The Scarlet Witch is stepping into a HUGE new role, taking over as the Sorcerer Supreme in the wake of Doctor Doom’s fall. Starting this December in the ongoing series SORCERER SUPREME, writer Steve Orlando and artist Bernard Chang are throwing Wanda Maximoff into the deep end of the magical world.
The preview for SORCERER SUPREME #1 shows Wanda rocking her new gear: the iconic Cloak of Levitation and the Eye of Agamotto. She’s not wasting any time, either, jumping straight into a battle with the terrifying Dormammu!
But it’s not all action. Wanda quickly settles into the Sanctum Sanctorum, meeting with her new advisory council. We’re talking big-name magical backup like Clea, Amaranth, Somnus, and, of course, her sons, Wiccan and Speed.
However, this promotion isn’t sitting well with everyone. The powerful mystical entities known as the Vishanti are definitely not happy about Wanda’s new job, and they waste no time confronting her.
What Challenges Await the Scarlet Witch?
We got the inside scoop from writer Steve Orlando himself on the kind of mystical mayhem Wanda will be facing:
- Classic Villains, New Fights: Expect familiar faces like Dormammu and Nightmare—but they’ll be bringing a different kind of fury than they ever did for Doctor Strange.
- Brand New Evils: Wanda will also have to deal with threats like the Night Terrors (Nightmare’s scary new spawn) and Nemesis, who is described as “the first nightmare.”
- Disgruntled Deities: The biggest problem might be the Vishanti. As Orlando puts it, many forces were fine with Wanda as the Scarlet Witch, but now that she’s in the Sanctum Sanctorum, they’re seriously unhappy. Their displeasure is so intense, they’re willing to unleash terrifying “Extinction Weapons” from a devastating secret war.
Friend or Foe? Wanda’s Complicated Relationships
The new series will explore some fascinating character dynamics, especially with people from Wanda’s past and present:
- The Agatha Question: Agatha Harkness will initially appear as an adversary. Wanda considers Agatha a close friend, which makes the attack a huge shock. Orlando explains that Wanda is forced to question how well she really knows someone whose life spans tens of thousands of years!
- Wong’s Wariness: Orlando’s personal favorite dynamic is between Wanda and Wong. While Wong respects the title of Sorcerer Supreme, he is extremely suspicious of Wanda’s claim to the duty and her choices. If Wanda wants his help, she’ll have to be willing to learn and prove herself.
- A View of the Future: Even her son Wiccan makes her question her perspective on her own future.
So, how is the Scarlet Witch different from previous Sorcerers Supreme?
Orlando stresses that Wanda is a disruptor. She didn’t get this role because the Vishanti chose her; she was brought in by other unique beings who desperately needed her help. While she respects the rules of magic, she will always prioritize a being in need.
“Wanda believes magic can do more; she believes that a time comes when protecting something becomes akin to caging it. But [norms and rules] can be broken… and Wanda Maximoff is always the first in line to break them.”
What’s Next for the Scarlet Witch?
Wanda has spent a long time thinking her mastery of “possibility” protected her from the costs of magic, but according to Orlando, “the bill always comes due.”
Wanda thinks she’s doing the right thing by rebuking the Vishanti, but sometimes the most dangerous consequences come not from her own weaknesses, but from how her powerful, willful actions affect the world around her. Her “provocative freedom” might liberate her, but it’s what else it liberates that should be the real worry.
SORCERER SUPREME #1 by Steve Orlando and Bernard Chang hits comic shops on December 31st.
