20 Of The Coolest Female Robots In Science Fiction

Cover of The Vision #1 (Image via Marvel)

11. Virginia (The Vision Marvel series)

Too often, media exploring mechanical intelligence doesn’t quite manage to pin down the unsettling nature of non-human sentience. Sometimes, it veers towards the cute and funny, as with WALL-E’s EVE, GLaDOS, and Rosie from The Jetsons. Other times, creators focus more on the philosophical underpinnings of intelligence robots – see Blade Runner and Ex Machina, for example. There’s nothing wrong with either track, but so far in this list, there’s been a distinct lack of horror.

To be fair, Marvel’s The Vision comic series doesn’t paint itself as outright horror, not in the typical gore or monster-focused sense. However, it is psychologically disturbing in such a way that will keep you thinking about each issue for days after you finish it. It’s also beautifully, compellingly written and gorgeously illustrated.

In the series, android and member of the Avengers team, Vision, has created his own family. First, he creates Virginia, a female “synthezoid” who agrees to be his wife. Together, they combine their brainwaves and create two children, the synthezoid twins Vin and Viv. The synthetic family attempts to live a normal, suburban life in Arlington, Virginia. However, it appears that humanity is always just out of their reach.

Virginia is especially compelling as the mother of the family. Atypically, all of the Visions feel emotion, despite their lack of typical humanity. Virginia often feels especially conflicted when her family is in danger. Her reactions to such danger are both chilling and, in a way, understandable. Ultimately, her actions, as terrifying as they may be, have kept the world from total disaster.