Marvel fans have been waiting patiently for the Young Avengers to officially assemble in the MCU, and while the team has been trickling in over the past few years, one of its key members is finally stepping into the spotlight. Ruaridh Mollica, who plays Tommy Shepard (aka Speed) in the upcoming Disney+ series VisionQuest, recently opened up about his preparation for the role and what fans can expect from his character's arc.
Speaking exclusively to Collider at New York Comic Con, Mollica shared that he dove headfirst into the comics to understand Tommy's essence. "All of the Young Avengers comics. I literally bought them," he said. "There's that one of like me and Wiccan on the front, and there's one of, you know, Tommy. He's in like an office, like yawning at his desk, and yeah, I got all of them, of course. Like, what better way to understand the character than how he's written?"
Tommy's comic book history is as tangled as any superhero's, but his bond with his twin brother Billy (Wiccan) and their connection to the Scarlet Witch has always been central. Billy already made his MCU return in Agatha All Along, played by Joe Locke, and now VisionQuest will pick up Tommy's story after the events of WandaVision.
Tommy's Search for Family
Mollica also teased that when we first meet Tommy, he's not exactly living his best life. Instead of knowing his true identity, Tommy is an orphan in London, scraping by as a grifter and haunted by strange dreams about a family he can't quite place. "I think ultimately everyone just wants to be seen and be noticed, and I think that's who Tommy is as well," Mollica explained. "You meet him as Thomas Shepard, a young orphan grifter in London, and he's not had much of a family, and then he's got all these dreams and nightmares of Vision and Wanda and a family that could not be real, and he just wants love and to be reunited and, yeah, seen."
That emotional core is what makes Tommy's journey so compelling. He's not just a super-powered kid; he's someone searching for belonging, which is a theme that resonates with many viewers. For those eager to dive deeper into the lore, check out our VisionQuest reading list to catch up on the comics that inspired the series.
As the MCU continues to expand its roster of young heroes, VisionQuest promises to be a pivotal chapter. With Mollica's dedication to the source material and his nuanced take on Tommy's vulnerability, fans are in for a treat when the series hits Disney+. While we wait, there's plenty of other Marvel excitement on the horizon, including Deadpool joining X-Men '97 and the LEGO Marvel skyline that's got collectors buzzing.
For now, all eyes are on VisionQuest and the long-awaited reunion of the Maximoff twins. Will Tommy find the family he's been dreaming of? We'll have to tune in to find out.
