‘VisionQuest’ is the best MCU show since ‘WandaVision’

Grief, it would seem, is universal, even if you’re an artificial humanoid with a quantum processor for a mind and the face of Paul Bettany. Such is the central premise of “VisionQuest,” the final part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “WandaVision” trilogy — and the best MCU show since, well, “WandaVision.”

But first, some background (and spoilers): “WandaVision,” the first MCU entry after “Avengers: Endgame,” was an ingenious and heartbreaking examination of Wanda Maximoff’s (Elizabeth Olsen) grief over the death of her romantic partner, the synthezoid Vision (Bettany), with two deceptively simple questions at its witch-magic core: With the power to change reality, what would you do to get back a lost love? And would you ever give it back up? That fantastic show was followed by the uneven “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” a head-trip of a film that showed what happened when Wanda’s grief consumed her. (Spoiler: Lots of violence and lots of deaths, including — seemingly — Wanda’s.) Then came the TV series “Agatha All Along,” a delightfully campy “WandaVision” sequel that followed a centuries-old witch and a teenager (who turned out to be Billy, one of Wanda and Vision’s magically created twins from “WandaVision”) on a quest to obtain what they desire most. Its humor, powered by a dazzling Kathryn Hahn, belied its depth, which was once again mired in shattering loss — but also redemption and hope.

Read the full review at The Seattle Times.

Four “You think you’re family is complicated?!” stars out of five.

Photo caption: Paul Bettany returns as the synthezoid Vision in “VisionQuest.” (Courtesy of Marvel)