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Magneto might be the chief suspect in the murder of the Scarlet Witch — but there are plenty of other potential murderers who could have framed him.
With the Trial of Magneto just around the corner, things on Krakoa are about to become far more dangerous and unpredictable — especially regarding the fate of Magneto, who is currently being held up as the chief suspect in the death of the Scarlet Witch.
However, he’s far from the only one who could have committed the crime, and plenty of others had the motivation to do it. Now, we’re taking a closer look at Magneto and some of the other prime suspects in the mystery who could have killed Wanda Maximoff.
MAGNETO
The obvious suspect in the mystery of what happened to Scarlet Witch is Magneto. The Master of Magnetism was the last one seen with her and specifically invited her to the event. Although their private conversation indicated Magneto wanted to rebuild bridges with the woman he once considered his daughter, it’s entirely possible he really did invite her there for the express purpose of murdering her.
However, there’s plenty of questions that arise if that’s the case. Wanda was found seemingly strangled, suggesting whoever killed her did so without the use of their mutant powers. Wanda is also found out in the open the morning following the Hellfire Gala, suggesting whoever killed her and left the body was hoping it would be found. It’s still possible Magneto committed the crime. ut if he did, then he clearly wanted to be caught for an act that jeopardizes not only the X-Men’s connection to the rest of Earth’s defenders but also their prospective galactic allies.
MYSTIQUE
Mystique is quietly the biggest potential question mark going into the Trial of Magneto. The duplicitous shapeshifter has been threatening to bring down Krakoa if they refused to bring back her long-dead wife, Destiny. After Magneto and Xavier pointedly refused to revive her following the successful activation of Nimrod, it seems Mystique is poised to burn Krakoa to the ground in the upcoming Inferno.
If she’s looking to sew the seeds of chaos before making her grand masterstroke against the island, then cracking the already fractured Quiet Council along the lines of Magneto’s potential guilt is a good way to do it. Her shapeshifting abilities might have allowed her to even lure Magneto into a trap in a bid to frame him. It’s possible Mystique is even counting on the ensuing chaos that will inevitably spill out of the murder trial of Magneto to further isolate Krakoa before she makes the killing stroke — secretly making the trial a crucial part of her plans.
ONSLAUGHT
The psionic fusion of the worst parts of Xavier and Magneto, Onslaught is one of the single greatest mutant threats the world has ever seen. After lying dormant and defeated, Onslaught has revealed itself to be targeting Krakoa in Way of X. That series — nominally about Nightcrawler trying to work out a mutant religion — has quietly also seen Nightcrawler and his growing flock trying to unite Krakoa against Onslaught’s cruel influence. It’s possible that Onslaught saw the death of a major threat like Scarlet Witch as a net-win.
This would damage the Avengers (who had helped previously destroy the psionic entity), and cause more of the chaos that it thrives upon on the island. While the Trial of Magneto could lead into Inferno, it’s also possible that Magneto’s murder trial is part of the build-up to the upcoming The Onslaught Revalation, which will replace Way of X on the stands. Onslaughts powers could have even allowed it to control Magneto and force him to carry out the crime — perhaps the ultimate way to frame the Quiet Council member and make it appear that Magneto did commit the crime.
FABIAN CORTEZ
Fabian Cortez was previously a loyal Acolyte of Magneto but has proven to be a duplicitous and traitorous force over the years. In the age of Krakoa, Cortez has tried to shore up power and influence for himself. But largely, his attempts have failed — with Magneto even openly embarrassing Cortez in front of the rest of the Quiet Council.
Cortez has always been portrayed as a vindictive figure, so it’s possible that Cortez could have seen the chance for revenge — as well as an opportunity to kill someone who has inarguably done serious damage to the mutant race over the years. Killing two birds with one stone, Cortez’s ability to amplify powers may have even been just used as part of the conspiracy to kill the longtime hero and frame Magneto for the crime — meaning that even if he isn’t the brains behind the plan, he could have been a useful tool.
MISTER SINISTER
With the Hellions now aware of his actions on Amenth and his secret base, it might be possible that Sinister was hoping to stir up chaos with Magneto’s trial — buying him more time for whatever his true schemes turn out to be. Sinister being involved could also provide an easy out for Wanda’s supposed death — potentially even creating a clone of the Scarlet Witch to frame Magneto.
MOIRA MACTAGGERT
Moira MacTaggert has more or less been in hiding since she helped change the face of mutant culture in House of X/Powers of X. She’s the reason behind the ban on restoring pre-cogs, and she was last seen pouring over the diaries of Destiny. She has also expressed some annoyance with Xavier and Magneto — two of the only mutants seemingly aware of her continued survival.
It’s possible that lingering tensions have finally come to a head and Moira has decided it’s time for Magneto to either be removed from the board or at least be constrained for some time. Or it’s possible that in an attempt to cement a positive future for mutants, Moira has decided now is the time for Magneto to be placed in the spotlight. If Moira is indeed involved in the mystery, then it likely has ramifications that could affect the entire future of the Marvel Universe even beyond the death of someone as powerful and important as Scarlet Witch.
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