It’s been a long time since theMarvel Cinematic Universewas accused of having a “villain problem.” Back in the days of Kaecilius and Yellowjacket and Aldrich Killian and Malekith the Accursed, the MCU was regularly criticized for having bad guys that were nowhere near as well-rounded and developed as the heroes who defeated them. But Marvel listened to those complaints and they’ve since stepped up their villain game with complex villains like Thanos, Killmonger, Wenwu, Gorr the God Butcher, the High Evolutionary, and a much less heroic version of Wanda Maximoff corrupted by the influence of the Darkhold. With Marvel finally taking advantage of the depth and complexity of its sprawling rogues’ gallery, it’s the perfect time to bring back an iconic villain who didn’t get a fair shake back in the “villain problem” era.
InAvengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner attempted to usethe Mind Stoneto synthesize an artificial intelligence that could act as a protective suit of armor around the world. However, the plan backfired within seconds as Ultron skimmed through the world’s data and determined that the biggest threat to Earth was humanity itself. There was limitless potential in a cybernetic supervillain with the ability to hack into any computer system on the planet. But he ended up being disappointingly easy to beat in the film’s final battle. TheAvengerssequel has been frequently mocked for its title, because the eponymous “age” of Ultron lasts about a week, tops. After the Mandarin, the Leader, the Abomination, andBaron Zemohave all been given a second chance, it’s about time Ultron got one, too.
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What Happened To Ultron In The MCU?
In the climactic battle sequence ofAvengers: Age of Ultron, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes fought Ultron and his robotic goons in the floating city of Novi Grad, Sokovia. After being beaten to a pulp by Iron Man and Thor, tossed from his escape craft by the Hulk, and defeated with a philosophical sting by the Vision, Ultron was never heard from again. But he’s not necessarily gone for good. Marvel teased his return way back inSpider-Man: Homecomingwhen Spidey found an Ultron head in a Damage Control truck, suggesting he could be rebuilt. While that was the last that fans saw of the original Ultron, alternate versions of Ultron popped up throughout the MCU’s Phase Four. The first season ofWhat If…?introduced “Infinity Ultron,”an even more powerful variant of Ultron powered by the might of the Infinity Stones, as its multiversal big bad. Ultron can be spotted inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Earth-838 reality, in which a successful Ultron network acted as security for the Illuminati (and the Scarlet Witch made short work of them).
Since Ultron is a machine, it would be easy enough to bring him back to finally realize his full potential. In the years sinceAge of Ultronarrived in theaters, A.I. has only become a bigger threat, so the themes of Ultron’s story are as relevant as ever. He’s long overdue a comeback. James Spader gave a chilling voice performance that was wasted on Ultron’s ineffectual role in his own self-titledAvengersmovie, so it’s a no-brainer to bring him back for another go-around.
Could Ultron Somehow Return In Phase 5 Or 6?
The MCU is currently in Phase Five, with Phase Six planned as the final chapter in the Multiverse Saga. Out of the announced projects in Phases Five and Six, there are a handful of movies and TV shows that Ultron could fit into. Marvel has yet to announce the villain of theThunderboltsmovie, so it’s possible that the ragtag team of antiheroesassembled by General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Rosswill be taking on Ultron.Captain America: New World Orderwill revolve around efforts to destabilize American democracy; an all-powerful A.I. could come in handy for the anti-government baddies in that movie. Ultron could reappear as early asThe Marvels, since Nick Fury’s work with S.W.O.R.D. essentially realizes Stark’s “suit of armor around the world” idea that led to the creation of Ultron in the first place.
Ultron could appear intheFantastic Fourreboot. He’s not typically an enemy of the Fantastic Four in the comics, but if Marvel Studios wants to save the bigger villains like Doctor Doom and Galactus for later films, then a fight against Ultron would introduce them into the MCU fold. But it’s more likely that theFantastic Fourreboot will feature a Fantastic Four villain like Namor or Super-Skrull or Puppet Master or Mole Man and his Moloids. Since Ultron debuted in anAvengersmovie, he could return in anAvengersmovie. He could appear as an electronic foot-soldier of Kang the Conqueror or Doctor Doom or the Beyonder in eitherAvengers: The Kang DynastyorAvengers: Secret Wars.
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