TheScarlet Witchis a Marvel legend, with a rich, 60-year-history in the comics. Making heads or tails of the Scarlet Witch’s backstory can be daunting, given the extensive retcons given to it over the years. First appearing in 1964’sUncanny X-Men#4, as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the Scarlet Witch quickly jumped sides, becoming an Avenger not long after.
When the Scarlet Witch made her debut, so did her brother, Quicksilver, which established that she came from a formidable bloodline.Eventually, theScarlet Witch was led to think Magneto was her father, but this too was revealed to be a lie, and she was in fact a powerful sorceress, with a lineage stretching back thousands of years. Here are 10 Marvel legends who belong to the Scarlet Witch line.
10Red Lucy (Distant Ancestor)
First Appeared In:Marvel Comics Presents#61
Red Lucy is a distant ancestor of the Scarlet Witch, and a legend in her own right.The Scarlet Witch’s spirit becomes dislodged in time, eventually landing in the body of “Red” Lucy Keough, a pirate. Unaware of what happened to her at first, Red Lucy used the Scarlet Witch’s powers in the pursuit of plunder. Once Lucy realized her descendant had entered her body, she worked to get Wanda back to her time. Once the Scarlet Witch was safe, Lucy gave up the life of a pirate, forcing her crew to seek a new captain: Blackbeard, or the Thing in disguise.
The Thing’s stint as Blackbeard the pirate can be seen inFantastic Four#5.
At the time, the Scarlet Witch’s family history had not been as developed, making Red Lucy’s three appearances in continuity a fascinating glimpse into Wanda’s past. While Red Lucy has not made any additional appearances sinceMarvel Comics Presents, she remains one of the most interesting relatives of the Scarlet Witch.
9Django Maximoff (Biological Father)
First Appeared In:Avengers#166
The Scarlet Witch’s biological father, Django Maximoff, possesses formidable magic powers, thanks to the Nivashi Stone. While the exact powers of the Stone have never been revealed, it gave Django the ability to create illusions and other magical powers. A puppeteer by trade, Django created magical marionettes from the cursed wood of Wundagore Mountain. Separated from Scarlet Witch and her brother Quicksilver (more on him soon), Django blames himself for his family’s tragedy, and seeks reconciliation with his children. His arrival came as a shock to the two siblings, especially when he captured their souls in puppets.
Not only did this story establish Django as a powerhouse of his own, but began the fascination with Scarlet Witch’s family drama.
Django Maximoff upended so much of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver thought they knew about their childhoods.They believed themselves the children of Golden Age heroes Miss America and the Whizzer, but Django proved otherwise. Not only did this story establish Django as a powerhouse of his own, but began the fascination with Scarlet Witch’s family drama.
8Natalya Maximoff (Biological Mother)
First Appeared In:Scarlet Witch#3
Although readers met the Scarlet Witch’s father many years ago, her mother, Natalya Maximoff, had to wait until 2016 to make her debut,but it established her as a potent magical force. Arguably one of the most powerful to ever hold the title of Scarlet Witch, Natalya’s great power was unable to save her two children from being abducted by the High Evolutionary, nor save her own life, which was taken by her husband Django. Wanda encountered her mother while walking the Witches’ Road for the first time, and she learned a great deal about her family from Natalya.
The Witches' Road would go on to become part of the MCU inAgatha All Along.
Natalya Maximoff made only a small handful of appearances, but they were enough to make a huge impression on her daughter. The revelation of Natalya’s existence came at a key moment for the Scarlet Witch: she had just learned Magneto was not her father, nor was she a mutant. Finding Natalya allowed the Scarlet Witch to truly connect with her heritage, sending her down the road she still travels.
7Hulkling (Son-In-Law)
First Appeared in:Young Avengers#1
Not every legendary member of the Scarlet Witch’s family is a blood relative: in fact, some of them married into the family, and such is the case of Hulkling. Hulkling came from Marvel royalty, literally: his father was Mar-Vell, the first Captain Marvel and his mother a Skrull princess. Owing to his Skrull heritage, Hulkling is a shape-shifter, and made his debutalongside the Young Avengers team. One of Marvel’s first openly gay characters, Hulkling is a trailblazer and a worthy addition to the Scarlet Witch family tree.
In addition to the Young Avengers, Hulkling has also been a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Today, Hulkling is married to Wiccan (more on him later), the son of the Scarlet Witch. In the wake of theEmpyrecrossover, which saw the Kree and the Skrulls become allies for the first time ever, Hulkling and Wiccan are now rulers of the combined empire, giving the Scarlet Witch even more royalty in her family.
6Speed (Reincarnated Son)
First Appeared In:Young Avengers#10
Speed, AKA Tommy Shepherd, is one of the Scarlet Witch’s reincarnated sons, and one of Marvel’s fastest speedsters. Many years ago, the Scarlet Witch, with her then-husband the Vision, gave “birth” to two sons: Thomas and Billy, but they were revealed to be nothing more than fragments of the demon Mephisto. However, the two souls were reincarnated, with Tommy receiving the powers of his uncle Quicksilver. The other brother, Billy, became Wiccan (more on him later). Like his brother, Speed was a member of the Young Avengers team.
Speed’s upper power limits have yetto be defined, but it is believed that, in time, he could be faster than his uncle. Beyond the ability to run fast, Speed has many other classic speedster attributes, such as the ability to phase through walls and accelerated healing.In the two decades, Speed has been a part of the Marvel Universe, he has distinguished himself as a great hero and a worthy addition to the Scarlet Witch’s line.
5Quicksilver (Brother)
First Appeared In:X-Men#4
Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch’s brother, has as deep and rich a history as Wanda. One of comics’ premiere speedsters, Quicksilver, like Scarlet Witch, was introduced as a villain. Like his sister, he came around to the side of good, ultimately joining the Avengers during the “Cap’s Kooky Quartet” era. Despite his heroic turn years ago, Quicksilver still has a reputation for being haughty and arrogant, as well as self-destructive. This impulse has cost Quicksilver more than one relationship, namely his ex-wife Crystal, of the Inhumans.
Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver Get A Redesign That Actually Embraces Their Transian Origins
What would Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver have looked like if their mother had kept them and they stayed in Transia? This fan art has the answer.
Recently, Quicksilver joined Captain America’s Avengers Unity Division, which was reformed in the wake of Krakoa’s fall. It gave Quicksilver a chance to redeem himself after years in the wilderness, as well as another shot at love: he began a relationship with Monet St. Croix. While currently estranged from the Scarlet Witch, there is hope they will one day rekindle the bond they shared.
4Luminous (Sister)
First Appeared In:Uncanny Avengers(Volume 2) #2
Luminous, the “sister” of the Scarlet Witch, possesses both Wanda’s powers and Quicksilver’s. Created by the High Evolutionary, a villain whose destiny is intertwined with the Scarlet Witch’s, Luminous acted as his agent. Initially sent to Counter-Earth to put down a revolution among the High Evolutionary’s rejects, Luminous will come into conflict with the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. As she had almost all of their powers, Luminous was able to hold her own. Sensing the potential for rebellion in Luminous, the High Evolutionary created a “kill switch” that could depower her instantly.
Luminous only made a handful of appearances, but made a big impression on fans.
Luminous only made a handful of appearances, but made a big impression on fans.Her unique combination of the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver’s powers made her a threat unlike any other Wanda had faced before, and fans can hope Luminous returns one day.
3The Vision (Ex-Husband)
First Appeared In:The Avengers#57
Once, the Scarlet Witch and the Vision had one of comics’ most unlikely, but still endearing, marriages–until it all came undone. The duo served together in the Avengers, and over time developed feelings for one another. It was an odd combination, but it worked beautifully. The pair were married and tried to live a normal life with their two children. Yet it was not meant to be, and the Scarlet Witch and Vision were torn asunder. Today, they have been reunited on the new Avengers team, but it remains to be seen if they will rekindle their romance.
Move Over Vision, I Now Need Scarlet Witch and Daredevil To Be A Thing
The newest issue of Marvel Comics' Scarlet Witch has me convinced that Wanda Maximoff and Matt Murdock’s Daredevil is a surprisingly easy ship.
Even apart from the Scarlet Witch, the Vision is still a force to be reckoned with. One of the most powerful members of the Avengers, the Vision, has served as the team’s chair before. Believed to have once been Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch, the Vision’s Marvel history is still quite extensive.
2Wiccan (Reincarnated Son)
First Appeared In:Young Avengers#1
Wiccan, the reincarnated son of the Scarlet Witch, has the potential to be Marvel’s most powerful magic user.When the Scarlet Witch’s original children died, their souls were reincarnated into two boys: Thomas Shepherd, AKA Speed and Billy Kaplan, who would become Wiccan. Introduced as a member of the Young Avengers, Wiccan was openly gay, and his debut was a serious win for queer representation in comics. Like his mother, Wiccan is a powerful sorcerer, but just how powerful remains to be seen.
Indeed, just what the Demiurge is capable of has never been established, making Wiccan, like his mother, an unknown quantity.
There is still more to Wiccan than initially meets the eye. He can transform into a being of unlimited power called the Demiurge. Named after a mythical figure, the Demiurge can alter reality on a vast scale. Indeed, just what the Demiurge is capable of has never been established, making Wiccan, like his mother, an unknown quantity.
1Magneto (Adopted Father)
First Appeared In:X-Men#1
For many years, Magneto was believed to be the Scarlet Witch’s father. While this relationship no longer exists, the Master of Magnetism is still associated with her, and for good reason.Magneto helped introduce the Scarlet Witch to the rest of the world, as amember of his Brotherhood of Mutants. When Wanda’s mental health began to deteriorate, Magneto sought to help her, but unfortunately triggered the “Decimation,” in which the Scarlet Witch depowered most of Earth’s mutants. This event made the Scarlet Witch a pariah among the mutant community, yet Magneto still tries to help her.
Today, Magneto and theScarlet Witchwalk different paths: her as a sorceress, and he as a terrorist advocating for mutant rights. Yet the time they spent together, and the bond they shared, still defines their characters.
