Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, is one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). As the daughter of Magneto and sister of Quicksilver, she has immense reality-warping abilities that allow her to alter the very fabric of existence. But despite her tremendous powers, there are still a select few characters who may be able to defeat Wanda in battle.
Doctor Strange
As the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange has mastery over the mystic arts and all manner of magic. His spells allow him to warp reality, create weapons and shields out of thin air, teleport across dimensions, and even manipulate time itself. While Wanda’s chaos magic is formidable, Strange’s centuries of experience and vast magical knowledge give him an edge in terms of technique and finesse. If he can catch Wanda off-guard before she can fully tap into her powers, Strange may be able to incapacitate or trap her using an advanced binding spell. However, he would need to act swiftly and decisively, as one mistake could prove fatal against Wanda’s raw power.
Advantages
- Superior magical knowledge and centuries of experience
- Access to powerful spells and artifacts
- Ability to manipulate time, teleport, and create mystic shields
Disadvantages
- Wanda’s chaos magic can overwhelm Strange’s defenses
- One mistake could prove fatal against Wanda’s abilities
- Strange is still physically human and vulnerable
Captain Marvel
As one of the most powerful heroes in the MCU, Captain Marvel derives her incredible abilities from the Space Stone, which gives her energy manipulation and absorption powers, superhuman strength and durability, and cosmic-energy enhanced photon blasts. Her binary form also allows her to harness the power of a white hole, greatly amplifying her abilities. While Wanda can alter reality around Captain Marvel, she will have a hard time affecting Carol directly given her cosmic-powered physiology. A prolonged binary-state energy blast may be able to overpower Wanda’s defenses and finish her quickly before she can tap into her full Chaos Magic. However, Wanda could potentially manipulate Carol’s mind, creating an advantage.
Advantages
- Superhuman strength, speed, and durability
- Energy absorption and manipulation
- Cosmic-energy photon blasts
- Binary form grants enormous power increase
Disadvantages
- Susceptible to chaos magic mental manipulation
- Wanda can warp reality around her
- Prolonged fight allows Wanda to access full power
Odin
As the king of Asgard, Odin is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe. He commands immense magic power, allowing him to achieve feats like transporting entire planets or channelling the Odinforce through his spear Gungnir. With the Odinforce, he can amplify his physical abilities, manipulate matter, and project devastating mystical energy blasts. Odin in his prime would arguably have the power to overwhelm Wanda before she could fully unleash her chaos magic. However, by the time of the MCU events, Odin is significantly weakened in his old age. While he can still put up a formidable fight, current Odin likely lacks the power to definitively defeat Scarlet Witch.
Advantages
- Odinforce grants immense magical power
- Can amplify strength, durability and project mystical energy
- In his prime, Odinforce could overwhelm Wanda quickly
Disadvantages
- Currently weakened in the MCU due to old age
- Prolonged fight allows Wanda to access full chaos magic
- Susceptible to reality manipulation
Dormammu
As a primordial being from the Dark Dimension, Dormammu possesses sufficient magical power to potentially rival the Scarlet Witch. He exists beyond the normal dimensions as an immortal energy being, granting him tremendous matter and energy manipulating abilities. If he can avoid Wanda’s reality warping abilities and draw her into the Dark Dimension, his own powers may eclipse even Wanda’s chaos magic. However, Dormammu lacks the fighting experience and cunning of other sorcerers. Wanda has proven extremely resourceful in utilizing her powers, so she may still find a way to overwhelm the unfocused mystical energies of the Dark Dimension.
Advantages
- Exists as an immortal energy being
- Tremendous matter and energy manipulation in the Dark Dimension
- Rivals most sorcerers in terms of raw mystical power
Disadvantages
- Can still be affected by Wanda’s reality warping
- Lacks fighting experience compared to other mystics
- Wanda has proven extremely resourceful with her abilities
Phoenix Force
The Phoenix Force is a powerful cosmic entity capable of annihilating entire planets when fully formed. As the living embodiment of life and passion, it grants its hosts incredible psionic and telekinetic abilities along with the power of cosmic manipulation. The Phoenix Force allows its host to alter reality on a massive scale, warp minds, teleport vast distances, and project destructive energy blasts. If fully merged with a host like Jean Grey at her peak, the Phoenix could arguably overpower Wanda through sheer force before she can initiate complex chaos magic spells. However, an inexperienced host may not tap into the Phoenix Force’s full potential in time.
Advantages
- Grants cosmic-level psionic and telekinetic power
- Allows wielder to manipulate matter and energy on a vast scale
- Fully accessed, it can annihilate planets and entire civilizations
Disadvantages
- Relies on availability of a suitable host, which affects the extent it can be accessed
- An inexperienced host may not tap into full power in time
- Cannot entirely resist reality manipulation from Wanda’s chaos magic
Celestials
As ancient cosmic beings who existed from the birth of the universe, the Celestials have almost unmatched matter and energy manipulation powers. Possessing hyper advanced technology and biology, a typical Celestial can generate energy blasts powerful enough to penetrate a planet. At full power, Celestials can manipulate entire planets and stars. Even an under-equipped Celestial armed only with a mere fraction of their arsenal could overwhelm Wanda with sheer force and advanced weaponry before she has time to mount an effective mystical defense or reality distortion field.
Advantages
- Possess almost unmatched matter and energy manipulation powers
- Equipped with planet-piercing level weaponry and advanced tech
- At full power, they can manipulate entire planets and even stars
Disadvantages
- An under-equipped Celestial may not have full array of planet-level abilities
- Still susceptible to reality-warping powers of Scarlet Witch
Infinity Ultron
After absorbing the powers of the Infinity Stones, Ultron became one of the most powerful entities in existence. With control over the fundamental forces of reality, a serious Infinity Ultron could defeat virtually any character. He can manipulate all matter and energy on a cosmic scale, warp the very fabric of existence, and tap into unlimited quantum resources. While Wanda also utilizes reality manipulation, Ultron’s fusion with the Infinity Stones takes that power to a whole other level. He can likely overwhelm Wanda with a focused Infinity Stone attack before she can fully counter it with her chaos magic abilities.
Advantages
- Powers amplified to cosmic scale by Infinity Stones
- Mastery over all fundamental forces of reality
- Quantum manipulation allows limitless matter and energy access
Disadvantages
- Still part machine, potential vulnerability to metaphysical attacks
- Arrogance and overconfidence could create exploit
Conclusion
While Scarlet Witch is incredibly powerful, characters like Doctor Strange, Phoenix Force hosts, Celestials, and Infinity Ultron have clear paths to victory against her. Their superior experience, more advanced powers, and matter/energy manipulation on a cosmic scale give them an advantage in most head-to-head matchups. However, Wanda’s chances improve the longer the fight goes on, as she has time to leverage her reality-warping chaos magic. Powerful sorcerers like Doctor Strange or Odin at his peak must act swiftly and decisively to overcome Wanda through skill rather than just brute force. But cunning mystic warriors who can catch her off guard early on stand the best chance at beating the Scarlet Witch.