Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, played a key role in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness. Like Strange, Wanda goes through her own character arc. Under the influence of the Darkhold, Wanda becomes a terrifying villain that created some of the MCU’s most memorable scenes.
Fans are split when it comes to whether the story did her justice or not, as some parts of the film clashed with WandaVision. Some characters were omitted, and viewers had to draw their own conclusions when it came to some elements of the Darkhold’s purpose and Wanda’s role in the Multiverse.
10 Great: A Vision Variant Was Nowhere To Be Seen
Vision is nowhere to be seen throughout the entirety of the film. If he made an appearance, then Wanda would have had less motivation to kill others, as he would be one of the few characters who could talk some sense into her. WandaVision revealed that Vision was the one who brought comfort to Wanda when she was at her weakest, after she lost her brother.
Additionally, when Wanda’s motivations were revealed to Strange, she admitted that creating the hex was easy, but lying was hard. Wanda struggled to maintain her lies at Westview, as Vision kept asking more and more questions. This could contribute to the reason why she didn’t search for a world with her boys and her husband. She would have an easier time fooling her sons into thinking she was their original mother, and would find it more difficult to trick another version of Vision.
9 Could Be Better: White Vision Isn’t Mentioned At All
White Vision has yet to make another appearance after regaining his memories and disappearing. This leaves fans with the burning question of what he will do next. His feelings towards Wanda are unclear, and neither party was seen making an attempt to contact the other.
Although it can be argued that Wanda may not be interested in a different version of Vision, she spends the film trying to claim different versions of her sons as her own. Since the film lacks even a brief mention of the character, it gives the impression that he was forgotten.
8 Great: The Post-Credits Scene From WandaVision Was Reflected In MOM’s Ending
In WandaVision’s post-credits scene, Wanda is seen looking through the Darkhold. She hears her two sons calling out for help. These versions of her sons were not in any real danger, indicating that the Darkhold was manipulating Wanda into searching for the source of the voices.
The sons do end up pleading for their mother’s help, but they were calling for another version of Wanda. The main Wanda discovered that she was the one who her sons were terrified of.
7 Could Be Better: Wanda Can Never Catch A Break
Wanda is a tragic character who has suffered countless heavy losses. She lost her parents, her brother, her husband, and the family she created in Westview. Unfortunately, Wanda’s happier moments within the MCU are usually overshadowed by her mistakes or misfortune.
This makes her very similar to Thor, who has lost something or someone in all of his solo films. The cycle feels repetitive, with Wanda confronting the aftermath of death in all of her major film appearances. Wanda should be challenged in other ways in order to expand her character.
6 Great: Wanda Found Peace After Being Comforted By The One Person Who Could Understand Her
Throughout the film, numerous people tried to appeal to her good side. They told her that they could understand and relate to her feelings, but Wanda didn’t believe any of it. In fact, such claims only made her angrier. She was particularly furious hearing such things from Reed Richards and Doctor Strange, who in her eyes, lost little.
After her monstrous side was revealed to Billy and Tommy, variant Wanda approached her. She didn’t make any claims of relating to her, but simply stated that the boys would be loved. Her compassion towards Wanda showed that she understood the love she had for her sons, and at the same time, offered her reassurance. This allowed the original Wanda to leave peacefully.
5 Could Be Better: The Film Repeated Wanda’s Redemption Arc
In WandaVision, Wanda created the Hex. This was a space where she created a new Vision for herself. In order for her to live the happy life she wanted them to have, she brainwashed everyone in Westview. After a lifetime of loss, she felt that this was her chance to finally be happy, which was why she lashed out at anyone who attempted to interfere in her life. She slowly realized how much she was making the people around her suffer, as the townspeople pleaded with her and stated that she was forcing her pain onto them.
Wanting to do the right thing, she dispelled the Hex, at the cost of the husband and sons she created. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness did something similar, except this time Wanda was obsessed with living a happy life with her boys. Once again, she tried to ignore the suffering of others in order to get what she wanted, and redeemed herself by making a sacrifice. In this case, she destroyed the Darkhold throughout the Multiverse, and appeared to take her life in the process.
4 Great: She Was Adamant About Having America’s Powers For Herself
Wanda insisted on taking the ability to travel freely through the Multiverse from America Chavez. When asked why she was determined to do so, despite being able to use her magic to manipulate America into sending her to the universe she desired, Wanda stated that she would need America’s ability if her children got sick. Another universe would have whatever cure she needed.
Wanda, much like Strange, wanted to be the one in control, seeking additional power in order to protect the things she wanted to. Her decision to pursue America persistently showed that she was terrified of losing her sons again, and assumed that possessing America’s ability was the only way to protect them.
3 Could Be Better: Many Fans Didn’t Understand The Darkhold’s Influence On Wanda
For many fans, it wasn’t clear what actions were Wanda’s, and what actions the Darkhold was responsible for. The book stated that Wanda was the Scarlet Witch, a being with chaos magic who was destined to rule the Multiverse. Yet, Wanda had no interest in ruling.
She only wanted to be with her sons, making it unclear why the prophecy existed, as it turned out to be false. It also raises the question of what would have happened if Wanda had gotten what she wished for. She was already corrupted by the book, and it may have pushed her to take over the Multiverse regardless.
2 Great: Her Sons Are Her Greatest Weakness
Wanda is attached to her sons. Even though she created them and Vision within the Hex, her children were real to her. She had a difficult time letting them go for Westview’s sake, and upon scouring the Multiverse, she discovered that they still existed in other universes. When she first possesses the body of a variant Wanda, she is stopped in her tracks when her sons call out to her.
On the brink of tears, she approached them, incredibly moved when they sing her a song. This is the first point in the film where she seems like herself again, which leaves her vulnerable for a short period of time. Her sons are also the ones who help her break free of the Darkhold’s influence, as they cowered away from her despite her promises to never hurt them.
1 Could Be Better: Her Main Motivation Was To Kill A Child In Order To Kidnap Other Children
Wanda’s motivation makes it difficult to feel any sympathy for her. Wanda spends the entirety of the movie trying to get ahold of America, with the intent of ripping her power out of her and killing her in the process. Her motivation is to live out the rest of her days happily with variants of her children.
She would replace the variant Wanda and pose as their mother, claiming children that do not belong to her. In order to accomplish these less than savory goals, she was willing to kill anyone who stood in her way.
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