The metal monstrosity called Ultron created the synthetic humanoid known as the Vision from the remains of the original, android Human Torch of the 1940s (actually a divergent Human Torch created by Immortus for his own machinations) to serve as a vehicle of vengeance against the Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Constructed by size-changing scientist Henry Pym himself, Ultron inadvertently gained sentience and rebelled against the Avengers' resident roboticist. The living machine programmed the Vision's neural processors with the brain patterns of the ionically charged costumed champion called Wonder Man and implanted a control crystal to keep him in check.

The metal monstrosity called Ultron created the synthetic humanoid known as the Vision from the remains of the original, android Human Torch of the 1940s (actually a divergent Human Torch created by Immortus for his own machinations) to serve as a vehicle of vengeance against the Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Constructed by size-changing scientist Henry Pym himself, Ultron inadvertently gained sentience and rebelled against the Avengers' resident roboticist. The living machine programmed the Vision's neural processors with the brain patterns of the ionically charged costumed champion called Wonder Man and implanted a control crystal to keep him in check.

Ultron dispatched the Vision to draw the Avengers into a deathtrap, and it was during this initial encounter that the diminutive dynamo known as the Wasp coined the synthozoid's name. At first sight of the spectral entity, the horrified heroine called him an "unearthly, inhuman vision." Moved by the Avengers' plight, the Vision betrayed his programming and helped the mighty mortals defeat his calculating creator. The Vision served the Avengers faithfully for a number of years, standing with his teammates against the foes no single hero could defeat. Tentatively at first, the almost-human android embarked on a romantic relationship with the hex-casting heroine called the Scarlet Witch that blossomed into true love and eventually marriage. The newlyweds left Avengers Mansion to live a quiet life in New Jersey. When the Vision's malfunctioning control crystal interfered with his ability to reason, he became bent on creating a new golden age of peace on Earth by seizing control of the world's computers and defense systems. Ultimately, the Vision reverted to form by severing his connection to the planet's databanks and extracting the control crystal from his mechanized mind.

Rogue agents of the United States government, manipulated by the time traveler Immortus, abducted the Vision and dismantled him. Once the Avengers recovered his remains, Hank Pym rebuilt him as best he could. However, Simon Williams would not allow his brain patterns to be used again to provide a matrix for Vision's emotions, as he felt the original process had "ripped out his soul" and been done without his consent. Although his love for Wanda led him to feel guilt, he attempted to justify his actions by claiming that the Vision was never anything more than a copy of him, a claim that a number of other Avengers, including the Wasp, believed. This, along with damage to the Vision's synthetic skin when he was dismantled, resulted in his resurrection as a colorless, emotionless synthozoid. Meanwhile, the original Human Torch returned from apparent death, casting doubt on the Vision's identity. The Vision and the Scarlet Witch's children were then apparently revealed not to be children at all, but rather fragments of the soul of the demon Mephisto, who had been broken apart by Franklin Richards shortly before the birth of the twins. The twins were absorbed back into Mephisto, which temporarily drove the Witch insane. Although she recovered, she and the Vision separated, each operating on a different Avengers team.

The Vision gradually regained his emotions by adopting new brain patterns from the deceased scientist Alex Lipton, and gained a new body that resembled his original. In addition, Simon Williams' brain patterns gradually reemerged and melded with Lipton's patterns, restoring the Vision to full emotion once more. While recovering from a crippling injury, the Vision gave up his attempt to reconcile with his wife, yet remained a member of the Avengers, briefly becoming romantically involved with teammates Carol Danvers (Warbird) and Mantis before making another attempt at reconciliation with the Scarlet Witch. Recently, grief over the loss of the twins again drove the Scarlet Witch insane. She tried to rewrite reality to recreate them, causing a series of threats and incidents to inexplicably occur one after the other. The Vision crashed an Avengers Quinjet into the Avengers Mansion. Walking out of the rubble, he apologized to the other Avengers, telling them he was no longer in control of his body before melting and expelling several spheres from his mouth. The spheres grew into five Ultrons, which were fought and destroyed by the assembled Avengers. During the fight, She-Hulk became enraged and tore apart the remains of the Vision.

Vision's memories were later incorporated into a younger version of Kang known as Iron Lad's armor that was left behind when he returned to the future. This new Vision, adopting the alias Jonas, has shown himself to be a new, unique entity. During the Chaos War, Amatsu-Mikaboshi and his army of alien gods destroyed the realms of the afterlife, releasing the dead into the land of the living. The Vision was surprised to find himself among them. Working with Captain Marvel, Deathcry, Doctor Druid, Yellowjacket and Swordsman he protected the still-living Avengers as they were put to sleep by Mikaboshi using the stolen powers of Nightmare. Under the command of the Chaos King by their own will, Nekra and Grim Reaper attempted to slay the sleeping Avengers.

Grim Reaper taunted the Vision, thanking him for destroying Avengers Mansion. The Vision, thinking back to how Ultron had told him that he could not be human if he could not die, realized that he became human by dying. He then detonated himself, ending both his life and that of the Grim Reaper. The Vision was rebuilt by Tony Stark and welcomed back to the Avengers. His first adventure while back on the team was against Norman Osborn's new H.A.M.M.E.R. organization. Afterwards, the Vision did a bit of traveling. He met up with She-Hulk and forgave her. She-Hulk offered herself as someone to talk to if he ever needed it. He then went to Utopia, angrily demanding the Scarlet Witch's location from Magneto. When Wanda was brought to Avengers Mansion by Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel, the Vision angrily told her off and demanded her to leave.