WandaVision may feature the most beautifully crafted and performed portrayal of a super hero character on screen. With great power comes great pain sometimes. If you have read the stories of Scarlet Witch, you have a special understanding of how the cast and crew portrayed this incredible heroine.
I wanted to wait until the entire series is over and deep dive into my thoughts. Even though the entire season is out there I still want to give you a SPOILER ALERT before you continue reading because I want you to enjoy the full impact of every episode right up until the final scene in the finale post-credits scene. There are two! I literally went on a web and social media fasting every Friday until I could watch the weekly episode.
The finale was incredibly satisfying filled with emotion and action while inspiring excitement and ideas for what could be next for this fan-favorite Avenger. The next stage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is swirling in the magic aftermath.
Here’s a look at the differences between the screen and comic book versions of the iconic characters and suggestions of comic stories you should read to get even more on these characters.
Wanda Maximoff
Wanda and Pietro first appeared as Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in Magneto’s first Brother of Evil Mutants in the early issues of UNCANNY X-MEN. Wanda and Pietro were mutants who later reformed and joined the Avengers. In comics Wanda possessed the mutant “hex” power of altering probability. She was always code-named the Scarlet Witch but learned chaos magic later in her career.
Wanda and Pietro were the children of gypsies in the country of Transia. In later issues of THE AVENGERS, Wanda and Pietro learned they were the children of Magneto and a woman named Magda, who secretly gave the twins up for adoption. It was not your regular adoption agency. Magda turned to The High Evolutionary, a scientist based on Wundagore Mountain with a nanny named Bova, who is a cow transformed into a more human form.
In THE YESTERDAY QUEST, Wanda first experienced the dark side while exploring her origins on Wundagore Mountain. Wanda became corrupted by Mordred the Mystic and an Elder God named Chthon.
Wanda and Vision get married, tried to have domestic bliss in suburbia with two sons. Wanda eventually lost her sons due to manipulation by Mephisto, think of him as the Devil in Marvel Comics. What the heroes and allies didn’t realize was their fellow Avenger had become unstable. No one knew how dangerous Wanda would become.
In AVENGERS: DISASSEMBLED, the lingering loss of her husband and boys drove Wanda insane and she attacked her teammates. When the Avengers and X-Men confronted her Wanda created the HOUSE OF M – this epic story was a new reality in which Magneto ruled over a world in which mutants were the dominant species and Wanda’s family was safe.
When the truth of the HOUSE OF M was exposed with tragic results for one mutant, a heartbroken, furious Wanda uttered “No More Mutants” and the DECIMATION era was born. The mutant gene was erased from the human race so no new mutants would ever be born and millions of mutants lost their powers.
The mutant race was eventually saved, a classic super villain was revealed to be manipulating Wanda into her anti-mutant actions. Scarlet Witch attempted to made amends and help the mutants and returned to the UNCANNY AVENGERS – a squad of human and mutant heroes working together in the aftermath of AVENGERS VS X-MEN.
But that’s not all…..
It was revealed Wanda and Pietro were not mutants and not Magneto’s children. They were Inhumans.
Back to the series, Wanda gained control, set things right, gave up her family and set out to learn to control her power. In the final scene Wanda was in a cabin in a remote location at the base of a mountain. Was that Wundagore Mountain – her comic book birth place and home of the demonic author of the Darkhold?
QUICKSILVER
Let’s get to the tale of two Quicksilvers. Because of their comic book origins two studios could use the characters. When Fox controlled the X-Men film rights they only used Quicksilver and revealed he was the mutant son of Magneto raised in America with a single human mother. Marvel featured Wanda and Pietro in AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON who gained their powers due to exposure to Loki’s staff and the Infinity stone within.
The unresolved question: did the Stone unleashed their hidden powers- mutant or Inhuman?
Pietro died in the MCU. When the Quicksilver from the X-Men films turned up, I thought sure this was Wanda pulling her brother back to life but accidently reached into an alternate universe. This could have set the stage for the introduction of the Multiverse and a way to introduce mutants into the MCU.
In the comics, Quicksilver married Crystal of the Inhumans and had a daughter named Luna. The quick tempered Quicksilver became ruthless and rogue manipulating his sister and later taking radical actions in the HOUSE OF M, SON OF M stories.
BILLY AND TOMMY
This is a hard one to explain. The twins were real. Then they weren’t. Then they were? Billy and Tommy grew up to become known as WICCAN and SPEED of the YOUNG AVENGERS – teen heroes inspired by the legacies of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Four members of this comic book team are kind of already introduced or about to be in the MCU. Ant-Man’s daughter Cassie Lang grows up to be known as Stature and Kate Bishop will soon headline her own Disney+ series HAWKEYE later this year. If you read AVENGERS DISASSEMBED, HOUSE OF M then you must read AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE in which Billy, Tommy and their fellow Young Avengers help uncover the truth and begin the redemption of the Scarlet Witch.
A VISION IN WHITE
Yes, there is a White Vision in comics. An emotionless android White Vision was part of the West Coast Avengers (yes, that was a book) and a White Vision from an alternate Earth infiltrated the Avengers.
What happened to the White Vision in WANDAVISION? The Wanda reanimated original Vision appeared to download his memories into the White Vision – even the forehead stone changed color…and power?
The White Vision soared away. I thought sure we’d see him in a post-credits scene! Does this new body possesses the memories of the original but he needs to work on his feelings to one day reunite with his lost love?
AGATHA HARKNESS
Kathryn Hahn was wicked as the witch of Disney+ but she’s very different from her comic book counterpart. Agatha has always been a much older woman who served as the nanny for the son of Franklin and Susan Richards of the Fantastic Four, then Wanda and Vision’s twins. Agatha is a powerful witch who helped train Wanda.
MONICA RAMBEAU
There’s so much in my head about Monica that I have to give her a post just devoted to this classic Avenger with so much potential in the MCU. Stay tuned!
What will happen next to Wanda? Sorceress Supreme?
Elizabeth Olsen will appear in DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MADNESS OF THE MULTIVERSE. Will Wanda ask Stephen Strange to tutor her to control her powers? Given the final moments of WANDAVISION, could Wanda be the villain of the upcoming sequel? Will is be revealed that a major mystical character is the enemy pitting Strange vs Witch? I’m still hoping Mephisto will be pulling the strings. This devilish master manipulator is a classic Marvel icon that’s affected every super group and other villains.
With the coming introduction of the Multiverse and Wanda’s power – could this be how the MCU introduces mutants like the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Blade and Doctor Doom into the MCU? Movie fans may not realize Doom is not just a scientific genius but a sorcerer who’s fight with and against Strange, Wanda and Mephisto.
The Darkhold?
Agatha was in possession of the Darkhold, the Book of the Dead, when proclaiming Wanda the Scarlet Witch. This is the mystical book referred to in AGENTS OF SHIELD during the season featuring Ghost Rider/Robbie Reyes.
This could be HUGE!
It is called The Book of Sins in comics. Chthon is an Elder God, the first dark magic practitioner and author of this collection of evil spells and knowledge. The Darkhold ties into so many corners of the Marvel Universe and beyond.
The Darkhold and its followers, Darkholders, are responsible for the birth of the first vampire and werewolf. The Darkhold, Darkholders appeared in ancient Atlantis, in the stories of Kull the Conqueror and Red Sonja. Chthon and The Darkhold are in major stories involving Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch and a team called the Midnight Sons which included Ghost Rider, Blade, Hannibal King and The Nightstalkers and Morbius.
This book tangles like an evil weed with roots into Marvel mythology which could be cinematic story arcs for Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, Avengers, Namor, Blade the Vampire Hunter, X-Men and more.
YOUNG AVENGERS Assemble?
The Halloween episode of WANDAVISION was a geek delight showing the characters in their comic book accurate costumes. When Billy and Tommy got dressed up, it made me even more excited for see them as teen heroes Wiccan and Speed. The MCU roster may not be exactly like the comic but we’re already seen Stature, Wiccan, Speed and Hawkeye/Kate Bishop is on the way. The Skrulls have been introduced so could we eventually see Teddy aka Hulkling aka Billy’s boyfriend. Patriot’s character and connection to the Captain America legacy would be a great story. When you read YOUNG AVENGERS and AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE you’ll see why will this team would be magical on the big or streaming screen. Wanda and her twins coming full circle is epic and emotional.
Scarlet Witch is an incredible character. She’s been through hell and then some literally. Wanda’s journey from villain to hero to super villain to redemption is one of the greatest character arcs in comics. The actors and creators have given fans an incredible cinematic version with so much potential for MCU stories.
By Editor