Theory: MCU’s Real Quicksilver Returns In Doctor Strange 2

WandaVision’s Pietro Maximoff fake-out could be followed up by the return of the MCU’s real Quicksilver in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. After months of speculation surrounding a potential appearance from the classic Avenger, WandaVision stunned audiences by bringing in Evan Peters, who played a different version of Quicksilver in Fox’s X-Men movies. However, it turned out that this was all just a ruse.

At first, it seemed that Wanda had subconsciously “recast” her brother in her fake world. Another possibility that was under consideration at the time was the idea that he had crossed over from the multiverse. Both theories were ruled out when it was confirmed that Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) had used her magic to take control of a man named Ralph Bohner and use him as a pawn against the Scarlet Witch. Through Ralph, Agatha was able to create the false impression that Quicksilver was back.

When he was still perceived to be Pietro Maximoff, many felt that Marvel was making the right choice in using Evan Peters as the MCU’s new Quicksilver, as opposed to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the actor who portrayed him in Avengers: Age of Ultron. But now it looks like Marvel never planned on replacing Quicksilver. But, that doesn’t mean they’re done with the hero for good. In fact, the studio may be planning on bringing back Taylor-Johnson’s character for an adventure with Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange 2.

Quicksilver Returning In WandaVision Couldn’t Have Worked

WandaVision’s handling of Quicksilver resulted in a great deal of disappointment, but it’s worth pointing out that the inclusion of his character couldn’t have worked, regardless of which version they used. Theoretically, Marvel could have used Aaron-Taylor Johnson’s Quicksilver in a way that’s similar to how Vision was resurrected within the Hex. He could have been a magical manifestation of her Chaos Magic powers. This would have been a mistake though, because the season finale focused on Wanda saying goodbye to Vision and her two children. Pietro’s inclusion in these moments would have been a distraction. Plus, his return would only have been temporary.

In hindsight, a multiverse Quicksilver couldn’t have been a good fit for the show either. When most of the theories regarding him were circulating, the connections between Doctor Strange 2 and WandaVision had many thinking that the multiverse would be heavily incorporated into the show’s story, but that wasn’t the case at all. WandaVision was not a story about the multiverse or alternate timelines. It centered on Scarlet Witch creating a fake world for herself.

There was a commonly-held opinion that what Marvel is doing with Spider-Man: No Way Home made Fox’s Quicksilver being in WandaVision seem plausible. Based on recent casting news, it appears that actors from previous Spider-Man franchises will be reprising their old roles in the new film. Admittedly, it’s true that Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and The Amazing Spider-Man films being given separate realities in Marvel’s multiverse would put characters from Fox’s X-Men films on the table for the MCU. Marvel is clearly planning to explore the multiverse in future projects, but they shouldn’t be expected to do it before the appropriate time. These elements should be saved for Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Marvel Could Be Building Up Toward Quicksilver’s MCU Return

It could be that Marvel was secretly taking steps to prepare for Quicksilver’s MCU return in WandaVision. Pietro has been dead for years, but despite that, Marvel succeeded in making him relevant again. By delivering a fake-out with Evan Peters, WandaVision accomplished this without actually using any Quicksilver. Now, this long-dead MCU hero is back in the conversation. The hype and attention that Marvel was able to create around him has made Phase 4 a perfect opportunity to pull him into the story, because an appearance from him now would be a lot more exciting than it would have been prior to WandaVision.

There’s also the matter of what this would mean to Scarlet Witch. Following Age of Ultron, Scarlet Witch’s MCU story advanced past him and left him behind, but WandaVision forced her to revisit that traumatic memory and his importance in her life. WandaVision gave Wanda what she thought was a happy reunion with her brother, and then revealed that the whole thing was a lie. Since the show took that away from her, the actual Quicksilver coming back into her life could be much more meaningful now.

Why Quicksilver Should Be In Doctor Strange 2 Instead

Some think that because Quicksilver didn’t appear in WandaVision, the chances of him being utilized again are now dead, but that’s not true. WandaVision wasn’t his best – or even his last – chance at getting a second role in an MCU movie or show. Doctor Strange 2 makes a lot more sense for him, primarily for two reasons: it continues Scarlet Witch’s story and it revolves around the multiverse.

It’s already been confirmed that Wanda will be vital to the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel. The movie’s plot hasn’t been revealed yet, but it’s being presumed that Benedict Cumberbatch’s character and Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch will have to work together to save the multiverse from a new threat. The title alone gives the implication that their team-up will result in visits to multiple new worlds, timelines, and realities. They could go to all sorts of interesting corners in the Marvel Universe, including Dormammu’s Dark Dimension and Nightmare’s Dream Dimension. Another place they could visit is a timeline that’s similar in many ways to the one that the heroes of the MCU are from, except with one major difference: Quicksilver wasn’t killed saving Hawkeye from Ultron.

It could be that in this timeline, Quicksilver survived the fight and joined the Avengers. If so, this take on Quicksilver could be more in line with his comic book counterpart. The MCU’s Pietro Maximoff didn’t get to take the path of the comic book character because he died far too early. Quicksilver never did get to be an Avenger, meet the Inhumans and marry Crystal, or do any of the other things that the hero from the comics is known for doing. If Scarlet Witch were to meet this alternate timeline Quicksilver, she’d be in disbelief at first, partly because of how she was misled by Agatha Harkness and Ralph Bohner in WandaVision. But later, she could accept that he, in a way, is indeed Pietro. If he ends up helping her and Doctor Strange win their fight against the Doctor Strange and The Multiverse of Madness’ villain, he could go with her to the main timeline and make it his new home. After that, Quicksilver could easily be featured in more Marvel projects later on down the line.

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