Four months ago, Disney and Marvel Studios had shown the first Avengers: Infinity War footage for the fortunate ones who managed to be at the select presentations during Comic-Con International and D23 Expo. Now, the first official trailer has been released, and although the grand footage is going to be helpful in catering to the eager MCU fans, for now, the inevitable arrival of Thanos seems to be bad news for the Paul Bettany portrayal of the vibranium built synthezoid called Vision.
In fact, that is a bit of positive description of things. We saw in the footage that one of the members of Thanos’ evil Black Order use a scepter to forcibly take out the Mind Stone from Vision’s forehead, something that was necessary for Thanos’ quest to create and use the almighty Infinity Gauntlet. However, what does it mean for Vision to see his Mind Stone being ripped off by the Mad Titan?
Vision debuted in Marvel Cinematic Universe in the 2015 movie Avengers: Age of Ultron. However, we can say that the character previously existed in thoughts since the initial Avengers film in 2012 because we had first seen the Mind Stone in that film, fitted in a scepter that Thanos himself gave to Loki. The stone changed an ordinary scepter into a highly powerful weapon that could fire energy blasts, control minds and facilitate teleportation. It was the Mind Stone powered scepter in HYDRA’s possession that was utilized to perform experiments on Wanda and Pietro Maximoff that gave them their unbelievable abilities. After that the stone was removed from the scepter, it turned out to be the final object that Ultron wanted in his endeavor to create a perfect body.
That leads us to Vision. Ultron tried his best, but, the Avengers managed to get hold of the Regeneration Cradle before Ultron could transfer his consciousness into the vibranium cast android body lying in it. The Mind Stone fixed on the android’s forehead powered the body and courtesy Tony Stark/Bruce Banner and some lightning from Mjolnir, the remains of J.A.R.V.I.S. became the software that brought Vision to life.
With such a scenario, what might happen when the Mind Stone which is a key component of Vision’s physical existence is forcibly ripped off his head? Although a vehicle can run without a battery by sourcing power from the alternator, it creates the risk of ruining your semiconductors and diodes. Similarly, a human being can survive in the absence of brain activity, however, medically and legally, that person is deceased. So is Vision similar to a brain dead person or a car without a battery if he is without his Mind Stone? Will it make him as lifeless as he was when he was lying in the Regeneration Cradle?
During Captain America: Civil War, Vision was shown to be thinking about the same. “I don’t know what this is. Not really,” he spoke to Scarlet Witch while pointing to the stone embedded in his forehead. “I know it’s not of this world, that it powered Loki’s staff, gave you your abilities. But its true nature is a mystery and yet it is part of me… I wish to understand it. The more I do, the less it controls me. One day, who knows? I may even control it.”
We must remember that this is Vision, someone who has terrible social skills and is grappling to understand human behavior (and cooking of course), therefore, it is unimaginable that he was using metaphors while talking. Could it be possible that he could become so evolved that his existence becomes independent of the Mind Stone? In case he can, what kind of a utility he will be for the Avengers in the absence of the Mind Stone? A great deal of intellect and great hacking knowledge is good, but, it is his energy blasts and density manipulation, powers that are provided by the Mind Stone, that make him so special. Without them, he is just a non-AI J.A.R.V.I.S.
Nobody knows what lies ahead. Maybe we will see him become similar to his comic book version in Avengers 4. No doubt, the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will be well served by a butler who knows how to cook.
A Joe and Anthony Russo directorial venture, Avengers: Infinity Warfrom Marvel stars Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Bettany, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Benedict Wong, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, PomKlementieff, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland and Anthony Mackie. The film will release on May 4, 2018.
