Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch is a complicated character. She’s constantly been that way from Marvel’s comics through her introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and now, especially, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But there are some things that star Elizabeth Olsen doesn’t like to be asked about her character.
ComicBook.com‘s Jamie Jirak spoke with Olsen (which is an incredibly fun and sweet interview, given how big of a fan of Olsen and Wanda that Jirak is), and they talked a bit about how the movie is going to make fans think about Wanda Maximoff. “I think the thing that I worry about is when people start saying, “Is she a role model to children?,” she told Jirak. “And I don’t like answering that question at all because she is a woman who’s made big mistakes, and I don’t want to think of her as a role model, encouraging kids to make similar violent mistakes.”
Olsen is right. The issue with this movie in particular is that no one knows how it correlates to the kids who love the MCU and particularly characters like Wanda. Is it too scary? Is what’s happening with her too much? For Olsen, she just doesn’t want to think about that aspect or answer those questions.
“Yeah. The only thing that worries me is she became this thing that even little kids loved and then we’re really pushing it with this one,” Olsen added. “So that’s the one thing where I’m like, ‘I don’t want to answer role model questions.'”
Complicated favorite characters are good for us
While I understand Olsen’s feelings and she shouldn’t have to answer those questions, I also think a character like Wanda is good for us to look to and grow from—especially for younger fans. There are just so many characters like Loki or Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Wanda is one of the first onscreen (with the exception of Jean Grey, obviously) that kind of muddles that same line between “good” and “evil.”
Having these not perfect characters to look to can make someone feel not so alone—not that we should aim to be Wanda or repeat her same actions in any way, but it’s important to unpack her motivations and what makes her such a complicated figure. But I also understand and respect Olsen’s desire to not talk about that.
Because that’s also frankly not on her. We shouldn’t be asking her about her character’s impact on children, especially given how complicated Wanda’s arc has been from Age of Ultron on. She’s made mistakes, and Wanda has owned up to those mistakes, but that isn’t something a kid should strive for. She’s a character that can help us in a lot of ways and is one that I have looked to in my own exploration of grief, but just don’t talk about her as a role model. Because, really, Elizabeth Olsen is absolutely right about that aspect of her.
(featured image: Marvel Entertainment)
