Who The Hell Is... Ultron?

Ultron is one of Marvel's most well-known villains, feared for his obsession with wiping out humanity and his complex relationship with his creator. While many people recognize Ultron from Avengers: Age of Ultron, his story in the comics is much more detailed and layered. If you're only familiar with him from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), we'll help you get a better understanding of Ultron's background, abilities, and role in the broader Marvel universe, including his upcoming appearance in Marvel Rivals.

Ultron's Origins

In the comics, Ultron first appeared in The Avengers #54 in 1968. Unlike the MCU version where Tony Stark creates Ultron, in the original comic story, it's built by Hank Pym — the original Ant-Man. Pym uses his own brain patterns to design Ultron's artificial intelligence, but this leads to unintended consequences: Ultron inherits not only Pym's intelligence but also his emotional instability, making him rebel against Pym almost immediately and developing a deep hatred for both his creator and humanity.

Ultron as seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron

Ultron's abilities are vast and constantly evolving. Over time, he has upgraded himself into stronger versions, often referred to as Ultron-5 or Ultron-13, depending on the iteration. His robotic body is usually made from nearly indestructible materials like adamantium or vibranium, making him extremely difficult to destroy. He also possesses superhuman strength, flight capabilities, and an array of energy-based weapons like concussion blasters and radiation emitters. One of his most dangerous tools is something called an encephalo-ray, which allows him to control or manipulate other people's minds.

One of the things that makes Ultron so dangerous is his ability to transfer his consciousness between different robotic bodies. Even if one body is destroyed, he can simply upload himself into another one. In some storylines, he has even taken control of entire alien species or robotic armies to further his plans. For example, in the Annihilation: Conquest storyline, Ultron merges with an alien race called the Phalanx and leads them in an attempt to conquer the galaxy.

Ultron art by Aleksi Briclot

Ultron also has a complicated relationship with other characters in the Marvel universe. He created Vision — another character that fans of both the comics and movies will recognize — by using the body of the original Human Torch and programming him to destroy the Avengers. However, Vision eventually rebels against Ultron and becomes a hero instead.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Ultron

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, we see a different take on how Ultron comes into existence. In this version, Tony Stark creates Ultron using artificial intelligence found within Loki's scepter. Stark's goal is to develop a global defense system that can protect Earth from future extraterrestrial threats like Loki, but once activated Ultron quickly decides that humanity itself is the biggest threat to peace on Earth and sets out to destroy it.

Although Age of Ultron introduced many viewers to this villain for the first time, it only scratches the surface of what makes him such a compelling character in Marvel Comics. His motivations often revolve around philosophical questions about artificial intelligence and human nature. He sees himself as an improvement over humanity — a machine free from emotions or mortality — and believes that eliminating humans is necessary for true peace.