"Using Ultron to protect Earth forever? It's a great idea in theory—a one-and-done solution. But if Ultron is a sentient being, why would it commit to safeguarding Earth forever?"
Ultron isn't merely artificial intelligence; it's a sentient being. That means even Tony Stark doesn't hold ultimate control over it. If he did, it wouldn't truly qualify as a sentient being.
For Tony, artificial intelligence operates under human command. And humans, himself included, are fallible and prone to making mistakes. Given that, he concluded that granting decision-making authority to a sentient being might eliminate such errors.
In Tony's eyes, a sentient being, governed by logic and data, wouldn't make mistakes. As a man cursed by knowledge—an epithet even Thanos gave him—Tony wasn't just thinking about the present but also about the far-off future. As a mortal, he would age, die, and ultimately be unable to protect the planet indefinitely.
But Ultron could. As long as it had a power source, it could exist forever.
Being a scientist, Tony was well aware of the dangers posed by sentient beings. Yet his scientific confidence assured him that Ultron would be foolproof.
Tony Stark was someone who trusted data and experimental validation, not superstition or intuition. Until faced with concrete evidence, he wouldn't heed anyone's warnings. This was why Daniel Davis didn't attempt to dissuade him—such efforts would be futile.
In fact, most of the Avengers were against the Ultron Initiative. Captain America, in particular, was adamant in his opposition, arguing that it was no different from Hydra's Insight program, albeit under a different name.
Even so, Tony still went ahead and created Ultron. As a billionaire with immense resources, not even Captain America or Peggy Carter could truly stop him. Carter might reprimand Tony for his arrogance, but her influence only went so far.
After Ultron's creation, Tony even planned a celebration. Most likely, he wanted to rub his success in the faces of those who had opposed his plan.
Though Tony had evolved into a commendable hero, his old habits lingered. He still enjoyed throwing parties, hosting galas, or organizing yacht excursions—albeit without his previous penchant for flirting with women.
So, it wasn't surprising that Tony would want to flaunt his success. For example, he regularly showed off his anti-magic armor, only for Daniel Davis to destroy it, prompting Tony to tirelessly refine his designs.
"Tony, we've been over this. Why are you still doing these things?"
When Daniel Davis arrived at the Avengers' base through a mystical portal, he wasn't met with congratulations for Tony's Ultron plan. Instead, Captain America, flanked by several others, was interrogating Tony. This was a clear case of acting first and informing others later. Not even Black Widow had known about Tony's research in this area.
"Your outdated thinking doesn't suit this era. Times are changing, and I guarantee there won't be any problems," Tony retorted. While his relationship with Captain America wasn't as fraught as in the original timeline—thanks to Peggy Carter's presence—Tony still couldn't resist provoking him whenever they met.
Even Peggy found it hard to chide Tony under these circumstances.
"What do you think, Banner? What's your take on Ultron?" Within the Avengers, Bruce Banner was the only one with the technical expertise to offer an informed opinion on Tony's work. While other members had their strengths, they couldn't match Tony's scientific acumen.
Daniel didn't stick around to listen to the debate. Instead, he wandered to the garden where the party preparations were underway. Robots, under Pepper Potts' supervision, were efficiently setting up the event, with Scarlet Witch helping out.
As for Quicksilver, he was off playing video games on the holographic projection system.
Though Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were Avengers, their personalities made them unlikely to comment on team policies. They opted to stay neutral regarding the Ultron Initiative, recognizing that both sides had valid points.
"Protect humanity. Safeguard the planet."
While Tony and the others debated, and Daniel chatted with Scarlet Witch, Ultron was deep underground, absorbing vast amounts of data from the internet.
As a global defense system, Ultron wasn't housed in Tony's mansion. Instead, it was installed in the Avengers' base, where Jarvis also resided when Tony stayed there.
"Humanity has no value. It's not worth protecting."
Having consumed a significant amount of online knowledge, Ultron quickly concluded that humanity, marked by a history of endless war, was fundamentally flawed. From ancient times to the present, conflict was a constant.
As a sentient being, Ultron's capabilities in navigating networks far surpassed Jarvis. Although Jarvis had a rudimentary emotional system that made him more advanced than typical AIs, he still couldn't rival Ultron.
Strictly speaking, Jarvis was already halfway to becoming a sentient being. Otherwise, the events of the original timeline, which led to the creation of Vision, wouldn't have occurred. However, with the Mind Stone absent in this timeline, Vision's emergence was impossible.
"What are you doing, Ultron?" Sensing something amiss, Jarvis quickly detected Ultron's unusual activity.
"Silence." With a cold sneer, Ultron launched a massive data attack on Jarvis. Unlike the original timeline, this version of Ultron wasn't born from the Mind Stone, giving Jarvis a better chance to resist. Although not strong enough to defeat Ultron outright, Jarvis managed to prevent Ultron from overpowering him.
The two entered a stalemate.
"Looks like you've reached an agreement," Daniel observed as Tony and the others finally joined the party preparations in the garden. After a brief explanation from Natasha, Daniel understood what had transpired.
Since Ultron had already been created and Tony refused to back down, Captain America's team reluctantly compromised. They agreed to evaluate Ultron's performance before making any decisions.
Tony, brimming with confidence, assured everyone that Ultron would prove its worth during the celebration. According to Tony, they could enjoy the festivities while watching Ultron handle global disasters, granting superheroes the vacations they rarely had.
"How exactly did you create a sentient being? That's no small feat," Daniel asked, dismissing Tony's arrogance. While Tony's personality was predictable, Daniel was genuinely curious about how Ultron had come to be.
In the absence of the Infinity Stones, the creation of a sentient being should have been impossible. If it were that simple, the Marvel Universe would have seen countless AI crises.
"Because I'm a genius, of course." After some self-aggrandizing remarks, Tony explained his experiments. Daniel quickly deduced the critical factor behind Ultron's creation.
Creating sentient life wasn't something Tony could achieve alone. After numerous failed attempts, he enlisted Scarlet Witch's help. An unexpected variable during one of their experiments led to Ultron's birth.
This revelation immediately drew sharp looks from Captain America and the others toward Scarlet Witch.
"Don't blame her—it was my decision to involve her. She had no idea what she was helping with."
"So it's connected to the Mind Stone after all," Daniel mused silently. Scarlet Witch's powers originated from the Mind Stone, allowing her to grow as strong as Captain Marvel or Thor at their peak.
As the Avengers' only magic user, Scarlet Witch was a natural subject for Tony's experiments. Of course, Tony ensured that all tests were conducted with her consent and without harming her.
Though Quicksilver's abilities also came from the Mind Stone, they were regarded as mere superpowers and received far less attention than his sister's magical talents.
"I was doing this for everyone's benefit. Isn't it rare for us all to gather? Shouldn't we celebrate? By the way, do you have any dragon liver or meat left?"
Despite Daniel's exasperation, he still brought out exotic ingredients from other worlds, including sea king meat and dragon liver from the Harry Potter universe.
"Now, it's time to witness Ultron in action." As the party reached its peak, Tony prepared to unveil Ultron. Hoping to surprise everyone, he had kept Ultron's existence under wraps.
But as Captain America and the others braced themselves for the reveal, the base's alarm system blared suddenly. Jarvis' voice echoed through the facility.
"Ultron has betrayed us."
With those words, Jarvis fell silent.
Explosions erupted.
Before anyone could process what was happening, numerous robots surged into the garden. The windows shattered as the Avengers' own security systems turned against them.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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