Marvel Has Its Perfect Scarlet Witch Replacement
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.Scarlet Witch's perfect replacement has been officially introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Elizabeth Olsen debuted Wanda Maximoff in the franchise over a decade ago in Avengers: Age of Ultron, alongside her twin, Pietro Maximoff. Unlike her brother, however, Scarlet Witch has survived the ordeal against Ultron and eventually joined the Avengers. That said, to say that her life has been difficult since the destruction of Sokovia would be an understatement.
Wanda is regarded as one of, if not the most tragic characters in the MCU — and that says a lot, since the universe isn't lacking in tragic personal narratives. The fight against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War left her without Vision, and without the proper support, her grief led to the events of WandaVision. The last time Scarlet Witch was in the MCU was in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she was deemed dead in the end, although theories claim that it's a misdirection. In any case, considering how long she has been gone, it seems like Marvel Studios has found the perfect replacement for the character.
Why Jean Grey Is MCU's Perfect Scarlet Witch Replacement
Marvel Studios' latest release, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is enjoying immense commercial and critical success. Tom Holland's fourth solo outing has broken several box office records, as Destin Daniel Cretton kicks off a potential new trilogy for the wall-crawler. Aside from Peter Parker's story, Spider-Man: Brand New Day officially debuts Jean Grey in the MCU. Played by Sadie Sink, the film is able to impressively establish her origins amid an already busy movie. Between her tragic origins and powers, it's diffcult not to draw parallels between Jean and Wanda.
For starters, losing a sibling is the crux of the pair's origins story in the MCU. Wanda lost Pietro during the conflict in Sokovia, while Jean lost Sarah after she was abducted and tortured by DODC's William "Bill" Metzger. While Peter helps Jean come to terms with the loss, it's safe to say that the tragedy will continue to factor into her narrative moving forward. Secondly, the pair has similar capabilities, particulalry in terms of mind control. Interestingly, Spider-Man: Brand New Day uses Jean's powers mostly to terrorize Peter, but it's also how they connect with each other in the end. Wanda famously took over the minds of the original Avengers in Avengers: age of Ultron, bar Hawkeye, with their visions becoming extremely important for their respective arcs moving forward.
Obviously, the characters also have their differences. However, when it comes to the way that Marvel Studios can utilize them, Kevin Feige and his team can use Jean Grey as the conduit for Wanda moving forward thanks to their similarities. This doesn't mean that the MCU doesn't need Olsen's Scarlet Witch anymore, because that is far from the truth, but it gives the franchise options.
Scarlet Witch Is MCU's Biggest Wasted Opportunity Post-Endgame
On the heels of Avengers: Endgame and the Infinity Saga in general, the MCU was at the top of the world. It ended an 11-year run in the best way possible and was about to start a new era. Opening the Multiverse Saga with the groundbreaking WandaVision was arguably one of the best decisions Feige has done in the last decade. It was bold and different, and most importantly, it gave Olsen and Scarlet Witch their due.
She appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which moved her character forward, but since then, it has remained stagnant. Granted that she's supposedly dead, shelving the character for this long has been detrimental to the MCU, as she could have easily been the face of the Multiverse Saga, alongside Doctor Strange and Loki.
After playing a supporting role in the Infinity Saga, people were already invested in Wanda's story, especially after the events of WandaVision. Marvel Studios could have extended her villain path for a while longer, even pitting her against Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers 5. After that, she can start her redemption arc. It's a multi-year and multi-project arc that would have solidified her place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unfortunately, that was not what happened.