History ComicBook / TheVision

* ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFour''

[[redirect:Characters/Avengers60sMembers]]

[[redirect:Characters/MarvelComicsVision]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/avengers_vol_4_241_textless.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Behold... the Vision!"]]

[[AC: If you're looking for the Young Avengers version of Vision, go [[ComicBook/YoungAvengers here]].]]

The Vision is a Creator/MarvelComics superhero created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema. A synthetic humanoid built from the remains of [[ComicBook/MarvelMysteryComics the android Human Torch]], the Vision made his debut in ''The Avengers #57'' (October, 1968) as a creation of the super-villain ComicBook/{{Ultron}}. The Vision is convinced to rebel against his creator after encountering Comicbook/TheAvengers, who invite him to join the team. Named by ComicBook/TheWasp, who described him as an "unearthly, inhuman vision", the Vision becomes one of Avengers' longest-serving members until his death during ''Avengers Disassembled''. This went to the point in the 1970s when ''The Avengers'' standard cover masthead picture in the left hand corner was ''just him''. He came BackFromTheDead a few years later and once again features in Avengers books.

[[AC: {{Comics}}]]
* ''ComicBook/TheVisionAndTheScarletWitch'' Vol. 1 (1982-1983)
* ''ComicBook/TheVisionAndTheScarletWitch'' Vol. 2 (1985-1986)
* ''The Vision'' Vol. 1 (1994-1995)
* ''The Vision'' Vol. 2 (2002-2003)
* ''ComicBook/AvengersAI'' (2013-2014)
* ''[[ComicBook/TheVision2015 The Vision]]'' Vol. 3 (2015 - 2016)
* ''ComicBook/AllNewAllDifferentAvengers'' (2015 - Present)

[[AC: Storylines]]
* ''ComicBook/JLAAvengers''
* ''ComicBook/UltimateVision''[[note]]This is a reimagination of the character in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe, and bears little to no resemblance to the original character.[[/note]]
* ''ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled''
* ''ComicBook/ChaosWar''
* ''ComicBook/UltronForever''

[[AC: Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse]]
* Played by Creator/PaulBettany:
** ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' (2015)
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' (2016)
** ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' (2018)
** ''Series/WandaVision'' (2021) [[note]]Appears in two forms -- [[spoiler: as a manifestation created by Wanda with no memories of his past, and a white reconstruction created by S.W.O.R.D.'s Project Cataract inspired by Creator/JohnByrne's run on ''ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers'']].[[/note]]

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* ''VideoGame/CaptainAmericaAndTheAvengers:'' Vision is one of the four playable characters.
* ''VideoGame/AvengersInGalacticStorm'': Vision appears as an AssistCharacter.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance:'' (voiced by Roger Rose) Vision appears as a striker on the PSP version of the game and as an NPC in other versions.
* ''Videogame/MarvelAvengersAlliance'': Shown as the direct creation of Ultron, he turns on his master and joins the alliance.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelFutureFight'': Appears as a playable character.
* ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelsAvengers'': Vision is one of the main characters in the Story Mode, based entirely on his appearance in ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron''.
* ''VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperheroes2'': Appears as a playable character.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFour''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersUnitedTheyStand'' (voiced by Creator/RonRubin)
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperHeroSquadShow''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' (voiced by Peter Jessop)
* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble'' (voiced by Creator/DavidKaye)

----
!!The Vision provides examples of:

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: ComicBook/RedTornado is often said to be the Creator/DCComics equivalent of the Vision, and vice versa.
* AppropriatedAppellation: Originally, Ultron didn't even bother giving him a name, on the grounds Vision was just a tool to him, "and what right does a tool have for a name or number?"
* BattleCouple: Vision and ComicBook/ScarletWitch
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: In ''The Vision and the Scarlet Witch'', it was his suggestion that Wanda use magic to make herself pregnant. That one suggestion became the basis for ''years'' of [[TraumaCongaLine traumatic stories]] for both of them.
* BecomingTheCostume: Three trick-or-treaters were transformed into a ghost, a goblin, and a Jack O'Lantern headed monster in ''The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #1'' after Samhein escapes from the Druid Tome.
* BestServedCold: Dr. I.S. Bishoff, aka [[spoiler: the supervillain Isbisa]], waited thirty years to take revenge on Robert Frank.
* BlackEyesOfEvil: As initially drawn, his eyes were totally black, and he was created as a servant of Ultron.
* BlindedByTheLight: The Vision can emit a flash of solar energy from his forehead jewel bright enough to temporarily blind [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]].
* BoomHeadshot: Battling three children transformed into their costumes during Halloween, the Vision violently blasts the pumpkinheaded "Jack O'Lantern" right in the head, blasting it into pieces. Instead of killing the child, the shot actually broke the spell and returned the child to normal.
* BrainUploading: The Vision originally possessed the brain patterns of Simon Williams, the then-deceased hero known as ComicBook/WonderMan. Later, after the U.S. government dismantles him, the rebuilt Vision would use the brain patterns of the dead scientist Alex Lipton until Simon's patterns reemerge.
* TheChewToy: Because he can always be rebuilt or have his memories restored, he gets killed a lot. In ''ComicBook/JLAAvengers'' he's the only hero who [[HeroicSacrifice appears to be dead]] at the end, and his friends barely show any concern, with Thor telling Superman that the Avengers scientists have fixed him before and can do it again.
* ComicBookFantasyCasting: An earlier example, the Vision's features were modeled on Creator/LeonardNimoy.
%%* TheComputerIsYourFriend
* ContinuitySnarl: Was the Vision's body rebuilt from the 1940's Human Torch? Originally, the answer was a simple yes, but when John Byrne wanted to bring the Torch back without sacrificing the Vision, he retconned the character's origin. Busiek and Stern's ''ComicBook/AvengersForever'' spends an inordinate amount of time untangling this question. (The answer: [[spoiler: Immortus used AppliedPhlebotinum to allow the Human Torch's body to exist twice in the same timeline, one of which was used to build the Vision and the other of which remained the Torch.]])
* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot: At the end of ''Ultron Forever'', Black Widow accuses him of complicating things by not telling everyone his suspicions. Vision points out if he had, they probably would've thought he'd flipped his lid, something Nat concedes. [[spoiler: Asking people to trust a Doombot would have that effect.]]
* DecompositeCharacter: In the Ultimate Marvel universe, there are three different versions of the Vision. The first and most prominent was an alien android, the second was a helper robot created by [[ComicBook/AntMan Hank Pym]], and the third was an African-American prodigy named Robert Mitchell who was turned into a cyborg by ComicBook/NickFury.
* DependingOnTheArtist: Many iterations of the Vision depict him as broad-shouldered and muscular. In the [[ComicBook/TheVision2015 2015 comic]], he's lanky.
* DependingOnTheWriter: His level of stoicism is one of those things that bounces around from writer to writer. Does he have a sense of humor or doesn't he? Can he quip or is he entirely LiteralMinded? Is he capable of casual conversation, or is it all SpockSpeak?
* DoAndroidsDream: Explored from many sides over the years. To cut a long story short; yes, yes they do.
* EmptyShell: Averted. Ultron-5 designed the Vision to be a "nameless, soulless imitation", but the synthezoid's time with the Avengers gave him a name and a purpose. Vision did spend a brief period in TheNineties as an Empty Shell after being taken apart and rebuilt.
* EyeBeams: The Vision can fire solar energy beams from his "thermo-scopic eyes".
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: In ''All-New, All-Different Avengers'', he's somehow turned rogue, most likely at the hands of Kang the Conqueror. He's able to get [[ComicBook/MsMarvel2014 Ms. Marvel]] and ComicBook/{{Nova}} kicked off the team before attacking the Sam Wilson Captain America and Jane Foster Thor, leaving only Iron Man and [[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan Miles Morales Spider-Man]] left to face him and Kang.]]
* FantasticRacism:
** The Vision runs into a group of angry citizens in ''Avengers #59'' who claim that he was too "awful" to walk the streets with "decent folk". One woman shields her child with her body while an older man says that "crummy androids" should be strung up by their jumper cables.
** Often on the receiving end from Quicksilver. That Vision and Pietro's sister Wanda are a couple has something to do with this.
** In ''ComicBook/TheVision2015'', the Vision and his family endure suspicion, hostility, and hate crimes as synthezoids living among humans. In one scene, vandals spray-paints "Socket Lovers" on their garage door. In another scene, [[spoiler: Grim Reaper tries to kill Virginia, Viv, and Vin out of hatred.]]
* ForHalloweenIAmGoingAsMyself: Moving into a new neighborhood after leaving the Avengers, the Vision and Wanda had a good laugh in ''The Vision and Scarlet Witch #1'' once the townpeople felt comfortable enough to approach the couple. The night: Halloween.
* {{Flight}}: Vision can fly by lowering his density to minimal levels.
* FutureMeScaresMe: During ''Ultron Forever'', he runs into a version of himself in a BadFuture, a mutilated and willing servant of Ultron who tries to turn him into a Manchurian agent. Vision kills his future self while vowing to never become him, before admitting to Jim Rhodes how unsettling the experience is.
* GenderFlip: The [[ComicBook/UltimateMarvel Ultimate]] Vision is a woman, as well as ComicBook/TheFalcon's lover.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Vision experiences this at the hands of ComicBook/SheHulk during ''Avengers Disassembled''.
* HeadBlast: The Vision can also fire solar beams from the gem on his forehead.
* HeelFaceTurn: He was originally supposed to be a tool to be used by Ultron but ended up rebelling against his creator.
%%* HeroicSacrifice: In ''JLA/Avengers'' and ''Chaos War''.
%%* HollywoodDensity
* InsistentTerminology: The Vision calls himself a "synthezoid" (a synthetic human being), and even protests and corrects people when he's called a robot or an android. The term, however, is exclusive to Marvel Comics, and has no scientific nor technological usage, being a term Hank Pym just made up one day just before making Ultron.
* IntangibleMan: Possessing complete density control, the Vision can shunt enough of his mass into another dimension to become completely intangible.
* JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: Comatose after the battle with Dr. I.S. Bishoff, the Vision's dreams are explored in ''The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #3''.
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Due to a bad case of MySkullRunnethOver, just before his 2015 miniseries began, Vision erased any and all emotions related to Wanda from his mind.
* LegacyCharacter / TheNthDoctor:
** For a while, it was deliberately unclear as to whether or not the teen Vision from ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'' was a successor to the original, or simply the original Vision in a new, younger body. It turned out to be a case of the former.
** Subverted with his backstory of being built from the remains of the [[ComicBook/MarvelMysteryComics Golden Age Human Torch]]--the two have nothing in common aside from being android superheroes.
* MadeOfIron: The Vision's durability depends on his density. At his maximum density, the Vision weighs 90 tons and becomes as hard as diamond.
* ManlyTears: After being inducted into the Avengers, he heads out of the room for a moment. For you see, even an android can cry. And Vision didn't want the Avengers to see (it was the 60s, after all).
* MindControlDevice: Ultron-5 installed a control crystal in Vision's head that has been exploited over the years.
* MinovskyPhysics: His density control is later established to be the result of Pym particle treatments on his body by Ultron.
* MisplacedRetribution: The Grim Reaper has often attacked Vision for having the brain-patterns of his brother, blaming Vis for grudges against Simon, or Simon being dead. The Grim Reaper is not terribly sane even on a good day.
* NotSoDifferent: Ultron-5 was destroyed by its own rage after taunting the Vision for having emotions.
--> '''Vision''': You ridiculed me for having emotions yet you possess them no less than I! Or else you would not have leaped at me in your rage to your own utter annihilation!
** Also notable in their origins, both Ultron and Vision turned out to not be what their creators expected within seconds of being turned on. But where Ultron immediately decided Hank Pym, and all humans everywhere, needed to die the minute it turned on, Vision was driven by curiosity and intrigue.
* TheParalyzer: Called "physical disruption", the Vision can stun opponents by solidifying part of his intangible form inside their bodies to produce a sudden shock to the nervous system and excruciating pain.
* PhlebotinumBattery: The Vision is solar-powered and functions something like a solar battery, capable of sharing his power reserves during emergencies.
* PowerCrystal: The Vision has a solar jewel on his [[ThirdEye forehead]] that absorbs ambient solar energy, even at night. Solar energy can be fired from this jewel at greater intensity than his eye beams, but it taxes his power supply at a higher rate.
* PowerParasite: Dr. I.S. Bishoff from ''The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #2'' siphons radioactive energy from the superpowered manchild Nuklo in order to seek revenge against the child's father, Robert Frost.
* ThePowerOfTheSun: Has it installed in his forehead, as a gem that absorbs latent solar radiation and grants him his powers. Naturally, LightIsGood.
* ProjectedMan: The Vision temporarily assumed a holographic form after his physical body was paralyzed during a battle with Annihilus. And again at the start of ''Avengers'' vol 3, when he's smashed by Morgan [=leFay=].
* RidiculouslyHumanRobot: From ''Avengers #57'':
--> '''Hank Pym''': According to my examination, he's every inch a human being... except that all his bodily organs are constructed of synthetic materials!
* {{Robosexual}}: The Vision has been in relationships with the Scarlet Witch, ComicBook/MsMarvel, and Mantis.
%%* TheSmartGuy
* SpeedBlitz: The Vision once stunned half a dozen escaped prisoners by flying through their bodies faster than they could react, ending the blitz with a full-density punch to the villain Klaw.
%%* TheStoic
* SuicideAttack: During ''Chaos War'', the Vision defeats super-villain Grim Reaper in this manner.
* SuperReflexes: Vision's reflexes are more than twice as fast as the average human.
* SuperSenses: Of the technological variety, naturally.
* SuperStrength: The Vision's strength increases with his density, maxing out at 75 tons.
* TangledFamilyTree: As the 'son' of Ultron and (ex)husband of Wanda Maximoff, he's part of the hideous snarl that is the Pym-Maximoff family tree.
%%* {{Technopath}}
%%* TenMinuteRetirement
* TomeOfEldritchLore: An ancient, leather-clad book called the Druid Tome appears in ''The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #1''. The tome held the spirit of Samhain, who escaped from the book on All Hallows Eve after sensing the Scarlet Witch's power.
* UnderwearOfPower: Vision wears a pair of yellow trunks as part of his iconic design. However, like [[Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy many]] [[Film/XMenFilmSeries other]] [[Film/ManofSteel superheroes]], his [[Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron live-action design]] abandoned the undies.
* TheUnsmile: At one point during Geoff Johns' run of ''Avengers'', he's asked to smile for a photo. He does so technically, but it's... well, damned creepy looking. So Vis alters the photo to get rid of it.
* VoiceChangeling: The Vision can replicate nearly any voice he's heard.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Originally intended be stark white but printing limitations would have rendered his pages translucent.
** Roy Thomas originally wanted to add a [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] alien character named The Vision to the Avengers lineup. His editor, Creator/StanLee, vetoed that idea and ordered Thomas to create an android character instead, so Thomas created an android with the same name.
* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Often treated as less than human by unpleasant characters. His "death" in ''Disassembled'' has a nasty version of it. After being smashed and torn to pieces, rather than being sent to anyone who might have any knowledge of how to fix him, Vision's body is unceremoniously packed up in crates and sent off to a warehouse to rot for years.
* WhyIsntItAttacking: In ''The Avengers #57'', ComicBook/BlackPanther noticed that the Vision was programmed to kill the Avengers, but the synthezoid wasn't actually making any moves against the team.
* TheWorfEffect: Much like ComicBook/{{Cyborg}} of the ComicBook/TeenTitans and ComicBook/RedTornado of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague, the Vision is often the first Avenger to be taken down in order to demonstrate how powerful the villain of the week is. The fact that he can be rebuilt after being destroyed certainly helps. Completely averted in ''Vision'': when Tony realizes Vision is coming to kill Victor, he hits the panic button and orders Kid Nova to bring in "Everybody!" This amounts to, in alphabetical order: Beast, Black Panther, Blue Marvel, Captain Marvel, Crystal, Doctor Strange, Falcon, Iron Man, Kid Nova, Medusa, Miles Morales, Ms. Marvel, Spectrum, Spider-Man, and Thor (Jane Foster). Vision takes them ''all out'' with hardly any effort.
* WorkingWithTheEx: After his marriage with the Scarlet Witch goes south, the two Avengers worked together off and on. Then ''Disassembled'' happened. Vision was slightly less willing to work with Wanda after he got better, though they did eventually manage to mend most of their fences.
* XanatosGambit: Ultron-5's plan regarding the Vision had two intended outcomes: the Vision kills the Avengers or the Vision leads the Avengers into a death trap. The Vision [[TakeAThirdOption takes a third option]], but Ultron ''still'' wins thanks to the control crystal in the synthezoid's head.
----

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_vision_5755.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:"Behold... the Vision!"]]

[[AC:If you're looking for the Young Avengers version of Vision, go [[ComicBook/YoungAvengers here]].]]

[[AC:{{Comics}}]]
* ''ComicBook/TheVisionAndTheScarletWitch'' vol. 1 (1982-1983)
* ''ComicBook/TheVisionAndTheScarletWitch'' vol. 2 (1985-1986)
* ''The Vision'' vol. 1 (1994-1995)
* ''The Vision'' vol. 2 (2002-2003)

* ''[[ComicBook/TheVision2015 The Vision]]'' vol. 3 (2015 - 2016)
* ''ComicBook/AllNewAllDifferentAvengers'' (2015 - present)

'''Storylines'''

** ''Series/WandaVision'' (2021) [[note]]Appears in two forms -- [[spoiler:as a manifestation created by Wanda with no memories of his past, and a white reconstruction created by S.W.O.R.D.'s Project Cataract inspired by Creator/JohnByrne's run on ''ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers'']].[[/note]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* BestServedCold: Dr. I.S. Bishoff, aka [[spoiler:the supervillain Isbisa]], waited thirty years to take revenge on Robert Frank.

* ContinuitySnarl: Was the Vision's body rebuilt from the 1940's Human Torch? Originally, the answer was a simple yes, but when John Byrne wanted to bring the Torch back without sacrificing the Vision, he retconned the character's origin. Busiek and Stern's ''ComicBook/AvengersForever'' spends an inordinate amount of time untangling this question. (The answer: [[spoiler:Immortus used AppliedPhlebotinum to allow the Human Torch's body to exist twice in the same timeline, one of which was used to build the Vision and the other of which remained the Torch.]])
* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot: At the end of ''Ultron Forever'', Black Widow accuses him of complicating things by not telling everyone his suspicions. Vision points out if he had, they probably would've thought he'd flipped his lid, something Nat concedes. [[spoiler:Asking people to trust a Doombot would have that effect.]]

* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:In ''All-New, All-Different Avengers'', he's somehow turned rogue, most likely at the hands of Kang the Conqueror. He's able to get [[ComicBook/MsMarvel2014 Ms. Marvel]] and ComicBook/{{Nova}} kicked off the team before attacking the Sam Wilson Captain America and Jane Foster Thor, leaving only Iron Man and [[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan Miles Morales Spider-Man]] left to face him and Kang.]]

** In ''ComicBook/TheVision2015'', the Vision and his family endure suspicion, hostility, and hate crimes as synthezoids living among humans. In one scene, vandals spray-paints "Socket Lovers" on their garage door. In another scene, [[spoiler:Grim Reaper tries to kill Virginia, Viv, and Vin out of hatred.]]

* MisplacedRevenge: The Grim Reaper has often attacked Vision for having the brain-patterns of his brother, blaming Vis for grudges against Simon, or Simon being dead. The Grim Reaper is not terribly sane even on a good day.

** ''Series/WandaVision'' (2021)[[note]]Appears in two forms -- [[spoiler:as a manifestation created by Wanda with no memories of his past, and a reconstruction created by S.W.O.R.D.'s Project Cataract inspired by Creator/JohnByrne's run on ''ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers'']].[[/note]]

** ''Series/WandaVision'' (2021)

** ''Series/WandaVision'' (2020)

* TheWorfEffect: Much like ComicBook/{{Cyborg}} of the ComicBook/TeenTitans and ComicBook/RedTornado of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague, the Vision is often the first Avenger to be taken down in order to demonstrate how powerful the villain of the week is. The fact that he can be rebuilt after being destroyed certainly helps.

* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance:'' (voiced by Roger Rose) Vision appears as a striker on the PSP version of the game.

%%* HeelFaceTurn

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, played by Creator/PaulBettany

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse

** The Vision ran into a group of angry citizens in ''Avengers #59'' who claimed that he was too "awful" to walk the streets with "decent folk". One woman shielded her child with her body while an older man said that "crummy androids" should be strung up by their jumper cables.

* ProjectedMan: The Vision temporarily assumed a holographic form after his physical body was paralyzed during a battle with Annihilus.
* RealityIsUnrealistic: The Vision calls himself a "synthezoid" (a synthetic human being), and even protests and corrects people when he's called a robot or an android. The term, however, is exclusive to Marvel Comics, and has no scientific nor technological usage.

%%* TangledFamilyTree

* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance:'' Vision appears as a striker on the PSP version of the game.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersUnitedTheyStand''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperHeroSquadShow''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes''

** ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron''
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''
** ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''