WandaVision: A History Of 'White Vision' In The Comics, And What It Might Mean For The MCU

WARNING: SPOILERS for WandaVision episode 8, 'Previously On..'

WandaVision's penultimate episode, 'Previously On..' included quite a few big reveals. Among them was the reveal that, contrary to the claims made by Tyler Hayward in episode 5, Wanda Maximoff never stole Vision's body. It was Hayward and S.W.O.R.D who had truly defied Vision's living will, attempting to revive him for use as a weapon.

With the use of a little of Wanda's magic, Hayward succeeds in awakening Vision's original body in episode 8's post credits scene, but he is without the original Vision's colour, and unlikely to have the same personality.

The story of 'White Vision' is a well-known story arc from the comics, in which Vision is dismantled and later revived, but not quite as he was. The story could hold a few hints as to what we can expect for the character in the MCU moving forward.

Here's everything you need to know about White Vision.

Absolute Vision

The path to White Vision began in a 1963 comic book storyline known as 'Absolute Vision'. At some point prior to the story, Vision's control gem is damaged, which alters his usual ability to reason. While in this altered state, Vision comes up with a plan to bring about World peace by taking over the world's computers and defence system. Unfortunately, his teammates are unaware of his injury, and Vision is installed as Chairman of the Avengers while the other heroes are away fighting in the Secret Wars. This gave Vision the opportunity to begin implementing his plan.

While acting as Chairman of The Avengers, Vision slowly builds up more responsibilities and powers for himself, convincing multiple Government agents that the Avengers needed more independence, and even earning himself a space in the Federal Cabinet. Eventually, Vision is able to gain access to every computer in the world, taking control of the Pentagon, The S.H.I.E.L.D, and every computerised defence system on Earth. The Avengers, finally realising that Vision is injured, manage to talk him down, ending his plans by destroying the extra machines he had built, and removing his damaged control gem for repair.

Aftermath

Unfortunately, multiple Governments had been able to track the takeover to Avengers Tower, and therefore to Vision, and they are not at all pleased. There is even talk of forcing the Avengers to disband over the incident. Vision takes full responsibility for the incident to allow the team to remain intact. However, he still has the support of his teammates, who claim that Vision was suffering the human equivalent of a serious brain injury, and was not in full control of his actions.

Vision is still taken away briefly for tests, but Wanda, displeased with the treatment of her Husband, ends the tests. To keep Vision safe, and prevent further Government threats to The Avengers, the couple leave the team, deciding to settle down for a more quiet life in suburbia. It is during this time that Wanda magically conceives and gives birth to Vision's children, Tommy and Billy.

Vision Quest

Eventually, the pair return to hero work, joining the new West Coast Avengers team. However, sometime after their arrival, in a story known as 'Vision Quest', the team wakes one morning to find Vision missing without a trace. A desperate Scarlet Witch mounts a search for her husband, but when she does locate him, is horrified to discover that he has been disassembled by rogue Government Agents.

Hank Pym is able to reassemble The Vision's body, but Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man, who's brainwaves Ultron used to create Vision, refuses to have his brainwaves used again in Vision's resurrection. While he claims to feel for Wanda's plight, Williams reveals that he had always viewed Vision as little more than a digital copy of himself. In another complication, Vision's synthetic skin was irreparably damaged.

Without his skin, or human brain patterns, the rebuilt Vision emerges as a colourless, emotionless shadow of his former self. He is no longer able to feel love for Wanda, or their children. 'Vision Quest' is now known for being the story that began The Scarlet Witch's descent into madness. Shortly after losing 'her' Vision, Wanda suffers another tragic loss when the souls of Tommy and Billy are absorbed by Mephisto. These losses eventually led to the events of 'Avengers Disassembled', and 'House Of M'.

More recently, White Vision made an appearance in the 2015 The Vision comic, in a flashback issue focusing on his relationship with the Scarlet Witch.

Anti-Vision

Eventually, Vision is able to regain his colour, when his mind is switched with an evil copy of himself from a different universe, part of a plot from the villain Proctor, who is himself an alternate universe version of the Black Knight. The evil Vision, dubbed Anti-Vision, infiltrates the Avengers in the White Vision body. Anti-Vision later damages the white body and attempts to reclaim his original body from Vision, but is defeated, allowing Vision to keep the coloured body for himself.

Over time, Vision regains his emotions, and makes a few attempts to reconcile with Wanda, but is unsuccessful.

What this means for the MCU

Obviously, since a Vision with his colours and emotions intact exists within Westview, the MCU's take on White Vision is different than the comics. Some fans believe the MCU's White Vision could become a take on Anti-Vision, while some think S.W.O.R.D may have inadvertently created a new Ultron.

Others have latched onto White Vision as a way to save Wanda's Vision, possibly merging the two so Vision can survive outside the Hex.

We'll have to wait until WandaVision's season finale, and possibly even beyond, to learn the truth. But if the MCU's stories so far ar anything to go by, the answers will be worth the wait.