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"For a guy who moves as fast as me, I always seem to be too late."
―Quicksilver[src]

Quicksilver (born Peter Maximoff) is a mutant who can move at supersonic speeds.

Biography[]

Early Life[]

Peter Maximoff was born in 1956. He was the result of an affair between Ms. Maximoff and the mutant Erik Lehnsherr.

Original Timeline[]

World Record Scandal[]

In 1977, Peter participates in a track and field competition and breaks 8 world records. An investigation is conducted on him in which he is revealed to be a mutant. This sparks a controversy of mutant participation in athletics. Later, athletics officials adopt a genetic testing policy in partnership with Trask Industries in which no athletes carrying the mutant X-Gene can compete in professional sporting events.

X2: X-Men United[]

His name, along with the name of several other mutants, was listed on Stryker's computer.

X-Men: Days of Future Past[]

Some time after this, he met Wolverine and the pair became friends. He was among those captured and being escorted to a concentration camp.

Revised Timeline[]

X-Men: Days of Future Past[]

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Quicksilver being contacted by Charles and Logan

When Wolverine travels back in time to 1973, he, Charles, and Hank go to Peter Maximoff's house to seek his help. The group meets Peter's mom, who tells them that she will write a check for whatever he took. Logan tells her that they just needed to talk to him and are welcomed into the house. Peter speeds around his basement while Logan tells him that they need his help breaking into a prison. Peter is at first uninterested until Charles informs him that he will be breaking into the Pentagon. This grabs Peter's attention, and when he asks the group on how he can trust them, Logan displays his claws - proving that they're mutants. Joining the X-Men on their mission, Maximoff easily infiltrates the Pentagon and enters an elevator with a guard who is bringing Magneto's food.

Quicksilver Wall Running

Quicksilver running across the wall in the Pentagon

Maximoff duct tapes the guard onto the elevator's walls, steals his clothes, and poses as a guard while he makes his way to Erik Lehnsherr's cell. Once inside the cell, he smiles then places his hand on the glass ceiling and vibrates it to make it shatter, but in doing so sets off the alarm. Both Lehnsherr and Maximoff are able to escape using the latter's extreme speed. Lehnsherr and Maximoff soon rendezvous with the others at the kitchen.

After Charles and Erik have a rough encounter, the kitchen is suddenly filled with guards. Because of McCoy's serum, Charles is unable to effectively use his powers, so Erik begins to levitate all the metal in the room. This causes the guards to shoot at the group. However, Maximoff - using his extreme speed - begins to run around the room and stops the guards from killing the group by messing with their movements and redirecting the bullets fired at the others. The team then leave the Pentagon and head to Charles' private jet. Charles thanks Peter for his help and hands him the keys to their rental car, asking him to return it for them.

Quicksilver see's something

Quicksilver watching Magneto on television

After his mission with the group at the Pentagon, Peter later returned home and proceeded to watch television in his living room, however he began to watch and listen to Erik as he delivers his speech about the presence of mutant kind, with his mother and sister. Peter eventually realized Magneto was his father, having been unable to process the facts on the short time he met him, Wolverine, Professor X, and Beast.

X-Men: Apocalypse[]

X-MEN APOCALYPSE 105

Quicksilver playing Pac-Man, while his mother talks to him

Quicksilver, still obsessed with finding his father, spends the next ten years looking for him. One day, he sees Magneto on the news, and eventually comes across his father's house in Poland. However, he is too late once more as the mutant had fled from the area and returns to his home to witness a special commemorating the 10-year anniversary of Magneto's attack on Washington D.C.

While watching the news, Peter's mother, Ms. Maximoff, goes down to the basement and calls out to him, causing the mutant to swiftly change the channel and play Pac-Man. Peter responds to her as she walks in and says she's just checking on him. He says he's good, just playing Pac-Man. Ms. Maximoff picks up the remote and changes the channel, asking if Peter's is sure he wasn't watching the news about Magneto, leaving Peter unresponsive. She then asks her son if he's going after Magneto, and Peter reminds her that she wanted him to get out of the house more. Ms. Maximoff says she can't stop Peter, nobody can, but tells her son that it's not going to end well, nothing does with Magneto. Peter states that he's not afraid of Magneto, and she says that he should be, before departing from the basement. Looking at the card he got from Charles Xavier, Peter then departs for the X-Mansion in search of answers.

QuicksilverHero

Quicksilver rescues the mutants from the blast

Upon making it to the mansion, Quicksilver notices that it is exploding and uses his super speed to get everyone, starting with Beast, Mystique, and Moira MacTaggert, and even their pets out to safety on the school lawn. He initially does not fully take the situation seriously, even stopping to watch two people flirting and to get a drink, before realizing he should hurry and get everyone out just in time. Afterwards, Hank wonders where Peter came from, who explains that he was looking for the Professor, as he thought he lived there. When Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee arrive at the scene, Scott frantically asks where his brother Alex is. Peter tells him that he's pretty sure that he got everyone out of the mansion, but Beast tells the speedster that Alex was closest to blast.

A chopper then descends to the ground. Moira approaches them, thinking they are part of another agency, until the leader, William Stryker, steps out and removes his sunglasses. Raven notices him and tries to warn everyone, but Stryker orders his men to fire a sonic blast that incapacitates everyone, except for Scott, Jean, and Nightcrawler. Stryker captures Moira, Beast, Quicksilver, and Mystique. Nightcrawler teleports himself, Scott, and Jean into their chopper, but he cannot get anyone out because of the electrical lining within.

Stryker takes everyone to his facility and traps Moira and the mutants in a room that keeps mutants from using their powers to escape. As the four wake up, Mystique shifts back to her human form, and Quicksilver notices that Hank has transformed into his Beast form, causing the young mutant to scream in terror and quickly rise to his feet. Moira and Mystique ask Quicksilver what's wrong as the latter wonders what's wrong with Hank, and questions if they are all gonna transform like he did. But Hank, realizing that he re-mutated, placates the speedster by informing him that he just left his medication at home.

After the four wake up, Mystique calls out to Stryker, who greets Mystique, who in turn addresses him as "Major Stryker", but he corrects her, saying it's "Colonel Stryker" now. He tells the four not to get too close to the walls, for it may create some discomfort. Moira introduces herself and points out that she is a senior officer of the CIA, but Stryker says he knows who she is. Moira says that he can't keep her imprisoned, but Stryker says he can. He explains the psychic event destroyed every nuke from Alkali Lake all the way to Moscow. That event emanated from where Stryker found the X-Men, at the home of the world's strongest psychic. Stryker then demands that the four prisoners tell him where Charles Xavier is. Moira tells Stryker that it's not Xavier he should be worried about, because there is someone else, someone more powerful out there. Mystique says that if he lets the four of them out, they can help. But Stryker refuses, asking Mystique if she really expects him to believe what she says. Stryker proceeds to tell Mystique that she can put on any disguise she wants, but he knows who and what she is. Stryker then walks off. Hank asks Moira about what she means by "someone more powerful than Charles".

Peter talks to Mystique about Magneto asking if she knew him. She used to, but is not so sure anymore. Peter asks what he was like, wondering if he is what people say he is, "the bad guy". Mystique says no, then yes, but it's too complicated to explain. She asks why Peter cares so much, asking if he saw Magneto's speech on T.V. or something. Peter confirms this, but, after a short, complicated pause, reveals that he Magneto is his father, greatly shocking Mystique.

Peter is about to explain that his mom and Magneto dated, but Mystique cuts him off saying she knows, fully aware of what happens next. She asks if the speedster is sure, and Peter says he is, as Magneto left Peter's mom before he was born. Peter explains that he met Magneto ten years back but didn't know it was him. By the time he figured it out it was too late. Earlier in the week, Peter saw Magneto on the news and went to his house looking for him, but by the time Peter got there, he was late again. Peter makes a note that, for a guy that moves as fast as him, he always seems to be too late. Mystique then tells Peter "let's hope not this time", which Peter complies to.

Charles Xavier, thanks to Apocalypse enhancing his telepathic powers, sends a message to everyone in the world, which is heard by all. After Charles broadcasted his message to the world, Stryker confronts his prisoners, noting that he recognizes that voice belonging to Charles Xavier, and once again asks them where the telepath is, wondering what's going on. But they don't know.

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Quicksilver and the team observes an aircraft

Soon after, the four prisoners watch in horror as Wolverine kills Stryker's henchmen. Nightcrawler enters the room above the cell Beast, Mystique, Quicksilver, and Moira are being held in and tells them to stay away from the door but they couldn't hear him. Nightcrawler used the loudspeaker so they can hear him, and repeats what he said, until they realize what the teleporter was saying and get away from the door. Nightcrawler counts to three but before he says "three", Scott blast down the door, and the septet make a way for the hangar where there is a plane they can use to escape. The group then don flight suits and board an warplane.

Aboard the aircraft, Jean and the others talk about how Mystique revealing herself to the public as a mutant was an influential moment to them. Peter also states that he may still live in his mom's basement, but everything is still the same, joking that he's a total loser, which makes everyone's laugh.

In Cairo, Mytsique spots Magneto, and upon hearing her say his father's name, Quicksilver dashes to the front of the plane to get a closer look. Mystique tells Scott and Jean to help Nightcrawler get into the pyramid in order to get Charles, while she takes care of Magneto. Beast wonders how they're gonna get through all the magnetic debris, and Quicksilver says he can get Mystique though it. Quicksilver came along for Magneto, telling Mystique to let him help her, to which they both nod in agreement. Mystique tells the others to get Charles on the plane, and get out of Cairo, but Nightcrawler objects, saying that they're not leaving without them, with the speedster telling the teleporter not to worry, they'll catch up. Beast and Moira then land the plane.

Upon landing, the team is divided up further, as Mystique tells Hank to go with the kids, while Moira guards the plane. Scott tells Mystique to wait, with her and Quicksilver turning towards the young mutant, who states not all of them can fully control their powers. She tells him "then don't", they all need to embrace their powers, as the shapeshifter reverts to her blue form. Quicksilver puts on his goggles, grabs Mystique and uses his speed to travel across a bridge of magnetic debris to Magneto, who is floating in the air and manipulating the Earth's natural magnetic forces, creating disasters across the globe.

Quicksilver Discovers Magneto (Apocalypse)

Quicksilver witnesses Magneto upfront

Quicksilver fails to penetrate the magnetic field surrounding Magneto, for it's too strong, and thus can't get him and Mystique in there. Mystique calls out to Magneto, who responds by turning towards her and Quicksilver, and says Mystique's name. Mystique says she knows that Magneto thinks he's lost everything, but he hasn't. He has her, Charles, Mystique pauses as she and Quicksilver turn to each other, and she tells Magneto that he has more family than he knows. Magneto never had the chance to save his family before, but he does now. That's what she came to tell him. After remaining silent, Magneto asks Quicksilver "And you?", wondering if Quicksilver has anything to say. Peter is about to say that he’s Magneto’s - his son, but goes against it, believing that it wasn't an appropriate time, and instead says that he's there for his family too.

Quicksilver and Mystique see the plane taking off, and have looks of worry when the plane crashes, with Mystique saying Charles' name in worry. Mystique tells Magneto that she's gonna go fight for what she has left, and then asks "Are you?". Quicksilver then grabs Mystique, and spares a fleeting glance at his father before dashing off.

Quicksilver Punches Apocalypse

Quicksilver fighting against Apocalypse

Using his amazing speed and strength to give Apocalypse a severe beating, Quicksilver gains the upper hand. Unfortunately, Apocalypse adapts to the speedster's powers by transmuting the ground to trap one of Quicksilver's legs, with Apocalypse calling Quicksilver a foolish child. Quicksilver throws a punch at Apocalypse, who catches it, twists the speedster's arm, and breaks his leg, causing Quicksilver to scream in pain, which is heard by Magneto, Professor X, and Mystique, the latter of which arrives on the scene disguised as Psylocke. Apocalypse sees her, grabs Quicksilver and orders "Psylocke" to kill Quicksilver, only for the shapeshifter to slash at Apocalypse's throat, only to get strangled in the process and blow her cover, as The First Mutant regenerates from his slash wound. However, the two are saved thanks to the interference of Professor X and Magneto.

Beast and Cyclops arrive, with Beast freeing Quicksilver's foot by breaking the ground that had the speedster trapped. While Cyclops joins Magneto to take down Apocalypse, Beast gets Quicksilver and Mystique to safety. Cyclops, Storm, Magneto, and an enhanced Jean Grey then manage to disintegrate Apocalypse. After Apocalypse is defeated, Magneto approaches Mystique and Quicksilver, removes his helmet, and tells them that it's finally over.

Quicksilver - New Official X-Men

Quicksilver prepares for battle in the Danger Room

Following the reconstruction of the X-Mansion, Peter, who's on crutches, with his leg in a cast with a lot of signatures on it, is approached by Storm, who informs the speedster that Mystique told her that Magneto is his father, and asks if Peter is gonna tell him. Peter says he might, one day, when it's a good time. For right now, he's gonna stick around the X-Mansion for a while. Storm agrees, saying that she will stick with the X-Mansion too. Quicksilver's leg is soon all healed up. Later, upon receiving new costumes, Quicksilver, alongside Cyclops, Mystique, Storm, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler and Beast, gather in the Danger Room to train against some Sentinels under the watch of Mystique, Beast, and Professor X.

Deadpool 2[]

20th Century X-Men Incarnations in Deadpool 2

Quicksilver meeting with the X-Men

When Deadpool blew himself up after blaming himself for the death of Vanessa Carlysle, Colossus brought him to the X-Mansion to recover. While there, Deadpool began complaining that he never saw other X-Men around the mansion apart from Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. While ranting, Deadpool was unaware that Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, Beast, and Quicksilver were in a room behind him. Beast quietly closed the door so that he did not notice them.

Westchester Incident[]

In 2028, Charles Xavier developed Alzheimer's and suffered a massive seizure that injured 600 people, and killed 7 mutants, including several members of the X-Men. It is unknown if Peter was among those who were either killed or injured.

Personality[]

Cocky, overly-confident and somewhat of a kleptomaniac, Peter Maximoff is often quick to act and impatient due to his enhanced speed and being three steps ahead of everyone else. He has a fast-paced manner of speaking and acting, such as before meeting Charles Xavier, Hank McCoy and Wolverine, he had already discovered that they were driving a rental car and while leaving, checked the flight path of their plane to Paris. During 1973, Peter often enjoyed stealing or showing off his powers by getting in and out of places with whatever he wants under seconds flat and leaving no trace. He agreed to help Xavier and Wolverine break Magneto out of prison, on the benefit for Peter that he got to break into the Pentagon, supposedly the most impenetrable prison in the world.

Peter has also displayed a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. For example while attempting to escape the Pentagon and was confronted by security guards, using his super-speed, gives one a wedgie, stole another guards hat and making another punch himself. After the X-Mansion exploded and Peter began saving the students within, he also flirted with Moira and took the time to drink a bottle of soda and eat an entire pizza while doing so. He also follows the latest music, such as during the 70's keeps Jim Croce's Time in a Bottle in his Sony Walkman cassette, but changes to the more progressive rock, Eurythmics Sweet Dreams during the 80's while battling Apocalypse. Peter shows consideration and value for life, during his evacuation of the Mansion, he went out of his way to save the goldfish and a small dog, carefully checking every other room. He also made sure everyone was not harmed by his intense speed by throwing a couple of students in water and some other into a net made from the curtains. Peter has also displayed a sense of bravery, as evidenced from when he heroically took on Apocalypse, the most powerful mutant of all time, on his own while all other X-Men were hiding.

Powers and Abilities[]

Powers[]

  • Superhuman Speed:
    X-MEN APOCALYPSE 46

    Quicksilver running at high speeds

    Quicksilver can move at supersonic speeds. His speed allows him to move faster than a normal human mind can even perceive; he was able to casually outrun the bullets fired by Pentagon guards at Wolverine, Professor X and Magneto and rearrange them before they could hit them after incapacitating them. His speed is so immense that seconds after the initial explosion of the X-Mansion, he was able to effectively save the dozens of inhabitants inside, all while goofing off, before the explosion reached peak combustion, at a speed of 2,748,235 MPH (Mach 3,581). His accelerated speed allows him to totally defy gravity, such as being able to easily run across walls and ceilings. [1]
    • Accelerated Perception: Quicksilver's increased speed also augments his reaction time, allowing him to react to danger and events much faster than a normal human. His reflexes are so fast that they even allow him to catch bullets in mid-air. As a result, Quicksilver tended to see the world around him as if it were in slow motion, especially when he is moving at super speed.
    • Increased Metabolism: Quicksilver's powers also accelerates his metabolic rate. His body can break down food more efficiently than a regular human and, as a result, expels very little waste products that he can exhale through his skin. This enables him to rapidly heal from injuries much quicker than a normal human. After being severely injured by Apocalypse, Quicksilver is seen with crutches, however he made a full recovery after a day.
      • Longevity: It is likely that Quicksilver's lifespan is also extended. According to Wolverine, he and Quicksilver met sometime after 2006, stating that Quicksilver can get into anywhere. This implies that Quicksilver ages at a slower rate and likewise has not lost any speed despite being around 67 years old.
      • Superhuman Stamina: Due to Quicksilver's superhumanly accelerated metabolism, his musculature is prevented from tiring or building up lactic acid or fatigue toxins.
    • Extreme Force Generation: Quicksilver had enhanced momentum, which allowed him to enhance the force in his attacks, strikes, impacts, and collisions, often propelling objects or people several feet.
    • Superhuman Agility: Quicksilver was able to jump up high into the air without any build-up or change in speed and balance. He could easily run around his basement in a blink of an eye despite the number of stolen objects and the three X-men members coming in later. During the evacuation of the mansion, Quicksilver is capable of performing a back flip whilst carrying two students under his arms.
    • Superhuman Strength: Quicksilver is able to use his speed to increase his strength in such a way that his blows have incredible power, to the point that he was even able to gain the upper hand on and beat up Apocalypse easily and could knock full grown men out with a simple tap from his finger. He is also capable of carrying multiple students from the X-Mansion at a time with little effort.
    • Molecular Acceleration: Quicksilver is able to accelerate molecules (be it his or another's) to disrupt the inter-molecular bonds around him. This can lead to many effects such as molecular combustion upon physical contact with the target. He was able use this ability to shatter the glass above Magneto's prison cell by placing his hands on it, vibrating the glass at a high speed until it shattered.
    • Superhuman Metabolism: Quicksilver's speed requires him to eat large amounts of food to maintain his energy. While saving students from the X-Mansion, he quickly devoured almost a whole pizza.
    • Improved Thermal Homeostasis: Quicksilver can function in a stable internal environment that requires constant monitoring and adjustments to his condition that changes constantly, meaning he can resist the effects of friction and temperature while moving at incredible speeds.
  • Enhanced Durability: Quicksilver's body is enhanced to survive the impact of his speed. His joints are a strong as spring steel, his bones are several times harder than calcium and his soft tissue, skin and muscle are proportionally enhanced to match. In fact, kinetic energy, inertia, friction, pressure, and vectors have absolutely no effect on him.

Abilities[]

  • Combatant: Quicksilver can infuse his super speed with physical combat, enabling him to fight at incredible speed. His attacks may cause more damage than normal due to gaining kinetic energy, and thus momentum, produced through the speed of each hit. With this simulated superhuman strength, he was able to send Apocalypse flying through the air with a single hand, and thereby repeat the process by continuously intercepting the launched target.

Weaknesses[]

  • Whiplash: Due to his incredible speed, if Quicksilver carries someone, the effects of high-speed friction caused by air resistance could injure anyone he carries. To protect his passengers, Quicksilver has to hold the back of their heads, namely their necks. During the Pentagon extraction, he holds Erik's neck to avoid causing him whiplash injury. He did the same thing with Mystique when he took her to Magneto's location while in Cairo.
  • Sufficient Force: Despite the increased durability that Quicksilver's speed physiology grants him, sufficient force is enough to injure him. Apocalypse was capable of easily breaking his leg and dislocating his arm.
  • Complete Molecule Control: Quicksilver is unable to accelerate the molecules of someone or something who has full control over their own molecules. This was evident when he tried to penetrate Magneto's magnetic field but was unable to due so, as Magneto, whose powers were vastly enhanced by Apocalypse, having full control over the molecules within the magnetic field.
  • Human Vulnerabilities: Despite his powers, Quicksilver is still capable of being hurt or killed as easily as any human, whether through weapons or another combatant.

Equipment[]

  • Stereobelt: In 1973, Peter wears a Stereobelt so he can listen to his music while he is running. He can hear the music normally, even though he is running faster than human senses can perceive, presumably by making the music play fast enough to catch up with his own senses.
  • Walkman: In 1983 Peter uses a Sony Sports Walkman, to keep up with the Walkman fad of the 1980's. The device has a belt clip, which allows Peter to clip the device onto his belt. Like the Stereobelt, Peter can use it to listen to his music while he is running. He can hear the music normally, even though he is running faster than human senses can perceive, presumably by making the music play fast enough to catch up with his own senses.
    • Clip On Headphones: Peter wears clip-on headphones to listen to his music and also they don't fall off his ears even when he is running at super speed. He later uses Sony earbud headphones in 1983.
  • Duct Tape: Peter carries duct tape with him in order to tie up his enemies. Peter uses this tape to tie up a securty guard at the Pentagon.
  • Goggles: Peter wears silver goggles in order to protect his eyes from debris while he is running, such as water.

Relationships[]

Family[]

Original Timeline[]

Friends[]

Revised Timeline[]

Friends[]

  • Jubilee - Friend
  • Moira MacTaggert - Teammate, Friend, and Former Cellmate
  • Professor X † - Former Mentor, Former Teammate, and Friend
  • Storm - Teammate, Friend, and Former Enemy
  • Wolverine † - Former Teammate and Friend
  • Beast - Former Mentor, Teammate, Friend, and Former Cellmate
  • Mystique † - Former Mentor, Teammate, Friend, and Former Cellmate
  • Cyclops - Teammate, Friend, and Savior
  • Jean Grey - Teammate, Friend, and Savior
  • Nightcrawler - Teammate, Friend, and Savior

Enemies[]

Trivia[]

  • In the Marvel Studios-produced Disney+ series WandaVision, set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Evan Peters plays a character that initially poses as Pietro Maximoff within the fictional WandaVision sitcom, but is later revealed to be a Westview resident named Ralph Bohner, who was under the control of Agatha Harkness.
  • In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a mutant believed to be Quicksilver was captured by William Stryker along with many other younger mutants for Stryker's Weapon XI project. He was later freed by Wolverine and escorted with the others to a helicopter commandeered by Professor X.
  • Quicksilver replaced a young Juggernaut in X-Men: Days of Future Past.
  • Even though the production purposely renamed Quicksilver as Peter instead of Pietro as per the comics, he was referred to as Pietro in the 25 Moments website. It is possible he used this name to evade law enforcement, but the actual in-universe reason is unknown.
  • In X-Men: Days of Future Past, when Peter frees Erik from his cell at the Pentagon, Peter tells him that he knows Erik can control metal, and adds 'my mom once knew a guy who could do that'. This quote references the fact that Erik is Peter's father.
  • Jamie Campbell Bower and Nico Tortorella auditioned for the role of Quicksilver.
  • Quicksilver is the only member of the X-Men not to have an older version portrayed by a different actor.

Behind the Scenes[]

References[]

External Links[]

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