Why Paladin From Marvel’s VisionQuest Looks So Familiar

A new Marvel show on Disney+ means new live-action character debuts, and that’s the case for Paladin in “VisionQuest.” Played by Todd Stashwick, Paladin is a super-powered bounty hunter pursuing Vision (Paul Bettany) in the franchise’s conclusion to its “WandaVision” trilogy.

It may be difficult to recognize the masked assassin in “VisionQuest” at first, but given a closer look at Paladin, some viewers will recall Stashwick from other projects. Throughout the late ’90s and 2000s, Stashwick predominantly guest-starred in comedies like “Will & Grace” and “Malcolm in the Middle” and procedurals like “Law & Order” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Notably, he landed his first stint in the “Star Trek” franchise as Talok in “Star Trek: Enterprise” Season 4. Almost two decades later, Stashwick had a recurring role as Captain Liam Shaw in “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3. 

Other acting credits include Syfy’s “12 Monkeys” series, where he played the cold-hearted scavenger Theodore Deacon across all four seasons. Those who watched the FX comedy “The Riches” should remember Stashwick as Dale Malloy, while “The Originals” fans know the actor as Father Kieran O’Connell in Season 1. Switching from the world of vampires to werewolves, Stashwick later appeared as Henry Tate in “Teen Wolf” Seasons 3 and 5. Finally, comic book fans might have seen Stashwick play the villain Richard Sionis aka The Mask in “Gotham.”

By joining the cast of “VisionQuest,” Todd Stashwick got to reunite with “12 Monkeys” and “Star Trek: Picard” showrunner Terry Matalas — who serves as the Marvel show’s creator and one of its directors. Having now worked on two popular franchises, Stashwick has experienced the enthusiastic fan culture of “Star Trek” and the MCU, as well as the excitement that accompanies each new project. 

During an interview with Countdown City Geeks at the Saturn Awards earlier this year, Stashwick reflected on his experience playing “Star Trek” characters and his more recent “VisionQuest” role. “It continues to be special. That’s the thing about when you get to enter these worlds, whether it’s becoming ‘Star Trek’ family or becoming part of the MCU,” he explained. “That’s a family that grows beyond the people you just worked with on the set. It grows into the fans, it grows at the conventions. That’s the part that’s most special.” 

“VisionQuest” sees the return of James Spader’s Ultron. Meanwhile, Scottish actor Ruaridh Mollica takes on the role of speedster Tommy Maximoff. Fans can stream the series every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.