With the reveal of the second trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were greeted with new and exciting revelations. Alongside intriguing cameos and the imminent confrontation with both dinosaurs and zombies, viewers now know that Wanda Maximoff, previously thought to be on Stephen’s team, may be the real antagonist.
While it’s too soon to tell if this is the case or not, the subtly vicious exchange between Wanda and Stephen certainly holds villainous undertones. However, Marvel has been known to add deceptive details to its trailers in the past. In some ways, Scarlet Witch would make the perfect villain for Doctor Strange 2, but at the same time, it may be better if this proved to be a red herring. Regardless of her numerous mistakes, she deserves to be a hero too.
10 PERFECT VILLAIN: Her Villainous Beginnings Show Her True Potential For Darkness
Doctor Strange 2 isn’t Scarlet Witch’s first brush with villainy and neither is WandaVision. When she is first introduced to the MCU, it is as an antagonist. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, she and her brother Pietro attempt to avenge their parents’ deaths by attacking the heroes. Wanda’s brand of revenge is particularly vicious.
Despite blaming Tony Stark for the missile that killed Wanda’s family, she chooses to twist his mind instead of harming him directly. This displays a level of sadism and cruelty that doesn’t appear in her brother Pietro. Her attack on Bruce Banner reaffirms that impression, causing numerous innocent lives to be destroyed in Johannesburg. However, she pays for her actions most dearly, as Pietro is killed by the murderous AI she helped create.
9 DESERVES TO BE A HERO: Her Redemption Arc In The MCU Was Poorly Done
In the wake of Age of Ultron, Scarlet Witch becomes an Avenger and has a chance at starting over. Contrary to her words in the Doctor Strange 2 trailer, she is never officially punished for her involvement in the Ultron incident, though Pietro’s death is punishment enough. Unfortunately, Captain America: Civil War takes her redemption arc in the completely wrong direction. She fails to truly understand her situation and attacks the one person who is truly on her side and doesn’t want to use her for her powers — Vision.
Wanda’s intentions may have been good, but she certainly doesn’t hold back when fighting against other Avengers — even unenhanced ones like Natasha Romanoff. Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame make Wanda much more likable, giving her a new chance. Scarlet Witch deserves a proper redemption arc that takes into account both her flaws and her qualities.
8 PERFECT VILLAIN: Turning Against Strange Is Consistent With Her Story Arc
As much as viewers may want to see Scarlet Witch redeemed, her story arc doesn’t seem to lead in that direction. After the incident in Westview, she is definitely seen in a negative light. She may have been able to drop the Hex, but the grief that created it is still there — in fact, it is more pronounced than ever.
It certainly doesn’t help that Wanda now faces a scenario where Doctor Strange acted just like she did. He wasn’t branded a terrorist even if he endangered reality itself with his actions. Scarlet Witch may very well lose her patience at the double standard.
7 DESERVES TO BE A HERO: She Has Already Lost & Sacrificed So Much
Scarlet Witch’s actions in Westview may have been villainous, but they also held a deep undertone of sacrifice. She understands the true consequences of her actions and shows deep personal growth when she chooses to give up her family to do the right thing.
It may be true that Wanda was only fixing a problem she created herself, but she still had to allow her family to die so that the citizens of Westview could be free. By now, Scarlet Witch has already lost so much — her parents, her brother, two versions of Vision, and their children. On one occasion, she was even brave enough to kill Vision herself.
6 PERFECT VILLAIN: Wanda’s Tale Of Grief Would Make Her An Incredibly Relatable Antagonist
Scarlet Witch’s losses could pave the path to her new chance, but just as easily they could turn her into an antagonist. In Age Of Ultron, viewers weren’t familiar enough with her to truly empathize with her feelings and her portrayal was nowhere near as nuanced.
But after WandaVision, it’s easy to see that Wanda’s actions are often guided by her grief. If she manages to find a way to bring Vision and her children back through the Multiverse, it would be hard to blame her for it, even if it does lead to endangering the world further.
5 DESERVES TO BE A HERO: She Can Prove She Has A Lot To Offer
Because of the structure of the MCU, Scarlet Witch never really got the chance to show how much of an asset she could truly be. She manages to destroy an Infinity Stone and almost defeats Thanos on her own, but there’s always something in the way. In Civil War, her attempt to do damage control in Lagos leads to collateral damage, and for much of Infinity War, she remains by Vision’s side instead of contributing to the battle.
Scarlet Witch is killed in the Snap and her battle against Thanos is interrupted in Avengers: Endgame. She lacks control over her powers, but after WandaVision, that may have changed. She can finally prove she has a lot to offer and she shouldn’t be thwarted just because it’s easy to turn her into a villain again.
4 PERFECT VILLAIN: Her Powers Makes Her More Than A Match For Doctor Strange
In the wake of WandaVision, Wanda has become a nexus being, having embraced her full power as the Scarlet Witch. Her true potential for destructiveness is emphasized by Agatha Harkness, who displays genuine horror upon witnessing Wanda’s decision.
Doctor Strange’s sorcery has already proven to be very dangerous and advanced in nature. Wanda would be the perfect foil for him as the more structured approach of the Mystic Arts would certainly have trouble when confronted with Scarlet Witch’s chaos magic. Wanda is also shown as confronting a mysterious glowing figure which appears to be Captain Marvel. Considering Captain Marvel’s amazing cosmic abilities, the confrontation would definitely be interesting to see.
3 DESERVES TO BE A HERO: She Could Be Defeating Chthon Instead
Strange and Captain Marvel may be dangerous, but the true threat to Wanda may be in her own mind. A being of unimaginable mystic power, Chthon is an Elder God who, in the comics, spawned numerous races of monsters. He is also the creator of the Darkhold, which MCU Wanda comes to possess after her confrontation with Agatha. Chthon marks Wanda to be his vessel and, on one occasion, he actually succeeds in his goal.
Viewers are speculating that, when Wanda hears the voice of her children through the Darkhold, she may be coming into contact with Chthon. If that is the case, Strange’s confrontation may be against this terrifying villain, not Wanda herself. Wanda could definitely join the battle and defeat the creature attempting to claim her body.
2 PERFECT VILLAIN: The Approach Would Be Faithful To Her Comic Book History
If Wanda has a villainous history in the MCU, that’s nothing compared to her comic book version. Losing her children actually makes Wanda kill her mentor, Agatha Harkness. Later on, she creates the House of M alternate reality.
After everything goes back to normal, Scarlet Witch ends up depowering the mutants. Even with everything MCU Wanda has done, she’s barely scratched the surface of the villainous potential of her comic book equivalent.
1 DESERVES TO BE A HERO: Wanda’s Dark Path Villainizes Mental Health Issues Too Much
Mental instability has guided many of Wanda’s actions in both the movies and the comics. WandaVision is an exploration of her mental health issues, seeing her descending into depression and unable to leave her bed. The fact that she warps reality using her chaos magic is akin to a psychotic episode, though granted, it’s difficult to judge considering the exact complexity of her powers.
While this exploration of Scarlet Witch’s character is intriguing, it’s also a symptom of a larger issue. It’s not unusual for Marvel villains to have mental health problems. With Wanda having struggled so much in the past, turning her into a villain again would just villainize mental health problems instead of encouraging awareness and handling the issue constructively. Wanda is someone who needs help and that’s something Doctor Strange 2 should definitely convey.
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