Wiccan (comics)
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Wiccan (Billy Kaplan) is a fictional character and member of the Young Avengers, a team of superheroes in the Marvel Universe. His appearance is patterned on that of Thor and the Scarlet Witch .
He first appeared in Young Avengers #1 (April, 2005). The issue was scripted by Allan Heinberg and drawn by Jim Cheung.
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[edit] Ficitional character history
Billy Kaplan is the eldest of three sons born to cardiologist Jeff Kaplan and psychologist Rebecca Kaplan.
Regularly bullied in school, Billy found solace outside the gates of the Avengers Mansion. One day, Billy encountered the Avenger the Scarlet Witch, who told him to stand his ground the next time it happens. She then touched his head, causing a red light to flash briefly. The flash heals Billy's wounds and a few weeks later he stands up for another kid being bullied, and demonstrates his powers for the first time, but is not fully prepared for their effects.
[edit] Young Avengers
He was one of the Young Avengers chosen as a result of the Vision's plan for the reformation of the Avengers, in the event the team ever disbanded. He originally chose the code name Asgardian.
The full extent of his powers are unknown, though they include flight and lightning generation. In Young Avengers #5, it is revealed that he can cast spells using a technique learned from "self-help books" owned by fellow Young Avenger Hulking's mother. By chanting a mantra/statement of intent (for example, "I want Iron Lad to forget") and focusing on the outcome he wants to achieve, he can cause different events and effects to happen.
The team was then told to disband by Captain America. The Young Avengers decided to ignore him. Kate Bishop told Billy that he should change his codename to avoid the obvious puns when the press discovers that he's in a relationship with Hulkling. Kate, along with Stature, suggested the codename, "Wiccan." Billy, smiling, replied that he doesn't hate it.
[edit] Parentage
Billy has said that Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, was his favorite Avenger, and it has been implied that his powers are linked to hers. In Young Avengers #11, Billy's possible relationship to Wanda was revealed by the Super-Skrull and Vision. In the past, Scarlet Witch was so desperate to have children that she used her reality warping powers to create twin sons out of fragments of the soul of the demon Mephisto. When the boys' souls were reabsorbed into Mephisto, they destroyed him and their souls were reincarnated as Thomas Shepard (the Young Avenger 'Speed') and Billy.
Heinberg stated on the situation in a transcript with fans, "According to Billy's theory, the souls of Wanda's twins inhabited his and Tommy's bodies when they were dispersed from Mephisto. But it's only a theory." [1] He also stated in another interview that his plans for the new 'season' involved the two searching for Wanda, stating "If everything goes according to plan, Wanda will indeed return to Young Avengers early in Season Two, when Billy and Tommy embark on a search for the true source of their powers." [2].
Much conjecture has been made as to their appearance and powers. Interviews have stated that they are, indeed, Wanda's children[citation needed]. In the comics, this is strongly supported by K'Lrt's statements and Vision's files. Billy believes himself to be Wanda's son. However, Tommy has been more skeptical about the situation. The official Marvel website however, lists Scarlet Witch and Vision as Wiccan's parents, with his "family" as his adopted parents, implying he and Tommy are biologically (or spiritually) still Wanda's sons[3].
[edit] Civil War
Billy and Tommy plan to look for Wanda, in the hopes that revealing that her sons appear to be alive and well will help her heal. Their plan is disrupted by the attack by the Zodiac on the UN, and the subsequent events of the Civil War.
S.H.I.E.L.D. arrested the Young Avengers, as seen in Civil War #2. Sam Wilson (Falcon) and Steve Rogers (Captain America) intercepted the S.H.I.E.L.D bus and Wiccan subsequently teleported the team out of the situation, into the Resistance Fighters base of operations.
Wiccan also took part in the first major battle of the Civil War and was one of the first two casualties. He and Cloak were shot with tranquilizer darts and rendered unconscious [4] . Tony Stark and Peter Parker had realized that the two Rebel Heroes with teleportation powers needed to be incapacitated to prevent an escape from the ambush. Steve Rogers was so infuriated by this that instead of negotiations and reconciliation, a violent battle ensued. By the end of it, Goliath lay dead and the Anti-registration group escaped, including a badly wounded but still defiant Captain America. They were forced to leave Wiccan behind. He is now part of the group of superheroes captured by The Pro-Registration side.
Meanwhile, Wiccan also plays a major role in the side-story Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways, which apparently takes place between the 2nd and 3rd issues of the main Civil War narrative. The Runaways try to stay out of the conflict, but they barely manage to escape from the government forces. Hearing of this development in the news, the Young Avengers decide to help the Runaways even though Captain America vetoes the plan. Wiccan uses a combination location-and-teleportation spell - basically "I will find the Pride's Kids." This succeeds but the Runaways believe that the Young Avengers have come to capture them. A fight ensues, until Eli (Patriot) succeeds in convincing Nico to stop the hostilities. The two teams are later attacked by Noh-Varr, who captures Wiccan and Hulkling, and (apparently) kills the Runaway Xavin. The young heroes become the prisoners and victims of the sadistic Warden. This monster proceeds to the vivisection of the unconscious Teddy. This atrocity has little physical effect on Hulkling, whose vital organs keep shifting out of the way of the Warden's knife. It does have, as intended, a strong psychological effect on Billy, who finally cries out: "I want you to die." Fortunately, Xavin, being a Skrull, is very far from dead, and once his physiology is fully repaired, he rescues his friends. He comes close to killing the Warden, but Teddy saves him from becoming a murderer. Xavin, at first chagrined (but acquiescent), eventually is grateful for this intervention. Billy is horrified that he was pushed to the Dark Side: "That wasn't me... I hope it wasn't me." He is comforted by the fact that he and his lover Teddy are alive, well, free, and together. Meanwhile, Vision and his "brother" Victor heal Noh-Varr, freeing him from the Warden's abominable controls and damages. In the long run, this may prove to have major consequences, as Noh-Varr enslaves the Warden and proclaims a new Kree Empire.
[edit] Relationships
Exchanges between Wiccan and Hulkling had led some readers to speculate that the two young men had a much more intimate bond than mere friendship. Allan Heinberg confirmed this speculation, stating that his intent was to reveal the relationship in issue #12, and he was surprised that his subtle clues were picked up on so quickly.
In #6, Kate advises that Asgardian should change his codename to avoid the obvious puns when the press discovers that he's in a relationship with Hulkling, implying that the others already know the two are gay.
In Young Avengers Special, the team agrees to give an interview to Kat Farrell, and Jessica Jones warns Billy and Teddy that Farrell will probably ask if the rumors about them are true. After some deliberation, the two decide to tell her, with Teddy adding, "Why should Northstar have all the fun?"
[edit] Powers and abilities
As Wiccan, Billy Kaplan possesses a spellcasting talent that may or may not be related to a reality warping power. While patterning himself after Thor in the guise of Asgardian, Billy limited himself entirely to flight and lightning based spells. By stating an intent and focusing on the outcome, Wiccan is capable of a variety of feats, including, but not limited to tracking and locating others, illusionary disguises, tearing down forcefields, mass teleportation, concussive blasts, enchantments, and telekinetic force beams.
[edit] Trivia
- Allan Heinberg has stated that Billy and his family are Reform Jews. [5]
- Asked about Billy's codename, Heinberg said "It turns out that code names are the trickiest part of creating new characters. When Kate suggests 'Wiccan' to Billy in Young Avengers #6, she, like me, was not thinking in terms of the specific religious practice of Wicca, but rather attempting to find a suitable counterpart for the word 'witch.' It was certainly not my intention to offend anyone with 'Wiccan.' And since adopting the code name, rest assured Billy has been doing his Wiccan homework, so keep reading..." [1]
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.avengersforever.org/chat/transcripts/Heinberg.htm
- ^ http://www.prismcomics.org/display.php?id=1233
- ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/Wiccan
- ^ Civil War #3
- ^ http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?s=b5f4eb2f1e0d641ce9ff6cd90dfe6b5b&t=61503
[edit] External link
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements | Fictional twins | Fictional witches | Jewish comic book characters | LGBT characters in comics | Fictional characters with the power to teleport | Fictional characters with the power to manipulate electricity | Marvel Comics characters who can fly | Marvel Comics superheroes | 2005 introductions
