WARNING: The following contains spoilers for WandaVision Episode 5, "On a Very Special Episode...," now streaming on Disney+.
In WandaVision, fans thought they already got a glimpse of the most horrific version of Vision when he appeared as the dead husk Thanos left behind in Wakanda in Avengers: Infinity War after Wanda lost control of the Westview bubble she created.
However, in the opening credits of Episode 5, "On a Very Special Episode...," the Disney+ series shakes things up further by showing viewers a version of the hero that's even scarier.
Episode 5 focuses on Wanda and Vision living a suburban life in the '80s, all while Monica, Jimmy, Darcy and S.W.O.R.D's sinister Director Hayward try to discern if Wanda's a real threat. But as the show cuts into yet another sitcom opening, this time in the style of Growing Pains and Full House, things get really strange. As the show provides photos of Wanda and Vision's family throughout the years in this false reality, there are some jarring images of Vision in his fabricated '"youth."
For starters, there's baby Vision, who is as cute as can be. But while he's surrounded by teddy bears and donning a nice sweater, the infant appears trapped and really uncomfortable, which seems to touch on Vision's overall feelings about Westview. There's another image that shows Vision in what appears to be high school, wearing all-black and doing some work on a whiteboard. His gear and hat are odd, to say the least, but this version of the character has a somewhat human face that appears reminiscent of Paul Bettany's.
It's the child Vision, however, that leaves an indelible mark. This version of the hero appears slightly older than a toddler, and his facial expression, teeth and robotic eyes paint something really unsettling. While he looks quaint in his clothes, he appears to have an inorganic smile that's as fake as Westview. This image outdoes the others because while some fans expected to see undead Vision and could cope with what they witnessed in Infinity War, no one was prepared to process a fabricated backstory for the synthezoid that has terrifying implications.
Written by Jac Schaeffer and directed by Matt Shakman, WandaVision stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Paul Bettany as Vision, Randall Park as Agent Jimmy Woo, Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Kathryn Hahn as Agnes. New episodes air Fridays on Disney+.