Wanda Maximoff

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Character
Name: Wanda Maximoff
Occupation: Witch
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr (father), Magda Lehnsherr (mother), Django Maximoff (adoptive father), Marya Maximoff (adoptive mother);
Pietro Maximoff (twin brother, also AU!love interest), Lorna Dane (half-sister), Anya Maximoff (stepsister);
Crystalia Amaquelin Maximoff (sister-in-law), Luna Maximoff (niece);
Vision (ex-husband), Thomas Maximoff (son), William Maximoff (son), Tommy Shepherd (reincarnation of son), Billy Kaplan (reincarnation of son), Talia Josephine Wagner (AU!daughter),
Tony Stark (love interest), Scott Summers (love interest), Clint Barton (love interest), Kurt Wagner (love interest/AU!husband), Doctor Victor von Doom (love interest), Captain America (love interest/AU!husband), Simon Williams (love interest);
Agatha Harkness (mentor)
Fandom: The X-Men, The Avengers (Marvel), House of M, Marvel Ultimate Universe, MCU, WandaVision
Other: Wikipedia:Scarlet Witch
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Wanda Maximoff also known as the Scarlet Witch, is a character from the Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Canon

Wanda Maximoff, known as the Scarlet Witch, is a powerful sorceress and mutant in the Marvel Universe. She started as a villain alongside her brother, Quicksilver, but soon became a hero and a key member of the Avengers. Wanda's powers (called Chaos Magic) allow her to manipulate reality and cast powerful spells (called "hexes"), which sometimes spiral out of control, leading to devastating consequences. Her journey is marked by personal tragedy, including the loss of her children and struggles with her own mental health. Despite these challenges, she continues to fight for good, often wrestling with the immense power she possesses.

Comics

Wanda Maximoff made her first appearance in X-Men #4 in 1964, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. She debuted as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, a group led by Magneto, who later turned out to be her father. In this issue, Wanda is portrayed as a reluctant villain, motivated by her sense of loyalty to her brother, Quicksilver, and her gratitude to Magneto for saving them. Unlike other villains, she expresses doubt and discomfort with her role, which hints at her future as a hero. This early portrayal established her as a complex character, torn between her obligations and her moral compass.

Wanda joined the Avengers in Avengers #16 (1965) alongside her brother, Quicksilver, marking the start of her heroic journey. Initially, she struggled to gain the trust of her teammates due to her past as a villain. Over time, she became a key member, developing her reality-altering powers and growing in confidence. Wanda's relationships, particularly her marriage to the Vision, explored in The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985), were central to her story. Desiring a family, Wanda used her reality-warping powers to create twin sons, Billy and Tommy, as detailed in. However, it was later revealed that her children were actually fragments of the demon Mephisto’s soul. In Avengers West Coast (1989), Mephisto reabsorbed the children, erasing them from existence and leaving Wanda devastated. The trauma of this loss deeply affected her, contributing to her mental instability and setting the stage for future storylines.

Avengers: Disassembled (2004) and House of M (2005) are two pivotal storylines that center around Wanda Maximoff. In Avengers: Disassembled, Wanda’s grief over the loss of her children resurfaces, causing her to lose control of her reality-warping powers. This results in catastrophic events, including the deaths of several Avengers and the disbanding of the team. Following these events, in House of M, Wanda creates an alternate reality where mutants are the dominant species, and her family rules the world. However, when this reality begins to unravel, Wanda utters the famous words "No more mutants," leading to the "Decimation" event where the vast majority of mutants lose their powers. These stories highlight Wanda's immense power and the devastating consequences of her emotional turmoil.

Wanda Maximoff's story took a path of redemption and self-discovery. In The Children's Crusade (2010-2012), Wanda was found living in seclusion, with no memory of her past actions. The Young Avengers, particularly her sons Billy and Tommy (now reincarnated as Wiccan and Speed), sought her out, leading to her eventual return. During this storyline, Wanda began to atone for her actions and regained her memories, though her guilt remained heavy. Wanda later embarked on a solo journey in the Scarlet Witch (2015-2017) series, where she explored her magical heritage and sought to control her powers while confronting her past. She discovered that her powers were rooted in a deeper mystical force, beyond just mutant abilities, and worked to fix magical problems around the world. Throughout these stories, Wanda continued to wrestle with her identity, striving to balance her immense power with a desire to do good.

X-Men: Evolution

Wanda Maximoff, voiced by Kelly Sheridan, appears in X-Men: Evolution (2000-2003) starting in Season 2. She is portrayed as Magneto’s estranged daughter, harboring deep resentment due to his past neglect. Her character is troubled and volatile, with chaotic powers that reflect her inner turmoil. Wanda joins the Brotherhood of Mutants, often clashing with both her teammates and the X-Men. A key storyline involves her seeking revenge against Magneto, highlighting her complex emotions and struggle for control.

Wolverine and the X-Men

In Wolverine and the X-Men (2009) Wanda Maximoff, voiced by Kate Higgins, is Magneto’s daughter and a key figure in Genosha. She is portrayed as calm and diplomatic, often trying to mediate between her father's extremist views and the need for peace. Wanda's love interest in the series is Nightcrawler, and their relationship adds a layer of complexity to her character. Despite her composed exterior, Wanda struggles with her loyalty to her family, particularly as she disagrees with Magneto’s methods. Her story focuses on balancing these conflicting loyalties while maintaining peace in Genosha.

Super Hero Squad Show

In The Super Hero Squad Show (2009-2011), Wanda Maximoff is voiced by Tara Strong. She is portrayed as a younger, more light-hearted version of the character, fitting the show’s comedic and kid-friendly tone. Wanda is a member of the Super Hero Squad, using her magical powers to help protect Super Hero City from various villains. She has a fun and supportive dynamic with her teammates, often adding a touch of humor to their adventures. Although her powers are formidable, they are presented in a playful and exaggerated manner, making her a key but light-hearted character in the series.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, first appears in the MCU during the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), where she is revealed as a prisoner of HYDRA, alongside her brother, Pietro (Quicksilver). In this brief scene, she is shown using her telekinetic and telepathic powers, hinting at her future role. Her full debut comes in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), where she starts as an antagonist, working with Ultron against the Avengers out of a desire for revenge against Tony Stark, whom she blames for her parents' deaths. However, as the story progresses, Wanda realizes Ultron's true intentions to destroy humanity and switches sides to join the Avengers. She plays a crucial role in the battle against Ultron, showcasing her powerful abilities. By the end of the film, Wanda becomes a full-fledged Avenger, marking the start of her journey as a hero in the MCU.

In Captain America: Civil War (2016), Wanda struggles with the consequences of her powers after an accidental explosion during a mission, leading to global calls for superhero regulation. She ultimately sides with Steve Rogers, fighting against the Sokovia Accords, which regulate superhero activities. In Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Wanda's relationship with Vision deepens, but they are forced to confront Thanos, who seeks the Mind Stone embedded in Vision’s forehead. Despite their efforts, Thanos ultimately kills Vision and takes the stone, leading to Wanda’s devastating loss. In Avengers: Endgame (2019), Wanda returns in the final battle against Thanos, fiercely confronting him in revenge for Vision’s death, showcasing the full extent of her powers.

In WandaVision (2021), Wanda creates a surreal, sitcom-inspired reality in the town of Westview as a way to cope with her immense grief over Vision's death. Unbeknownst to the townspeople, Wanda manipulates their lives, casting them as characters in her idealized world where she and Vision live as a happy couple with their twin sons, Billy and Tommy. As the series progresses, it becomes clear that Wanda's powers are spiraling out of control, trapping her and others in a fantasy she can’t sustain. The series explores Wanda's grief, trauma, and her transformation into the Scarlet Witch, a being of immense power. In the end, she must confront her actions, letting go of her created family and reality, and accepting her true identity as the Scarlet Witch.

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Wanda fully embraces her identity as the Scarlet Witch, driven by a desperate desire to reunite with her lost children, Billy and Tommy, whom she remembers from the reality she created in WandaVision. Using the Darkhold, a powerful and corruptive book of dark magic, Wanda searches for alternate universes where her children exist, and she can be with them again. Her quest puts her at odds with Doctor Strange, as she becomes the film’s main antagonist, willing to destroy other realities to achieve her goal. Throughout the movie, Wanda’s descent into darkness is fueled by grief, but in the end, she realizes the harm she’s causing, particularly after confronting an alternate version of herself. Ultimately, Wanda sacrifices herself, destroying the Darkhold in all universes to prevent further chaos, leaving her fate ambiguous.

Other Appearances

Besides above animated series - the Scarlet Witch appears in the Captain America segment of The Marvel Super Heroes, voiced by Peg Dixon. She appears in the X-Men: The Animated Series episode Family Ties, voiced by Susan Roman. She also appears in Iron Man: The Animated Series, voiced by Katherine Moffat in the first season and Jennifer Darling in the second. This version is a member of Force Works. Wanda appears in The Avengers: United They Stand, voiced by Stavroula Logothettis. This version is a member of the Avengers. She also appears in Lego Marvel Avengers: Time Twisted, voiced by Elyse Maloway.

In What If...?, Wanda Maximoff appears in two episodes, portraying alternate versions of herself. In Season 1, Episode 5, she is featured as a zombie in a world where the Avengers have been infected by a zombie virus. In this reality, Wanda is a zombified but still immensely powerful Scarlet Witch, fighting the remaining survivors with her chaotic magic, adding to the danger they face. In Season 2, Episode 9, Wanda appears as a more traditional version of the Scarlet Witch, part of a multiverse-spanning battle against an alternate Ultron. In this episode, she helps the team of heroes assembled by the Watcher to stop Ultron from wiping out all realities. These appearances showcase the diversity of Wanda's character across the multiverse, from a terrifying zombie to a hero fighting for the greater good.

Fandom

Shipping

Some comicsverse pairings include:

In Wolverine and the X-Men, the pairing Nightcrawler/Scarlet Witch is popular.

In X-Men: Evolution, the pairing Toad/Scarlet Witch was popular due to the canon interest Toad showed Wanda.

In the MCU:

Crossing over the MCU with X-Men Movieverse is fairly common in fanvids and other fanworks due to comicsverse canon each characters appear in each other's titles, plus that film universe houses her father Magneto and alive version of her brother, so familiar relationships often appear in those fanworks.

Fanworks

Fics

MCU

Marvel Comics

Arts

Vids

Sweet But Psycho is a popular choice for Wanda songvids.

Wolverine and the X-Men:

MCU:

XME:

Meta

Recs

Archives and Fannish Links

Communities

Tumblr

Fansites

Resources

References


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