After years of being a part of someone else’s story, it’s Vision’s turn to figure out who he is in Marvel’s VisionQuest.

It’s been five years since WandaVision graced our screens as the first Marvel Disney+ show, becoming a global phenomenon. With a unique concept and weekly theories, it was a show that connected fans across the world, as well as introducing a new audience to the MCU. Three years later, we got Agatha All Along, showing us what became of Agatha and one of Wanda’s children, Billy Maximoff. Now, VisionQuest is closing out the WandaVision trilogy, as we find out what becomes of Vision after the White Vision regains his memories and flies off into the sky.

The show finds Vision (Paul Bettany) in hiding, having escaped those who sought to weaponise him, as he searches for meaning in the human world. Looking for support, he turns to the AI personas embedded in his programming, including Jarvis (James D’Arcy), E.D.I.T.H.(Emily Hampshire), F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Orla Brady) and the infamous Ultron (James Spader). They all live in Vision’s ‘mindspace’, aptly named Vision Mansion, a beautifully designed and pristinely kept mansion where each AI must appear with their human avatar. It serves as a haven for them all, as Vision continues to grapple with his identity and memories with the support of the others.

Interestingly, it is not dissimilar to what his old partner did in WandaVision, just without the extra element of keeping a whole town hostage. It’s a coping mechanism for Vision, who starts the show asking, ‘Who am I?’ He returns to work at the pub in Edinburgh he once visited with Wanda, desperately trying to regain the feelings associated with the previous Vision’s experiences, whilst constantly reminding himself that he is not the same person.

But everything is about to change, as Vision’s peaceful yet monotonous existence is halted when a large bounty is put on his head, forcing him to go on the run with the mysterious Thomas Sheppard (Ruaridh Mollica). Thomas is a boy who has somehow gained the memories of Tommy Maximoff, Vision’s son, who disappeared when Wanda undid the hex. As Vision evades capture, he is forced to confront his own nature, resist Ultron’s influence and navigate his relationship with the mysterious boy who claims to be his son.

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One of the biggest delights of VisionQuest is seeing Bettany return to a character he has played for so many years, but now in a very different position from the last time we saw him. Without Wanda or the Avengers, Vision is alone. Although his memories are back, that doesn’t mean he understands who he is yet, and potentially helping him work through this is Ultron, in his first MCU appearance in over a decade. The show immediately explores their complicated father-son and frenemies dynamic, whilst Spader’s Ultron humorously pushes Vision in what he believes is the right direction. It’s hard to tell, after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, whether he has Vision’s best interests at heart, but it is a real joy to see him back on screen.

Joining the beloved cast is Mollica, who steals the show as a troubled teen with no family who believes his memories of his red robotic father and witchy mother must be a form of psychosis. From his introduction, Mollica shines, playing the multifaceted role perfectly as his dynamic with Vision begins to develop.

VisionQuest is an absolute feast for the eyes, with gorgeous colouring, an incredible supporting cast and plenty of nods to WandaVision. Fans of the original series will not be disappointed, as the show builds on what came before whilst carving out its own identity. There are little reminders of the series that started it all, both in its exploration of grief and identity and in the way Vision tries to make sense of a life that no longer feels like his own. These connections make the show feel like a natural continuation and conclusion to the trilogy, whilst still giving Vision the space to finally live out his own story.

★★★★★

First two episodes debut 14th October on Disney+ (Episodes viewed 1-2) / Paul Bettany, James Spader, Ruaridh Mollica, Orla Brady, Diane Morgan, Emily Hampshire, James D’Arcy / Marvel / Created by Terry Matalas