Marvel's Subtle 'X-Men' Teasers

Marvel

Aug 30

It’s been 6 years since Disney’s infamous acquisition of Fox. Amidst all the chaos and uncertainty of that sale was the knowledge that Fox’s Marvel properties would return home where they belong. Now, except for a certain web-slinger, Marvel has all their major heroes and villains under one roof. That, of course, includes the X-Men. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1963, the X-Men have become a fixture in both the comic world and pop culture at large. The X-Men have not only thrived in comics as Marvel’s most beloved superhero team, but have also thrived in the world of video games, animation, and, of course, movies.

Bryan Singer’s original X-Men film from 2000, alongside Stephen Norrington’s Blade, was proof that films based on Marvel comics characters can work on the big screen. Both films would pave the way for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, which in turn would lead us to Christopher Nolan and Jon Favreau and their superhero classics. X2: X-Men United upped the ante, widely considered to be an improvement over the original. Sadly, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine would put the franchise on ice. Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class was successful enough to lead us to The Wolverine, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and the Deadpool films, and Logan, some of which are comic book movie classics of their own. However, X-Men: Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix, and The New Mutants all effectively killed the franchise. The Fox sale would also be the final nail in the coffin.

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Who Is Franklin Richards?

For the last few years, Marvel fans have been united in their hype and anxiety over the first MCU X-Men film. Thunderbolts* (or would that be The New Avengers?) director Jake Schreier has signed on to direct the film, so naturally, expectations are high. Before then, we’ll see the Fox era mutants one more time in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, before that happens, now is a good time to look back at some of the subtle hints toward everyone’s favorite mutant in the MCU up to this point.

For the sake of consistency, we will not be including major appearances of X-Men characters such as Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness or literally anyone who is part of the cast of Deadpool & Wolverine. This is strictly for the subtle hints.

The Wraith Of Khan

Four years on, WandaVision remains one of the best MCU projects ever made. Created by Jac Sachaffer, WandaVision was an emotionally impactful series that showcases what the MCU can be at its best. Between Matt Shakman’s immersive direction, the remarkable set design, Christophe Beck’s beautiful score, and winning performances from Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, and Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision was a winner. Of course, a particular section of the fandom was disappointed that their Mephisto theories didn’t pan out, but the series did lay the groundwork for something else.

In the sixth episode, titled All-New Halloween Spooktacular, as Darcy Lewis is going through S.W.O.R.D. files, you can see the name “Ray Johnson.” For die-hard X-fans, Ray Johnson is a familiar name, being an alias for the character John Wraith, also known as the teleporting mutant Kestrel. Wraith in the comics is a member of Team X, a covert team of mutants that carries out missions for the CIA. Wraith and Team X have appeared in one film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, in which Wraith was played by Black Eyed Peas frontman will.I.am. Sorry to remind you of that, it’s important to fill in the blanks.

For Richer Or Madripoorer

The combined powers of writer Malcolm Spellman and director Kari Skogland helped make The Falcon and the Winter Soldier a truly thrilling series. Not only did it provide the path for Sam Wilson to become Captain America, it also planted the seeds for another iconic Marvel hero. In episode 3, titled Power Broker, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes team up with their arch nemesis, Helmut Zemo. Together, they travel to the criminal haven city known as Madripoor to find someone who goes by the title Power Broker.

Devoted fans will know Madripoor from Wolverine-centric comics from the 1980s. Like in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Madripoor in the comics is a safe haven for the criminal underworld.

You’re A Mutant, Kamala!

Created for television by Bisha K. Ali, Ms. Marvel remains a visually stunning and insanely fun series in the MCU. Kamala Khan’s corner of the Marvel Universe was brought to life in a heartfelt and colorful way, in part thanks to directing duo Adil & Biall directing the show’s pilot and finale. In the finale, titled No Normal, Kamala is told something that would change her perception of herself forever. Her best friend, Bruno, after examining Kamala’s family’s DNA, tells her that she’s different from her family members.

Like, duh, she has superpowers and stuff, that was kind of obvious. That was until he revealed that Kamala has a mutation in her genes. This revelation is also scored with a brief but effective use of the main theme from X-Men: The Animated Series.

Claws & Order

This is one of the more blink and you’ll miss it teasers for the X-Men. In She-Hulk’s second episode, titled Superhuman Law, Jennifer Walters finds herself going online to look for potential new jobs. For a brief moment, you can see a headline that reads “Man fights with metal claws in bar brawl.” Gee, I wonder who that’s supposed to be.

Biting The Celestial Hand That Feeds You

Quite possibly the most direct teaser for the X-Men in the MCU came to us just this year. In Captain America: Brave New World, directed by Julius Onah, one of the central conflicts revolves around rival nations trying to mine the body of Tiamut, a Celestial resting in the middle of the ocean, first seen in Chloè Zhao’s Eternals. At the beginning of the film, President Ross reveals to a select group of people that the celestial possesses the most valuable metal in the world. Metal so powerful it’s more indestructible than vibranium. That metal in question? Adamantium

Adamantium is famously the metal alloy used to create the Wolverine we all know and love. Logan’s iconic metal claws would not exist without a procedure that infused adamantium into his body. After the brief headline in She-Hulk referring to a man with metal claws fighting in bars, rest assured that the MCU Wolverine (one likely not to be played by Hugh Jackman) is on the horizon. We just have to be paticent.

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