Right after Civil War,
Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
had an interview talking about Infinity War.
If there is one obvious hint in Civil War at what’s in store with Infinity War,
it’s when Vision says he wishes he could control the infinity stone in
his head. When we spoke with Markus and McFeely, they confirmed Vision’s
line is a tease:Markus:
That’s the most blatant set up I can think of.
At best, you could say that Vision’s lack of control is significant, yet it’s never pointed out in the movie as such. The Stone is treated more or less the way it has since Age of Ultron–as a distinct entity from Vision.
So if that line is “blatant set up”, where’s the pay off?
Early in the movie, Wanda and Vision share a sweet exchange–Vision is feeling pain from the Stone, feels like it’s almost trying to tell him something. He asks Wanda to see what she feels, and she says–”I just feel you”.
Later Vision will comfort her in his last moments, telling her as she prepares to destroy him, “You could never hurt me. I just feel you.”
Taken at face value, the first is about how Wanda simply doesn’t have the power or experience to sense anything from the Stone. The second is a tragic callback to a happier time.
But taken literally Wanda is telling us (without realizing it herself), is there is just Vision in the Mind Stone. He is the Mind Stone. She could feel anything else because there is nothing else but him.
So Vision’s final words to her take on a new meaning: the Mind Stone only feels her, the woman he loves–even as she destroys him. Vision/the Stone can’t be hurt by Wanda because he knows her, and he knows he loves her.
What does this mean for Avengers 4?
- The Mind Stone is the Stone that we’re told seems to think on its own, long before anyone merges it with any sort of consciousness or protocol.
- Infinity War shows us the Soul Stone, capable of independent judgement and wisdom.
- One of the final scenes is Thanos interacting with Gamora–or something that looks like Gamora–entirely without his own will.
- The Gauntlet was damaged.
Taken all together, this means Thanos doesn’t have the Stones subjugated to his will anymore, if he ever fully did. And if Vision is still there–if a part of Vision is still there, then he knows her.
And he could never hurt her.