'VisionQuest' review: 'WandaVision' sequel an excellent examination of humanity

Grief, it would seem, is universal, even if you’re an artificial humanoid with a quantum processor for a mind and the face of Paul Bettany. Such is the central premise of "VisionQuest," the final part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s "WandaVision" trilogy — and the best MCU show since, well, "WandaVision."

"WandaVision" was an ingenious and heartbreaking examination of Wanda Maximoff’s (Elizabeth Olsen) grief over the death of her romantic partner, the synthezoid Vision (Bettany), with two deceptively simple questions at its witch-magic core: With the power to change reality, what would you do to get back a lost love? And would you ever give it back up? That fantastic show was followed by the uneven "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," a head-trip of a film that showed what happened when Wanda’s grief consumed her. Then came the TV series "Agatha All Along," a delightfully campy "WandaVision" sequel that followed a centuries-old witch and a teenager (who turned out to be Billy, one of Wanda and Vision’s magically created twins from "WandaVision") on a quest to obtain what they desire most. Its humor, powered by a dazzling Kathryn Hahn, belied its depth, which was once again mired in shattering loss — but also redemption and hope.

"VisionQuest," which premiered Wednesday with its first two episodes on Disney+, concludes this setup in wonderful fashion. Following Vision (a returning Bettany, who's top-notch), it tells an affecting story of love and loss, of identity and existentialism, of fathers and sons and the grief of shared trauma — all while dealing with the philosophical questions of whether artificial intelligence can ever be "real."

"VisionQuest" pivots away from the well-executed gimmicks and mystery-focused structures of the previous two series. Instead, it chooses to be a more direct message of self-discovery, particularly for Vision and Tommy (Ruaridh Mollica), who the show doesn’t even try to pretend is anyone other than Vision and Wanda's son and Billy’s twin. How they came to be has left them both with severe identity crises — which is fair, considering all the magic involved. Their clashes and understandings, first as strangers and then as something more fundamental, serve as the emotional heart of the series. It’s a familiar trope — a father and son with a complicated relationship — but one told with finesse and subtlety.

Also familiar, in a good way: Ultron. The genocidal AI from "Avengers: Age of Ultron" has taken up residence in Vision’s gorgeous digital mind space. He still hates humanity, but now it’s just a coin flip if he wants to kill everyone; he’s discovered we are, on occasion, capable of beautiful things.

But it’s his many conversations with Vision and others that makes his return so amazing. James Spader plays him here, and he’s an absolute pleasure to watch. Ultron’s verbal acuity — hypnotic in tone and laced with references to popular TV shows and classical literature and music alike — is second to none, and as sharp as the vibranium that once coated his body, which he lost in that movie.

For a show centered on an android, "VisionQuest" is a remarkable dive into the human condition. Yes, there’s all the typical Marvel stuff, including fistfights, superpowers and cataclysmic threats, but it’s so much deeper than that. It’s about the bonds between fathers and sons, about what a family can be, about who we are at our core. Put simply, Vision may be made of vibranium and computer chips, but, for better or worse, he’s just as human as the rest of us.