Theory: WandaVision’s Hidden Villain Wants To Steal Scarlet Witch’s Powers

WandaVision episode 6 may be hinting at the possibility of a hidden villain plotting to take Scarlet Witch’s powers. This character could be linked to the return of Quicksilver, who abruptly arrived in Westview in episode 5’s cliffhanger ending. Wanda, who was shocked enough to see her brother back among the living, was understandably perplexed by the fact that he doesn’t look at all like the character who died in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Instead, this version of Pietro Maximoff is played by Evan Peters, the actor who portrayed him in Fox’s X-Men movies.

Quicksilver has appeared at an interesting time; Wanda’s fake world is still very much intact, but problems are beginning to arise, namely Vision (Paul Bettany). Both Vision and SWORD have come to understand that the people in Westview are all being manipulated by Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), who has a strange and powerful hold on them. While SWORD acting director Taylor Hayward (Josh Stamberg) schemes to defeat her by any means necessary, Monica Rambeau (Teyona Parris) is determined to put an end to this without harming Wanda.

As the story develops, the main characters are starting to learn more and more about how Westview works, but not all of the pieces of the puzzle have been put in place yet. There are some mysteries that still need to be solved, with Quicksilver’s return being one of the biggest. Though it certainly looks like Wanda is at the center of it all, there may be a greater threat lurking in the shadows that Vision and SWORD have no knowledge of yet. Even Wanda may be oblivious to the presence of this character, whose goal may be to steal her powers.

Evan Peters’ Quicksilver May Be An Imposter

As exciting as it is to think that Marvel has finally brought Quicksilver back into the MCU, it could be that his surprising inclusion in WandaVision is one big trick. He wouldn’t be the first dead person she’s seemingly brought back to life, but he does stand apart from Vision – and all other Westview residents – in multiple ways. First of all, Quicksilver has supposedly been “recast”, which is a big part of what makes him an oddity in WandaVision. While some may believe this to be a sign that he’s from the multiverse, it could instead be a reflection of him not being the true Pietro. The Pietro that Wanda knew could be dead, and the person who arrived at her door could be someone else entirely.

Then there’s the matter of Pietro’s apparent independence. Another reason why he doesn’t fit in WandaVision as neatly as the others is how Wanda has reacted to him. He’s one part of Westview that she doesn’t completely comprehend yet. She controls the town and knows most of what goes on within the barrier, but Pietro took her by surprise. Wanda insisted to Vision, when the doorbell rang in episode 5, that it wasn’t her doing, and her shock at seeing him did feel genuine. While it’s at least possible that Wanda brought Quicksilver to Westview subconsciously, it could be he’s operating outside her influence. That would make sense of why he appears to exist as an independent entity. Wanda clearly isn’t controlling him, as he seems to possess a great deal of awareness, knowledge that Wanda doesn’t possess, and he can think for himself.

Why WandaVision’s Villain Could Be After Scarlet Witch’s Powers

If WandaVision’s Quicksilver is an impostor, episode 6 may have dropped a hint to what he really wants. During his talk with Wanda, he remarked that what she was doing didn’t bother him. He also asked her questions about how she was pulling it off. It may be that “Pietro” was trying to earn Wanda’s trust so that he could gain a better understanding of her powers. When he expressed that he didn’t see a problem with her actions, that may have been his way of encouraging her to use them more so that he can figure out how they work. That would explain why he made a comment about Vision dying twice.

Getting Wanda to attack him could have been Pietro’s intention the whole time – or, it could be revealed that this character doesn’t need to learn about her powers; the point of his conversation with her could have been to maximize the use of her abilities. He may be feeding on them slowly, which is why he’s continuing to let things take their course. And that would add to new meaning behind the joke between Billy and Tommy about Pietro being a “vampire”. Another moment in episode 6 that provides evidence for this theory is the fruit snack commercial with the shark who says he’s been “snackin’ on Yo-Magic”.

Who WandaVision’s Villain May Really Be

Given that Wanda is a hero capable of nearly beating Thanos single-handedly as well as one of the strongest forces in the MCU, she’d naturally be a target for numerous villains looking for power – and they would ideally want some of her abilities, which are powered by an Infinity Stone. Among the most likely suspects are Mephisto, Nightmare, and Chthon.

Mephisto, a powerful demon who resides in Marvel’s version of Hell, is connected to the origin of Billy and Tommy’s comic book counterparts. Plus, there have already been two demon references in WandaVision, not to mention the devil painting in the Loki trailer that looked remarkably like Mephisto. As a character who often stands revealed as the one pulling the strings in major Marvel Comics stories, it wouldn’t be out out-of-character for the MCU incarnation of Mephisto to have a hand in the events playing out in WandaVision.

Nightmare, who is heavily rumored to be the main villain of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, could be similarly motivated. Wanda’s energy could fuel him with the power he needs to kick off the “madness” that will unfold in Doctor Strange 2. Though this could have been a coincidence, Hayward did refer to the Westview incident as a “nightmare” in episode 6. A third option is Chthon, who in Marvel Comics is an imprisoned demon who gave Wanda many of her abilities when she was born. His plan was to use her as his vessel later on her life. It’s possible that the MCU’s Chthon, who would provide Marvel with a chance to retcon the nature of her abilities, could be plotting to take back what was originally his in WandaVision.