Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness delivered a new version of Elizabeth Olsen’s classic character, the Scarlet Witch, after she went down a more villainous path opposite Benedict Cumberbatch’s master magician. But following the end of that adventure, fans have one major question on their minds: is Wanda really dead?
During the final battle between Strange and Wanda, America Chavez opened a portal to Earth-838, which allowed Wanda to see different versions of her twin sons while also meeting herself in the process. This led her to stop her assault on the Multiverse by bringing down Mount Wundagore and stopping the effects of the Darkhold, but although fans were led to believe that this killed her in the moment, there are small signs that point to her survival.
A red flash of light shone on screen just as Wundagore crashed on top of Wanda, and while Doctor Strange 2's crew hasn't spilled the beans on what this means, fans are convinced that the Scarlet Witch's story didn't end here.
Now, Olsen herself and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige have revisited that moment, once again teasing a continuation to Wanda's intense MCU journey.
Did Scarlet Witch Survive Multiverse of Madness?
Speaking with Variety, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Wanda Maximoff actress Elizabeth Olsen teased the Scarlet Witch's true fate following her appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Looking back to that movie, fans remember seeing a huge mountain of rubble seemingly falling on top of Wanda after she wreaked havoc across the Multiverse. But Feige made it clear that her true fate is still unknown, saying that he wasn't sure what "we saw her under rubble:"
“I don’t know that we saw her under rubble? I saw a tower coming down and a little red flash. I don’t know what that means.”
Feige went on to praise Olsen for her work, calling her somebody he'd work with "for another 100 years" if he had the chance before teasing how the Multiverse opens so many doors for her return:
“I’d work with Lizzie for another 100 years if we could. Anything’s possible in the Multiverse! We’ll have to see.”
For Olsen herself, she doesn't feel that any characters that have seemingly died in the MCU "are ever really gone," hoping to see Wanda earn some kind of redemption while teasing the opportunities coming with the Multiverse in the same way Feige did:
"Where I think Wanda is heading is hopefully towards some sort of redemption, I think she was on that road. I don’t think any of these characters are ever really gone, especially when you introduce the Multiverse to multiply all of our bodies in different other universes."
But looking at her future, she's still in the dark on where the Scarlet Witch is headed:
“I really don’t know my future. There’s nothing that has been agreed on.”
One tease that indicates Wanda still being alive was the red flash of light that was seen as Mount Wundagore fell on top of Wanda. While this doesn't confirm any plot details, it does tease that she found a way to escape her terrible fate.
Where and When Will Wanda Maximoff Return?
Wanda Maximoff is unquestionably one of the most powerful characters the MCU has to offer, having survived battles against Ultron, Thanos, and even her own crushing grief over the years. And considering the kind of physical power she possesses with her magic, it's difficult for most fans to believe she didn't find a way to escape the destruction of Mount Wundagore in Doctor Strange 2.
At the moment, it's unclear where either Doctor Strange or Wanda would come back, although that moment will likely come for Strange in 2025's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty as the Avengers reassemble for the first time in six years. For Wanda, that path to a return is more of a question mark, with not many natural avenues for her to jump back into action after that red flash teased her survival.
The best chance she has will be late next year with Agatha: Coven of Chaos, potentially giving Wanda the chance to reunite with Kathryn Hahn's Agatha Harkness after their epic battle in WandaVision. This could give both of them a shot at redemption after their shared experience with the Darkhold, but there is still the mystery of whether Coven of Chaos will take place in the past or in the present day.
No matter where Wanda's journey continues, though, Feige's quotes are yet another indication that Doctor Strange 2 wasn't the end for the Scarlet Witch.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney+.
