Marvel fans, the wait is over. VisionQuest, the last chapter of the story that began with WandaVision, is landing on Disney+ today and tomorrow on JioHotstar. Paul Bettany is back as Vision, and this time he is carrying a whole lot of baggage, including a few very chatty AI voices inside his own head.
When does VisionQuest come out?
The show was first planned for Wednesday, October 14, but Marvel moved it up by a day. The first two episodes arrive on Tuesday, October 13, and new episodes will drop every Tuesday after that at 6 PM PT, which is 9 PM ET. There are eight episodes in total, one less than WandaVision and Agatha All Along had.
Here is the full rollout:
- October 13: Episode 1, “No Strings,” and Episode 2, “Theseus”
- October 20: Episode 3, “Reboot,” and Episode 4, “Malware”
- October 27: Episode 5, “Firewall,” and Episode 6, “Deadlock”
- November 3: Episode 7, “Immolation”
- November 10: Episode 8, “Forever”
What is the story about?
The series picks up some time after WandaVision. This is the newer version of Vision, the one built by S.W.O.R.D., who got the old Vision’s memories back at the end of that show. The problem is that he has the memories but not the feelings that go with them, so he is still trying to figure out who he really is.
When we meet him, he has been living in hiding for years, disguised as a human and working at a pub. To cope, he goes into his own mind, where the AI personas built into his programming show up as people. He talks to F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H. and J.A.R.V.I.S., and also to Ultron, who now spends his days painting and, according to James Spader, shares a “father-son therapist psychopath” bond with Vision.
Then things go wrong. A bounty is placed on Vision’s head, and he is forced to run with a mysterious teenager named Thomas Shepherd. Fans of Agatha All Along will remember that Thomas’s body now holds the soul of Tommy, Vision’s son. So Vision has to find out what is really going on with the boy while also dodging capture and resisting Ultron’s influence.
Who is in the cast?
Bettany leads the show, with James Spader as Ultron and Ruaridh Mollica as Tommy. Todd Stashwick plays Paladin, a bounty hunter with a mysterious past who is chasing Vision. T’Nia Miller is Jocasta, an android driven by revenge, and Lauren Morais plays Lisa Molinari, Tommy’s partner in crime.
The AI crew is a real treat for longtime fans. Orla Brady returns as F.R.I.D.A.Y. in person this time, Emily Hampshire is E.D.I.T.H., and James D’Arcy plays J.A.R.V.I.S. Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer appear as the workshop robots D.U.M.E. and U. Faran Tahir also returns as Raza, the Ten Rings leader from the very first Iron Man.
Where does it fit in the MCU?
VisionQuest is part of Phase Six, which means it is also helping set the table for what comes next. If you want a taste of where Marvel is heading, our Avengers: Doomsday trailer breakdown covers eight hidden details you may have missed. And for more MCU setup, our explainer on the Spider-Man: Brand New Day post credits scene looks at the leak, the reactions, and what it could mean.
If you finish the week’s episodes and want something completely different, there is Hunting Gary Glitter on Netflix, which follows the journalists and survivors who chased a fugitive across the world. It is a much heavier watch, but a gripping one.
Will there be a season 2?
Most likely not. The show was built to close out the story that WandaVision started, so Vision’s own journey looks like it is wrapping up here. Marvel rarely closes a door completely, though, and Tommy will almost certainly show up again, especially since he still has a brother to reunite with.
For now, the first two episodes are ready to stream, and the quest for Vision’s identity starts tonight.