Disney+'s VisionQuest is continuing the road to Avengers: Doomsday in an unexpected way: linking back to the MCU's latest movie release, Avengers: Endgame Encore. Ever since this summer, Marvel Studios has been going all-in on the countdown to Doomsday, starting with Spider-Man: Brand New Day in July, continuing with the extended Avengers: Endgame re-release in September, and now with VisionQuest releasing weekly. Despite getting audiences hyped up to see Earth's Mightiest Heroes assemble once more, each has largely focused on major heroes and villains who are sitting out Doomsday.
Moving into VisionQuest Episode 3, Paul Bettany's Vision is critically injured after Todd Stashwick's Paladin caught him with adamantium rounds, resulting in the tragic death of Iron Man alum JARVIS. That leaves Vision and his A.I. Avengers searching for a way to repair his vibranium body, which is rather complicated, given that he was created by two Avengers, Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man and Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner, one of whom is dead, and the other is... complicated.
When posed with the idea of turning to the Jade Giant for help, Vision simply says, "Dr. Banner is unavailable." That statement is, of course, vague and has been heard before to explain the absence of major MCU superheroes from key events, such as in Spider-Man: Far From Home, when Talos' wife, Soren, impersonated Maria Hill and declared that Captain Marvel was "unavailable."
Those who have kept up with Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Endgame Encore will know that there is a very good reason why Banner is otherwise engaged and unable to provide tech support for his synthezoid creation.
The web-slinging blockbuster's climax saw Banner hijacked by Sadie Sink's Jean Grey, leading to a savage Hulk turn in which he clashed with Spidey. Ultimately, Spidey managed to calm the rage-fueled monster, leading him to exit Brand New Day's storyline with his whereabouts and future unknown.
At least that was the case for a little over a month until Brand New Day's real post-credits came attached to Endgame Encore. The mid-credits stinger revealed that he had placed himself in "self-containment in a joint base military complex, two miles under the surface," where nobody can get in or out.
Showrunner Terry Matalas confirmed VisionQuest's timeline placement is "about current with Spider-Man: Brand New Day," in which the gamma genius Hulked out in his most savage way in years. Disney+'s official timeline order places VisionQuest after The Punisher: One Last Kill as the most recent MCU events, although that won't be updated to include Brand New Day until 2028.
The two Phase 6 projects' conjoined timelines suggest that Banner is already in his underground isolation at the time of VisionQuest, rendering him uncontactable and forcing Vision to solve his own problems. It seems highly likely that the OG Avenger is yet to be collected by RDJ's Doctor Doom, with the Jade Giant remaining isolated until Doomsday's events begin at some point after VisionQuest.
What Other MCU Movies Will VisionQuest Connect To?
VisionQuest is most famously a direct sequel to Disney+'s WandaVision, almost acting as the missing Season 2 of the reality-bending sitcom. Not only does the series pick up where things left off with SWORD's rebuilt Vision, but it is also concluding the drawn-out MCU introductions for Wanda and Vision's sons, Billy and Tommy, which began in WandaVision and continued in Agatha All Along.
The Disney+ series is also a much-delayed sequel to Avengers: Age of Ultron, finally revealing that James Spader's Ultron survived his Phase 2 debut and exploring his familial connection to Vison. That connection extends beyond the main storyline and into the series' central focus on AI, a rather topical theme.
VisionQuest is even linking all the way back to Iron Man, as Faran Tahir is set to reprise his role as Ten Rings leader Raza later this season. For 18 years, Raza's fate after his encounter with Obadiah Stane has remained uncertain, and VisionQuest is finally set to clarify his fate, perhaps as Paladin's mysterious client.
Iron Man may be the first movie that was released from the MCU, but the Infinity Saga's true chronological beginning was in Captain America: The First Avenger, taking place during World War II. The trailers for VisionQuest's upcoming episodes have confirmed that the series will finally acknowledge a major Human Torch Easter egg from the movie, introducing the MCU's first AI android.
There's no denying that VisionQuest is an absolute smorgasbord of Easter eggs and connections for longtime MCU followers, and only time will tell what else the series is hiding. Notably, VisionQuest is soon set to take a trip to Madripoor, a location that hasn't been seen since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
For now, VisionQuest seems focussed on tying up loose threads from the MCU's past, but Paul Bettany already confirmed that it will offer a "really exciting springboard" for Vision's future. While that future doesn't currently appear to be in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars, who knows what surprises may be in store.
