WARNING: Potential spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness lie ahead.Ever since Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premiered in theaters fans have not stopped talking about Elizabeth Olsen’s portrayal of Wanda Maximoff (The Scarlet Witch). Whether you agree with her turn into the antagonistic sorceress or not, she was utterly captivating. Despite how her role in the film ended, there are doubts as to whether we have seen the last of Olsen as the character in the MCU. Her dark turn was met with a polarizing reception, but so was Anakin Skywalker’s back in 2005. The prequel Star Wars trilogy was the subject of heated debate amongst fans for years, but they are now beloved, with loyal followers now having a new appreciation for the journey of the Chosen One.
Marvel doesn’t always nail their finer points on the head, but they’ve proven time and again that the narrative runs deeper than the first movie. Wanda has found herself on a similar trajectory as the Sith Kord once did. If her story does indeed continue, we’ll see if Wanda will find redemption or inflict more chaos across the multiverse. A hero’s journey can be complicated sometimes, but it makes the most fascinating storylines when they turn to the dark side. Let’s take a look at why fans love the dark side of major movie franchises.
A Fascination with Good Losing Its Way
Great villains are never cut and dry. A bad guy being evil for the sake of having an antagonist is boring. Oftentimes, they are easily disposed of or are laughably one-dimensional. The most fascinating villains have a humanity about them that the audience can see themselves in. In every person, there are dark impulses that are suppressed. Giving into said impulses puts one a little closer to being the villain. Keep this in mind as you read.
The Joker can be quoted in saying it only takes one bad day to become like him. Arthur Fleck from Todd Haynes' Joker was a normal man with big dreams and mental health issues, and relied on medication to function normally. Losing his medication, coupled with poor societal treatment and horrifying revelations in his lif,e led to a mental breakdown that saw him turn into the famous laughing killer. While not every antagonist comes from a tragic backstory, it's interesting to see how they got to a point where chaos was the only answer. In some cases, the villain will construct a worldview that makes sense to them in their given circumstances. This view may not make sense to us, but we can understand how it would make sense to the character, and thus we can at least understand where they are coming from.
The Light is Never Far from Darkness
In examining Anakin and Wanda, the two have some similarities. They have both known loss and hardship growing up. Wanda lost her parents very early in a war-torn country, while Anakin was born into slavery. Both found themselves scooped up by groups who sought to cultivate their unique abilities, but offered no love, attachment, or companionship for them to hold on to. For Wanda, it was Hydra, but for the young Skywalker it was the Jedi Order. Anakin is deeply emotional and passionate, but these are things that the Jedi Order rejects in their culture. These traits also kept Anakin from advancing to the rank of master or living openly with Padmé Amidala. These factors allowed him to be seduced by the dark side of the force as it offered the security he desired as well as granted him the power he wanted to protect what he loved.
On the other hand, Wanda earned love and compassion over the course of her run in the MCU, being taken in by the Avengers and finding love with Vision. However, fate would only take back from her for every step she took until she was back where she started: with nothing. She was never fully accepted by society either, as they would continue to fear her despite her best intentions. This wedge only widened after her actions from WandaVision. Her losses and despair would eventually culminate in her crimes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she would act for herself at the cost of anyone who stood in her way.
In both cases, the two did their best as protectors, but forces beyond their control would continue to take from them. Whether anyone agrees with how they ended up on the path of evil, they at least understand how Wanda and Anakin got there. Both characters started on the side of good, and near the end of their respective journeys, they went back — though this is still questionable for Wanda.
Redemption or Damnation
Fans often see stories like these end in some form of redemption. We saw it with Darth Vader at the end of Return of the Jedi when Vader turned on Darth Sidious in order to save Luke. We also saw this happen with Kylo Ren in The Rise of Skywalker when he tossed away his red lightsaber. However, redemption isn't a guarantee, and if all stories of light fading to darkness continue this trend, they risk being predictable. Look at Walter White from Breaking Bad. Fans can argue that he was redeemed, but when looking at his ending, he was damned. He paid for his dearly for his actions, but simply chose to go out on his own terms. Kylo Ren, although he was saved, was initially meant to die a Sith as the initial plan was for him to be beyond saving in Collin Treverows unused script.
Need further proof? Look at the Joker. Most of his origin stories are similar in that he wasn't a bad guy before his life fell apart, and there has yet to be a story where he is redeemed. While Wanda's story may or may not be over, there is no guarantee that she can find redemption. The comic book storylines on which the films are based see the Scarlet Witch fight as both hero and villain, depending on the story. She has been the cause of many conflicts and massive casualties in some of the most memorable Marvel Comics. Only time will tell where she goes from here.