Wait, why does Ultron look like Virgil Horton? VisionQuest cut a key detail from the finale

*Warning: Spoilers ahead for VisionQuest episode 8*

VisionQuest has finally revealed the identity of the mysterious Client, and as it turns out, our theory was right. He’s Virgil Horton (James Spader), the grandson of Phineas Horton, aka the creator of the original Human Torch.

But there’s still one rather big question: why does Virgil have the exact same face as Ultron? We do get a brief explanation in the finale, but there’s a crucial piece of context that didn’t make the final cut. And it would have made his connection to Avengers: Age of Ultron a whole lot clearer.

But first, let’s rewind a little, because there’s quite a lot to unpack when it comes to the final episode, ‘Forever’.

When Vision (Paul Bettany) arrives at the Horton estate, he’s convinced that the Client is Ultron. And honestly, you can’t blame him. He’s looking at someone with the exact same face and voice as the AI who’s been living inside his head.

But Virgil quickly corrects him. He’s a real human being who inherited his grandfather’s AI research. Ultron, meanwhile, is being held captive on a small drive after Virgil removed him from Jocasta’s programming.

It’s also confirmed that Virgil was married to Dr Josephine Carrington, the scientist whose memories Jocasta has been recovering throughout the Marvel series. 

Unfortunately, their story took a dark turn. After Jo died from a brain tumour, Virgil joined S.W.O.R.D. and helped rebuild Vision’s body. But he also secretly used the organisation’s resources to create Jocasta, placing Jo’s digital consciousness into a synthetic body.

When Jocasta rejected him, Virgil erased himself from her memories. His ultimate plan is even worse. He wants to transfer his own consciousness into Vision’s body so he and Jocasta can live together for centuries. Oh, and he intends to use billions of nanobots to control humanity. No biggie. 

Luckily, things don’t exactly work out for him. After Virgil shoots Jocasta, Ultron breaks free and kills him in particularly gruesome fashion. By bear-hugging him until his eyeballs pop and he’s crushed. 

So, Virgil’s story comes to a pretty definitive end. But there’s still that question about why Ultron looks like him in the first place.

Why does Ultron look like Virgil Horton in VisionQuest?

Well, the short answer is that Ultron’s human appearance is based on Virgil because his work helped lay the foundations for the AI.

You see, Virgil inherited unfinished code from his grandfather, Phineas Horton, who created the original synthetic man. He and his wife Jo then built on that research. They developed their own AI technology and incorporated pieces of their minds into the programming that eventually helped create Ultron and Vision.

In the VisionQuest finale, Virgil explicitly tells Vision that he’s buried in Ultron’s code. As he puts it, “He looks like me, or his human avatar does.”

This also explains why Vision shares his appearance with Phineas Horton and J.I.M. The MCU’s artificial humans have inherited more from their creators than just their technology.

But there’s a problem with this. You see, Avengers: Age of Ultron revealed that Tony Stark and Bruce Banner created Ultron using the code they discovered inside the Mind Stone. So, how exactly does Virgil fit into that story? 

Well, according to VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas, episode 8 originally made that connection much more explicit.

Speaking to TV Guide after the finale, Matalas explained, “There was some cut dialogue about [Virgil] Horton working on Project Ultron as a consultant, but we felt like we didn’t want to overwhelm the emotion in that scene. But he was in there doing some consulting work with [Bruce] Banner and Tony [Stark].”

In other words, Virgil was directly involved in the project that Tony and Bruce used to create Ultron. And this makes the whole James Spader situation far easier to understand.

It also makes Virgil’s reaction to Ultron’s name in the finale rather amusing. When Vision mistakes him for Ultron, Virgil says, “What a bizarre name those boys gave that thing. Ultron. What does it even mean? They must have played with too many GoBots or something.”

And speaking of Ultron, there’s another revelation in the finale that helps explain what happened to F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Orla Brady).

Is F.R.I.D.A.Y. dead in VisionQuest?

Thankfully, no. Although Ultron appeared to kill F.R.I.D.A.Y. by throwing her from a balcony in episode 7, we find out that he actually spared her.

When F.R.I.D.A.Y. unexpectedly appears inside the UltraVision simulation, she explains that Ultron pushed her out just before Virgil took over. And that gives Vision hope that there’s still some good left in him.

But here’s the rather disturbing part. After losing Jocasta, Ultron has come to believe that death itself is an act of mercy. He argues that by wiping out humanity, he’ll be sparing people from the grief and suffering he’s experiencing.

Of course, Vision doesn’t see it that way. And after a rather emotional conversation, Ultron finally agrees to call off the nanobots before they reach London.

As for F.R.I.D.A.Y., she’s seen again when Vision says goodbye to the AIs living inside his mind. So she’s very much alive, although what happens to her next is anyone’s guess.

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Featured image credit: Disney+