Why ‘WandaVision’ Doesn’t Feature Mephisto or Magneto
Throughout this season of WandaVision, fans speculated the Scarlet Witch would face her biggest comic book nemeses. But ultimately, the show’s villain turned out to be none other than Agatha Harkness, an ancient witch who is actually Wanda Maximoff’s mentor in the Marvel comics.
Many were surprised the big bad wasn’t Mephisto or Magneto. But according to the Wandavision showrunner, there is a reason those villains were left out of this story.
Why ‘WandaVision’ fans expected Mephisto to appear
In Marvel comics, Mephisto is one of Wanda Maximoff’s most formidable enemies. The demon-like entity appeared in The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (Vol. 2). And he went after Wanda in Avengers West Coast #51–52. So, when WandaVision premiered, many assumed Mephisto would show up as Wanda’s (Elizabeth Olsen) tormentor.
And in the comics, Mephisto is partially responsible for creating Wanda’s children. She draws on his powers and uses fragments of his soul to give life to her kids.
So midway through the season, when Wanda gave birth to her twin sons, some fans were convinced that someone in Westview was Mephisto in disguise. Many assumed that Evan Peters’ character was Mephisto. However, he turned out to be someone named Ralph Bohner, a normal human character entirely new to the Marvel Universe.
Why they thought Magneto would be the big bad
Like Mephisto, Magneto has a history with Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel comics. For a time, he was considered Wanda and her brother, Pietro’s father.
However, Magneto didn’t treat the siblings like a father would. And he often used them to further his agenda.
So, upon seeing Wanda’s Hex, some WandaVision fans believed she was being manipulated to maintain it. And some theorized that the one controlling Wanda could very well be Magneto.
‘WandaVision’ showrunner reveals why Mephisto and Magneto weren’t part of the story
The final episodes of WandaVision revealed Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), aka the nosy neighbor Agnes, as the manipulative force in Wanda’s life. And according to showrunner Jac Schaeffer, there were never plans to bring Magneto or Mephisto in as the story’s villains despite the fan push.
“I didn’t toss and turn, but [the number of fan theories] did affect me, I have to admit,” Schaeffer told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m a people pleaser; I want people to be happy. But as far as the sum total of the series, I didn’t want to break any promises, and I don’t feel that we ever promised some big male bad.”
“It’s baked in that the ultimate antagonist of the show is grief and that Agatha is the external antagonist,” she added. “So as far as those theories, I got a little nervous, but even at this point, I don’t want Mephisto or Magneto. As a viewer, that’s not what I would want out of this series.”
WandaVision may not have brought these villains to life. But Wanda will reappear in future Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, including the upcoming film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. So it is quite possible fans will see the characters encounter the Scarlet Witch soon.
WandaVision is currently streaming on Disney+/
