WandaVision may have introduced two LGBTQ+ characters to the Marvel Cinematic/Television Universe. In the comics and TV series, Wanda’s twins, Tommy and Billy, are gay and bisexual respectively. It is unclear if this will be addressed in the short remainder of WandaVision’s first season.
Tommy and Billy exist in Marvel’s Young Avengers comic series. They develop abilities of their own: Tommy becomes Speed with the ability to manipulate matter at the molecular level. He is also quite fast, as his name suggests. Wiccan is Billy’s telekinetic superhero identity who is also able to fly.
Tommy dates the super-intelligent mutant Prodigy. At one point before dating Speed, Prodigy expresses his interest in Hulkling, who ends up dating Wiccan. Hulkling and Wiccan’s marriage marked an important moment for LGBTQ representation in the Marvel world.
Fans have been assured that LGBTQ+ representation will be forthcoming in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there are many reasons to question whether or not that representation will be adequate, as Marvel is owned by Disney, a company that has a history of queer-baiting audiences.
Knowing the background of these characters and the advanced aging of Tommy and Billy (perhaps at the hands of Agnes?), fans have been speculating about the possibility of WandaVision revealing the orientation of these characters as early as episode 6. In the cast details of the episode, there is a new character portrayed by Isaiah Knott, credited as “Boy Next Door”, a term that often connotes a certain kind of romantic interest. Could this mysterious boy end up being the first crush of one of the twins? With only four episodes the show might not have time to deal Tommy and Billy’s orientations but perhaps it may set up a childhood relationship that may blossom into something romantic in an upcoming Marvel project.
Marvel Studio’s head Kevin Feige promised that there will be LGBTQ+ characters in the franchise’s future. It has been confirmed by actors that Marvel’s first gay kiss will be featured in the upcoming movie Eternals, which was set to be released before WandaVision. The movie has since been delayed, so is there a chance that WandaVision could beat it to the punch? There is a long history of queer-baiting in Disney related properties, and it’s time for adequate representation that reflects the real world and to reflect the fans of their properties.
The director of Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast promised a gay moment for Gaston’s henchman, LeFou, which translated into two seconds of LeFou dancing with a man. Pixar’s Onward was similarly hyped when word got out that it would have a gay character, who referenced that she had a girlfriend within the little screen time she had.
If Disney decided to engage in LGBTQ representation, it would be a remarkable pivot. The Disney empire, now encompassing 20th Century Fox, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars to name a few most notable properties, has been very careful about what is part of their collection on Disney Plus. It seems everything that is not deemed “family-friendly” is sent to their other streaming service, Hulu.
The show Love, Victor was set to be released on Disney Plus but was then diverted to Hulu due to sexual themes and alcohol use. Love, Simon has no sex scenes while Disney Plus has since debuted a show, The Right Stuff with numerous heterosexual sex scenes. WandaVision itself is not without the occasional sexual innuendo. 10 Things I Hate About You also features sexual content and underage drinking and Iron Man’s excessive drinking problems did not deter him from being on the streaming service.
The Real O’Neals is a show that debuted in 2016 on the Disney-owned ABC channel. Similarly to Love, Victor, it deals with a gay teenager’s sexual exploration, but it does not feature sex scenes. It could only be a matter of time before Disney Plus gives full character to its gay ambiguities.
On Disney Plus last year, one short film that features a main LGBTQ+ character aired as part of their Spark Shorts collection. “Out” is a sweet short that revolves around the coming out process of the protagonist named Greg, further complicated by his body-swapping with his dog. With over 7,500 pieces of content to watch on Disney Plus, it is unacceptable that Disney Plus only features one short with an LGBTQ+ protagonist. That ratio is lightyears behind every competing streaming service. The fact that most other streaming services are not as family-focused as Disney Plus is not an excuse, and it could be argued that representation is more important on the platform for that reason.
Representation matters, for children especially. When done well, representation can model acceptance and self-acceptance, and in some cases it can be life changing. Whether or not WandaVision confronts the sexual orientation of Tommy and Billy, it could set Disney Plus up for the long-due improvement.
Source: IMDB: WandaVision Episode 6
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