San Diego Comic-Con has become the stage for a peculiar mystery surrounding the upcoming Marvel Studios film "Avengers: Doomsday," as a series of changing "Latverian Witch" costumes at the Marvel booth have sparked widespread fan speculation. These enigmatic figures, appearing alongside costumes for established characters like Cyclops, Sue Storm, Thor, Captain America, Yelena Belova, and Gambit, have prompted theories about their significance to the film's narrative, particularly concerning Doctor Doom and the introduction of magic.
The "Latverian Witch" costume itself underwent a visible transformation throughout the convention. Initially appearing on Preview Night in green, the costume shifted to yellow or orange on Thursday, and then to purple by Friday. This chromatic evolution, coupled with variations in accessories like belt buckles and neck chains, suggests these are not static representations but dynamic clues.
One prominent theory posits that these witches serve as lieutenants to Doctor Doom, similar to Thanos's Black Order in "Avengers: Infinity War." Their presence could signify Doom's utilization of magic in addition to his scientific prowess, aligning with his comic book depiction. The masked and gloved nature of the costumes also draws parallels to Doctor Doom's own iconic attire, leading some to wonder if these masks might conceal other familiar faces.
The color changes are a significant focal point for speculation. The purple costume is strongly associated with Agatha Harkness, a powerful magic user with connections to both the Fantastic Four and Doom in the comics. Other theories suggest the purple-clad witch could be Clea, a mystical sorceress introduced in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." The green costume has led to speculation about Sylvie, the variant Loki from the Disney+ series "Loki," or even Rio Vidal, the Green Witch from "Agatha All Along." The yellow or orange costume has drawn comparisons to magic wielded by characters like Alice Wu-Gulliver or Lilia Calderu from "Agatha All Along," or potentially the Ancient One.
A more far-reaching interpretation connects the costume colors to the Infinity Stones: green for the Time Stone, purple for the Power Stone, and orange for the Soul Stone. This theory suggests that Doctor Doom might be distributing these stones among his witches, with potential for other stones like Mind (blue) and Reality (red) to be revealed. Given the involvement of the Russo brothers, directors of "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame," this thematic link to the Infinity Stones is considered plausible.
Perhaps the most significant fan theory centers on the possibility of the Scarlet Witch's return. If a red-clad witch appears, it is speculated to be Wanda Maximoff, despite her apparent demise in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." The idea of an alternate Wanda or one rescued from the timestream by Doom is not out of the question in the MCU, and a masked red witch would be a highly anticipated reveal.
Whether these Latverian Witches represent new magical allies for Doom, are merely promotional costumes for a specific scene, or are a complex multi-part tease involving Infinity Stones and surprise character returns, answers are expected to emerge during Marvel Studios' Hall H panel at Comic-Con.