Who exactly is the Scarlet Witch?
She first appeared in The X-men #4 released in 1964. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, she was originally introduced as a villain alongside her brother Quicksilver, members of the Brotherhood of Mutants. 
After several appearances, the duo would eventually change sides and join the Avengers in Avengers #16.
She has been central to some of the biggest stories and arcs in the Marvel Universe since. She’s also featured in the X-Men Evolution cartoon series as a teenage version of herself, a playable character in various video games too.
Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet Witch first appeared in a teaser at the end of Captain America: Winter Soldier. Shen made her debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Hellbent on taking down the people she deemed responsible for the death of her parents and the ruination of her homeland, Wanda and her brother Pietro found themselves facing off against the Avengers.
Their alliance with Ultron soured after the twins discovered his true motives and the pair took part in the final battle against the killer AI.
<Age of Ultron Spoilers> The battle would cost Quicksilver his life and his death triggered Scarlet Witch’s rage and she eviscerated Ultons forces <Age of Ultron Spoilers>es
Following the battle at Sokovia, Wanda joins the new Avengers team.
What powers does the Scarlet Witch have?
One of the biggest shocks fans of the Scarlet Witch got was her powerset – no longer manipulating probability with her hex magic, she possesses massive control over psionics. In the trailer we see her using her abilities to levitate and engage in aerial combat. It’s probably one of the most drastic changes to her character but there’s still a nod to her comic book counterpart. Her powers in the movie are directly linked to her emotional state and comic Wanda is fragile at the best of times and if her scenes in the latest trailer are anything to go by we could yet see the Wanda we all know, love and fear surface!
Why join Captain America?
Simple answer would be loyalty, the longer answer is found in her cinematic backstory. The Scarlet Witch and her brother were prominent figures when it came to protesting Stark Industries and the Avengers.
Perhaps Wanda still holds deep resentment towards to Tony Stark and what his weapons did to her family and her home. She may remain anti-government even after joining the Avengers and is opposed to signing the the ‘Sokovia Accords’.
The more likely reason can be seen in the most recent trailer. We see her holding back remorse/shame/sadness at the footage of Sokovia crumbling.
Here we see Captain America interject, asking for the footage to be pulled in order to spare his teammate anymore suffering. It indicates that in the time since their fight together, Cap has come to not only trust and value Wanda but also respect and care for her.
What can we expect from her in Civil War?
Big things if we can go by the latest trailer. Her next scene in the trailer flies by very quickly but it’s probably the most intense moments in the trailer:
Wanda engages the Vision and it looks to be a brutal fight as she brings the hero to his knees. By no means does it look like the Scarlet Witch enjoys what’s she doing and she seems be almost tearful as she turns her powers on her ally and the being that saved her from death in Sokovia. It’s key to note that the comic book version of Scarlet Witch is in a romantic relationship with the Vision and while it hasn’t been mentioned or even hinted at yet many fans (myself included) are hoping to see their relationship flourish… but chances of that seem slim at best given the above scene.
Despite the differences from her all-powerful comic book self, the MCU Scarlet Witch still retains immense power that only intensifies on her emotions and if there’s nothing Wanda is short of these days, it’s rage!
Captain America: Civil War hits cinemas April 29, 2016
Editor-in-Chief, part-time super villain and hoarder of cats. If you can’t find me writing, I’m probably in the kitchen!
