Scarlet Witch Could Be Villain Like Winter Soldier In Doctor Strange 2
After the events of WandaVision, it seems Marvel has plans for Scarlet Witch to be a villain in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but her arc as an antagonist will likely have more in common with the Winter Soldier than with any other traditional MCU villain. Ever since Marvel confirmed the return of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff to the big screen in Doctor Strange 2, fans have wondered what her role will look like. WandaVision provided some important clues, especially in the final post-credits scene.
WandaVision, while exceptionally fun and original, had an ominous tone from the beginning. Throughout the series, it was clear that Wanda’s power was greater than even she realized. She created and controlled an entire town that was spawned out of her grief in the aftermath of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. In the final episodes, Agatha Harkness challenged Wanda and showed her the true scope of her power. She revealed that Wanda is the Scarlet Witch, a legendary figure whose destiny is to destroy the world and who has power that “exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme”. This clearly implies a direct threat to Doctor Strange.
In the likely event that Scarlet Witch is a villain in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, her background suggests that she will be an unwitting one. Rather than being nefarious or evil on her own, Wanda may be under the influence of a greater antagonist. Much like HYDRA brainwashed Bucky Barnes and turned him into their assassin in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the true villain in Doctor Strange 2 could similarly use Scarlet Witch to do their own bidding. Using the Darkhold, the ancient and dangerous book of chaos magic, a supernatural being like Chthon or Mephisto could possess Scarlet Witch and use her exceptional power to bring destruction to the universe.
Tragedy and trauma are things Wanda Maximoff and Bucky Barnes have in common. This unfortunately makes them both easy targets for evil forces to try to control. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it was revealed that the Wakandans had helped Bucky overcome many of his demons and finally rid his mind of HYDRA's brainwashing. Wanda's journey as the Scarlet Witch may eventually require a similar process of regaining control if she succumbs to someone else’s influence in Doctor Strange 2, especially if she incites havoc even greater than the scale of her Westview Hex.
This wouldn't be the first time the Scarlet Witch has fallen prey to another's evil influence in the MCU, either. She was introduced to the franchise as a HYDRA science experiment in Avengers: Age of Ultron, then she was influenced by Ultron to help him try to destroy the Avengers before becoming one herself. In WandaVision, Agatha was able to manipulate the reality Wanda created in Westview without her noticing. Wanda's control over the townspeople was tormenting them, but she seemed to not even realize it. Her grief and trauma blind her to the destruction she causes, which makes her both vulnerable and dangerous.
Just as the Winter Soldier had trigger words that were used to make him a compliant killer, Wanda has grief. It's unclear what her future with White Vision looks like, but she's traumatized from just losing her new family, and grieving the loss of loved ones is sadly a theme in her life. That final scene in WandaVision shows Wanda studying the Darkhold when she hears the cries of her two boys. An evil entity could use this to lure Wanda into tampering with reality and bringing chaos to the universe. If Scarlet Witch causes problems in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, like the Winter Soldier, it is likely because she's being used.