If you were to consider theAvengers’ greatest foes of all time,Ultronwould be near the top of that list. That may have contributed to whyJames Spaderwas so popular as the character inAvengers: The Age of Ultron. With the character joining the roster of theMarvel Rivalsvideo game with high power levels that include flight, a damaging Encephalo ray, and healing for all his allies (including Ultron drones!),he’s likely to be a worthy adversary that will build even more excitement for his return to the MCUin the upcoming Disney+ series,Vision Quest.
Spaderhas already been announced to return as Ultronin the sequel to the Emmy-winningWandaVision, since it not only gives the limited series a suitable adversary forPaul Bettany’s returning Vision, but it opens things up storywise to explore a few important moments from the comics. With therecent casting ofT’Nia MillerfromThe Haunting of Bly MannerasJocasta,Marvel fans are getting another key character from the comics, who plays almost as important a role in Vision’s story as does his relationship with Scarlet Witch.
After ‘Age of Ultron,’ Few Expected Spader to Return
Spader’s portrayal of Ultron in the second Avengersmovie quickly became a popular fan favorite, since Ultron was already considered one of the Avengers' greatest and most powerful threats. The Avengers ultimately defeated Ultron inAge of Ultron,and the MCU shifted focus to Thanos and other super-villains. Ultron was all but forgotten, only returning for the animated episodeWhat If…?called “What If… Ultron Won,” in whichRoss Marquandvoiced the character. Few thought that Spader might ever return as Ultron, especially voicing a live-action character, sincethe MCU has made it clear that there are so many characters from the comics to explore, there’s very little need for repeats in terms of villains.
One of the nice things about Marvel producing series for Disney+ is that those shows give them a chance to re-explore heroes and villains who may have only appeared in one movie, even when they play a crucial part in Avengers canon. That is particularly the case with Ultron, who never went too far after being defeated in the comics. Similarly,WandaVisionallowed the MCU to explore the relationship between Vision and Scarlet Witch in ways that might be more difficult in a full-fledged Avengers movie.Vision Questwill introduce a new character to the MCU to bring a new dynamic to the Vision-Ultron rivalry.
“We Are Making Something Really Special”: ‘Vision Quest’ Showrunner Reveals New Exciting Details About the MCU Series
“Well… I was born yesterday.”
The Relationship Between Vision, Ultron, and Jocasta in the Comics Is Crucial
At this point, we don’t know how large a role Spader’s Ultron will have inVision Quest, or where this series might fit into the timeline withAvengers: Age of UltronandWandaVision. In the comics, Ultron created Jocasta as a metal mate for himself in an obvious homage toThe Bride of Frankenstein.Because Ultron also created Vision, there was immediately a connection between the characters, as Jocasta was accepted into Avengers Mansion.Age of Ultronalready took things in a different direction since Hank Pym (aka Ant-Man) created Ultron in the comics, andMichael Douglas’s version of the character hadn’t even been introduced in the MCU ahead ofAge of Ultron.
In the comics, Jocasta started having feelings for Vision, even though he was already romantically linked with Scarlet Witch. That last part gets interesting, because there’s a good chance that in theVision Questseries, Vision might still be getting overthe death of Scarlet WitchinDoctor Strange Into the Multiverse of Madness.It’s almost perfect timing for Jocasta to show up, but will we just be seeing Ultron in flashback as her creator, or will he play a part in the type of friction-filled love triangle that might arise from three sentient robots being together? Does A.I. even understand the concept of a “throuple”? Those are a few of the questions that may be answered inVision Quest, but even with a smaller role, we’ll be getting Spader’s Ultron back into the MCU fold in a significant way.
No matter how big a role Spader plays inVision Quest, the fans will be more psyched for his return than Vision, who won’t have his powerful pals in the Avengers to back him up this time. Marvel generally seems to know what they’re doing by keeping the Avengers' A.I. arch-villain in the public eye, between Spader’s return as Ultron inVision Questand introducing him as a powerful foe (or possibly an ally?) inMarvel Rivals.Those two things alone might be enough to convince Marvel to bring Ultron back into the movies, maybe for 2027’sAvengers: Secret Wars, since that story from the comics opens up many options for revisiting past characters, similar toAvengers: Endgame.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
