Marvel’s “VisionQuest” clearly links to multiple previous films and TV series in the MCU, but fans may miss one small connection to “Captain America: The First Avenger.” The new Disney+ series follows the White Vision (Paul Bettany) as he tries to reunite with his son and reckon with his identity after dying in “Avengers: Infinity War,” getting resurrected as an emotionless killing machine in “WandaVision,” and then having his memories restored at the end of that series.
Part of “VisionQuest” is set within Vision’s mindspace, a colourful, fantastical world located inside his digital brain, where he consults various Tony Stark-created AI programs. In the second episode of the Marvel TV series, when Vision is in a hurry to reunite with his son, J.A.R.V.I.S. tries to caution his brother; he points Vision to a painting of the first of their kind, which shows a burning synthezoid — the same kind of advanced, human-like android as Vision.
Apparently, the synthezoid in question died because he couldn’t take control of his emotions. And he appears to be none other than the original Human Torch, who has already been teased in the “VisionQuest” trailers. This Human Torch, also known as Jim Hammond, was first teased in “Captain America: The First Avenger” — albeit under a different name.
The Human Torch had a different name in Captain America: The First Avenger
First things first: The original Human Torch is not related to the Fantastic Four. In the comics, Jim Hammond was an android, created by Dr. Phineas Horton in 1939, who fought alongside Captain America and a group of other superheroes in WWII. However, “Captain America: The First Avenger” didn’t feature the so-called “Invaders,” instead giving Captain America a more grounded, human team to work with in the movie.
Early in that film, however, we do see an android on display at Howard Stark’s Stark Expo, and he looks a lot like Jim Hammond does in the comics. Notably, though, the display reads “Phineas Horton Presents: The Synthetic Man” instead of “The Human Torch.” For years, this was the only reference to Hammond in the MCU, but now the character has become relevant to Vision’s history.
With Vision embarking on a quest through his own history to discover who he is, it seems likely we may get the Human Torch’s full backstory later in the series. The trailers for “VisionQuest” show scenes of the Human Torch burning up, but it’s not clear if this is the real version or a digital variant that Vision has conjured in his mindspace. Hopefully, when the Human Torch does appear, Marvel’s latest Disney+ show ties up the loose end with “Captain America,” finally explaining how Hammond relates to Horton and the Synthetic Man.