WandaVision established Wanda Maximoff as the Scarlet Witch. Wanda made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015. After 6 years, this is the first time people got to see her appearance as the Scarlet Witch. WandaVision concluded its run on Disney+. It kicked off Marvel’s Phase 4. WandaVision had two post-credit scenes. In the second post-credit scene, we see Wanda somewhere in the hills, reading the Darkhold in the astral plane. This was a subtle hint to Doctor Strange’s existence in Wanda’s life.
Doctor Stephen Strange and Wanda Maximoff have been seen together previously as well. Doctor Strange and Wanda’s upcoming adventure on the big screen isn’t the first time that they’re involved in the same MCU project. They were both in Avengers: Infinity War. But their paths didn’t cross. The Sorcerer Supreme and the Scarlet Witch were a part of the massive cast, which could be one of the reasons for them not sharing the same screen. Wanda remained on Earth, while Doctor Strange was on Titan. they were among those resurrected amidst the climactic battle in Endgame; subsequently, they were also in Tony Stark’s funeral service. Still, the pair has yet to have interaction in the franchise.
Considering how many moving pieces the film’s final battle was, chances are that they weren’t fully aware of each other’s existence. But this wasn’t supposed to the outcome. Wanda and Doctor Strange had a team-up moment in Avengers: Endgame. A behind-the-scenes image for the 2019 film made the rounds online in 2020 and features the sorcerers using magic together. The VFX work is lacking, hence the nature of the scene is unclear. Whatever it was, it needed to be cut for the story of WandaVision for a couple of reasons. For starters, if Wanda knew the existence of Doctor Strange and the Masters of the Mystic Arts, she may have sought their help following the Maximoff Anomaly. This would’ve directly addressed Agatha’s comment about the hero needing a mentor, especially since she’s mostly unaware of her capabilities as Scarlet Witch.
Wanda going to Doctor Strange would’ve also properly educated her about the dangers of delving into the Darkhold. This would’ve totally sidelined Agatha Harkness‘s role in WandaVision. In the same vein, if Strange knew about Wanda’s existence from Endgame, he may have taken it upon himself to take her in immediately after the events of the Infinity Saga. Granted that this doesn’t guarantee that Wanda would’ve taken the offer but if she had, then that would’ve provided Wanda some kind of support throughout the difficult period. WandaVision was entirely based on Wanda’s grief and her traumatic past. If the creators would have slimmed her experience and her past, the show wouldn’t have had the same impact.
As seen in the WandaVision penultimate episode, “Previously On,” it seemed like she was on her own following Thanos’ defeat. Everyone else moved on and focused on their lives and since she only really had Vision, but he died as well. She had no one with her. This was really important for WandaVision. She had no one else to turn to. Surrounding her with fellow magic wielders may have helped her not only better understand her capabilities but go through her grief properly.
This would’ve effectively prevented her breakdown that resulted in the events of WandaVision. It’s still uncertain how exactly Doctor Strange and Wanda’s paths will cross come Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. WandaVision ended with Scarlet Witch on a self-imposed exile as she studied the Darkhold on her own. If she goes down her destined path to destroy the world as Agnes said, she will find herself facing off with the MCU’s future Sorcerer Supreme. That said, it’s safe to say that eventually, the pair will have to team up to defeat a common enemy.
Wanda and Doctor Strange will now be seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It will be interesting to see them both use and unfold the mysteries of magic. The villain for Doctor Strange 2 is unknown. But it is highly believed that the villain will be related to both, Wanda and Doctor Stephen Strange. When Marvel’s Disney+ series was announced during San Diego Comic-Con 2019, it was also confirmed that it will narratively connect to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with Wanda set to appear. It’s unclear if Wanda will have a bigger role or a major cameo. But it will definitely be interesting to see them both have a conversation.
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