Is 'VisionQuest's' Shock Post-Credits Twist Setting Up A 'Young Avengers: Children's Crusade' Adaptation?

WARNING! SPOILERS for VisionQuest 1x08, 'Forever'.

'Forever', the finale 0f VisionQuest, and the whole WandaVision trilogy, has aired, complete with the trailer's promised final surprise. In the episode's second post-credits sequence, Doctor Doom raids the rubble of the fallen Mt. Wundagore to revive and collect Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch.

Some fans believe this confirms the theory that Wanda will be one of the three Latverian Witches supporting Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. Aside from this, the VisionQuest finale reunited Billy Maximoff with his twin brother Tommy and Father, Vision. The reunion, along with Wanda's return, has added fuel to a longstanding rumour that an adaptation of Young Avengers: The Children's Crusade is in the works at Marvel Studios, possibly even within Doomsday or it's sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars.

Origin of the Young Avengers

The beginning of the team known as the Young Avengers occurs when Nathaniel Richards, a boy destined to become Kang the Conqueror, travels back in time to warn the Avengers of an impending attack from Kang and hopefully prevent his own dark future. Unfortunately for Nate, the Avengers were defunct at the time following the events of Avengers: Disassembled. Instead, he uses a list of potential new heroes compiled by the then-deceased Vision. This team, the Young Avengers, consists of Wiccan (Billy Kaplan), Hulkling, Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), Patriot, Stature (Cassie Lang), and Iron Lad (Nate).

When Nate eventually returns to the future, the Young Avengers implant a piece of Vision's code into the Iron Lad suit he left behind, creating a new 'Young' Vision who eventually names himself Jonas. Tommy Shepherd, aka Speed, joins the team after they find him on Vision's list and rescue him from wrongful detainment in a juvenile detention facility. While noting their being near identical as odd, Tommy is initially resistant to Billy's theory that they are soul-twins, the sons of the Scarlet Witch, but eventually comes around to the idea.

'Young Avengers: The Children's Crusade'

When they do reform, the older Avengers discourage Billy's belief in any connection he and Tommy may have to the Scarlet Witch, who is missing at the time. This is mostly because they believe her to be dangerous after the events of 'Disassembled' and 'House of M'. More recent reviews of the story also suggest there might be some guilt at play. If Billy is right, it means they were all wrong to deny the existence of Wanda's children.

Despite their unwillingness to accept a connection between the two, when Billy loses control of his powers on a joint mission, the older Avengers, quietly fearing another Scarlet Witch, confine him for study. Billy's fellow Young Avengers free him, and embark on a journey to find Wanda, hoping she can help Billy master his powers. Partway through this adventure, they are unexpectedly joined by Magneto, who also wants to find Wanda (believing her to be his daughter at thetime), and embraces Tommy and Billy as his grandchildren.

The team and their new unlikely accomplice track Wanda to Latveria, the home country of Doctor Doom, who also rules over it. Initially assuming she is being held captive, Billy spearheads a rescue mission, only to discover that Wanda is suffering amnesia and about to marry Doom. Thankfully, Billy is eventually able to help Wanda regain her memories. Any remaining relationship between Doom and Wanda crumbles with the reveal that the events leading to 'Avengers: Disassembled' were partially engineered by him, and their marriage was a ploy to access her powers.

What Could This Mean For The MCU?

With Wanda's return, seemingly at Doom's side, as well as the reunion of her sons, some fans believe the time is right for a 'Children's Crusade' adaptation. This is further supported by the fact that an MCU Young Avengers team, likely an amalgamation of the Young Avengers and Champions teams from the comics, is already beginning to form. Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, attempts to recruit Kate Bishop in the final scene of The Marvels, and an Easter Egg reference by Kamala's Father in Daredevil: Born Again hints she may have also recruited Cassie Lang.

The prevailing theory is that Doomsday will adapt Wanda's amnesia plot, and the Scarlet Witch will be one of Doom's heavy hitters, with the 'Children's Crusade' adaptation then forming a part of Avengers: Secret Wars. In one of the comic versions of Secret Wars, a select group of heroes escape the mass transfer to Battleworld on a special ship, with this group becoming a rescue team for everyone else. Some fans theorise that Spider-Man: Brand New Day's post credits sequence, which sees the Spidey tracker suddenly detect Spider-Man in space, as a reference to this ship.

As well as at least one incarnation of Spider-Man, a few lucky Doomsday escapees, and possibly some Young Avengers, fans now assume this group will include Vision, Tommy, and Billy.

While the rest of the group seeks out the surviving heroes on Battleworld, Vision and the twins will seek out Wanda and try to restore her memory, as Billy does in the comics. The flip in Wanda's allegiance that would likely result would possibly turn the tide of the battle back in the Avengers' favor, and also similarly to the comics, set Wanda back on the path to redemption.

Whatever storyline the MCU ultimately goes with, the return of the Scarlet Witch is an exciting twist that will keep the hype train chugging along until Avengers: Doomsday hits theatres next month.

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