VisionQuest, the final installment in the WandaVision trilogy, is coming to a close, but not before Paul Bettany outdoes himself one more time. His acting on VisionQuest has been phenomenal with last week’s episode showing Vision finally accepting his grief and break down over the loss of not only Wanda but of Tommy and Billy. Not only that, Bettany stepped into the roles of J.I.M and Dr. Phineas Horton, creator of J.I.M. Even as the show’s become increasingly about duplicates — Bettany wasn’t the only actor playing multiple roles in episode seven given the reveal of the Client played by James Spader — Bettany still stands out.
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He’s opened up recently about his role as Vision and wanting to continue with the role. Bettany has definitely pushed himself with VisionQuest, especially in working closely with his stunt double for Episode 7 and the multiple characters he was playing. It’d be interesting to see what’s next for the character, especially as he could be vital to addressing a major gap in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Elder Statesman
The Vision, now more than ever, is a hero with experience. He’s not only seen the aftermath of battles in both Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War, but also the overwhelming effect that grief has on people through both Wanda’s actions and his own avoidance. Through VisionQuest, he loses Jarvis, and the hope of a reformed Ultron, somebody he can’t help but see as a Father even though Ultron hardly acts like one. Despite immense obstacles thrown his way, and tiresome teenagers to deal with, Vision has kept calm and handled every situation without too many missteps.
Despite his programming, he isn’t prepared for every situation, but it hardly stops him from trying. This is especially true now that he’s accepted his grief. There’s no longer the roadblock of the other Vision not being him. It was simultaneously him and not him, and Vision accepted that.
As evidenced by his budding connection with Tommy, along with his interactions with the various Stark AIs, Vision is ready to lead. A leap from even seven episodes ago, Vision is no longer avoiding responsibility and trying to choose isolation. No, he wants to be Tommy’s father, even if that means making a difficult choice in order to protect him.
A Mentor Figure for the Young Avengers
If Marvel chooses to keep Bettany on, the perfect spot for him — and a logical follow-up to his journey in VisionQuest — would be to look after the Young Avengers. The Young Avengers has been teased in the MCU for a while now with uncertainty as to when the team will actually assemble. Key members of the team have been introduced in the MCU in various projects — Kate Bishop in Hawkeye, Billy Maximoff in Wanda All Along, Cassie Lang in the Ant-Man films, America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Tommy Shepherd in VisionQuest — but have yet to cross paths.
If the teaser for next week’s episode is anything to go by, two members will likely meet very soon. With the show’s emphasis on family, and Tommy’s reaction in the finale teaser, it’s a real possibility for the brothers to finally meet post Westview. Reuniting the Maximoff boys would be a major step for the MCU and would usher in an exciting new era.
Whether it’s the Young Avengers, Champions, or an amalgamation of the two, Vision would be a perfect mentor. He’s already got that connection with Tommy, and surely could build up a similar rapport with his other son. In the 2015 run of Champions, Vision worked to find a middle ground between hovering and parental responsibility towards his daughter Viv, and a similar arc could be feasible for him next in the MCU. It’d make sense if he felt guilt for not going after his sons sooner, especially given where audiences find him at the start of VisionQuest, very much hiding out in the pub.
With Avengers: Doomsday and then Secret Wars on the horizon, the MCU is headed for a new status quo, if not a complete reboot. This change in status quo will likely focus on a new cast, especially with a shift towards mutants and the X-Men. Still, the Avengers will likely play a role in one form or another, and it would be a waste to lose Bettany after VisionQuest showed us all that he can do as an actor, and as the Vision.
What’s next for the Vision? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
