The Series Finale

I fly down to the ground, still holding the two boys in my magical grasp. They grunt and strain against the bindings, their hands tugging at the restraints with little effort.

 "Get off of me! Let go of my brother!" Tommy screams.

"My powers work out here, or did you forget?" Wanda retorts, her hands glowing with swirling red magic.

A sly grin crosses my face. "No, dear. I'm counting on it."

I give the twins a brief window to run forward, and as they do so, I pull them back sharply, watching them tumble to the ground in pain.

 "No!" Wanda yells, blasting me with her magic.

Though it's exactly what I want, and I absorb the magic that hits me, the force of her attack sends me crashing against the concrete floor.

 "Go to your room." She commands, but the boys are not about to leave their mother behind.

"No way, we're staying with you." "Come on, Mom, we can help."

I use my magic to levitate myself back onto my feet and say, "Listen to your mother, boys."

 "Now!" Wanda's voice leaves no room for discussion.

Tommy harnesses his super speed, swiftly grabbing his brother and running into the house. As soon as they're out of the way, another attack hits me square in the chest. I make no attempt to dodge it.

Slowly, the magic flows into my body, and I can't help but revel in the sensation. It makes me feel full and powerful. Even though I'm doing this for Wanda's own good, the evil part of me is enjoying it.

I hold out my hand, watching as the red of her power slips into my purple. "I take power from the undeserving. It's kinda my thing." This was a lie, of course. My ability to strip a witch of her powers had nothing to do with their worthiness and everything to do with whether they attacked me. But Wanda didn't need to know that.

Confused, she looks at her hand, and I notice it has darkened from its original hue—the first signs of her energy being drained. I have to be cautious about how I proceed. My goal is to strip her of her powers without completely draining her life force. It's going to be hard, especially since I still have no real control over my ability of how it works.

With Wanda being distracted I use this opportunity to hit her with a blast of my own, sending her flying in the air. She gasps for air as she's getting back on her feet and I have to remind myself that I'm doing all of this to protect her in the long run.

"You're clearly in over your little red head. So, why don't you surrender your magic to someone who knows what to do with it?" I soar into the sky once more. "And I'll let you keep this pathetic little corner of the world all to yourself. What do you say?" 

I catch a glimpse of the red energy swirling around her fingers, and just as I glance to the side, I see a car hurtling toward me. Unfortunately, I'm too slow to dodge it, and it crashes into me. I push aside the pain that washes over me and concentrate on materializing to another location before I hit the ground.

Ten points for creativity.

As a creative act of my own, I decide to leave a pair of shoes beside the car, adding a touch of Wizard of Oz flair.

I fly above the house, invisible, watching Wanda look for me. And that's when Vision appears, but not the Vision I have gotten to know the last couple of days. This Vision is completely white.

Wanda walks towards him, completely in shock. She was clearly not expecting this. "Is it really you?" Her voice is thick with emotion.

He places his hand against her cheek. "Wanda." Then comes the second hand. I can see from my daughter's face that something is wrong; a painful expression is etched there. That's when he raises her into the air, and she moans out in pain.

 "And I was told you were powerful."

She screams out in pain, and that's when the real Vision suddenly interferes, appearing out of nowhere. He pulls the intruder away from his wife and hurls him against an RV, which explodes in a fiery blast.

"Where are the boys?" he asks, his voice filled with concern.

"They're in the house. Safe." Wanda pants as she runs toward him. "Vision… I should have told you everything. The moment I had realized what I had done."

"It's all right, Wanda. I know why you made this world, but this…"

"I can fix it."

"Can you?"

This seems like the perfect moment for me to interfere. A soft electrical hum fills the air as I discard my invisibility, appearing in a swirl of purple cloud.

"Oh, this is awkward. Your ex and your boyfriend together at the same party." I rest my elbow on my arm, adopting a very nonchalant expression. I know how mean I sound, but the truth is, even though I don't want to hurt Wanda, my blackened heart makes it all too easy to play the villain. Because I know that's exactly what I am to every other human on this planet. "Who are you gonna choose Wanda?"

My daughter looks at White Vision, walking towards them, and then at her husband. "Vision, this is our home."

"Then let's fight for it."

He flies towards his doppelganger and together they take to the sky.

That's when I go invisible again, reappearing only when I'm much farther away, flying toward the center of Westview. I can feel Wanda coming after me.

I'm standing on the roof of the 'Westview Appliance' shop, looking down at Wanda as she walks around, glancing about frantically trying to find me.

That's when I hit her with a beam of my purple, and she falls to the floor.

"Wanda, you've never been up against another witch before." I say as she crawls back up. "Did you know that there's an entire chapter devoted to you in the Darkhold?"

My hands are open, palms facing the sky. "That's the book of the damned."

I raise both arms in the air, and as I do, the Darkhold begins to materialize from the purple energy. Of course, I could have simply plucked it from the sky like I usually do, but that wouldn't allow for any theatrics. And where would the fun be in that.

"The Scarlet Witch is not born; she is forged. She has no coven, no need for incantations," I begin to recite from the book.

"I'm not a witch! I don't cast spells!" Wanda yells, her voice filled with desperation. "No one taught me magic!"

But I continue as if I haven't heard her: "Your power exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme. It's your destiny to destroy the world." And yourself.

"I'm not what you say I am!"

"Oh really?" I send the Darkhold back to my dungeon and begin a Latin chant, directing it toward the woman who plays Dottie. A yellow light envelops her face for a moment, and then it's as if she's herself again.

I release her from Wanda's binds, restoring her free will. I've been capable of doing this the entire time, of course, but why would I? It's not like I gave a damn about what was happening to any of the inhabitants. I only care about Wanda.

Dottie gasps and takes a step forward. "Wanda?"

"Dottie?" Wanda replies, her tone cautious.

"My name is Sarah. I have a daughter. She's 8. Maybe she could be friends with your boys. If you like that storyline. Or, uh, the school bully, even. Really, anything. If you could just let her out of her room. If I could just hold her. Please."

Wanda's head snaps in my direction. "What are you doing to her? You're making her say this."

"She's your meat puppet; I just cut the strings." I say, my posture back to resting my elbow on my other arm. It gives off the vibe that I'm completely in control.

I resume the Latin chanting, but this time I don't just pick out one person. I target the entire group of people that's currently in the center of Westview.

Free of Wanda's control, they all start walking towards her, surrounding her. "I don't recognize my face in the mirror, my voice when I speak. I used to try to resist you, but now, I can't remember why. Do you?" One of the men speaks.

"My husband's on a business trip. Tell him I love him and to not come back here ever." A woman adds.

"I'm exhausted."

"No you're fine." Wanda insists. "You're fine. You're all… You're all going to be fine."

"When you let us sleep, we have your nightmares."

"No, that's not true." She struggles to believe it, unwilling to face the reality of the suffering she has caused these people. And while I don't care about their pain, I know she does.

 "I've… I've kept you safe in here. You… You feel… You feel at peace."

"We feel your pain." Dottie –no Sarah- says.

"No."

"Your grief is poisoning us." Mrs Heart chimes in.

"No, stop!"

"Please, let us go." "I wanna go back home." "Let us go."

I can sense she is losing her control and I feel so, so sorry for her, but I can't show it. I have to stick to the script.

Everyone continues to talk over each other, and I can feel the surge of energy before I see it. Wanda screams, and as her voice pierces the air, a scarlet mist washes over the people around her, leaving a red bind around each of their necks.

They all collapse to the floor, struggling to breathe. That's when Wanda opens her eyes and surveys the chaos her emotions have wrought. She watches the people of Westview choking and screams, "No! Stop!"

With a wave of her hand, the bindings vanish, allowing them to breathe freely once more. "Stop. I'm sorry." Her voice is but a whisper.

"If you won't let us go, just let us die. Please." Mrs Heart begs.

"I will…" she pants, her hands still glowing bright red with power. "I will let you go. I will. I will." Tears roll over her cheeks.

"What's stopping you?" I ask, even though I know very well what's stopping her. "Use your power and do it now. Heroes don't torture people."

She looks at me, and for the briefest moment, there's a flicker of recognition in her gaze. Stretching her arms toward the sky, she releases her powers with a scream. A blast of red energy shoots upward, and a gap begins to form in the hex. "Go! All of you, now. Go!"

With their minds finally free, the people run, and I let out my most wicked laugh. "Now you'll see."

It doesn't take long before Vision crashes down from the sky, creating large craters in the ground where he lands.

That's when he starts to glitch, parts of him flickering out of existence. Slowly, he rises and reaches out to his wife. "Wanda!" he screams, his voice filled with pain.

"What?" she sobs.

The same fate befalls the twins, who are caught mid-sprint in Tommy's super-speed. The agony washes over them as they, too, begin to fade, their cries echoing in the air. "Mom!" "Help, Mom!"

"Now, do you see?" I ask. "You tied your family to this twisted world, and now one can't exist without the other."

The boys collapse onto their stomachs, reaching out desperately for their mother. "Mom! Mom!"

On the opposite side, Vision also extends his arm. "Boys!"

"Save Westview or save your family." I can't help but feel sorry for the impossible decision she faces.

The boys call out for their mother yet again and there's almost nothing left of Vision.

In that moment, she reaches her breaking point. She can't bear to watch her family vanish into nothingness. With a primal scream, she restores the hex, enveloping the entire town once again.

Exhausted, she drops to her knees, and instantly Vision and the boys are whole again. They rush to her side, with Vision helping her to her feet.

For a fleeting moment, they embrace in a family hug, but I don't give them time to savour it. I chant another Latin spell, sending a wave of purple energy straight towards the family.

"No!" Wanda screams. Without a second thought, she positions herself in front of her loved ones, a red protective barrier springing to life around them.

But as our magic collides, hers flows into mine, and I absorb it fully. She screams, and I can't help but revel in the sensation.

Her arms turn black from the loss of her energy, and a worried Billy asks: "Mom? Are you okay?"

I fly over their heads and hover in the air, a little further away. "How sweet." I say, my tone dripping with false sweetness.

That's when a flurry of events unfolds all at once. White Vision emerges in the sky, and cars emblazoned with S.W.O.R.D.'s logo come driving into the town square. Armed men spill out, guns aimed at my daughter and her family.

I feel a surge of annoyance, this was not part of my carefully laid plan. They weren't supposed to intrude on my little spectacle.

Wanda, Vision and the twins take on a fighting stance. "Boys?" Vision asks. "Your mother and I never really prepared you for this."

"But you were born for it." Wanda finishes the sentence.

Vision initiates the fight with White Vision, and they clash as they enter one of the buildings, taking their fight away with them.

That's when the armed men notice me and turn their guns in my direction. How dare they, those miserable little flies. With a flick of my hand a purple line appears and I send them all soaring into the sky, lifting them effortlessly into the air.

 "Same story, different century. There'll always be torches and pitchforks for ladies like us, Wanda."

I'm right, of course I am. I can't recall a single moment in my long life where I've been wrong. Whether it's the era of the witch trials or the 21st century, once they see the magical power you possess, they will hunt you down. Always.

I throw my hand down, and as I do, they all plummet toward the floor. To their death, was my plan. But just before they hit the ground, Wanda's power intervenes, slowing their descent and allowing them to land gently.

"Boys, handle the military. Mommy will be right back." She takes to the sky, flying in my direction.

I launch an energy blast in her direction, but she avoids it. Then, she mimics my earlier move and vanishes into a cloud of red smoke.

I stand atop one of the roofs, watching the scene below unfold. The twins are following their mother's instructions, and Monica appears, wielding powers just as I suspected. My gaze sweeps over the chaos, searching for any sign of Wanda.

I feel her presence beside me before I hear her words, and by the time I realize what she's doing, it's too late to stop her. I can sense her reaching into my mind, probing my past, and I watch as scarlet begins to seep into my reality.

When normal colors return, I find I'm no longer where I was before. Fear engulfs every fiber of my being as I realize exactly where I am and what Wanda has done.

She has accessed the deepest, most painful memory I hold.

I'm standing with my back pressed against the post, my hands magically bound behind me. The darkness of the forest feels even more oppressive, illuminated only by the flickering torches.

The lifeless bodies of the witches who were once my coven, the very ones who tried to have me killed, are scattered around me.

"No..." I whisper, disbelief washing over me. "No."

Wanda steps into view, convinced she knows what happened here, convinced she understands the story. But she doesn't; she has no idea. "See, the difference between you and me is that you did this on purpose."

I look at her, knowing just how mistaken she is.

That's when the corpses start to move, rising and clawing their way towards me. "No! No, no, no! No, no! Oh, please! I beg you! I beg you! No! No, no!" I whimper.

In my mind, I'm transported back to 1693, begging for my life from my mother, only to be met with her rejection. The same fear I felt back then surges through me, but that's when my magic kicks in, just as it did all those years ago.

This time, instead of draining the life from the witch before me, it shields my mind from her influence. Gone are the fear, the pain, the dread. I regain control, and with a simple thought, I redirect the mind control toward my daughter.

The corpses of the witches that just moments ago were moving toward me now shift their focus to the red-haired woman. "Wanda." they chant, their voices a haunting echo. "Wanda."

They point their bony fingers in her direction. "Wanda Maximoff... You are a witch." they say in unison, their voices overlapping each other.

Wanda looks at me, fear now present in her eyes. I meet her gaze with an innocent expression, as if I have nothing to do with it.

"You... are the Scarlet Witch. So it is written. So it is written. So it is written."

She looks back at me, panic etched on her face, and I respond with a smug: "Told you so."

I'm released from the post, and instead, the dead witches seize my daughter, forcing her against it and binding her hands.

"You can't win, Wanda. Power isn't your problem, it's knowledge."

That's when a magical red crown, formed entirely of energy, begins to materialize atop her head. I recognize it immediately from the images in the Darkhold, and fear grips me once more. Not fear for my own safety, but fear for hers. Am I too late? Have I failed to stop it?

"Give me your power and I will correct the flaws in your original spell. And you and your family, and the people of Westview can all live together in peace. And no one will ever have to feel this pain again. Not even you." I promise her. But it's a false promise of course. Once a spell has been cast, it can never be changed. But that's not what I'm after, all that matters is that she is safe.

"So it is written. So it is foretold." The corpses whisper.

Wanda releases a blast of red magic, sending all the dead witches sprawling to the ground. She charges towards me, tackling me out of this reality and back into Westview.

Both of us ascend into the sky, Wanda pursuing me. "Take it!" she yells as she strikes me with a blast of her magic. "I don't want it!"

Vision flies up to assist her, but she halts him with her magic. This is her fight—and hers alone. "Wanda, what are you doing?!"

"Come on, Wanda!" I shout, knowing I'm so close—so close to saving her from her future.

She fires another blast in my direction but misses me completely, leaving me confused. Is she blind or something? She hits me with more of her magic, but the more she attacks, the more she misses, striking the shield of the hex behind us instead.

I can see her growing exhausted, feeling the effects of me draining her. "Come on, Wanda! Escape your fate!" I've never been so truthful with her until this moment. "Release your burden! There's more! I want it all!"

At this point, Wanda's face appears old and weathered, and a wave of guilt washes over me, leaving me feeling broken inside. I know I have to do this, but sadness fills every fiber of my being.

Blast after blast she sends my way until a connection forms between us, channelling all of her magic directly into mine. I let out my most evil laugh, but in reality I strain every ounce of my willpower not to drain her life force as well. Please, I think, don't kill her. Just don't.

And by some miracle, I don't.

I exhale sharply as I feel her powers settle within me, and a realization dawns. With all this chaos magic coursing through me, there might be a chance I can actually return her memories.

"About our deal..." I begin, just needing to hold on to the lie for a little while longer. "Once cast, a spell can never be changed. This world you created will always be broken. Just like... you."

I reach deep for all the magic within me, feeling it fill every cell of my being, and focus on one singular goal: to restore Wanda's memories, all the ones she lost due to HYDRA. I point my arms toward her, ready to unleash my spell, but... nothing.

Only a soft purple sputter escapes my hands, and that's it. No matter how hard I try, I can't access the magic I sense inside me.

My attention shifts back to Wanda, who seems to grow more vibrant by the minute. Her skin appears younger again, and the darkness in her hands fades away. She raises her hand, and that's when I notice it: runes. Red runes etched along the borders of the hex— and not just any runes, but the runes for a protection spell. The very same runes present in my dungeon.

The blasts that had missed me were not mere sloppiness; they were a calculated maneuver. I can't help but feel a swell of pride for her, even though I know it means I'm in deep trouble. We both are.

"Runes." I say, my voice sounding unsure for the very first time.

"In a given space, only the witch who cast them can use her magic." Wanda quotes me, proving she has listened to what I said. "Thanks for the lesson…" I quietly nod, cursing myself. "But I don't need you to tell me who I am."

There it was again, that vibrant red crown of energy, resting atop her head like a royal insignia. I shudder as the realization sinks in. Everything I've done, all the hurt I've caused, all the sadness—it was all meant to protect her. To prevent exactly what's unfolding before me right now.

"No. No. No. No!" I whisper, but her eyes glow a bright red, and as she extends her hands toward me, she reclaims all her powers. Not only that, but I can feel my own magic slipping away with it—all of the knowledge and arcane skills I've acquired over the years flowing into my daughter.

"No! No!" I groan, the painful sensation washing over me. Maybe this is what I deserve for the suffering I've inflicted on so many victims, but losing my magic isn't what troubles me right now—it's her.

And then I see it: the red light completely enveloping Wanda, swirling around her like a fiery halo. It pulses with energy, radiating a power so intense that I have to shield my eyes. The brightness is overwhelming, blinding me to everything else. When I finally open my eyes, she is no longer my daughter.

In her place stands the Scarlet Witch.

I gaze at her with eyes filled with sorrow. "Oh, God. You don't know what you've done."

A fragment of my power remains, the essence that makes me a witch, keeping me suspended in the air. But with a wave of Wanda's hand I begin to descend, and as the last bit of my power fades, I plummet to the ground.

I wipe the hair from my face while panting. I can still feel my powers protecting me from the effects from the hex, just as I could feel that if someone were to blast me I would get my purple back. But for now, it was gone.

Softly and controlled Wanda lands on the ground next to me. "Good girl." I say. A part of me couldn't help but be proud of her, proud of how she played me. If only the outcome wouldn't have ruined her life.

"So, what now? You just gonna lock me up somewhere?" It would break me. Watching Wanda live her life, not knowing who I really am. I know it would drive me to the brink of insanity, even if most people would argue I'm already there.

"No. Not somewhere. Here."

I breathe heavily. "Here?"

"Mmm-hmm." She nods. "I'll give you the role you chose. The nosy neighbor." Slowly she walks towards me.

It takes me a moment, but then I realize what she intends to do, and I stare at her, feeling a weight settle in my chest. In my mind, I consider the possibilities, the options laid out before me. I know I still possess enough magical power to shield my mind from her if I wanted to. But the real question is: do I want to?

My heart aches for the daughter I've lost, knowing she will never, ever remember me. The thought of watching her plunge into her own destruction, powerless to intervene or help, is not something I want to endure.

So I make my choice—the most drastic decision of my life. If allowing Wanda to transform me into Agnes will spare me from the pain and heartache I'm feeling now, and the inevitable suffering I'll face in the future, then so be it. I'll embrace it. Anything to make the anguish of losing my daughter stop.

I look at her, and with all the power I possess I play my role just a little longer. I'm almost done. "No. Please…"

"I'm sorry." She says, but there's no sorry to be heard in her voice. Proof of my daughter being gone, having made place for a being that looks like her, but definitely isn't her.

"No, you're not. You're cruel."

She walks closer towards me, and I act as if I'm in panic. "You… You have… You have no idea what you have unleashed. You're gonna need me."

"If I do, I'll know where to find you."

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Wait…" I say, though in reality, I don't want her to hesitate any longer. My heart bleeds, and I yearn for the hurt to stop. As she reaches for my temple, a wave of relief washes over me. It will all be over soon.

The moment she touches me, I suddenly find myself in a cozy white sweater, a soft white top with ruffled edges peeking out underneath. My hair is styled in loose waves, falling over my shoulders.

I don't recognize the woman in front of me, but I can't deny that she's drop-dead gorgeous, so I give her my warmest smile.

 "Hiya, hon. Say, that's some kinda getup you're wearing. Did I leave the oven on, or is that just you, hot stuff?"

I'm all out of fight

My heart will always know your name

I'm all out of love

But look at all the love we made