It's the season of the witch in the MCU – as Wanda Maximoff made her return as a pawn in Doctor Doom's multiverse-altering plans.
But if you know your comics, you might be aware that this seismic shift in allegiances for Scarlet Witch is quietly setting up an adaptation of one of the character's most iconic, emotionally affecting story arcs.
Taking place across multiple years in the early 2010s, Avengers: The Children's Crusade sees Billy Kaplan – AKA Wiccan – search for his mother Scarlet Witch, who has had her memory wiped and is about to marry Doctor Doom.
Soon, his quest puts him at odds with the Avengers and X-Men, eventually having to team with his brother Tommy to take down Doom – a cataclysmic event that sees multiple heroes die and, ultimately, Scarlet Witch seeking forgiveness amid a sudden family reunion.
While it's unlikely that the story will be followed beat-for-beat (Magneto plays a heavy role, for starters), it sets up a path towards Scarlet Witch finally bringing her family together, completing the arc first introduced in WandaVision.
With Vision having also appeared in Avengers concept art alongside Star-Lord of all people, there's plenty of fuel to this particular fire.
On top of that, it turns Doomsday from a parade of multiverse set-pieces into one of years-in-the-making returns. Scarlet Witch is one, but there also won't be a dry eye in the house if Thor and Loki share a scene together. That's one crusade we can get behind.
Avengers: Doomsday hits UK cinemas on December 16 and US cinemas on December 18.
For more, check out our breakdown of the VisionQuest ending.
