Scarlet Witch returns? VisionQuest's big reveal
The finale of VisionQuest has given Marvel fans a rather intriguing post-credits surprise. Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom appears to have tracked down Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and seems intent on harnessing her extraordinary powers. Remember, Wanda was last seen bringing down Mount Wundagore upon herself inDoctor Strangein the Multiverse of Madness. We were led to believe that was the end of Scarlet Witch. Apparently, Marvel has other plans!
Doom’s words, “Scarlet Witch, awaken. Your power will be mine”, followed by Wanda opening her eyes, are difficult to interpret any other way. While Marvel has not formally announced Olsen’s return to Avengers: Doomsday, the post-credits sequence certainly appears to be preparing the ground for it.
Scarlet Witch Returns? Visionquest's Big Reveal 3But here is what I find more interesting. Think about the emotional journey that VisionQuest has been building towards. Vision (Paul Bettany) is reunited with his sons, Billy (Joe Locke) and Tommy (Ruaridh Mollica). Towards the end, Tommy wonders whether they will ever get to see their mother again. Vision’s response leaves that possibility open. Now, put that conversation alongside the post-credits revelation. Suddenly, the pieces begin to fall into place.
Could Marvel be setting up something bigger than another superhero confrontation? Could we actually be heading towards a family reunion involving Vision, Wanda and their children, with Doctor Doom standing in the middle of it all?
That possibility takes us back to what made the original Avengers films so special. Yes, the spectacle was enormous, the action was spectacular and the characters were larger than life. But what really kept audiences invested was the emotional connection. We cared about Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff and the relationships they shared. Their victories meant something because their losses mattered.
Over the years, Marvel has introduced an incredible number of characters and explored multiple universes, timelines and alternate realities. But somewhere along the way, keeping track of all these developments has become as challenging as following the actual story. The scale has increased, but has the emotional investment kept pace?
This is precisely where Wanda’s possible return could make a difference. Her story has always been driven as much by love, grief and loss as by her extraordinary abilities. Vision, meanwhile, has his own unfinished emotional journey. Their children bring another dimension to it. Reuniting this family could give Avengers: Doomsday something far more personal than another battle to save the multiverse.
Of course, we shouldn’t jump the gun. A post-credits appearance does not reveal the full extent of Wanda’s involvement, and we still don’t know what Doctor Doom ultimately intends to do with her.
But Marvel has certainly given us enough to speculate. With Avengers: Doomsday arriving in cinemas on December 18, the question I am increasingly interested in is not merely how many superheroes Marvel can bring together. It is whether the studio can make us emotionally invested in them all over again.
Because audiences may come to watch the spectacle, but it is the characters and the relationships they form that make them want to return.