WARNING! THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TVA #4Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witchhas been an integral part of Marvel lore in both the comics and MCU. After the events of the 2022 filmDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda seemingly meets her demise at her own hands. However, the new TVA comic is telling another story.
TVA#3–written by Katharyn Blair and Ryan North, with art by Enid Balam and Pere Perez– was released on February 26 and ended withSpider-Gwen making a shocking discoverybeing hidden by the TVA (Time Variance Authority):Wanda Maximoff in a tank in suspended animation.
However, theWanda that Gwen comes acrosslooks nothing like Wanda from Marvel Comics, and instead isElizabeth Olsen’s version from the MCU.Issue #4 ofTVA, released March 19, officially confirms this fact, opening a world of possibilities for the future of the MCU.
Finally, TVA Wanda’s True Identity is Confirmed
It’s Been Wanda Maximoff All Along
Before the release ofTVA#4, the discourse surrounding the surprise introduction of the imprisoned Wanda was muddled, with artist Pere Perezinitially confirming that the TVA Wanda was in fact Elizabeth Olsen’s version.However, Perez soon backpedaled on this statement, adding further confusion and rampant speculation among fans.TVA#4 does not mince any words whenconfirming this particular Wanda’s identity.Spider-Gwen, unable to rest after her discovery, returns to the TVA secret archives to release Wanda, saying:
This place is looking worse than I thought it was, because that is Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch. I’ve heard about her on my own timeline…and her name stretches further than that. But this one looks like one who is supposed to be dead. Squished by a mountain after a showdown with Doctor Strange. Except she’s not dead. She’s fridged.Literally.
Gwen’s reference to Wanda being “squished by a mountain” directly refers to the events at the end ofDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, whenWanda intentionally brings Mount Wundagore down on top of herin order to destroy all iterations of the Darkhold. It has long since been speculated among the fandom that it was not only unlikely, but impossible, for Wanda to meet her end in such a way, considering her important role in the MCU and her chaos magic powers that allowWanda to do the unimaginable, such as creating her twin sons out of nothing.
Marvel Knows MCU Wanda Was Not Given Her Due, and Spider-Gwen Says It
“Fridging” Explained
The explicit confirmation of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda’s existence inTVAhas far-reaching implications for both the comics and MCU. However, it is Gwen’s statement aboutWanda being “fridged”that makes the whole situation, and all the heartache and trauma Wanda has already gone through, worse.The concept of “fridging” refers to a trope in comics where women–superheroines or not–are beaten down physically and sometimes killed in order to progress a storyline.Comic writer Gail Simone was the first to coin the term and is responsible for bringing attention to the trend of violence against women as a plot device to inspire male characters.
Marvel Quietly Confirms a Major MCU Theory With Help From the Scarlet Witch and TVA
TVA #3 unveils a major Scarlet Witch twist, aligning with MCU fan theories and hinting at Wanda’s return to the MCU.
Specifically, “fridging” earned its name from issue 54 ofGreen Lantern–written by Ron Marz–where a female character is murdered and quite literally shoved into a refrigerator for her boyfriend to discover. BeyondGreen Lantern#54, many other writers are also responsible forusing female characters as expendable plot devices.Gwen, acknowledging Wanda being fridged at the hands of the TVA, directly calls out that trope, asGwen seeks to free Wanda from her situation.
Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda’s Existence In Comics Could Cause Ripples Across The MCU
TVA;Written Katharyn Blair And Ryan North, With Art By Enid Balam And Pere Perez
Now thatTVA#4 has confirmedElizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch’sexistence in the comics, it begs the question: what does this mean for the MCU films and series? Clearly, Wanda’s experiences are specific to the live-action universe, as another Wanda is currently living and operating in Marvel Comics at the moment.Gwen’s knowledge implies that the MCU is a separate universe in the vast multiverse; one that people in the Marvel Comics universe are familiar with. If the TVA snatched Wanda at the very last moment before Mount Wundagore collapsed, what would the repercussions in the MCU be?
The TVA’s potential intervention in “pruning”Wanda at the brink of Wundagore’s collapse,could drastically alter the MCU’s narrative, specifically when it comes to the Darkhold. Wanda’s entire reason for sacrificing herself was to remove the dark influence of the book from existence so no one else could use its power to cause damage on the scale she did.The Darkhold’s influence, left unchecked, might manifest in unforeseen ways in the MCU,possibly empowering other individuals like Agatha Harkness.
Now thatTVAconfirms Wanda’s survival, andAgatha All Alongconfirmed that both of her sons–Billy and Tommy–are also alive, the possibilities for the MCU are wide open.
Moreover, Wanda being taken by the TVA at a critical moment raises questions about the stability of the multiverse itself, as her reality-warping powers were a nexus event.The TVA’s actions could possibly trigger further paradoxes, escalating the already fragile balance of realities.With upcoming MCU films focusing on the effects of the multiverse, such asAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret War, it’s possibleWanda is the key to bringing orderout of the chaos she unintentionally caused.
The questions surrounding MCUWanda’s survival became a topic of discussionafter the release of the Disney+ seriesAgatha All Along, with the showrunner, Jac Schaeffer, confirming that she was specifically informed by Marvel to use the term “gone” when referring to Wanda instead of “dead.”Now thatTVAconfirms Wanda’s survival, andAgatha All Alongconfirmed that both of her sons–Billy and Tommy–are also alive, the possibilities for the MCU are wide open.However, it still remains unknown if non-comic readers will have to keep up with the events in the comics to understandWanda’sstory when she does eventually return to the MCU.
