Avengers #254
Absolute Vision
The Avengers have just learned of the Vision’s plan to take over the world’s computer systems.[1] When the team returns to Avengers Mansion they discover that Thor, Captain Marvel, and She-Hulk have apparently sided with their android teammate. However, Captain America realizes that this is yet another deception when he notices that none of the Vision’s allies are casting shadows.[2] Tossing his shield through them, he reveals that they are nothing more than holographic projections, just as the Vision. The Vision makes another effort to convince the Avengers that this is the right thing to do, but when they refuse to listen he disappears to carry out the final act of his takeover, willing to sacrifice his own existence to bring peace to Earth.
Captain America then orders the Scarlet Witch, Starfox, and Hercules to begin a search to find the Vision’s physical body which is hiding somewhere in the mansion. He then signals the West Coast Avengers who have been waiting on standby in a nearby Quinjet along New York City’s shores. Once Hawkeye receives the signal, he dispatches Wonder Man to break into the mansion through the tunnel to the Mansion’s submarine pens.[3] Meanwhile, Captain America and the Witch search the upper floors of the mansion, while Hercules and Starfox search the lower levels. Wanda, worried for her husband, hopes that she is able to find him first so she can talk him out of doing this.
Entering their bedroom, Wanda is surprised to find one of the Vision’s holographic projections waiting for her. This one appears to her in a humanoid form. While in the hallway, Captain America avoids one of the stun-ray traps and is approached by another hologram of the Vision. In the lower levels, Hercules and Starfox free themselves from a stalled elevator and find the Black Knight fighting for his life in the training room.[4] While Starfox continues the search, Herc and the Knight are confronted by yet another hologram, this one appears in a muscular form dressed with spikes. Meanwhile, Starfox enters the Vision’s lab where he finds a cerebral energizer similar to those that are used on his native home of Titan. He too is then visited by a holographic projection of the Vision. Lastly, Wonder Man emerges from the waters in the submarine pen and is approached by yet another projection of the Vision. This one, refers to Simon as a brother and is dressed in casual clothing.
Each of these holographic projections explains his motivations to the Avengers. He reminds them how he was suddenly knocked into a coma while trying pass through an invisible barrier during the Avengers battle with Annihilus.[5] He explains that this was caused by interference with a control crystal that was installed in his mind when he was created by Ultron. He goes on to explain that this crystal had been used by Ultron and others in the post to usurp control of his body.[6] It was a malfunction in the crystal that made it difficult for him to regain full control of his body, prompting Starfox to hook the Vision up to ISAAC the world computer on Titan.[7] Being connected to such much data all at once flooded the Vision with experiences he never felt before and he almost couldn’t handle it. With a new goal in mind, the Vision took over leadership of the Avengers after most of the team was kidnapped to fight in the Secret Wars. However, during a press conference he realized that the public feared him because he was different so he began working on other ways to obtain his goals of global piece.[8]
To this end, he and ISAAC began working on ways to gain the public trust. The Vision constructed the cerebral energizer so that he could imitate Starfox’s ability to tap the pleasure center of the human brain. It was with this ability he convinced the Wasp to resign as leader of the Avengers and took over himself. He then used this power to try convince the NSA to allow him to form a new west coast division of the Avengers.[9] He was less successful when he attempted to convince the President of the United States to make the Avengers chairmanship a cabinet post within the government. Realizing his failure, the Vision discovered that in order to achieve his goals he would need more power and used his abilities to take over every computer on Earth.
While the Vision is busy explaining himself to the Avengers, the distraction is having an effect on his control of the world’s computer. This causes the computers at NORAD to start picking up television signals and stop working. General Peabody, the commander in charge, demands answers and learns that the override is coming from a secure line connected to the missile defense command’s computers.
Back at Avengers Mansion, the Vision explains that taking control of all of Earth’s computers was his last resort. Now that he has full control of the world’s nuclear weapons he can force all nations to come together in peace. Captain America, however, doesn’t think it’s that simple: pointing out that nuclear submarines are not connected to computer networks and that nothing is stopping humanity from creating new weapons to turn against the Vision. Hercules and the Black Knight also question what the long term benefits of the Vision’s control would have. The Knight in particular points out that with everything under the android would make people complacent and the Vision ripe for manipulation at the hands of those of ill-will. The Scarlet Witch reminds Vision how anti-mutant bigots burned down their home and that none of the computers in the world will be able to stop that kind of prejudice, only create more.[10] The Vision still insists on trying, pointing out that ISAAC has been able to run Titan for centuries. Starfox points out that his people have a very small population and is much more manageable than the billions of people on Earth and that his mind will be so spread out it his personality with be diluted to the point of dissolution.
When the Vision departs, the Avengers all touch base and compare notes. When nobody has found the Vision’s physical body, Wonder Man suddenly remembers the secret underground bunker below the mansion built years earlier by Howard Stark.[11] Breaking through the wall and fighting past the defense systems, Simon finds the Vision’s body hooked into the machines down there. When the other Avengers catch up, Starfox warns against disconnecting the Vision directly as it could destroy him in the process. Under Eros’ instructions, a control panel is ripped open and the computer system is shut down by one of the Scarlet Witch’s hex bolts. This frees the Vision who is weak after his ordeal. He tells the other Avengers to stay away for a moment and then uses his phasing power to reach into his own head and pull the malfunctioning control crystal from his mind. The Vision reiterates that this was the cause of his erratic behavior and apologizes for what he has done. He is ready to face whatever punishment is due for his action. However, Captain America believes that the Vision had the best intentions in mind and, fearing public backlash and panic, suggests that they keep the Vision’s attempted take over a secret because — as far as they know — nobody noticed.
Unfortunately, for Captain America, the technicians at NORAD have discovered where the intrusion came from: Avengers Mansion. Furious to learn that the nation’s best defense had been compromised by a bunch of masked vigilantes, General Peabody vows to get to the bottom of it.[12]
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Hercules, Vision, Starfox, Captain Marvel), Avengers West Coast (Hawkeye, Wonder Man, Tigra, Mockingbird), Black Knight
Continuity Notes
The Vision has been plotting this to bring about a utopia of his own design since Avengers #238.
Captain America likens the Vision’s plans with the time Moondragon used her mental powers to force the entire planet of Bi-Bani into peace. That happened in Avengers #219-220.
Wonder Man refers to the Vision as more of a brother than his own. This is because the Vision was constructed using a recording of Simon’s brain imprint, as seen in Avengers #57-58. This imprint was taken way back in Avengers #9 when it was believed that Simon was dying as a result of his newly obtained powers, in fact he ended up in a death-like coma until his body converted into pure ionic energy and later returned to live in Avengers #150. His actual brother is Eric Williams, who blamed the Avengers for his brother’s “death” and became the Grim Reaper as first seen in Avengers #52.
Hercules doesn’t remember meeting the Black Knight previously. The Knight isn’t surprised as they only ever encountered one another back in Avengers #100.
The Vision was rendered unconscious in Avengers #233.
Ultron took over the Vision’s mind in Avengers #66-68. Although he doesn’t mention it here, others who took control of his body include the Mad Thinker (Marvel Two-In-One #38-39) and Necrodameus. (Marvel Team-Up #130)
Starfox hooked the Vision up to ISAAC in issue #238.
The Avengers were kidnapped in Avengers #242 and returned the following issue. See Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #1-12.
The Vision took over as the Avengers and convinces the NSA to form a west coast division in Avengers #243. The West Coast Avengers were finally up and running in West Coast Avengers #1-4.
The Vision and the Scarlet Witch bought a house in New Jersey in Vision and the Scarlet Witch #1. It was burned down in Avengers #252 by anti-mutant bigots.
This bunker was used to store the robot known as Arsenal. The Avengers discovered it in Iron Man #114 and Avengers Annual #9.
Although it seems that the Vision’s attempt to take over the world’s computer is eventually discovered by the government. This will lead to them kidnapping the Vision and dismantling him to determine if he is still a threat. See West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45.
Topical References
The television screens in NORAD are depicted as showing the Muppets on on TV screen, the title card to I Love Lucy on another, and a third one which I believe is some now obscure 1980s toy/cartoon series (I could be wrong, but Google is useless on this one). Anyway, you could assume that these are all topical references unless they’re picking up a channel that broadcasts re-runs of old TV Shows.
In this story, Captain America states that nuclear submarines are not connected to any defense networks. You’d think that would be something that has changed in the internet age. However, a half-assed Google search shows that this is still the case. Which makes a frightening level of sense in a world where hackers can easily take over government databases.
