuts from classic television shows while Kathryn Hahn’s character torments them. (Personally, that sounds preferable to what’s going on in the real world right now.) At the same time, it’s clear the world is still functioning outside of Wanda and Vision’s reality, and some kind of government operation is apparently observing them play house together.
While the movies have yet to establish whether this is Scarlet Witch’s doing, the comic books have a precedent for this type of alternate-reality story: “House of M.”
Written in 2005 by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Olivier Coipel, “House of M” was a comic book crossover event that featured both the Avengers and the X-Men. Just prior to that event, Scarlet Witch suffers a nervous breakdown and can’t control her powers, resulting in the deaths of fellow Avengers Hawkeye, Ant-Man, and Vision. In “House of M,” Scarlet Witch is in an even worse psychological state as she deals with the grief of killing her friends and her lover. Her powers, which are connected to the fabric of reality, are also tethered to her mental state; therefore, her psychotic break poses a threat to all mankind, a trope that Marvel tends to love.
For example, in the first issue of the event, Scarlet Witch creates a reality in which she has kids and lives her very own happily ever after. I do enjoy that the reality she creates has her brother, Quicksilver, dressed in a sensible turtleneck for the occasion:
Professor X of X-Men fame interrupts that reality, jolting both Wanda and readers. He says everything that Wanda is experiencing is a hallucination induced by her fragile psychological state.
He specifically tells her to “stop abusing” her powers and to put reality back to the way it was. Left unchecked, Wanda could rewrite reality into whatever she wants, or whatever she thinks she wants:
And the kind of bonkers thing about it all is that this happens in the first few pages of the comic book event. “House of M” goes on to explore the X-Men and Avengers discussing the morality about what to do with someone who’s capable of molding reality to her liking. Theoretically, Scarlet Witch could erase all of them from existence at any moment, and that’s a colossal threat.
But instead of wiping everyone off the planet, Scarlet Witch creates a reality in which mutants (which is what she was at the time before Marvel retconned her origin story) are the dominant race of humanity, treated as royalty and celebrities. This inverted her true reality, in which mutants are feared and hated. And when everyone realizes they’re living in Scarlet Witch’s fake reality, her psychotic break leads her to famously de-power almost the entire mutant race by saying the words, “No more mutants.”
Given what we see in the trailer and the complete lack of mutants in the MCU, it’s probably safe to say WandaVision won’t exactly follow “House of M.” Introducing mutants into the universe, creating an alternate reality for them, and then ultimately de-powering them — all while tying their fate to the upcoming Doctor Strange movie — is an impossible amount of territory to cover in a single season of television. But it’s not difficult to see how the show could borrow from the realty-warping elements of “House of M,” at least.
WandaVision looks like it borrows heavily from the comics, which means tweaking Scarlet Witch’s powers (again)
When it comes to telling Scarlet Witch’s story, the Marvel movies and the Marvel comics have never really seen eye-to-eye. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, she has telekinesis as well as mind control powers, which she uses to mess with the Avengers and, later, evacuate Sokovia. Her mind control powers are dropped (or forgotten about by the writers) after Age of Ultron, as she uses telekinesis alone in Captain America: Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame. And based on WandaVision and what we know of Scarlet Witch’s role in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, it seems like those powers are shifting again — possibly toward the same set the hero has in the comic books.
Scarlet Witch is much more powerful in the source material than she is in the movies. Granted, the history of her powers is much more confusing in the comic books than in the movies, possibly explaining why the MCU turned her power set into something much simpler, like limiting her to moving stuff with her mind.
Instead of leaving her with mind control and telekinesis, comic-book Scarlet Witch has powers that can warp reality (more on this in a bit) and tap into actual, mystical magic. In books like the recent Strange Academy — where Doctor Strange and his faculty teach teenage wizards, sorceresses, warlocks, etc., at a magic school — Scarlet Witch is established as one of the most adept magic-users in the Marvel comic book universe.
And her magic, usually defined as “chaos magic,” makes her one of the Marvel universe’s most powerful characters, as seen when she goes toe-to-toe with the cosmic Phoenix Force in 2012’s Avengers vs. X-Men. In that comic, the Phoenix is all about restoring order, and Scarlet Witch’s power is about chaos and disruption:
The origin of these powers is muddled, thanks to various retcons throughout the comics, but her original powers were related to manipulating probability — hence her affinity for “chaos magic.”
Some writers took this to mean that if Scarlet Witch had the power to manipulate probability, then she would also have the power to warp reality. That’s what’s seemingly happening in the WandaVision trailer, as Wanda and Vision find themselves trapped in a sitcom dimension.
Maybe this alternate reality is a taste of Wanda’s true powers, and she’s processing her grief through vintage sitcoms because, growing up in war-torn Sokovia, the only form of happiness she knows is television? Maybe she’s being manipulated by whomever Kathryn Hahn is playing? Or maybe this is a way of bringing Vision and other characters back into the MCU? And maybe those other characters are ... the X-Men?
The biggest question: Is WandaVision going to give us mutants?
All of this leads us to wonder: Will Scarlet Witch’s powers be the thing that finally manifests mutants and the X-Men in the MCU?
There’s a two-part impetus behind the question. The first part of the equation is Scarlet Witch and the mutants’ close connection to “House of M.” It’s a mutant story, and its protagonists and consequences directly affected the mutants of Marvel’s comic book world.
The second, and possibly more important part, is that weaving Marvel’s mutants into the MCU seems like a difficult but increasingly likely task.
Up until Disney’s acquisition of Fox in 2019, Marvel wasn’t able to use the X-Men and their related villains because of Fox’s long-held film rights to the characters. With all those characters now under one roof, Marvel now has the chance to unite the X-Men with the MCU characters. If it wants to introduce the X-Men into the MCU, Marvel will have to figure out a storyline in which mutants are either created within the MCU or are logically introduced to our existing heroes (such as something like S.H.I.E.L.D. secretly monitoring mutants all along).
Scarlet Witch altering reality in WandaVision and then subsequently dealing with multiple realities in her team-up with Doctor Strange presents a convenient way to introduce them. For what it’s worth, Scarlet Witch as a gateway for mutants in the MCU could’ve made even more sense had the comics not retconned her original backstory. Before Marvel shook everything up, the comics originally presented Scarlet Witch and her twin brother Quicksilver as Magneto’s mutant children. X-Men readers remember Magneto as Charles Xavier’s best friend and toughest mutant enemy.
I wouldn’t be opposed to that kind of introduction. I’m a big X-Men fan and would love to see my favorite characters on the big screen again.
That said, I’d also be quite content with WandaVision not introducing any of that stuff and just giving us a better glimpse into the Scarlet Witch character than we’ve ever had. Ever since their introduction, Scarlet Witch and Vision have been used more for subplots than figuring into the Avengers story as main characters. With the Disney+ story, they finally have a delightfully bizarre-looking story to themselves. It’s finally an opportunity to get to know the characters on their own terms. And there’s plenty to have fun with there, even if it doesn’t include the X-Men.