Quicksilver, also known as Pietro Maximoff, is a fictional superhero appearing in Marvel Comics. He is known for having superhuman speed, typically clocked around the speed of sound. But just how fast is that in mph (miles per hour)? Let’s take a look at Quicksilver’s top running speeds from the comics and movies.
Quicksilver’s Top Speeds in the Comics
In the comics, Quicksilver’s top speed has been depicted in various ways over the years. Early on, he was shown outrunning radio waves, which travel at the speed of light – around 670,616,629 mph! However, this was considered an outlier, as most other showings had him moving much slower.
Here are some of Quicksilver’s other top speed feats in the comics:
- 700 mph – Quicksilver was clocked at this speed when racing the hero Hurricane.
- 1,500 mph – This was described as Quicksilver’s top speed under normal conditions.
- 10,000 mph – Quicksilver traveled this fast when empowered by Isotope E.
- 100,000 mph – When amplified by reality warping, Quicksilver reached 100,000 mph at his peak.
So in the comics, while Quicksilver’s “normal” top speed is around 1,500 mph, he has exceeded 10,000 mph and even 100,000 mph under special conditions. The higher figures likely represent the absolute limits of his powers.
Quicksilver’s Speed in the X-Men Films
In the X-Men films, Quicksilver has so far been depicted in X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse. His top running speed is not explicitly stated, but some analysis of his feats gives an estimate.
In Days of Future Past, Quicksilver’s most famous scene shows him perceiving events in extreme slow motion as he races around a room. Based on the time dilation, Quicksilver seems to be moving at least 10-20 times normal speed. Since the average human can run 15 mph, this puts Quicksilver’s speed at around 150-300 mph in the film.
In X-Men: Apocalypse, Quicksilver has another slow motion scene where he evacuates students from an exploding mansion. This scene indicates a similar speed to the earlier film, perhaps only slightly faster.
Overall, Quicksilver’s speed in the X-Men films seems to be in the range of 150-350 mph based on his slow motion scenes. While extremely fast, this is slower than his comic book counterpart at 1,500+ mph.
Quicksilver’s Speed in the MCU
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Quicksilver has so far only appeared in one film – Avengers: Age of Ultron. In this film, his top speed is also not directly stated.
Quicksilver’s most revealing scene shows him perceiving events in slow motion as he races around evacuating people from a fired-upon building. Based on the time dilation, Quicksilver seems to be moving perhaps 5-10 times normal speed. At best estimates, this would put him in the range of 75-150 mph.
This is notably slower than Quicksilver’s speed in the X-Men films. It’s likely he was depowered somewhat in the MCU due to rights issues with 20th Century Fox.
Comparison of Quicksilver’s Speed in Comics vs Movies
Here is a summary comparing Quicksilver’s top speed in the comics vs the movies:
| Version | Top Speed |
|---|---|
| Comics | 100,000+ mph (amplified) |
| X-Men Movies | 150-350 mph (estimated) |
| MCU | 75-150 mph (estimated) |
As the table shows, Quicksilver is depicted as significantly faster in the comics, able to reach 100,000+ mph when amplified. His movie versions peak in the range of 75-350 mph based on analysis of his slow motion scenes.
The comic book Quicksilver is able to perceive events when moving at 10,000+ mph, while the film versions seem to slow their perception at speeds of around 100-350 mph. This vast difference is likely due to the challenges of depicting super speed visually on film compared to static comic book panels.
Explanation for the Vast Differences in Speed
There are a few key reasons Quicksilver is shown with vastly different speeds in the comics versus the movies:
Comics Allow More Flexible Depictions
Comic books have more flexibility in depicting super speed visually. Static panels can show speed lines, motion blurs, and other effects to convey movement. This allows comic writers to show Quicksilver at extremely fast speeds like 100,000 mph without worrying about realism.
Special Effects Limitations
In movies, visual effects are limited in how fast they can make a character reasonably appear to move. Slow motion and speed ramping can only stretch so far. Having Quicksilver run at truly supersonic speeds on film would likely look fake or comical with current technology.
Story and Character Differences
The comic book and movie versions of Quicksilver have some inherent character differences that lead to variations in speed. Comics Quicksilver has been amplified to higher speeds through methods like Isotope E. The MCU version was potentially limited for rights reasons. Different story needs also dictate speed changes.
Conclusion
In summary, Quicksilver’s speed varies greatly between the comics and movies due to differences in medium and portrayal:
- In comics, Quicksilver tops out around 100,000 mph when amplified.
- In the X-Men films, he seems to move 150-350 mph based on scenes.
- In the MCU, his estimated speed is lower at 75-150 mph.
The vast differences stem from the more flexible depictions allowed in comics, challenges of showing super speed visually on film, and variations in character adaptation.
While Quicksilver’s speed is inconsistent, it’s clear he is massively faster than any normal human in all versions. The silver-haired speedster remains one of the swiftest superheroes around, even if his top mph varies widely from comic panels to movie scenes.