Doctor Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) attempt to recruit Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness proves Captain America: Civil War's biggest lie about Scarlet Witch. Two of the most prominent magic-wielders in the MCU are co-starring in the upcoming Sam Raimi Marvel Studios blockbuster. While both partook in the collective effort to take down Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Endgame, they're only going to really get acquainted in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Wanda has been in the MCU since Phase 2, but it is only in Phase 4 that she finally takes up a leading spot as one of, if not the most powerful character in the franchise. Wanda's life has been marred with tragedy thus far, the latest of which was losing her whole family, albeit technically, a made up one in WandaVision. After the Maximoff Anomaly, it's safe to say that she's one of the most complicated players in the MCU. But even before her grief-motivated actions in the Disney+ show, Wanda's most public gaffe was in Captain America: Civil War, where her inability to control her power factored in the introduction of the Sokovia Accords.
The 2016 Joe and Anthony Russo-directed fl0ated the idea of Wanda being a villain, with the public mostly viewing her as detrimental to the Avengers rather than beneficial. But the latest Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness teaser revealed that it isn't really the case. In the clip, Doctor Strange convinces Wanda to join his multiversal adventures. She's hesitant, but the future MCU Sorcerer Supreme says: "it will get you back on a lunchbox," implying that before WandaVision, Wanda was actually a well-accepted hero in the MCU. This effectively debunks the idea from Captain America: Civil War that she's perceived as a menace rather than a hero. It's safe to say that the events of Avengers: Endgame, where she helped defeat Thanos even improved her image. Now, Doctor Strange is offering a chance to get back into people's good graces.
Unfortunately, this whole conversation between Wanda and Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness appears to be another illusion created by her. As seen in the new clip, the pair's having a regular conversation through the woods about the concept of the multiverse. The trailer for the film reveals them having the exact same chat, but with Wanda in her Scarlet Witch outfit, and is less friendly to Doctor Strange, even chastising him about breaking the rules in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Based on what happened on WandaVision, chances are that Wanda is able to capture him and trap him in the mirage. It's unclear, however, how she's even able to lure him in. Perhaps it's all part of her attempt to search for his boys through the multiverse. It's worth noting that Scarlet Witch's self-imposed exile was interrupted when she heard his voice asking for her help.
There's an assumption that Wanda will embrace her villainous side in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. After being vilified for years since Captain America: Civil War, coupled with her realization that she's Scarlet Witch, it seems like an organic trajectory for her arc. The question is whether or not she will eventually be fully redeemed at the end of her MCU journey.
