Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness setup a LOT of things for the MCU. Including further exploring the Multiverse via America Chavez (who is learning to control her powers via Wong), new characters like Clea joining the fight (played by Charlize Theron), and the Incursion threat which could setup a lot of things for the future Avengers movies if they have them (when they have them…)
But one thing that was HEAVILY teased by the film was the arrival of the Illuminati, the “secret super group” of Marvel Comics. In the film, they were comprised of Reed Richards, Captain Marvel, Professor X, Baron Mordo, Captain Carter, and Black Bolt (we’re not saying his other name).
This was very much a “fan service moment”, and yet, that moment was very much ripped apart when every single member of the group but Mordo…was killed by the Scarlet Witch. A very controversial beat that writer Michael Waldron claimed was absolutely necessary in an interview:
“When they show up in the movie, bad stuff has been happening for a while. Wanda’s been on a bit of a rampage,” he said. “These characters finally show up and you feel safe for a moment. You feel like, okay, there are some adults in the room; they know what’s going on, they’re going to keep us safe. They’re a little bit like the space marines in Aliens. Then they get annihilated. The audience’s safety net drops out from under their feet. Suddenly they’re absolutely terrified. And the Scarlet Witch has never been scarier. That’s a great place to have the audience heading into the third act.”
While that might be how he felt about it, others felt kind of betrayed. Especially since this group not only gave us desired moments like Hayley Atwell being Captain Carter in live action (and not just in animated form via What If…?) but the MCU arrival of the Mutants, Inhumans, and the Fantastic Four…and they were all wiped out in seconds flat.
What’s more, the “adults in the room” acted pretty dumb in the eyes of some fans. Including Reed Richards, the “smartest man in the world”, openly saying that the “Scarlet Witch wasn’t a threat” and then exposing his teammates’ weakness to Scarlet Witch without fearing a response. Also, while it was a “killer Wanda moment”…fans had already seen that scary side of Wanda when she nearly killed Thanos in Endgame, or created the fictional version of Westview via her powers.
As in all things, it’s a perspective. Even when you’re one of the people making the movie.
Source: Vanity Fair