This Avengers: Endgame theory suggests Vision might still be alive

Vision was among the many heroes lost at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, but a new theory suggests he might not be gone after all.

There’s no shortage of characters Marvel fans lost at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, with most of them turning to dust at the snap of Thanos’ fingers. Vision is among the few characters Thanos kills prior to wiping out half the universe, but some fans are suggesting that the android may not be gone after all.

A theory posted on Reddit by user wheresthetrigger123 proposes that Vision implanted his consciousness into the Mind Stone right before Thanos took it from his head. It wouldn’t be the first time Vision used his consciousness to hijack and destroy a villain. He helped bring about Ultron’s demise in a similar fashion during Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The theory suggests that, if Vision did manage to take control of the Mind Stone, he could have used its powers to convince Thanos that he wiped out half the universe—even if he hadn’t actually done so. The Reddit user points out that the Mind Stone has the power to influence the user, and if Vision implanted himself into it, he might be able to use that power to alter Thanos’ perceptions.

The theory builds off of the differences between Vision’s two deaths, both of which happen within minutes of one another. When Scarlet Witch destroys the Mind Stone, Vision’s body fractures as soon as the stone does. After Thanos takes the stone from his head, however, the android merely crumples to the ground.

Of course, the contrasts between Vision’s deaths could simply be due to the state of the Mind Stone. Wanda actually wipes the stone from existence, while Thanos leaves it intact when he steals it. Given how entwined Vision’s consciousness is to the stone, it makes sense that destroying it entirely would have a harsher effect on his physical being than simply removing it.

As CBR points out, there are other major holes in this Reddit theory. First, if Thanos’ success is merely one of Vision’s deceptions, why would the android extend the facade to the rest of the universe? It’s clear that the disappearances aren’t just happening in Thanos’ mind, because the rest of the Avengers witness them as well. And judging by the Avengers: Endgame trailer, the rest of the universe seems to be on the same page as them.

There doesn’t seem to be any valid reason Vision would trick his friends and comrades into believing Thanos’ plan worked, and it seems even less likely he’d extend the deception all the way to Tony Stark and his friends on Titan. The ability to extend the powers of the Mind Stone that far also seems like a stretch, even for an android as powerful as Vision is.

So, while fans would love to see Vision return and save the day, it seems unlikely that this is the course his character will take. Of course, there’s always a chance that his connection to the Mind Stone will help bring about Thanos’ demise in other ways.

And even if his consciousness didn’t survive Thanos’ destruction, it seems likely that Vision will return to the MCU. Whether it’s through time travel or Shuri’s intellect, Vision will probably return in some form or other—hopefully alongside the rest of the fan favorites Thanos dusted at the end of the film.