One Valentina’s Sentry Project, becoming the only surviving test subject.
While the point of Sentry is for him to be a superhero with more strength than all of the Avengers combined, he also comes with an unexpected dark side. The Void is a dark entity that lives within Bob, preying on his depression. Bob is largely unaware of his actions while he is in the Void persona, nor can he really do anything to stop himself. His story rings very similar to Wanda Maximoff’s arc in WandaVision with a loss of control caused by extreme mental turmoil. Unfortunately for Wanda, her story ends with much more tragedy.
Bob & Scarlet Witch's Stories Have Major Parallels Despite Being Very Different In Other Ways
Both Became Villains Unknowingly
The Disney+ series WandaVision was originally played as an ode to timeless sitcoms. As the episodes went on, the sinister energy behind Westview grew stronger and Wanda was revealed to be the root of it all. She never had the easiest journey in the MCU, losing her twin brother in Avengers: Age of Ultron. When Vision died at the end of Infinity War, Wanda’s grief became insurmountable. She unknowingly released her Chaos Magic on the town of Westview, creating an anomaly where she enthralled every resident.
Though Wanda seemed somewhat aware that the anomaly wasn’t reality, she had no idea that she was actively hurting people as a result. Just like Bob, she was so consumed by her negative emotions that she couldn’t do much to stop herself. Wanda and Bob both have unique backstories that differ in a lot of ways, which is what makes the major parallels between them so interesting. Both lost control of themselves and unknowingly hurt people in the process, but they were also both good people at heart.
Scarlet Witch Becoming An MCU Villain For The Second Time Feels Even Sadder After Watching Bob's Thunderbolts* Story
Wanda Was Left Feeling Isolated
Despite the similarities in their stories, Bob and Scarlet Witch have experienced entirely different fates. After the Thunderbolts saved Bob from the Void, he was welcomed as part of the New Avengers with open arms. On the other hand, Scarlet Witch ended WandaVision as an outcast, feeling more isolated and alone than ever before. This leads to her becoming the main antagonist of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, now reeling from the grief of losing Vision for a second time along with her sons.
Scarlet Witch Vs. Sentry: Which MCU Character Is More Powerful?
Now that the MCU has debuted Sentry in Thunderbolts*, it raises the question of whether he is more powerful than the late Scarlet Witch.
Doctor Strange 2 ends with Wanda sacrificing herself to ensure that the Darkhold stays destroyed. Though it is somewhat closure for the audience, her death was largely unsatisfying for most fans. Especially considering that Doctor Strange 2 is Wanda’s second time being an MCU villain after Avengers: Age of Ultron, it’s devastating to see how alone and isolated she felt despite making some meaningful connections since her debut. Seeing how Bob’s allies were so patient with him made it even clearer that Wanda was largely abandoned after WandaVision.
I'm Convinced Scarlet Witch Wouldn't Have Had Her Villain Story If She'd Had Allies Like The New Avengers
The New Avengers Were Key In Saving Bob
Though Scarlet Witch being a villain was the consequence of her actions, she likely wouldn’t have strayed down that path if she had allies like Bob did. The Thunderbolts were key to saving Bob from himself. Without their influence, he would’ve continued to stray down an evil path under Valentina’s guidance. Even after the chaos he caused in New York, the Thunderbolts gave him a second chance, welcoming him into the New Avengers. Having a sense of found family is important for someone like Bob, and sadly, Wanda’s was taken away from her as a sort of punishment.
Wanda has nothing by the start of Multiverse of Madness, meaning she has nothing to lose from taking drastic measures. If Wanda had gotten allies like the New Avengers all the way back during the aftermath of Endgame, the events of WandaVision might not have happened, and as a result, Doctor Strange 2. She was still part of the Avengers after Endgame, and it’s baffling to see that none of the other checked up on her after losing Vision. Now that we have Thunderbolts* as a comparison, it somehow makes her WandaVision story even more devastating than it already was.
Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
- May 2, 2025
- Runtime
- 127 minutes
- Director
- Jake Schreier
- Writers
- Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo
- Producers
- Kevin Feige
Cast
Yelena Belova
Bucky Barnes
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
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