Scarlet Witch is revealed to be alive in VisionQuest's finale, rescued by Doctor Doom after the fall of Mount Wundagore. The post-credits scene hints at Wanda's potential involvement in Doom's plans, setting the stage for her return in Avengers: Doomsday.
For the better part of the last four years, we knew that Wanda Maximoff is dead. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Scarlet Witch, after realising how much the Darkhold had corrupted her, brought down Mount Wundagore (the original shrine where the Darkhold's spells were carved into stone) and herself along with it. Turns out, that’s not what happened exactly, because the season finale of VisionQuest now confirms that Wanda is alive, courtesy of someone who probably doesn't have her best interests at heart: Doctor Doom.
Yes, a hundred per cent. In VisionQuest, Vision (Paul Bettany) tries to reclaim his memories and establish an identity beyond his complicated history with Wanda. It concludes with an emotional reunion involving his sons, Billy and Tommy. But Marvel stories aren’t over till the end credits are over, and this season finale gave us two end credit scenes.
The first, starring Ultron (James Spader), is a continuation of the VisionQuest story. The second credit scene is what’s important for us. We’re back in time to the fall of Mount Wundagore. The walls come crashing down, and the screen fades to black. So far so good. Except that we open again to Doctor Doom removing the rubble covering her.
"Scarlet Witch, awaken. Your power will be mine," he declares. Against a burst of green light, Wanda wakes up with a jolt. Scarlet Witch will be back in Avengers: Doomsday.
Seems like it. The post-credits scene has enough material for us to believe Wanda's return will have something to do with Doom's larger ambitions. But then again, something about the line, “Your power will be mine”, tells me that she might not be very enthusiastic about joining team Doom.
Remember, the last time we saw Wanda, she was attempting to destroy the Darkhold because she recognised the destruction caused by her pursuit of power and her obsession with reuniting with her children. Whatever be the reason behind Doctor Doom collecting retired Avengers like Infinity Stones, we don’t know if she will be eager to go on another trip for unlimited power.
For now, the most reasonable reading is that Doom sees the Scarlet Witch as an asset he wants to acquire. Whether Wanda eventually becomes his ally, prisoner or adversary remains one of the biggest unanswered questions heading into Avengers: Doomsday.
At present, Doctor Doom’s Doomsday team includes a mysterious coven of Latverian witches, masked magic users who have appeared alongside him in the film's promotional footage. He also appears to command an army of Sentinels, the giant mutant-hunting machines traditionally associated with the X-Men's enemies. You last saw them in X-Men: Days of Future Past (yep, the Fox one).
Beyond these, there is Boris, Doctor Strange’s corrupted other half (although this is only a rumour), and Hulk, who, if you say the encore version of Avengers: Endgame, was kidnapped by Doom in the post credits scene.
And then there is Wanda Maximoff.
Against them are the Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four (Franklin Richards was kidnapped by Doom, remember?), the Fox movies X-Men, the forces of Wakanda and what is left of the core Avengers now: Thor, Ant-Man, Shang-Chi, Loki and Sam Wilson.
May the best team win.