Scarlet Witch’s Sons Became Bitter Enemies After Her Gory Death

In Marvel Comics, Scarlet Witch‘s sons, Billy and Tommy, share a powerful bond with their mother. But in a dystopian future, they became bitter enemies after her gory death. These events take place in the timeline depicted in 1995’s The Last Avengers Story. It’s a two-issue prestige-sized series written by Peter David and illustrated by Ariel Olivetti.

The Last Avengers Story broke up the Avengers years before Scarlet Witch’s epic meltdown in Disassembled. It began when the government decided to rid the country of super villains once and for all and recruited the heroes to do it. In a massive round up, the heroes took all the villains into custody, unaware that the government’s plan was to execute them. So distraught that they were unknowingly responsible for the murders of so many, the Avengers broke up and went their separate ways.

The devastation continues during Hank Pym’s and Janet van Dyne’s wedding when Quicksilver’s frustration towards Vision reaches a tipping point. In his anger, Quicksilver charges Vision, but Wanda reacts on instinct by casting a spell and jumping in front of him. Quicksilver is unable to stop and crushes his sister between himself and Vision’s super dense form. Scarlet Witch’s gruesome death caused Vision to retreat from humanity, which also resulted in their two sons, Billy and Tommy, fracturing as well.

Billy, who in the main timeline goes by Wiccan, sought out Doctor Strange as a mentor while Tommy became a new version of the villainous Grim Reaper. The battle between the two brothers became a focal point of the series, as a new Ultron recruits villains for a final battle between heroes and villains in New York City’s Greenwich Village. A winner is never decided, however, as Vision returns and seeks to stop Ultron, his so-called “father,” by merging with him. With his dying breath, Vision seeks to save his wayward son by imploring Billy not to abandon humanity.

Choosing Grim Reaper as Tommy’s new persona is fitting. The Avengers have always been a family affair, as the original Grim Reaper, Eric Williams, was the brother of Wonder Man. Grim Reaper also died when Vision self-destructed near him. So Tommy choosing to carry on the Grim Reaper moniker is a direct message to both his brother and self-exiled father that he won’t let their actions go away lightly. The death of Scarlet Witch has been a major event in Marvel Comics more than once, and this dark look at another timeline proves the disastrous results that can spin out of it.

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