Episode 8 of WandaVision brought with it a major revelation: that Wanda is actually the Scarlet Witch . Wait a minute, didn't we all already know that? Well, yes and no. It's true that we've always referred to her as such, and even Disney+ Spain used the term to name the series in our country.
However, if you think back and reflect, you'll realize that these two words had never, ever been uttered in the MCU films. Coincidence? Obviously not. There's a very good reason, and it's nothing more than an existing rights agreement that prohibited their use in film. You read that right.
Scarlet Witch, Queen of Chaos Magic
What a cliffhanger ending the eighth season of WandaVision delivered ! The Disney+ series is just one step away from its finale, and it has us all on the edge of our seats. And rightly so. After witnessing all the events that led Wanda to create such an idyllic life, and sensing that this can't end well , all we want is to turn back time and see our protagonist and Vision living happily ever after in one of their sitcoms.
However, we know that's not going to happen. Even less so after Agatha Harkness 's latest revelation , who in the episode's final scene (aside from the post-credits scene, which also had its moments), confronted Wanda, making a statement impossible to ignore: "[...] This is Chaos Magic, Wanda. And that makes you the Scarlet Witch."
https://youtu.be/2F1348o-e9s
For MCU viewers unfamiliar with the comics, both Harkness herself and the concept of Chaos Magic are entirely new. On the page, however, you know that the witch is responsible for guiding Wanda in her evolution, teaching her precisely how to control this magic—a magic so powerful that many even believe it's impossible to exist. With Chaos Magic, one can manipulate and modify reality at the whim of its wielder, altering the laws of probability and even causing the total destruction of the cosmos, which makes our Avenger one of the most powerful characters in all of Marvel history—something we already suspected when we saw her face Thanos alone, but which is now much clearer.
We can understand that these two elements (Agatha and the concept of Chaos Magic) have been held back until the series, to delve deeper into the character and unleash the rest of the Phase 4 proposals from this point onward. However, it might be a bit more striking, if you think about it, that until now no one had ever called Wanda by her "stage name ." Steve Rogers has always been Captain America, Tony Stark goes by the name Iron Man, and Bruce Banner has always been referred to as Hulk. However, Wanda Maximoff has always been just that, Wanda, without her identity as Scarlet Witch ever being acknowledged on the big screen.
Was there a reason for it? Of course it does and it has nothing to do with narrative resources of its history: what there was is an agreement that prohibited its use of these two words and that Disney (obviously) has finally resolved.
Fox and the sale of the character Wanda
The fact that the term Scarlet Witch has never been used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe until now has a good reason. It turns out that this character belonged to 20th Century Fox (just like Quicksilver), but Disney became interested in her (and her brother) to incorporate her into their vast network of films.
The House of Mouse approached the company and they reached an agreement, thanks to which Scarlet Witch could be included in their Marvel stories as long as her superhero name wasn't used (the same with Pietro) and she wasn't treated as what she is: a mutant. For that reason, until now we've always seen her referred to as Wanda, without any mention of the two magic words.
This has also led, as we mentioned, to certain changes in how the character's origin is handled : although the TV series now reveals a bit more about Maximoff's childhood, the source of her immense power remains unclear. We know that her participation in HYDRA's experiments, with contact with the Core Jewel and the Infinity Stone (the Mind Stone), enhanced her abilities, but Wanda was actually born with them. In the comics, Wanda is indeed a mutant who, at birth, is imbued with some of the powers of the powerful god Chthon, controller of Chaos Magic, and who ends up joining the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (summoned by Magneto), which fought the X-Men on several occasions.
The best part of this whole story is that it seems the clause didn't include social media and other channels beyond film, where Disney, as Sensacine points out , has referred to Wanda as Scarlet Witch on several occasions, thus swimming in a curious legal loophole that surely gave Fox's lawyers a headache.
Luckily for everyone, this paperwork and its curious agreement are now history. With Disney's purchase of 20th Century Studios/20th Century Fox (acquired in 2019), the entertainment giant acquired all the remaining rights, including the Mutants, the Fantastic Four, and, of course, Wanda's official name as a superheroine.
We have no doubt, therefore, that in upcoming Phase 4 films (such as Spider-Man 3 or Doctor Strange II, which should connect with the Disney+ series) we will hear many more references to this character by her "official" name. The Scarlet Witch's new era has only just begun.