This article is about Wanda Maximoff from the Comics. For other uses, see Scarlet Witch (disambiguation). For her mother, see Scarlet Witch (Natalya Maximoff).
- “All we'll ever need is each other. Absolutely, that's true, my dear brother. But if you'd stop being so cynical for one second and take this chance with me...we might finally find ourselves a place where we belong. With the Avengers.”
- ―Scarlet Witch to Quicksilver about their time alone and how they can find their place in the Avengers
Scarlet Witch (real name Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Initially introduced as an antagonist in the X-Men franchise, Wanda eventually became a hero, even joining the titular team and later becoming a reserved member of the Avengers. She is the twin sister of Quicksilver, the ex-wife of Vision and the mother of twins Billy and Tommy Maximoff, who were later reincarnated into the heroes Wiccan and Speed. Though Wanda was initially rumored to be Magneto's long lost daughter, it turned out this was not the case. She was the daughter of a Romani witch, Natalya Maximoff, and her adoptive parents were revealed to be her aunt and uncle.
Originally described as having the power to alter probability, the Scarlet Witch evolved into a powerful sorceress by the 1980s. Over time, she has learned to tap into immense magical forces, allowing her to alter reality itself. Her magic comes from her mother's side of the family and her adopted parents were her aunt and uncle and her absorbing Chthon's soul into herself by using the ancient god's Darkhold against him in his plan to use Scarlet Witch as a vessel. She is also known for her role in creating the House of M and depowering all mutants by uttering "no more mutants."
Due to Wanda's powers, she is widely recognized as one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes.
Publication History
The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, first appearing in The X-Men #4 in the Silver Age of Comic Books.
Fictional Biography
Wanda and Pietro Maximoff were born to a nomadic Romani witch, Natalya Maximoff and an unnamed father. Initially, it was believed that Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were Magneto's children. It is eventually revealed that Magneto is NOT the Twins' biological father and that their true family were indeed the Maximoffs. Her "adoptive parents" were actually her maternal uncle Django and his wife, Wanda's aunt, Marya Maximoff and she inherited the title of Scarlet Witch from her mother, Natalya and her maternal grandfather the Scarlet Warlock.
As infants, Wanda and Pietro were both abducted by and experimented on by the High Evolutionary. However she was eventually returned to her adoptive parents, but with a stronger connection to her magic. Many witches sought Wanda out for her powers, by a powerful coven formed by Maria Russoff, Lilia Calderu, and Margali Szardos.
Personality
Physical Appearance
Overview
Wanda Maximoff is a slender female witch of Romani origin with 5'7" with a round face, long red hair and green eyes. While Wanda usually has the appearance of a young human woman, whenever she is enraged or channeling Chthon, and her chaos magic, Wanda generates demonic physical characteristics, including luminescent eyes, sharp claws, horns, etc.
Costume
In her initial appearance, Wanda initially wore mainly leotards, with pantyhose, boots, cape and an M-shaped crown all colored red. Her mother wore a consume similar to this. In recent years, Wanda's costume became more modest, with her appearance initial appearance in the modern age was modeled after Elizabeth Olsen. Now, she wears a red dress split in different sides, red boots and black pants with red accents.
Alternate Versions
Powers and abilities
Trivia
- Wanda finding out that Magneto was not her father and that she inherited her magic powers from her mother and maternal grandfather prior to her mutation is what happened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In WandaVision, Wanda finds out that she was born with latent chaos magic powers and were later Enhanced by the Mind Stone.
- Wanda's mother, Natalya, was the previous Scarlet Witch. In-universe, Wanda inadvertently based her costume off of her mother's.
Quotes
Marvel Cinematic Universe
- “You break the rules and become a hero, I do it and I become the enemy. That doesn't seem fair.”
- ―Scarlet Witch to Doctor Strange
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