Wanda Maximoff: SCARLET WITCH Appreciation 2019

[CJStriker]

From an Info page in HoX #4. I don't think you can call anything on this bit a spoiler, but I've linked instead of imbedded just in case. spoilers:

Not sure if you here will be happy that Wanda is referenced as a "pretender" (ie, still not a mutant) or unhappy to see Decimation getting brought up again.

end of spoilers

Seems for the first time we have an actual number for the amount of mutants that got depowered and it seems everyone was exaggerating the numbers.

Sorry, should have included the bottom of the page. Didn't realize this would be a hot topic of discussion.

The implication from the end of AvX was that when Wanda and Hope dispersed the Phoenix all over the world, it gave people the X-gene.

Overall after reviewing this over, w see some better clarification of the Depowering event As a Depowering event like it should be with lesser numbers too then in the past I felt where usually overly hyped. It also clarifies by all the others on that list in the book that all the rest had DESIRE to kill and murder mutants and have death tolls added to their names, while clearly Wanda being Possessed and Manipulated in just depowering a much lesser amount of Mutants then hyped up over the years, with no killing totals on it.

Also it should included history of Desire and Intent that should Stand Wanda out even more boldly that in Children's Crusade from moment one when she came back to her true self, she set of to set right with what went wrong by trying to restort Mutant Powers both in that story if it was not for the obsticals and infighting characters do. But still this all was successful in AvX's story Conclusion by restoring mutants. That point is successfully followed up by the next few X-Men runs and this very House of X story that Mutants have regained their population they had before Genosha attack.

While yea some might use this to push negatively on Wanda like before, we as Wanda Fans should realize how this crystallizes more of a downplay of negative events of the past and adding in the History of True Wanda that we Know already about her True Self in these stories, the true details and Goals when she came back and the history that went along with it in helping to restore mutants, it helps us to crystallize more positively these events for Wanda in a better ways then before.

[Relugus]

I don't think I want this whole conversation for the millionth time about how many may have died, been depowered etc. It's been nearly 15 years. And because they are fictional, Marvel can come up with any number. It's best to keep that stuff in the X-Men section. Wanda has much better things going on than tired rehash.

This is most likely, all we will ever get from X-comics in relation to Wanda. After 15 years I don't see it ever stopping. It will either be "Genocidal Plot Device Mutant Hitler", or she will be used as a prop for "Magneto's Man Pain Chapter 96".

Which is why I will always argue that the retcon was a Good Thing. It keeps writers away from that tired crap and forces them to write other material for Wanda.

There...perhaps I have unravelled the mystery of why Wanda barely appears in comics these days. Marvel's writers, faced with not writing Magneto or M Day, know so little about her that they can't think of anything, because that's the only thing they know about her.

Wanda is a device in the X-narrative. A device to move the plot along for the benefit of other characters, or a device to heap blame upon and scapegoat.

[Saffron]

I've no issue with how Wanda is identified in that House of X entry. Its a matter of perspective. I don't really see any difference in how some view Namor as a hero. Some see him as a terrorist. Some see the X-Men as vigilantes. Some as freedom fighters. Captain America is a beacon of hope for some and a fascist to others. Different FICTIONAL individuals and even communities are going to inevitably have unique perspectives and in some cases BIASES and that's true to real life. If anything, it feels believable.
The notion that the creative staff directing these narratives have agendas or their own personal angst involved is silly. Having a character deliver a speech about identity doesn't necessarily reflect the beliefs of the writer. Its supposed to reflect the character. Writing an error in judgement for a character, or making a bad call that results in harm doesn't mean the writer hates the character or wishes them ill. Etc etc

Look, it was an off the cuff comment reflecting how it sometimes feels to be Wanda fan reading X-books. I wasn't spinning conspiracies about some sort of collective effort by the X-office to undermine this fictional character or whatever. Though, I do think they can be rather careless in their characterisations of non X-characters. And no, it's not always just character perspectives. It's not always framed like that.

As for the writers, I think its naive to assume they won't have biases. If readers can have characters they love and hate, so too can the writers and whomever else is involved in the production of these books. I mean, we already know every writer has their pet favs. And I remember Kelly Thompson saying Wanda should be put down or something to that affect. But again, I'm not suggesting there's any conspiracies going on.

[Saffron]

There...perhaps I have unravelled the mystery of why Wanda barely appears in comics these days. Marvel's writers, faced with not writing Magneto or M Day, know so little about her that they can't think of anything, because that's the only thing they know about her.

I do think it's hard to write Wanda unless you've read a bunch of her. She's not really a character that can be summed up by a single story.

[MaximoffTrash]

Well, her situation in MU is probably why I like to make up random AU stories in my headcanon, somewhere she can be free of her burdens.
The thing is AU Wandas either die pretty fast or never really have her core attributes from MU.
Also so she can have stories with actual closure and stuff.

[GenericUsername]

This is most likely, all we will ever get from X-comics in relation to Wanda. After 15 years I don't see it ever stopping. It will either be "Genocidal Plot Device Mutant Hitler"

Which is more insensitive than the genocide of mutants. Because of Wanda's ethnicity. If people start wording it like that, they need to look into the Holocaust a bit more.

[MaximoffTrash]

This is most likely, all we will ever get from X-comics in relation to Wanda. After 15 years I don't see it ever stopping. It will either be "Genocidal Plot Device Mutant Hitler", or she will be used as a prop for "Magneto's Man Pain Chapter 96".

Which is why I will always argue that the retcon was a Good Thing. It keeps writers away from that tired crap and forces them to write other material for Wanda.

There...perhaps I have unravelled the mystery of why Wanda barely appears in comics these days. Marvel's writers, faced with not writing Magneto or M Day, know so little about her that they can't think of anything, because that's the only thing they know about her.

Wanda is a device in the X-narrative. A device to move the plot along for the benefit of other characters, or a device to heap blame upon and scapegoat.

Well, I just never like the collective arrogance and bias of a large fandom can create.
"Not sorry enough", blabla, like the world doesn't revolve around the mutants, at least not those who aren't really X-characters.
It's not like Wanda depends on X-franchise to survive as a character, so it's honestly just weird for me to see certain claims of X-fans, including both the "burn the witch" and "welcome back to the mutant family" groups.
Because most people I see made those comments from the perspective as an X-fan, the benefit and punishment Wanda is supposed to get remains in X-franchise.
Like no one gives a damn about her actually being back to her actual home franchise and be relevant again.

I appreciate fans who know to let go and see what certain event is, but really her interests don't lie where they think it is.
And really there is no way she can interact with X-Men on equal footing ever again, might as well cut the ties for good for everyone's comfort.

[leokearon]

There...perhaps I have unravelled the mystery of why Wanda barely appears in comics these days. Marvel's writers, faced with not writing Magneto or M Day, know so little about her that they can't think of anything, because that's the only thing they know about her.

The Hack didn't know about Wanda when he started writing her and that was 15 years ago. Which led to the mess she's been stuck in ever since.

[leokearon]

Well, I just never like the collective arrogance and bias of a large fandom can create.
"Not sorry enough", blabla, like the world doesn't revolve around the mutants, at least not those who aren't really X-characters.
It's not like Wanda depends on X-franchise to survive as a character, so it's honestly just weird for me to see certain claims of X-fans, including both the "burn the witch" and "welcome back to the mutant family" groups.
Because most people I see made those comments from the perspective as an X-fan, the benefit and punishment Wanda is supposed to get remains in X-franchise.
Like no one gives a damn about her actually being back to her actual home franchise and be relevant again.

I appreciate fans who know to let go and see what certain event is, but really her interests don't lie where they think it is.
And really there is no way she can interact with X-Men on equal footing ever again, might as well cut the ties for good for everyone's comfort.

Well Wanda never interacted with the X-Men on an equal footing to begin with. She was the sexy female villain that the lads secretly fancied and then she left the series. Being a mutant and Magneto's daughter never benefited her at all.

[Drops Of Venus]

And I remember Kelly Thompson saying Wanda should be put down or something to that affect.

Actually, Kelly talked about that on her Twitter a few days ago and she denied ever saying such things about Wanda:

https://twitter.com/79SemiFinalist/s...18335000313856

Anyway, I'm not bothered by the recent HOX issue. Honestly, it's pretty much what I expected: Wanda is still not a mutant and the mutant community still spites her for what she did. It's not like Hickman did anything completely new, he just reminded us of what was already there. And he kinda had to, because like it or not, Decimation was a big part of mutant history, and it was relevant that that was acknowledged for that graphic.

[GenericUsername]

Actually, Kelly talked about that on her Twitter a few days ago and she denied ever saying such things about Wanda:

https://twitter.com/79SemiFinalist/s...18335000313856

Hmm, I'm now interested to see how that unfolds. Because I saw it on the scarletwitching blog. But, if she did say it and changed her tune, there is at least that. If she didn't, then I'm wondering where they got that from.

[Fokken]

And I remember Kelly Thompson saying Wanda should be put down or something to that affect.

No. She didn't.

Emma Frost did though. By way of Bendis. Which was entirely on brand, if not horrifically savage a suggestion.

[Wiccan]

Huh. According to ScarletWitching she said that about Wanda back when she was on the fandom, rather than in recent times. I don't see why the would lie. But last year I remember her saying on reddit that she shipped Wanda/Vision back in WCA... I even said she should fix them like she did with Rogue and Gambit, I didn't even remember but found a screenshot of that on twitter lol.

[Saffron]

Well, that's one other person who remembers it, then. And yeah, it was before she started writing for Marvel.

[Witchfan]

Actually, Kelly talked about that on her Twitter a few days ago and she denied ever saying such things about Wanda:

https://twitter.com/79SemiFinalist/s...18335000313856

Anyway, I'm not bothered by the recent HOX issue. Honestly, it's pretty much what I expected: Wanda is still not a mutant and the mutant community still spites her for what she did. It's not like Hickman did anything completely new, he just reminded us of what was already there. And he kinda had to, because like it or not, Decimation was a big part of mutant history, and it was relevant that that was acknowledged for that graphic.

Kelly said that Wanda doesn’t appear in Captain Marvel 12.