One of the great atrocities for Marvel action figure collectors was the Scarlet Witch figure in Series 11 of the acclaimed Toy Biz Marvel Legends line. Wanda Maximoff’s figure was proof the line couldn’t always hit a home run.

Collectors have been begging Hasbro for years to release an improved version and for a long time those pleas went unanswered. With the first wave of its 2015 Marvel Legend series, Hasbro finally delivered with a figure that proved good things eventually do come to those who wait.

Packaging: I should pretty much cut and paste this for the Marvel Legends packaging. As part of the Avengers line, we get a big Avengers logo on the front and a helpful drawing of Scarlet Witch on the side. I wish the bio had more information beyond the literal one sentence explanation of the character.

Likeness: Hasbro sculptors tremendously stepped their game up in 2015 and while many came after her, I’m not sure they did a better one than Scarlet Witch.

The head sculpt especially is terrific. The sculptor gave Wanda features I could easily envision for an Eastern European model with the pouty lips and distinct cheekbones. Add in the tousled hair around and over Wanda’s headpiece and this is the rare female action figure that captures the exotic supermodel look of its comic book counterpart.

Wanda’s had a ton of costumes from the full pink leotard with red leather outer wear to a more exotic gypsy outfit. This attire isn’t as dominated by the headpiece as Wanda’s more traditional outfits, but this is a classic Scarlet Witch appearance in spirit.

Scale:  To some folks, this is gonna be where the figure proves most frustrating. Thanks to the comic accurate high heels Wanda is wearing, she stands taller than most of the Avengers. It means she’s going to tower over Vision and Wonder Man, her two most long-term romantic partners.

I’m alright with it as it plays more into the taller, slender model look and there’s no rule that She-Hulk has to be the only tall female Avenger. Some customizers have found a suitable workaround and replaced Wanda’s heels with the feet from the Marvel Legends Infinite Series Maidens of Might Captain Marvel 6 Inch Figure. Paint: Most of the figure was molded in the respective plastic, but that doesn’t mean Wanda lacks any paint applications. The boot points weren’t sculpted and just painted and the tips and lining around the leg and sharp. Ditto for the arm sleeves. I had the tiniest overspray of the red bikini top peering over onto the skin.

The eyes are painted straight as are the lips and there’s a solid amount of wash in the hair to help break out some depth in the hair sculpt.

Articulation:  Compared to some of her male counterparts, SW lacks a few articulation points, but none that really impact poseability. SW has:

• neck
• shoulder
• elbows (hinge and swivel)
• wrist
• wrist hinge
• mid-torso
• hip
• thigh
• knees (double-jointed)
• ankle

The biggest issue is the dainty, tiny high heels make keeping SW standing without resting on the cape is a challenge. To prevent her from starting a game of shelf dominoes, use the cape to help support her or get some figure stands. Fortunately, SW has two foot pegs.

Accessories: Scarlet Witch isn’t necessarily a figure that needs accessories, but Hasbro included two pink translucent “hex spheres.”

The spheres snap on to Wanda’s wrists thanks to smaller  energy clips in the inner circle. They’re a nice bonus and it’s nice to see a company giving more than expected for a retail figure.

To help sell the figure for stragglers who don’t care about the comic version or haven’t become new fans thanks to Age of Ultron, Hasbro shrewdly included major components to the Odin Build a Figure.

Wanda comes with the head, cape and staff so for those interested in the BAF, this is one of the more important figures in the wave.

Worth it? At $20, the value for what you’re getting with the quality of the figure and the BAF parts is a rare fair detail for a retail figure. Find Wanda in the $15 to $19 range and you’re getting a great deal.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

If Wanda could stand on her own, she’d easily warrant a perfect score. The figure is a much needed update to an Avengers fan favorite that seems handled with extra care to assure this time collectors could have a Scarlet Witch they’d be proud to have in their collection.

Where to get it? Stores like Target, Toys R Us and Walmart may still have a few figures left, though they’re drowning in Wasp figures from the Ant-Man wave. The absolute best bet is to get it from Lyles Movie Files affiliate Amazon.com, which has her for less than retail at $15.31 if you’re an Amazon Prime member. Marvel Legends Infinite Series Maidens of Might Scarlet Witch 6 Inch FigureWant to go bigger? Order the Sixth Scale Avengers: Age of Ultron figure from Sideshow Collectibles: Marvel Scarlet Witch Marvel Sixth Scale Figure