WARNING! THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TVA #4Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch has been an integral part of Marvel lore in both the comics and MCU. After the events of the 2022 film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda seemingly meets her demise at her own hands. However, the new TVA comic is telling another story.

TVA #3--written by Katharyn Blair and Ryan North, with art by Enid Balam and Pere Perez-- was released on February 26 and ended with Spider-Gwen making a shocking discovery being hidden by the TVA (Time Variance Authority): Wanda Maximoff in a tank in suspended animation.

However, the Wanda that Gwen comes across looks nothing like Wanda from Marvel Comics, and instead is Elizabeth Olsen’s version from the MCU. Issue #4 of TVA, released March 19, officially confirms this fact, opening a world of possibilities for the future of the MCU.

Finally, TVA Wanda's True Identity is Confirmed

It's Been Wanda Maximoff All Along

Before the release of TVA #4, the discourse surrounding the surprise introduction of the imprisoned Wanda was muddled, with artist Pere Perez initially confirming that the TVA Wanda was in fact Elizabeth Olsen’s version. However, Perez soon backpedaled on this statement, adding further confusion and rampant speculation among fans. TVA #4 does not mince any words when confirming this particular Wanda’s identity. Spider-Gwen, unable to rest after her discovery, returns to the TVA secret archives to release Wanda, saying:

This place is looking worse than I thought it was, because that is Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch. I’ve heard about her on my own timeline…and her name stretches further than that. But this one looks like one who is supposed to be dead. Squished by a mountain after a showdown with Doctor Strange. Except she’s not dead. She’s fridged. Literally.

Gwen’s reference to Wanda being “squished by a mountain” directly refers to the events at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, when Wanda intentionally brings Mount Wundagore down on top of her in order to destroy all iterations of the Darkhold. It has long since been speculated among the fandom that it was not only unlikely, but impossible, for Wanda to meet her end in such a way, considering her important role in the MCU and her chaos magic powers that allow Wanda to do the unimaginable, such as creating her twin sons out of nothing.

Marvel Knows MCU Wanda Was Not Given Her Due, and Spider-Gwen Says It

"Fridging" Explained

The explicit confirmation of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda’s existence in TVA has far-reaching implications for both the comics and MCU. However, it is Gwen’s statement about Wanda being “fridged” that makes the whole situation, and all the heartache and trauma Wanda has already gone through, worse. The concept of “fridging” refers to a trope in comics where women--superheroines or not--are beaten down physically and sometimes killed in order to progress a storyline. Comic writer Gail Simone was the first to coin the term and is responsible for bringing attention to the trend of violence against women as a plot device to inspire male characters.

Specifically, “fridging” earned its name from issue 54 of Green Lantern--written by Ron Marz--where a female character is murdered and quite literally shoved into a refrigerator for her boyfriend to discover. Beyond Green Lantern #54, many other writers are also responsible for using female characters as expendable plot devices. Gwen, acknowledging Wanda being fridged at the hands of the TVA, directly calls out that trope, as Gwen seeks to free Wanda from her situation.

Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda's Existence In Comics Could Cause Ripples Across The MCU

TVA; Written Katharyn Blair And Ryan North, With Art By Enid Balam And Pere Perez

Now that TVA #4 has confirmed Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch’s existence in the comics, it begs the question: what does this mean for the MCU films and series? Clearly, Wanda’s experiences are specific to the live-action universe, as another Wanda is currently living and operating in Marvel Comics at the moment. Gwen’s knowledge implies that the MCU is a separate universe in the vast multiverse; one that people in the Marvel Comics universe are familiar with. If the TVA snatched Wanda at the very last moment before Mount Wundagore collapsed, what would the repercussions in the MCU be?

The TVA’s potential intervention in “pruning” Wanda at the brink of Wundagore's collapse, could drastically alter the MCU’s narrative, specifically when it comes to the Darkhold. Wanda’s entire reason for sacrificing herself was to remove the dark influence of the book from existence so no one else could use its power to cause damage on the scale she did. The Darkhold’s influence, left unchecked, might manifest in unforeseen ways in the MCU, possibly empowering other individuals like Agatha Harkness.

Now that TVA confirms Wanda’s survival, and Agatha All Along confirmed that both of her sons--Billy and Tommy--are also alive, the possibilities for the MCU are wide open.

Moreover, Wanda being taken by the TVA at a critical moment raises questions about the stability of the multiverse itself, as her reality-warping powers were a nexus event. The TVA’s actions could possibly trigger further paradoxes, escalating the already fragile balance of realities. With MCU films focusing on the effects of the multiverse, such as Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret War, it’s possible Wanda is the key to bringing order out of the chaos she unintentionally caused.

The questions surrounding MCU Wanda’s survival became a topic of discussion after the release of the Disney+ series Agatha All Along, with the showrunner, Jac Schaeffer, confirming that she was specifically informed by Marvel to use the term “gone” when referring to Wanda instead of “dead.” Now that TVA confirms Wanda’s survival, and Agatha All Along confirmed that both of her sons--Billy and Tommy--are also alive, the possibilities for the MCU are wide open. However, it still remains unknown if non-comic readers will have to keep up with the events in the comics to understand Wanda’s story when she does eventually return to the MCU.

TVA #4 is available now.