VisionQuest Episode 1 Recycles The Scariest Plot Point Of WandaVision

Contains spoilers for "VisionQuest" Season 1, Episode 1 — "No Strings"

The "VisionQuest" trailer revealed the first look at Ultron's (James Spader) MCU return, and the series itself is quick to show that the malevolent AI is still as smart and volatile as ever. As one of the many AI personas imprinted in Vision's (Paul Bettany) Mindspace, Ultron's human avatar might look like Spader in a massive beard and a series of nifty hats. However, the "Avengers: Age of Ultron" villain still knows how to manipulate events, and wastes no time letting Vision know just what he thinks of the whole Mindspace arrangement. In fact, Ultron points out that Vision's treatment of his fellow AIs is eerily reminiscent of what Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) did to the residents of Westview on "WandaVision."

As Ultron not-so-subtly notes, Vision's Mindspace effectively imprisons his fellow AIs, turning them into subservient figures who assist Vision in living out his retro-tinted mind palace fantasies. This is exactly what Wanda does on "WandaVision:" She enslaves the townspeople with her Hex bubble's mind control, forcing them to play out her sitcom delusions day after day. This is a pretty impressive way to link both shows and establish a thematic connection between them. It also shows that while this Vision might often come across as a harmless goof, he's actually highly dangerous — and despite his white color scheme, he's darker than the classic version of the character.

The similarity between Vision's Mindspace and Wanda's Westview is clearly intentional, but fortunately, "VisionQuest" also makes sure to differentiate the two enough to avoid repetition. Wanda's Westview is a more explicitly-labeled horror show; Over the course of "WandaVision," several mind-controlled residents show signs of extreme discomfort and distress, and the people who are away from Wanda's immediate vicinity are rendered largely immobile and helpless until her "plot" needs them.

The Mindspace is a similar prison, but J.A.R.V.I.S. (James D'Arcy) and the other artificial intelligences within Vision's mind seem to accept that it's the only way they can exist. As such, Ultron isn't wrong when he points out that it's a prison where everyone involved is subject to Vision's whims — but at least the living conditions are somewhat less hellish than in the Wanda-controlled Westview.

An explicit comparison between the Mindspace and Westview may not have been on Looper's list of predictions for Marvel's "VisionQuest." Still, it's certainly a welcome nod to what came before, and it makes us curious about what else the show will have to say about the untold truth of Vision.