During Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor enters the Waters of Sight and has a vision that foreshadowed the future developments regarding Thanos and the Infinity Stones. Fans and movie reviewers were initially split on the merits of this scene, as it seemed somewhat disjointed from the rest of the plot. However, it provided Thor the motivation, on returning to the rest of the Avengers, to call down lightning and awaken the character who became known as Vision. Vision’s entrance was necessary to defeating Ultron, so without Thor’s vision, Ultron would have succeeded in his plan to bring about human extinction. The vision provided the knowledge to save the world. It also motivated Thor, subsequently, to head off into space and try to learn more about the Infinity Stones, which sets up the events which occurred in Thor: Ragnorok and of course in Avengers: Infinity War. (It should be noted that there is an alternative version of the vision in the deleted scenes of Age of Ultron; this version is both clearer and more disturbing).
In Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Strange then has visions of the possible outcomes of various strategies that the Avengers could attempt. He says there is only one possible future in which Thanos is defeated, and he makes his next decisions based on that knowledge.
In both Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rey has visions that provide her hints that direct her along her quest. Luke Skywalker also has a vision of Yoda in The Last Jedi, leading to his actions at the conclusion of that movie, and to saving the Resistance.
Visions that provide us the instructions on how to save the world, however, are not limited to the Marvel or the Star Wars universes. In our own world, there have been several visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where she provided us guidance on what we need to do.
In 1858, Mary appeared to Saint Bernadette near Lourdes, France. Saint Bernadette prayed the Rosary along with Our Lady, who instructed her “Penance, penance, penance!” and “pray for sinners.” The spring that appeared at the site of these apparitions has been the source of many subsequent miraculous healings.
On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin appeared to three children at Fatima, Portugal, and asked them to pray the Rosary every day. The children returned over the following months, and the continuing visions told them to pray for sinners and do penance. During the July 13, 1917, Our Lady indicated God wished to establish devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a means to save souls. Sister Lucia, one of the seers, reported later visions that elaborated on the devotion to the Immaculate Heart, to include the First Saturdays devotion and the consecration of Russia by the Pope and the bishops of the world.
In 1973, the Blessed Virgin appeared to a nun near Akita, Japan. During the first appearance, she said to pray the Rosary because “I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach.” Like Doctor Strange’s assertion that there was only one way to avoid the impending disaster, we were told there is only one way to avoid a coming catastrophe. On October 13, 1973, the Blessed Virgin elaborated on the only path to victory, “The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayer of the Rosary.”
Throughout these apparitions, all approved by the Catholic Church, penance, praying for sinners, and devotion to Mary are recurring themes. The Rosary is stressed more emphatically in each apparition: in Lourdes, the Rosary is prayed; at Fatima, daily praying the Rosary is requested; and at Akita, the Rosary is identified as one of the only recourses left to us to save the world.
The visions at Lourdes, Fatima, and Akita have obscure and debated elements, but these themes are present in unambiguous forms. Not only is this message clearer than the visions received by Thor, Dr. Strange, Rey, and Luke Skywalker, but it is easier to carry out. We may not have the ability to pick up a lightsaber or Mjolnir, but anyone can pick up a Rosary and contribute to saving the world.
Matthew Heffron
Matt Heffron is an Iraq veteran and an attorney. He lives with his wife and nine kids in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and loves Catholic tradition, practicing martial arts, riding motorcycle, and superheroes.