Tommy Shepherd (Speed)

• Core Identity: Tommy Shepherd, codenamed Speed, is a super-fast mutant, a founding member of the Young Avengers, and the reincarnated son of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision.
• Key Takeaways:
• Role in the Universe: Speed serves as a prominent legacy hero, carrying the mantle of super-speed from his uncle, quicksilver, while grappling with the immense magical heritage of his mother, the scarlet_witch. He is one-half of a mystically significant twin pairing with his brother, Billy Kaplan (wiccan), and a cornerstone of the next generation of Marvel's heroes.
• Primary Impact: Tommy's existence, along with his brother's, was the catalyst for the Avengers: The Children's Crusade storyline, which fundamentally reshaped the Scarlet Witch's status in the Marvel Universe, redeeming her from the events of Avengers Disassembled and House of M. He represents the living, breathing consequence and ultimate triumph of Wanda Maximoff's desire for a family.
• Key Incarnations: In the comics (earth-616), Tommy is a teenager discovered with innate powers who joins the Young Avengers and later learns of his magical origin. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (mcu), he is a young child magically created by Wanda within the Westview Hex, who “dies” when the Hex collapses, though his voice is later heard across the multiverse.

Thomas “Tommy” Shepherd was created by writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung. He first appeared, unnamed, as a boy in a juvenile detention facility in Young Avengers #10, published in March 2006. He made his full debut as the costumed hero Speed in Young Avengers #12 in August 2006. His creation was part of the second wave of the original Young Avengers lineup, designed to fill out the team and deepen the central mystery surrounding their connections to the original Avengers. Heinberg conceived of Speed and Wiccan as a way to address one of the most tragic and impactful storylines of the modern Marvel era: the loss of Scarlet Witch's magically-conceived children. By reintroducing them as teenage heroes, Marvel created a powerful narrative engine for redemption and legacy. Tommy was explicitly designed as an homage to Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver), sharing his power set, silver hair, and a similarly impulsive, somewhat arrogant personality, providing a stark contrast to his more thoughtful and magically-inclined twin brother, Billy.

The origin of Tommy Shepherd is one of the most complex and magically-entangled histories in Marvel comics, rooted in love, madness, and the reality-warping power of his mother.

Tommy Shepherd's story begins before his birth, with the powerful desire of the Scarlet Witch, wanda_maximoff, to have a family with her synthezoid husband, the vision. Unable to conceive naturally, Wanda used her burgeoning chaos magic to warp reality and create twin sons, Thomas and William. For a time, they lived a happy, albeit unusual, life in the Avengers' suburban home in Leonia, New Jersey. However, it was revealed that to give her children souls, Wanda had unknowingly drawn upon fractured life essence from the demon lord mephisto. When the villain Master Pandemonium, who had also lost pieces of his soul to Mephisto, sought to reclaim them, he reabsorbed the twins. In the ensuing battle, Mephisto was reformed and revealed the truth: Wanda's children were, in essence, constructs animated by his power. He brutally unmade them, erasing them from existence. The trauma of this event, combined with magical manipulation by Agatha Harkness to make her forget, planted the seeds for Wanda's later mental breakdown that led to the catastrophic events of Avengers Disassembled. Years later, following the formation of the young_avengers, a new hero named Billy Kaplan (wiccan) was found to have powers eerily similar to the Scarlet Witch. At the same time, the Vision's new operating system contained a fail-safe program listing potential “next wave” Avengers, including one Thomas Shepherd. This “Tommy” was a juvenile delinquent with a record of theft and property damage, currently being held in a high-tech “juvie” facility in Springfield, New Jersey. The Young Avengers, suspecting a connection, broke into the facility to rescue him. They found a cynical, white-haired teenager who was initially hostile. However, when the facility's armed guards attempted to stop them, Tommy's superhuman speed manifested explosively. He effortlessly disarmed the guards and vibrated a wall to pieces, securing his own escape. Intrigued and feeling a strange connection to Billy, he agreed to join the team. The physical resemblance to Billy and their identical powers to the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver led to immediate speculation that they were Wanda's lost children, somehow reborn. This theory was given significant weight when Tommy and Billy were kidnapped by the skrulls and later by the kree, both alien empires recognizing their immense strategic value. It was during the conflict with the Kree that the Super-Skrull Kl'rt, who had briefly posed as their father, confirmed that genetic tests proved they were, in fact, brothers and the sons of the Scarlet Witch. Their definitive origin was finally revealed during the Avengers: The Children's Crusade. The Young Avengers, along with Magneto, embarked on a quest to find the missing Wanda Maximoff. They discovered her in Latveria, amnesiac and engaged to doctor_doom. As Wanda's memory returned, she explained the full truth. Before Agatha Harkness wiped her memory of her sons, Wanda's immense grief and power let out a final, desperate wish: that her children might have happy lives away from her. This wish, combined with the natural cycle of souls in the Marvel Universe, resulted in the souls of Thomas and William being reincarnated into two separate families: the Shepherds and the Kaplans. They were not constructs, but her real children given new lives. Tommy Shepherd was, and always had been, the reincarnated soul of Thomas Maximoff.

In the MCU, Tommy's origin is, thus far, entirely magical and confined to the events of the Disney+ series, WandaVision. He has not yet been shown as a teenager or as the hero “Speed.” Following the death of Vision in Avengers: Infinity War, a grief-stricken Wanda Maximoff traveled to the town of Westview, New Jersey, to a plot of land Vision had purchased for them to “grow old in.” Overwhelmed by her sorrow, her chaos magic erupted, creating a massive hexagonal energy field—the “Hex”—that rewrote the town's reality into a series of sitcom-inspired television eras. Within this fabricated world, she also created a new, living version of Vision and, through a miraculously rapid pregnancy, gave birth to twin boys: Tommy and Billy. Tommy, along with his brother, was born in the “1970s” episode. From the moment of his birth, his existence was tied directly to the Hex and Wanda's subconscious control. He and Billy exhibited an uncanny ability to age themselves up at will, going from infants to five-year-olds and then to ten-year-olds in the span of a single day, depending on the needs of the “story.” Tommy's powers first manifested during the “2000s” Halloween episode. Dressed in a costume identical to Quicksilver's classic comic book attire, he discovered he possessed incredible super-speed, which he used to collect candy and play pranks. His personality was established as energetic, mischievous, and slightly reckless—a clear echo of both his comic counterpart and his uncle, Pietro Maximoff (as played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Evan Peters in different contexts). Crucially, Tommy's existence was entirely dependent on the Hex. When Wanda was forced to dismantle her reality to free the citizens of Westview, both the Hex-created Vision and her sons, Tommy and Billy, began to disintegrate. In a heartbreaking farewell, Wanda tucked them into bed, thanking them for choosing her to be their mom, before allowing the Hex to collapse, and with it, her children. However, the series' final post-credits scene and the film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness strongly imply their story is not over. While studying the Darkhold, Wanda hears the faint cries of Tommy and Billy for help, suggesting their consciousness or souls persist somewhere in the multiverse, setting up a future storyline for their potential return.

Tommy's powers are a direct inheritance from his maternal uncle, quicksilver, but with a unique and volatile twist.

• Superhuman Speed: Speed's primary ability is to move and think at superhuman velocities. He can easily exceed the speed of sound (Mach 1) and has been shown to be fast enough to run across the surface of water, create cyclone-like winds, and catch bullets in mid-air. His speed is comparable to, and at times has been suggested to potentially exceed, that of Quicksilver, though he lacks Pietro's decades of experience and fine control.
• Molecular Acceleration: This is Speed's signature ability and his most significant deviation from Quicksilver's power set. By vibrating his own molecules or by touching an object and causing its molecules to vibrate at an incredible rate, he can generate immense kinetic and thermal energy. The primary application of this is causing solid objects to destabilize and violently explode. He has used this to shatter walls, destroy robots, and create powerful shockwaves. This power is highly volatile and requires concentration to control, making it incredibly dangerous.
• Accelerated Perception: To function at high speeds, Tommy's brain processes information at a rate far exceeding a normal human's. He perceives the world in slow motion, allowing him to react to events that are a blur to others. This can sometimes lead to impatience and a short attention span in normal-speed situations.
• Enhanced Durability and Metabolism: His body is adapted to the rigors of high-speed movement. He possesses extreme resistance to the effects of friction, impact forces, and pressure changes. His metabolism is also hyper-accelerated, allowing him to heal from injuries much faster than a normal person.
• Latent Magical Potential: As the son of the Scarlet Witch, it has often been theorized that Tommy possesses a latent connection to magic, just like his brother. While Billy's magical aptitude is overt, Tommy's manifests physically through his speed and molecular agitation—a kinetic expression of “chaos.” He has never been formally trained in magic and shows little interest in it, but the potential remains.

• Young Avengers Costume: Speed's costume, like those of his teammates, is primarily functional. It is made of a friction-resistant material, often incorporating Unstable Molecules, to protect him from the immense heat and air resistance generated by his speed. His goggles protect his eyes from debris and wind shear.

Tommy is the “wild child” of the Maximoff twins. He is defined by his impulsiveness, impatience, and a cynical wit that he often uses as a defense mechanism. Having grown up in a troubled environment and spent time in juvenile detention, he is more world-weary and confrontational than his brother, Billy. He often chafes under authority, particularly that of team leaders like patriot or captain_america. Despite this abrasive exterior, Tommy is fiercely loyal and protective, especially towards Billy. He is often the first to leap into action to defend his brother, and their bond is the emotional core of his character. He can be reckless and short-sighted, a trait that has gotten the Young Avengers into trouble on more than one occasion. He has a complicated relationship with his legacy, simultaneously proud of his connection to the Avengers and X-Men but also determined to be his own person, free from the heavy expectations of the Maximoff-Lehnsherr dynasty.

As a ten-year-old, Tommy's powers were still developing when the Hex collapsed, but he displayed a remarkable natural aptitude for them.

• Superhuman Speed: This was his primary and most-used power. He could run fast enough to become a blur, circumnavigate the entire town of Westview in seconds, and outpace bullets fired by S.W.O.R.D. agents. His speed appeared to be entirely instinctual.
• Accelerated Metabolism: He demonstrated this by consuming vast amounts of candy on Halloween without any ill effects.
• Potential Phasing: During the final battle in Westview, Tommy and his brother Billy are briefly seen phasing through a S.W.O.R.D. agent while running, a power more commonly associated with the Vision. It is unclear if this was an intentional use of power or a side-effect of his speed and Hex-based nature.

• Halloween Costume: The only “costume” he wore was a store-bought Halloween outfit that was a direct visual replica of Quicksilver's silver and blue suit from the comics, a meta-commentary on his destiny.

The MCU's Tommy was portrayed as a hyperactive and mischievous ten-year-old. He was the more energetic and trouble-making of the twins, constantly teasing his brother Billy and seeking excitement. He was quick-witted and inherited a sense of humor reminiscent of his uncle Pietro. Despite his childish antics, he showed great bravery when his family was threatened, readily using his newfound powers to fight alongside them against S.W.O.R.D. His love for his mother and brother was clear, providing the emotional foundation for a character who only existed for a few short days.

• Billy Kaplan (Wiccan): Tommy's twin brother is, without question, the most important person in his life. They are two sides of the same coin: Tommy is the physical, impulsive speedster, while Billy is the thoughtful, magical powerhouse. Their relationship is defined by a deep, almost psychic bond. Tommy is fiercely protective of Billy and will do anything to keep him safe, while Billy often serves as Tommy's conscience and moral compass. Their quest to find their mother and understand their origins in The Children's Crusade is the most significant journey of their lives.
• Kate Bishop (Hawkeye): As a fellow founding member of the Young Avengers, Kate is one of Tommy's closest friends. Their relationship is a mix of sarcastic banter, flirtation, and unwavering mutual respect. Tommy is often exasperated by Kate's attempts to lead, but he invariably follows her into battle. They share a dynamic as two of the more “normal” members of the team, despite their extraordinary abilities, and their grounded friendship helps anchor the often-chaotic group.
• Eli Bradley (Patriot): Tommy's relationship with the original Young Avengers leader was initially filled with friction. Eli's stern, by-the-book leadership style clashed with Tommy's rebellious and impulsive nature. They frequently argued and challenged one another, but through shared combat and trauma, they developed a grudging respect that grew into a solid friendship.

Tommy does not have a singular, recurring arch-nemesis in the way of more established heroes. His primary antagonists are those who threaten his team and his family.

• Kang the Conqueror: The orchestrator behind the Young Avengers' formation (in his younger form as iron_lad), Kang represents an existential threat to their timeline and existence. The team has fought various versions of him, and he remains their most formidable and defining foe, the one who inadvertently brought them all together.
• Doctor Doom: Victor von Doom played a central and villainous role in Tommy's life during The Children's Crusade. He manipulated Wanda and attempted to steal the immense reality-warping power of the Life Force for himself, nearly killing the Young Avengers and their allies in the process. His actions directly threatened to destroy Tommy's chance of reuniting with his mother, making him a deeply personal enemy.
• Mother: A parasitic, interdimensional entity, Mother was the primary antagonist of the second volume of Young Avengers. She preyed on the team's insecurities and familial issues, creating monstrous doppelgangers of their parents. Her psychological warfare was a unique and terrifying threat for Tommy and his teammates.

• Young Avengers: Tommy is a founding member and the heart of the team's kinetic energy. The Young Avengers are not just his team; they are his found family, the first group where he truly belonged after a difficult childhood. He has served on every major iteration of the team.
• Strikeforce: For a time, Tommy served on a darker, more proactive team led by Blade. This group was formed to hunt down shapeshifting threats before they could cause harm. His time on Strikeforce showed a more hardened and grim side of his personality, operating in the gray areas of the superhero world.
• Krakoa / X-Men: As the son of the Scarlet Witch, once considered the “Pretender” by mutants, Tommy's relationship with Krakoa is complex. However, he is a confirmed mutant and has been accepted as a citizen of the mutant nation. This has officially brought him into the orbit of the x-men and reconnected him with his grandfather, magneto, and his uncle, Quicksilver, as part of a sprawling and powerful mutant family.

This initial storyline introduces Tommy as a troubled but powerful teenager. The story details his breakout from juvenile hall and his immediate, instinctual use of his powers. It establishes his core personality and his mysterious connection to Billy. The arc culminates in the team being caught in the middle of a renewed Kree-Skrull conflict, where a Kree soldier and a Skrull posing as Captain Marvel both claim Tommy and Billy as their own. This is where their potential connection to the Scarlet Witch is first solidified, turning them from simple legacy heroes into key players in a major cosmic and magical mystery.

This is the definitive story for Speed and Wiccan. Driven by Billy's desire to find their mother, the Young Avengers embark on a dangerous, globe-spanning quest that puts them in conflict with both the Avengers and the X-Men, who fear Wanda's return. The nine-issue series sees them travel to Wundagore Mountain and then Latveria, where they finally find Wanda. The story provides the ultimate confirmation of their origin as Wanda's reincarnated children, restores Wanda's memory and powers, and pits the combined forces of the heroes against a power-mad Doctor Doom. Tommy's arc in this story is about finally finding the truth and the family he never knew he had.

This critically acclaimed run rebooted the team with a new, pop-art-inspired sensibility. Tommy plays a key role in the dimension-hopping adventure against the entity known as Mother. The series explores the team's interpersonal relationships in greater depth, particularly Tommy's on-again, off-again flirtation with Kate Bishop and his dynamic with the new members, America Chavez and Noh-Varr. It showcases a slightly more mature, though still reckless, Tommy dealing with threats that are more psychological and magical than physical.

• Marvel Cinematic Universe (Earth-199999): As detailed above, this version of Tommy is a magically-created child who existed only within the Westview Hex. His consciousness may persist somewhere in the multiverse, but he has not yet appeared as the teenage hero Speed. He is, for all intents and purposes, a separate character from his Earth-616 counterpart.
• The Last Avengers Story (Earth-9511): In this dark future timeline, an adult Tommy Shepherd is seen operating as the new Wizard. He and his brother Billy (who has become the new “Sorcerer Supreme” known as the Grimm) join with Kang the Conqueror to defeat their tyrannical final foe.
• The Avengers: The Earth's Mightiest Heroes (Animated Series): Speed makes a brief, non-speaking cameo appearance in the episode “New Avengers.” He is shown as part of a future team of Avengers from a timeline ravaged by Kang the Conqueror, fighting alongside other legacy heroes like an adult Kate Bishop.
• Marvel's Avengers (Video Game): While he does not appear physically, Tommy Shepherd's name is listed on a S.H.I.E.L.D. database of potential recruits, confirming his existence within the continuity of the game.

• wiccan
• scarlet_witch
• young_avengers
• quicksilver
• vision
• kate_bishop
• avengers_the_childrens_crusade

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