VisionQuest is surprisingly good in the same way that WandaVision was. The latter was the first MCU show to premiere post-Endgame and was a really ambitious concept. A concept that worked incredibly well. VisionQuest follows the same formula in that it is a unique concept that was executed well and had a fantastic payoff. An entire show that focuses on the journey of “White Vision” discovering himself while bringing in Stark A.I.s in his mind palace and throwing Ultron in the mix? Really risky. And it WORKS. So well. For more on how the series builds on its predecessor, check out our piece on how VisionQuest takes WandaVision’s best parts and runs with them.
VisionQuest is the final show of the WandaVision, Agatha All Along trilogy, and this trilogy might rival the Captain America (Steve Rogers-centered) trilogy in execution. Having such phenomenal actors like Paul Bettany and James Spader work together works so well. They took what was a strange concept and absolutely brought life to it. For a show centered around artificial intelligence, it was probably the most human of any story we’ve seen in the MCU. And it has been really great seeing the show lean into the A.I./computer aspect of these characters, as opposed to just treating Vision like a superpowered android. Vision is not a human, nor is he an organic being; and yet his journey in processing his grief and re-finding himself within his family has been one of the most relatable stories we’ve seen in this universe. You can also read our earlier coverage of how VisionQuest reportedly sets up Marvel’s Children’s Crusade.
Finale Standouts
The fun thing about this show is that you care about the other characters outside of Vision and his story. Tommy declaring himself Tommy Maximoff actually gave me chills and it is a cool display of speedster powers. Seeing him come in to help save Vision, along with Lisa and Paladin, was very cool, and an earned moment as opposed to randomly thrown in. We’ve seen Vision deny Tommy as his son and Tommy not understanding who Vision is to him, and now see them embracing each other as family – along with Billy! The twins have reunited with their dad and it’s a great feeling all around.
The finale was full of satisfying moments. Because the show had successfully built up Ultron’s return, his participation within the family was incredibly satisfying – both in the physical and virtual world. Watching him kill Virgil was both shocking and satisfying because it felt like finally, he’s back. We’re not going to say that Age of Ultron didn’t show how powerful Ultron is, but VisionQuest expanded on that, and has made him a threat that can rival Thanos.
What was very cool, as a means of bookending the trilogy, was bringing back the WandaVision set/feel and calling it UltronVision. Very cute – we see you. Of course, Ultron takes control immediately and instead of it becoming a means of trapping Ultron, it becomes Ultron’s way of inflicting pain on Vision and the people he cares about. He even killed the studio audience! It was kind of refreshing to see how this show got dark a few times. There were times when it felt like Ultron may actually win and when you get that feeling, you know that the writers were doing something right. For more on the earlier episodes, see our review of VisionQuest Episodes 3 & 4.
Spoilers
Ultimately, Vision and Ultron ended with a philosophical conversation, which mirrors their last interaction in Age of Ultron. The finale was a great mixture of fun, dread, excitement, and the yearning for more. It was well-thought-out, great writing that contained genuine twists, and actors who really brought their best to their roles. And now, Ultron is out in the world using nanotech – surely, this cannot be the last time we see him, right?
Of course, we have to talk about that post-credit scene because um…WANDA IS BACK!? Ooo we knew this show was put out before Doomsday for a reason! We have Vision reunited with Billy and Tommy and now we know Wanda is alive. What does this mean for Doomsday? And what will Dr. Doom will do with Wanda’s powers? An incredible post-credit scene and a finale that gave us a sense of excitement that was very much needed after years of stagnation from Marvel.
A girl with too many fandoms to count.