VisionQuest's Showrunner Confirmed A Major Marvel Cameo Most Fans Missed
This article contains spoilers for "VisionQuest" Episode 6, "Deadlock."
"VisionQuest" has been digging into the Marvel Cinematic Universe's past. Presumed dead AI villain Ultron (James Spader) is one of the stars, alongside a whole cadre of Tony Stark-designed intelligences living in the head of Vision (Paul Bettany). The latest episode, "Deadlock," sliced the deepest cut yet.
The very first MCU villain, the warlord Raza Hamidmi al-Wazar (Faran Tahir) of the Ten Rings, who held Tony Stark captive back in "Iron Man," returns. Evidently having been excommunicated since we last saw him, Raza has gone from terrorist to bounty hunter. With Paladin (Todd Stashwick) having failed to secure Vision for his enigmatic client, the client took their business elsewhere — to Raza. In Madripoor, there's a stand-off between unlikely allies Vision and Paladin against Raza and his men. That stand-off breaks when the Client appears to remotely hack all the electronics in the city and displays their shadowy image on nearby screens.
At around the 32:40 time mark, there's a very subtle cameo: a pair of eyes and outline of a humanoid figure behind a door on the right side of the frame.
Marvel Studios
"VisionQuest" showrunner Terry Matalas confirmed on Twitter/X this is Uatu the Watcher (voiced by Jeffrey Wright in past MCU productions). Uatu is one of the most enduring figures of Marvel Comics; he was created in 1963 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for "Fantastic Four" #13. He and his race, the Watchers, take a solemn vow to observe and record all history, but never interfere (though he often breaks that rule).
The Watcher was the host of the "What If...?" comic book series, narrating glimpses into those tales of alternate universes. Marvel's three-season animated "What If...?" series used Wright's Uatu in the same role.
The Watcher has good reason to be watching over Ultron
"VisionQuest" is only the latest Marvel Studios TV series to hide the Watcher in the background like this. In "X-Men '97" Season 1, Episode 5, "Remember It," just before an enormous Sentinel arrives on mutant haven Genosha to wipe out the island's population, the Watcher can be seen in the sky watching over Genosha. That makes sense, because a cataclysmic event is coming. But why does the Watcher appear at this specific moment in "VisionQuest?" Why is Vision's journey worthy of Uatu's specific attention?
It might be because Vision is on a collision course with Ultron, who recently escaped Vision's frame and is currently bumping knees with another misanthropic android, Jocasta (T'Nia Miller). Jocasta's plan, as "Deadlock" shows us, is to spread nanites across the globe and remake the human race in her image.
The Watcher has good reason to be cautious of any world domination scheme that puts Ultron close to power. Refer to "What If...?" Season 1, Episode 8, "What If... Ultron Won?", which depicts Earth-29929. Unlike in "Avengers: Age of Ultron," that world's Ultron (Ross Marquand filling in for James Spader) successfully uploaded his mind into Vision's body, defeated the Avengers, and destroyed Earth in nuclear fire. Killing Thanos and taking the Infinity Stones, Ultron then continued spreading "peace" across the universe until there was nothing left to kill.
With the godly Infinity Stones, Ultron eventually became aware of the Watcher, infiltrated his domain, and threatened to destroy the entire multiverse. The Watcher had to assemble a group of heroes from across different universes (and past "What If...?" episodes) to stop him. It's little surprise Uatu is looking closely at Vision now that the "Sacred Timeline" Ultron has escaped containment.
"VisionQuest" is streaming on Disney+.