VisionQuest Episodes 3 & 4 Recap: Who is the Butcherbird?

VisionQuest introduced a story of humanity and what makes one human last week, with White Vision being infused with normal Vision’s memories, but none of the feelings. Thomas Maximoff manifests into reality and meets his proxy dad as he is kidnapped by the assassin, Paladin, and the two escape after defeating him.

Created by Star Trek’s Terry Matalas, the week added two more episodes of the Disney+ series and sees Vision’s search for meaning again as he bonds with his proxy son and battles his own AI demons and angels for survival. As the season reaches its midpoint, how does it actually hold up in terms of storytelling and quality?

How Does Vision Reboot After His Near-Death Experience in VisionQuest?

Paul Bettany and James Spader in VisionQuest | Credits: Disney+

By the end of episode 2, Vision saves Tommy Maximoff but is severely injured. While on the run from Paladin in the opening scenes of episode 3, titled ‘Reboot’, Vision describes his injury as “nearly fatal”, which does not give Tommy any kind of comfort. Meanwhile, the AIs handling Vision are still grieving the death of J.A.R.V.I.S., as he sacrificed his processing power for Vision’s survival.

After Vision improvises cauterizing his wound with a battery’s sulfuric acid, the duo hide out in a motel. Vision is still not entirely out of danger, physically and in terms of his relationship with Tommy. The younger Maximoff asks questions that Vision feels he does not have the authority to give answers to, but he does feel like he needs to be a better father figure.

Meanwhile, Tommy’s trauma of being drowned in a pool (which we saw in episode 1 and at the end of Agatha All Along) is getting to him as he sees the hotel pool. As he tries to get more answers and bond with White Vision, the latter’s silence messes with him. He accidentally uses his speed magic to break a vending machine and expresses that he is surrounded by broken machines.

As Vision’s health deteriorates, he decides the only way to survive is a complete reboot of his system. For that, he needs Tommy’s magic and the hotel pool. As Vision temporarily dies for a few minutes, he has a human experience. All the memories of the real Vision’s life pass by him. Ultron comments on how life flashes by for a person dying, and Vision gets a unique feeling.

After his reboot works, Vision’s AI crew throw a funeral for J.A.R.V.I.S. DUM-E also says something incredibly poetic, and U sings ‘Oh Danny Boy’. While it is a sweet scene, with some cynical comment from Ultron, it quickly turns into a horror show when it is revealed that Vision’s system reboot caught the attention of the serial killer Butcherbird. She has now infiltrated Vision’s consciousness and is slowly taking over each AI.

Why Is Butcherbird Killing The Creators of Stark AI?

Butcherbird in VisionQuest | Credits: Disney+

Butcherbird, a gynoid robot actually named Jocasta, makes her debut in the third episode as she kills her third victim. Paladin confuses her actions with those of Vision because he finds a digital signature. As the assassin investigates the murder, Butcherbird attacks him and pokes into his mind, Cassandra Nova-style, and reveals that he is not the OG Paladin, but his adopted son.

The power surge from Vision’s reboot catches her attention, and she promptly infiltrates his consciousness. She takes over Vision, U, and DUM-E, while E.D.I.T.H. tries to exorcise her out of Vision’s system with a book of programming. Ultron actually screams, ‘The power of code compels you’. It is as hilarious as it is scary.

But after the horror-inspired scene of Butcherbird taking over, we move on to a neo-noir mystery of sorts as the AIs figure out why Butcherbird is killing and who the next victim could be. After E.D.I.T.H. and F.R.I.D.A.Y. hack into the Interpol records along with Vision and Ultron, they figure out who the current victims are. They appear to be a group of scientists related to the development of an AI system that was bought by Stark Industries (oh great, another villain created by Tony). This system was later used to create J.A.R.V.I.S., Ultron, E.D.I.T.H., F.R.I.D.A.Y., and Vision.

Among the five scientists who worked on the revolutionary AI system, one, Dr. Josephine Carrington, died of natural causes, while three others were killed by Jacosta. They deduce that the next victim is the last surviving member of the team, Katerina Wells, who is hosting a party that night. We shift to an espionage flick as Vision and Tommy break into the party.

After trying to protect Katerina Wells, Jacosta still breaks into the party and reveals itself to be a ‘ghost’ of Dr. Josephine, who was betrayed by the other scientists and is hence on a revenge spree. While Vision tries to protect Katerina, Ultron suddenly takes over and puts Vision on the back burner. He is also attracted to Jacosta’s philosophy of a ‘new peace’.

The episode ends with Ultron being in control of Vision and possibly getting closer to Jacosta. The fourth episode shifts genre thrice in the space of nearly 50 minutes and proves that it is Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas’ creation. As the show reaches its midpoint, we finally see Ultron back in action. VisionQuest‘s Episodes are released weekly on Disney+.

What do you think of this week’s VisionQuest? Comment below.