The Vision is the name of two fictional characters, both superheroes, in the Marvel Comics universe.

Modern Vision

The modern Vision, a far more well-known character than the Golden Age Vision, is an android who originated in the Silver Age of Comic Books. Writer Roy Thomas based the character on the Golden Age character, introducing him in his run as writer on The Avengers. The Vision was created by the evil android Ultron, intending to use the Vision against Ultron's creator, Yellowjacket, and his wife, the Wasp. The Vision's body was created from that of the original Human Torch, while the patterns of his synthetic brain were based on those of the then-deceased Wonder Man. The Vision rebelled against his "father" and soon joined the Avengers. The Vision became romantically involved with his teammate, the mutant Scarlet Witch, and the two eventually married. The pair were apparently able to have twin children via the Witch's mutant powers.

Rogue agents of the United States government, manipulated by the time traveler Immortus, abducted the Vision, dismantled him, and rebuilt him in a colorless, emotionless form. Meanwhile, the original Human Torch returned from apparent death, casting doubt on the Vision's identity (it was later revealed that the Vision was created from a copy of the original Torch's body that had been created by Immortus). The Vision and Scarlet Witch's children were then revealed to not be actual children at all: they were fragments of the soul of the demon Mephisto, who had been broken apart by Franklin Richards shortly before the birth of the "twins". The twins were absorbed back into Mephisto, temporarily driving the Witch insane. Although she recovered, she and the Vision were divorced.

The Vision gradually regained more of his emotions, sped by adopting new brain patters from the deceased scientist Alex Lipton, and gained a new body that resembled his original one rather than the colorless form he had been rebuilt with. In addition, the Simon Williams brain patterns gradually remerged and melded with the Lipton patterns, restoring him to full emotion once more (first Vision miniseries). He remained a member of the Avengers, becoming briefly romantically involved with teammate Carol Danvers (Warbird).

Recently, grief over the loss of the twins again drove the Scarlet Witch insane. She tried to rewrite reality to recreate them, accidentally causing the Vision to be reduced to a pile of mangled remains, and killing several other Avengers in the process.

Apparently, however, the Vision's mind survives, as Iron Lad was able to talk with him, by causing a holographic form to be projected from the remains of his body. Whether this was a one-off, or whether the Vision's mind continues to advise him is as yet unknown.

Superhuman powers

The modern Vision possessed the ability to manipulate his density; he could become completely intangible or as hard as diamond. While his density was lowered, he could fly, and while it was increased, he possessed a superhuman degree of strength and durability. He could fire solar-powered energy beams from the gem on his forehead or his eyes. His body was capable of self-repair, although repairing massive injuries would leave him temporarily infirm. His computer brain was capable of various analytical feats, and he could access and communicate with other computer systems.

Bibliography

• The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (volume 1) #1-4
• The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (volume 2) #1-12
• The Vision (volume 1) #1-4
• The Vision (volume 2; also called Avengers Icons: The Vision) #1-4

Golden Age Vision

The original Vision was an entity named Aarkus who either lived in or was native to another dimension. He originated in the Golden Age of Comic Books, and his only major appearance in modern comics was in the second series of The Invaders, in which he was summoned to Earth and manipulated by Nazi Germany into attacking the Allies. He realized his mistake, and soon returned home.

Powers

The Golden Age Vision possessed vaguely defined powers, including but not limited to the ability to travel through dimensions via smoke, flight, and matter transmutation.