VisionQuest Season Premiere, Explained
VisionQuest is the grand finale of the post-Infinity Saga small screen trilogy that centres on one of the MCU’s most unconventional couples: Wanda Maximoff and Vision.
The pair’s love story was tragically cut short when Vision was killed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War in order to obtain the Mind Stone. This sets the wheels in motion for WandaVision where, blinded by her grief, Wanda enslaved the whole town of Westview in order to play out her white picket fence, sitcom-inspired dream life: even conjuring up a replacement Vision and two children, Billy and Tommy. When the Hex was ultimately shut down, Wanda lost everything once again.
But, there was one good thing that came out of that: a rebuilt Vision had his memory restored by the conjured Vision. However, he doesn’t have any of the emotions associated with these memories. A lot has happened since Vision flew away that day, and in VisionQuest, we see the character trying to search for meaning.
As we delve into the two premiere episodes, be advised that there are spoilers ahead!
What Is Vision Doing These Days?
Five years on from WandaVision, Vision is insistent that he has no feelings for his past life. And yet, he chooses to work in the same pub in Edinburgh that he and Wanda used to visit, and chooses the alias Sherwood Ellis, which combines the name of the same street of the Westview house and the border street surrounding Wanda’s Hex. Doesn't seem to be that over it, if you ask me.
By day, he makes painful small-talk with pub owner by Fiona, and by night, he quite literally goes into his mind palace — although, in this case, it is a mansion. The mansion’s other residents are other Marvel AIs that are all alive in Vision’s head, including J.A.R.V.I.S, Ultron, F.R.I.D.A.Y, E.D.I.T.H, D.U.M.-E, and U. His mansion is kitted out with its own cinema room, which Vision frequents to watch some of his old memories. But, when Ultron tries to screen Westview memories, he freaks out.
Ultron is still a pretty evil guy, as he ends up leaking Vision’s location, which leads to bounty hunter Paladin coming after him. Paladin was hired by someone to track Vision, but it isn’t clear who. A bloody showdown takes place in Edinburgh, with this Vision making it clear he has no qualms about killing people. While he ultimately escapes, Fiona is caught in the crossfire and is killed.
What About Tommy Maximoff?
After watching Agatha All Along, we know that Tommy Maximoff found a new vessel after a teenager, who we learn is named Thomas Shepherd, was nearly drowned in a pool as part of a cruel prank. However, instead of Tommy replacing the original body’s psyche, both end up co-existing in the brain of Thomas. Since then, Thomas has all these memories of a second life. After all this happens and he experiences his powers, Thomas ends up on a bus to a sanatorium. It is here that he meets Lisa.
Thomas and Lisa escape the bus together, and for the past year, they have been getting by in London through various cons, scams, and schemes. The Edinburgh fight makes the news, and Thomas sees Vision again for the first time on the screen.
Shortly after, he is captured by Paladin, who takes him to the sanatorium he hopped off a bus to escape. Paladin then hacks Vision’s mind mansion to deliver a message: he has his son. Initially, Vision tells him he has no interest in pursuing the boy, but it is Ultron of all people who makes Vision change his mind.
Referring back to the Ship of Theseus question discussed by the two versions of Vision in WandaVision, Ultron posits that Vision could forget about all that rubbish and focus on Theseus himself. In other words, this means being heroic and saving Thomas from the bad guys.
Does J.A.R.V.I.S Die?
So, Vision ends up willingly walking into the trap Paladin set up for him. While he succeeds in saving Thomas, he is left badly injured, with Paladin severely damaging his armour by shooting him with rounds of adamantium.
Vision convinces Thomas to escape without him, saying that he will only slow him down. As a result of his injuries, Vision’s mind mansion starts shutting down. Ultron helpfully suggests that one of the AIs could sacrifice themselves. In doing this, the power the AI was occupying could be rerouted into Vision’s system along with the other AIs.
Naturally, Ultron doesn’t volunteer… but J.A.R.V.I.S does. After a tear-jerking sacrifice, Vision and the other AIs get a power boost that prevents the system from dying. Then, in the nick of time, Thomas shows up in his car, and he and Vision drive off together. Now that’s what I call some father-son bonding.
