WandaVision has established Marvel’s Phase 4. The series concluded this Friday with an epic battle between Agatha Harkness vs Scarlet Witch. Their battle was interesting and a stepping stone for Wanda’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Wanda Maximoff has been officially introduced in the MCU as the Scarlet Witch. Agatha was the first person to use the Runes Magic in WandaVision. Then we saw Wanda use the same Runes in the finale to depower Agatha and win the battle.
These runes indicate the introduction of proper witchcraft. On top of that, the second post-credit scene showed Wanda being Scarlet Witch and reading the Darkhold in the astral plane. The franchise’s first Disney+ show ended with an action-packed, emotional climax, which also seeded several new mysteries concerning Wanda, Vision, magic, and the multiverse. New characters like Agatha Harkness and Monica Rambeau made their MCU debut in WandaVision, but it looks like they may not be the only new additions the series has brought.
The more fragmented nature of Phase 4 means it may take some time before another all-encompassing threat is revealed. That won’t stop Marvel from setting up some villains for the future. WandaVision teased two big ones in its final episode. The WandaVision finale teased the introduction of Chthon. He is the primordial god of chaos. This was done by introducing the Darkhold.
The Darkhold is written by Chthon to hold the secrets of his dark magic. He was directly hinted at after Wanda’s powers were referred to as Chaos Magic. The Darkhold’s first appearance was in Marvel Spotlight #4, the title that starred Werewolf by Night, Marvel’s most popular canine monster. It surely feels like the Darkhold will hold a special place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the upcoming years.
Chthon bestowed these powers onto Wanda himself in the comics. It’s possible that the MCU Darkhold won’t have the same backstory. It may be that Chthon won’t be brought into the fold. But it seems more likely that Wanda will discover more about the ancient origins of witchcraft and the Elder Gods as she dives deeper into the nature of her abilities.
Chthon was imprisoned on the Wundagore mountain. It was the same place where Wanda was born. On that day, Chthon infused Wanda with some of his powers. His plan was to inhibit Scarlet’s body. For that, he needed her to be the strongest being in the world. Chthon is the reason for Wanda’s reality-warping powers. Modred the Mystic kidnapped Scarlet Witch years later.
Modred the Mystic brought her to the Wundagore mountain. Modred used the Darkhold’s power to allow Chthon to possess Scarlet Witch’s body. Even with the combined might of the Avengers, Chthon was too powerful for them. It took a surprise attack from the Beast to give them the advantage they needed to free Scarlet Witch of Chthon’s hold on her.
The second villain that was set up in the post-credit scene was Nightmare. He’s another ancient and evil being who rules the ethereal Dream Dimension in the Marvel comics. In the second post-credits scene of the finale, Wanda hears Tommy and Billy crying out for help. Since the twins were created by Wanda as part of elaborate fantasy, it’s possible that they wound up in the Dream Dimension after the Westview Hex dissipated.
Both boys were essentially part of a dream, and other details from the episode – like the Westview citizens claiming they’ve been living in Wanda’s nightmares – could have attracted Nightmare’s interest. Either or both Nightmare and Chthon could play major roles as future MCU Phase 4 villains, especially in multiverse-heavy stories like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Scarlet Witch is confirmed to costar in the former film alongside Doctor Strange, and she might be trying to save her children from the Dream Dimension.
Regardless of how exactly those future stories pan out, WandaVision has set up a lot of villainous potential for the MCU. Chthon and Nightmare both have the potential of forcing the MCU to re-assemble the Avengers. Fans are eagerly waiting for that as well. WandVision has correctly set the tone for the rest of Marvel’s Phase 4. Are you excited for Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Let us know in the comments below!
