Why The Popsicle Line In WandaVision Episode 5 Means More Than You Think
The MCU often promises twists and surprise appearances by familiar favorites, and the latest episode of WandaVision did not disappoint.
Episode 5 gave viewers a little more insight into Westview, a small New Jersey town which has been transformed into a world of Wanda's making. Between interference from S.W.O.R.D. and Vision now becoming suspicious of the strangeness surrounding their seemingly perfect life, Wanda's self-made illusion appears to be slowly crumbling around her.
Just when it seems that Wanda will be forced to face the reality of her actions, a knock comes at the door. Lo and behold, it's none other than Wanda's long-lost (and formerly deceased) twin brother, Pietro — although not the one we were expecting. Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson — who played the Scarlet Witch's brother, Quicksilver, in Avengers: Age of Ultron – is replaced by Evan Peters, the actor who portrayed Quicksilver in the X-Men movie universe. Kat Dennings' character Darcy Lewis then says what the audience is thinking: "She recast Pietro?"
X-Men, meet the MCU
Once the initial shock of Pietro's entrance has worn off, the siblings share a hug, and Pietro turns his attention to Vision, who has cast off his human disguise. "Who's the popsicle?" he asks, followed by a chorus of canned laughter from an invisible audience.
The line is a very subtle reference to Peters' first time playing Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past. His superhuman abilities draw the attention of young Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult), and the time-traveling Wolverine, who go to visit the young mutant in his home. After Quicksilver demonstrates his ping-pong prowess and super speed powers, he suddenly flashes onto the sofa, where it appears he has just finished eating a red popsicle.
Not only is this a nod to Peters' previous role, but this callback does something that has never happened before — it connects the MCU to the X-Men movie universe for the very first time. For years, the Marvel and X-Men movie franchises have coexisted without crossing into each other's territory. Since the Disney company bought 20th Century Fox for $71 billion back in March 2019, the doors have been opened to all kinds of possibilities. After all, the X-Men originated from Marvel Comics, and fan favorite Wolverine has been known to work with members of the Avengers in many of the comics' storylines.
Now that the first move into the X-Men universe has been made by the MCU, it will be interesting to see who else might find their way over to the other side. Perhaps fans will finally get to see Wolverine and the Hulk coming to blows one of these days.