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Warning: contains spoilers for TVA #4!
The Scarlet Witch’s forthcoming redemption arc could have some major ramifications for both the comics and the MCU. In both the comics and the movies, the Scarlet Witch has committed some serious transgressions, be it depowering mutants at the end of House of M, or holding the town of Westview in her thrall in Wandavision. Yet, in TVA #4, the MCU’s Scarlet Witch seemingly comes to comics, with a big revelation.
TVA #4, written by Katharyn Blair and drawn by Père Perez, concludes with Spider-Gwen finding the MCU’s Scarlet Witch in a TVA containment pod. Spider-Gwen is clearly familiar with this Scarlet Witch variant, and references the events of The Multiverse of Madness.
After freeing the Scarlet Witch from her captivity, the Doctor Strange foe Nightmare appears.
He thanks Spider-Gwen for freeing the Scarlet Witch for him. Nightmare’s presence in this issue raises some serious issues that could alter Marvel lore forever, and here are eight of them.
8
Nightmare Could Potentially Be Manipulating the Scarlet Witch
If Scarlet Witch Has Been Nightmare’s Pawn, Then Maybe She Isn’t As Guilty of Her MCU Crimes
Nightmare has seemingly taken an interest in the Scarlet Witch, as seen in his appearance at the end of TVA #4, implying that he has been manipulating her from the shadows. To what ends Nightmare has been controlling her is not known, nor why he is interested in the first place. In The Multiverse of Madness, Wanda was seeking the Darkhold for her own ends, but it was possible she was under Nightmare’s influence while doing so. Nightmare could also be looking for the Darkhold, and if he obtains it, then it could be bad news for all involved.
Nightmare potentially controlling the MCU’s Scarlet Witch has another, even deeper ramification: that Wanda might not be as responsible for her crimes in Wandavision and The Multiverse of Madness.
Nightmare potentially controlling the MCU’s Scarlet Witch has another, even deeper ramification: that Wanda might not be as responsible for her crimes in Wandavision and The Multiverse of Madness. While the anguish she felt in those works was legitimate, it is also possible that Nightmare was goading her along to do those things without her even realizing it. This does not negate the suffering and heartache the Scarlet Witch has caused in the MCU, but it does go a long way to explaining her seeming fall from grace.
7
Nightmare Could Have A Very Powerful Magical Weapon in the Scarlet Witch
It Is Imperative Spider-Gwen and the TVA Free Scarlet Witch
Exactly why Nightmare is manipulating the Scarlet Witch remains a mystery. He could be seeking the Darkhold, or have another agenda all together. Whatever the case, Nightmare will have a powerful, magical thrall if Spider-Gwen and the TVA cannot free Wanda from his control. Nightmare is a powerful entity in the Marvel Universe, and has bested the likes of Doctor Strange and even Eternity. He thrives on fear, and an evil and out-of-control Scarlet Witch would generate that on a level never seen. This fear would supercharge Nightmare even more.
Nightmare seeking to turn the Scarlet Witch into a magical weapon could potentially backfire on him as well.
Nightmare seeking to turn the Scarlet Witch into a magical weapon could potentially backfire on him as well. The Scarlet Witch, while not as powerful as Nightmare, is still quite a formidable force. In The Multiverse of Madness, she nearly defeated Doctor Strange, and if she had acquired the Darkhold, then she could have destroyed the entire Multiverse. It is possible that Nightmare could have unleashed an evil no one could contain. This makes it double imperative for the TVA to liberate the Scarlet Witch from Nightmare’s clutches.
6
Nightmare Could Now Exist in the MCU–And Be Even More Powerful
If Dreams Are the Link to the Multiverse in the MCU, Then Nightmare Has a Serious Advantage
The two Doctor Strange films have introduced some of the Sorcerer Supreme’s villains, such as Dorammmu and Baron Mordo, but Nightmare, his first foe, remains absent. If Spider-Gwen has indeed found the MCU’s Scarlet Witch, and Nightmare is controlling her, then the Fear Lord has entered the MCU in a novel fashion. A third Doctor Strange film has not been announced, despite a huge tease at the end of Multiverse of Madness. Furthermore, Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch has not been announced for the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, leaving the character’s MCU fate in question.
Thus, this may be the quickest way to get Nightmare into the MCU–and it makes him even more powerful. The MCU has established that dreams are a potential window into the multiverse, as seen in the second Doctor Strange movie. Nightmare traffics in dreams and visions, and if they are portals of access to other parts of the multiverse, then Nightmare has gained a serious one-up. He can potentially reach anywhere in all existence, with the ability to spread terror wherever he goes.
5
If This is the MCU’s Scarlet Witch, Then Comic History Has Been Made
TVA #4 Could Be Remembered as the First Meeting Between Marvel’s Two Big Universes
Perhaps one of the biggest implications of the redemption of the MCU’s Scarlet Witch is that TVA #4 could go down as the first meeting between the Marvel Universe of the comics and of the films. The Scarlet Witch variant that Spider-Gwen finds in TVA #4 is a dead ringer for the MCU version of the character. Apparently, this version of the Scarlet Witch was so evil that the TVA had to put her in a containment pod (more on that later), and Spider-Gwen even alluded to it.
Other Earths in Marvel’s multiverse include Earth-1610, the first Ultimate Universe and Earth 6160, where the new Ultimate line is set.
Where this gets muddy is how the universes are designated. For many years, the mainline Marvel Universe has carried the label “Earth-616.” A creation of comics legend Alan Moore for his Captain Britain comics of the early 1980s, this designation has persisted, even after Marvel’s multiverse was remade in Secret Wars. However, the MCU has also been referred to as “Earth-616,” so how Marvel will square this remains to be seen. Nevertheless, it seems that characters from the comics and the movies are on a collision course.
4
Nightmare Might Be Even More Powerful Than Fans Thought
Is Nightmare an Omniversal Being? Or Will Fans See Variants?
If Nightmare of TVA #4 is indeed controlling the MCU’s Scarlet Witch, then another implication becomes apparent: that Nightmare might be even more powerful than originally thought. Marvel has never skimped on showing how strong and terrifying the Fear Lord can be. Twice he has challenged Eternity, and while he was defeated in both instances, he nevertheless came close to deposing the entity. Furthermore, Nightmare has been able to take Doctor Strange repeatedly down to the wire, and recently tangled with Jean Grey as well.
Related
Could Scarlet Witch Replace Doctor Strange as Sorcerer Supreme? It Actually Already Happened
Fans may be wondering what the Scarlet Witch would look like as the Sorcerer Supreme, but a Marvel comic actually already revealed it years ago.
But if Nightmare is singling out the MCU’s Scarlet Witch, then it suggests that he is an omniversal being, with no variants. So far, these beings have been few and far between. The Watcher could be viewed as one such entity, as could the One-Above-All and its dark counterpart, The-One-Below-All. If Nightmare is indeed an omniversal being, then it is a serious power upgrade for him, and one that makes perfect sense in light of his history in the Marvel Universe. It also positions him as a powerful force in the MCU as well.
3
Spider-Gwen and the Scarlet Witch Could Be The Next Great Marvel Duo
Spider-Gwen is Springing Scarlet Witch From Prison
At the end of TVA #4, Spider-Gwen frees the Scarlet Witch from the containment pod she was confined in, and this act of kindness could lead to a new super-buddy duo in the Marvel Universe. Since her introduction over a decade ago, Spider-Gwen has become one of Marvel’s most popular characters, thanks to multiple appearances in other media, including the two Spider-Verse films. She hails from another world in the Marvel multiverse, which gives her another connection to the MCU’s Scarlet Witch–assuming it is her.
Spider-Gwen first appeared in 2014’s Edge of Spider-Verse #2.
Marvel history is full of great hero combos, such as Luke Cage and Iron Fist, and Spider-Gwen and the Scarlet Witch could be the next great pair. Spider-Gwen is a great hero, and she genuinely wants to see the TVA steered in a better direction. The Scarlet Witch is seeking redemption for her past crimes, and a friendly and understanding face like Spider-Gwen could go a long way to helping Wanda on her journey. The Scarlet Witch could benefit from the counsel of another world-displaced hero, and find peace of mind.
2
Could the TVA Heroes Form a New Team Around the MCU’s Scarlet Witch?
The Scarlet Witch Could Take Them Back With Her to Right Her Wrongs
Within the pages of Marvel’s monthly TVA title, a new squad of heroes from across the multiverse is slowly coming together, and the MCU’s Scarlet Witch could be the boost they need. Also on this team are Spider-Gwen, Captain Peggy Carter and a variant of Gambit as well. The TVA book has hinted that there is more to the organization than meets the eye. If there is something rotten under the TVA’s sheen, then heroes such as Spider-Gwen, Captain Carter and the MCU’s Scarlet Witch are even more essential.
Related
It’s Official: Marvel’s TVA Has Its Very Own Avengers
The Time Variance Authority are launching their own Avengers, with heroes including Spider-Gwen, Captain Britain and Wolverine’s forgotten son.
Part of the rationale for bringing Spider-Gwen, Gambit and others onto the TVA was that they would help the organization grow and evolve. The discovery of the MCU’s Scarlet Witch in a TVA containment pod might be the spark necessary for this change to happen. The superhero team that is forming around Spider-Gwen is a formidable one, featuring multiversal variants of Gambit and Peggy Carter, as well as Mobius. Future storylines could show this team handling particularly dangerous missions on behalf of the TVA, giving the Marvel Universe an epic new team.
Has the TVA Been Corrupted? It Seems That Way
The last consequence, for now, of the Scarlet Witch’s redemption is that the TVA might be compromised. The end of TVA #4 strongly implies the containment facility Spider-Gwen found was “off the books” and not known to many. In addition to the pod containing the MCU’s Scarlet Witch, the facility had a number of pods as well, raising questions over who else they are holding prisoner, as well as why they are there. The TVA deals with threats to the multiverse, and the Scarlet Witch certainly meets those criteria.
While this may seem a good rationale for holding the MCU’s Scarlet Witch prisoner, the conclusion of TVA #4 imparts a sense of dread and menace to the containment facility.
While this may seem a good rationale for holding the MCU’s Scarlet Witch prisoner, the conclusion of TVA #4 imparts a sense of dread and menace to the containment facility. The TVA removed the Scarlet Witch from the multiverse for a reason, but there may be agendas at work, beyond Nightmare’s schemes. The saga of the Scarlet Witch has taken many turns over the past 60-plus years, and now her redemption has the possibility to significantly impact the Marvel Universe, and the MCU, as well.
TVA #4 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
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