Marvel is about to retcon Avengers: Age of Ultron. Showrunner Terry Matalas says the villain James Spader plays in the upcoming Disney+ series VisionQuest was not killed at the end of that movie — he was backed up instead.
Matalas revealed the twist during ScreenRant‘s VisionQuest set visit, where he showed attending press what the crew was filming that day. The showrunner explained that Vision did not end Ultron’s existence. Instead, he backed him up, preserving the AI’s code.
Vision’s New Job
The series follows Vision after he has been living in the world for a few years. Matalas described the hero as less in touch with his humanity and his past than he would like to be. During the day, Vision looks human and works at a pub. At night, he closes the doors of the freezers to cool down his systems and retreats into his mind.
In that mental space, Vision has created a strange house called Mindspace. Inside it, he has rescued several AIs from the Stark compound, including Friday, EDITH, Dum-E, U, and an older form of Jarvis, whose code Vision is based on.
Ultron’s New Perspective
Matalas said Ultron is not quite the guy he used to be. He has come around a little bit on humanity and has devoured our culture and art. The showrunner claimed Ultron has a better perspective on humanity than even Vision does.
Viewers should not expect the exact same character they met in 2015. Matalas stressed that the Ultron in VisionQuest is different.
A Bounty Hunter and a Son
The show also introduces a bounty hunter hired to track Vision down. Matalas said the hunter is chasing Vision, but the reason is unknown. That hunt leads to the discovery of Tommy Shepherd, the recipient of Tommy’s soul.
This continues the plot point from Agatha All Along, where Billy Maximoff was able to get Tommy’s soul sent to Thomas Shepherd. VisionQuest picks up that thread directly.
The Twist Changes Everything
The retcon means the MCU timeline has changed. In Age of Ultron, Ultron was not supposed to be dead. Now he is alive again, backed up in a New York loft-like prison.
Matalas said Vision always felt he did not want to kill Ultron and showed mercy instead. That choice has consequences for the show and for the larger MCU.
Comparing the Old and New Ultrons
| Age of Ultron | VisionQuest | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Killed | Backed up |
| Perspective | Villainous | Better than Vision’s |
| Relationship with Vision | Enemy | Company on an identity quest |
| Appearance | Dead | Alive in a prison |
What Comes Next
The series explores Vision’s search for his humanity and his relationship with the AIs he rescued. It also delves into the mystery of the bounty hunter and the discovery of Tommy Shepherd.
Matalas’s comments suggest the show will treat Ultron as a character who has changed.
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