’VisionQuest’ Review: A Worthy Conclusion to the ’WandaVision’ Trilogy

VisionQuest is not only the final piece of the puzzle WandaVision laid out for Marvel fans back in 2021, but it’s also one of the last live-action Disney+ series from Marvel Studios until after Avengers: Secret Wars. With Daredevil: Born Again set to conclude after Season 3, the next Marvel Television series on the docket is the mysterious spy thriller Zodiac, announced for 2028.

It’s been a bit of a roller coaster for Marvel Television since the dawn of Disney+, with projects like WandaVision, Loki, and Wonder Man earning praise from critics and fans alike, and others like Secret Invasion that most would like to forget ever happened. Thankfully, VisionQuest leans more toward the former, as it’s an exciting, character-driven mystery from start to finish.

The story is compelling and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the series, and while the middle episodes took a direction that didn’t interest me personally, I still think many fans will be all in with what’s on screen. VisionQuest is at its best when it leans into the story’s mystery, and the series has an incredibly high floor thanks to its captivating cast, led by Paul Bettany and James Spader.

‘VisionQuest’ Is a Puzzle Box Worth Opening

In familiar fashion, like its predecessors WandaVision and Agatha All Along, VisionQuest explores trauma, grief, and the importance of family. Although Vision has the memories of what happened in Westview and previous Avengers movies, it doesn’t feel like they belong to him. As the mystery unfolds throughout the series, so does Vision’s understanding of what it means to be human.

While the series arrives at an unfortunate time as AI companies try to convince people in positions of power around the world that their programming has a soul, VisionQuest still manages to work on an emotional level. As Vision manages the perspectives of the various AI voices in his head, the true emotional core of the series is his relationship with Thomas Shepherd (Ruaridh Mollica), a boy with the memories and abilities of Vision and Wanda Maximoff’s (Elizabeth Olson) late son, Tommy Maximoff.

Mollica does a great job of embodying elements of the character laid in place by Jett Klyne in WandaVision, while bringing his own twist to Tommy as he’s tortured by memories of two different lives. As intriguing as the mystery throughout VisionQuest is, the most compelling parts of the story coincide with Vision’s quest to open up to his son.

Emily Hampshire Stands Out Among an All-Star Cast

The most exciting part of the cast is certainly the return of James Spader as Ultron, and he definitely doesn’t disappoint. His gravitas and charisma are immediately felt, and the character is the driving force of the plot. However, the unexpected MVP of the series is Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H., the AI previously set in Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) sunglasses, which he left for Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Not only does Edith provide great comedic relief in darker moments, but she also undergoes a phenomenal character arc as she tries to understand who she is and what her purpose in life could be. Hampshire does a wonderful job portraying both the moments of levity and darker, more emotional scenes. Even alongside MCU vets like Bettany and Spader, Emily Hampshire’s performance as Edith is VisionQuest‘s secret weapon.

‘VisionQuest’ Successfully Marks the End of an Era

With the volume of MCU shows on Disney+ dwindling and the pedigree already in place from WandaVision and Agatha All Along, VisionQuest had a lot of pressure on it to deliver. Thankfully, it passes with flying colors. Although the middle episodes don’t pack the same punch as the more mystery-focused beginning and conclusion, the story accomplishes exactly what it set out to do: process grief through Vision’s perspective while serving as a launch pad for what’s next for a variety of characters.

The performances in VisionQuest are among the very best in the MCU, and while it’s not my very favorite Marvel Television series of the Disney+ era, it certainly belongs in the conversation among the upper echelon.

The first two episodes of VisionQuest begin streaming on Disney+ on October 13. Follow the Agents of Fandom podcast and socials for more VisionQuest content, plus the latest entertainment news and reviews.