M194--Wiccan by Green-Mamba on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Wiccan

Real Name: Billy Maximoff

First Appearance: Young Avengers #1 (April 2005)

The twins Billy and Tommy Maximoff were the product of an artificial birth, a specialized process using synthesized DNA that would allow the former Avenger Wanda Maximoff to have children with her longtime husband, the android Vision. They, like their mother, were born mutants, and Billy specifically took after his mother, manipulating eldritch "chaos" energy that had once been the sole purview of the dreaded Chthon--but were now under the control of Wanda. A studious learner and naturally curious, Billy had begun researching the connections Chthon had once had to ancient witch covens of the past and had actually converted to a Wicca tradition. The powers of chaos were once among the most feared in the cosmos but Wanda had used them to bring a lasting peace to their world, and it was one Billy had hoped to carry on.

But this all came to a crashing end when Billy awoke and found the Maximoff home in Westview, New Jersey completely abandoned for what seemed to be years. His connection to the chaos that drove his powers felt split and torn asunder, as if someone had sliced portions of it off at both ends. And his family was not only nowhere to be seen, they seemed to be nonexistent: his father had been destroyed by something called "KANG," his mother had been missing since something called "the decimation," and Billy and his brother never existed at all. It was like reality had folded in on itself and he had fallen through to where time had completely fallen apart. The Avengers no longer existed, so they would not have the answers he sought--but Billy saw a call to arms for young super humans, and found himself joining the initial roster of the Young Avengers to help find out the truth.

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Basically, he's from alternate timeline of sorts. What that means is up to interpretation for now. But in his search for answers he joins the Young Avengers, where he takes the codename "Wiccan," and meets fellow recruit Teddy Altman, and they start dating. And remember that "Demiurge" America Chavez was looking for? Well... it turns out to be him... somehow.

Okay so Wiccan's backstory is... complicated. Him and his brother are like the reincarnations of Billy and Tommy Maximoff, born to two completely different families, so he's actually "Billy Kaplan" in the comics, but I've decided to try my darndest to kind of simplify this using some of the cues from Wandavision, so he's simply "Billy Maximoff" here. Maybe he takes the "Kaplan" name to disguise himself in this timeline, or not, I'm not married to the idea. But yeah to make it as clear as possible, he's from an alternate timeline, not necessarily the future, and he fell into where time "broke..." which has some implications if you remember my Kang the Conqueror entry. And then the concept of his powers being sliced up connects to the Demiurge from America's entry... So there is a lot of world building going on. Also, I made a specific note about him converting to a Wicca tradition, because using a real religion as a codename is really, really odd.

For those keeping track, the initial Young Avengers roster revealed thus far is Stature, Hulkling, and Wiccan, with Kate Bishop and America as later recruits.

But anyway for all that thought that went into *how* he exists, his actual design was relatively simple to concoct--he kinda looks like a male Scarlet Witch of sorts in the comics and that was an easy enough way to approach him here. I imagine this uniform is one he crafts for himself using requisitioned SHIELD equipment the Young Avengers got their hands on, using uniform pieces that were designed for the Maximoff twins. So it's similar in design to what Wanda had, albeit redesigned to match Wiccan's costume from the Young Avengers comic. Oh! And those scars on his face look a lot like the marks on Vision's face, not really sure what they mean but I liked the visual connection.