Many Marvel characters have abilities that surpass the laws of physics and demonstrate just how different they are from the general human gene pool. While running faster than a speeding train or healing a bit more quickly than the average person seem conceivable, especially for those with mutant genetics or altered DNA, the idea of running as fast as mach 10 is a bit far-fetched - until you consider Quicksilver.
Superhuman speed may be what the villain turned hero is most well-known for, but Peter Maximoff’s body is capable of much more than just surpassing the sound barrier. He may not be as fast as The Flash, but he’s so fast that the rest of the world seems painfully slow to him, which partly explains his personality. Fans may not realize that not only does Peter’s metabolism match his speed, but that he can create wicked powerful winds, displace himself from time, and perform other incredible feats. Most mutants do have strange aspects to their bodies that reflect their mutation, and Quicksilver is no exception.
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe needed to get rid of Quicksilver, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, way too quickly (which is too bad, considering that he could have leveled the playing field with Thanos), it failed to really demonstrate his full capabilities. Even the Fox X-Men films, which portrayed him as a much more likable and fun character played by Evan Peters, have taught us little outside of his speed.
Here are 25 Strange Details About Quicksilver’s Body.
25. He’s Faster Than Lightning
The streak of lightning found on Quicksilver’s traditional costume fits perfectly with his persona, given that the hero is faster than lightning.
Not only has Quicksilver literally outrun lightning thrown by Thor, but he has run from one country to the next in seconds.
These powers were “upgrades” bestowed up on him after his kidnapping at the hands of the High Evolutionary, who gave him Isotrope E in order to manifest the heightened abilities.
Although Peter didn’t necessarily wish for the extra abilities, he can certainly still utilize them.
24. His sacrifice was unnecessary in Age of Ultron
Not every superhero gets to make the ultimate selfless call that Quicksilver made during Avengers: Age of Ultron. The sacrifice is extra nose-wrinkly given that it was directly made to save Hawkeye, whose abilities are vastly eclipsed by Quicksilver’s.
Longtime fans know that the character would likely be purged based on the tricky situation of the character being used in multiple film franchises, but they also know that in the comic books, he not only is revived within a few pages.
His sister is also one of the most powerful beings in the universe and could have easily prevented it from happening if not brought him back.
23. Bullets Can’t Hit Him
Sure, we’ve seen that he’s willing to take a bullet for the team, but the fact remains that he is faster than a bullet and it should never have even been an issue.
Even if Wanda weren’t around to heal Peter following that barrage of bullets, he should have been able to grab Hawkeye and whisk them both to safety faster than any of the bullets being hurled at either of the heroes.
While Taylor-Johnson has stated that he was fine with Whedon’s ending for his character, many fans can’t help but point out this flaw.
22. His Body Has The Same Powers As A Supersonic Jet
It might seem obvious to point out that Quicksilver’s speed and resistance to the various pressures and complications resulting from high-speed movement rival that of a supersonic jet, but it’s an important point because a jet is specially designed to withstand such force.
The metal exterior of a jet is lightweight, aerodynamically shaped and durable enough to withstand the effects of its own speed range, while Quicksilver, mutant or not, is still a carbon-based life form.
This makes his abilities much more impressive since, without the durability of a jet, he’d likely be destroyed by his own speed .
21. Thinking With Superhuman Speed Brain Power
It’s a feature that has unfortunately been lost over the years, but Quicksilver was once fully able to think with superhuman speed brain power.
As cool as this original power was, we can see why it had to be nixed. It makes him too invulnerable.
Not only would it render other mutants with enhanced intelligence as a bit useless, but it would also make it tough to put him in a bind.
It’s already a challenge, but had Peter been able to out-think most villains he’d never have been brainwashed by Miss Sinister or Starro in different situations when the act of aggression was central to the story.
20. He Was Bitten By Mystique
Although Quicksilver’s amazing speed comes in handy more often than not, there have been times during which it was more of a curse than a blessing.
Take his role in the Marvel Zombies alternate universe, for example. After Peter received a fatal bite from Mystique, giving him the apocalyptic condition, his powers enabled Quicksilver to take the virus and spread it so rapidly that his mere presence in the comic rendered chances of survival to a minimum.
It’s quite a difference from Peter’s relationship to Mystique in X-Men: Apocalypse. Then again, it wasn’t nearly as awkward as Peter being on screen with Magneto.
19. He Can Run Across Oceans
Given his speed, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Quicksilver’s body is able to speed across the surface of water, but it’s a gift that’s rarely employed, particularly in the films.
It’s an incredibly useful skill that could benefit the team in any number of ways.
Luckily we do get to see Quicksilver use his powers in other entertaining ways that involve water when he is a member of the X-Men in the films. While they don’t necessarily demonstrate this superhuman ability they do show that he has a distinctive prankster side, something that’s not really evident in the comics or the Avengers films.
18. He’s way too close with his twin sister
In one of the grossest moments of Marvel history on Earth-1610 Ultimate, comic writers decided to give Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch a romantic arc that made zero sense.
While it’s obvious that this terrible decision will never make it to the MCU, fans should also know that other creepy moments during the arc, such as Wolverine spying on the two, are also luckily left out of the movies.
A romance that fans more largely approve of featured Quicksilver and the Inhuman Crystal, whom he married and had a daughter with.
17. His Mind Is Still Faster Than The Speed Of Thought
Even if he doesn’t have the brainiac capabilities of, say, Sage, Shadowcat or Henry McCoy, Quicksilver still is no slouch in the mental prowess department. His mind remains faster than the speed of thought, enabling him to think very quickly and assess danger in order to match his body to the needs of the situation.
This accounts for some of Quicksilver’s snarky attitude, since it’s exhausting for him to slow down to “keep up” with others.
By shifting his thoughts into this mode he can keep up with what his body requires on a case by case basis and retain information as needed in order to ensure his movements are as precise as possible.
16. He Has a Fast Metabolism
It stands to reason that an athlete like Peter Maximoff would have a hearty appetite. Quicksilver has a high metabolism that allows him to burn fuel fast and power his body to keep up with his powers.
His hyper-accelerated metabolic rate, as explained by Maria Hill, allows him improved thermal homeostasis, which is also essential for him to be able to move at supersonic speeds.
This might help keep the quick mutant fit but it has to be a burden to keep up with his daily caloric needs.
He’s one mutant that can’t really skip breakfast.
15. He Can Create Cyclone Winds
Did you know that Quicksilver can generate cyclone winds? It’s not that hard to see how, given that any extremely rapid circular motion could create some form of cyclone.
It’s another power that would be incredible to witness on a larger scale, especially if utilized alongside his ability to run across water. He could generate a hurricane that way.
Why he’d need to do those things, we couldn’t say. A villain, a Danger Room simulation - no matter the reason, it would still be cool to see.
14. He Has Superior Breathing Capabilities
In order to sustain the high speed of his power, Quicksilver has to be able to breathe better than the standard human being. Imagine the high pressure coming at him from the front and the low pressure at the character’s back without some kind of breathing adaptation. It would render him unable to exhale completely, eventually knocking him unconscious.
Some speculate that he can simply hold his breath during this time, but for that length it would also have to be a superhuman feat.
Given that Peter is an experiment, according to the MCU storyline, it’s easy to see how his powers work well together, as if engineered for his body.
13. He Can Run Up Walls
This power shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who’ve seen the films. Quicksilver can use his superhuman speed to run up walls, allowing him to easily skirt foes as well as literally run circles around them, which comes in handy in many ways.
Running up walls is also one of the most entertaining things that the mutant is able to do. No matter whether fans loved or hated X-Men: Days of Future Past, many cite the hilarious scene as their favorite in the entire X-Men series.
That said, director Bryan Singer also received plenty of heat given that this version of the character as a snarky, youthful thief wasn’t canon.
12. He Can Summon Copies Of Himself Through Time Displacement
Quicksilver has demonstrated his ability to summon copies of himself from different periods of time through time displacement, which is only possible through extremely high speeds.
These duplicates arrive when he quickly jumps into the future and returns to the present, arriving at a new location.
This ability turned out to be an extreme manifestation of his powers brought on by the Terrigen Mist, which wasn’t an altogether positive situation, but more about that later.
According to Stephen Hawking, this kind of speed would clock at about 25,000,000 miles per hour!
11. He Is Impervious To Sonic Boom And The Impact Of Small Objects
For us mere humans, having a random bug smack our arm as it hangs out the window while we’re driving can sting. Traveling at Quicksilver’s speed, cetting hit with even a penny could end us.
Fortunately for Mr. Maximoff, the dangers of sonic boom and small objects don’t apply to his unique body, which is impervious to such minute details.
While it’s true that we’ve seen Quicksilver with different looks in the past, including protective gear to help defend against debris and noise that could potentially harm him, he often doesn’t wear them - proving that he doesn’t really need them.
10. He Can Run Between Mach 1 And Mach 10
Many fans want to know exactly how fast Quicksilver can travel, but the answer is hard to say. In the past, it was said that his body could reach up to mach 1, but later, his powers amplified up several notches, resulting in his ability to run up to at least mach 10 that we know of.
What top speeds the hero is capable of hitting remains unclear, but it’s not unlikely that writers will eventually push him to his limits to demonstrate his full arsenal of skills.
As with any limitation, it’s also likely to be broken, as it has been in the past.
9. He Doesn’t Get Motion Sick Or Black Out At G-Forces
Can you imagine what it would be like if Quicksilver ever experienced motion sickness following the use of his powers? What if he blacked out at G-forces, lying there helpless at the mercy of his enemies?
If Wanda were around, she’s surely hand her brother a sick bag and keep him safe, but it sure would make him seem like a pretty weak character.
Many heroes unfortunately experience side effects; Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor even experienced the worsening of her cancer during her heroics. Still, it’s nice that Quicksilver’s body prevents him from enduring such unpleasantness during the use of his abilities.
8. His Body Can Transfer Vibrations To Solid Materials
It’s a pretty nifty ability to have: Quicksilver obviously generates vibrations with his speed, but he can also transfer these vibrations to solid materials. Fans have witnessed him do this in the past but the possibilities are truly endless.
It gives him the ability to do anything from topple buildings to render an enemy unsteady, leveling the playing field against other superpowered fighters.
Quicksilver isn’t the strongest of the Avengers physically, but between this skill and his speed he can match most villains in battle.
7. He Can Displace From Time And Jump Into The Future
It’s not a simple process, but Quicksilver has proven his ability to use the Inhumans’ Terrigen Mist, a substance so beloved and so hated depending on the character and the arc, as a means to displace himself from time and jump into the actual future. Move over, Nathan Summers: this is the real deal.
Quicksilver has to actually absorb the crystals into his body to pull off this fantastic feat, and it’s not a pretty picture.
The use of the Terrigen Mist is often fatal for mutants, even though some used it after Wanda altered reality and robbed everyone of their powers with three simple words.
6. He Can Withstand Intense Pressure And Frictional Force
Running fast creates friction, and moving faster than the speed of sound generates intense pressure. The effects of both of these on a supersonic jet are minimized by the design of the jet, but humans just aren’t made to sustain either one. Either could be devastating at the speed that Peter travels, so luckily his body can withstand both pressure and frictional force.
Running upright as Peter does is also inefficient. It doesn’t reduce any drag, which makes pretty much everything hit him with full-frontal impact. He also doesn’t wear any armor to keep his body from disintegrating.
5. He Has Short-Term Photographic Memory
If having a faster brain than most people isn’t cool enough, Quicksilver’s body also provides him with a photographic memory.
While this skill is temporary, it is nevertheless underused as well, especially since it’s not a common skill that heroes rely upon. It’s just not a particularly flashy or impressive one in terms of an action film.
Quicksilver has to shift his thoughts in order to utilize this skill.
It doesn’t last in the long-term, but a photographic memory is obviously helpful during reconnaissance, rescue missions and even battle.
4. His Body Adapts To Survive The Conditions Of His Speed
One of Quicksilver’s coolest abilities is the ability to adapt to different conditions resulting from his speed. This might sound boring on the surface, but think about it: if he had to stop and think about what to do with his body, even with his speedy thought processing, it would really slow him down in a fight.
His body incredibly adapts automatically, much like our own bodies adapt to stimulus through sweating, shivering and other self-preservation reactions. It does so to help ensure he remains safe traveling at speeds our bodies aren’t capable of.
3. He Has Superhuman Agility And Reflexes
Anyone who’s read the comics or seen the films knows that Quicksilver is well known for his superhuman agility and reflexes. His body is quicker than a cat’s, allowing him to respond more quickly than most mutants and catch anything from a dangerous weapon to a criminal wishing the team had shown up without Peter that day.
His reaction time even allows him to catch bullets midair, which makes demise in the MCU even more confusing.
Movie makers are known to pick and choose which elements of a character to keep and which prove to be fatal.
2. He Heals Faster Than Humans
Given that everything else about him is faster than the average human, it should come as no surprise that Quicksilver also heals faster than human beings.
He doesn’t have an incredible healing factor that keeps him alive no matter what, like Wolverine, but he does rapidly heal following an injury, allowing him to bounce back up again while many other mutants remain down for the count.
If only that had been used along with his “faster than a speeding bullet power” in Whedon’s movie.
1. His Body Is A Result Of Genetic Experimentation
Many fans are under the impression that Quicksilver’s abilities stem from his mutant gene, as do most of the powers found among the X-teams of Marvel. However, at least in one arc, that’s not the case.
Quicksilver and his sister, Scarlet Witch, were not even the children of Magneto, as was previously indicated many times, but the sources of genetic experiments created by the High Evolutionary.
Writer Rick Remender may have thought the idea a clever one, but some fans, who’d read a similar idea years before and enjoyed the Magneto link, weren’t impressed.
Do you have any other trivia to add about Quicksilver’s body? Let us know in the comments!
