Elizabeth Olsen is conflicted about the fact that MCU fans that have taken to calling her ‘mother.’
Wanda Maximoff aka, the Scarlet Witch has had something of a complicated arc throughout the MCU. Brought to life by Elizabeth Olsen, Wanda went from teaming up with a robot to joining the Avengers, to falling in love with another robot, and finally taking a Darkhold-influenced turn for the sinister.
All the while, Maximoff mostly remained a fan-favorite, with a large swath of the MCU’s audience speculating where she might crop up next, despite seemingly having perished atop Mount Wungadore in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Speaking to Lionsgate TV at the premiere of her HBO Max series Love and Death, Elizabeth Olsen responded to the nickname bestowed upon her by the internet’s MCU fans: “Mother.” The term has ties to certain subsections of the queer community but according to the actress: “I don’t get it:”
“I’m conflicted. I’ve heard that it’s a term of endearment. It makes me feel like the internet is filled with 12-year-olds. I’m not trying to offend people, but I don’t get it. And I’m not that old!”
Olsen also spoke to Entertainment Tonight where she further remarked on her confusion over this particular honorific:
“I really don’t get it. My friends have tried to explain to me that it’s, like, a good thing? I don’t know.”
She was, however, sure to point out that “mothers are great,” even though calling her as such makes her “feel old:”
“Like, mothers are great, I guess, but I don’t know. It makes me feel old because I think the people that are saying it must be young? Like, I’m not sure how I feel about it.”
Why the Internet Is Calling Elizabeth Olsen ‘Mother’
Just why has the internet-at-large taken to calling the actress “mother?”
Although Olsen has no children in real life, she’s played a mother in multiple roles, including WandaVision (to Billy and Tommy Maximoff) and 2014’s Godzilla. Her relentless quest to reclaim her kids was even her primary motivation in Multiverse of Madness.
In the language of the terminally online though, the term “mother” has roots in the LGBTQ+ underground subculture known as the ballroom scene. Reportedly, those who partake in this particular niche often designate certain individuals as mothers as a sign of great respect.
All things considered, “mother” is a fairly innocuous sobriquet. For what it’s worth, the denizens of the world wide web have also decided that Pedro Pascal is the Internet’s daddy, although that may be for slightly different reasons…
On top of everything else, perhaps Elizabeth Olsen just projects mom vibes? She seems like a kind person, she hasn’t been afraid to call people on their crap (including MCU writers), and generally just has a wholesome air about her.
At the end of the day, the people of the internet have done weirder things. Much weirder things. So if some Gen Z kid wants to call Elizabeth Olsen mother, then more power to them, however baffling to the actress that may be.
Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff isn’t yet officially confirmed to return to the MCU but with the threat of Kang the Conqueror on the horizon, the Avengers are going to need all the help they can get.
