WandaVision Theory: SWORD’s Vision Experiments Recreate Ultron

SWORD’s experiments on Vision in WandaVision could be how Ultron returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Disney+ series has given Marvel Studios a chance to flesh out the stories of Scarlet Witch and Vision, who were both introduced in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Through this focus, there have also been many MCU callbacks and references, while WandaVision also sets up the future with Monica Rambeau getting powers and the establishment of SWORD.

Throughout the build-up to the series, many fans wondered if this could be how and when Ultron returns to the MCU. He was seemingly killed by Vision at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, but the fake reality of WandaVision could explain anything. And since Ultron played a key role in creating Vision, the murderous robot is a natural fit for a show exploring Vision’s life. WandaVision episode 7 made it a point to remind Vision and audiences how he was created, but it intriguingly left out Ultron’s involvement. Even without this reference or an appearance by James Spader, the villain has been mentioned. The show referenced his involvement in Quicksilver’s death a few times, and that might not be the last instance of Ultron factoring into WandaVision‘s story.

Time is running low for Ultron to appear in WandaVision, but that doesn’t mean his appearance is impossible. In fact, the show potentially has been laying the groundwork for his return for several episodes now. WandaVision‘s latest reveal might have been the confirmation that Agnes is Agatha Harkness and that she’s behind the show’s events, but Ultron’s return could be right around the corner. Thanks to SWORD and the untrustworthy leadership of acting director Tyler Hayward, will this be how Ultron returns?

WandaVision Has Made SWORD The Villains

Heading into WandaVision, most MCU fans believed that SWORD would serve as an ally to Scarlet Witch and Vision, but that is not the case. The organization has no confirmed ties to Nick Fury at this point, and it appears it has taken a stumble after Thanos’ snap and the death of Maria Rambeau. SWORD was on the Westview scene early on to discover what was going on, but only Darcy Lewis and Jimmy Woo were really invested in helping Scarlet Witch. It wasn’t long after Monica escaped Westview that Hayward made his true thoughts on superheroes known.

Hayward’s hatred for superheroes quickly turned him and SWORD into threats for Scarlet Witch to face. He ordered a missile strike to kill her, hoping that her death would eliminate the Hex. This is the sign of someone and an organization who is more foe than friend. But Hayward and SWORD have also become less trustworthy as WandaVision‘s plot unfolds. He hid vital information from the rest of the agents to preserve his own interests: creating sentient weapons.

SWORD Creates Sentient Weapons In The MCU

With the introduction of SWORD in WandaVision, the MCU made a significant change to its purpose. The organization’s name is an acronym for Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division in the MCU. The comics version of the group, though, stands for Sentient World Observation and Response Department. The change to weapons is quite noteworthy, especially given the new focus they seem to have under Hayward. As Monica observed upon her return, SWORD is about observing sentient weapons, but creating them is now part of the equation. This initially sparked theories that SWORD could create the MCU’s versions of the Sentinels. Still, WandaVision revealed a different sentient weapon at the core of SWORD’s research.

One of the sentient weapons in SWORD’s possession was Vision. Although they obtained his body after he died in Avengers: Infinity War, Vision is the perfect example of a sentient weapon when alive. SWORD pulled him apart in their facility and ran unknown experiments on him before Scarlet Witch broke in and took his remains with her. Vision is still a priority for Hayward and SWORD’s plans, though, as they track Vision’s body inside the Hex. He is also tied to Hayward’s secret project, Cataract. It’s possible SWORD wanted to bring Vision back online for their benefit, but what if they accidentally bring back the worst parts of him in this process?

Theory: SWORD’s Vision Experiments Recreate Ultron

The purpose of SWORD’s experiments on Vision has yet to be revealed, but it clearly has something to do with understanding, or even recreating, the synthezoid’s unique design. Vision has a vibranium body and has aspects of Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, JARVIS, and Ultron in him, in addition to the power of an Infinity Stone. It was suggested in Avengers: Infinity War, though, that Vision could live on without the Mind Stone. This would allow the best parts of Vision to remain theoretically. While that seemed to be proven incorrect when Thanos ripped it from his skull, SWORD could be searching for a way to bring Vision back online and possibly stumble upon the worst parts of his coding.

Pieces of Ultron could be buried deep inside Vision’s matrix, potentially even undetectable to SWORD’s scientists. Ultron’s code could still be in Vision’s body since his conscious transfer was never finished, and that fragmented data could be easier to discover. Unless SWORD’s scientists know exactly what they were looking for and can distinguish Vision’s matrix from Ultron’s, a mix-up could happen. Of course, it’s also possible that SWORD’s entire interest in Vision stems from a desire to bring Ultron back on purpose. And since Vision’s remains appeared to be hooked up to various pieces of technology, awakening Ultron in this fashion could give him direct access to the internet, allowing him to escape immediately and build a plan for the future.

What Ultron’s Return Would Mean For Phase 4

Ultron’s full return or the setup for him to emerge at a later point would bring back an iconic Marvel villain in Phase 4. The effects of Ultron’s return could vary depending on how SWORD happens to bring him back to life, but he would be a massive threat in any case. Ultron never finished his plan to wipe out humanity and saw the Avengers defeat him, but he could look to try again since Iron Man, Captain America, and others are no longer in the picture. This could even allow Ultron to cross paths with Hank Pym, who created the robot in the comics, to make up for a missed opportunity of the MCU’s past.

There are no shortage of Ultron-focused storylines the MCU could adapt in Phase 4 once the character returns too. This could even see Ultron be involved in the creation of new MCU heroes. WandaVision is rumored to introduce Simon Williams aka Wonder Man. He has a connection to Ultron in the comics, as Ultron used Simon’s brain waves as the basis for creating Vision. Since the MCU didn’t make that connection before, a new spin on the story could come with Ultron being responsible for Simon Williams getting powers. This could give the MCU a way to briefly have Wonder Man be a villain (as he was in the comics) before transitioning into a hero.

Ultron’s return could also be part of the long-term plans for the MCU and bringing the Runaways to life. The characters were recently the star of a Hulu TV show that lasted three years, but Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige originally planned for a Runaways movie. One part of their story that the show never touched on was Victor Mancha, the teenage cyborg son Ultron created as part of a long-term plan to take down the Avengers. However, a future member of the Runaways warned the present-day team about the threat of “Victorious” so they could try and stop him from turning evil. Victor did turn on Ultron and joined the Runaways, and he’s been a hero in the comics ever since. If the MCU has plans for Runaways and Victor Mancha, Ultron needs to return to tell the story properly.

About The Author

Cooper Hood
(5626 Articles Published)

Cooper Hood is a news and feature writer for Screen Rant. He joined Screen Rant in late 2016 following a year-long stint with MCU Exchange, which came after first developing an MCU blog of his own. He graduated college in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Media & Public Communication, with a minor in Media Production. Cooper’s love for movies began by watching Toy Story and Lion King on repeat as a child, but it wasn’t until The Avengers that he took an invested interest in movies and the filmmaking process, leading him to discover the world of film journalism. Every year Cooper looks forward to seeing the latest blockbusters from the likes of Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, but also loves the rush to catch up on Oscar films near the end of the year. When he isn’t writing about or watching new releases, Cooper is a fantasy football obsessive and looking to expand his Blu-Ray collection – because physical media is still king! Follow Cooper on Twitter @MovieCooper.

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