Let’s get something out of the way: the mutant known as Quicksilver has been the best part of every X-Men movie he’s been in. Agreed? All right, cool. Quicksilver steals the show because his powers are so mind-boggling. At the speeds it looks like he is moving, he should be one of the most powerful mutants alive. But just how quick is he?

In my latest Because Science, I’m digging into Quicksilver’s latest scene from X-Men: Apocalypse. (Don’t worry, no major spoilers here.) Exactly how fast does he need to run in order to escape an explosion while saving a dozen fellow mutants? Very fast. Like, escape Earth’s gravity fast. Like, blow your vintage clothing right off your body fast. (But let’s just ignore that little fact for now.)

To do an analysis like this, we have to assume a couple of things. First, the entire scene takes place in and around Charles Xavier’s mansion, so we have to estimate its size. Then we have to guess how much ground Quicksilver covers within it. Finally, we need to assume how quickly the explosion would ripple through the entire area. Even giving him the benefit of the doubt (for instance, the mansion isn’t a perfect, single floor square—he probably covers much more ground than I assumed) Quicksilver has to move so quickly that he should be able to travel around the planet in less time than it takes to order a pug a pizza.

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