Exploring Wanda Maximoff’s Turn to Evil in the MCU
Elizabeth Olsen’s portrayal of Wanda Maximoff in the MCU has been a roller-coaster ride of diverse roles. From initially being portrayed as a villain to evolving into an Avenger, she has depicted the complexities of Wanda’s character journey, including her transition from a sorcerer to a compassionate mother figure. This multifaceted portrayal has established Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff as one of the most intricate and compelling characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Wanda’s evil beginnings
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Wanda’s story begins in Sokovia, an unstable country where she and her twin brother Pietro acquire superhuman abilities through HYDRA experiments. At first they join Ultron because their parents’ deaths were caused by Tony Stark’s weapons.
As for Wanda she uses her powers to hex each Avenger aiming at triggering them into reliving their worst fears. She controls Thor, Black Widow and Captain America while making another attempt towards Hawkeye but is stopped by an electric arrow. After that, she hexes Bruce Banner leading him to turn into Hulk and go on a rampage.
When the story progresses, it is revealed that Wanda reads Ultron’s mind and learns of his plan for human extinction. This discovery leads her and her brother to side with Avengers and fight against Ultron. This occurs after Hawkeye says “If you step out that door…you are an avenger.”
WandaVision and the Dark Side
Elizabeth Olsen’s portrayal of Wanda Maximoff takes a darker turn in WandaVision, contrasting with her relatively heroic arcs in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. The series begins with the tragic death of Vision, pushing Wanda to gain a new villainous arc.
In order to cope with her grief after losing Vision, she creates a fantasy world where people from Westview are mentally enslaved. While her actions originate from her internal sorrow, they still count as acts done by someone who is villainous.
Thus she inflicts pain upon individuals’ minds and manipulates soldiers; harming Monica Rambeau using her powers. While her actions are deeply troubling, they do not necessarily cast her as a traditional villain within the MCU narrative.
Wanda in The Multiverse of Madness
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda Maximoff’s descent into morally ambiguous actions intensifies as she becomes increasingly reckless and driven by her desire to reunite with her children, Billy and Tommy, who are influenced by the Darkhold. Believing the Darkhold can guide her to her lost children across multiple dimensions, Wanda’s pursuit leads to unintended consequences.
Her interactions with America Chavez, whose multiverse-jumping abilities inadvertently unleash monsters and villains from various worlds, escalate the chaos. This places Wanda in direct conflict with Doctor Strange and the Masters of the Mystic Arts, as her actions blur the lines between heroism and potential villainy.
Wanda’s redemption
By the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda Maximoff recognizes the dangerous power of the Darkhold and decides to eliminate all its copies across different universes. This act is driven by her guilt over the chaos caused and potentially signals a self-sacrificial move, possibly risking her own existence.
Elizabeth Olsen has expressed hope that Wanda will undergo a redemption arc in future MCU projects. In Marvel Comics, Wanda’s storyline often fluctuates between heroism and villainy, leaving open questions about her trajectory in the MCU.
While waiting for potential returns like Avengers 5, Agatha: Coven of Chaos or Doctor Strange 3, fans want to see Wanda return, possibly alive, to clear her name and embark on a journey of redemption once again.
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