Vision sees a path to peace
Ultron: “You’re unbearably naïve.”
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Vision: “Well…I was born yesterday.”
A gang is unloading boxes from a barge. The boxes are filled with military grade weapons and drugs that will make a killing on the street. A gang member screams. The rest of the crew rush over and find him unconscious. They hear a noise above and see a box of weapons flying at them. The box flattens most of the goons and breaks open on the ground.
The last gang member standing grabs a rifle and searches for the attacker. He sees hints of green and flashes of yellow, but can’t get a bead on his quarry. He turns around as something with red skin walks through a wall. The gangster fires, but his bullets seem harmless. The creature phases his arm though the criminal, who is electrocuted. The Vision restrains the gang and flies away.
The Vision is one of Marvel’s strangest heroes. He’s made from parts of two different heroes and was created by one of Marvel’s deadliest villains. So who is he? Where did he come from? Does this android dream of electric sheep? Let’s find out.
Avenging Android: The Vision’s Backstory
The Vision: “Subject: Wasp, you will tell me the shield’s current location.”
Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes “Behold… The Vision!” (Season 2, Episode 14)
The Wasp: “What? Who are you?”
The Vision: “I am my master’s vision of the future. You have ten seconds to respond or I will terminate your existence.”
The Vision debuted in The Avengers #57 in 1968. He was created by Roy Thomas and Stan Lee. They were inspired by the sci-fi serial Adam Link and drawn to resemble Leonard Nimoy.
The mad machine Ultron wanted to murder his “father” Ant-Man. Ultron combined the body of an android called the Human Torch with the brain patterns of the deceased Avenger Wonder Man to create The Vision.
The Vision was ordered to murder The Avengers, but failed. He was convinced to join the team and helped defeat Ultron. He soon fell in love with his teammate the Scarlet Witch and married her.
The newlyweds had children despite Vision being an android. They soon learned that Wanda had accidentally stolen magic from the demon Mephisto to create the kids. Mephisto took back his power, killing the kids in the process and causing Scarlet Witch to suffer a mental breakdown. The distraught parents decide to separate.
Reprogrammed: The Vision’s History
The Vision: “Maybe I am a monster … I don’t think I would know if I were one. I’m not what you are, and not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me. [casually hands Thor Mjölnir] But we need to go.”
Avengers: Age of Ultron
The Scarlet Witch went insane and used her powers to turn The Vision against The Avengers. She forced Vision to attack them with an army of Ultron drones, leading a berserk She-Hulk to destroy him.
A rebuilt Vision with his memory intact sought revenge on his ex-wife until Captain America and Magneto convinced him to move on. He built an android family and retired, hoping to experience a normal life for a superhero android.
The normality didn’t last. Vision’s son was accidentally killed by his uncle Victor of The Runaways, another of Ultron’s creations that rebelled. Vision’s wife killed Victor and committed suicide, leaving him to raise his daughter Viv alone.
Synthetic Superhero: The Vision’s Powers and Personality
Captain Marvel: “Sorry, robot. You break the law, I break you.”
Avengers: EMH “Ultron Unlimited” (Season 2 Episode 17)
The Vision: “Each statement you just made is incorrect. I am not a robot, and you cannot break [phases through her] what you cannot touch.”
The Vision has superhuman strength, speed, durability, and can process information like a supercomputer. Mostly because he isn’t human. Vision calls himself a “Synthezoid”, but is functionally an android.
Vision has a Solar Jewel embedded in his forehead that absorbs energy. He uses this energy to shoot laser beams from his eyes and can use his jewel to enhance its power. He can also become stronger and more durable by altering his mass. He reduces his mass to phase through objects or fly.
Like Spock, Vision is extremely logical. He joined the Avengers because he decided Ultron was acting illogically, but stayed because he grew to care for the team. His emotions have caused problems, but have also saved the world many times. In one notable example, He was able to break free from HYDRA’s reprogramming to save his daughter Viv.
The Actors who play The Vision
Ron Rubin – The Avengers: United They Stand
Peter Jessop – Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
David Kaye – Avengers Assemble
Paul Bettany – Avengers: Age of Ultron, WandaVision, What If?, more
Didya Get All That?
An android superhero with a friggin weird family tree.
Jared Bounacos has written for Movie Rewind since 2016.
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