An explanation for how Ultron can make his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be found in the latest Marvel comic. Ultron, voiced by James Spader, was the primary villain in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. He met an untimely end at the hands of his “son” Vision, but the robotic antagonist may be on the verge of a comeback. Marvel’s rumored Vision series for Disney+ is reportedly bringing Ultron back from the dead. How that happens is anyone’s guess, but the newest issue of West Coast Avengers perfectly lays out a scenario where it could also happen in the MCU. WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for West Coast Avengers #1. Continue reading at your own risk!
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West Coast Avengers #1 comes from the creative team of Gerry Duggan, Danny Kim, Arthur Hesli, and VC’s Joe Caramagna. It follows Duggan’s works on Invincible Iron Man and X-Men, with Tony Stark and War Machine restarting the West Coast Avengers to help rehabilitate bad guys. Among the villains on the roster of West Coast Avengers are the new character Blue Bolt and the one and only Ultron. There appears to be some mystery behind how Iron Man and War Machine were able to talk Ultron into joining an Avengers team, but that’s a mystery for another day. The main focus is Ultron as an Avenger, and all of the ramifications that come with it.
Will we see a reformed Ultron in the MCU?
West Coast Avengers lays out a pretty compelling blueprint for how Ultron can make his return to the MCU. Of course, it’s not a perfect case since Tony Stark is currently dead and James Rhodes was revealed to be a Skrull in Secret Invasion, but you get the point. Ultron being artificial intelligence brought to life is another way he can make a comeback. As the Terminator movies have constantly proven to us over the years, never underestimate the threat of A.I.
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Can you imagine seeing Ultron standing side-by-side with Vision and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as they stand up to the villainous Doctor Doom, who so happens to be Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr.? Marvel fans would lose their minds at the sight! A lot depends on how the Vision Disney+ series, rumored to be called Vision Quest, will use Ultron. Is he coming back to be the main antagonist of the streaming series? Or is Ultron only popping in for a guest appearance? Vision Quest also needs to be officially announced by Marvel Studios/Marvel Television, though Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas is reported to be helming it.
Ultron is already back to his evil ways
Of course, West Coast Avengers #1 couldn’t end without teasing Ultron’s true motivations. After rescuing a mother and daughter from a burning building and capturing members of a terrorist group at the beginning of the issue, the first issue concludes with Ultron leaning into villainy. A scene at an abandoned power station near downtown Los Angeles features a cancer patient named Meredith, who we met earlier in the issue. Meredith and a group of people have come together after hearing a voice in their head that’s offering hope.
Hope comes in the form of Ultron, who is wired to the power station. Ultron offers salvation, and Meredith gives her body over to him. Ultron quickly snaps her neck and burns her body off from the neck down, bonding her head to a new robot body. “I was separated from my creator, and I feared that it would drive me mad… until I realized I must grow beyond Hank Pym,” Ultron says. He goes on to say that he’s seeking redemption to save not only himself, but others as well.
It’s here that we see a silo filled with Ultron followers. The reformed villain intends to have the entire world hearing the Gospel of Ultron, and there’s no way that can be a good thing.
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