‘Reboot’ and ‘Malware’ Are Promising Turning Points for Marvel’s VisionQuest

Reboot and Malware delve even deeper in themes such as mortality, livelihood, family, and grief. The relationship between Vision and Tommy has significant development — from a tense conversation while driving to a comforting father-son hug, the audience sees both characters slowly accepting each other as their first family members. In one of the best scenes across the two episodes, Vision and Tommy also discuss Wanda and some of the events depicted in WandaVision (2021), as Tommy shares his mother’s interest in television series recorded with a live audience. The scene where Tommy reacts to finding out that Ultron inhabits Vision’s brain establishes just enough tension and conflict in their relationship.

These episodes are also the first major hint at Tommy’s speedster powers, since he not only uses his speed but also phases through objects. The action scenes featuring Butcherbird are interestingly carried out, with a focus more directed towards the impacts her attacks have on Vision’s mindscape. Overall, visual effects were satisfactory, although I was not personally head over heels for Butcherbird’s final look. 

Comic Watch Related Links:

• Two-Episode Premiere of VISIONQUEST Kicks Off With a Techno-Psychedelic Bang
• WandaVision: The Series Finale
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For whatever reason, I noticed many more nods to the roles the AIs had in other productions within the MCU in these two episodes — one of them being D.U.M-E using a fire extinguisher, which he also does in the very first Iron Man movie, and F.R.I.D.A.Y recalling Tony Stark’s death in Avengers: Endgame (2019). The episodes also have references to other MCU productions, including some carried by the hired hunter/assassin Paladin nodding to Werewolf by Night and Daredevil’s Hell Kitchen. 

In the end of Malware, Butcherbird is revealed to be Josephine Carrington, an AI researcher that worked in a company that had been sold to Stark — as far as we know, she might as well be Jocasta, featured in the comics as Ultron’s bride. In a mind/real-life battle with Butcherbird/Jocasta, Vision agrees to let Ultron take control of his body so he could beat her. In the ultimate best scene of the two episodes, Ultron takes control and once again delivers his iconic line from Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) — “I had strings but now I’m free. There are no strings on me”. This is exactly what I was talking about when, last week, I said I had higher hopes for Spader’s Ultron — they brought this line back with its satire and eeriness. 

The two episodes end on a promising note, with Tommy Maximoff inexplicably choosing to walk alongside Ultron, who is now in control of Vision’s body. This ending scene hints to the fact that Ultron will likely unveil to Tommy all that he wishes to know about Wanda and his story, especially given that Ultron has more direct, personal experiences with Wanda than the Vision built by S.W.O.R.D.