by Charles Kirkland, Jr.
“Pacoima” Reveals Simon Williams’ Painful Origin
Episode 3 of Wonder Man, titled “Pacoima,” shifts its focus inward, peeling back the layers of Simon Williams and offering the first real look at the trauma that shaped him. The episode balances emotional backstory with growing tension as Damage Control tightens its grip and Simon’s powers threaten to expose him.
A Fire, a Family, and an Impossible Survival
The episode opens with a haunting flashback. A young boy sits in a doctor’s office following a house fire. His mother, speaking anxiously in a Haitian accent, pleads for reassurance that her son is unharmed. An older brother bluntly suggests the boy caused the fire, only to be silenced.
After a thorough examination, the doctor delivers a startling conclusion. There are no burns, no smoke inhalation, not even irritated skin. Against all logic, the child is completely unharmed.
Damage Control Needs Results
In the present day, Department of Damage Control Secretary Dan convenes a tense meeting with his agents, including Agent Cleary. With The Raft sitting half empty and Congress scrutinizing the agency’s budget, Dan demands results. The directive is simple. They need bodies, and they need them fast.
Soon after, Cleary outfits Trevor Slattery with a wire and orders him to gather intelligence at Simon Williams’ mother’s birthday party.
Simon Spirals as the Pressure Builds
Simon, unraveling while waiting to hear back about his Wonder Man audition, repeatedly calls his agent Janelle. She finally snaps, telling him to stop calling and wait. Trevor overhears and helps Simon calm down by running lines with him.
Simon then remembers the family obligation he has been dreading. Trevor asks to come along, and Simon agrees, hoping his presence will soften the inevitable judgment, on one condition. Trevor must not mention Simon’s firing from American Horror Story.
Family Tension Comes to a Head
They arrive at the house and are greeted warmly by Simon’s mother, Martha, who is clearly thrilled that her son has brought a friend, something he has never done before. Inside, Trevor meets Simon’s older brother Eric, who immediately recognizes him as the Mandarin. Trevor dismisses it as a job taken to pay off debts.
As the party unfolds, Trevor subtly probes for information while Simon avoids scrutiny. At dinner, Eric offers Simon a job at his company. Simon pushes back, insisting he is working and recently auditioned for a Von Kovak film. Eric mocks the idea and accuses Simon of wasting his life chasing acting fantasies.
When Trevor attempts to defend Simon, Eric shuts him down, reminding him that he is not family.
A Breaking Point
As the evening winds down, Simon gifts his mother an ice cream maker she has long wanted. Eric immediately mocks him, implying Simon used Martha’s money. When Martha mentions American Horror Story, Simon visibly flinches and finally admits he was fired due to “creative differences.”
Eric lays into him. Simon loses control, slamming his fists into the granite island and shattering it. He storms out, and Trevor follows.
Pulled over on the roadside, Simon admits he does not understand his powers and confesses that no one outside his family has ever seen them. Worse, the Doorman Clause may permanently bar him from acting.
Trevor offers comfort through a hymn, but Simon asks for space. Claiming he needs the bathroom, Trevor exits the car, removes the wire, and destroys the SD card.
The Call That Changes Everything
When Trevor returns, Simon is shaken, but not for the reason Trevor expects. Janelle has been calling both of them.
Simon has been called back for Wonder Man.
Closing Thoughts
“Pacoima” delivers a significant departure from comic canon. Making Simon the younger brother to Eric fundamentally reshapes their relationship, and Eric’s absence from the family tech empire suggests a new narrative direction.
Trevor’s growing remorse signals a turning point. He now sees Simon not as a threat, but as someone deeply damaged and vulnerable. What will Agent Cleary do when Trevor fails to deliver results? And are these callbacks legitimate, or another trap set by Damage Control?
Guests starring as themselves: None
