Is Wanda More Powerful Than Doctor Strange? Even Sam Raimi Doesn't Know

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi weighs in on whether Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) is stronger than Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). The magic-wielders and MCU mainstays haven't properly met despite both fighting Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Now, Marvel Studios is finally set to bring them together in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but their relationship could be more tumultuous than cordial.

The upcoming MCU film will mark Wanda's re-emergence after the events of WandaVision. After the Maximoff Anomaly, she went on a self-imposed exile where she learned more about herself as the Scarlet Witch through the Darkhold. It's uncertain how much knowledge she's accumulated through the book of dark magic, but tapping into that could only make her more dangerous. Audiences saw Doctor Strange more recently after his involvement in Spider-Man: No Way Home in which he tampered with the multiverse. His actions in that movie will put him in sight of the MCU’s Illuminati. Of course, early Doctor Strange 2 trailers appear to show how the pair meet with Strange seeking Wanda's counsel about the multiverse, but it seems like their relationship could quickly sour and the pair could end up fighting at some point in the highly-anticipated sequel.

With only a month to go before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters, new information has begun to come out in regards to the movie, with its stars and those involved doling out cryptic teases about the film. In a new interview with Fandango, Raimi was asked who's stronger between Wanda and the film's titular character. Expectedly, the filmmaker didn't give a straight answer, but it's still interesting to find out what his thoughts are on the matter. Read his full comment below:

That's a question I've been asking kids on the playground since third grade. Who is stronger, this character or that character? Well, I think Wanda's magic, from Marvel lore, is more powerful than almost any of the other characters in this picture, but Doctor Strange has the knowledge of the mystic arts that Wanda doesn't have, and he's got the help of Kamar-Taj. If you were to pit them against each other, different altered versions of themselves ... there could be a Doctor Strange out there that's more powerful than our Wanda. Or there could be a Wanda out there who is more powerful than our Wanda here. So, because of these altered versions, it's all a mixed bag of possibilities.

Avengers Endgame Deleted Scene Scarlet Witch Doctor Strange

It makes sense that Raimi is coy about his answer regarding this specific question seeing as both Strange and Wanda are two of the most powerful heroes in the MCU. Confirming one either way could certainly skew the audience's perception about who has the upper hand going into the movie. With Doctor Strange and Wanda's potential fight one of the biggest plotlines in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it will be a match-up for the ages. If (or perhaps when) Marvel Studios actually has the characters do battle, their fight is unlikely to result in a stalemate, with defeat certain for one of them have. Since Raimi directed the film, he knows who it will be. That being said, the winner of their battle doesn't necessarily reveal who really is more powerful between them. It's worth noting that Doctor Strange has allies and presumably, the full backing of the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

How Doctor Strange and Wanda's conflict gets resolved is currently unknown. Beyond Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Marvel Studios has yet to reveal what's next for both characters. Considering the fact that they're central players to the MCU's multiversal narrative, and the franchise, in general, chances are that they will find themselves encountering each other again after the sequel.

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Source: Fandango