What is Chaos Magic? Wanda's Powers Explained in 'WandaVision' Episode 8
The latest episode of WandaVision didn't push the plot of the show too far, but it gave a ton of background on Wanda's life and especially how her powers work.
In Episode 8 titled, "Previously On," Agatha Harkness takes Wanda on a tour of the Avenger's life from her childhood in Sokovia to arriving in Westview and creating this alternate reality that has taken the residents of the town hostage.
Along the way, we finally get a better understanding of Wanda's powers and why Agatha has her eyes on her.
SPOILER ALERT! The following will spoil events in WandaVision Episode 8. If you don't want to know what happens in the episode before watching it on your end, don't proceed.
WANDA'S POWER ORIGINS
Agatha wants to know about Wanda's abilities and how she created the hex magic around Westview. That is why she arrived and takes Wanda into her own consciousness to discover the origin of her powers.
We are transported to Sokovia back when Wanda and Pietro were kids. We see the moment when a Stark Industry missile breaks through their home, killing their parents in the process. Fans of the movies remember that the kids were trapped under the rubble in front of an unexploded missile.
Viewers learn that Wanda seemingly used her powers to prevent the missile from exploding. Agatha explains that she believes Wanda used probability magic to prevent this tragedy, but Wanda simply chalks it up to the missile being defective.
Agatha then sends Wanda to her time with Hydra and the experiments they performed on her. We see Wanda walk into a room with Loki's staff from the first Avengers film, which houses the Mind Stone.
Suddenly, the Mind Stone moves out of the staff and in front of Wanda. The Mind Stone reveals itself to Wanda and the energy engulfs her. We also see a quick shot of someone wearing the comics-accurate outfit of the Scarlet Witch.
Agatha explains that the Infinity Stone amplified Wanda's powers, but the witch still needs to know how she created this version of Westview.
That's when we learn that the grief of losing Vision pushed Wanda's powers over the edge, and she lets out a massive wave of the red energy that we've come to expect from her. Agatha explains that Wanda's magic can alter reality and even create life, as we saw with the twins and Vision.
Agatha calls this Chaos Magic and proclaims Wanda the Scarlet Witch.
WHAT IS CHAOS MAGIC
In the comics, Chaos Magic is arguably the most powerful type of magic in the Marvel Universe. This type of magic gives the wielder the ability to manipulate reality and warp the fabric of existence.
Chaos Magic originated from the demon Chthon, who ruled the Earth eons ago before it was sealed away by the world's mages. The mages did this by believing a lie of their oq creation, which said that Chaos Magic and the God of Chaos, Chthon, doesn't exist.
The mages sealed the weakened Chthon within Mount Wundagore, where Wanda was born. While an infant, Wanda was "touched" by Chthon, giving her a piece of his Chaos Magic. It is believed that without Chthon's influence, Wanda's mutant abilities would have manifested as simple energy manipulation like her father Magneto.
In the comics, Chaos Magic was believed to be non-existent, even by Doctor Stephen Strange himself who boldly proclaimed during the event Avengers: Disassembled, "I am the master of the mystic arts, and I am telling you there's no such thing as Chaos Magic."
Of course, the good doctor was wrong and Wanda would go on to use this power to affect the Marvel Universe for many years; both in the form of House of M, where she essentially removed the X-Gene from existence, and in Avengers vs X-Men, where she reignited it.
What did you think of the latest episode of WandaVision? Let us know in the comments section.
