History
Origin
Billy Kaplan was the eldest of three sons born to Reform Jews Jeff Kaplan, a cardiologist, and Rebecca Kaplan, a psychologist.
Billy had trouble with bullies in school due to his sexuality and fanboyness. Once while sitting in front of Avengers Mansion, he briefly met the Scarlet Witch, his favorite Avenger. She gave him some words of encouragement and told him that he "could take care of himself". Billy took her advice and stood up to his bully, John Kesler. Unfortunately, Billy's electrokinetic powers emerged for the first time and nearly killed Kesler.[10]
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Billy as Asgardian
Young Avengers
As he began to use his powers more and more, he sought out the Scarlet Witch for help, only to find out that the Avengers had disbanded. However, Billy was one of the people listed in the Avengers Fail-Safe Program compiled by the Vision to be used to form a new team of superheroes in the event of the destruction or disbanding of the Avengers. Iron Lad, a younger version of Kang the Conqueror, found Billy using the Vision’s Fail-Safe Program and requested his help in preventing his future self from returning him to the future. Billy joined the Young Avengers, and, styling himself after Thor, adopted the super-hero identity of the Asgardian. He began dating his teammate Hulkling not long after.[11][12]
After losing Iron Lad and recruiting Kate Bishop and Cassie Lang, the girls made the suggestion that Billy change his code-name from Asgardian to Wiccan and Billy agreed.[3]
Billy tried to tell his parents that he was an aspiring superhero, but they misread his intentions and assumed that he was revealing his relationship with Teddy. Though his parents thought Teddy would make an excellent son-in-law, they were unaware that Billy was a practicing witch, dating a shapeshifter. The nature of his heroic activities and the danger associated with them, became apparent when the Super Skrull nearly destroyed the Kaplan's upper west side home in his attempt to kidnap Hulkling. The altercation resulted in the death of Teddy's mother.[13]
Not long after Hulkling was captured by the Kree Sentries, Wiccan and the other Young Avengers became desperate to rescue him. To locate reinforcements, the Vision, recommended using the Avengers Fail-Safe Program, which was the same program Iron Lad had used to locate the original Young Avengers.[14]
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Stature recognizing that Wiccan and Speed look like twins
The team went to a high security detention facility for superpowered juvenile offenders to locate him. While there, they found Tommy Shepherd being held, and released him from his cell. Stature noted that Tommy and Bill could be twins. The breakout did not go unnoticed, and the team ran into the armed officers of the facility.[14] Tommy helped them to save Hulkling by fighting off both Skrull and Kree forces, afterwards officially joining the Young Avengers under the name "Speed".[15]
Civil War
During the Civil War, S.H.I.E.L.D. arrested the Young Avengers. However, Falcon and Captain America intercepted the S.H.I.E.L.D bus which was transporting the prisoners, and Wiccan teleported the team out of the situation, into the Resistance Fighters base of operations.
When the Runaways tried to stay out of the conflict, they barely managed to escape from the government forces. Hearing of this development in the news, the Young Avengers decided to help the Runaways even though Captain America vetoed the plan. Wiccan used his magic to locate and teleport to the Runaways. However, the Runaways believed that the Young Avengers had come to capture them and a fight ensued until Patriot succeeded in convincing Nico Minoru to stop the hostilities. The two teams were later attacked by Marvel Boy, who captured Wiccan, Karolina, and Hulkling, and almost killed Xavin. The young heroes became the prisoners of the Warden, who proceeded to practice vivisection on the unconscious Teddy. The boys were rescued by Xavin, whose Skrull physiology allowed him to recover from Noh-Varr's attack. Billy came close to killing the Warden, but Teddy stopped him.[16]
Wiccan was among the Secret Avengers who took part in the first major battle of the Civil War, and was one of the first two casualties. Tony Stark and Peter Parker realized that the two rebels with teleportation powers needed to be incapacitated to prevent an escape from the ambush. Wiccan and Cloak were both shot with tranquilizer darts and rendered unconscious. This attack on two of his youngest followers infuriated Captain America. A violent battle ensued, by the end of which Goliath was dead, slain by the cyborg clone of Thor. Most of the Anti-Registration group escaped, but Wiccan was left behind and captured by the Pro-Registration side.
Billy and the other imprisoned Anti-Registration heroes were eventually freed in a raid led by Captain America. Teddy's shape-shifting ability played a pivotal role in Captain America's plan allowing him to impersonate Yellowjacket in order to free the imprisoned heroes of Prison 42.
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Speed and Wiccan searching for the Scarlet Witch in Wundagore Mountain
Searching for the Scarlet Witch
When Wiccan decided to begin searching for the Scarlet Witch, Tommy agreed to joined him. The pair searched through Genosha and Wundagore in Transia before finally encountering Master Pandemonium in Cresskill, New Jersey at a former residence of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision. Master Pandemonium offered some information, but did not know the current whereabouts of the Scarlet Witch.[17]
Secret Invasion
When the Skrulls invaded Earth, Wiccan joined the other Young Avengers and Runaways on the front-lines of the battle. Wiccan and Speed saved Hulkling from execution and later assisted Xavin to again rescue Hulkling.[18]
Dark Reign and The Siege
Wiccan gathered the Young Avengers together at the Avengers Mansion to respond to wave of supernatural chaos caused by Chthon. The team was turned to stone by Chthon's magic, except for Vision and Stature, who arrived too late.
Doctor Strange, the former Sorcerer Supreme, visited Wiccan to discuss his potential candidacy and ability to assume the position as the new Sorcerer Supreme. When the Hood found Strange and engaged him in magical combat, Wiccan aided him, contrary to Strange's orders to flee. Wiccan and Strange teleported to the New Avengers seeking help.
Wiccan along with the other Young Avengers helped rescue the fallen from Asgard during the Siege. Together, he and Hulkling also battled the Wrecking Crew.[19]
Children's Crusade
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Wiccan powers overloading
After Wiccan powers overloaded during a battle with the Sons of the Serpent, the Avengers decided to keep him under observation. Hulkling and the other Young Avengers broke Wiccan out of holding and began the search for the Scarlet Witch. Accompanied by Magneto and Quicksilver, the team traveled to Transia and then to Latveria before discovering a depowered and amnesiac Wanda engaged to Doctor Doom. The rediscovery of Wanda did not go unnoticed though, as the Avengers soon arrived on the scene. A battle with Doom's Doombot army soon broken out and was only stopped by the arrival of Iron Lad.[20]
Iron Lad teleported the Young Avengers and Wanda into the time-stream. They all went into the past, and met reanimated Jack of Hearts, who is explode. After that Wanda remembered who she is, regained her powers and returned herself, the Young Avengers and Scott Lang into the present.[21] She then finally confirmed that Billy and Tommy are indeed her reincarnated sons.[7]
Wanda's increased powers were revealed to be the result of her gaining a connection to the life force itself. A ritual intended to undo the Decimation was interrupted by Patriot, leading to the powers being transferred to Doctor Doom. He intended to usher the world into utopia, a utopia in which he would rule.[9] The Avengers and X-Men teamed up to defeat him, in the process, Stature was killed by Doom, and the villain escaped after losing his powers when they overloaded.[22]
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Wiccan and Hulkling kissing after their engagement
Iron Lad proposed to save Stature through the time-stream but Vision refused, ending with both of them battling each other and Iron Lad destroying Vision and then taking off to the time-stream, even after Wiccan warned that this was the moment in time where he became Kang the Conqueror.[5]
In the aftermath of the battles, the Young Avengers disbanded and stayed in low profile during the major events that transpired in the world (the Spider-Island infestation, the X-Men's Schism and the resurrection of the Human Torch). Wiccan fell into a severe state of depression, but Hulkling brought him out of it by proposing to him. However, their moment of joy was interrupted by Ms. Marvel who called them to the Avengers Mansion. After a few words from Captain America all the remaining Young Avengers were officially named as full-fledged Avengers.[5]
Return to Heroics
For a period of time, Wiccan and Hulkling retired from being super-heroes. However, they are unexpectedly brought back into the fray when Wiccan, in an attempt to patch an argument with Hulkling, accidentally let an interdimensional parasite into their world.Attributes
 |
Powers
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Wiccan using his powers
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Wiccan using his powers
Wiccan is a both Mage and mutant.[8][9] As such he has a wide range of superpowers. Wiccan's demonstrated the following powers:
- Electrokinesis: Wiccan possesses the mutant ability to manipulate, generate and discharge energy projections as either lightning or electricity from his hands or other parts of his body. Wiccan is capable of combining or performing his electokinetic powers in unison with spells.
- Chaos Magic Reality Warping: Wiccan's main power is the superhuman ability to manipulate Chaos Magic, which he inherited from his mother the Scarlet Witch. Wiccan uses his magic through a unique form of self-taught spell Casting involving stating an effect or action he wants to happen (i.e. "I want him to be OK, I want him to be OK!"). Wiccan has no standard spells, with most being improvised on the spot. While generally very effective, his spells can be degraded by a lack of willingness to perform them or stress. Wiccan can use magic to enhance himself or others for short periods of time. Some notable spells being: Enhanced Strength, Sensing Locations of others, Levitation, Telepathy, Astral Projection, and Illusion Casting.
- Teleportation: Can teleport himself and others over undetermined distances with an untested maximum. Can also travel to and open gates accessing other worlds and dimensions.
- Healing: Can quickly heal others through his spells (i.e. "I want to heal this man, I want to heal this man!"). However, the effectiveness of this healing can be greatly affected by his will to do it. When healing an enemy, the healing process could be considerably diminished than when healing someone he genuinely has an empathetic desire to heal. [9]
- Flight: Wiccan can engage in self-propelled flight without the use of vocalized spells and temporarily allow others to fly within his presence.
- Photokinesis: Wiccan can project intense light and heat.
- Solid Energy Constructs: Wiccan can manipulate mystical energy to create solid constructs such as disks, shields, force fields, and other projectiles.
- Pyrokinesis: Can generate and control fire.
- Clairvoyance: Wiccan, with brief periods of intense concentration, can gain knowledge of a subject's location. It is notably highly difficult, though not impossible for him to locate those he is unfamiliar with, or only loosely associated with.
- Conjuring: Wiccan can create clothing, decor, and food from seemingly nothing.[23][24]
Weaknesses
Paraphernalia
Weapons
- Billy previously carried a staff.
Transportation
Trivia
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Speed and Wiccan finally reunited with their mother, the Scarlet Witch
- It was long believed that Billy and Tommy Shepherd were reincarnations of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision's twin sons, Thomas Maximoff and William Maximoff.
- Marvel's official Marvel Universe Wiki stated: "When the Scarlet Witch used her powers to recreate the world after the House of M event, she inadvertently recreated both William and Thomas as well. However instead of recreating them as her children, they ended up as the children of other parents. Thomas ended up as the son of the Shepard family while William ended up as the son of the Kaplans family."[25]
- The Scarlet Witch finally confirmed that Billy and Tommy are indeed her reincarnated.[7].
- Wiccan has only recently met his "father", Vision in Avengers Assemble Annual (Vol. 2) #1.
- Despite originally being introduced as an Electrokinetic mutant with powerful sorcery, Wiccan's mutant powers have begun to appear less and less in comics due to his magic powers and heritage being made a more distinguishing characteristic for the character, rather than his mutant heritage.
- Hulkling (Teddy Altman) and Wiccan are in a romantic relationship.
- Wiccan was one of the many possible candidates for the title of Sorcerer Supreme.[26]
- Wiccan pattern's himself after Thor and The Scarlet Witch.
- As Asgardian, Wiccan wore the suit of the Asgardians.
- Wiccan doesn't like the term "Warlock" being applied to him because it literally means "oath-breaker".[27][28] He prefers mage, magician, witch, or spell-caster.
- Allan Heinberg has stated that Billy and his family are Reform Jews as shown in: [1]. When asked about Billy's codename, Heinberg stated "Wiccan is another word for witch. It doesn't have an exclusively religious meaning."
- Wicca is the name of a religion and is the basis for the word Witch. In the past, it's practitioners were often persecuted as witches. A Wiccan is a practitioner of Wicca.
- Later, Doctor Nemesis commented on a Jewish boy choosing the code-name Wiccan.[29]
- According to his teammate and boyfriend, Hulkling, Billy Kaplan learned his spell-casting abilities from a self-help book belonging to Hulkling's mother[30].
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Hulkling and wiccan facing their Alpha counterparts
- Wiccan is shown to be a member of the Initiative, along with Hulking.[31] However, it is later revealed most of the Young Avengers did not actually join The Initiative or even register. They were registered by their Earth-A counterparts; both Wiccan and Hulking are seen complaining about being registered to their "A Selves".[32] It's been subsequently shown that since registration, Billy has spent most of his time grounded at home with his parents pressuring him to register.[33][17]
- Billy is a fan of George R.R. Martin's book series A Song of Fire and Ice, as well as its TV series version, Game of Thrones, and Tyrion Lannister is his favorite character.[34]
- The Sound of Music is one of Billy's favorite films.[4]
- Wiccan's email is "actualwizard666@super-mail.com".[35]
See Also
- 207 appearance(s) of William Kaplan (Earth-616)
- 7 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of William Kaplan (Earth-616)
- 39 minor appearance(s) of William Kaplan (Earth-616)
- 25 mention(s) of William Kaplan (Earth-616)
- 5 mention(s) in handbook(s) of William Kaplan (Earth-616)
- 399 image(s) of William Kaplan (Earth-616)
- 22 quotation(s) by or about William Kaplan (Earth-616)
- 1 victim(s) killed by William Kaplan (Earth-616)
- 1 item(s) used/owned by William Kaplan (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Young Avengers #3
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Young Avengers #1
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Young Avengers #6
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Avengers: The Children's Crusade #2
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Avengers: The Children's Crusade #9
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Avengers: The Children's Crusade #1
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Secret Invasion Runaways Young Avengers #3
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Avengers: The Children's Crusade #7
- ↑ Young Avengers Special #1
- ↑ Avengers: The Children's Crusade - Young Avengers #1
- ↑ Young Avengers #1 #6
- ↑ Young Avengers #8 #9
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Young Avengers #10
- ↑ Young Avengers #12
- ↑ Civil War: Young Avengers and Runaways #1 #4
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Young Avengers Presents #3
- ↑ Secret Invasion Runaways Young Avengers #1 #3
- ↑ Siege: Young Avengers #1
- ↑ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #1 #4
- ↑ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #5
- ↑ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #8
- ↑ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #1 #2
- ↑ Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #5
- ↑ Marvel.com Article on Speed
- ↑ New Avengers #53–54
- ↑ Young Avengers Presents #6
- ↑ Young Avengers #11
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #526
- ↑ Young Avengers #5
- ↑ Avengers: The Initiative #1 #2
- ↑ She-Hulk (Vol. 2) #21
- ↑ Young Avengers Presents #1
- ↑ Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #3
- ↑ Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #10
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #13
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 13
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