Familial Ties

 

Back in 2015, the PPC had posed a question regarding whether or not the character of the Vision had lost some or all of his appeal for those of you who may have felt strongly on the subject. For myself, the tipping point may have been when an international coalition agreed to take steps to capture the Avenger and ensure that he would never again be able to seize the computers of the world to enact his own *ahem* vision for world order. To that end, he was disassembled while in custody in 1989 (our time) and likely analyzed down to the micro-circuit--while a computer tapeworm was released which would expunge from target computers any programs associated with him.

As a result, his form was left in a bleached state, and he took on a more spectral appearance for his fellow Avengers as well as the world. Yet even reprogrammed by Henry Pym with full knowledge of the Avengers and their history, he was also rendered emotionless--civil and dutiful, and still every bit the Avenger, but with his reasoning process reduced to logic and cold facts. The Vision would continue in his new physical form for nearly four years until 1993, and the Avengers' encounter with the Gatherers--where a Vision of an alternate timeline exchanged bodies with him in order to infiltrate the team. Once that conflict had played out, our own Vision was left to exist in his crimson "Gatherer" body (along with a costume that more or less had him resembling his former state), which effectively put any issues readers might have had with his pale form to rest. But I wondered if, for myself, the damage to the character had been done.

Yet as alert reader Dave S pointed out, there were some noteworthy stories in the 1990s involving our pale Avenger, one of which would stand out for me as a favorite--a story which begins in January of 1991 and continues in mid-1992, and explores the Vision's emotionless state quite well. It remains to be seen whether the Vision can ever return to his Roy Thomas days--but the covers to these respective stories appear to indicate that something is afoot.

In the Avengers Spotlight story, writer Len Kaminski introduces us to AI researcher Miles Lipton, who has spent time and effort working behind the scenes to investigate the death of his son, Alex, who had worked for the Roxxon Oil conglomerate. (And from what we readers know of the dealings of Roxxon Oil, that's likely an open and shut case.) Miles had managed to hack into Roxxon's "black budget" records, when he receives a most unique visitor in need of his assistance.

As "Victor Shade," the Vision has some interesting experiences to report back to Miles--but his "mentor" in human behavior is more concerned with further instances of a curious malfunction in the Vision which the android appears unaware of, a condition which Miles finally diagnoses. In so doing, we see that Ultron, the Vision's creator, knew what he was doing when he incorporated the brain patterns of a human (in this case, Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man) into the Vision--and why the absence of said patterns is causing the Vision to, in essence, "break down."

For what it's worth to him at this point, Miles sadly receives verbal confirmation that his son was murdered, while the description of the "job" that the Roxxon goons offer Miles is brief and to the point: Reprogram the Vision to work for Roxxon, and the thugs reconsider ending Miles' life. Having no choice, Miles proceeds--but not with the work they're expecting.

Back to full capacity once more, the Vision makes short work of the goons, using the same tactic he did when getting the drop on the Lethal Legion--reducing his body density to minimal, rendering him nearly invisible and able to slip inside another's body and take neural control of them. It's a wrap-up that is pleasing to Miles in more ways than one, as well as to Alex's widow, Laura--while the Vision has cause to be optimistic about his future.

A year and a half later, Laura Lipton reappears in the Vision's life--and judging by the issue's cover, she seems to have put her husband's loss behind her and found comfort in the arms of the Vision. Or has she? Writer Bob Harras and guest penciler Kirk Jarvinen bring us back to the Vision's continuing dismay at the loss of any emotional connection to others--his android brain able to emulate emotion, but not to actually feel it. Yet it's a more pressing sense of loss which brings Laura Lipton to Avengers Mansion this day--specifically, to seek out the Vision, whom she has never met (at least in this form), on behalf of her father-in-law Miles, who has a terminal illness and has asked to see the man whose mind has been programmed with the brain patterns of Miles' son, Alex.

If you're finding it surprising that the Vision practically has to have his arm twisted by Crystal to visit Miles, if only out of courtesy and decency, join the club. Given the rapport that the two previously established, I would have thought they would keep in touch--if only to chart the Vision's progress, particularly since he is still grappling with difficulty in spending time with and relating to humans. That said, it's important to keep in mind that the Vision, well, has no emotions. He cannot offer heartfelt sympathy... he cannot feel sadness, or friendship, or a sense of loss (profound or otherwise)... he can only register this news of Miles, nor does he do so out of intentional coldness but on the basis of simple fact.

Yet he accompanies Laura nonetheless--perhaps mostly at Crystal's urging, since she was only recently witness to his attempt to trigger emotions that he once felt for his former wife, the Scarlet Witch. But not even Laura is prepared for the request Miles wishes to make of the Vision.

Kaminski and Harras have managed to strike gold with the Liptons, as they've turned out to be good, all-around characters in their own right but also balancing well with the Vision in his current state. Until recently, of course, Laura knew the Vision only as Victor Shade--while Alex, a character we've never met in the physical sense, has still become compelling even in death in the form of emotional ties to his wife and father as well as a necessary anchor for the Vision's mental processes. And now, all three of them, most especially the Vision, will share a deeply intimate, personal experience during the last day of Miles' life--one which may even have an effect on the Vision, whether, as Crystal notes, this procedure succeeds in even the smallest degree or fails.

We can see why Laura opted not to stay and witness the result. Regardless, Alex Lipton has two people to say goodbye to as the dawn breaks--at least as long as this miracle manages to last.

It would be easy to assume that for the Vision, he has simply indulged the final request of Miles Lipton and will now rejoin Crystal, perhaps reflecting on what this experience has meant for himself or if it has benefited him in some way... another human quandary to ponder for deeper meaning and file away. But Harras has instead seen to it that another miracle has taken place here--one that Crystal has already gleaned, but the substantiation of which Harras only allows the reader to be privy to.

Admittedly, I was caught off guard by the scene, the Vision's final words to Laura (as himself) making it appear that nothing had changed for him--that Alex's dominance was separate and distinct and had simply run its course, as Miles had indicated. It's an excellent twist that Harras provided, and a wonderful conclusion to a memorable story.  Yet giving further thought to the Vision's reaction, that presents another possibility, perhaps, which Harras may not have intended: Instead of being overwhelmed by this experience, and by Laura's final words to him, could the Vision instead be feeling anguish from the realization that his efforts to help the Liptons be at peace ended up meaning absolutely nothing to him, and Crystal's assessment was based on a depth of feeling that was never there? Otherwise, why would the Vision be so hesitant to be forthcoming with her on the subject? It's not what I ultimately ended up taking away from this story, and this alternate interpretation throws a damper on a fine, poignant ending by Harras--so let's just chalk it up to my thinking out loud, hm?

NEXT:
The Gatherers return, as Bob Harras picks up the threads of this story
for the 1994-95 limited series,