Marvel’s Wandavision recently gave fans a glimpse of what to expect from the upcoming Disney+ show - and it’s fair to say people were impressed. The footage shown at the Super Bowl but was brief but tantalizing, certainly doing enough to whip up hype and excitement for the show starring two of everybody’s favorite MCU people.
Vision will be making a return and we’re curious to see how, particularly given his death in Infinity War. We now take a look at the character’s best moments in the franchise so far.
His Creation
Vision is kind of the lovechild of both Tony Stark and Ultron, being created in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. In that movie the Avengers are charged with the task of stopping the cyborg from destroying Earth and, at one stage, they look like they’re heading for defeat.
Ultron creates a new stronger body for himself with some help from Doctor Helen Cho but, before he can put his twisted mechanical mind into it, he’s forced to flee. It’s an adrenaline-fuelled scene and one that paves the way for Vision to not just exist, but exist of his own free will, with Paul Bettany’s character not warped by the past.
Reasoning With The Avengers
When Vision is created, the Avengers have no idea what to expect. However, he leaves them all taken aback when he insists he doesn’t share Ultron’s evil plans for the world and, rather than siding with his creator, chooses to join the heroes in the fight against him.
Bettany’s calm, measured voice has a brilliant effect here with Vision resonating calm amid a blockbuster of chaos. It shows that he’s far superior to Ultron (at least intellectually) and that he’s willing to do what’s right for the sake of the planet in stark contrast to the man behind his existence.
Taking Thor’s Hammer
Early in Age of Ultron, there’s a comedic moment where members of the Avengers team chance their arm at lifting Thor’s hammer. If they do it, they’re worthy enough to wield Mjolnir and rule Asgard. Everybody fails including Captain America, who would go on to use the iconic weapon in Avengers: Endgame.
Yet Vision picks it up without a second thought later on, leaving Thor and the rest of the team stunned. So stunned, in fact, that nobody is even able to mock the God of Thunder over the fact he’s not the only one capable of summoning its power any more.
Vision And Ultron’s Final Showdown
Towards the end of Age of Ultron, having been defeated, Ultron and Vision share a moment. They talk about the world, how they see it and what the future may hold for it. Vision, being the nice cyborg that he is, even offers the villain a shot at redemption.
But when Paul Bettany’s character is turned down, Vision wastes no time in destroying him once and for all. That he demonstrated such deep feelings of sympathy, balance and understanding shows that he’s got the skills required in order to join the Avengers team going forward…
Joining The Team
And joining the team is exactly what Vision does at the end of that blockbuster, with the red-bodied cyborg part of a ’new Avengers’ who end the movie taking orders from the authoritative Captain America.
It’s really cool and exciting to see not just Vision, but Scarlet Witch and Sam Wilson standing in the hanger at Avengers HQ as well. Previously, the team had consisted of Cap, Iron Man, Hawkeye,Black Widow and the Incredible Hulk. Now, however, fans had something fresh to look forward to.
Fighting Scarlet Witch
The next time we see Vision is in 2016’s Civil War, and it’s clear that he and Scarlet Witch are beginning to click (despite their biological shortcomings as a couple). However, as the Avengers turn against each other following the introduction of the Sokovia accords, it leads to division within the team.
Vision pleads with Scarlet Witch to lie low as Captain America and Iron Man fight, particularly given how she’d accidentally killed many people on Asgard earlier in the blockbuster. However, Elizabeth Olsen’s character doesn’t heed his words and a fight breaks out, ending with Vision being sent flying deep underground and trapped. It’s one that highlights that, though he’s powerful, he can still be beaten by the right opponent.
The James Rhodes Incident
Vision ends up joining the fight after all, siding against Scarlet Witch with Iron Man instead of rallying alongside Captain America.
Falcon, Tony Stark and James Rhodes are all involved in a action-sequence in the air when Vision uses his powerful beam to send a bolt of energy in their direction. Tragically it hits Rhodes, who ends up falling hundreds of feet and suffering paralysis to his legs - which is still the case four years on from the movie’s release. You feel genuine sadness for Paul Bettany’s character, particularly given how he had the best interests at heart.
Normal Life
You would think it would be difficult for Vision to live a normal life. After all, being red and having a huge yellow stone encrusted into your forehead isn’t something you see on your everyday trip to Walmart and is sure to get you quite some attention. And, given the girl you love is human, that romantic link looks unlikely.
How wrong we were. The early moments of 2018’s Infinity War show he has evolved, now being capable of taking on human form (even with the gem still in his forehead). It’s insane to think he’s able to live a normal life and, to make things even sweeter, he and Wanda Maximoff are established as a couple at this point.
Being Protected
Vision is vital in Infinity War and, with Thanos determined to get to the cyborg so he can get the Mind Stone, Paul Bettany’s character needs protecting. And this means that he’s actually the reason for the whole Battle of Wakanda sequence, which takes place after Black Panther offers him refuge and help.
He even ends up joining the fight against the Mad Titan, despite being wounded earlier on in the movie. And that’s when he pleads with Wanda Maximoff to do what’s needed…
His Death
There had been many emotional MCU deaths prior to Vision’s demise in Infinity War - but, at the time, this was easily the saddest thing the franchise had done.
It’s gut-wrenching seeing Wanda use her powers to destroy both him and the stone inside his head, with Elizabeth Olsen nailing the feelings of grief and sadness. What’s even sadder, however, is that it all roves to be in vain. Thanos using the time stone to bring Vision back before murdering him in the most brutal way possible, tearing the stone from his head and throwing the character’s body to the floor as if he’s trash.
