Meet the bad guys in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’

  • By Andrew A. Smith Tribune News Service
  • Friday, April 24, 2015 2:22pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” premiering May 1, introduces four major villains — three of them destined to be Avengers themselves.

In the comics, anyway. What happens in the movie is yet to be seen. But from the avalanche of advance material, it seems that director Joss Whedon will channel the spirit of the comics, if not the specifics.

Ultron

In the comics: Ultron was an artificial intelligence created by Hank Pym, who began his superhero career as Ant-Man. Upon becoming self-aware, Ultron quickly progressed to an adult, whereupon he attacked his “father.” Rendering Pym helpless, Ultron hypnotized the hapless scientist into forgetting the whole scenario and boarding up his lab.

Left to his own devices in the abandoned building, Ultron upgraded himself four times to Ultron-5. All the while, he remained focused on his mission: Destroy the “inferior” human race, starting with Hank Pym. The Avengers defeated Ultron a second time, and seemed to finish the job by decapitating the Living Robot.

But they’d soon learn to their chagrin that killing Ultron was like stopping a computer virus — his consciousness could always escape to another location electronically. He returned in 1969 as Ultron-6, an upgraded version made from the new, unbreakable metal adamantium (the stuff Wolverine’s claws are made of) and gave even Thor a beat-down. Once again he was determined to off his “daddy,” then the rest of the human race. Once again Ultron was seemingly destroyed, this time blown to smithereens.

And that has remained the pattern to this day. The Avengers would seemingly eradicate Ultron, he’d go underground to upgrade himself, and then the battle would resume. Ultron made it up to v.18 before he stopped numbering himself, but he continues to evolve and remains an elusive, constant threat to all humanity.

In the movies: It looks like “Age of Ultron” contains most of what the comics established about the Living Robot. Ultron (James Spader) appears to be an artificial intelligence created by an Avenger, who turns against his “father,” invents The Vision, surrounds himself with supervillains (Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch) and sets out to depopulate the globe. He’s a metal Frankenstein monster who is lethal, a bit child-like and, frankly, more than a little nuts.

The one major difference is that Ultron will be created by Tony “Iron Man” Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) instead of Hank Pym. Given that Pym (Michael Douglas) won’t be introduced until the “Ant-Man” movie on July 17, someone else had to be Ultron’s daddy, and engineer Stark is a better choice than biochemist Pym anyway. Further, it doesn’t radically change anything important.

Quicksilver &The Scarlet Witch

In the comics: The duo was introduced in 1964 “X-Men” comics, as members of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. They were reluctant members, though, serving only because the Master of Magnetism had saved their lives from a homicidal mob in their native Eastern Europe. Aggressive, abrasive Quicksilver was a super-speedster (not quite “Flash” level, but fast enough), and shy, retiring Wanda could alter probability — in effect, giving her foes bad luck.

But a year later they were fed up with being mutant terrorists, and tried to turn their lives around by petitioning to join the Avengers. Once accepted, they had long careers with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

In the movies: Marvel Comics made some missteps in the late 1990s when they were going through bankruptcy, including the sale to Twentieth Century Fox of the movie rights to the X-Men and all related properties. Currently, Fox has the rights to all things mutant — including Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch

So in the comics, they’re being retroactively declared something else, and in the movies, they’ll be something else, thanks to Baron von Strucker’s experiments. Whatever they are, though, they won’t be mutants in Marvel Films.

Otherwise the spirit of the comics is intact, as Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) will begin as super-powered henchmen (for Ultron instead of Magneto) and then perform a heel-to-hero turn.

The Vision

In the comics: As noted, The Vision was created by Ultron to destroy the Avengers, but had a change of (artificial) heart and joined them instead. He has the power to alter his density, from ghost-like to rock solid. His heroic nature is attributed to the fact that Ultron used the brain patterns of a then-deceased Avenger named Simon Williams (Wonder Man, who has since been resurrected).

In the movies: Marvel Films has been keeping their cards close to their chest regarding the synthezoid, but it’s probably no coincidence that the actor playing him (Paul Bettany) is also the voice of the long-dead Edwin Jarvis, now an artificial intelligence running Iron Man’s armor. Methinks Jarvis will live again, after a fashion.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.