Marvel Television’s VisionQuest is preparing to close out the trilogy that began with WandaVision and continued through Agatha All Along, bringing Paul Bettany back as Vision for an eight-episode series. However, rather than following its android hero through the outside world, the show is set largely inside Vision’s own mind, where a collection of artificial intelligences tied to Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) legacy exist as human avatars inside a memory-built mansion. The premise allows James Spader to return as Ultron, Vision’s original corrupted creator, who is now confined within the mind palace. In addition, several other digital assistants from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe share the space, though we hadn’t seen all of them so far.
Empire Magazine’s latest print issue features the first look at EDITH (Emily Hampshire), and the images are now circulating widely on social media. One photo shows Hampshire’s EDITH seated on the floor, appearing to sort through a scrapbook or file folder inside Vision’s mindscape. A second image places her alongside fellow AI avatars FRIDAY (Orla Brady), DUM-E (Henry Lewis), and U (Jonathan Sayer). From trailers and behind-the-scenes looks, we also know James D’Arcy will return to the MCU as JARVIS, and the series is also supposed to feature T’Nia Miller as Jocasta, who in the comics is built to be the bride of Ultron.
First look at Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H. in ‘VISIONQUEST’
Coming to Disney+ on October 14.
(via @empiremagazine) pic.twitter.com/GoLQ7b02PJ
The presence of some AIs inside Vision’s head makes sense. Vision’s body is a synthetic form Ultron built for himself, and Ultron had already begun transferring his own consciousness into that shell before Tony Stark and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) intervened, uploading JARVIS (James D’Arcy) into the same frame. Vision’s core programming has therefore always carried traces of both JARVIS and Ultron, which explain why they are in VisionQuest. Things start to get complicated with other AIs such as FRIDAY, which was used as a replacement for JARVIS after Vision’s creation. We could imagine the Vision connected to Stark’s network in the years he spent at the Avengers Compound, preserving a copy of FRIDAY. But that excuse won’t suit all of the confirmed characters.
New look at Vision, E.D.I.T.H., F.R.I.D.A.Y., Dum-E and U in ‘VISIONQUEST’
Coming to Disney+ on October 14.
(via @empiremagazine) pic.twitter.com/GuDnYAo2wj
Tony conceived EDITH as a standalone security and defense program, granting her control over a global satellite array capable of launching drone strikes. After his passing, he gave Peter Parker (Tom Holland) control of the system, which becomes central to the plot of Spider-Man: Far From Home and the threat of Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). While a defence system, EDITH is extremely dangerous, which is why Tony kept it away from everyone, waiting for a worthy heir capable of channeling its destructive abilities to keep Earth safe. Also, the MCU introduces EDITH roughly five years after Vision died in Avengers: Infinity War. If Vision’s mindscape runs on AI code that was literally uploaded into him, EDITH should not exist there at all. It will be certainly insteresting to learn how all AIs became part of Vision once the show is available.
VisionQuest premieres on Disney+ on October 14th.
