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vision quest Episodes 3 and 4 continue to build up the corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe occupied by The Vision (Paul Bettany) and his AI brothers. In the first few episodes, Vision and company were pursued by the MCU’s latest villainous character, “The Paladin,” a ruthless mercenary and bounty hunter tied to an ancient order of hunters. Played by Todd Stashwick (Journey to the stars: Picard), Paladin is already becoming a fan favorite, and the franchise is wasting no time introducing him deeper into its story.
In episode 3, “Reboot,” Paladin licks his wounds after The Vision and his “son,” Tommy/Thomas Shepherd (Ruaridh Moliica), beat him up. As we talk to his manager, “The Handler” (Diane Morgan), we learn a little more about Paladin and how active he’s been in the MCU.
Paladin has fought two MCU vigilantes and a monster
During the conversation between Paladin and The Handler, we learn that the mercenary has faced The Punisher in Brooklyn (“Just a exhausting Disagreement with an Old Friend”), Jack Russell/Werewolf by Night (“A Perfectly Reasonable Guy by Day”), and Daredevil (“If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Stay Out of Hell’s Kitchen”). Paladin may have taken on the two vigilantes and the monstrous hero, and survived, but he didn’t do so without some pretty serious injuries. The Punisher apparently set off an IED (improvised explosive device) that left Paladin with shrapnel in his gut; Werewolf by Night sank his teeth into him and Daredevil’s “steel fiber club” left him with a concussion.
Still, it’s a testament to Paladin’s training, skills, and resources that he walked away from all those fights and was able to fight again. Or that he still has the nerve to go after a real Avenger like The Vision. However, Paladin may have gone too far because he almost lost his life fighting people like Vision, but luckily he had the help of an organization we haven’t seen in years…
The Ten Rings Continue to Operate
The Ten Rings organization has appeared in the MCU from the get-go. iron man movie. However, Shang-Chi and the legend of the ten rings It pulled back the curtain on the real crime syndicate and its leader, Xu Wenu, Shang-Chi’s father. The crime lord died in the final act of the film, leaving an inheritance to his two children: Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) inherited the mystical artifacts known as the Ten Rings, while his sister, Xu Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), took charge of the Ten Rings syndicate. It now appears that trafficking in elite weapons and armor is part of the Ten Rings’ profit schedule.
vision quest reminds Marvel fans how fun MCU crossover connections really are when done right. In just one scene, Paladin establishes himself as an important figure in Marc’s spy world, who could routinely appear in other projects without him feeling out of place or unwelcome. Add that to the list of ways this series is picking up loose fragments of MCU history and transforming them into exciting new stories and possibilities.
vision quest now streaming on Disney+.