Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch as drawn by Frank Cho.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The X-Men #4 (March 1964)
Created by	Stan Lee Jack Kirby
In-story information
Alter ego	Wanda Maximoff
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	Avengers Unity Squad Brotherhood of Evil Mutants Avengers Lady Liberators West Coast Avengers Defenders Secret Defenders Force Works
Notable aliases	Wanda Frank, Ana Maximoff, Wanda Magnus
Abilities	Probability manipulation Reality alteration Chaos Magic

The Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #4 (March 1964) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The Scarlet Witch has been featured in five decades of Marvel continuity, starring in two self-titled limited series with husband the Vision and as a regular team member in superhero title the Avengers. The character has also appeared in other Marvel-endorsed products such as animated films; arcade and video games; television series and merchandise such as action figures and trading cards.

Scarlet Witch is a mutant, born with the magical ability to alter reality in unspecific ways. She is the daughter of Magneto, the twin sister of Quicksilver, and the paternal half-sister of Polaris.

The Scarlet Witch was ranked 97th in Wizard's "200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time" list^[1] and 14th in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.^[2] Elizabeth Olsen portrays the Scarlet Witch in a mid-credits scene in the Marvel Studios film Captain America: The Winter Soldier and will reprise the role in Avengers: Age of Ultron as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Publication history

File:X-Men 4 March 1964.jpg

The Scarlet Witch debuted, together with her brother, Quicksilver, as a part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in X-Men #4 (March 1964). After several appearances as a villain in issues #5 (May 1964); #6 (July 1964); #7 (Sept. 1964); and #11 (May 1965), Wanda and her brother were added to the cast of the superhero team the Avengers in Avengers #16 (May 1965). The Scarlet Witch was a semi-regular member of the team until issue #49 (Feb. 1968), and then returned in issue #75 (April 1970) and was a perennial member of both the main team and several affiliated teams (such as the West Coast Avengers and Force Works) until Avengers #503 (Dec. 2004), the final issue of the first volume. Upon her return to the Avengers she was given a long-running love interest in the form of fellow Avenger the Vision. Writer Roy Thomas recounted, "I felt that a romance of some sort would help the character development in The Avengers, and the Vision was a prime candidate because he appeared only in that mag... as did Wanda, for that matter. So they became a pair, for just such practical considerations."^[3]

Thomas's successor on The Avengers, Steve Englehart, considerably expanded the Scarlet Witch's powers, adding genuine sorcery to her mutant "hex" power. He later explained, "Having decided she would be a full-fledged player, she then naturally developed a more assertive personality, and I wanted to know more about her rather vaguely defined powers since she’d be using them more. I could certainly have pushed her more toward the mutant end of the spectrum, but the name ‘Witch’ seemed like it could be more than just a superhero nom de guerre, so I went that way."^[3]

The Scarlet Witch starred in two limited series with husband and fellow Avenger the Vision: Vision and the Scarlet Witch #1 - 4 (Nov. 1982 - Feb. 1983), by writer Bill Mantlo and penciller Rick Leonardi,^[4] and a second volume of the same title numbered #1 - 12 (Oct. 1985 - Sept. 1986), written by Englehart and penciled by Richard Howell.^[5] Howell later wrote, penciled, inked, lettered, and colored a Scarlet Witch solo story which appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #60-63 (Oct. - Nov. 1990). A solo limited series, titled Scarlet Witch, ran four issues in 1994.^[6] A one-shot titled Mystic Arcana Scarlet Witch was published in October 2007^[7] and an Avengers Origins: The Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver one-shot followed in January 2012.^[8]

Artist George Pérez designed a new costume with a strong Roma influence for the character in 1998.^[9] This design has rarely been used by artists other than Pérez. Alan Davis stated that when he became the artist on The Avengers, he "asked to change the Scarlet Witch just because I didn't feel the design George Pérez created worked with my drawing style. I tend to go for simpler, more open lines and don't do lots of detail in rendering."^[10]

The character played a pivotal role in the Avengers Disassembled storyline and related limited series House of M, and appeared in the Young Avengers follow-up series, Avengers: The Children's Crusade.

Don Markstein asserts that the character is unlike any other, stating, "The Scarlet Witch is unique among superheroes, and not just because she's the only one who wears a wimple. Her super power is unlike any other — she can alter probability so as to cause mishaps for her foes. In other words, she 'hexes' them." ^[11]

The Scarlet Witch is a regular character in Uncanny Avengers (2012), beginning with issue #1.

Fictional character biography

Magda — pregnant with the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver — takes sanctuary at Mount Wundagore in Transia, the home of the High Evolutionary, after seeing her husband Magnus use his magnetic powers for the first time. The twins are born during a battle between the Knights of Wundagore and the Other, "the elemental host of Cthon"; Mt. Wundagore is the prison of the Elder God Chthon, and Magda had come to the mountain in the midst of a plot of his to escape the prison. Cthon altered Wanda and will later give her the ability to use magic in addition to her mutant abilities; Cthon had planned to use her as a vessel for his own demonic possession when she reached maturity, a vessel with both mutant and magical powers. Fearing that Magnus would discover the children, Magda leaves the sanctuary and dies of exposure to the elements. The twins are attended by Bova. Bova soon assists the World War II superheroine Miss America through labor, but the birth results in a stillborn child and Miss America loses her own life in the process. These complications are thought to be due to radiation poisoning deliberately caused by the villain Isbisa, the enemy of Miss America's husband Robert Frank, a.k.a Whizzer. Bova hides the truth from Frank and claims that only the mother has died, and that he now has twin children. Frank is shocked at the death of his wife and flees at super speed.^[12][13][14] As Wundagore was no place for human infants, the High Evolutionary places them in the care of the Romani Django and Marya Maximoff, who raise the twins as their own children. The twins are forced to flee a mob when Wanda uses her powers to protect herself and accidentally causes a fire that kills their adoptive Roma mother.^[15]

Brotherhood of Evil Mutants

Once Pietro (Quicksilver) and Wanda (The Scarlet Witch) reach adolescence, they discover that they are in fact mutants. Pietro possesses superhuman speed, while Wanda learns that she can control probability. When the pair display their powers in public, and are again attacked by a superstitious crowd, they are saved by their father — now the supervillain Magneto — although neither Magneto nor his children are aware of their connection. Magneto then recruits the pair for the first incarnation of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The Brotherhood battles the X-Men on several occasions,^{[16][17][18][19]} and the twins become reluctant members of the Brotherhood and only remain because of their obligation to Magneto. When Magneto and his lackey Toad are abducted by the cosmic entity Stranger, the Brotherhood dissolves and the twins declare that their debt to Magneto has been paid.^[20]

The Avengers

File:Avengers 16 May 1965.jpg

Soon after Magneto's abduction, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch are recruited by the hero Iron Man to join the Avengers. Along with Captain America as leader, and former villain Hawkeye, the four become the second generation of the Avengers and are later dubbed as "Cap's Kooky Quartet".^[21]

Wanda becomes close friends with Hawkeye and a loyal member of the team until she is accidentally shot on a mission against Magneto. Quicksilver then flees from the Avengers with his wounded sister.^[22] The pair accompany Magneto back to his mid-Atlantic base,^[23] and Wanda spends the next few weeks recovering from her wound. She watches as Magneto captures the X-Men^[24] and Pietro skirmishes with Cyclops, one of the X-Men,^[25] and later Spider-Man.^[26] After these encounters, the twins finally realize that Magneto is the true villain. Wanda and Pietro are then kidnapped along with several other mutants by the Sentinels, but are subsequently freed by the X-Men.^[27][28]

Quicksilver later returns to the Avengers and advises them that Wanda has been kidnapped and taken to another dimension by the warlord Arkon.^[29][30] After being rescued, Wanda — together with Pietro — rejoins the team. The Scarlet Witch then falls in love with teammate Vision, an android originally created as a weapon by the Avengers' foe Ultron. Before long, the two develop a romantic relationship.^[31] Their relationship has a tumultuous start as both Quicksilver and Hawkeye object — Quicksilver cannot accept the idea that his sister loves a robot while Hawkeye loves Wanda himself.^[31] Despite this, the pair eventually marry with the blessing of the entire team.^[32]

The Scarlet Witch begins to become frustrated with the fluctuating level of her mutant ability, and is tutored by a true witch, Agatha Harkness. The training allows Wanda even greater control over her hexes^[33] and this proves invaluable in battle against foes such as Ultron.^[34] Wanda and Pietro also meet Robert Frank, who briefly joins the Avengers, believing them to be his children.^[35] This is later disproved when Wanda and Pietro are abducted by Django Maximoff and taken to Wundagore. Wanda is temporarily possessed by the demon Chthon, but after being released is advised by Bova that neither Frank nor Maximoff is their biological father.^[12] Soon after, while trying to track down Magda one last time, Magneto learns that he is the father of the twins. He immediately informs them of their relationship shortly after the birth of Pietro's daughter Luna.^[36] The Scarlet Witch and Vision take a leave of absence from the Avengers,^[37] settling in the town of Leonia, New Jersey,^[38] and courtesy of Wanda's enhanced power conceive twin boys named Thomas and William.^[39] Wanda gives birth,^[40] and, with Vision, eventually leaves the east coast to join the West Coast Avengers,^[41] needing some time away from the main team after Vision becomes unbalanced and tries to take over the world's computers.^[42]

Their relationship is almost ended when fellow Avenger Mockingbird unwittingly betrays the team and helps a coalition of the world governments kidnap and dismantle Vision, having viewed him as a threat to humanity. Although rebuilt, Vision is recreated as a colorless, emotionless synthezoid. Wanda's agitation is increased when Wonder Man - whose brain patterns were the model for the Vision - refuses to repeat the process and "humanize" Vision, as he is secretly in love with the Scarlet Witch and sees an opportunity for himself.^{[43][44][45][46]} Now desperate, the Scarlet Witch consults a Dean of Robotics in the state of Texas, who secretly manages a mutant research facility. The Scarlet Witch is bonded with a sentient symbiotic substance, with the Dean intending to use Wanda as a prototype to replace mankind. Wanda is rescued by her teammates with the assistance of Captain America and She-Hulk.^[47][48][49]

Another personal setback follows when it is revealed that Wanda's children are in fact two (of five) missing shards of the soul of the demonic entity Mephisto that were previously scattered in an ill-fated encounter with the powerful mutant child, Franklin Richards.^[50][51] Absorbed back into Mephisto, Wanda's mentor Agatha Harkness temporarily erases Wanda's memories of her children from her mind in order to ensure that she can temporarily disrupt Mephisto's physical form.^[51] Combined with Wanda being captured and mind controlled as a bride of the serpent god Set,^[52] Vision announcing his intent to relocate to the East Coast Avengers,^[53] and Magneto seeking to recruit Wanda into a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants,^[54] Wanda begins to go into and out of various catatonic states. It is then ultimately revealed that Immortus was behind these attacks on Wanda, as he sought to destroy Wanda's life so that he could steal her away and transform her into a power source, tapping into the temporal nexus energy she possessed. The Avengers ultimately rescue Wanda, who regains her memories of her children in the process (Avengers West Coast #61-#62).

File:Quicksilver avengers.jpg

Immortus's actions leave Wanda's hex power drained and highly unreliable as far as not working most of the time.^[55] Turning to Agatha Harkness and Doctor Strange for help, Wanda eventually discovers a way to reignite her powers.^[56] Wanda is ultimately nominated as leader of the Avengers West Coast team ^[57] and during a fight with Satanish and the Hangman, Mockingbird (in truth a Skrull impostor) is killed, taking a blast meant to kill Wanda.^[58]

When the West Coast team is dissolved by the main team due to internal disputes^[59] Wanda goes on to lead a breakaway team called Force Works.^[60] The team suffers several setbacks, including the death of Wonder Man on the first mission.^[61] When the team splinters after the last mission involving Kang the Conqueror,^[62] the Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye return to the main team.^[63]

Vision and Scarlet Witch reconcile shortly before sacrificing themselves with the other Avengers and the Fantastic Four to stop the mutant villain Onslaught.^[64] Due to the intervention of Franklin Richards, Scarlet Witch and her teammates exist in a parallel universe for a year,^[65] until being returned to the mainstream universe by Franklin.^[66]

Shortly after the heroes return, Scarlet Witch is kidnapped by the sorceress Morgan le Fay, with the intention of using Wanda's powers to warp reality in le Fay's image. Although successful, Wanda retaliates by restoring Captain America's memories, who in turn is able to restore several Avengers' memories. Wanda also accidentally resurrects Wonder Man, who assists in her escape. Although the Avengers defeat le Fay, Vision is damaged in the final battle when Le Fay destroys the lower half of his body. Vision is placed in a surgical repair device, and via hologram communicates with Wanda and asks her not to visit him while he heals.^{[67][68][69][70]}

An upset Wanda visits Agatha Harkness and learns that she is now able to channel chaos magic, which will allow her to change reality. In truth though, the entity that resurrected her children has boosted her magical powers to the point that she can now rewrite reality itself as well as harness the unstable chaos energy.^[71] After much deliberation and still hurting from the Vision's rejection, Wanda resurrects Wonder Man and the two become lovers.^[72] Vision is eventually repaired and once Wonder Man breaks up with Wanda,^[73] Vision resumes a relationship with her.^[74] Her ability to channel chaos magic culminates when the villain Scorpio splits the cosmic entity the In-Betweener into his separate order and chaos personas and Wanda has to reassemble the entity.^[75][76][77]

Avengers Disassembled

Wanda hears Wasp mock her ambitions for motherhood, only to find herself missing her memories of ever having had children. She goes to Agatha Harkness for guidance, unaware that Harkness is dead and whoever she is talking to is not her mentor.^[78] Scarlet Witch then seeks out help from Doctor Doom to see if he can help her restore her children to life. To do so, they summon a mysterious cosmic entity which merges with her.^[71] Wanda (under the influence of the entity) launches a campaign of terror against the Avengers for their failure to save her children. In the end, Vision is destroyed and Hawkeye is killed (Scott Lang is presumed to be killed too, but is saved by Wanda's future self, who arranges for him to be teleported to the future seconds before dying) before Doctor Strange and the Avengers defeat Wanda, by way of using the Eye of Agamotto to cause Wanda to fall asleep. Magneto arrives and asks the Avengers to turn his daughter over to him, which they do.^[78]

House of M and Decimation

File:Houseofm1.jpg

Realizing that the Avengers and the X-Men are seriously contemplating killing his sister, due to her unstable powers, Quicksilver convinces Scarlet Witch to use her powers to create a world where everyone has their heart's desire fulfilled, complete with a world ruled by Magneto and one where the entire Maximoff family is together.^[79] Although the reality warp succeeds, several heroes (Hawkeye, Wolverine, and Layla Miller) regain their memories and gather Earth's heroes to stop the "House of M".^[80] When the heroes (who think Magneto is responsible for the warping of reality) and Magneto discover what Quicksilver did, Magneto murders his son only for Wanda to resurrect him and denounce her father and his dreams as causing nothing but misery for his children and the people he claims to want to help. As a result, Wanda uses her powers to depower 90% of the mutant population, with the proclamation of "No More Mutants".^[81] For added insult, Wanda also depowers her father and brother as she retires to Wundagore to live a normal life away from everyone.^[82] Her final act though is to resurrect Hawkeye, who begins a frantic search for Wanda as the mysterious entity within Wanda claimed her body for itself, plunging Wanda into an amnesiac state. Hawkeye ultimately finds Wanda but after having sex with her, opts to keep her true identity a secret from her.^[83] The mutant Beast later finds Wanda and seeks her help to deal with the aftermath of Decimation, but she has no memory of him.^[84] Young Avengers members Wiccan and Speed attempt - unsuccessfully - to find her, though the issue depicts her continuing to lead a normal and secluded life in Wundagore.^[85] Loki has masqueraded as Scarlet Witch to form and subsequently manipulate a new team of Avengers.^[86]

Return

The Children's Crusade

The Scarlet Witch resurfaced in the 2010-2012 miniseries Avengers: The Children's Crusade. In the series, it is revealed that the Scarlet Witch that has been seen was actually a Doombot, which prompted the Young Avengers and Magneto to journey to Latveria with the Avengers and Quicksilver following behind him.^{[volume & issue needed]} Wiccan eventually finds the real Wanda, apparently devoid of her powers, amnesiac and engaged to be married to Doctor Doom.^{[volume & issue needed]}

With Wolverine and the Avengers behind them in pursuit, the Young Avenger Iron Lad rescues the team and Wanda, teleporting them into the past where Wanda slowly regains her memory as she witnesses the corpse of Jack Of Hearts (who she reanimated into becoming a suicide bomber) approach Scott Lang, ultimately distracting the creature long enough for her children and their teammates to rescue Lang and bring him into the future.^{[volume & issue needed]} When the group returns to the present, Scarlet Witch is shown in a depression where she thinks that she killed her father, her brother, and the Avengers. She vows to kill herself with Kree ships and Ultron clones which the Young Avengers destroy.^[87]

During that time, Beast and X-Factor Investigations arrive, and Beast learns that the Scarlet Witch he previously encountered was actually a Doombot. Wiccan tells her that her father, her brother, and her "sons" are still alive. Wanda acknowledges Wiccan and Speed as her children as she recruits them to undo the damage she caused to the mutant community.^[88]

Beast asks her if she can reverse the "No more mutants spell". She is unsure a reverse spell would work. They meet up with X-Factor Investigations, who have many clients who are depowered mutants. Rictor volunteers and has his powers restored. The X-Men show up and Wanda tells X-Factor Investigations that she will give the X-Men whatever they want.^[88] A battle ensues between the X-Men and the Avengers over what to do with Wanda, forcing her and the Young Avengers to flee back to Doctor Doom.^{[volume & issue needed]}

It is revealed that Wanda's enhanced powers were a result of her and Doctor Doom's combined attempt to channel the Life Force in order to resurrect her children. This proves to be too much for Wanda to contain and it overtook her. With Wiccan and Doctor Doom's help, they seek to use the entity that is possessing Wanda to restore mutantkinds' powers.^{[volume & issue needed]}

This is stopped by the Young Avengers (who are concerned at the fall-out that would ensue if the powerless mutants are suddenly repowered) only to find out Doctor Doom's real plan: to transfer the entity into his own body and gain Wanda's god-like powers for himself.^[71] Doctor Doom becomes omnipotent with powers surpassing those of beings such as the Beyonder or the Cosmic Cube. The Young Avengers confront him, but Doctor Doom kills Cassie just before Wanda and Wiccan steal his newfound powers.^[89]

With the immediate crisis resolved, and the Young Avengers having convinced the other heroes that further blaming Wanda will accomplish nothing, Cyclops agrees to leave her alone, but states that he will kill Wanda if she turns against the heroes again. Rejecting the offer to rejoin the Avengers or her family, Wanda departs stating that after years of defining herself as Magneto's daughter, Pietro's sister, or the Vision's wife, she wants to find out who she is on her own before she decides what to do with her life.^[90]

Avengers vs. X-Men

Scarlet Witch returns to the Avengers during the events of Avengers vs. X-Men.^[91] Found by Ms. Marvel and Spider-Woman, Wanda is offered back her place among the Avengers, and despite her initial reluctance, upon Ms. Marvel insisting on taking her, she accepts and follows them to Avengers Mansion. Despite both heroines pleading her case, the Vision angrily snaps at Wanda, blaming her again for having manipulated and killed him, and telling her to leave. Ms. Marvel and Iron Man rush to Wanda's defense, the Avengers ultimately defer every decision to the Vision, who elects to stand by his point, even if obviously pained by the situation: thus, Ms. Marvel has to carry away a crying Wanda.^[92] When the Avengers go to extract Hope Summers from Utopia and are nearly defeated by a Phoenix Force-empowered Cyclops, Scarlet Witch arrives and saves them. Hope agrees to go with the Scarlet Witch, and Wanda causes physical harm to Cyclops when he touches Wanda's arm when he tries to stop her from taking Hope.^[93]

Though hunted by the Phoenix-powered X-Men, Wanda's return to the team provides the Avengers a much needed boost as many teammates are captured by the X-Men. Hawkeye ultimately is severely injured rescuing Wanda from being teleported away by Magik and White Queen, the former of which sees Wanda as a monster for depowering mutantkind. Wanda's power provides the X-Men with a threat that not even the Phoenix can face down as the Avengers employ magical illusions to trick the X-Men into thinking Wanda is with the various Avengers groups. Further investigation meanwhile links Wanda's powers to the Phoenix Force. When Cyclops goes Dark Phoenix, Wanda and Hope Summers, who is mimicking Wanda's powers, defeat him and cause the phoenix force to leave him. After Hope inherits the Phoenix Force, she and Wanda combine their powers to apparently destroy the Phoenix by saying "No more Phoenix". This results in the repowering of mutants, undoing Wanda's actions on M-Day.^[94]

Uncanny Avengers

Following the war, Captain America selects Scarlet Witch to join the Avengers Unity Squad, a new team of Avengers composed of both classic Avengers and X-Men.^[95] After that, she asked her close friends Janet Van Dyne and Wonder Man to join and sponsor the new team.^[96] In Uncanny Avengers #14, she meets her apparent death at the hands of her teammate Rogue, who had absorbed Wolverine's powers.^[97]

Powers and abilities

The Scarlet Witch is a mutant who had the ability to manipulate probability via her "hexes" (often manifesting physically as "hex spheres" or "hex bolts"). These hexes are relatively short range, and are limited to her line of sight. Casting a hex requires a gesture and concentration on her part, though the gestures are largely a focus for the concentration and, despite this precision, the hexes are not necessarily guaranteed to work, particularly if Wanda is tired or using her powers excessively. If overextended, Wanda's hexes can backfire, causing probability to work against her wishes or to undo previous hexes. Early in her career, her hexes were subconscious on her part, and would be automatically triggered whenever she made a particular gesture, regardless of her intent. These hexes would only manifest "bad luck" effects. She later gained enough control over her powers that her powers only work when she wants them to, and they are not limited to negative effects. She can use her hexes to light flammable objects, contain or remove air from a particular volume, deflect objects, stop the momentum of projectiles, open doors, explode objects, create force fields and deflect magical attacks, etc. The effects are varied but almost always detrimental to opponents, such as causing the artifact the Evil Eye to work against inter-dimensional warlord Dormammu,^[98] the robot Ultron to short circuit,^[34] or a gas main underneath the Brotherhood of Mutants to explode.^[99] Wanda is an expert combatant having been trained by both Captain America and Hawkeye, as well as being an adept tactician due to her years of experience working as an Avenger and her experience in a variety of combat situations. The Scarlet Witch also has the potential to wield magic and later learned that she was destined to serve the role of Nexus Being, a living focal point for the Earth dimension's mystical energy.^[100]

Writer Kurt Busiek redefined the Scarlet Witch's powers, and maintained that it was in fact an ability to manipulate chaos magic, activated due to the demon Chthon changing her mutation at birth into an ability to wield and control magical energy. This was offered as an explanation for her various feats that seemed to go beyond probability alteration, as well as why her hexes almost always have an effect that is favorable to her goals.^[101] During Busiek's run as well as the subsequent run by Geoff Johns, she was shown to be capable of large-scale spells given enough concentration and time to shape the chaos magic to a specific goal, including the resurrection of Wonder Man.^[101]

In House of M, her power was depicted as sufficient to rewrite her entire universe,^[102] and cause multiverse-threatening ripples.^[103] In The Children's Crusade it was revealed that this omnipotence was not part of her natural power level, but the result of a cosmic magical source that increased a magic user's powers to god-like levels.^[71] By the end of the event she had returned to her previous power level, able to alter probability and work magic, but not able to change reality at will.^[89]

She also has a degree of resistance to the Phoenix Force and can also cause pain to its hosts, such as Cyclops when he tried to stop Hope from going with her.^[104] Although this becomes less effective as the Phoenix Force portions are divided among those who have not yet been defeated.^{[volume & issue needed]} A vs X #12 confirmed that her powers involve chaos magic, and stated that she has "Mutant Magic", and the "primal source of her chaos" magic is cosmic.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

During the Age of Apocalypse storyline, the Scarlet Witch is a member of Magneto's version of the X-Men, dying to defend the X-Men's base on Wundagore Mountain and the students within it from an attack by Nemesis while the rest of the team was busy thwarting Apocalypse's attempts to take control of a nuclear missile stockpile, her last words being to ask the newly arrived Rogue to take care of her father.^[105] Wanda is briefly cloned in Uncanny X-Force #19.1 to repeat the "no more mutants" spell and end the war between humans and the Akkaba forces. But the spell does not go well. Only Jean and the other mutants near are depowered, but Weapon X remains powered.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Heroes Reborn

The Scarlet Witch is one of the Avengers participating in the defeat of the entity Onslaught, and is subsequently trapped in the Heroes Reborn universe. In this artificial reality, with her mutant heritage non-existent, Wanda was raised by Agatha Harkness, with the Asgardian sorceress the Enchantress falsely claiming to be her mother.^[106]

Exiles

The title Exiles features an alternate version from Earth-8823 with the call sign "Witch". The character joins the inter-dimensional superhero team^[107] but is killed in action, and is replaced - without the knowledge of her team mates - by yet another alternate version of herself.^[108]

JLA/Avengers

In the DC/Marvel crossover JLA/Avengers, Wanda first appears assisting the Avengers in their battle against Starro. During the battle, after she witnesses Quicksilver getting brainwashed by Starro, she uses her magic to slow him down, allowing Ms. Marvel to catch up to him and remove the probe from his face, and after explaining that Starro desires order, the Vision decides to place a starfish spawn onto Wanda's face, which causes Starro to flee when it finds itself unable to cope with her chaos magic.^[109] When she and the other Avengers go to the DC Universe, she discovers that chaos magic is stronger here than in the Marvel Universe, though it has a side effect of making her sick.^[110] When the Avengers and the Justice League discover that Krona is merging the two worlds together, she and Green Lantern manage to stave off disaster temporarily by hitting the energy wall between New York City in the Marvel Universe and Metropolis in the DC Universe.^[111] She later assists the combined team in their final battle against Krona's forces, and eventually appears at the end as one of the heroes that started out the entire event.^[112]

Marvel 1602

In Marvel 1602, Sister Wanda and her brother, Petros, are followers of Enrique, High Inquisitor of the Spanish Catholic Church.^[113]

Marvel Noir

In the limited series X-Men Noir, Wanda Magnus is a wealthy socialite and the daughter of Chief of Detectives Eric Magnus.^[114]

Marvel Zombies

In the Marvel Zombies storyline, an alternate universe version of the Scarlet Witch helps Ash find the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis. Wanda is eventually attacked, hunted down and infected by the zombified vigilante the Punisher.^[115] She reappears, still "zombified" in the third installment in the series, Marvel Zombies 3. She works with the Kingpin, using the Vision - who was still in love with her - to block any type of enemy radio signals as necessary. She (and the other zombies) was later confronted by Machine Man, and Jocasta, who decided to save the Vision and finally kill the zombie Kingpin. At yet one point, zombie Scarlet Witch is decapatitated by Machine Man's temporary chainsaw limb and was ripped apart in the zombie pile where Machine Man and Jocasta are victorious.^[116]

MC2

An older version of the Scarlet Witch appears in the MC2 title A-Next, having been placed in a coma during the original Avengers final battle as part of an attempt to save Iron Man.^[117] She was captured, revived, and brainwashed by Loki as part of his plan to corrupt various heroes to avenge himself upon the Avengers, but eventually returned to her normal mindset.^[118] She has made sporadic appearances in the MC2 universe since then.

File:Scarlet Witch Ultimate.jpg

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel imprint title Ultimates, the Scarlet Witch and her brother Quicksilver defect from Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy, to the Ultimates in exchange for the release of imprisoned Brotherhood members. The twin siblings also share an incestuous relationship.

In the third volume of Ultimates 3, Scarlet Witch is killed by a lovesick Ultron which later turned out to be orchestrated by Doctor Doom.^[119] She is shown to be alive in Wundagore together with Teddy (Blob's other mutant child), Quicksilver and Mystique.^[120] However she (and her father's reappearance in Egypt) are revealed to be illusions by Apocalypse.^[121]

The Ultimate version's powers differ from the mainstream version in that the character has to "do the math" in order to use her powers — she must calculate the mathematical probability that the effect she intends to create will actually happen, with the more unlikely the effect, the more complex the mathematical formula.^[122]

What If?

Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch appear in the What If? story "What If the X-Men Died on their First Mission?" as allies of Beast following the demise of the X-Men and upon the menace by Count Nefaria and his Ani-Men. Although invited to join the newly formed team upon the success of their mission, both decline in favor of their current commitments, although they promise their aid if they are needed.^[123]

In other media

Television

• Scarlet Witch's first animated appearance was in The Marvel Super Heroes TV series from 1966, voiced by Peg Dixon.
• The Scarlet Witch appears in the 1994 animated series Iron Man, voiced by Katherine Moffat in season one and by Jennifer Darling in season two. Here the character is a mystical, tarot-reading spiritualist identified in the closing credits as "Wanda Frank" (an alias used by the character in the comics).
• Scarlet Witch is featured in the 1990s X-Men animated series, voiced by Susan Roman. She cameos in the episode "Repo Man", and makes a guest appearance in the episode "Family Ties".
• Scarlet Witch appears in The Avengers: United They Stand, voiced by Stavroula Logothettis. In the series, in order to activate her reality-controlling-and-manipulating abilities she must utter the phrase "Winds of Destiny, Change!"
• Scarlet Witch is featured in the animated series X-Men: Evolution beginning in the second season, and she is voiced by Kelly Sheridan. As a child, Wanda was sent to a mental hospital by her father, Magneto, since her powers were uncontrollable. As a teenager, she is set free by Mystique, to reinforce the Brotherhood's combat strength. Though never calling herself Scarlet Witch, Wanda adopts a punk version of the traditional outfit, wearing a long coat instead of a cape. Wanda has a deep hatred of her father for the years she spent in the asylum, and she is the only person her brother, Quicksilver, fears. Toad is in love with her and deeply devoted to doing anything she asks. In the third season, Wanda has all her painful memories of the asylum and her father altered by Master Mind, per Magneto's orders; this leaves Wanda much happier and less angry.
• Scarlet Witch appears in the Wolverine and the X-Men episodes "Greetings from Genosha", "Battle Lines", "Hunting Grounds", "Backlash", "Aces and Eights", and the three-part finale "Foresight", voiced by Kate Higgins. She is Nightcrawler's romantic love interest in this version.
• Scarlet Witch first appears in The Super Hero Squad Show season one episode "Hexed, Vexed, and Perplexed" voiced by Tara Strong. She reappears as a main character in the show's second season, replacing the Silver Surfer.
• Scarlet Witch from The Super Hero Squad Show cameos as part of an alternate reality in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Flight of the Iron Spider".

Film

• There were plans for a line alluding to Scarlet Witch in the 2014 film X-Men: Days of Future Past, but Bryan Singer confirmed the scene was cut from the final theatrical release.^[124]

• Elizabeth Olsen will play the Scarlet Witch in the 2015 film Avengers: Age of Ultron.^[125] She first appeared as the character in a mid-credits scene of the 2014 film Captain America: The Winter Soldier,^[126] where she, alongside her brother Quicksilver, are captives of Baron Strucker but volunteer themselves to be experimented upon by Hydra.^[127] Both Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson are signed for a multi-picture deal as their characters.^[128]

Video games

• The Scarlet Witch appears as a frozen statue in Thanos's stage in the 1995 game Marvel Super Heroes.
• The Scarlet Witch is a playable character in the 2005 game X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse voiced by Jennifer Hale.
• The Scarlet Witch is a playable character in the 2010 game Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet, voiced by Tara Strong.
• The Scarlet Witch is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.
• The Scarlet Witch is a playable character in the 2011 game Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat, reprised by Tara Strong.
• The Scarlet Witch appears as a cameo appearance alongside Wiccan in Doctor Strange's ending in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
• The Scarlet Witch is a playable character in the Facebook game Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
• The Scarlet Witch is a playable character in the 2012 fighting game Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth.
• The Scarlet Witch is a playable character in the MMORPG Marvel Heroes, reprised by Kate Higgins.^[129]
• The Scarlet Witch is a playable character in Marvel Avengers Alliance Tactics.

Toys

• The Scarlet Witch was part of the Avengers line released by Toy Biz in 1997, and was part of Marvel Legends, Series 11. A 3 3/4 inch action figure was also released in Wave 19 of the Marvel Universe toy line in 2012.

Other

• The Scarlet Witch was among the Avengers in the Got Milk? TV spot in 1999.
• The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver appeared in an issue of the tie-in comic for The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. They appeared as teenage members of Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants, but defected after disapproving of his methods.^[130]

References

External links

• Scarlet Witch at Marvel.com
• Scarlet Witch on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki
• UncannyXmen.net Spotlight on Scarlet Witch