Doctor Strange 2's Scarlet Witch Villain Turn Fatally Betrays Her MCU Arc

The upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness appears to be framing the Scarlet Witch as one of the film’s antagonists, but this decision would be a huge mistake for the future of the MCU. The Doctor Strange sequel looks set to be a mind-bending journey through the multiverse, as Steven Strange is faced with the consequences of his actions in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Doctor Strange's multiverse spell opening the gateway between universes and bringing a host of characters from other Marvel properties into the MCU has no doubt rattled the good doctor, with Strange appealing to Wanda Maximoff for more information regarding the multiverse in Doctor Strange 2.

The MCU's Phase 4 has already seen wholesale character development for Wanda Maximoff. The end of Avengers: Endgame leaves Wanda without her romantic partner, Vision, with WandaVision going on to explore how she dealt with her grief after being unable to save the man she loves. WandaVision as a series fundamentally questioned whether Wanda should be viewed as a hero or villain, with her entrapment of the citizens of Westview blurring the line between the two moral camps. In the WandaVision finale, Wanda also takes on the mantle of the Scarlet Witch and begins learning the spells from Phase 4's Darkhold to discover the true extent of her powers.

Wanda’s journey in the MCU towards understanding both her powers and herself reached its peak in WandaVision, and the character’s potentially villainous intentions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness risk betraying her story arc up to this point. While it is true that Wanda has blurred the line between hero and villain before and has subsequently become one of the MCU’s most powerful characters, it would nevertheless be wrong for the franchise to change her motives entirely. The Doctor Strange sequel, however, appears to be doing just that.

Where Wanda Has Appeared As A Villain Before (& How She Looks Evil In The Doctor Strange 2 Trailer)

Scarlet Witch levitates while using magic in WandaVision.

The theory that Wanda will turn into a villain can be traced throughout the character’s time in the MCU. Initially appearing in the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier before playing a major role in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Wanda was originally an adversary of Iron Man and the Avengers, siding with HYDRA to gain her powers and then briefly with Ultron to seek revenge on Stark after one of his weapons killed her parents. She was notably positioned as a villain again during the events of Captain America: Civil War, in which she was blamed for an explosion in Nigeria and was subsequently shut down by Stark and the Avengers.

Wanda’s moral sensibilities were questioned in greater depth throughout WandaVision. Grieving over Vision’s death, Wanda occupied Westview, enslaving the residents in an endless sitcom-inspired lifestyle while living with a recreated version of her lost partner. Although this event was rooted in grief, the series consistently questioned how far the hero could go before her dehumanizing actions outweighed her desire to deal with her grief.

These previous hints that Wanda could become a villain in the MCU appear to come to a head in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The movie's trailer supports these evil Wanda theories, most notably in a line where the hero compares her experience in Westview to Strange’s opening of the multiverse: “You break the rules and become the hero. I do it and I become the enemy. That doesn’t seem fair.” Another moment in the trailer shows a character who appears to be the Scarlet Witch launching an attack on the sorcerer’s training ground, Kamar-Taj. While there are prior examples throughout the MCU of Wanda coming close to turning into a villain before managing to regain her humanity, perhaps Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will see Scarlet Witch finally pushed too far.

Wanda Is The MCU’s Most Powerful Character

Wanda levitates in a magic circle in Dr. Strange 2.

Wanda becoming a villain would be a huge problem for the MCU - notably due to the sheer scope of her powers. After witnessing her one-to-one battle with Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, it is not hyperbole to suggest that Wanda could have beaten the Mad Titan alone. She remained similarly feared for her powers in multiple episodes of What If…?, with her zombified variant being used by the Guardians of the Multiverse in their fight against Ultron. If the character were to become a villain in the MCU, her skillset and abilities would put her in such a position that no other hero would stand a chance against her – seemingly removing all hope that the heroes could win.

Having become the Scarlet Witch and gained the knowledge of the Darkhold, Wanda’s powers have only become more impressive, and for her to immediately succumb to these newfound abilities would be troublesome for wider issues of gender and associated strength. There are multiple instances in the MCU where a hero gains immense power and manages to use it for good – Peter Quill channeling the energy of the Power Stone in Guardians of the Galaxy is one such example. To see one of the franchise’s most popular female heroes be unable to deal with her powers would suggest that she is not as strong as her male counterparts. For a franchise that is consciously attempting to evolve its presentation and handling of female-led stories, to see Wanda’s already tragedy-steeped story arc end this way would be a shame.

Wanda As An Antagonist Contradicts Her Story Arc

Wanda saying goodbye to Vision in WandaVision.

Each instance of Wanda potentially becoming an antagonist has been crucial to her development as a character. Rather than succumbing to either the ideologies of her leaders or the possibilities of her powers, any suggestion that Wanda could be evil has been quickly dispelled by her overwhelming desire to do good for other people. This was closest explored in the tragic finale of WandaVision, which demonstrated that Wanda could remain innately good even though others are predisposed to frame her as a villain.

In this way, her character’s story arc has proven that Wanda can put all notions of evil behind her, and this has seen her become one of the most valuable members of the Avengers. If the MCU decides to move Wanda into a villainous role, then this would undermine all the work that has come before it to disprove that such a moral change would be a possibility. Little is currently known about the Scarlet Witch’s true objectives in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but the potential for her character to become a villain would create difficult repercussions for the future of the MCU.

Next: Doctor Strange 2 Villain Tease Makes MCU's Scarlet Witch Hypocrisy Worse