Author: livesque

The Russo Brothers on Wanda and Vision

From a WIRED interview:

On Vision:

Anthony Russo: Vision, of course, plays a very special role in Infinity War. He is the only character who has a Infinity Stone built into his body. We knew that put him into a very special place in our storytelling because of that. His well-being and safety was at stake if Thanos was going after the Stone. His relationship with Wanda was very important to us in this film because as their romantic relationship continues to develop the stakes of that character and his life become so important to her.

One of the most tragic moments of the movie–and one of our most favorite moments of the movie of course–is when she has to take his life in order to stop Thanos from getting the Stone by destroying the Stone that is in his head. And to watch those two characters approach that moment in the way they did is really one of the most inspiring parts of the story for us. Paul Bettany has always said he thinks about Vision as his primary motivation as someone who is seeking to understand humanity. And I think with that final gesture, Vision finally achieved full humanity.

On Wanda:

Joe Russo: Scarlet Witch, like Black Widow, had a complicated history. If you start off as a villain it’s usually you’re motivated by self interest. What’s so compelling about her, is she has become of the characters who most readily displays empathy and love towards someone else. Her love story with Vision was really the most essential core of the film. And the real tragedy of IW is as they were cementing their relationship with one another, this external force injected itself. Forced her to make an incredibly difficult decision as a hero: Could you kill someone you love in order to save the universe?

Anthony Russo: And it was doubly tragic, too, because of her character history, as having lost her brother. Certainly one of the more tragic, and in some ways inspiring parts of the story for us.

I read something the other day criticizing Wanda’s role in Infinity War as being “just a weepy girlfriend”. And it took a few days for that to settle in, and I gotta tell you, the latent sexism blows my mind.

Let’s talk about Mr. Wando Maximoff, male superhero.

Wando and his love interest have been seeing each other secretly. They’re on their way to send her back when she stops him. She’s trying to tell him how she feels, but she’s blushing and stammering! How cute. Wando doesn’t have that problem, he’s quite confident, and assuredly helps her get it out. But that’s not all–his love interest wants commitment! She wants them to stay together… but Wando has doubts. Wando is a hero, he’s got comrades he fights alongside, and he can’t just give up on them.

But before Wando can give her an answer, they’re attacked–his love interest is grievously injured, and Wando has to fight off the attackers and protect his girl–lifting her up, carrying her away, catching her when she falls… During this Wando assures his love interest he won’t ever leave her.

Later, when we discover what those villains really want, Wando’s love interest nobly volunteers to sacrifice herself but Wando is having none of that. He wants to save the girl and his friends agree. When the villains come for her again, Wando again has doubts about not being with his comrades, fighting alongside them until at least he enters the field and proceeds to absolutely crush the enemy.

So. Wando Maximoff is a character who is a super badass who’s got a soft spot for the girl he loves. He’s all about fighting with his friends, saving the girl, and being the #1 badass on the field.

But Wanda Maximoff is a frail and ineffectual. She’s Vision’s girlfriend, and spends most of her time too paralyzed with all her womanly feelings of love to be useful.

I’m not saying that Wanda doesn’t have a number of feminine-coded characteristics and tropes, but she’s also got quite a few masculine ones that audiences would interpret as cool and heroic if she were a man.