Doctor Strange 2 leak reveals Wanda’s shocking role

Plenty of speculation has circulated in recent months about who the villain will be in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Cosmic baddies like Shuma-Gorath and Chthon have all been named as possible contenders, while classic Doctor Strange villains like Nightmare remain constant figures of speculation amongst Marvel fans. But it’s worth noting that Multiverse of Madness may not, in fact, have a surprise villain.

Instead, the film’s primary antagonist could very well be, as some have speculated, none other than Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff. At least, that’s what one recurring Marvel leak seems to suggest.

Wanda’s Multiversal Mission — Recently, word has begun to circulate online that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will see Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch, chasing after America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). The latter character, who is set to make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the Doctor Strange sequel, has the power to punch portals across dimensions and travel freely between the multiverse’s various realities.

The alleged story leak, which has been reported in recent months by Marvel insiders like DanielRPK, claims Wanda will be chasing after America in the hopes of acquiring her powers and using them to “rescue” her twin sons, Billy and Tommy, from another reality. The leak goes on to reveal that Wanda’s hunt for Chavez will cause a conflict with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), who will try to protect America from Wanda in the film.

As always, Marvel leaks should be taken with a grain of salt, especially considering how little has been confirmed about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ plot.

Punching Portals — The end of WandaVision left the door open for Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff to go in a number of different directions — none of which were good. With the character last seen studying the Darkhold and hearing the distant voices of her sons calling out for her, the general consensus among viewers seems to be that Wanda is heading down an even darker path than she took in WandaVision.

But it remains unclear exactly how dark Wanda’s future is going to be. The character straddled the line between hero and villain in her Disney+ series earlier this year but ultimately proved herself still capable of making painful sacrifices for others. As a result, Marvel fans have pushed back a bit against the notion that Wanda will actually be the villain in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

However, it’s looking increasingly likely that Wanda will, indeed, take a villainous turn in the Doctor Strange sequel. This leak, along with several others, all suggest that the corruptive power of the Darkhold, combined with her lingering and unresolved emotional trauma, will result in Wanda causing even more selfish destruction than she did in WandaVision.

Whether the chaos Wanda supposedly unleashes is because she wants to steal America Chavez’s powers remains to be seen.

The Inverse Verdict — America Chavez’s role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been the subject of a lot of debate amongst Marvel fans in recent months. The character, who serves as an important member of the Young Avengers in the comics, is the kind of figure with the power to reshape the way Marvel explores the multiverse on-screen.

Her ability to literally punch open portals into different realities and dimensions makes her a character who could very well garner the attention of some powerful MCU heroes and villains in the coming years. That includes Wanda Maximoff, whose quest to reunite with her family could result in her crossing paths with America Chavez in a much darker way than Marvel fans may have expected.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6, 2022.