Is Paladin dead in ‘VisionQuest’? Finale reveals his fate after explosive cliffhanger
Paladin wants to finish his job and get paid. But chasing Vision comes with problems that money cannot solve. Todd Stashwick’s antihero finally delivers him to the Client in Episode 7 titled ‘Immolation,’ only to face a rocket attack afterward. The rocket hits his van; there's a blast, and the episode ends without showing whether he escapes. Suddenly, his next payday is the least of his worries.
Paladin is alive, as Episode 8, titled ‘Forever,’ confirms he survived the blast. E.D.I.T.H. warned him about the attack, helping him survive the explosion. Episode seven leaves that detail out, which is why the blast initially looks like it could have killed him. Once the finale catches up with him, though, he has another problem: E.D.I.T.H. wants him to help rescue Vision: the man he just handed over. Meanwhile, Paladin would rather leave.
The attack follows Vision’s decision to surrender. After saving Lisa from Jocasta’s nanobots, Vision sends her and Tommy to London, then gives himself up to Paladin. The mercenary takes him to the Client to complete his assignment and collect his payment. Once the handover is over, the Client’s security team opens fire on his van. Doing the job has put Paladin himself in danger, setting up the cliffhanger.
That leaves him with little reason to return, so E.D.I.T.H. has to change his mind. She argues that he can learn from what happened and make different choices. Using the example of a program that can no longer adapt, she pushes him to stop repeating the same behavior. Their conversation persuades him to stay and help. Vision’s former pursuer becomes part of the team trying to free him.
Paladin joins Tommy and Lisa at the estate of Virgil Horton, who is revealed to be the Client. His rescue plan depends on Tommy using his speed to get inside without being spotted. Tommy must locate Vision and disable security so the others can reach him.
Paladin has spent much of the season treating Vision as a job to finish. At Horton’s estate, he puts that experience toward helping the same person he brought there as a prisoner. Horton, meanwhile, plans to transfer his consciousness into Vision’s body. The group has to act before he can complete the transfer.
The rescue brings more trouble when Jocasta is shot, and Ultron uses the nanobots to form a body. Paladin, Lisa, and Tommy remain caught in the danger as Ultron threatens London with the swarm. Vision eventually reaches him through a conversation inside a sitcom simulation. He persuades Ultron to stop, bringing an end to the immediate threat. Paladin makes it through this confrontation as well.
By the finale episode's end, Paladin is working with Lisa and E.D.I.T.H. They also give Tommy a ride aboard their jet so he can visit Billy. Paladin still intends to earn money, but now he plans to do it by helping people. E.D.I.T.H.’s warning saves his life, and her later advice changes his decision to walk away. His partnership with her and Lisa continues beyond the rescue, leaving him alive and ready to take on work with them.
