Ready for VisionQuest on Disney+? Here’s your MCU catch-up list

Time for another deep dive into the MCU — and this time, I'm looking at VisionQuest, which has been blasted everywhere as the epic conclusion to the semi-official Disney+ trilogy. Which trilogy, exactly? Well, the WandaVision family tree, basically. The thing is, Marvel stories aren't exactly straightforward with homework these days. If you want Paul Bettany's shiny android to make proper sense this autumn, you can just tune in for VisionQuest by itself, but honestly, that'd be missing half the fun — and half the context.

So, here's what I reckon you should be watching (or re-watching, more likely) before October rolls round and Bettany returns as Vision. Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be. Trust me, I've watched every hour of MCU content that Disney has flung at us since 2008, and VisionQuest isn't the sort of thing to jump into cold.

VisionQuest premieres 14 October on Disney+.

Warming Up: The Optional Extra

First, one that I will not insist on: What If...? season one, episode eight. If you're a completist or just enjoy seeing alternate realities go absolutely mad, you might be tempted. You certainly don't need it to understand VisionQuest, but it does feature a version of Ultron who did get the body Vision now wears — snagging all the Infinity Stones in the process and turning into a sort of cosmic autocrat. All I'll say is: it's a decent reminder of how dangerous Ultron was supposed to be before his story got buried in the MCU juggernaut.

The Proper Prep List

This is the real meat. Watch these — or at least, know what happened in them:

• Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – The birth of Vision, the best Ultron material, and the spark moment between Vision and Wanda. The twisted 'father/son' connection between robot and creator is proper Marvel melodrama, and it’s the starting whistle for everything that follows. Even if you've never bothered with it (and frankly, quite a few haven’t), this is absolutely the one to catch up on if nothing else. It's also the first time Vision and Wanda even cross paths. If you're tempted to skip the original Avengers film from 2012, you'll still follow what's happening here just fine.
• Captain America: Civil War (2016) – Not strictly an Avengers film, but basically functions as one. This is where Vision and Wanda's 'they fancy each other but are technically enemies' subplot kicks off in earnest. Neither of them are leads, to be fair, and the gist of their relationship spills straight into the next couple of projects, but Civil War is where things start to feel personal. Wanda gets herself locked up, Vision stays loyal to Iron Man. Captain America busts her out, chaos ensues.
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Here's where the Vision/Wanda arc ramps up: they're hiding out in Scotland, Thanos is looming, and Vision literally has an Infinity Stone in his head. Not the best day at the office. For VisionQuest, this matters because Tommy, now played by Ruaridh Mollica (and Scottish!) in the new series, is clearly referencing those early scenes. Infinity War also closes Wanda and Vision’s original arc — with Thanos killing Vision outright. Which sets up the entire WandaVision/Agatha/VisionQuest block. If you do rewatch it, be warned: it’s a double bill with Endgame. Endgame itself is not particularly stuffed with Vision content, but you might feel a bit adrift if you try and dodge it.
• WandaVision (2021) – Unskippable. Nine episodes, but goes down like a long film. Vision was left dead at the end of Infinity War — WandaVision starts with him alive, for reasons that slowly become clear. This is the show where you meet Billy and Tommy properly (including the version of Tommy who rocks up in VisionQuest), and where White Vision first turns up. Paul Bettany's current variant is the White Vision, by the way.
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) – Only slightly less crucial. It’s basically WandaVision’s dark epilogue: Wanda goes nuclear villain in a desperate, rather tragic bid to have her lost children back for good. She burns through entire multiverses, racks up quite the body count, and (supposedly) dies very self-sacrificially by the end. The trailer for VisionQuest references her, but I’d be massively surprised if Olsen actually appears again. Still, if Vision seems a bit emotionally shattered in the new series, this is why. If you want the short version, just clock that Wanda’s properly dead and left a mess behind her.
• Agatha All Along (2024) – Picks up after WandaVision, but with the focus moving to Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness. There’s a bit of 'how Westview is coping', but the main thing for VisionQuest is that Billy (now Joe Locke) gets revived in a new body, and Tommy has a matching arc in VisionQuest. Technically billed as WandaVision trilogy part two, but honestly, it’s not absolutely vital unless you’re obsessed with the supporting characters. It’s fine to prioritise bigger MCU swings if you're short on time, just bear in mind that one of Vision's kids is already back on the scene thanks to this one.

That's your lot: the MCU viewing order to actually make sense of VisionQuest without having to watch the entire Marvel back catalogue in one go. Skipping all six is just inviting confusion — at least give WandaVision another spin.