This week’s Scarlet Witch #4 brings the series’ bombastic opening arc to a satisfying close. Steve Orlando, Jacopo Camagni, Frank William, VC’s Ariana Maher, and Alanna Smith band together to finish Wanda Maximoff’s battle with the Griever At The End of All Things. The story so far has seen the Scarlet Witch’s unexpected death, a revival of Wanda’s role as a Nexus being, and a last-ditch effort of our hero’s siblings as well as a friend and a foe to save the Earth in the absence of the Scarlet Witch.
Though I criticized the pacing of the previous issue, it truly was a minor fault and is one that today’s installment does not share. Since the end of issue #1, the series has bifurcated its plot to build momentum toward Scarlet Witch and Griever’s inevitable final showdown. The cold open of Scarlet Witch #4 drops us right into the moment where this unstoppable witch collides with an immovable force of the cosmos. Issue 4 revels in that climax as Wanda battles her opponent to the moon and back, ultimately scattering the Griever across reality, without form or consciousness for the foreseeable future.
An unexpected delight comes in the different looks that the Maximoff twins get to sport across Scarlet Witch #4’s central battle. Camagni and William teased Wanda’s super saiyan mode on the final page of last issue, but now we get to see the temporary redesign in action. It’s a unique meld of the Scarlet Witch’s aesthetic with that of her new patron, the Queen of Nevers. On top of that, the lunar portion of the fight sees Wanda briefly fabricate a space suit that is such a treat. Not to be outdone by his sister though, Quicksilver nearly runs himself nude this issue, which is also a feast for the eyes.
Speaking of the Never Queen, the cosmic personification of possibility not only cements her role as the Scarlet Witch’s patron deity as well as introduces herself as the series’ narrator this week. As her envoy, Wanda successfully defeats the Griever, and it seems that the Never Queen will remain invested in encouraging the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver’s potential as the Ultimate Nexus, a cosmic counterweight to determinism and entropy. For now though, Wanda’s hands are full with her own obstacles.
Marvel Comics
That’s right! The final page sting of Scarlet Witch #4 reveals that Chthon has escaped from his prison within Wanda’s soul. Of course, his incarceration was always going to be a temporary status quo, and his placement there largely served to strengthen Wanda Maximoff’s character and story without them being always tied to Chthon. Now that so much time has been given to recenter Wanda in her own narrative, her next fight with the Elder God is sure to be more meaningful than ever. And if that’s not enough, Hexfinder is still out there, potentially longing for Wanda’s head.
I’ve already made some note of what Scarlet Witch #4 has to offer in terms of art, but there’s more. Camagni and William deliver such wonderful detail throughout the battle – Pietro knees Griever with such velocity that her skin begins to be flayed by the friction of the air. Their work also shines in the small moments, such as selling the post-battle sibling dinner by rooftop with Wanda, Pietro, and Lorna. All around, it’s a job well done.
Scarlet Witch #4 sings in so many ways. Identifying what doesn’t work in it is much harder than documenting all in it that succeeds. If anything, I’d argue that the Griever is a tad over-designed. The signs across her abdomen that are reminiscent of musical notations don’t add much to the overall ensemble, and the outfit looks better after they unceremoniously disappear later in the issue. Again though, looking for flaws here is needle-in-a-haystack behavior.
Scarlet Witch #4 brings blockbuster action to the first arc’s finale. Stellar art and story combine for nearly 16 pages of climactic battle between the Scarlet Witch and the Griever. What could feel perfunctory instead feels energetic and raring to go as the series gears up for future exploits, including next issue’s team up with Daredevil. In a word, this issue is a delight.
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