Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the
Multiverse of Madness.
Wanda Maximoff debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2014 and has since become a fixture of the franchise, continuously appearing alongside the Avengers and heading up WandaVision, her own Disney+ show.
The character was finally granted her comic book moniker of Scarlet Witch in WandaVision, marking the start of a new phase in her complex superhero journey. Wanda’s MCU appearances are ranked not only by her prominence in the story but also by how they have influenced and developed her character.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Wanda’s first and briefest appearance came about in the mid-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which showed the Maximoff twins exploring their powers after undergoing Baron von Strucker’s experimentations.
This scene acted as an exciting hint of things to come in the MCU. Still, it wasn’t without criticism, largely because of how it indicated that this version of Wanda and Pietro had aligned themselves with Hydra, which directly contradicted their comic book heritage as Jewish and Romani people.
What If…? (2021-present)
Though the Scarlet Witch of the main MCU’s continuity did not appear in What If…?, the series nevertheless showed an interesting side of the character in an alternate universe.
First appearing in the aptly named “What If…Zombies?!”, this incarnation of Wanda contracted a zombie virus that originated in the Quantum Realm, which led to her powers becoming increasingly volatile. A reminder of the ever-present danger of chaos magic, this story proved that even without her usual intellect, Wanda is incredibly powerful.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Given that she was a victim of the Blip, Wanda was largely absent from Avengers: Endgame, but she made up for lost time upon her return.
In one of the best MCU Wanda Maximoff fight scenes, the Scarlet Witch faced down Thanos in the final battle, managing to dismantle his armor and greatly reshape the battlefield. Channeling all of her emotion into her attacks, this move illustrated that Wanda’s magic is intrinsically linked to her state of mind.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War saw Wanda face off against many opponents, but her earliest battle in the narrative (fighting against the Black Order) doubles as one of the best Wanda and Vision moments.
The two fight with practiced ease in tandem, constantly protecting each other and displaying how their relationship has developed. In the movie’s final fight against Thanos, Wanda manages to hold off the Titan with one hand while prying the Infinity Stone from Vision, in a heartbreaking moment that crucially sets up the story of WandaVision.
Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)
Despite being one of the more poorly-received Marvel movies, Avengers: Age of Ultron is an essential part of Wanda’s story, and marked her first full appearance in the MCU.
Chronicling Wanda and Pietro’s journey from working with Hydra and Ultron to siding with and later fully joining the Avengers, this film expands upon the twins’ backstory and also sees Wanda meet Vision for the first time. Additionally, the tragic death of Pietro in the Battle of Sokovia solidifies Wanda’s continuing quest to fight on the side of the heroes.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The Scarlet Witch’s story is one that is marked by repeated tragedy, and this is reflected in Captain America: Civil War, where one of the worst things that’s happened to Wanda occurs. In her quest to redirect a dangerous detonation during a battle with Crossbones, Wanda accidentally releases the blow on a nearby building, killing civilians in the process.
Horrified with herself, Wanda’s mistake leads to the establishment of the Sokovia Accords and kickstarts the movie’s story concerning government oversight. Civil War is an important appearance for Wanda not just because she is central to the plot, though, as it also shows her early connection with Vision, the dynamics she has with her fellow Avengers, and gives audiences a look into her life outside of the superheroics.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)
After the success of WandaVision, fans of the Scarlet Witch had high expectations leading up to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and though Wanda has a significant arc in the story, the villainous turn for the character was met with mixed responses.
Even so, Multiverse of Madness honors the core tenets of Wanda’s character, namely her innermost desire for family and the unpredictability of her powers, though in this case there are far more catastrophic consequences than ever before. Wanda leaves mass destruction wherever she goes, leading some to feel that the character is now irredeemable. At the movie’s conclusion Wanda seemingly dies, sacrificing herself to destroy every Darkhold in existence as she reckons with the devastation she’s caused, but it seems unlikely that this is the end of her story, as the MCU is full of hints that prove the Scarlet Witch isn’t dead.
WandaVision (2021)
Placing Wanda and Vision in the spotlight, WandaVision as a series had an inventive structure and intriguing story, but at its core, the show is a character study of the Scarlet Witch and her grief.
By putting Wanda in the unexpected position of sitcom wife and mother, WandaVision showed not only her innermost desires for a quiet life with the now-gone Vision but also the extent of her magical powers in a brand new way. The series gave Wanda a worthy adversary in fellow witch Agatha Harkness, and it also shed new light on her childhood, revealing that she has had access to an innate source of magic her entire life because she is the Scarlet Witch. The final battle where this title is finally earned may have been a long time coming, but Wanda’s subsequent decision to release her hold over Westview showed that her story was far from over.
