These days, it seems Wanda Maximoff is everywhere in the MCU — she made a huge impact in the fight against Thanos, and she literally changed the world in 2021's best MCU release WandaVision. She then played a significant role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as the film's villain, effectively turning against the values of a hero. Those familiar with her know her story is plagued with trauma, and all she ever truly wanted was an idyllic life with the people she loved. The question is: does her tragic background absolve her of villain status?
It’s hard to tell where the Scarlet Witch falls in terms of heroism and villainy. She’s had a hot and cold history with the Avengers, and we’ve seen her unleash her Chaos Magic in many devastating ways. She seems to mean well, but some of her reactions and coping mechanisms have a more negative effect than she might intend. There’s a lot to unpack about this complex character, but we’re prepared for this lofty undertaking. Here’s our take on whether the Scarlet Witch is a villain.
Updated July 14, 2022: If you’ve recently seen the latest Doctor Strange film, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve updated this article based on Wanda's arc.
How a Tragic Backstory Affects Her Today
Wanda Maximoff’s childhood was plagued by war and violence. She and her twin brother Pietro lost their parents in a deadly bombing attack, and, in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Pietro would eventually sacrifice himself in the fight against Ultron. Wanda never fully recovered from his death, though she found solace and support in her newfound lover, Vision. In Avengers: Infinity War, Vision also sacrificed himself to save the world; his death and the subsequent dismantling of his body made Wanda snap, leading to the events of WandaVision. Even in her alternate reality, she wasn’t allowed to enjoy the fantasy of her husband and their children, and she had to give them up to defeat Agatha Harkness.
Loss is a recurring theme in Wanda’s life, and her grief and powers feed on each other — indeed, WandaVision itself was structured similarly to the stages of grief. Heavily driven by her emotions, Wanda is overwrought with sorrow and often lashes out at the world when she feels vulnerable. She doesn’t always make the right decision, but many of her actions are coping mechanisms. That being said, these mechanisms have taken a drastic turn in ways and have caused irreparable harm to others, making it harder for her to come back from. Having murdered numerous individuals across different universes in her latest outing, from the trainees at Kamar-Taj to the members of The Illuminati in Earth-838, defending her actions has definitely become more difficult.
Her Origin in the Marvel Comics
The origin of Wanda’s powers has changed throughout history; the earlier comics portrayed her as a mutant, while a revised 2015 storyline showed that her abilities came from being experimented on by the High Evolutionary. Nevertheless, her first role in Marvel Comics history was a villain.
She and Pietro were founding members of the Brotherhood of Mutants, an extremist group of mutants that have pushed for terrorist movements and world domination. Like the MCU films, the twins disband from The Brotherhood and become Avengers. The difference here is that her loyalty to the heroes is less consistent in the comics — in some instances, she temporarily becomes an enemy to the Avengers, most notably in Avengers Disassembled. After coming to her senses and realizing that other influences factored into her memory loss and rage, she went on a solitary hiatus before ultimately rejoining the heroes.
This wouldn't be the only time other influences would cause her to do bad things, however. Unfortunately, Wanda's history within the comics is filled with instances, as outlined by Games Radar, of her being manipulated by villains as a pawn or unwitting villain for their own purposes. This has occurred in the MCU with both Ultron and Agatha Harkness. Most recently, she has come under the corruption of the Darkhold, proving Agatha right that she would be the destroyer of worlds.
Does Scarlet Witch Become a Villain?
Disney
The short answer is, yes, multiple times throughout the comics. The extent of her antagonism in Avengers Disassembled is extreme; through a chain reaction of events set in motion by chaos magic, she causes the violent deaths of Vision, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye. Her reality-warping also causes Tony Stark to relapse into alcoholism, which leads him to behave drunkenly and costs the team government funding at a crucial UN meeting.
Another example of Wanda's fall into villainy is the infamous M-Day, seen in House of M. On the verge of a mental breakdown, she created an alternate universe where mutants and humans could co-exist peacefully. This act was also under the influence of someone else as her brother Pietro had convinced her to do it. Though her intentions were good, the X-Men teamed up with the heroes of the world to get back to their reality. Upon realizing that her effort wasn't good enough for everyone, what Wanda would do next was entirely her choice: she unleashed a spell that revoked superpowers and mutations from 98% of the mutant populace. In her emotional wrath, she gave us one of the most iconic lines in Marvel Comic history: "No more mutants."
The canon proves that Wanda Maximoff does become a villain several times, but she almost always finds her way back to the side of heroism. She awakens from a brainwashed state and decides to spend time in solitude after the events of Avengers Disassembled, but officially returns to the Avengers in Avengers vs. X-Men. Captain America extends an invitation to join the Avengers Unity Squad, allowing her an opportunity to atone for her mistakes. Later, she leaves the Avengers to re-discover herself; she offers her services as a magical threat mitigation specialist and re-enlists with the heroes after establishing a stronger sense of identity.
Is The Scarlet Witch Good or Evil?
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
It's easy to look at some Marvel characters and decide that good and evil are separate entities — some heroes always campaign for justice while some villains constantly portray themselves as murderous warlords. However, there are two things to consider when discussing morality: good and evil are matters of personal philosophy, and the two ideals often cross wires. Villains like Thanos truly believe they're doing what's right, and those we consider to be heroes (like The Avengers) are the enemy in someone's story. Good intentions sometimes lead to horrible consequences, lapses in judgment can result in huge mistakes, and despite their best efforts, nobody in the world of Marvel is perfect.
As of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda is currently a villain for murdering many of the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj and heroes from other universes, and attempting to steal America Chavez's powers, knowing it would result in the teenager's death. But like her comic book counterpart, The Scarlet Witch is capable of redemption. She often makes extreme decisions in the wake of traumatic events. Her emotions impact her actions, and it's not uncommon for her to drastically change everyone's lives as a means to cope. Despite this, she holds herself accountable and acknowledges that she sometimes makes bad choices. What's more, she continually overcomes traumatic obstacles and attempts to right her wrongs alongside the universe's protectors. In the end, we know that Wanda's goal isn't becoming a hero or a villain; all she ever wanted was to settle down with someone she loves and raise her children in a world free of violence.