Anghus Houvouras on who could be responsible for the creation of Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron (warning – Captain America: The Winter Soldier spoilers follow)….
We learned a lot from Marvel’s first phase of movies. The Avengers films are a culmination of the individual outings containing threads that will eventually be woven together.
Next year brings us Avengers: Age of Ultron, featuring the villainous artificial intelligence that threatens to eradicate humanity. There’s been a lot of speculation around Ultron and his eventual origins in the movies. The ‘cut and paste’ style Marvel studios has been employing with their adaptations of these comics means the traditional Ultron origin story is probably out. Especially considering that Hank Pym isn’t being introduced until the following year.
So if Ultron isn’t being created by Hank Pym, where’s he coming from? Here’s some rampant speculation…
Ultron is created by Tony Stark
We’ve already had three films worth of Tony Stark’s J.A.R.V.I.S. voiced by Paul Bettany, and we know he’s involved in the new Avengers movie. There’s a good chance that Avengers might be the product of Tony Stark’s tinkering. Now that he’s done building Iron Man suits, maybe he’s moved on to robots and A.I. The events at the end of Iron Man 3 revealed a lot about the advances Stark has made with his tech. Those suits of armor were being controlled by J.A.R.V.I.S.
There’s a chance Marvel is taking the story of Pym’s hubris and using the copy/paste method to apply it to Stark.
Ultron is created by Hydra
Until a week ago, I thought Hydra was reduced to ashes by Captain America and the Howling Commandos. Turns out Hydra’s demise was greatly exaggerated. Baron Strucker was revealed in the mid-credits reveal and looking to prosper during this ‘Age of Miracles’. But it was a polarizing scene mid way through Captain America: The Winter Soldier that made me think Ultron may be a Hydra creation.
Arnim Zola achieving singularity and being transformed into a computer program was one of those great geek moments. Through this scene we now know that Hydra has been conducting some mad science and has created some impressive artificial intelligence. We know Hydra is appearing in Age of Ultron with the Strucker reveal. Is Ultron their creation?
Ultron is created by Henry Pym
Is it possible that Marvel is going to sneak Henry Pym into the Avengers? Do they somehow secretly work Michael Douglas into the mix and give us the traditional Ultron origin courtesy of Henry Pym? It would be a great set up for Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man which comes out just a few months later.
Ultron is created by The Clairvoyant
This one is a stretch. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been featuring the creation of Deathlok by the mysterious ‘Big Bad’ of Season One. We’ve seen the Clairvoyant using a lot of experimental technology to control his minions. There’s been some cross pollination between the show and the cinematic Marvel Universe and this would be a master stroke of…. Okay. Who am I kidding? This would never happen. Not in a million years.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier has me leaning towards Hydra, but there’s a part of me that thinks Marvel is going to go The Empire Strikes Back on the second Avengers movie and make this Stark’s fall from grace. By making Stark Doctor Frankenstein and Ultron his monstrous creation, you get a fantastic story arc featuring tragedy, pathos, and ultimately redemption.
What do you think?
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker. His latest work, the novel My Career Suicide Note, is available from Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.
Originally published April 10, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
