VisionQuest has finally brought a long-forgotten character back into the MCU, but who exactly is the Synthetic Man, and could he be the real villain behind everything happening in the series? VisionQuest episode 4 reveals the identity of the Butcherbird Killer as Jocasta, played by T’Nia Miller. It also introduces the history of the Synthetic Man, an early artificial intelligence whose origins go all the way back to Captain America: The First Avenger. So, if you are wondering who the Synthetic Man is, how he connects to the original Human Torch and whether he could be the real villain of VisionQuest, here is everything you need to know. Who is the Synthetic Man in VisionQuest? Credit: Marvel The Synthetic Man is an early artificial intelligence created by Dr Phineas Horton. He was first teased in Captain America: The First Avenger, which was released in 2011. Remember the 1943 Stark Expo scene where Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes go on a double date? During the exhibition, viewers can briefly spot a display featuring the Synthetic Man, who is kept inside a glass case and appears to be deactivated. The character also wears a version of the red costume associated with the original Human Torch in Marvel Comics. But this is not Johnny Storm, the Human Torch who is a member of the Fantastic Four. In VisionQuest, Dr Katerina Wells, played by Mary McDonnell, explains that Dr Horton was the “grandfather of robotics” and that the Synthetic Man was also known as J.I.M. His source code was apparently the foundation for the artificial intelligence that followed. He is an important part of the history of Marvel’s synthezoids. Is the Synthetic Man actually the original Human Torch? Yes, the Synthetic Man is connected to the original Human Torch from Marvel Comics. In the comics, the original Human Torch is Jim Hammond, an android created by Phineas Horton. He was one of Marvel’s earliest superheroes and fought alongside Captain America and Namor as part of the Invaders during World War II. The MCU version has a darker history, though. According to VisionQuest, J.I.M. was deactivated after a series of “incendiary mishaps”. Vision explains that the Synthetic Man’s inability to process complex emotions caused his internal systems to spiral out of control. His solar cells became flooded with oxygen, eventually consuming his entire body in fire. VisionQuest has introduced several characters who could be dangerous, including Jocasta and Paladin. But the series has also hinted at a mysterious figure who hired Paladin to track down Vision. Jocasta is traditionally a heroic character in Marvel Comics, despite her murderous actions in the series. Meanwhile, Paladin’s backstory leaves some room for questions about his motivations. Neither character has been confirmed as the ultimate villain. That is why the Synthetic Man’s introduction is confusing people. The series spends a surprising amount of time explaining his history, his creator and the problems that led to his deactivation. Could that mean he is connected to the mysterious figure behind the attacks? It is possible. Is Dr Phineas Horton connected to Ultron? Credit: Disney+ By the end of episode 4, Ultron has taken control of Vision’s body. That alone is a serious problem, but the episode also hints that there may be more to Ultron’s creation than we understand. E.D.I.T.H. discovers that Tony Stark’s AI assistants were based on real people. Ultron, however, insists that he is the exception. This raises the possibility that Ultron’s origins might be connected to something other than the people whose identities inspired Stark’s other AIs. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner created Ultron, but their experiment did not go according to plan. So, the Synthetic Man or Dr Horton could somehow be connected to what sparked Ultron into existence. For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page. Post navigation Next story
