Elizabeth Olsen Is Going To Become A Powerful Villain In The MCU
Elizabeth Olsen could become a powerful villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Elizabeth Olsen is going to be a crucial component of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next phase of stories. We know she is going to be manipulating reality in the upcoming Disney+ series WandaVision, and she is also going to play a vital role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It certainly sounds like Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. Scarlet Witch will be providing a lot of canon-changing power to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But a new report is saying she could take those powers to a frightening extreme.
Insider Daniel Richtman (via EpicStream) is claiming that Elizabeth Olsen could be positioned as one of the main antagonists for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “After what Scarlet Witch will do to the Multiverse, the heroes of the MCU will turn on her, which [will] lead her into a path of madness,” says Richtman in his report. This might sound far-fetched at first, but it is a turn that actually has some precedent in the comics.
Before Elizabeth Olsen took on the role of Scarlet Witch, the character was presented in the comics as something of a problem for the Marvel stable of heroes. She used her reality-warping powers to change the entire history of the Marvel universe and became a powerful opponent. The idea of her exerting her whims over the entirety of reality is definitely one that could go down a villainous route. Perhaps we are going to see the start of that in WandaVision and it will carry through into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Frankly, the Marvel Cinematic Universe could use a complicated hero-to-villain turn like this. After the series built up to a supersized villain like Thanos, the franchise is going to be looking for another major antagonist. Instead of just giving us another character that will act as Thanos 2.0, having Elizabeth Olsen make a villainous turn that the audience can understand would be a far more compelling idea. It would be especially difficult if our heroes are faced with the decision of whether or not they need to eliminate Wanda.
In all honesty, Elizabeth Olsen is the kind of actress that could really deliver a stunning performance as a villain. She has been somewhat underutilized in the Marvel Cinematic Universe up to this point. Thankfully, WandaVision is looking to give her a lot of screen time as well as a more complicated exploration of her character. Seeing her make the transition from friend to foe against the Avengers could provide the Marvel Cinematic Universe with one of its most interesting antagonists yet.
However, the hope is that Elizabeth Olsen would not be permanently turned into a villain as Scarlet Witch. Having her fall victim to her darker impulses and tendencies is exciting, but having her go through a redemption arc would be the real payoff for such a story. Considering how inordinately powerful Scarlet Witch’s abilities can be, it would be a real trip to see her affect the entire reality of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and then have to pay the consequences for her actions. This possibility would offer any number of thrilling avenues for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to take, and it could turn Scarlet Witch into one of the most multifaceted characters in the entire franchise.
However, it is important to stress that Richtman’s report is nothing but a rumor at this time. While we do have confirmation that Elizabeth Olsen will be playing a consequential role in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, this entire idea of her being a villain is still up in the air. It sounds like one of the best possible takes for the character, but it is nothing but speculation and rumor as of right now.
We will get a better idea of what Elizabeth Olden’s role will be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe once WandaVision hits Disney+ in January. That show will signal the kickoff of Phase 4 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it will give us our best look at what Scarlet Witch will be doing for the foreseeable future. Since she is going to be the one to kick off Phase 4, it would be pretty poetic to have her set up as one of the new major villains for our heroes.
