Give Vision some grace, he’s going through some things.

For years, Vision has fought alongside the Avengers during their greatest battles, but now the android’s artificial life has been turned upside down. When a government agency called Vigilance kidnaps and experiments on Vision, the Avenger becomes an entirely new person, startling his Avengers teammates and his wife, Wanda Maximoff.

Originally published in West Coast Avengers #42-25 (1989), 'Vision Quest' is one of the most consequential stories Marvel published in the '80s. Not only did the Marvel Comics storyline change Vision forever, but it had major status quo changes for Scarlet Witch, the West Coast Avengers, and set the stage for major events like Avengers Disassembled and House of M.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe will be putting its own spin on the storyline with Disney+'s VisionQuest series set inside the MCU, which premieres on October 14. For reasons we’ll go over later, it’s safe to assume the Disney+ series will go in a different direction, but it’s still worth checking out the original storyline, which was written and penciled by John Byrne. So, what’s the deal with Vision Quest, and how does it end? Let’s dive in…

What is Vision Quest about?

'Vision Quest' is a West Coast Avengers storyline where Vision gets kidnapped, dismantled, and rebuilt with a new personality. Vision’s wife, Wanda Maximoff, and her West Coast Avengers teammates search for their missing friend and try to untangle the conspiracy behind his kidnapping. Meanwhile, there is something peculiar going on with Vision and the Scarlet Witch’s young children, who seem to be disappearing and reappearing. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Tigra finds herself becoming more feral and tries to hide this transformation from her teammates.  

How does Vision Quest end?

The West Coast Avengers learn that a group of government operatives kidnapped and dismantled Vision. The WCA recovered their friend's fallen body, but unfortunately, his memories had been erased. Hank Pym does his best to rebuild Vision, but he isn’t able to restore the android’s personality. Vision is reconstructed in a white body with a colder personality. Wanda is heartbroken, as this new version of Vision has no affection for her. As this is happening, the WCA deals with the arrival of U.S. Agent, who is joining their team by order of the government. Tensions are high, and everyone immediately butts heads with him.

Meanwhile, Wanda and Vision’s children Tommy and Billy keep disappearing, startling their nannies. This plot point would pay off in later issues when it was revealed that the children were magical constructs subconsciously created by Wanda.

What are the Vision Quest deaths?

No characters die in the 'Vision Quest' comic storyline. The storyline is more of a character-driven drama with a few action scenes, so there aren’t a lot of opportunities for characters to die. Some might consider Vision being reconstructed with a new personality as a death and rebirth. The storyline does contain a scene where Tigra mauls a deer, but this turns out to be a nightmare, so it isn’t a real death. In other words, no animals were harmed during the making of Vision Quest.

How close will the Vision Quest TV show be to the comics?

The VisionQuest TV show from Marvel Studios won’t be a direct adaptation of the Vision Quest comic. The comic book heavily features the West Coast Avengers, a team that hasn’t formed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Most of the major players from the comic are off the table or haven’t had their MCU counterparts introduced yet. For example, the MCU version of the Scarlet Witch is currently dead, and while Marvel Studios isn’t above reviving people, it would put the storyline in a whole new direction.

The MCU version of John Walker is currently busy with the New Avengers, Wonder Man is currently having adventures with Trevor Slattery, and Bobbi Morse is in a nebulous place in continuity depending on whether Marvel thinks Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is canon this week. Plus, some of the major plot beats from Vision Quest, such as Vision being reprogrammed, were already depicted in WandaVision.

It’s likely that VisionQuest will have similar themes and plot elements of the Vision Quest comic, but don’t expect a one-for-one adaptation.

What comic is VisionQuest based on?

VisionQuest will likely pull elements from the 1989 Vision Quest comic and Tom King’s 2015 Vision series. Showrunner Terry Matalas says the series will focus on Vision struggling to find himself and his lost memories, which points to some elements of the Vision Quest comic. However, for reasons we discussed in the previous section, we shouldn’t expect a direct adaptation of that storyline. There is also some speculation that we’ll see elements from Tom King’s 2015 Vision series, which saw Vision build his own android family. Paul Bettany teased that the series will show “intergenerational trauma between fathers and sons,” which could point to King’s storyline. We’ll know more when VisionQuest premieres on October 14.

Is the comic book storyline called Vision Quest or VisionQuest?

Both are technically correct, but Vision Quest appears to be the official spelling. West Coast Avengers #42-45 alternates between spelling Vision Quest with and without a space, but the current version of the trade paperback collection uses the space. As such, we can consider that the official title is from Marvel. It’s worth noting that the Marvel Studios streaming series will stylize the title as VisionQuest, which may add to the confusion. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Marvel used that version of the title for a new printing of the graphic novel to tie in with the TV series.

How does Vision Quest change the Marvel Universe?

Vision Quest had numerous developments for the Marvel Universe. The storyline changed the character of Vision and ended his marriage to Scarlet Witch. While Vision would later return to his old look and personality, Vision Quest still marked a major turning point in his life, and its aftermath can still be felt today. It also introduced Vision’s white look, which is one of the most memorable redesigns for the character.

Prior to Vision Quest, it was believed that Vision was a reconstructed version of the original Human Torch android from the Golden Age. We learn here that wasn’t true, and the revelation sets the stage for the real Human Torch to return. The character is still a part of the Marvel Universe today.

The storyline also plants the seeds for the revelation that Wanda’s children Tommy and Billy were magical constructs. This eventually causes Wanda to have a breakdown, which leads to the events of Avengers Disassembled and House of M.

However, there was more to Tommy and Billy’s existence than meets the eye, and the two characters would later return as the teen heroes Wiccan and Speed. Both of them would join the Young Avengers and become important Marvel Universe characters in their own right.

So yeah, Vision Quest was a pretty big deal.

How can I read the Vision Quest comic?

Vision Quest is available as a graphic novel at most book retailers.

Vision Quest is one of the most important stories for Vision, Scarlet Witch, and the West Coast Avengers, so Marvel has done a good job of keeping it in print. The storyline is collected in a trade paperback collection, which can be purchased at major book retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million. As a bonus, the trade paperback also collects some of the issues that precede the storyline and its immediate aftermath.

You can also read the storyline by tracking down the original issues, West Coast Avengers #42-25 (1989), at your local comic book shop. Digital versions of these comics can also be purchased from Amazon or read with a Marvel Unlimited subscription. Simply put, Marvel has made it really easy to read Vision Quest, so just use your preferred method and have a blast.

Want more? Make sure you've read our list of all the best Marvel Comics stories of all time.