One Of The Best MCU Villains Is Returning After 9 Years As Iron Man's Perfect Replacement

You would be forgiven for thinking upcoming Marvel spin-off Vision Quest was the MCU’s forgotten project, but reports of James Spader’s Ultron return are so exciting that it’s impossible not to pay attention. Spader’s return – as reported by The Hollywood Reporter – is exactly the kind of shock the MCU needs to reinvigorate its future, and comes not long after Robert Downey Jr’s equally shocking MCU return was confirmed for 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday.

News on Vision Quest went cold some time ago, with persistent rumors of the WandaVision sequel’s cancelation filling the information vacuum. But the gears have whirred to life, and Spader’s involvement means a slightly ill-fitting part of Marvel Studios’ future plans after Bob Iger’s promise of a tighter focus is now essential viewing. Not only was Spader incredible as the villainous robot, but it gives us all something Vision’s story unquestionably needs; a reason for RDJ’s Iron Man not to return.

Ultron Was A More Entertaining Villain Than Thanos

Vision Quest’s Ultron Return Can Make Him Even Better

Let’s get the controversial statement out of the way right up top: James Spader’s Ultron was a better villain than Thanos (Josh Brolin) in terms of both entertainment and performance. On the matter of scale, Thanos’ perverse egalitarian genocide was universal, and more successful, but he was a pragmatic villain, who unfortunately had something of a point. That led to an odd dynamic where MCU fans felt “Thanos was right” despite his billions of victims. It also meant he lacked flair.

Spader’s Ultron, on the other hand, was a pantomime villain, mirroring his creator Tony Stark’s charisma, and buoyed by The Blacklist star’s joyful performance. Avengers: Age Of Ultron might have its issues (I love it dearly, despite them), but Ultron is a Machiavellian delight, who deals in grandeur, and who has a certain panache. His every scene is spell-binding, which is even more remarkable considering he looks like a rejected early concept for a Michael Bay Transformers movie.

Judged on that solid truth alone, Vision Quest has just been transformed from an interesting fish-out-of-water concept into the second act of Marvel’s most rewarding villain. And no, Loki doesn’t count, because he’s not a villain now, and he wasn’t one for several of his MCU appearances. But as with all the best MCU things, it’s a lot deeper than that.

Ultron Is The Perfect Replacement For Iron Man In White Vision’s Future

If Tony Stark Is Off The Table, There’s No Better Way To Bring Vision’s Conflict To A Head

All we really know about Vision Quest is that it will expand White Vision’s story after WandaVision‘s ending, as he seeks existential answers about his identity. We’ve seen that movie before: it’s been called Wall-E, and The Iron Giant, and Bicentennial Man, and there’s an interesting enough idea in an android challenging its prime directives and wrestling emotions to make this all enticing on the surface.

The more satisfying story elements for Vision Quest come specifically from the Scarlet Witch question – which might be answered if Elizabeth Olsen also returns – and in Vision’s exploration of his creation. Unfortunately, of course, Vision’s creation is tied to Tony Stark in a way that makes Robert Downey Jr’s swerve into playing Doctor Doom a little disappointing.

Vision is, after all, the evolution of JARVIS (with some added elements), and the final form of Ultron, and cannot be removed from Tony’s grand idea of replacing the Avengers with a more powerful protector of Earth. From Ultron’s point of view, Vision is humanity’s replacement, without the flaws, but even that dark mission statement traces back to Stark’s anxiety about the fragility and flaws of humankind.

With Iron Man’s return basically impossible, given his death, and Doom’s impending arrival, Ultron’s return is the best possible solution for a replacement. There is a reading of WandaVision‘s ending that suggests White Vision views himself as an abomination, when he faces the reality of his creation (and the purpose of his revival), and the conflicting facts of his actual life pre-Endgame. Bringing him face-to-face with Ultron will realize that conflict perfectly, with the added bonus of giving us more Spader.

There’s One Thing Marvel Cannot Do With Ultron (& We’ve Seen It Before)

Marvel Must Avoid Making Ultron Too Soft

While Ultron’s return is very exciting, Marvel has to be careful not to undermine the villain by trying to soften him. We’ve already seen the same thing happen to Daniel Bruhl’s Zemo who returned in The Falcon & The Winter Soldier as a more amiable version of the Captain America: Civil War villain. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki also obviously went through a major evolution when initial plans to kill him off were reversed, and he too lost his edge as a villain, by design.

There is always a danger that spending too much time in the company of a villain humanizes them, and to do so to Ultron in Vision Quest would be a huge mistake. Ultron works because his plan is outrageous and despicable, even though he believes himself to be on a righteous path. Let’s just hope he returns with that same devilish essence in the upcoming sequel show.

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