Did Ultron die in VisionQuest? Showrunner teases a sinister future after *that* finale twist

Warning: Spoilers ahead for VisionQuest episode 8*

A lot goes down for Ultron in the VisionQuest finale, and for a moment, it looks like the Marvel villain might actually be gone for good. But is that really the end of his story? Well, showrunner Terry Matalas has some rather ominous thoughts about the future.

But first, let’s unpack what goes down in VisionQuest episode 8, ‘Forever’. After Vision (Paul Bettany) arrives at the Horton estate, he discovers that the mysterious Client isn’t Ultron (James Spader) at all. He’s Virgil Horton, the grandson of Phineas Horton, who created the original Human Torch. 

Unfortunately, Virgil has some rather sinister plans. He wants to transfer his consciousness into Vision’s body and use Jocasta’s (T’Nia Miller) nanobots to control humanity.

Things quickly spiral out of control when Virgil shoots Jocasta, prompting Ultron to break free and kill him. And after losing the AI he’s fallen in love with, Ultron decides humanity needs to go too.

He takes control of the nanobots and sends them towards London, intending to wipe out humanity. So much for his apparent change of heart. To stop him, Vision traps them both inside UltraVision, a sitcom simulation inside his own mind. Yes, just like WandaVision.

But Vision eventually reveals that keeping the simulation running will burn out both their cores. And after an emotional conversation about love, grief and their complicated relationship, Ultron agrees to stop the nanobots.

It looks like he’s sacrificed himself to save humanity. Except, of course, there’s one final twist.

Did Ultron actually die in the VisionQuest finale?

Nope! Despite seemingly sacrificing himself, Ultron survives the finale. And the first post-credits scene makes it pretty clear that Marvel isn’t finished with him.

After Vision is revived by Billy (Joe Locke) and Tommy (Ruaridh Mollica), we discover that Ultron isn’t dead after all. Part of his consciousness survived in Jocasta’s nanobots, allowing him to exist independently of Vision.

The two even speak again right at the end, with Vision telling Ultron, “I believe in second chances.” Yes, their relationship has gone through quite the transformation since Avengers: Age of Ultron. 

But the really interesting reveal comes in the post-credits scene. We see Ultron holding a drive labelled Jocasta, containing the remnants of the AI he fell in love with. And if that drive looks familiar, there’s a reason.

It’s the same one seen in Age of Ultron, when Tony Stark was choosing a replacement AI for J.A.R.V.I.S. before settling on F.R.I.D.A.Y.

So, could Ultron be planning to bring Jocasta back? It certainly looks possible, and VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas has only added to the speculation. 

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, he said, “For me, it was just a promise of some kind that Ultron’s not done. Whatever he’s going to do, for good or for bad, he promised Vision he doesn’t wanna do it alone. 

“And he has this backup. So what is he gonna do? Then he completes it by spiking the lens and looking right at us. It’s kind of on us to decide. So to me, it’s a great question mark at the end of the piece.”

For now, Marvel fans are debating whether Ultron could return as a villain or whether his experiences in VisionQuest have changed him for good.

As one viewer wrote on Reddit, “Clearly he’s returning in some capacity. Seems like he’s going to resurrect Jocasta. Just curious what he’s going to do now since he has some empathy for humans now.”

But another wasn’t so convinced, replying, “His empathy for humans is conditional and calibrated to 50/50 like he’s said multiple times. I just wonder what’ll it take for him to want to kill everyone again.”

And it turns out Matalas has some rather ominous thoughts about that.

Will Ultron still be a villain after VisionQuest?

Well, don’t go celebrating Ultron’s redemption arc just yet. Although he ultimately saves humanity, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s become one of the good guys.

Let’s not get it twisted. Throughout the Marvel series, we do see a different side to him. Through his relationship with Jocasta, it shows he’s capable of genuinely caring about someone other than himself. And by the finale, he’s even willing to abandon his plan to wipe out humanity.

But it’s worth noting that Ultron is aware that the simulation would’ve burned out both his and Vision’s cores. So saving humanity also means saving himself. This doesn’t mean he’s not got any goodness in him, but it certainly doesn’t mean he’s now a hero. 

Matalas has warned that Ultron probably isn’t finished causing trouble. TV Guide asked the showrunner whether Vision now fully trusts him or not. 

He replied, “I think it’s both. I think clearly there’s something about Ultron – aside from the fact that he’s sort of like a father to him – that Vision really likes and respects. I think it’s impossible to say otherwise. 

“But do I think Vision’s going to keep his eye on Ultron 24/7? Absolutely. Do I think Ultron is going to try some shenanigans again? Absolutely.”

And there’s an even more revealing comparison. Matalas likened the finale’s uneasy truce to the ending of The Silence of the Lambs, when Hannibal Lecter walks away into the crowd.

The point is that Ultron hasn’t necessarily abandoned his dangerous beliefs. He’s simply agreed to stop trying to destroy humanity for now. And with Jocasta’s code potentially giving him a way to reunite with the person he loves, there’s no telling what he might do next.

But after that rather sinister post-credits scene, one thing seems certain: we probably haven’t seen the last of him.

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Featured image credit: Disney+