Marvel Phase 4 Theory Explains How Scarlet Witch Gains Scary New Powers

With Disney+ bringing WandaVision to its streaming service, there’s been a lot of speculation as to how it could tie into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe in Phase 4. Given that Wanda Maximoff (aka, Scarlet Witch) can manipulate and alter reality with magic, along with the confirmation that she’ll appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there’s a possibility Wanda might be the one to introduce the multiverse to the MCU.

But let’s backtrack. How exactly was Wanda able to single-handedly almost kill Thanos at the end of Avengers: Endgame? Well, a bold new theory might help to explain how Scarlet Witch became even more powerful than she was in Avengers: Infinity War and what that means for WandaVision and Phase 4 in general.

Redditor u/SaintDiesel presents a theory that fills in the gaps between Infinity War and Endgame as to how Wanda came to acquire such immense power. Having been dusted in Thanos’ Snap, it’s not like Scarlet Witch had time to train and grow her power in between movies, right? As it turns out, she didn’t need to do that at all. Instead, the theory argues that it was the Mind Stone’s destruction in Infinity War that gave Wanda the advanced abilities showcased in Endgame.

“When she destroyed the mind stone at the end of Infinity War, and being so close to the explosion, it caused some massive repercussions,” writes u/SaintDiesel.

We know what you’re thinking: How could the Mind Stone have had such immense repercussions when Thanos brought it (and Vision) back? Well, half of Earth’s population was dusted and brought back five years later, but it didn’t erase the fact that everyone was gone, right? The same can be said about the Mind Stone’s destruction and immediate resurrection.

Wanda was in the same vicinity when it happened and close enough to have felt the effects in more ways than one. Plus her powers were tied to the stone to begin with (at least in the MCU). In the immediate aftermath, it didn’t seem like a huge deal, but think back on how much the Mind Stone affected the Avengers and Loki when it was in the Scepter. Absorbing such power surely has consequences.

If this theory holds up, it could impact WandaVision in a major way. What might Scarlet Witch do now that she is capable of so much more? In the comics, she has the power to warp reality, which is something we have yet to see onscreen. Considering how powerful she seems to be and that the series will probably dig deeper into her powers, there’s no telling what could happen. At the very least, these newfound powers may explain how Vision returns to co-star in the DIsney+ show.

In an interview with ComicBook, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that Scarlet Witch could’ve defeated Thanos on her own in Endgame if he hadn’t called for backup, making this theory seem that much more plausible. And while we don’t know much about WandaVision other than it takes place after Endgame and before Doctor Strange 2, the Disney+ series could prove to be a game-changer and might help to expand upon Wanda’s extensive and ever-growing power.

Avengers: Endgame is currently out on digital and will be available on Blu-ray/DVD August 13, 2019. WandaVision premieres in spring 2021 on Disney+.