VisionQuest episodes 3 and 4 are here... but it's the latter that really raises the stakes and kicks the action into high gear.
From here on out: it's spoiler time. Don't scroll ahead if you haven't seen VisionQuest episodes 3 and 4, which are streaming on Disney Plus right now.
At the end of episode 3 and leading into the beginning of episode 4, Vision experiences a power surge during his (seemingly) last battle with the Paladin. During that surge, an unknown synth hacks his mainframe and corners him... threatening him to stay out of her way, lest she destroy everything he loves. Who is this mysterious synth?
Well, thanks to some sleuthing from E.D.I.T.H. and F.R.I.D.A.Y. (and Ultron, weirdly), they manage to find out that this synth is also the serial killer, dubbed by the media as the Butchebird Killer, who has been picking off the members of Markridge Tech one by one. Every synthezoid is based on the likeness of a real human, and they manage to deduce that the synth is based on the likeness of Dr. Josephine Carrington, who also worked at Markridge Tech. We learn that the company isn't just any ol' company: they created the first AI with consciousness... before being acquired by Stark Industries.
After sneaking their way into a gala to save the last member of the board, who is no doubt Butcherbird's next victim, Vision and Tommy come face to face with a red-eyed, all-silver synth... but who is she?
Who is Jocasta?
During their battle, Vision attempts to take Jocasta down by appealing to her humanity. As he addresses her by her real name, Josephine, her human avatar begins to come through. "You were based on her," Vision says. "No," she says. "I am her."
Who is she? Though she isn't referred to by her proper comic book name in episode 4, the synth hunting down tech executives is none other than Jocasta. Though her physical appearance in the show is comic book-accurate, her name and backstory are much, much different than what we've seen in Marvel comics.
Jocasta made her first appearance in The Avengers #162 circa 1977. She was created by Ultron, who, knowing he could never be with Janet van Dyne aka the Wasp, decided to create a robo-wife of his own and use Janet's likeness to do it.
In the comics, Ultron transfers Janet's entire consciousness into Jocasta, who quickly realizes that this meant Janet would have to die in order for her to live. She alerts the Avengers, who take him down. Much like White Vision was created from scratch with no real memories or identity, Jocasta is left with the same after Janet's consciousness is removed from her body. Though she's programmed to be loyal to Ultron, she eventually betrays him and becomes an unofficial member of the Avengers.
Though we've only just been introduced, we already know that her comic book origin is very different from the one we see in VisionQuest. A human's consciousness was indeed placed into her body, but it appears to be that of Dr. Josephine Carrington... not the Wasp. Ultron also seems to have no connection to her whatsoever, which kills all the rumors that she would be introduced as his love interest (though it's just the beginning and they could both fall in love since they're both evil or whatever, though I'm not exactly sure how that would work since Ultron is physically dead and can only exist because of and inside of Vision).
It's worth noting that Jocasta has never had a true villain arc in the comics, nor has she ever really been motivated by revenge. As a fan of her comic book counterpart, I'm all for an arc that gives her more agency.
Jocasta has also been kept out of most of the VisionQuest promo, and showrunner Terry Matalas previously told Collider why: "We have purposely kept her character out of a lot of the promotion of the show because T'Nia's performance is revelatory. Chilling, nuanced, and even a little heartbreaking. I can't wait for everyone to see it." With three episodes to go, we'll just have to see how it all shakes out. Insert robot pun here.
VisionQuest continues on Disney Plus. Stay up to date with our VisionQuest release schedule, or read what E.D.I.T.H. star Emily Hampshire had to say about her big scene with Ultron.
