If you’ve been following Agatha All Along, you may have noticed the appearance of a mysterious boy with sigil in mouth. In the episode 5 of Agatha All Along, the boy is confirmed as Billy Kaplan, better known as Wiccan—the son of Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch). But how did Billy reappear after his supposed disappearance, and what are the true extent of his powers?
Billy’s journey is much more intricate than it first appears, tying in with a significant Marvel legacy that reaches back to Franklin Richards and involves Mephisto, the Demiurge prophecy, and a complex relationship with his family and the multiverse. Let’s take a deeper dive into his background, powers, and connection to Scarlet Witch to understand how he fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Who is Billy Kaplan?
Billy Kaplan, also known as Wiccan, is one of Wanda Maximoff’s twin sons, along with Tommy (Speed). In Agatha All Along, Billy is initially portrayed as a familiar—an entity from European folklore that serves witches by providing spiritual insight. As Agatha’s assistant, Billy remains shrouded in mystery, with a spell preventing him from revealing his true name and origin. However, long-time Marvel fans may have immediately recognized the hints of his true identity.
Billy and Tommy, Wanda’s twin sons, were initially believed to have vanished after the events of WandaVision. When Wanda lifted the Hex around Westview, she let go of her fabricated reality, including Vision and her two sons. Though she accepted Vision’s loss, the Darkhold (an ancient magical tome) drove her to believe that her sons still existed somewhere in the multiverse. This obsession led to the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where Wanda seemingly came to terms with their loss. However, as Agatha All Along reveals, Billy wasn’t truly gone.
Wiccan’s Origin in the Comics
Billy Kaplan’s origin ties directly to Wanda’s reality-warping powers. In Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985) #12, Wanda, unable to conceive children with Vision (an android), used her powers to create twin boys: Billy and Tommy. Unbeknownst to her, these children were not purely of her making—they were formed using two lost fragments of the demon Mephisto’s soul. When Mephisto realized this, he sent his agent, Master Pandemonium, to reclaim the souls, seemingly wiping the children from existence.
Billy’s story is intricately tied to the events involving Franklin Richards. Mephisto had initially tried to absorb Franklin’s power to enhance his own abilities, which led to Doctor Strange intervening and seemingly destroying Mephisto. This event played a role in the Vision and Scarlet Witch comic series and eventually led to the existence of Billy and Tommy. This connection adds a new layer of complexity to Billy’s origin.
However, as the Young Avengers series later revealed, Billy and Tommy’s souls escaped and reincarnated into two boys born to different families: Billy Kaplan and Tommy Shepherd. Billy, raised by Jeff and Rebecca Kaplan, always felt different from others. In addition to grappling with his powers, he faced bullying at school due to his sexuality. One fateful encounter with Scarlet Witch outside the Avengers Mansion changed his life forever. During this meeting, Wanda gave Billy advice on standing up to bullies and hinted at his latent powers. Not realizing that Wanda was his biological mother, Billy began to discover his magical abilities, which bore a striking resemblance to Wanda’s own.
West Coast Avengers Storyline
Billy and Tommy’s origin ties into a significant plot where Mephisto, after being destroyed, reconstituted himself except for two missing fragments of his soul—Billy and Tommy. Master Pandemonium, a low-level villain, was sent by Mephisto to reclaim these fragments. This ultimately led to Wanda’s mental breakdown and her mind being wiped by Agatha Harkness, a crucial moment that significantly influenced later events in the Marvel Universe.
Avengers Disassembled & House of M
Billy’s story is also tied to the Avengers Disassembled event, where Wanda remembered her children through an off-handed comment made by Wasp. Her subsequent grief led to her reality-warping powers spiraling out of control, resulting in major consequences like the House of M storyline. This was a major catalyst for Billy’s journey as it later inspired his quest to find his mother and understand his true identity.
Becoming Wiccan
Billy’s early powers were limited to manipulating lightning, which he channeled through a staff, leading him to adopt the codename “Asgardian” in homage to Thor. However, as he embraced his magical heritage, Billy transitioned to the name “Wiccan” and began mastering chaos magic, the same type of magic his mother wielded. His powers, much like Wanda’s, are rooted in reality-warping magic, allowing him to alter the very fabric of existence. In fact, Wiccan is prophesied to become the Demiurge—a godlike cosmic entity with near-limitless power, feared by ancient magical beings like Dormammu and Moridun.
Billy is destined to become the Demiurge—a cosmic being with unimaginable power. This prophecy, introduced during Kieron Gillen’s run on Young Avengers, became a central part of Billy’s character arc. His powers grew to the point where he could walk across the multiverse itself, showcasing his immense potential. The Demiurge prophecy is something that makes Wiccan even more powerful than Scarlet Witch, especially when fully realized.
Wiccan’s destiny as the Demiurge makes him one of the most powerful heroes of his generation, and it also positions him as a potential successor to Doctor Strange as the next Sorcerer Supreme. While he has not yet reached the full potential of these powers, his abilities are formidable. He has already demonstrated the capacity to manipulate reality, create force fields, and fly, among other abilities.
The Young Avengers and Finding His Twin Brother
Marvel initially introduced Billy and Tommy through the Young Avengers series, with Billy going by the name “Asgardian” before transitioning to “Wiccan.” The Young Avengers served as a backup plan, devised by Vision, in case the Avengers were unable to protect the world. The series gradually built Billy’s character and established his magical abilities as more akin to Scarlet Witch’s chaos magic.
Billy Kaplan’s journey truly began when he joined the Young Avengers. Recruited by Iron Lad (a young version of Kang the Conqueror), Billy joined forces with other teenage heroes, including Hulkling (his shapeshifting alien boyfriend), Patriot (Eli Bradley), Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), and Stature (Cassie Lang). During their early adventures, the team discovered a speedster named Tommy Shepherd, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Billy. It was soon revealed that Tommy was Billy’s reincarnated twin brother, now operating under the codename “Speed.”
The connection between Billy and Tommy is central to Wiccan’s character development, and their shared quest to uncover their past eventually led them to the revelation that they were the lost sons of Scarlet Witch. Vision’s memory files confirmed their connection to Wanda and Vision, further complicating their emotional journey. Together, the brothers set out on a mission to find Wanda, leading them across the globe and into conflicts with dangerous adversaries, including Master Pandemonium and Doctor Doom.
Iron Lad and Time Travel
Another key event in Billy’s journey involved Iron Lad, who took Wanda into the past to restore her memories, allowing her to remember her connection to Billy and Tommy. This time-travel aspect added more complexity to Billy’s story, especially as Wanda struggled with her own mental instability.
The Children’s Crusade and Reuniting with Wanda
Wiccan’s most significant arc occurs in Avengers: The Children’s Crusade (2010). After a battle in which Wiccan’s powers overloaded and incapacitated several enemies, the Avengers—still reeling from the reality-altering chaos caused by Wanda in House of M—took Billy into custody. This prompted the Young Avengers to break him out, and the group set out on a globe-trotting adventure to find Wanda, joined by Magneto and Quicksilver.
Eventually, they tracked down an amnesiac Wanda in Latveria, where she was engaged to Doctor Doom. With Iron Lad’s help, Wanda regained her memories and embraced Billy and Tommy as her long-lost sons. Though they were briefly reunited, the team disbanded after the tragic death of Stature, and Iron Lad’s transformation into Kang further complicated their victory.
Wiccan’s Destiny as the Demiurge
Beyond his role in the Young Avengers, Wiccan’s future holds even greater potential. In Young Avengers (2013), it is revealed that Wiccan is destined to become the Demiurge, a cosmic being with unimaginable power. Both allies and enemies have sought to influence Billy because of his destiny, with villains like Loki and Mother attempting to manipulate him for their own gain.
During the New Avengers storyline, Billy was targeted by Moridun, an ancient magical being from the Fifth Cosmos, who attempted to possess him for his power. Although Billy was partially possessed, his love for Hulkling helped him fight off Moridun’s influence, preventing reality from being destroyed. This storyline added more depth to Billy’s character and demonstrated the true extent of his potential as a wielder of the Demiurge’s power.
Despite the immense power he wields, Billy’s relationship with his partner Hulkling (Teddy Altman) serves as an emotional anchor. Their romance has become one of the most iconic in the Marvel Universe, especially as Hulkling ascended to the throne as Emperor of the Kree-Skrull Alliance. Together, they’ve faced cosmic threats, including the Cotati invasion in Empyre (2020), and continue to be a powerful couple in the Marvel universe. It is worth noting that Wiccan gay representation has been an important aspect of his character.
Wiccan’s Role in the MCU
As Agatha All Along unfolds, the introduction of Billy Kaplan as Wiccan opens up numerous possibilities for the MCU. With the multiverse now a central theme, it is entirely possible that we will see Billy reunite with his brother Tommy and even his mother Wanda. Wiccan’s immense powers and connection to Scarlet Witch make him a key figure in the ongoing development of magical and cosmic storylines in the MCU.
Moreover, with the growing focus on younger heroes, Wiccan is likely to become a foundational member of the MCU’s future Young Avengers, alongside other rising stars like Kate Bishop, America Chavez, and Patriot.
What’s Next for Wiccan?
Billy Kaplan’s story is far from over. As a character with ties to some of the most powerful figures in the Marvel Universe, including Wanda Maximoff, Doctor Strange, and even Franklin Richards, Wiccan is positioned to play a crucial role in upcoming MCU narratives. Whether he embraces his destiny as the Demiurge or follows a different path, Wiccan’s journey will undoubtedly continue to captivate fans.
As Agatha All Along explores more of Billy’s past and powers, we can expect to see deeper connections to Scarlet Witch, more references to the multiverse, and potential appearances of significant characters like Franklin Richards and Mephisto. The potential reunion with his brother Tommy and the possibility of a larger Young Avengers team-up remain exciting prospects for the future.
Conclusion
Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, is far more than just Scarlet Witch’s son—he is a reality-warping hero with cosmic potential. From being bullied at school to potentially becoming the Demiurge, Billy’s journey has been full of emotional and magical complexities that make him one of the most compelling characters in the Marvel Universe. As the MCU continues to expand its exploration of the multiverse, Wiccan’s role is bound to grow, offering fans more magic, more heart, and more adventure. His connections to powerful figures like Franklin Richards and his interactions with the Demiurge prophecy hint at an exciting and unpredictable future for Wiccan, both on-screen and in the comics.
