Vision (Marvel Cinematic Universe) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vision |
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Paul Bettany as Vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron
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| First appearance | Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) |
| Portrayed by | Paul Bettany |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Vis |
| Species | Synthezoid |
| Affiliation | Avengers |
| Children | Billy and Tommy Maximoff |
| Origin | Midtown Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Weapon | Mind Stone |
| Creators |
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The Vision is a fictional character portrayed by Paul Bettany in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Vision is a vibranium-based male android (or "Synthezoid") created by Ultron to serve as his body. However, the body is stolen by the Avengers and brought to sentience by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, who upload the core software of Stark's AI, J.A.R.V.I.S. (voiced by Bettany), into the body constructed by Ultron, with energy provided by Thor. Vision subsequently joins the Avengers, kills Ultron, and later develops a romantic relationship with his teammate, Wanda Maximoff. Most of Vision's powers including flight, matter phasing, and energy-based beam attacks, stem from the Mind Stone in his forehead, which also keeps him alive. Vision is killed by Thanos when he removes the Mind Stone to complete the Infinity Gauntlet in order to initiate the Blip. Years later, Vision's body is reactivated via Wanda's magic, albeit initially without his memories and with a different appearance. Additionally, Wanda recreates Vision when she magically forms a false reality in the town of Westview, New Jersey, but this version vanishes when she returns to reality.
As of 2023[update], Vision has appeared in three films. He has a lead role in the television series WandaVision (2021), and alternate versions from within the MCU multiverse appear in the animated series What If...? (2021).
Conception and characterization
A character named The Vision debuted in a short comic story in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 (Nov. 1940) as an alien law enforcement officer also known as Aarkus, continuing as a regular feature in that superhero anthology through issue #48 (Oct. 1943). In the late 1960s, editor Stan Lee and writer Roy Thomas decided to add a new team member to the superhero-team series The Avengers. Thomas wanted to bring back the Golden Age alien Vision but Lee was set on introducing an android member. Thomas ultimately compromised by using a new, android Vision. The second Vision first appeared in The Avengers #57 (Oct. 1968). Thomas wanted the character to be white as befitting his ghostly name, but printing limitations of the time would have rendered him colorless, with un-inked paper where his skin should be. He settled on red as he did not want Vision to be green like the Hulk or blue like the Atlanteans. The character has been compared with Spock from Star Trek, but Thomas said that he was barely aware of the TV series at the time. He acknowledged being influenced by the Adam Link character by Otto Binder, one of the first robots treated as a sympathetic character rather than as a mechanical tool.
In The Avengers #75 (April 1970), the Scarlet Witch is reintroduced to the team and soon becomes a love interest for the Vision. Thomas recounted, "I felt that a romance of some sort would help the character development in The Avengers, and the Vision was a prime candidate because he appeared only in that mag... as did Wanda, for that matter. So they became a pair, for just such practical considerations. It would also, I felt, add to the development I was doing on the Vision's attempting to become 'human'."
Characterization
Prior to the introduction of Vision in the MCU, Paul Bettany had voiced J.A.R.V.I.S., Tony Stark's A.I. companion in previous films. Bettany admitted that he had little idea of what the role was, even as he recorded it, simply doing it as a favor for Jon Favreau. He was cast again as the Vision, an android created by Ultron. Bettany stated that he was surprised when Whedon asked him if he wanted to be the Vision because once an actor has been cast as a particular character in the MCU, they usually are not cast as another. On what intrigued him about the Vision, Bettany said, "The thing that appealed to me is that this sort of nascent creature being born, being both omnipotent and totally naive, the sort of danger of that and complex nature of a thing being born that is that powerful and that created in a second and the choices he makes morally are really complex and interesting. They've really managed to maintain all of that". Bettany also stated that the Vision feels paternal and protective to a number of people in the film, particularly Wanda Maximoff, and has the ability to change his density. Bettany did wire work for the part. Whedon stated he wanted to include the Vision in a second Avengers film before he signed onto the first film. Vision's on-screen appearance was designed by Trent Claus and his team at Lola VFX, based on concepts by Ryan Meinerding. Bettany's make-up, which consisted of a mix of face paint and prosthetics, took two hours to apply with make-up artists Jeremy Woodhead and Nik Williams citing the correct hue of the Vision's skin as the hardest thing to figure out. Ultimately, however, the prosthetics and tracking dots were removed digitally and replaced with CG.
Discussing the development of the character in Captain America: Civil War, Bettany noted that because the Vision was only created in the previous film, Age of Ultron, "you see my character get born... He must be both omnipotent and yet totally naive at the same time. And experiencing the world in real time and his place in it. Is he going to be a force of good or a force of evil?" Bettany also said he was interested in exploring "what it means to be human and what love is" with the character, as "The only way one can guarantee one's loyalty is love." This is exhibited in the connection Vision begins to form with Wanda Maximoff, with Bettany commenting, "They both have these new burgeoning powers that they don't understand ... I think he's worried that they're both dangerous. So he feels this real connection with her." As the Vision has the ability to create a projected disguise, he chooses to dress similarly to Howard Stark's attache, Edwin Jarvis. One review notes that "Vision is an android who gained consciousness and an affinity for love all at the same time, and so the latter is of the utmost importance to him".
In WandaVision, Bettany portrays a new version of the character created by Wanda within her reality from the part of the Mind Stone that lives in her, who is the embodiment of her sadness, hope, and love. Given this, Bettany described this Vision as "decent and honorable". He was influenced by the performances of Dick Van Dyke and Hugh Laurie for this version. Bettany also plays the original character, referred to as "The Vision", who is reassembled and reactivated by S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division). That version has an all-white appearance similar to when the comic book character was resurrected with an all-white body and without his memories and emotions. Bettany differentiated the two versions by portraying The Vision as familiar and intimidating at the same time.
Appearance and special effects
A review of the character for The Hollywood Reporter notes: "The comic book Vision employs a garish green-and-yellow costume, matched with a bright red face — a color scheme that may be a little over-the-top for the more subtly-hued Marvel Cinematic Universe — but even so, the mixture of purple, blue and grey is an unexpected, and unexpectedly bold, choice for Paul Bettany's character".
In terms of fashion while maintaining a civilian appearance, Vision attempts to emulate classic human style, including wearing an ascot tie.
When Vision is reactivated by S.W.O.R.D., his entire body is white and he has light blue eyes.
