Being a fan of the illustrious Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) requires enormous patience and trust. Patience to see pieces of the larger puzzle fit together and trust that creators will guide their beloved characters on the arcs they deserve. Taking the reins of an MCU project requires strong will and respect. Strong will in tackling these larger-than-life heroes and respect for the stories that came before. Showrunner Terry Matalas leads the first two episodes of the latest Marvel Television show VisionQuest with precisely that, guiding everyone’s favorite humanoid in an exploration of his identity, grief and family.

Casting our minds back to Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Paul Bettany’s Vision has been on quite the journey. The series begins where we left White Vision in WandaVision (TV Mini Series 2021), fleeing far from his makers at S.W.O.R.D. and committing himself to a life in hiding. With all his predecessors’ memories but no feeling attached to them, he is lost and struggles to determine his true identity. Aided by Tony Stark’s AI accomplices, uploaded over the years into his quantum processors, and the mysterious Thomas Shephard (Ruaridh Mollica), he seeks to make sense of who he is.

Hollow, spiteful and purposeless – Bettany reinvents what it means to be Vision. Detaching himself from the self-righteous, hopeful persona built up over time, he leans into cynicism and disdain towards what it means to simply feel. Bettany reminds us that we are not dealing with the same character we’ve grown with and shakes it up. The irritability and frustration in his delivery perfectly set up the arc he begins to embark on in the show.

The opener mildly disappoints due to the over-emphasis on exposition recounting Vision’s entire history from inception to death to rebirth. While it is a vital lifeline to the themes that the show wants to get stuck into, Matalas’ incessant hammering home of his past becomes less like a concise refresher and more like a droning, repetitive alert pop-up. Given the track record of the fandom, we are up to date, so subtlety goes a long way.

Bringing back the voices and beloved characters of J.A.R.V.I.S. (James D’Arcy), F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Orla Brady) and E.D.I.T.H. (Emily Hampshire) in live-action form is a great, non-overbearing addition of fan service. All (much like an SQL query) inject sincerity and liveliness to the angsty gloom enclouding Vision. Getting to see the actors in the flesh rather than just their voices is a beautiful homage in itself to the integral roles they have played in the universe to date.

Matalas’ dialogue between the AI entities was by far the most entertaining part of the two episodes. The older the superintelligence model is, the more eloquent their dialogue becomes. Technical terminology littered their conversations; words like “bandwidth,” “computation,” and “protocols” definitely brought out chuckles. The intentional, intricate incorporations into the lines add depth to each software in what could otherwise be a binary experience.

Returning after 11 years, James Spader’s Ultron returns in a triumphant manner. With snarky, snappy remarks, he steals the limelight in every scene he is in. His character is the textbook definition of an antithesis which is why bringing him back for this show makes sense, challenging Bettany’s Vision at any given moment. Surprisingly, Spader balances his “wise-guy” image with warm humanity which is out of character for the human-hating, killer robot. By finding an almost poetic appreciation for the art humans create, two episodes in he already adds complex layers to a sorely missed character. 

Taking creative inspiration from phenomenal sets on WandaVision, production designer Will Hughes-Jones goes to town on the set details scattered in the background. The firewall canned food and physical data leaks – creativity radiates and excels in the production design. Practical world-building that wonderfully sucks you into the mind of Vision.

Episode two shines a spotlight on the enigmatic Thomas who has unknown ties with Vision. The moment he graces the screen, you are pulled in by his magnetic charisma as well as the honest melancholy and frustration of his own muddled memories. There is such an immediate poignancy and vulnerability to Thomas, a promising performance that is on the trajectory of putting Mollica’s name on the map.

VisionQuest is a strong start to the conclusion of Wanda and Vision’s trilogy. Setting the stage for what could be one of the most emotionally tangible Marvel Television shows yet, the first two episodes provide a tease into a story we so desperately want to see more of. If we keep the beautiful attention to detail in dialogue in addition to production design, the meaningful character development in our leading cast and the continual focus on family, the series will be a pure delight.

Review Courtesy of Nandita Joshi

Feature Image Credit to Marvel