Peggy Carter was no match for the Scarlet Witch, and she meets her end when Wanda executes her along with the rest of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But hope springs eternal, and fans will be excited to hear that the actress isn't done with Peggy Carter just yet. Hayley Atwell opened up about her hopes for Peggy's future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a recent interview with Digital Spy. "It’s so funny, because, you know, I did that 10 years ago, and I love her because I love the people, and you never know…"
However, the actress pointed out that one major impediment is the most recent version of the character. The Scarlet Witch "cut in half" the Captain Carter variation in the latest Doctor Strange film. Atwell said that a potential return for Peggy depends on fan interest and that she feels like Peggy Carter is “not really hers anymore.”
"I’m a custodian of her. Compared to the rest of my career and everything I’ve done or my stage work and doing Mission: Impossible now and all the diversity of roles I’ve played, and the diversity that I get to explore, and to be able to play more complex roles and villains and lots of different things – she is not mine anymore. She lives in the world of people that have taken her into their heart. And that’s beautiful. But it’s kind of like: yeah, you can’t control the impact a particular role has on the rest of the world."
How the Character of Peggy Carter Has Evolved Over Time
Peggy Carter first made an appearance in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger as a British MI6 agent and member of the Strategic Scientific Reserve who became the love interest of Steve Rogers during World War II. Following the war, she becomes a tough and brilliant SHIELD agent. Then, Peggy Carter makes a return appearance in Captain America and the Winter Soldier. This time, she's older and wiser, and her interactions with other characters provide some of the movie's most poignant moments.
In Marvel's What If…?, Peggy Carter is faced with an alternate history in which she never met Captain America. As a result, she never joined SHIELD and became a founding member of the Avengers. This version of Peggy is much more confident and empowered. She's not afraid to stand up to anyone and always ready for a fight. What If…? allows us to see a side of Peggy that we haven't seen before, and it's a great example of how she can continue to evolve and grow as a character. At the end of the day, it's really up to Marvel what they want to do with Peggy Carter's character. While it would be amazing to see her return to the MCU, it doesn't seem like Hayley Atwell is too hopeful for that happening. Only time will tell what the future holds for Peggy Carter.