WandaVision: Billy's And Tommy's Powers Explained
Contains spoilers for WandaVision episode 6
Each new episode of WandaVision adds a new wrinkle to the ongoing mystery. Episode 5 saw Billy and Tommy literally grow up in the blink of an eye and brought Pietro Maximoff (aka Quicksilver) back to life, only the show resurrected the wrong one. Now episode 6, the Halloween episode that was teased in every trailer, has hit the internet and introduced even more questions. Just how much control does Wanda have over the town of Westview — or her own powers? Who in Westview is alive, dead, or even real? And what is up with Billy's and Tommy's powers?
Billy and Tommy developed superpowers as quickly as they grew out of their infancies. If you've been following Marvel comics for the last 15 years, you might know exactly what these powers mean and where they came from. In the comics, the twins become superheroes themselves, and they're not technically Wanda's sons. You see, Vision can't pass on DNA, and Wanda created her children from bits of Mephisto's soul. The boys ended up wiped from existence, but they came back as Billy Kaplan and Tommy Shepherd and were raised by separate adoptive families.
But if you're as in the dark about the twins' powers as you are about WandaVision's inevitable upcoming plot twists and need a quick and dirty explanation, look no further.
Tommy's powers
Between the two of them, Tommy's powers are the most straightforward. In one scene, he runs down the street, retrieves jumbo candy bars, and runs back in under a second. And, his Halloween costume is based on the outfit Quicksilver originally wore in Marvel comics — the same costume Pietro Maximoff wears in the episode, which is no coincidence. Tommy's powers are so far a one-to-one recreation of the abilities of his comic book source material/counterpart Speed, aka Thomas Shepherd, aka the reincarnation of Tommy Maximoff. Comic books are weird.
In the comics, Speed's primary power is, well, superhuman speed. He can zoom at 761 mph, but he also has boundless stamina and the ability to vibrate objects until they explode (or vibrate himself through them). Tommy has yet to manifest the latter powers, but don't be surprised if they crop up later.
The Halloween episode doesn't explain why Tommy has powers, which is in tune with the rest of the show. Explanations are best saved for the end of a mystery, not the middle. Then again, WandaVision is all about messing with expectations, as demonstrated by the reality recast of Pietro Maximoff and Wanda's lack of an accent. Tommy is based on the original comic Tommy Maximoff (who was just a sentient illusion), yet he has the powers of Thomas Shepherd.
Billy's powers
In episode 6, Billy doesn't use his powers as much as Tommy, but he demonstrates two distinct abilities: a form of telepathy (or possibly remote viewing) that lets him know Vision is trying to escape Westview, and telekinesis that stops Tommy's superspeed in its tracks. These powers, as well as his Halloween costume, are clearly based on the powerset of his comic book counterpart Wiccan, also known as Billy Kaplan and the reincarnation of Billy Maximoff.
Unlike Speed, Wiccan's powers are undefined in the comic books. Nobody is sure if he is a mutant or a mage (sort of like Wanda), so his powers fluctuate from story to story. Sometimes he can teleport, sometimes he can control ice, and sometimes he can levitate objects. These all technically fall under the broad umbrella of "reality warping," which is another way of saying "at the writers' discretion." So far, Billy has only displayed two powers (telekinesis and clairvoyance), but do not be surprised if he starts electrocuting things or setting them on fire in the future.
As with Tommy, the Halloween episode leaves the source of Billy's powers up in the air. WandaVision will probably explain everything by the end of the season, but until then, the mystery of why Billy has Wiccan's powers will remain just that: a mystery.