Editorial: Comparing The Two Quicksilvers

For those who have been following on the developments of the two upcoming Marvel movies, Avengers: Age Of Ultron and X-Men: Days Of Future Past, will realise that both films will have the character Quicksilver (who in the comics is part of the X-Men and also a member of the Avengers).

However, both Quicksilvers will be played by two different actors because they are both different characters and have no relations to each other. (Aaron Taylor-Johnson will portray him in Avengers. Evan Peters will portray him in X-Men. Both actors have worked together before in the first Kick-Ass movie.)

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men and Avengers have no relations to each other because Marvel has sold off the movie rights of all X-Men characters to Fox while Avengers still belongs to Disney. Many have speculated or hoped for a crossover but no, a crossover is impossible. So much so that in the Avengers side, the word "mutant" cannot even be referenced because that word belongs to Fox.

We will not see characters from X-Men in Avengers or vice versa any time soon. Same goes to Spider-Man whom Disney sold to Sony. (The only crossover we will see and are about to see somewhere in the near future, is a Fantastic Four and X-Men crossover because they both belong to Fox.)

But, like most movies to the nitpickers, there's a loophole. And that's Quicksilver. How? I'm not sure but I think Quicksilver is one of the rare case that someone made a mistake during the selling and buying and both Disney and Fox owns the rights to use him.

So as long as Avengers don't call him a mutant, then they are in the clear. Therefore, Joss Whedon will have to come up with a different origin story to the mutant twins.

Now, Quicksilver originally appeared in X-Men first before he joined the Avengers in the comics. Plus, he is the son of Magneto (and a twin to the Scarlet Witch). So I would argue that, while Avengers can use him, why should they?

Even though Whedon announced first that we would be using Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch in his Avengers sequel; but looking at the roster of the Avengers from the comics, do they really need to use Quicksilver because there are many other cool superheroes available?

I don't mind Scarlet Witch, but I would have loved to see some other superheroes first before Quicksilver, like Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Wonder Man, The Wasp (not sure if she'll appear in Ant-Man), Mockingbird, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Nova, just to name some.

Quicksilver isn't one of the top-tier characters that is very well-known outside the die-hard comic book fans. So why the fuss? But I'm sure Whedon will totally change my mind once AOU is out.

At this point in time, I am guessing Quicksilver (and Scarlet Witch) will be an integral part of the storyline in AOU while the other Quicksilver in the May-released X-Men: DOFP will have a much smaller role seeing as it's already a heavy roster, not to mention similar characters from two different timelines.

Costume wise, to me, I really disliked Evan Peters' get-up. Metallic-silver jacket and metallic-silver shoes, and goggles? Does it get any more tacky than that? Now I've heard that he actually doesn't look as bad when in context - I am avoiding any more videos online from the movie; so I'll be keeping my mind open when I go watch it.

As for Taylor-Johnson's, so far it's only the "bare" costume that looks like it will undergo some CGI (here's hoping that's true, but to what extent?). But I'll say this, it doesn't look tacky so far.

Having ranted all that, at the end of the day, does it really affect anyone's viewing pleasure. In a word, no. Firstly, the two movies are releasing a year apart. The non-die hard comic book fans won't even notice the different Quicksilvers. Plus, both movies are very and totally different; one doesn't relate to the other.

I'm sure Quicksilver in X-Men, under the mutant umbrella, will have no problem being part of the team. And as for Avengers, there will be a back story to the twins (who won't be mutants) and that Quicksilver will be more of a whole in terms of storyline. I'm speculating, of course.

Needless to say, I'm excited to see them both; more so for him in Avengers than X-Men because of the reasons stated above.

The question to ask next is, will Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Quicksilver (and Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch) survive the onslaught of Ultron (voiced by James Spader) and be a part of future Avengers stories? I hope Whedon will keep at least one of them, and I'll throw in my vote now for the Scarlet Witch.