WandaVision Theory: Evan Peters is Playing Speed (Not Quicksilver)

WandaVision episode 3 might have hinted at Evan Peters' introduction as Thomas Shepherd, a.k.a. Speed, contrary to the rumors that he will be replacing Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver. WandaVision has posed multiple enigmas in its first few episodes. The true nature of Westview, Vision's real fate, and the true intentions of S.W.O.R.D. are just some of the show's biggest questions. Now that Wanda's past traumas are catching up to her, Evan Peters' mysterious rumored role in a future episode could be the first major question to be answered.

Wanda's brother, Pietro, a.k.a. Quicksilver, is crucial for her past as well as her future. The siblings grew up together in Sokovia, witnessed the death of their parents, and gained superpowers before Pietro's tragic death at the hands of Ultron. With the MCU's eventual introduction of mutants, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver would be at home with both the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants — the latter led by the Maximoffs' father, Magneto. So far, Quicksilver has been left in the past, but his prolonged absence has led fans to speculate about the possibility of his return in WandaVision, albeit with a different appearance, and potentially a different multiverse version of the character.

Quicksilver's return is the perfect opportunity for Evan Peters' version of the character to make the jump from Fox's X-Men franchise to the MCU. Evan Peter's Quicksilver arguably enjoyed a better reception than Aaron Taylor-Johnson's, and many fans are aching to see him reprise the role. Fortunately, Peters may have a mysterious role in WandaVision, but his portrayal of Thomas Shepherd, a.k.a. Speed, would give both Quicksilver actors an equal chance to appear in future MCU movies. Here's why.

Aaron-Taylor Johnson’s Quicksilver Still Exists In The MCU

Wanda Maximoff in WandaVision Remembers Pietro Maximoff in Avengers Age of Ultron

WandaVision episode 3 was crucial for Wanda's character arc, as she gave birth to her twin sons, Billy and Tommy, and finally remembered her late brother, Pietro, as well as the pain she had to endure in Sokovia when HYDRA and Ultron manipulated her. This link to her past came after years of avoiding thinking about Quicksilver's death - something that clashed with her evident close attachment to him in Avengers: Age of Ultron. WandaVision shows that this attachment still persists several years later, even after Wanda tried to forget all her past traumas.

Evan Peters' rumored involvement in WandaVision initially suggested that he would portray Pietro Maximoff inside Wanda's fake reality, but if that were the case, it would be pretty jarring for Wanda to meet a clearly different version of the brother she mourns. Wanda is still so deeply grieving the Pietro she grew up with that the mere mention of his death earned Monica Rambeau a rough banishment from Westview. Both the pain she feels when she remembers Ultron and the Sokovian lullaby she sings to her newborn twins suggest the influence Pietro's death has on Wanda is comparable to Vision's own demise. As strange as Westview can become, a different Quicksilver would be very antithetical to the reason why Scarlet Witch created her ideal alternate reality in the first place.

Tommy and Billy Grow Up Extremely Fast

Wanda and Vision's Twins Tommy and Billy in WandaVision and Marvel Comics

There’s a lot of magic surrounding the birth of Tommy and Billy. Wanda didn't have control over their development in the womb or their time of birth. She also went through nine months of pregnancy in a matter of days, and she couldn't hex away the stork that signaled her labor, which suggests Wanda won't be able to fully control what happens with her children, either. One of the most telling signs of the children's powers is the fact that neither Wanda nor Vision noticed that they were expecting twins. This is faithful to Billy and Tommy's origin story in the comics, where their conception from part of the demon Mephisto's soul hid the double pregnancy from the world's greatest sorcerers.

Tommy and Billy's accelerated aging will help them become full-on superheroes in time for future MCU projects, namely the Young Avengers teamup that's potentially taking shape with Cassie Lang, Kate Bishop, America Chavez, Kamala Khan, and other characters who will be joining the MCU in upcoming Phase 4 movies and Disney+ shows. There are no actors listed as Tommy and Billy in the WandaVision cast and the trailers never showed any signs of the older twins, but Marvel is known for doing this when there's a surprise character or cameo they don't want spoiled. WandaVision could be hiding Evan Peters' portrayal of Tommy, a.k.a. Thomas Shepherd, who eventually takes the codename Speed and crosses paths with other MCU heroes.

While Evan Peters is 34 years old, he can easily play a Tommy in his early twenties. A bigger issue, however, is that Wiccan (Billy) and Speed are twins. To address this, WandaVision could either make Tommy and Billy non-identical twins or draw inspiration from Evan Peters' work in American Horror Story, where he played multiple characters.

Evan Peters’ Performance As Quicksilver Fits Speed Better

Evan Peters as Quicksilver in X-Men Days of Future Past and Speed in Marvel Comics

Not only was Evan Peters' portrayal the more entertaining out of the two live-action Quicksilvers, but it was also a major highlight in Fox's final X-Men trilogy. Coupled with his playful demeanor, Quicksilver's breathtaking display of his godlike superpowers made him one of the best live-action mutants to ever grace the screen. The very nature of his superspeed differed greatly from the one that Pietro Maximoff displayed in Avengers: Age of Ultron — while the latter moved at supersonic speed, the former appeared to slow down time at will.

If Evan Peters replaced Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver, he would need to adapt to the story the character already has in the MCU, which includes his premature death and the powers he gained from the Mind Stone. At the very least, a multiversal retcon would need to address Pietro's past. Instead, the role of Speed would allow Evan Peters to carry over everything that worked in the X-Men movies without a complicated explanation for what Quicksilver's trip through the multiverse means for all the mutants in Fox's X-Men franchise. What's more, Taylor-Johnson's impatient, cocky portrayal of the mutant was much more faithful to the comic book Quicksilver, where Peters' portrayal came across as younger and more rebellious, similar to Speed in the comics.

Unlike Evan Peters' Quicksilver and Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Pietro Maximoff, Speed has a bigger future ahead of him. Place Evan Peters as Thomas Shepherd in an X-Men-like superspeed sequence alongside Cassie Lang's potential transformation into Stature, America Chavez's reality-breaking kicks, and Kamala Khan's body-bending enthusiasm to get another iconic "Assemble!" scene akin to the ones from the Avengers movies. WandaVision can easily give the future Phases of the MCU a tried-and-true depiction of a similar character that was wasted in another franchise. Besides, Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Quicksilver deserves, if not a second chance, then at least the courtesy of not being erased out of existence.

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