Recap: The Unexpected Origins of AI Come Back to Haunt Vision in "VisionQuest" Finale

We should have known better than to trust Ultron. The penultimate episode of Marvel's VisionQuest revealed that the big bad behind everything has been the murderous AI, or rather the human on which he was based. Now, he has Vision and Jocasta, and it's unclear exactly what he has planned for them.

The final episode opens with Vision and Jocasta waking up but not in control of their own bodies. They prepare a meal before the human on which Ultron is based enters the room. Once the man allows them to speak, Jocasta reveals that the man's name is Virgil Horton and he was her husband. Virgil scoffs at Ultron and eventually reveals that he even has the AI trapped in a device, which is also resting on the table with them.

Vision questions what happened to FRIDAY, telling Virgil there was another AI inside Jocasta's mind. Virgil says it was just Ultron and jokes that something must have happened to her. Virgil briefly unmutes Ultron, and the anger that spews from the AI lets us know that he was not at all behind any of this. Maybe we could have trusted Ultron after all? The twists and turns continue.

Thomas and Lisa watch WandaVision in a hotel somewhere and discuss what they need to do to save Vision. Thomas deduces that it was Billy who saved Tommy by putting his soul into Thomas. He realizes that Billy did this while he was drowning and decides he needs to simulate that again in order to connect with Billy. He fills the bathtub with water, and it actually works. Thomas has a sort of vision, during which he meets Billy for the first time in the real world. Billy explains that he is "dream-binding," which he is still practicing.

Tommy starts to run out of air, and the vision starts to flicker. He explains to Billy what is happening to Vision and that he needs his help. Billy says he is in New Jersey and then starts to talk to someone who is not there. Of course, we know that he is speaking to the ghost of Agatha Harkness, who has likely been training him in witchcraft. Billy says to the ghost that he is bad at portals. Tommy sits up from the tub, ending his connection with Billy.

Tommy explains to Lisa what happened and says they are on their own. Lisa notices a drone outside their window and, due to the nanobot still linked to her nervous system, she is able to communicate with it. We then see that it is being piloted by DUM-E and U.

Virgil explains to Vision and Jocasta that Phineas Horton, his grandfather, embarrassed his family by failing to create JIM. He says all he got passed down to him was a journal filled with incomplete code. He used that code and partnered with Jo Carrington to create their functional AI. They used their own minds to create their AI, which allowed it to feel. He also hints that he plans to use Vision's body for something, but doesn't make it clear just yet.

Outside the house, Paladin hides from security guards near his exploded truck. EDITH arrives to reveal that she tipped him off, allowing him to escape before the explosion. She convinces him to turn back and try to save Vision. She then surprises him when the drone, Thomas and Lisa all meet with them.

Back inside, Virgil continues his villain monologue. He explains that he took a job with SWORD to rebuild Vision. While he was doing that, he also built Jocasta's body. However, when he placed her consciousness into the body, she flew into a fit of rage. To stop her, he deleted all of her memories of him. He then explains that he plans to place his consciousness inside Vision so that he and Jo can be together forever. He also reveals that he has all of the nanobots, right there in the room with them.

Paladin gives Tommy orders to run inside and take out the cameras so he can start taking out the security. Inside, Virgil places a device on Vision's head and begins to erase data to make room for his own consciousness. Tommy takes off into the house as Jocasta pleads with Virgil to stop. Virgil plays music to try and get Jocasta to remember him and awkwardly dances for a couple of minutes, commanding Jocasta to join him.

While this is happening, Tommy runs through the room, deactivating cameras and security measures. Outside, Lisa and Paladin start to take out the guards. Jocasta steps on Virgil's foot, mercifully causing him to stop the music. Vision notices that Tommy is running through the room and speeds up his processing enough to see him and converse with him. They argue over what Tommy should do first: disarm the guards or destroy the control pad to free Vision and Jocasta. She chimes in, because of course she can see Tommy too. She agrees with Vision, and when Tommy argues they can't trust her, Vision assures him she is family.

Tommy frees them both, and they begin taking out the guards. Jocasta then attacks Virgil, slamming him through the dining table in a move that would make Bills Mafia and the Dudley Boyz proud. Virgil then shoots Jocasta with adamantium bullets, wounding her. As he turns his attention to Vision and Tommy, Jocasta throws the device housing Ultron into the cloud of nanobots, releasing the AI and allowing him to create a body out of the tiny bots. Ultron grabs Virgil and brutally crushes him to death in his arms.

Ultron then picks up a dying Jocasta and asks her to stay with him. She dies in his arms, and Ultron floats back into a cloud of nanobots. He says humans have taken everything from him. Vision tries to debate with him the worthiness of humanity, and it becomes clear quickly that Ultron is reverting back to his original plan to wipe them out. So no, it seems like we cannot trust Ultron once again. Vision takes his synth form, only now he is once again sporting the familiar red and green that the Avenger was known for. He and Ultron begin to fight, but in his new nanobot body, Ultron is too much for him to deal with.

Ultron releases millions of nanos to the nearest populated area, which is London, and orders them to kill everyone. Tommy, Lisa, and Paladin see the cloud of nanos leave the house, and they rush inside. Vision tries to yell at Ultron to stop but gets no response. Tommy says Ultron has trapped himself in grief, "like Mom." He gives EDITH a directive and heads into a simulation with Ultron.

Vision traps Ultron in a sitcom, complete with a live studio audience, with himself and EDITH. He uses this familiar format to try and convince Ultron not to kill millions of people. The show even gets an original theme song from Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Ultron highlights the pointlessness of this exercise because Vision cannot change his mind.

EDITH pulls Vision aside and points out that Ultron has control. She also informs him that his power core is draining and if it does, they will die. Suddenly, the aspect ratio changes to better fit the classic television format, and Ultron seems to be even more in control. He warns Vision that not all of him is trapped in the simulation, and we see nanos approaching Tommy, Lisa, and Paladin.

Ultron speeds up the simulation to rush through episodes as we see various titles flash across the screen. Many of them are references to other sitcoms, such as "3rd Date Port from the Sun," "Edit the Teenage AI," "M(AI)S*H" and "The Bot-Y Bunch." However, there are some other interesting titles, like "Edith meets her Variants" and "The One with Karen." The former, of course, is a nod to the multiversal story the MCU has been telling over the last several years, while the latter is a reference to the AI that Peter Parker worked with in the Spider-Man suit Tony gave him.

Ultron brings some additional cast members into the sitcom. Paladin, Lisa, Tommy, DUM-E, and U enter as mind-controlled characters. Vision sits down, distraught that his simulation is not working. Suddenly, there is a knock at the door, and he opens it to find FRIDAY. Hilariously, EDITH says, "thank god it's Friday," referencing the iconic television block.

As the nanos approach London, FRIDAY explains that Ultron actually saved her when he threw her out of Jocasta's mind. This act of mercy shows Vision that there may still be a way he can get through to Ultron. However, as Ultron returns, he kills the studio audience before sitting back down. Vision sits down with him to try and make one last attempt to convince Ultron not to kill everyone in London.

In their conversation, Ultron realizes that if Vision's core overheats from running this simulation, he would not only die, but he would take Ultron out with him. Vision appeals to the little bit of humanity in Ultron one last time, and at the last possible moment, it works. Ultron agrees to call off the nanobots and destroys them all.

Vision lies unconscious on the now empty nest of nanos. Tommy rushes to him and tries to use his powers to shock his father back to life. It doesn't work, though, and Tommy says he can't do this alone. At just the right time, Billy joins him, and together they are able to save Vision. Before he wakes up from the simulation, though, Ultron reverts to an appearance of code and disappears.

Vision awakes to find both Tommy and Billy. The latter reaches out to shake Vision's hand, and he instead pulls him in for a hug, reuniting most of the family from WandaVision.

Some time later, we see that Paladin, EDITH, and Lisa are going into work together. Tommy joins them as they all get on a plane together, bound for a family dinner in New Jersey. Tommy puts on a pair of glasses that allow him to converse with Vision in his mind. Vision says it is time to get out of his head and gets ready to head out to meet him in New Jersey. Before he leaves, though, Tommy stops him to ask if he thinks it's possible they will ever see Wanda again. Vision calls back to WandaVision, saying they had said goodbye before, so it stands to reason they might say hello again. That little tease will just have to hold us over with the hope that Wanda will return to the MCU.

Vision says goodbye to EDITH, FRIDAY, DUM-E, and U as they leave his mindspace and he prepares to do the same. It's unclear exactly what the future holds for FRIDAY. Before Vision leaves, though, he hears a phone ringing again. He answers it, knowing it is Ultron who is calling. We see that he is still alive, and Vision lets us know there were a number of nanos that were unaccounted for. Ultron takes a human form atop the Horton house as he says he is still unsure whether or not he plans to wipe out humanity. Vision somewhat lovingly tells him to be good before he hangs up and finally leaves.

Of course, the series does not come to a close without a post-credits scene. We see Ultron, standing alone in the Horton house. In his hand, we see he has the chip containing the AI for Jocasta. It's the same chip that we once saw on Tony Stark's desk when he chose to upload FRIDAY instead in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It's possible we see the two synths reunited in the future.

But that's not all! After that, we have yet another scene, which seemingly sets us up for Doomsday. We get a flashback to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featuring Wanda's "demise." That is until Doom arrives, saying, "Scarlet Witch, awaken. Your power will be mine." Sure enough, suddenly, Wanda's eyes open and she jolts awake.

So we have the triumphant return of Wanda Maximoff to the MCU — which makes sense since the core show did seem to leave the door open for that possibility. VisionQuest also gave us a beautiful story about processing grief, while simultaneously reuniting the rest of Wanda's family. That sets the stage for Vision to rejoin the Avengers, just in time for Doomsday, and for Billy and Tommy to eventually become a part of a potential Young Avengers team. Most importantly, though, this was a great conclusion to the trilogy of series that began with WandaVision.

Marvel's VisionQuest is streaming now on Disney+.