VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas has previously revealed that the series will add a new wrinkle to Tony Stark's death in Avengers: Endgame, and last night's double bill brought new information to light that made Iron Man's sacrifice even more tragic.
In episode 3, Vision's AI allies do what they can to repair the near-fatally damaged Synthezoid, as F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Orla Brady) recalls the fateful day half the universe was "snapped" back into existence to E.D.I.T.H. (Emily Hampshire).
In Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Strange tells Stark that out of 14,000,605 possible future scenarios, "only one" resulted in victory over Thanos. As we'd later learn, this involved the Armored Avenger giving up his own life to destroy Thanos and his forces while simultaneously restoring the damage the Mad Titan did with the first "Blip."
In "Reboot," F.R.I.D.A.Y. reveals that she, too, ran through multiple scenarios in an attempt to save Stark from his grim fate.
“I ran everything for Stark, for the Avengers. I mean, I was a younger program then. I was good. I protected heroes, saved lives, advised. I had purpose, but friends became enemies, and tyrants invaded our Earth. I was there at the end of all things. There were heroes everywhere, fighting and falling.”
“I was there when Tony died. I ran over a quintillion strategic calculations that day, and I still couldn't save him. Half the world came back that day, and I lost half of mine.”
Of course, F.R.I.D.A.Y. likely knew that there was absolutely nothing she could do. She ran those calculations because she was programmed to do so - and because she cared.
As much as this new Vision may protest that he can't really feel in the same way the first version of the Avenger could, this series has made it very clear that the digital beings the MCU refers to as "AIs" are much more than simply machines carrying out tasks for their masters.
What did you make of episodes 3 and 4 of VisionQuest? Let us know in the comments.
"When VisionQuest begins, Vision, rebooted and having escaped from those who sought to weaponize him, has been in hiding. Searching for new meaning, he consults the AI personas embedded in his programming, including F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., J.A.R.V.I.S., and the infamous Ultron. His discreet existence ends when a bounty placed on his head thrusts him on the run with Thomas Shepard, a mysterious boy who may be Vision’s son, reincarnate.
As Vision evades capture, he must confront his nature, resist Ultron’s influence, and unravel the enigma that is his young companion if he’s to survive.”
VisionQuest also stars Ruaridh Mollica as Tommy Maximoff/Speed and Thomas Shepherd, Todd Stashwick as Paladin, T’Nia Miller as Jocasta, Lauren Morais as Lisa Molinari, Orla Brady as F.R.I.D.A.Y., Diane Morgan as an associate of Paladin, Polly Frame, Henry Lewis as D.U.M.-E, Jonathan Sayer as U, Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H., and James D’Arcy as J.A.R.V.I.S. Faran Tahir also reprises his Iron Man role as Raza, with Cristian Lavin and Mary McDonnell appearing in undisclosed roles.
The series is directed by Christopher J. Byrne, Gandja Monteiro, Vincenzo Natali, Terry Matalas, and written by Terry Matalas, Cindy Appel, Christopher Monfette, Nicole Falsetti, and Matthew Okumura.