VisionQuest Episodes 5 & 6 Review: Ultron Takes Control and Marvel Brings Back a Familiar Face

Episode 5: Firewall

It’s fitting that Ultron is now in control of Vision’s body, considering Ultron originally created Vision’s body for himself all those years ago. Now that he has the keys, he isn’t wasting any time doing things his own way. Ultron traps all the AIs in the attic, and F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Orla Brady) makes a good point when she asks what they expected. Ultron is never going to change, and they were the ones who gave him full control. It’s hard to argue with her there!

Ultron locks them out of Vision’s real-time sensors, meaning they can’t see what he’s doing in the outside world. E.D.I.T.H. (Emily Hampshire) comes up with a plan to access his short-term memory functions, which is their only real option. Thankfully, the plan works, and they manage to track him down to a local pub where he has taken Thomas (Ruaridh Mollica).

D.U.M.-E. (Henry Lewis) and U. (Jonathan Sayer) figure out a way to listen in on the conversation, and I really liked how the episode shows the same situation from two different perspectives. We see Thomas talking to Vision, but we also see the conversation with Ultron in control. It’s a cool way to show the difference between these two characters and how differently they approach the same situation.

Thomas isn’t particularly interested in hearing what Ultron has to say. He asks why Vision saved him in the first place, especially considering how much he hates Ultron. Thomas even mentions the children in the Sokovian orphanage who were affected by Ultron’s actions. He has every reason to want nothing to do with him. But Thomas has one question that really matters to him: does Vision actually love him?

Ultron admits that Vision will never be what Thomas wants him to be, but he is trying. Thomas sees right through Ultron, though. He thinks Ultron is afraid, and while Vision is slowly figuring things out piece by piece, Ultron is the one who has no hope of changing. I thought that was an interesting exchange because Thomas seems to understand something about Ultron that Ultron himself refuses to acknowledge.

The memories the AIs are watching are about 20 hours old, and they uncover something else interesting. Ultron had actually been pen pals with Paladin (Todd Stashwick), emailing back and forth with him. We also see that Ultron met with Jocasta (T’Nia Miller), which raises even more questions about what he has been planning. One of the most interesting parts of the episode involves Katerina Wells (Mary McDonnell). At the gala, Ultron took a biometric scan of her, and we see him using that scan during a strange encounter with Jocasta. The two of them have a bizarre, almost flirtatious conversation, and E.D.I.T.H. makes it clear how uncomfortable she finds the whole thing. Honestly, I get it!

Ultron takes Jocasta into a Paris simulation so they can continue their conversation. Jocasta tries to remember things about herself, including random facts about crows and ravens. That connects back to her identity as the Butcher Bird Killer. She wants the key she has been after, but Ultron isn’t ready to give it to her yet.

They eventually decide to go somewhere of Jocasta’s choosing. Ultron seems to want to escape the situation, but he also appears genuinely interested in her. That makes their relationship even stranger because you never quite know whether he is manipulating her, connecting with her, or doing both. And once again, the dialogue is the best part of this show! I swear, I could listen to these characters talk for hours. Even when nothing particularly explosive is happening on screen, the conversations keep me interested.

Things take a turn when Ultron visits the attic, and what should have been a conversation turns into a prison call. He tells Vision that he needs to drop the firewall. If Vision refuses, Ultron will keep the other AIs trapped. He also has Thomas in Paladin’s prison, which means Vision has to make a decision. Vision doesn’t hesitate. He disables the firewall because getting Thomas back is more important than keeping Ultron out. Before doing so, Vision makes it clear that he will come after both Ultron and Thomas, no matter what they choose to do.

F.R.I.D.A.Y. runs out after him, while E.D.I.T.H. struggles to deal with everything that has happened. With Ultron finally gone from the driver’s seat, Vision can wake up again. The episode ends with Vision aboard a plane headed to rescue Thomas, and Lisa Molinari (Lauren Morais) is on her way there, too.

Episode 6: Deadlock

Episode 6 picks up with Ultron and Jocasta finally meeting now that he is free. Jocasta still wants the key, but Ultron reveals that he has intertwined Katerina Wells’ facial scan with his own code. As he explains this, he starts coughing violently. Jocasta is one step ahead of him, though, and reveals that she has infected him with a virus.

Ultron refuses to let that slow him down. He explains that his code is older, and his hacks have hacks. I love that line because it perfectly captures how dangerous Ultron is. He has been around long enough to know how these systems work, and he always seems to have another trick up his sleeve. There is also something interesting happening between these two. Ultron wants to know Jocasta, and she wants to be known, too, but she warns him that it will be painful. Their connection is strange, but it’s becoming one of the more intriguing parts of the story.

Meanwhile, Thomas wakes up in Paladin’s custody in Madripoor. He has a bandage on his arm, and Paladin claims he has planted a bomb inside it. Vision and Lisa have also made it to Madripoor, and they’re trying to catch up with them. Vision tells Paladin that he could snap his neck, but Paladin knows better than to underestimate him. He claims that he has run simulations and knows Vision always has a backup plan. Paladin wants Vision to scan a sleep-mode code, but Vision refuses to cooperate or disarm the supposed bomb.

Things get even more interesting when Paladin’s assistant turns out to have been an AI the entire time. E.D.I.T.H. manages to get through to her, and the two have a heart-to-heart conversation. The assistant isn’t happy with her current accommodations, and E.D.I.T.H. convinces her to leave. Paladin, however, isn’t going to let that stop him. He knows plenty about Vision, including the truth about his original purpose. He tells Thomas that Vision was originally created to kill Wanda.

That revelation is a big deal because Thomas is still trying to understand who Vision really is and what their relationship means. It’s one thing to learn about Vision’s past from Vision himself, but hearing it from someone who is trying to manipulate him makes the situation even more complicated.

Meanwhile, Jocasta opens up to Ultron about her past. She explains how her father died from a disease she later inherited. She had worked to perfect the original AI code in an attempt to save lives, but by the time she succeeded, it was too late to save herself. Her work was stolen and eventually sold to Stark Industries.

This gives Jocasta more depth than simply being the villain chasing Vision. She has a personal history, and there is real pain behind what she has become. Her relationship with Ultron is still strange, but now we have a better understanding of why she wants what she wants.

Back with Vision and Thomas, Paladin continues trying to get inside Thomas’ head. Thomas isn’t dumb enough to fall for all of his mind games, though. He knows Vision didn’t keep the truth from him simply to protect him, and he wants answers.

Vision tries to explain things by telling a story about abandoning his daughter after the Blip and the return of everyone who had disappeared. That story sets both of them off, especially when Paladin starts threatening to cause accidents that could hurt his daughter.

Just when things seem like they couldn’t get any worse, Vision gets shot. But it wasn’t Paladin who pulled the trigger. It was Raza (Faran Tahir), the leader of the Ten Rings faction who kidnapped Tony Stark in the first Iron Man movie. I genuinely thought Raza was dead! Seeing him return was a surprise, and it immediately made me wonder how much bigger this situation really is. Clearly, Paladin isn’t the only person involved, and whoever is pulling the strings has resources that make this mission much more dangerous.

We also learn that Paladin never actually planted a bomb in Thomas’ arm. It was just lights, which makes the whole situation even more ridiculous. Unfortunately, Raza has a device that dampens Vision’s powers, leaving him in a vulnerable position.

Paladin is also badly injured, but Vision still manages to help him by cauterizing his wound. It’s an interesting moment because, despite everything Paladin has done, Vision still chooses to save him.

Thomas and Lisa then get into Paladin’s murder van, only to discover that it’s booby-trapped. They nearly suffocate before E.D.I.T.H. arrives in time to help them. Meanwhile, Jocasta and Ultron are trying to figure out who created her robotic body. At the same time, the power begins flickering everywhere. Vision and Paladin hear an ominous voice claiming responsibility for everything that has been happening. The mysterious figure offers Vision the heart and soul he has been searching for, but warns that if he refuses to surrender, they will come and take him.

Now we have another mystery to solve. Who is this person, and what exactly do they want with Vision? Vision and Paladin end up fighting the henchmen together, while Thomas and Lisa arrive in the murder van. E.D.I.T.H. tells them to use an EMP button, and the drones are finally deployed. We even get to see E.D.I.T.H. piloting them inside the mindscape, which is a fun way to bring the AIs into the action.

We also discover that F.R.I.D.A.Y. has been hiding in plain sight, posing as one of Jocasta’s AI assistants. I like that she has been working behind the scenes instead of simply sitting around waiting for someone to rescue her. Things get even crazier when Jocasta sends a nanite into Lisa, turning her into a synthezoid. Lisa then attacks Vision, but Billy manages to fry the nanite. It should buy them some time, although I doubt it will be enough to solve everything.

Ultron also stops Jocasta from using the nanite against Thomas. Not because he suddenly cares about Thomas, but because he knows Vision will come after her if she hurts him. Even when Ultron does something that looks helpful, there is usually another reason behind it. Thomas once again asks Vision about WandaVision, and Vision finally tells him the story. He explains that WandaVision was Wanda’s grief on display. I like that the series is taking the time to explain these events from Vision’s perspective while also giving Thomas a chance to understand the family he never really got to know.

Finally, Ultron and Jocasta continue bonding over their fake liquor, and the two share their first kiss. Yes, you read that right.

Somehow, this show has managed to give Ultron a romantic storyline, and I’m genuinely curious to see where it goes.

Final Thoughts

Episodes 5 and 6 continue to deliver the things I’ve been enjoying most about VisionQuest: the character work, the dialogue, the humor, and the connections to the larger Marvel universe. James Spader continues to be a highlight as Ultron. He can be funny, threatening, manipulative, and surprisingly thoughtful, sometimes all within the same conversation. Paul Bettany is also doing a great job showing Vision trying to figure out who he is while dealing with the consequences of giving Ultron control of his body.

I’m also enjoying Thomas’ growing relationship with Vision. He wants answers, and he isn’t afraid to challenge Vision when something doesn’t add up. Their conversations are becoming more meaningful as Thomas learns about Vision’s past, including the complicated history with Wanda. The return of Raza was another big surprise for me. I didn’t expect to see the character from Iron Man show up again, and his involvement makes me wonder how all these different pieces connect. Between Raza, Paladin, Jocasta, Ultron, and the mysterious voice threatening Vision, there is a lot going on.

What stands out most, though, is how the show keeps finding ways to make its AIs feel like actual characters. They have their own personalities, fears, relationships, and struggles. That’s what makes the conversations work so well, and it’s why I’m invested in what happens to them.

The ending of Episode 6 leaves us with plenty of questions. Who is really behind everything? What does this mysterious figure want with Vision? And what happens now that Ultron and Jocasta are getting closer?

I’m having a great time with VisionQuest so far. These episodes keep the story moving while giving the characters room to breathe, and I’m ready to see how everything comes together.

What did you think?

• Loved it
• Hated it
• So/So