Scarlet Witch in the MC2

 

Now that WandaVision has begun streaming on Disney+ it feels like a good time to take a look at the MC2 incarnations of the show’s protagonists. For this entry, we’ll be taking a look at the Avengers resident chaos witch, Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch.

 

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The Scarlet Witch made her first appearance in the MC2 in the A-Next #7 in a flashback to the last days of the original Avengers team. We learn that not only did Scarlet Witch join the team on their final mission, she was among the few to return alive. After mourning their fallen comrades, Iron Man and the Scarlet Witch worked tirelessly for months to seal the portal permanently against future attacks. Unfortunately, to achieve this the Scarlet Witch was sealed within a stasis pod, holding the aperture shut (A-Next #7-8). 

 

It’s worth pointing out Wanda’s appearance was foreshadowed as early as A-Next #4, when Crimson Curse began to sense her presence and became more pronounced in A-Next #6. This culminated in Wanda being discovered within her stasis pod by Crimson Curse, American Dream and Thunderstrike. Notably, the unconscious Wanda (dubbing herself ‘Guardian of the Great Beyond, Protector of the Dark Barrier’) utilized various physical manifestations of the Avenger known as Wonder Man to protect herself and the portal (A-Next #8).

 

By freeing Wanda from her stasis pod, the new Avengers team inadvertently sever her connection to the portal, leaving the world vulnerable to the threat on the other side (A-Next #9). Wanda remains in her comatose state, having been moved to a hospital where she is watched over by Edwin Jarvis and later Tony Stark (A-Next #10).

 

It seems Wanda remained in this coma until kidnapped and magically restored by the villainous Asgardian Loki as part of his plot to end the Age of Heroes. Wanda along with many other heroes is corrupted by Loki’s spell until later freed. What’s most fascinating to me about the Scarlet Witch’s awakening are the reactions of Wanda’s former team mates such as Tony Stark and especially Vision. Sadly, it appears Wanda didn’t get the chance to speak to Captain America before he died (Last Hero Standing #1-5).

With so many members off with injuries or otherwise absent, the Scarlet Witch is recruited by Stark to fill out the Avengers roster. The Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man and Hawkeye are joined by Stark's 'personal bodyguard’ James Rhodes on a mission to investigate and apprehend Normie Osborn. Things go awry when Rhodes (now more machine than man) is inadvertently hit by Wanda’s hex bolt, triggering a violent rampage. After Rhodes is subdued, Wanda and the others conclude they would be better use as teachers and mentors to the new Avengers team (Spider-Girl #93-#95). 

 

Despite this, Wanda continues serves as an active member of the depleted Avengers team during the events of Last Planet Standing. During a conflict with the villainous Revengers team, Wanda is offended when she encounters Magneta, who modelled herself after Magneto, the Scarlet Witch’s father (Last Planet Standing #1). Upon learning of the coming threat, Wanda opposes Vision and objects to playing second fiddle to the Fantastic Five (Last Planet Standing #3) and, alongside the Silver Surfer, later proves instrumental in breaking through Galactus’ force field. While it’s not confirmed, the combination of the Scarlet Witch’s reality manipulation powers and the Silver Surfer’s power cosmic may have played a part in birthing the entity that forms in the wake of Galactus’ failed attempt at universal destruction (Last Planet Standing #5).

 

Not an active member of the Avengers this time around, the Scarlet Witch only appears briefly this time, as a magical energy duplicate created when Sylene attempts to recreate Asgard on Earth in Avengers Next #4-#5.

 

I think there’s a lot left unexplored with Wanda Maximoff in the MC2, with her strained relationship with the Vision, her connections to Tony Stark and her re-adjustment to life after awakening from her coma. That said, the Scarlet Witch remains one of the most powerful, present and willing members of the original Avengers. Maybe someday we’ll see more from Wanda in the future.

 

Until I cast a little hex to alter the very fabric of reality, I remain

 

frogoat

 

President of the United States of America in the MC2

 

In my part of the world there is an election on the horizon, which inspired me to finally cover the most non-controversial aspect of the MC2: Politicians! Today I’m going to introduce you all to the President of the United States of America in the MC2.

 

The President of the United States of America during the present-day era of the MC2 is none other than George Washington Bridge. For those unfamiliar, G.W. Bridge first appeared in X-Force #1 and was a high-ranking member of the spy organisation S.H.I.E.L.D. and a long-time member of the time-travelling Cable’s mercenary team Six Pack. While he’s a solid existing Marvel character to draw on when selecting a fictional President, I suspect he was chosen as much for his name which has a nice ring to it as any other reason.

 

The MC2’s G.W. Bridge made his first appearance in Spider-Girl #31, glimpsed on a video call with Tony Stark which gets interrupted by a depowered Spider-Girl who comes crashing into Stark’s office riding a Goblin Glider. Naturally President Bridge offers to call S.H.I.E.L.D. but is dissuaded by Stark. This issue was released in early 2001, so it’s kind of forward thinking (or predictive) of the creative team to feature an African American as President.

 

While President Bridge doesn’t technically appear, we do hear from his Special Advisor (and former Avenger) the Vision in Last Hero Standing #3. Vision reports that the President is concerned about the recent rash of super hero disappearances present a possible security threat to the nation.

 

In the follow up mini-series Last Planet Standing, President Bridge does make a few on-panel appearances, starting with #1 when he discusses the missing Fantastic Five (led by Reed Richards) and the current team of Avengers with Vision. The President is not filled with confidence by the present line up of heroes defending the world.

 

 In Last Planet Standing #2 Vision informs the assembled Avengers that he has been sent by President Bridge to coordinate and supervise all efforts to safeguard the world in the Fantastic Five’s absence. This news is not well received by the Avengers.

 

In Last Planet Standing #3, the Fantastic Five manage to establish communication with the President and update him on the nature of the threat to the planet. President Bridge also asks Vision to convey his sincerest gratitude to the Avengers, placing the Fantastic Five in charge and putting the Avengers on standby, an instruction that is not well received either. Vision points out that as a government-sanctioned team they all serve at the will of President, though Stinger maintains that they are volunteers and shouldn’t be on the sidelines in such a situation. Soon after, the whole Avengers team disobey orders and head off to join the fight as Galactus’ Herald arrives on Earth.

With the world-threatening crisis deteriorating, President Bridge contacts the Fantastic Five only to be brushed off by Reed Richards who tells him that the use of nuclear weapons would be both futile and tragic as it would have no effect on Galactus (Last Planet Standing #4).

 

With the Fantastic Five, Avengers and various other heroes failing to stop the threat of Galactus, the President asks one of his advisors how soon they can attempt a nuclear strike. Learning this would require hours to evacuate ground forces and days to clear the civilian population, President Bridge states ‘I hate this job.’ (Last Planet Standing #5)

 

When Doctor Doom returns imbued with cosmic power and sends his virtually indestructible Doombots across the globe to dismantle the world authorities, President Bridge holds an emergency meeting with his advisors and other major governments before determining his course of action. With no other option, G.W. Bridge contacts Doctor Doom and informs him that the governments of the world have agreed to surrender to save millions of lives (Fantastic Five vol.2 #4).

 

With a cosmically powered Doombot hovering above the White House, President Bridge holds a secret meeting with Tony Stark, Vision and Mainframe. The President learns the Avengers have defeated one of the Doombots and Stark believes he can eventually design a program to jam the robots but things look grim. After Doctor Doom is defeated, President Bridge discusses the need to attempt to reverse engineer the Doombots despite his desire to simply melt them down. Tony Stark admits he has tried to replicate Doom’s technology and discloses it’s impossible. Stark concludes they own the world’s safety to Reed Richards.

 

President Bridge has a secret conversation with a shadowy figure (actually Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D.) about the accidental release of ‘Specimen 297’ (a piece of the Carnage symbiote) on the streets of New York City (Amazing Spider-Girl #10).

 

Finally, in Amazing Spider-Girl #16 we hear from one of G.W. Bridge’s special advisors that the President is strongly committed to aiding the people of China. Following Doctor Doom’s attack on the Chinese Government during his attempt to conquer the world, the country faces an economic crisis which affects the entire global community. During his public appearance in Paris, this special advisor is assassinated by the invisible mercenary Deadspot.

 

That’s it for today, folks. Maybe in the near future I’ll dedicate a post to more politicians in the MC2? Don’t forget to take part in the democratic process by voting. We’d hate for a Doctor Doom-type to try to take over the world now, wouldn’t we?

 

Until I figure out how to fill in a ballot, I remain

 

frogoat