VisionQuest Episodes 1 & 2 Recap: Ultron Returns and Steals the Show
The conclusion to the WandaVision trilogy is finally here, and after watching the first two episodes, I can honestly say this is everything I wanted from this series. Vision Quest is beautifully shot, and I love that we're getting a story that focuses on Vision trying to figure out who he is now that he's back.
We pick up with White Vision waking up and going over what happened to his previous incarnation. He was built by Ultron but shaped by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. We see him recount his death, the events of WandaVision, and his rebirth. He has the same body, but a completely different mind. He is Vision, but at the same time, he isn't.
He's not alone, either. We have Friday, Dum-E, U, J.A.R.V.I.S., and E.D.I.T.H. I love seeing all these A.I.s together, especially the way they interact with each other. The banter between them is great, and E.D.I.T.H. is probably my favorite so far. Vision is working at a dive bar, and we get a funny moment of him watching Sanford and Son. When his boss, Fiona Guthrie, catches him pretending to hurt his back after carrying beer kegs, he has to play along like he's a regular human being. She mentions that he was different when they first met and asks about Wanda. Vision responds with a joke about her being crushed under the weight of a mountain. It's a pretty funny response, considering everything he's been through.
Fiona invites him to a get-together, but Vision says he's not really good with people. What's interesting is that this is the same bar he used to visit with Wanda. He's back in a place connected to his old life, but he doesn't really feel that connection anymore. Once the bar closes, we get to see what's going on inside Vision's head. His mindscape is this huge house where he's living with the old Stark A.I.s. He spends time watching the original Vision's memories because he's trying to understand his old life and figure out what he's missing.
He knows what happened to him, but he doesn't actually feel connected to those memories. He can't quite grasp what it means to be human, and that's what makes his story so interesting to me. He's trying to understand feelings that he remembers having but can't necessarily experience the same way anymore.
We also learn that Vision isn't on anybody's radar. Not S.W.O.R.D., not the Avengers, nobody. I like that we're getting little references to things like vibranium and adamantium along the way, too. Then there's Ultron, who is basically the evil uncle upstairs. When he tells Dum-E and U to play the Westview footage from WandaVision, it sets Vision off. Ultron calls him a ghost haunting their old footsteps, and honestly, that's a pretty good way to describe him right now.
Vision is struggling to figure out his place in the world, and Ultron knows exactly which buttons to push. He describes emotions as a deep, scary well that Vision can't process, and there's a lot more going on here than just a story about Vision getting his powers back. Now, let's talk about James Spader returning as Ultron because I have missed this character! James is perfect in this role. His delivery, his attitude, and the way he can go from funny to genuinely unsettling are just as good as I remember. The scenes between him and Paul Bettany in the first episode alone are fantastic. Their back-and-forth is easily one of my favorite parts of these episodes.
Vision only wants to interact with human avatars, which makes sense when you consider how much he's struggling to understand humanity. Meanwhile, J.A.R.V.I.S. starts warning him about something going on with a data leak. Things take a turn when Fiona is shot and killed at the bar. Vision is attacked by a team working for Paladin, played by Todd Stashwick. Even Paladin isn't happy that his men killed a civilian, but that doesn't mean he's about to stop what he's doing.
We get our first major action sequence, and things start moving pretty quickly from there. Paladin and his tech specialist, the Handler, are digging through the Westview files to track Vision down. Their investigation leads them to London, where we meet Thomas Shepherd, played by Ruaridh Mollica, and Lisa Molinari, played by Lauren Morais. Thomas is a pickpocket and a conman, while Lisa is Coat of Arms, a character from Marvel Comics.
The two see a news report about Vision's attack, and Thomas starts experiencing memories that he can't explain. Paladin wastes no time kidnapping him and sending Vision a message designed specifically to get his attention. Friday and J.A.R.V.I.S. tell Vision that he shouldn't go, but he insists. That's when Paladin reveals that Vision isn't made of vibranium, can't phase through things, and can't shoot lasers. But he does have Vision's son.
Yeah, that definitely gets Vision's attention. He can't understand how Thomas could possibly be his son, and Ultron, being Ultron, can't resist making a joke about the whole situation.
Episode 2
The second episode gives us more of Thomas's backstory, and this is where the connections to Agatha All Along really start coming together. Thomas explains that he drowned and, when he came back, it felt like a bolt of lightning hit him. His story is very similar to Billy's, who ended up inhabiting the body of a recently deceased teenager. Thomas eventually winds up in a psychiatric facility, where he meets Lisa.
They're being transported to St. Maben's when Thomas comes to the defense of another inmate and gets shocked by one of the correctional officers. His powers activate, and he shocks the officer in return. Lisa tries stealing the keys, but the guy has a spare set. Thomas then uses his powers to vibrate the door so fast that the hinges fall off, and the two make their escape.
I also like that we learn this Paladin isn't necessarily the original Paladin. It's a title that's been passed down through a long line of people. He genuinely believes that what he's doing is right, and that makes his character a little more interesting. He's not just doing this for the sake of being evil. He believes in the mission, even if his methods are messed up.
Back in the mindscape, J.A.R.V.I.S. pulls up Thomas's psychological evaluation, and the things Thomas says are very familiar to anyone who watched Agatha All Along. He describes Vision as a demon with kind eyes and Wanda as having very sad eyes. He also says, "Grief is just love persevering."
That line immediately takes me back to WandaVision, and I love how this series continues to build on what came before it.
Vision eventually meets Paladin in a makeshift pub. Paladin tries to intimidate him, but Vision has already run through every possible scenario in his head. He tells Paladin that he doesn't really care about Thomas Shepherd. Paladin doesn't buy it and threatens to leave Thomas in that horrible facility until he dies.
Vision calls his bluff, grabs him, and throws him to the ground. Meanwhile, Paladin's mysterious benefactor is getting impatient, so whatever this whole operation is about, there's clearly a bigger plan at work. Vision goes back to Ultron because he's frustrated and doesn't know what to do. He seems to view Ultron as a father figure, which is an interesting dynamic considering their history. Vision has all these memories of his previous life, but he can't feel what that version of himself felt. He wants to understand what it's like to be him, and he just can't get there.
J.A.R.V.I.S. warns him that his emotions could get him killed, and we get a look at a painting that appears to depict Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch. Another nice little Marvel Comics reference. Vision finally heads to the psychiatric facility to rescue Thomas, and I love how he introduces himself: "Hello, my name is Vision, and I am here for the trap."
He walks right into a place full of people who somehow think they can take him down with guns, despite the fact that he's made of adamantium. The A.I.s help guide him through the facility, and Vision makes quick work of the guards.
Of course, things don't go as planned when he finally reaches Thomas. Thomas thinks Vision is all in his head, and it turns out the entire room is a trap. It's an electromagnetic pulse cage that starts destabilizing Vision and gives Ultron the opportunity to escape.
Paladin shows up again, this time with adamantium rounds, and actually manages to injure Vision. That's a pretty big deal considering what Vision is made of. Vision manages to knock Paladin out and escape with Thomas, but he tells him to run and get as far away as possible. Thomas refuses to leave him behind, even with Paladin's men coming after them.
With Vision dying, the other A.I.s are dying alongside him. Ultron suggests that one of them needs to make a sacrifice, and J.A.R.V.I.S. ends up deleting his own code to give the others all his processing power. That was a pretty big moment. Ultron even admits that J.A.R.V.I.S. wasn't his first choice, but acknowledges that he was a good guy. Coming from Ultron, that's something.
Thankfully, Thomas returns with a stolen car and gets back to Vision just in time. Overall, I'm really enjoying Vision Quest so far. The character work and dialogue are great, and Paul Bettany and James Spader are absolutely killing it. I love the dynamic between Vision and Ultron, and I'm interested to see how their relationship develops as the story continues.
What I appreciate most is that the show isn't rushing through Vision's struggle. He's trying to figure out who he is without the feelings and connections that once made him who he was. He remembers Wanda, he remembers his old life, but that doesn't mean he knows how to move forward.
The connections to WandaVision and Agatha All Along are also working for me. We're getting more answers about Thomas, and I'm curious to see where his story goes from here. Paladin's mysterious benefactor is another big question mark, and with Ultron now having a chance to escape, things are about to get even more interesting.
These first two episodes have me hooked. I got the Vision story I wanted, the action is solid, the A.I.s are fun to watch, and James Spader's return as Ultron is a huge highlight.
I'm ready to see where this goes next.
What did you think?
Loved it
Hated it
So/So
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