Endgame Already Did Scarlet Witch’s Upcoming MCU Story (But This Is Better)
Scarlet Witch's (Elizabeth Olsen) upcoming story in the MCU has already been done in Avengers: Endgame, but Marvel Studios can do it in a much better way. Wanda Maximoff has been in the franchise since Phase 2's Avengers: Age of Ultron. But after playing a supporting role towards the end of the Infinity Saga, she is now poised to be a major player in Phase 4 and beyond. However, her narrative may feel familiar to some fans.
As one of the most powerful heroes in Marvel Comics, many were excited to see Marvel Studios' take on Scarlet Witch in the MCU. But instead of being an immediate key player, she has been relegated to the sidelines, only getting her headlining project in Phase 4's WandaVision. The critically-acclaimed Disney+ show, however, sets her down a path that's both intriguing and dangerous. Now, she's slated to make her big-screen return in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she appears to find herself going up against Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) as she tries to search for her twins who were asking for her help in WandaVision's post-credits scene.
Despite plot details for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness still being tightly kept under wraps, Marvel Studios marketing suggests that Wanda will embrace her villainous side in the movie. Without her family in the mix and nothing left to lose, she can wreak havoc, especially if it helps her deal with the difficulty of being alone. This was exactly why Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) became Ronin on the heels of Avengers: Infinity War. With his whole family getting disintegrated by Thanos' (Josh Brolin) snap, he went on a killing spree, targeting organized criminals. Avengers: Endgame was supposed to properly tackle Hawkeye's fall from grace, but because the film was already packed, directors Joe and Anthony Russo barely explored this side of him. Instead, it was immediately pushed aside because the narrative had to focus on reversing the Decimation.
Now, however, with Wanda's narrative playing out longer, Marvel Studios has more time to properly tackle her story as she potentially evolves into either a full-fledged villain or an anti-hero, at the very least. As seen in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer, she has some grievances regarding the double standards in how she and Doctor Strange are treated. While she's vilified for breaking the law, the future MCU Sorcerer Supreme is dubbed a hero because of it. This effectively sets up their battle in the upcoming Sam Raimi-directed flick. Beyond that, it's still unclear what will happen to Wanda. But it's safe to say that Doctor Strange will prevail as the winner of their initial bout. This could further isolate her from the rest of the MCU which might also be a motivating factor for her to antagonize the Avengers moving forward.
Regardless of what happens in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Scarlet Witch's story is offering Marvel Studios an opportunity to make up for Barton's rushed Ronin arc in Avengers: Endgame. While the Avengers' resident marksman's past haunted him on Hawkeye, the Disney+ series still failed to properly explore the internal turmoil that led to Barton's decision to take up his vigilante persona. This said, they at least should have more than enough time to thoroughly develop Wanda's similar story in the MCU.