Avengers: Endgame resolved lots of questions that went unanswered after Avengers: Infinity War… but it didn’t fully discuss the deaths of all of the characters who died pre-Snap, namely Vision. Speaking during a recent Q&A event, director Joe Russo finally addressed Vision’s fate. Consider yourself warned: Lots of spoilers ahead!
So, who didn’t survive Infinity War? Loki died early on, after Thanos strangled him. Later, Thanos sacrificed Gamora in order to obtain the Soul Stone. But thanks to all the time-travel woven throughout the story, both characters eventually appear in Endgame. However, Vision doesn’t. This left viewers wondering if the android would ever be returning, or if he’s truly gone for good.
Speaking at the Q&A event An Evening with Joe Russo, the filmmaker was more than happy to discuss Vision’s fate… But you might be less than thrilled to hear what he has to say. The bad news: Vision was definitely killed in Infinity War when Thanos yanked the Mind Stone out of his forehead. Judging by a comment from Russo, that plot point won’t be undone anytime soon.
Co-director Anthony Russo agreed with audiences everywhere that it was heartbreaking to watch Vision perish at the end of Infinity War.
Then, it was doubly upsetting when the Mad Titan reversed that effort to inflict the damage himself. At the end of the day, Vision’s death was incredibly impactful and is probably best left untouched. But the android’s terrible fate goes one step further; Anthony Russo noted that it was all probably even a little bit worse than what we saw on screen.
If Vision finally became effectively human in that moment, the fact that Thanos used the Time Stone to undo Scarlet Witch’s efforts and kill him himself is even more devastating. Ultimately, if the powers that be decide to rebuild Vision, it could potentially undermine his whole story arc, and diminish much of the meaning behind his death. To complicate matters, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed in April 2019 that the upcoming Disney+ series WandaVision and the future MCU movies are linked, saying,
“These will be major storylines set in the MCU with ramifications that will be felt both through the other Disney+ series we’re producing and our features on the big screen.”
And perhaps that goes both ways. If the MCU movies have an impact on the forthcoming Disney+ shows just as much as the series will impact future films, Vision’s death should influence WandaVision’s story. On the flip side, if WandaVision features a Vision who’s very much alive, it might mean he has a place in Phase 4 of the MCU.
Neither Disney nor Marvel have confirmed how that’s possible in the context of the MCU, but Scarlet Witch actress Elizabeth Olsen did tease that WandaVision would have a specific time setting.
Right now, anything can happen. Whether Marvel decides to keep him dead or ultimately decides to revive him we can at least be fairly confident that we haven’t seen the last of Vision.