Throughout VisionQuest, Vision and Thomas have separately struggled to define who they are, especially in light of their artificial but potentially salvatory father-son relationship.
A lot of the ways he’s pushed Vision do look like attempts to hide supportive, fatherly advice under contempt and amusement.
Phineas is creating the man-on-fire painting we’ve seen over and over throughout VisionQuest, as a representation of how J.I.M.
Like Phineas, Vision wants to deny his emotions because they’re so agonizing that he’s afraid they’ll destroy him.
Other guards deactivate Vision and Jocasta with programs keyed into their systems and deliver Jocasta to the estate as well.